60
“We are here today to discuss the Paddstone situation,” intoned the cloaked figure. Their hood was drawn low over their face.
When the Court was first created, the hoods were thought to ensure anonymity to the selected members. It should, in theory, allow for greater freedom to speak their mind.
In reality, everyone knew who was speaking.
Anonymity was a luxury none of them had felt in a long time.
To the left of the speaker, High Mage Darla Diamondstare lounged in her chair and fiddled with her wand. She spun it in her fingers, looking bored.
But her mind wasn’t bored.
It was working so hard it was a surprise it didn’t overheat.
“What’s there to discuss?” Pappi Damper scowled. “Send a team in. You’ve all let the brat run wild for years. Talent doesn’t excuse arrogance.”
“What does that say about us?” Darla put in. While she agreed with Pappi, she wasn’t sure sparking a war with the Paddstones was very productive.
The Paddstone family controlled a hefty portion of the Mage Republic’s mineral deposits among some other essentials. If they were to cut off that supply, it would be disastrous for the economy.
“I agree with Pappi,” Hamen Hightongue said softly. “The Special Investigators Unit has reported that the Paddstones have been mustering along their border in heavy numbers.”
“Yes yes.” Gnarli Newmont rolled his eyes.
He was one of Paddstone’s more fervent supporters.
He was from their lands, and his family benefited richly from their support.
“But this was reported weeks ago. By Fallon Paddstone himself. Didn’t he tell you his forces were conducting exercises for the next six months?
To use that as the basis for discussing the assassination of a well-respected mage is shameful! ”
“Hear hear,” Veld Vornsbreath called loudly, slapping the table with his large meaty fist. “Shame!”
“And what of his threat to bring those soldiers to the Academy to murder a student there?” Hamen asked gently. “Are we to accept those without criticism?”
“Fallon already apologized for that,” Gnarli said, waving a hand dismissively. “They were in grief. His son had just been murdered.”
“Murdered?” Darla lifted her head. “Is that what it was? I thought the boy had broken into the Vault and was attempting to steal the Leveler. Am I mistaken? Can someone please correct me?”
“It is debatable as to poor Fergus’ actual intentions,” Gnarli said without missing a beat. “Because he was not alive to defend himself. Who knows if he was actually trying to stop the theft himself?”
Pappi snorted. “You have a slippery tongue, Newomont. But it’s not slippery enough to escape the facts on this one. Fergus Paddstone was attempting to steal the Leveler. And he passed it to an accomplice. That is a fact.”
“Yet, who was that accomplice? The Academy gave us a name, but that person doesn’t even exist! Who’s to say they didn’t make it up?”
“And why would they do that?” Darla asked.
“To hide the fact that Fergus was innocent!” Gnarli raised his fist. “There was nothing in the reports to show he had even broken into the Vault.”
“Did you even read the reports?” Josper Farr asked, genuinely curious. “Because they seemed fairly cut and dry to me.”
“There’s no evidence to prove the boy’s intent,” Gnarli insisted. “Not a single shred has been provided.”
“There were witnesses, Gnarli,” Hamen said. “And these were extensively interviewed to ensure the truth of their statements.”
“You might be stupid enough to believe a bunch of lies by Fergus’ jealous peers, Hamen, but I am not.
” He looked around at the rest of the Court.
“By every account, the boy was gifted. The other students were jealous of him. They should all be rounded up and arrested. That should shake the truth out of them.”
“Gifted?” Darla let her mouth drop open. “When did he become gifted? Didn’t you say he was rated six, Hamen? I’m sure you said six.”
“I did.”
“So, when did six become the definition of gifted?”
“There’s some dispute about the impartiality of the testing,” Gnarli said, again waving his hand. “Fallon has assured me that the boy was well beyond the rank of six. He himself had guessed the boy to at least be a ten. This is further proven by the genius of his other sons.”
“Padrick is a seven, isn’t he?” Darla asked. “Is a seven the definition of genius now? When did this change to our charter happen? I must have missed it.”
“If you can’t see the genius of the Paddstone family’s line, then you are as brainless as everyone thinks you are,” Gnarli growled.
“And I have no time for your nonsense. The Paddstone family are the pinnacle of what a mage bloodline should be. They’re a family of many gifted and talented men.
Men who have been continually denied the opportunity to serve the Republic in this Tower!
I say that is the reason the boy was murdered.
And we demand that a Special Investigator is assigned to investigate this conspiracy! ”
“Hear hear!” Veld roared.
“Let me guess,” Pappi sneered. “You know just the fellow for the task.”
