"Haya! Bergan! It's terrible!" A boy of about 11 ran towards the home just outside the village proper, the sound of smithing and the bleating of a few sheep filled the air. He pounded on the door rapidly. Haya Ser opened it, smiling at the boy.

"Oh, hello Jasper, how are you?" Her smile faltered as she looked at the boy's face. "What's wrong? Is your mother or father sick? Is a tool broken?"

Jasper shook his head. "No ma'am, it's the news, a passing trader passed by the village, holding newsprint. I noticed your son's face; he didn't look so good."

Haya took the sheet, and her eyes glazed over as she fainted.

Can you hear me?

Faris opened his eyes, he scanned his dark cell, he could see no one, and he had no cellmates.

Well?

…Yes… He responded, cautious and curious, the mind was different than minds he had been in contact with before, and it had not felt malicious, thus he allowed it to meet his.

Good, I thought I'd have to call like a maid after her unfaithful rogue into the wind.

Nice to meet you too, can I ask who this is?

That depends, who are you…

Faris sat up, leaning his back against what he believed to be the wall of the pitch-black room.

I am Faris Ser, currently imprisoned, who're you?

I am Volund Bronzeflame, dragon of the Rider Vulcan, and the second in command of the new rider order air force.

Oh… Well I guess that makes the Nïdwhal the navy then. Faris chuckled, I never thought I'd meet a dragon so soon.

You aren't surprised to meet me?

Well I'm rather surprised you would want to speak to me, general consensus is that I'm a cold murderer.

You don't sound like a murderer, rather you sound rather weary.

Faris laughed.

"Shut up in there!" A voice called out angrily. Faris quieted down.

Well, you are right, I am very tired, why did you wish to speak to me?

Two reasons, one, I'm curious as to the nature of an oddity such as yourself.

I hope I've lived up to your expectations.

That remains to be seen, but I can promise you I am not entirely unimpressed, your mind despite being drugged feels quite alert, and you do well in masking the flashing throbs of pain registering all over your body.

You have a dry air of wit about you.

Yes, I do, it comes from dealing with young dragons eager to gain their own territory whilst reconciling with wild and rider dragons older than the empire before.

Oh? How old are you.

I can say I am very much older than you, and even then, dragons do not age like you fragile humans, we reach mental maturity much faster, and each year after we grow wiser and wiser.

So, I've heard, then you're twelve?

…Well, actually 14, but it doesn't even matter! I must tell you the second item of importance. My bond Vulcan wanted to let you know your friends are alright, they have been given a light reprimanding on behalf on his regard. Unfortunately, he could do nothing for you given the seriousness of your case.

Wait, so attacking a large group of mages isn't serious?

There's precedent, and that girl is too fiery to be held down. A spirited mare, she is.

I'd metaphorically drink to that. Faris made the motion as he lifted his nonexistent cup to his cut and dry lips.

I have heard stories of the prisons under the Oath-Breaker's rule, you look like a victim of those stories.

Evil people exist in every era, as do good, I've just been under the jurisdiction of the former for a short stint.

You seem hopeful.

I'm merely keeping my head above the water, giving in to despair is exactly what a certain bunch of people want for me to do.

I wish you sharp fangs and claws for when you tear your adversaries' throats and disembowel them from chest to pelvis.

Thank you, I uh, wish you strength to… not die in the war you have to rejoin, and hope you find opponents worthy of your prowess great Skulkblaka. Faris felt Volund's humor.

I wish you a good night child.

Faris waited until the air felt completely empty before his sighed. He lay back down and tried to sleep, doing as well as he had before Volund's visitation.

"I bet the precedent was Celica."

Celica sneezed. "Must be the pollen." She turned to the youth in front of her, all of them in holding a sword out in front of them, anytime it looked like they would drop it she would whack them in the head, just hard enough to hurt but not leave a cut or bruising.

"Ow!" Nya winced angrily.

"Nya you're slacking, it's only been 4 hours and 31 minutes, 2 minutes over your last record."

"Hahaha-ow! Angvar's beard that smarts! Ow! Why?! Ow!" Katya dropped her sword in shock, Celica rapped her hand hard.

"Pick it up!"

"Yes maa-OW!" She hopped forward as Celica struck her in the butt. "Ow! Why?!"

The rest of the first years snickered, only to find hard knocks on their foreheads. "Every day kids! Every day for this week!"

