A stunned silence immediately descended.
"Ms. Westbridge," the Headmaster addressed the disruptive mage in an iron tone, "if you wish to dispute your score, please make an appointment with my secretary and I will be happy to discuss it with you. But this is not the time or place. Please sit down until the assembly is dismissed."
"No! I want to know why we weren't ranked in on the overall score. My party was the second fastest, and we had two members of the magical damage list with us. There's no way we wouldn't have made the top five parties."
"Ms. Westbridge, I have told you ..."
"I want answers!" Shrieked Cecilia cutting the headmaster off.
The Headmaster's eyes flicked to the balcony where most of the guild representatives were seated. Red faced with shame, embarrassment and anger; Cecilia's father was standing at the railing that ran along the front. Locking eyes with the Headmaster, he solemnly nodded before returning his molten glare back to his daughter.
"Very well, Ms. Westbridge. All you have said is technically true, but it comes nowhere near the whole truth. Had you read the syllabus explaining the exam, you would know the answers already. This exam is balanced to emphasize teamwork. Your party blatantly disregarded that basic tenant. On your run, you purposefully closed the door to the final chamber before your entire party had entered. You abandoned a party member. That action earned the harshest penalty the exam allows. All points earned by the abandoned member are deleted from the party's total. The points per second earned is reduced by half. And the survivor's modifier is automatically set to six members starting, regardless of how many members were actually in the party at the start. So, with the loss of Ms. Stone's points, which accounted for slightly more than a quarter of your total at the time of her abandonment, the reduction in points per second, and the final modifier being point six-six-seven, places you at rank one hundred twenty-six out of the one hundred twenty-six parties that successfully completed the exam. Or to put it another way, dead last. Do you have any questions, Ms. Westbridge?"
Cecilia meekly shook her head and sank into her seat. During the Headmaster's accounting, all the color had drained from her face. While the Headmaster explained the rules and expected etiquette of the teaching labyrinth, she sat staring at her hands. How had this happened? Why had this happened? As the assembly ended, Cecilia, completely unable to accept responsibility for such a massive mistake, decided that all this was Karen's fault. Jumping to her feet, Cecilia began pushing through the mass of students crowding the isle. Outside, she found Exam Party Eleven surrounded by a throng of students, from all courses and years, attempting to offer their congratulations.
Pushing through the crowd, Cecilia reached for Karen. Screaming "You Bitch!" Cecilia's attempt to slap Karen's face was stopped when her wrist was caught by Alex's gauntleted hand. Still holding the front of Karen's dark blue trimmed in silver robe, she continued to scream "You Bitch! How could you do that to me! Last place! Last! And you knew! You bitch, why didn't you warn me?! What kind of person won't tell her best friend about something like that!" Still struggling to free her hand from Alex's grip, she continued "Why would you do that to me!" At that last cry, every student who had been present raised an eyebrow at the perfect echo of the end of Cecilia's run on the first day.
Karen calmly pulled her robe from Cecilia's grip. "All you wanted to know was the time. That's all. I did try to warn you before you left. You tuned me out, too focused on your trip. Then you left. After that I spent the entire exam window trying to find a party that I could pass with. Every day I tried and failed. Every day! All because you didn't want to wait thirty seconds for me to catch up! "Karen pointed a damming finger in Cecilia's face. "It was hell! And the only way I passed was because Thomas, who I had bullied all term, took pity on me and convinced his party to take the exam again on the very last day." Dropping her finger Karen took a step back, "I learned a lot during that exam. About teamwork. About leadership. And most importantly about friendship. And in all three of those categories, you are the exact opposite of what I believe is correct." Looking around the silent crowd, Karen located the three other members of Cecilia's party. "Do you understand why I'm not worried about you plotting some sort of revenge? Because I have finally found some true friends, who I know will have my back. No matter what comes my way.
You, Cecilia, do not know the meaning of teamwork. You are the worst kind of leader I can imagine, a dictator with no compassion. And you absolutely not anyone I would ever call a friend."
Karen sighed at the sight of Cecilia's expression. Rage, humiliation and shame were waging a terrible war across her face. Finally, under Karen's steady gaze, Cecilia wrenched her wrist out of Alex's grip and stormed back through the still silently staring crowd.