Chapter 5

Thursday was Thanksgiving here in the US, so happy late Thanksgiving to all of you, and tomorrow (though technically today, since the clock now shows it's past midnight) is my birthday, so happy birthday to me…sure is a lot of "happy" going on.

Isaac: Just get on with the story and don't think about it too much.

You know, Isaac? For once I agree with you.

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"Just what is the meaning of this?" His demeanor was calm, but his grandson knew better than to believe the outward appearance.

Garet was out of excuses. All that were left were just desperate attempts, and the aging mayor would see through every one of them in a heartbeat. I can explain. He was just passing through. He couldn't afford the Inn. He wanted to blurt out each of these things, but his voice seemed to be caught in his throat.

Mayor Jerra didn't wait long before he turned to leave, clearly stating his orders to the closest guard. "Kill it." For a moment, Garet's mind froze.

Jenna jumped forward as each guard drew their swords. "No!" She stood in front of the Adept that still sat on the ground, half covered by blankets and clothing. "You can't! He didn't do anything wrong!" Felix moved forward as well, mostly to protect Jenna.

Mayor Jerra spun back around. "He didn't do anything wrong? My dear Jenna, that thing is an Adept!"

"He's not a thing." All eyes turned to Garet, who looked shocked at his own words in his grandfather's presence.

"What did you say?" The mayor cut Garet off before he could answer. "I'm surprised with you, Garet. I know teenagers are notorious for being unruly at times, but I never thought I would have to worry about you."

"Grandpa, I-."

"Did any of the things I taught to you, any of the things that I showed to you, mean anything to you?" He turned to Jenna. "My dear, please move aside."

There was the sound of hurried footsteps in the tunnel, and soon the rest of the guards were standing a short distance away from the room entrance, their captain now standing at the front. "Sir, we heard a commotion. Is everyone all right?" Felix's eyes narrowed as he stared at the newcomers, and Garet, following the older youth's line of sight, saw that four carried crossbows at their sides.

"Captain, I want that thing taken care of." He pointed down at Isaac. When the captain gave him a questioning glance, Mayor Jerra added, "It's the Adept we were informed of. I want it dealt with."

The captain's eyes grew wide. "A-an Adept?" Collecting himself, he half turned back to his reinforcements, but the ones with the crossbows had already raised their weapons. With those, the shooters could take out Isaac even with Jenna standing there, but that wasn't saying they wouldn't take her out as well.

"Wait!" Garet put himself between Jenna and the guards. "What proof do you even have that he's the Adept you're looking for? What makes you so sure that he's an Adept to begin with?"

"That thing was sent into exile under penalty of death. By reentering the gates of this town it has thus forfeited its life," explained the mayor in an almost sarcastic matter-of-fact tone.

"What if he isn't the same guy? How can you be so sure it's him after so many years?"

"Garet, I'm getting tired of this. Now, move aside so we can finish this once and for all."

"You're the mayor and have to uphold the laws, and the laws state that he's entitled to a chance to defend himself before sentencing. You can't kill him!"

"Those laws only apply to Vale's citizens."

"He was a citizen! Until you had him kicked out, he was a Valean and even then you refused to give him a chance. Therefore, you should owe him one now. I'll take full responsibility for it if anything goes wrong! Please!"

Mayor Jerra seemed ready to pop a blood vessel or have a stroke, but he forced himself to remain calm. After several deep breaths and hard staring at his grandson, he relented. "Very well, but it will be jailed and confined until it is judged. Captain? Arrest it and get it to the jail, and try to attract as little attention as possible." The four teenagers were ready to almost explode with joy, until the mayor cleared his voice and added, "And I want Mister Felix and Miss Jenna arrested as well."

"WHAT?"

"Grandpa, y-you can't!"

"I am the mayor, Garet, and I say what can and cannot be done. I've already granted you one favor today." He started to walk angrily away, but turned back to give Garet another cold, hard stare. "Quite frankly, Garet Jerra, I have never been more disappointed."

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Garet sat silently in the otherwise empty meeting room, his head resting on his crossed arms at table. Kay had been furious with him when he had returned home, but at the same time seemed…afraid. Afraid of what? Or was it that she was so nervous for his sake. He had just been caught trying to protect an Adept, and when it came to the no-no list of the leading family, that ranked very close to the top.

The door creaked as it opened slowly and Mr. Jerra entered, closing the door behind him and sitting across from his son at the table. "Garet, I want to know exactly what happened today," he said as though speaking to a child who had broken a vase.

Garet frowned and looked away. "You mean Grandpa hasn't been out there ranting about it for the entire past hour?"

"Garet, I know this is a difficult time you're going through, with you turning eighteen and starting your training, but if you were having problems I just wish you had-"

"Problems? Dad, I didn't do it just to be some rebellious teenager!"

"Garet, calm down. I just want to know why you would allow yourself to mingle with a rogue like that. Have you any idea the terrible powers Adepts possess? There's no telling when that thing might have turned on you."

"His name's Isaac."

"Giving it a name isn't going to-"

"His name is Isaac and he isn't a 'thing'." Garet was starting to get very annoyed with his family and their behavior towards Isaac. It was as though they truly believed that an Adept was nothing more than a soulless animal.