“Of course,” Gnarli said. “Who better than Fallon Paddstone himself? The man is a recognized genius, who has the added fortune of possessing one of the most intelligent minds this world has ever seen! I hereby request the Court to appoint Fallon Paddstone as Special Investigator immediately, so we can root out the corruption which has been allowed to run rampant in the Academy. The Academy should be a place of strength and integrity. Our next generation will emerge from there. Should we accept a generation of corrupt murderers who would turn on one of their own? I say no.”
“No!” Veld echoed with a wide grin. He was enjoying himself.
“That’s a very pretty speech,” Pappi yawned melodramatically. “Did Fallon write it for you? It sounds like his trash.”
“Now now, Pappi,” Darla said. “That could be interpreted as slander, you know.”
“Exactly!” Gnarli hissed. “And it is slander!”
“As one of his former teachers, I can assure you there’s no way Fallon wrote a word of that,” she said seriously. “Many of the words Gnarli used were clearly too advanced for Fallon’s limited brain to conjure.”
“You see this?” Gnarli gestured at her. “My brothers, do you see? They can’t defend themselves, so they resort to baseless lies and insults.
Is this what the great Mage Court has been reduced to?
Are these halls doomed to be home to bitter old nobodies like them?
They shouldn’t be here. Look at them. They’re old and decrepit.
Their minds have decayed inside their skulls.
It saddens me that the Mage Court would allow itself to be led by such weak-minded fools.
Isn’t it time for change? Time that someone came forth to lead us into a better future? ”
Darla looked left.
Looked right.
Twirled her wand. “Is it election time again? I thought we only did that last year? Hamen, didn’t we do elections last year?”
“We did.”
“So, why are we doing them again this year?”
“I’m sure Gnarli will tell us.”
“Oh. Alright. Please tell us, little Gnarli,” she said. “Why are we having elections again so soon?”
“The fact that you can speak to me like that shows why,” he hissed. “Old prunes with fat old brains don’t belong here. We need youthful minds. Youthful hearts. It’s time for some new faces in here. With new ideas!”
“Gnarli,” she said with a pitying smile. “Are you saying you’re retiring? That was a lot of bluster for someone announcing their retirement. Just tell us you’re leaving. There’s no need to make such a fuss.”
“I was talking about you! As you well know if it weren’t for the fact your dementia wasn’t clouding your little brain. Which was never so big in the first place!”
“I’m old?”
“Ancient!”
She gave him a confused look. “But I’m only one year older than you, Gnarli.”
“That’s not the point,” he growled. “My mind is still sharp. Yours has degraded. Anyone can see that.”
“If we’re done with the insults.” Josper sighed. “I’d like to get on with the actual work.”
“That’s what I wanted,” Gnarli said haughtily. “But you see these old wretched things keep derailing our important meetings with their mindless drivel.”
“Right.” Josper glanced down at Pappi. “I guess we’ll vote on whether a Special Investigator should be assigned to the Academy. All in favor?”
Gnarli and Veld shouted: “Aye!”
“Well, then,” Josper said, trying his best not to roll his eyes.
“I suppose the nays have it. Hamen. You’re in charge of the Investigation.
Could you please update us on what’s happening with the pursuit of the Leveler itself.
I think that’s more important right now than the Paddstones and their gripes. ”
“Yes, High Mage.” Hamen nodded. “As I had been saying earlier. We are investigating the ties between Fergus Paddstone and Fulka Fenricksurge. We currently believe she was an agent for the Mazzarian Empire.”
“Mazzarian Empire,” Gnarli snorted. “You always blame the Mazzarian Empire when you know nothing.”
“Unfortunately, we’ve been unable to investigate this further as the Paddstone family has blocked our people from speaking to the Mazzarian Ambassador who has been residing in a house owned by the Paddstone family.”
“Baseless accusations!” Gnarli shouted. “That’s all these are! You are covering up the murder of a child! An innocent child who couldn’t defend himself from-”
“I thought he was a genius,” Darla said, looking confused again.
“Didn’t he just say the boy was a genius?
Such a genius couldn’t defend himself? In my day, a genius was something to be feared.
What was it he was unable to defend himself from again?
A boy with so little mana that he hardly rated a one?
Are we truly to believe the Paddstone boy was the genius of the two? ”
“Stupid woman,” Gnarli grunted. “You don’t know what you’re talking about. You shouldn’t even be here.”
“I certainly regret being here with every word you speak.”
And she did.
Unfortunately, she didn’t have much of a choice. While only two had voted for Gnarli’s motion, Darla had an uncomfortable feeling that change was in the wind.
And she didn’t like change.