As noon began to draw in the other mage students passed by, whispered gossip soon turned into open mocking.

"There's the idiots!"

"Losers!"

"This isn't nearly enough of a punishment!"

A particular group of hotheaded students walked up. "Well well well, the brats too big for their britches getting their due service?" He turned to Celica, "Lady Celica, I'm sorry you had to be tasked with dealing with this foolhardy lot."

"Hmmm…" Celica didn't so much as look at the students, she nonchalantly struck Morgan, who had turned to glare at the students. This elicited chortles from the students. The only one who's face hadn't reddened from the insults and embarrassment was Venka, she had stayed stock still the entire time, her sword unmoving, continuously staring ahead.

"Yo! Check this one out! This little girl thinks she's a tough soldier or something!" The students gathered around Venka.

"Isn't that tiring? Or do monsters like you not feel fear!"

"Look at her hair!" One of them grabbed unto a strand of Venka's hair, pulling her off balance. Morgan was the first one on the student, punching him in the face and stepping on his groin repeatedly, Katya and Nya in hot pursuit, just as quickly though Celica stopped the ensuing fight.

"If you start now! You're all getting expelled!"

"Oh, now we're getting expelled? And what? Fighting state mages just gives you a reprimand? Or is it because you think they're more important?"

Celica grit her teeth, "Stand down now, you are treading dangerously thin ice young man."

The boy got up, rubbing his bruised face as he healed it with magic. "Fine then, no harm really done." He turned to look at Venka, who had in the time methodically gotten up and had returned to her position, sword in hand, looking straight ahead. "Look at her! All expressionless, like she aint human, you hear the rumors? They say she's a shade, and look at her hair, and her magic? I believe them." He stepped on her foot and spat at her face, a mix of saliva and phlegm hit her cheek, everyone's breath held as it ran down half an inch before Venka wiped it off and resumed her position.

"Uh… head to class, all of you!" Celica's face was a mix of anger, irritation, confusion, and wariness, Venka was normally very vocal before.

As they left mummering words of vengeance Nya turned to Venka, "Are you okay? Ow."

"I don't want to cause another scene, if I do, it might make Faris look bad, one of the accusations is that I aided in his actions."

"But that isn't true! Ow"

"Regardless it's a point held by the prosecution, if I act out, they'll try to implicate me, and in order to not let that happen, Faris would throw the case." Venka looked at her friends, "So, I'm not going to cause trouble, no matter what."

"And I thought I was the most mature one…" Morgan mused sadly, "We'll stick by that plan then, and I'll try and talk to my sources, see if there's anything they can do to help. Ow"

Venka smiled lightly, "Thanks…" She turned forward again after the third strike to her head, resuming her position, still as a statue under the midday sun.

It's too freaking hot. Faris milled about, looking at the hardened men around him, men of different sizes and shapes all wore the dark grey wool tunics given to mark them as prisoners, uncomfortable and itchy, and a few more than a little too tight, for his part the smallest pair they could find was still lose on him, and he struck a bemusing juxtaposition. This was a 1-hour leisure time the guards allowed the prisoners, most of them took the time to exercise, or play small games to pass the time and keep sane, Faris for his part kept his distance, he was nowhere near capable of taking any of them down, and from the way many of them looked at him, he'd need a weapon to defend himself soon. As it was, he was by a set of uneven bars, a little higher up than eleven feat, he used it to exercise, practicing his pullups, curls, and a few other exercises while also granting him some view of the prison complex. Most of Galbatorix's insignias had been wiped away, but more than a few remained, a glaring reminder that some of the trends of that old empire were still here today.

"You're that bastard mage, right?"

Faris looked down, "That's mister bastard mage actually." He saw a large man, nearly seven feet tall, and pushing three hundred pounds, he looked like one of those WWE wrestlers. "What are they feeding you guys? You're a literal house." He muttered under his breath. The large man had a scarred face that could quiet any crying baby.

"Get down here now!" He was with a group of rough looking inmates who all stared at Faris dangerously.

"And what will happen if I come down? You guys are looking pretty scary."

"Oh? Aren't you a mighty mage who slayed 25 men? Or are you scared without your little magic you can't bully us around." A group now began to gather under Faris, and he clambered to the top of the beam in a cat-like motion as one of them leapt up the bottom beam.

"Don't let him get away!"

