Aethelos: The Bastard of Light

The tension was still in the air when Professor Lito appeared with quick steps, his face full of irritation. · “Again the same usual vandals, Director Joseph? This is not a jungle! They are staining the name of the academy. We used to be disciplined!” · Joseph slowly turned to him and gave a slight smile. · “Professor Lito… and why aren’t you teaching your class, if it has already started?” · Lito choked for a second. · “Because I wanted to resolve this problem that happened here. But don’t worry, I’m going to the classroom now. Collective absence.” · “No,” Joseph interrupted calmly. “Today no one will get an absence.” · He looked at the two young men still in the center of the courtyard. · “Layonel. Eli. Come with me. Lygar, go to class.” · Lygar opened his mouth to protest, but ended up just clenching his jaw and walking away in silence, still throwing sideways glances at the group. · Layonel brushed the dust off his clothes and looked at Eli with a half-smile. · “Eli… why didn’t your Repulse come out that well in class, but in a real fight it was like that?” · Eli got up slowly, still feeling his body heavy. · “I… don’t really know.” · Layonel extended his hand and helped him stand. This time his smile was genuine. · “It’ll be a pleasure to fight you more times.” · Eli was surprised for a moment. For the first time, an opponent recognized his value without contempt. A small smile appeared on his face. · “I already told you to come with me,” Joseph’s voice cut through the moment. · The two followed the director in silence down the corridor. · As they walked, Eli couldn’t hide his anxiety. · “I think we’re going to be expelled… it’s unfair. I trained so much and now I always feel this nervousness inside me.” · Layonel glanced sideways, almost laughing. · “Please, man. Do you really think we’re going to be expelled? We have the potential to represent the academy. They don’t want to lose people like us.” · “I don’t know, Layonel. A lot of people have already been expelled right at the beginning. Like it or not, this isn’t a summer camp.” · They arrived at the office. Joseph closed the door behind them and pointed to the chairs. · “Sit down. Let’s talk seriously.” · The two obeyed. Joseph observed them in silence for a few seconds before speaking. · “Why did you start this fight?” · Eli hesitated. The fear was still there, but he remembered how frontal Lygar had been with Brock. He took a deep breath and looked at the director. · “We simply wanted to train. There’s no deep reason.” · Joseph turned his gaze to Layonel. · “And your version?” · Layonel sighed and leaned back in the chair. · “I may have provoked Eli and Yana. I wanted a warm-up for the next practical classes.” · Joseph nodded slowly. · “You know that fighting like that is dangerous. It wasn’t a tournament. There was no referee. It was an illegal fight and against the academy’s rules.” · He paused briefly. · “Layonel, you are suspended for two days. You’re going home. You cannot stay in the dormitories today.” · “Eli… I’m not going to suspend you, because you weren’t the one who started the provocation. But you will have to complete a solo mission in the training forest as punishment.” · Both remained silent. · Joseph stood up from the chair. · “You may go. And next time, think twice before settling things in the middle of the courtyard.”