Chapter 128: Ventus

The Headmaster stared out the window, overlooking the grounds at the front of the Academy, a wistful look on his face. He remembered days long gone, when he had been the same, creating fascinating sculptures in seconds with flurries of razor sharp wind, to impress some and to outdo others.

He smiled a little as he watched a young Fire Mage spin a ridiculously detailed Fire Serpent spell out of midair, which wouldn't be much use in battle, but would immensely help the young Mage's mana control.

In the corridor outside, a faint distorted noise sounded out, and a large purple portal opened. Then a  faint knock sounded out at the door, and the Headmaster turned his seat back toward the desk.

"Come in." The Headmaster called out, pushing the door open with the slightest gust of wind. A wrinkled old man crept into the room, light on his feet and quiet as a mouse. He wore the heavy leather robe of a Battlemage, and the runes flickering across the surface radiated power. 

"Ventus, you sent for me?" The old man's soft voice filled the room, and he sat himself down on one of the wooden chairs, not waiting for the Headmaster to even reply.

"That's Headmaster to you, Krieg. It seems you still lack any understanding of how to act with the dignity that a Professor of this Academy must have." Ventus stroked his long mustaches, twirling them between his thin, spindly fingers.

"Enough of this Ventus, tell me now, why have you disturbed my research?" Krieg's soft voice turned hard and grating, and the face that usually looked like that of a kindly old man became the face of a furious demon. 

"Hold your temper. I received this from the King of Ursten, only a few hours ago." Ventus paused for a moment, pushing the tips of his fingers together and starting over them at Krieg. 

Krieg's face stayed in the same state that it  had been in when he entered the room.

"He demands that you immediately stop pursuing a certain student of yours, from Ursten, and that you personally make amends, whether they be financial or in the form of information." Ventus continued, a hint of anger appearing in his voice.

As Krieg processed what Ventus had said , and the demonic look on his face grew even more severe, his frown grew deeper and deeper, and it was as if his eyes were sinking right down inside his head. 

"What is this? How dare he! Does he think that the Academy is his lackey, rather than the truth, that these kingdoms they create are nothing more than breeding grounds for future potential." Krieg stood up from his chair, and it fell to the ground with a clatter.

"These so-called Kings, they only play a mere game of power, when a serious Battlemage could wipe them from existence. And this Rotan is the worst of the worst, he lost his Kingdom at the merest hint of someone with any real power." The words coming out from Krieg's mouth became more and more unintelligible, almost sounding like the growl of a beast, and he was spraying saliva with each word.

"Settle down, Krieg. Sit back down and let me finish." Ventus whispered so softly that it should have been impossible to hear him, but Krieg sat down nonetheless, his face still twisted with rage.

"I have allowed your little indiscretions long enough. That rift of yours is an eyesore and a danger, and if you weren't vital to our explorations, I would have had that rift closed and sent you packing." Ventus continued in his quiet tone, but the air in the room grew colder and colder as he spoke.

"That 'rift' as you call it is vital to your greed, and the greed of every single other Mage at this Academy who has even the slightest hope of truly advancing, remember that." Krieg gurgled and spat out at Ventus, he barely resembled the kindly old man that had initially entered this room.

"That's why you're still alive, after drawing so much suspicion on this Academy. I'm giving you one chance, Krieg. Fix this and I'll overlook it on this one occasion. If this happens again, then I cannot ensure that you won't be punished." Ventus gave Krieg that narrow eyed stare that had made many Mages surrender instead of dueling him in his younger days, especially if they had heard about his reputation for viciousness. 

But Krieg was unmoved, his demeanor returned to the composed and kindly old man that he had been when he had entered the room, and he strode out, closing the door gently behind him.

"I'll never understand that odd little man." Ventus murmured to himself, and turned his chair back to the window, gazing at the frolicking young students.

"How things will change for you all." He whispered, remembering the face that he saw every time he went to sleep, remembering the reason that he now slept as little as possible. 

"Nemoi" Ventus whispered under his breath, remembering the gentle soul that had entered the Academy with him, both Mages of the Wind element. Advancing together, becoming more and more powerful, sharing all the little tips and tricks they had learned. 

Until that fateful day, when deep in the Fidour mountains, the pair of them had come across a crystallized piece of wind Essence, thought to be merely a rumor by most. And then, Ventus had done what was necessary. 

As always, he justified what he had done to himself, there were only so many resources available for Mages, especially those desperately seeking to advance, and a Mage who couldn't make the cut-throat decisions necessary to secure those resources would never survive very long anyway.

What else could he have done?

A tear formed in his eye, Ventus gazed down at the grounds, and saw Krieg striding out of the main building, and immediately opening a portal, stepping through it. 

"Good, now that'll be one less annoyance." Ventus sighed.