Faris almost lost his balance as a rock beaned him in the temple, he felt a hot liquid drip down past his lips, he licked it, tasting blood in his mouth. His head swarm as he gripped tighter, lowering his head so that his body could serve as cover, he winced as several more rocks hit him, his uncomfortable wool tunic doing little to dampen the blows. More and more men began either throwing stones or climbing up to grab him. Faris raised his head just in time to catch another rock aimed for his arm, he gripped it tightly, waiting until the first of the climbers almost reached him, he smashed their hand down hard, then bashed them in the side of the temple, pushing them into the next climbing criminal, soon a whole group of them began tumbling down, crashing unto the crowd below them, Faris leapt down alongside, landing on one of them on the leg, he winced slightly as he landed wrong, scraping his knee badly, but he sprung up quickly and sprinted off, leaving his fellow inmate with a bruised back and broken thighbone. In a matter of seconds, he heard people bounding after him, he looked in a panic for any guards to help. He saw the same group of guards in charge of his torture session looking on with interest and amusement, one had a cup of mead in her hands. He glowered at them for a bit, turning around and jogging full speed to barely duck under a reaching arm, his hand swiped quickly by, breaking the man's wrist with a calculated bash of his rock. The man howled in pain and dropped a shiny silvery object. Faris did not at all hesitate to kick high and fast, aiming between his legs and dropping him. He barely glanced at the item before he picked it up, sprinting again just as the next inmate almost reached him.

"Get back here! Fight like a man!"

"I! Am! Eleven goddamit!" He allowed the inmate to close in on him, dodging his sloppy punch he stabbed him twice in the thigh, then once in the quadriceps. As he collapsed to his knees a swift chop to the back of the neck and a vicious shove knocked in into three more inmates. Faris used the collapsed pile as a stepping stone to leap over the next inmate, stabbing him in the small of the back twice as he barreled past. Faris turned to the rest of the inmates, bloody shank in right hand, bloody rock in the other, his eyes were fierce and angry. The inmates had slowed down now, looking at him warily. "What?!" He looked at them, "Thought I was just a stupid kid?! What the fuck do you even think I did?! Go after a bunch of normal people and just kill them?! I went after pieces of shit as fucked up as you guys probably are!" He brandished his weapons. "Anyone else?! You'll probably kill me, but I'll make sure the next one to come at me won't wake up tomorrow!" The men stood, hesitating. The man who started the confrontation pushed his way forward, brandishing his large fists.

"I don't like you, but I can tell a lot about a man through their fists. Make way!" The prisoners formed a circle.

Melodramatic ass. He rolled his eyes but entered a martial pose it was not the straight forward Karate or the flowing Kungfu, it was a simple but effective martial art, he picked it up from one of his old parent's security detail, who was a retired Israeli officer. He adopted a stance just as the man's right fist hurdled towards his face, his head exploded in pain and he saw stars as the man's other fist collided with his stomach. He launched back, barely flipping and landing on his feet to roll out of the next attack. "That was a cheap shot!"

"You reacted, didn't you?" The man wiped the blood of his arm, courtesy of Faris's commandeered shank. "Not the worst scrapper at all." He shook his head, "But you're too sneaky, a real man would fight face first."

"I am, eleven." Faris sighed as he charged towards the man, he sidestepped quickly as the fist whiffed past his head, his rock smashed into the second fist. Faris's eyes widened as it shattered but he did not hesitate to strike the man hard with his closed fist in the temple. The man stepped back, disoriented and shaken, he looked at the boy, who's fist struck him hard in the nose. Everyone heard the audible crack as the nose snapped. Faris jumped now, kicking him in the temple. Just keep this up and-! He felt a massive blow to his side, stumbling he turned, he didn't look to the other inmates but to the guards, who were laughing now. He barely had time to react as he took another blow to the back from his assailants from afar, right into the large man's hurtling fist. Faris opened his eyes, he was on the floor, with the man charging towards, him, he had been knocked out and lost conciousness for that short while, he rolled out of the way but his vision was blurred and pained. He barely dodged the next kick, scrambling up only to take another invisible blow knocking him down and leaving him prone for the next two hit combo, he felt his dominant arm snap, he moved with the momentum of the punches, backing up from the man. The pain cut through whatever fog still held his mind and he could feel the rumbles of magic, he extended his mind out, he turned his body a few inches, moving to dodge another punch just as the magic knocked him forward, luckily, he had shifted his position enough to dodge the attack.