Mr. Jerra opened his mouth to say something else, but stopped when he heard the door opening again behind him. It was Mayor Jerra. "That will do, son. Now, if you will excuse us, I wish to discuss a few matters with the boy." Mr. Jerra hastily rose from his seat and left.

Garet was starting to feel like a prisoner in his own home. He had been sent almost directly to this room to wait in silence for about an hour, and now he was going to face an interrogation until he could tell his father and grandfather what they wanted to hear.

"Garet, I understand this must be a confusing time for you," the mayor began, echoing his son, "but you can be assured that there will be no serious repercussions on your part over this. Everyone makes mistakes, after all."

Garet looked up carefully. "You mean I'm not in trouble?"

"In a way. I've thought about what happened today, and I've come to the realization that perhaps I over reacted. You were very young when the Adepts were driven out, so I can hardly expect to fully understand the situation."

"So, what's going to happen now?"

"The Adept will be dealt with quickly and we will all carry on with our everyday lives."

It took a few seconds for Garet to realize what the older man was saying. "What? Grandpa! How can you do this? He's not dangerou-!"

Mayor Jerra turned angrily to his grandson. "How many times must I tell you, Garet, that Adepts only mean trouble and must be taken care of quickly? As mayor, I cannot allow one to run around unchecked."

"That still doesn't mean you have to kill him!"

"I already spared him once, Garet. I will not take that risk again."

"And what about Felix and Jenna? They didn't do anything wrong!"

"They assisted in concealing a threat to this village. They will stand trial, but for now they shall remain imprisoned."

Garet lowered his gaze. "What about me?" he asked quietly. "I helped them, too. I knew about Isaac weeks ago and said nothing." He looked up furiously. "Are you going to arrest me too?"

"You will speak no such nonsense to another soul! You are the heir to the Jerra line. After your father, you will lead this village. The people of Vale do not need a leader they cannot trust."

Garet stood abruptly, his chair scraping loudly on the floor. "Well maybe I don't need to lead a village that thinks everything they don't understand is evil!"

"Watch your tone, young man! I won't have such disrespect in this house!" The mayor took a few deep breaths to calm him self before continuing. "You really want to waste everyone's time by putting it on trial?" Garet nodded. "Sometimes, it is only by making mistakes that one truly learns. Very well. I will allow it, but I warn you, Garet. You never experienced an Adept trial in the older days. Perhaps when it is over, you will see why Adepts don't stand trial." Turning his back to Garet, Mayor Jerra jerked open the door and closed it roughly behind him.

Garet stood stunned in the small room, even long after everyone else had left. How could he have allowed this to happen? He might as well already be counting down to Isaac's funeral, or lack there of, and there was no telling what would happen to his other friends.

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Aaron put the last of the scrolls into the appropriate compartment on the wall and stood back to admire his work. It had been his first task as a scribe. The priest who had given him the job claimed it was so the boy could familiarize himself with the location of the different scrolls and texts, though Aaron saw it more as an excuse to have someone else clean and organize the room.

There was the sound of people rushing past the door and nervous voices. Risking a peek outside, Aaron found almost every person there in a state of panic. He couldn't understand half of what was being shouted in the room, but someone could have been ransacking the marketplace from the sounds of it.

"Aaron." The boy jumped and turned. His shoulders relaxed when he saw who had entered through the other door.

"Great Healer, I didn't hear you come in," said the boy with a slight bow.

The Healer raised a hand slightly. "Now is not a time to be concerned with formalities, child. Tell me, have you ever heard of Adepts?"

Aaron nodded. "A thief that was arrested told Grandpa there was one in Vale."

"Do you know what Adepts are?" Aaron shook his head. "If you follow the teachings and beliefs of the other villagers here, they are evil beings in human form with no other purpose than to destroy the lives of normal people."

"What are they really, sir?" Aaron asked after a brief pause.

"You are a smart one." Aaron could tell the Healer was smiling under his large beard. "If one is able to look past the differences, past the superstitions, then perhaps one could see what they truly are."

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I'm just gonna stop it here for now. I started writing another part where Garet and Kay are talking, but then I had to write a seven page essay for English and of course that gave me really bad writer's block. That, and I'm now hooked on a few role play threads in the gaiaonline forums. So, um, yeah, I've kinda been slacking when I don't have school stuff.

Isaac: What are you talking about? You slack even when you do have school work.

Watch it. I still get my work done, and the only all-nighter I've pulled so far was mostly because I had registration for my classes at 6 that morning.

Dracobolt – Yeah, they almost did, but didn't. And now everything is falling into place and the stage is almost set. I won't say for what yet, though, but I will say that little Aaron's going to have a bit of a role in it…

fuzzy blob of doom – Isaac would completely agree with you on that one. I don't think this one ends in much of a cliffhanger. More like food for thought.

Fjord Cannon – Yay! A cookie! And I know I'm mean with all these cliffhangers, but writer's block seems to get me even easier if I don't have a cliffy to pick up from. Plus, the reactions I get from them are always interesting. n.n

Trixie's girl – You wanted it, and now you've got it. Just don't make any final decisions on the mayor's or anyone else's behavior in this chapter yet, though. This story's only half way done, if that even.

Jenna.Fan – Let's see. Will the others have Psynergy? To be honest, I've set it up so the story can go either way, so I guess we're all in suspense now.