<div style="text-align: center"><i><span style="font-family: 'Didact Gothic', 'sans-serif'"><span style="font-size: 18px"><span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(250, 197, 28)">Ian, The Teacher</span></span></span></i>​</div><br/><span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(46, 139, 87)">"Maybe I got them from your elf-mommy and elf-daddy, for letting them lick my crotch and kiss my green ass?" </span><span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(255, 255, 255)">Mue said.</span><br/><br/>Phildios glowered something furious at Mue's response.<span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(84, 172, 210)">"You dirty fucking gremlin bitch, how dare you talk to a Diemoy that way." </span><span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(255, 255, 255)">Stepping</span><span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(255, 255, 255)">forward Phildios started wrestling the box from Mue's hands. Punching her in the arm to lossen her grip. His two cronies aiding him in prying to the item away from her. One held her by the arms digging his nails in her skin, and the other using a bit of Conductor magic to zap her quiet any time she got too loud. Phildios with a savage heave, coming away with the box in hand. <br/>
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Raising it to the air he said, </span><span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(84, 172, 210)">"Ha. Serves you right for insulting me, now what are you hiding in-"</span><br/><br/><span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(32, 178, 170)">"What's going on in here?"</span><span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(255, 255, 255)"> <br/>
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</div></span><br/><span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(84, 172, 210)">"Ah, n-nothing Mr. Asterrio." </span><span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(255, 255, 255)">Phildios lied weakly. Lowering his arm consciously. <br/>
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Asterrio had just re-entered from the restroom, but it was plain as day what happened while he was away. This wasn't the first time Mue had been heckled by the Phildios gang. He'd given her the job as his little assistant so she could make a bit of money and learn a bit of Magic to protect herself. Yet because of the proximity to these thugs, situations like this are common. Looking to the other students in the room, he saw them all duck their head away. Some in shame, but most in gratification. They don't want a goblin in here. The race is seem as a monster-class animal with limited sentience. As the upper crust of society, they saw her as less than dirt. As most eouldn't dare step on her. He's seen it's effect on Mue, the shit she has to go through. But she persists, she comes to work everyday. Causes a bit of mischief now and then but works dutifully. These students couldn't and wouldn't help Mue if they wanted even. Seven bystanders in this room who did nothing to help the situation in his absense. It made his sick to his stomach.</span><br/><br/>Though he couldn't blame them really. Phildios comes from up the hill, a guest of the Three. The laws are made up there, and followed down here. There's not much even he could do to help it, despite his own noble heritage. He'd given up those priveliges after refusing their offer, after choosing to stay down here in the Countryside.<br/><br/><span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(32, 178, 170)">"Well let's keep it down in here. Okay? I expect guests sometime today you'll all want to behave for."</span>Asterrio tried his best to not grimace at the victorious grin Phildios shot Mue as he turned away. And almost failed as he watched her struggle to her feet, battered and bruised.<i><span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(32, 178, 170)">I'll make sure to give her a bit of salve before she heads home.</span></i><br/><br/>Just as the local Mage of Ashburn began to engage in his next lesson the door opened to reveal guests.<br/><br/><div style="text-align: center">X.X.X<br/>​</div><span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(84, 172, 210)">"I just know I look at something and know how to fix it, and <i>boom</i>, it's fixed." </span><span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(255, 255, 255)">Val explained happily. Ian couldn't help but share in his enthusiasm. It's been a long time since someone was so excited with Magic with him. </span><br/><br/><span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(250, 197, 28)">"That's impressive Valentine. Memory is a tricky form of Magic. If you nourish it properly you can become quite skilled. Rewriting time at your age, you could do well in White Castle." </span><span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(255, 255, 255)">Ian replied, just as animated. </span><br/><br/><span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(255, 102, 255)">"You folks are from White Castle?!" </span><span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(255, 255, 255)">Annie asked David and Dayyan excitedly.</span><span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(255, 102, 255)"> "Oh, that's amazing! Are y' wizards?!" </span><span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(255, 255, 255)">Ian looked over to see the young woman on the horse in askance. <br/>
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Smiling at the naive words he clarified, </span><span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(250, 197, 28)">"Mages actually. Wizards, Witches, Magicians, and Sorcerers. As well as any other synonymous name you can think of are wrong. We refer to ourselves as Mages, as we harness Mana for Magic."</span><span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(255, 255, 255)"> Ian instictively found himself dropping into his teacher's tone without meaning to. He explained briefly how the other names garnered stigma in the past with the general populace. Making Magic out to be evil rituals and curses and such nonesense. Not all communities have adopted fully to the universal terms used today, as evidenced by her ignorance. But there's nothing wrong with that he assured. Information can be difficult to travel to places this far north. He also explained that not all Mages wear star covered bath robes, though he did acknowledge that some still do. As embarrassing as that is.<br/>
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Ian chattered with Annie and Valentine all the way to Asterrio's home. A hut that also seemed to double as his school. He made sure introductions were made between himself and Dayyan to both Val and Annie as they traveled.<br/>
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Entering the higher quality hut, Ian instantly saw his old student. Different but the same in so many ways. Ian crossed the room and gave Asterrio a hug. Shooing Val and Annie away, he introduced Dayyam to Asterrio. Though apparently they'd been enrolled at White Castle at the same time briefly. So Asterrio knew of Dayyan. Ian and Asterrio then launched into a rapid-fire exchange. Pleasantries passed, into questions about life, love, and health. Ian told him of his assignment, which Asterrio admitted to already knowing about. <br/>
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They spoke for quite a few minutes about everything and nothing cramming so much into so little. It was comforting to know his old student is safe and sound this far away from everything, and doing well for himself. <br/>
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After a bit, Asterrio introduced the pair of them to the room of Mages-to-be. Explaining their reason for being there, and what would be expected from anyone looking to obtain a scholarship to White Castle.<br/>
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Counting heads, Ian found himself looking at 13 potential students. Much more than he estimated he'd be leaving with. That's where the Core Guage will come in. They'll have to one by one evaluate each Mage to determine if they're worthy of returning to White Castle with them. With an interview most likely. The Guage will measure their Core Capacity and overall 'potential'. If that test is passed, an interview will come after. <br/>
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Handing the rod over to Dayyan he asked, </span><span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(250, 197, 28)">"Would you like to do the honors? We can take turns, but will have to evaluate everyone thats interested of course."</span>