I can't keep that up forever. He began to concentrate on the area around the guards, the guard using magic was the same girl, he felt that one of them had dropped a cup of mead, and there were a few birds flying nearby. He commandeered one of their minds, directing it to the shiny jeweled ring on the guard's hand. Go get it. He dodged back, rolling again and again to dodge the attacks. He glanced at the incoming crows only to catch a kick he wasn't ready for, now with both arms broken he stared down the man. He could hear the guards' minds now, eager to watch him fail, he had bothered them more than they would like it seemed. But that would change in 3, 2, 1. Faris ducked under the swinging fist just as he heard the guards begin to curse and flail about, he kicked the man hard in the elbow, causing him to turn. He took a wide stance and kicked hard. It was a beautiful, artistic, and leaping kick, he never did think he'd use such a kick, it was from a martial art developed by slaves, masked as dancing in order to keep others from discovering what they were doing. The attacks were impractical but extremely strong if landed right. His body twisted and flipped in the air as his heel careened for the top of the man's temple. He felt the man crash under him, only to catch himself with one arm. Welp.

The blow was swift and sudden, merciless as it knocked him out almost instantly. He barely had enough time to soften his landing before he lost all conscious thought. The men's rowdy cheers were stopped dead silent as Faris's unconscious form hovered six inches above the ground before collapsing. No one approached the boy, allowing the guards to come and clear them all out, the tall man turned to see them surround the boy and pick him up.

Faris laughed as the metal rod struck him in the side, smiling even as the tears glistened and fell down his face.

"How did you use magic to summon the birds?!"

"What birds?" Faris masked his groan with a chuckle as the iron rod shattered his shoulder. His arm sagged unnaturally and his wrists bled slightly as they chafed against the shackles holding him down. "So…" He asked, eyes closed and sweat dripping down his face, "Are you going to kill me and pretend it was an attempt on my part to escape?" He groaned audibly as a red-hot poker struck him in the side.

"Shut your face fool!" The "interrogator", despite being uninjured, was also tense and sweating profusely, Faris's mind still continued to rigidly hold against the mental onslaught.

"Oh? Did Venka scare you all that much?" He turned to one of the masked guards, "I like your ring." She looked at her gloved hand, panicked, he laughed at her quick turn, and laughed again to mask the pain as she stuck him in the face repeatedly. "Rembrant has you all deep in his pockets, doesn't he?" He didn't look away or panic as she held her hands to his neck, eventually the other guards pulled her away. He winked at them and turned to the interrogator. "Only twenty-eight more days before the big trial, are you as excited as I am?"

"You think it will go down easily? You are under our mercy child!"

"Cut the charade, you and I both know if you kill me every one of you is a dead man, the best you can do is torture me and try to keep me quiet by threatening Marla and her mother, in hopes to get me to confess falsely, or break me mentally." He cried out in pain as the next blow was into his stomach.

"You're right, we can't kill you, but we'll make you wish we did." The guards took hot pokers from the brazen furnace, turning them to Faris, the tips were heated till they began to glow white. Faris felt the heat on his face, and closed his eyes, calming his breathing. "Alright, let's get this done."

Braxton sat in his cell, he was separated from everyone else because he always hurt his cellmate, the last two had almost died because they decided to challenge his title, he had always been hurt from his scraps, but not like today, he looked at his bandaged arms and hands. The door to his cell opened and someone was thrown in. He turned to see the guards lock the door. After a few minutes he walked over. Whoever it was covered in bandages that only loosely covered his horrific scars and burns. "Angvard almighty, what did you do to get these licks?" He unfurled the hooded blanket to reveal the boy he had fought today. His mind flashed back to their fight. He had been on the backpedal until the boy had stumbled twice, at least, he thought they had been stumbles, he remembered the guards laughing, they had leaked rumors about what the boy did, and what he did was the worst. Unless they were lies, all of the inmates he subdued were attacked in nonlethal nonfatal locations. And even when the boy had him on the offensive his knife never went near his face or neck. Then there was the fact the boy used magic, if he could use magic always, he could have killed them all easily. He remembered a state mage effortlessly drop a band of bandits. "Hell, even if he couldn't, he definitely could have dropped me." He sighed, they probably dumped him here to be killed, so that they could blame it on him, he was combat prone but he wasn't an idiot. He walked over to his cot and picked up a thin blanket, it provided little comfort but it was better than freezing to death. He looked out at the moon, was only a sliver, but that was larger than it had been yesterday. He tossed the blanket onto the boy, covering him as best he could.

Faris first noticed that he was in a different cell. Then he noticed the man he had fought the day before, he was sleeping in a corner of the room, Faris looked around, and looked at himself, he was covered in a blanket. He tried to get up, immediately regretting it as pain racked his body. He peered down his shirt, solemnly looking away as he closed his eyes, he wouldn't have the magic to fix all the damage so he'd have to heal the essentials. I just need to be able to stand up and move again. He slowly worked on himself, the task going by slowly, as he did so he heard the older man stir in his sleep, waking up some thirty minutes later.

"You are awake?" He asked gruffly.

Faris took a bit of time to find the words to answer, still deep in concentration, "…yes… I, I'm awake."

The man nodded, leaning up against the wall. "Did you kill those twenty-five men?"

Faris nodded, "Yes, yes I did."

"In cold blood?"

He closed his eyes, "In a sense, I guess you could say that, I had a good long while with them in my mercy, and I could have done a great many things to subdue them… but I instead killed them."

The man laughed, "What did they do to wrong you?"

"Nothing to me personally, but they hurt a great many people, do you want to hear?"

The man nodded, "I have a feeling it will be an interesting story…"

Faris and Braxton walked towards the mess hall for breakfast, as the rest of the inmates filed in, they were surprised to see Faris walking by the large man with neither of them betraying any animosity, if they still shared any. As they sat to eat a few more inmates gathered in the seats by them, a few glaring daggers at Faris still.

"How are you gents doing?" He asked jovially, watching as a guard brought him a special meal compared to the rest of the inmates. "Oh? Wow I can smell the drug in this, did you quadruple the dosage?" He took a bite and felt the toxin beginning to fog his mind and slow his movements. He turned to Braxton, "Hey there…" He slurred, "I don't think they like me very much." He returned to his food, eating it, as he was about to take a sip of water an inmate swiped his cup and began to chug it, but not before he spit it out in disgust. "Yuperino!" He smiled, "Anti-magic drugs! I was wondering when they'd feed me again, left me to rot for 2 whole days, I guess they thought I'd crack under starvation, though nice of them to let me heal before taking my magic away. He turned to the guards who glared at him angrily. "Can I get more water; I have a splitting headache and it's not just the drugs."

Another inmate slid him a glass. "Here, it's not much but it should hold you over."

Faris thanked him, chugging it eagerly. They ate in silence, after the meal was completed, they were taken out into the filed for "leisure" again. Faris chose to stay near a wall, too exhausted to do anything more.

"Move it prisoner!" A guard ran up to him and clubbed him on the head. "All inmates must keep active."

"Fine!" Faris trudged forward, limping across a small track. "I hope my friends are doing alright."

The first-year pearls awoke and followed their same schedule, of 6 hours of monotonous physical training and combat, followed by lunch, then a return to normal classes, then supper, then strict curfew, they all shared in Venka's stoic expression and unwillingness to cause trouble despite the provocation. Only twice did this façade break, and both times being when a student insulted Faris. At this point the students took great pleasure in insulting them in any way they could, avoiding anything physical unless a teacher was available. This trend continued for another week and a half until an incident occurred.

"Where do you think you're going?!" A student jeered at Venka, he was the one who confronted them in the beginning, and emboldened by their passive behavior decided he wanted to take things up a notch, he had gathered a posse of friends and compatriots, as well as students who had grievances against those pearls, and ganged up on the 4 when the teachers weren't available, trash, spoiled food, and nasty words were hurled their way as they made their way down the hall. Soon they found themselves blocked by this massive group of 50+ students. "I said where are you going?! Or are you so cowardly intelligent tongue fled your mouths?" The students laughed alongside his words.

"Perhaps they think they're in some way cool for being so stoic."

"Or perhaps they realize they're in the wrong and are finally acting their station." A student reached over and pushed Nya, she found it impossible to even get her to so much as budge as the girl continued to stare forward impassively.

"Can we go now?" She turned to look at the student, who shrunk back fearfully.

"You can go when we're good and ready!" Another student jeered, throwing a rotten tomato at her. Nya kept her mouth closed as she wiped the rotting juice off her face. The students had gotten dangerously closer. Her mouth had begun to turn. "Guys, I'm beginning to lose patience."

"We just need to hold on for another two and a half weeks, and it will be over." Morgan replied, blocking an egg from beaning his face, he barely held back a grimace as he smelt the stink of rotten egg permeate the area.

"When this is over, I'll remember all of your faces." Katya's face was blank, but her voice showed a hint of malice.

The students, bristled by this challenge began issuing deeper threats and insults, eventually one got the courage to cast a spell to attack them, and was immediately knocked out in a flash of black. The students gasped as standing in front of them was Seya.

"Well, what a cowardly mob you are, acting this way just because they won't fight back."

"But they committed a crime!" One of the students cried out defiantly, only to be slapped hard in the face by Seya.

"True, but aren't they being punished?"

"But they aren't receiving the true punishment!"

Seya laughed, "Please, let me ask you a question, would you really accept losing your magic forever? You realize that it's a rare punishment, only reserved for those who kill other mages or citizens, unlawful use of magic has other punishments. And you all know that." She narrowed her eyes, "Besides, they are my teammates, and you are insulting them, that means you are challenging us correct?" The students quieted. "I'll remember all your faces, so you best stop."

"Oh yeah?!" The leader retorted, "There are over 50 of us!"

"And there are over one hundred of us." A voice called out, they all turned to see Bartholomew, munching on an apple. Behind him were over one hundred student mages from various guilds. "I feel a 2 on 1 matchup is a bit fairer than a 5 to one matchup, wouldn't you say?" He smiled, taking another bite. He waited until the group of 50 dispersed before he turned to the students he towed along. "You can leave now, expect your pay in your deposits in two days, if it's not there, message me."

"Bartholomew?" Venka asked, surprised, "Why are you helping us? I thought you weren't cheap."

The large boy shrugged, "You lot are entertaining, and my uncle has a bone to pick with Rembrant, when Morgan came to our company with insider information, we decided we'd lend aid, we've got a man in that prison anyway, once that guy gets out with evidence of infractions, Rembrant is as good as dead and Faris would be saved."

Nya turned to Morgan, who smiled, "I have quite a few contacts, and this one is really close to Rembrant's inner circle."

"But won't the case happen in a month?" Nya asked.

"Due to 'further evidence being uncovered' Faris will be delayed his case another month, then another, and another, until he pleads guilty, dies, or is irrefutably proven innocent. Unfortunately, Faris isn't innocent, but he has extenuating circumstance which would have him acquitted that would be thrown out if he pleads guilty." He finishes the apple, throwing it into a saucer.

Venka's face warped to that of white rage "I'm going to…"

"I wouldn't do anything hasty; you are still on thin ice." Bartholomew shook his head, "Morgan has trustworthy contacts, he told us that tonight an information exchange was going on, one of the members has a copy of all of Rembrant's forged ledgers and tax documents, most aristocrats have ones drawn to keep their real wealth and assets a secret."

"If we get a hand on the forgery, we can find out where it's printed based on the specific coding, then we break in and get access to the real documents, as they would have to be used in order to forge these ones." Morgan smiled, "Once we have that, we can see whether Rembrant really ordered the assassinations, and also look into his taking care of his parts of the city and countryside, once we do, we can strike him with corruption charges, and completely destroy him politically.

"With him politically ruined his backers will pull out, he'd have no choice but to default and file bankruptcy on his property. Then my uncle can buy out his company, and boom, Faris's trial is quickened, and the judge is either neutral or in Faris's favor, a few newspapers here and there, and the monster becomes a hero due to the nature of the men he subdued." Bartholomew smiled.

"But, that's stupid, why do we have to go through all of that?" Venka began, "If we have reason to believe he's not being fair, why do we have to play by the rules?"

"Because we have the power and responsibility to play by the rules, no matter how noble, not playing by the rules is what got your boyfriend into this problem." Bartholomew reached into his pocket for his second apple. "And because if we go about it this way, we don't have to worry about upending the system and dividing the aristocrats, if we just violently took out Rembrant they'd be split, but if we prove he is both legally and morally inept his allies would have no way to stand by him, thus putting him in our mercy in a legal and easy way."

Venka folded her arms, "It still seems a bit too much."

"It would be, if not for the fact that Rembrant is the leader of the anti-mage faction of the government, if he is taken out violently by a mage, especially a mage as powerful as any of us, it would merely make him a martyr for their cause, and Faris would become the first victim of stricter laws." Morgan smiled sadly, "I'm sorry Venka, we'll try to complete this before the month is over."

She nodded, "Fine, but if it goes wrong, damn the law…"