The Dragon Prince

Chapter Three: A Complex Misunderstanding

Eight people stand in a horizontal line, parallel to a large window looking out at a grand spire, a colorful crystal shining brightly at its peak. Their eyes focus on a single person, in the middle of the room, who stands completely still, kept in place by a series of chains and straps- all imbued with either restrictive, binding, or energy-stealing magic.

"Professor Kawerik Vasyl, you have been hereby convicted of unethical experimentation upon Draceceans. The Geniocracy of Beryn has absolutely no tolerance for such conduct. Therefore, in accordance with Hikimora Academy's Constitution of Magic Experimentation, you are expelled from the Academy, and under the Geniocracy's policies, exiled from Beryn. If you are to ever return, you will be punished with execution. A guard shall escort you out." A mage at the leftmost end of the line speaks, their voice echoing in the empty hall.

With a flick of the rightmost mage's hand, the chains and straps dissolve, and the young man keeps his balance as he finds he is able to move. With nothing but a scowl on his face, he violently slaps the guard's hands away from reaching out to him, before swiftly exiting the hall, emerging out into the darkened atmosphere around him. Gray clouds hang in the sky, and a raindrop finds itself falling on the young man's nose, turned upwards.

"Oh, please. Don't mourn my leave. They'll regret their decision sooner or later. But if you insist, I suppose I won't turn you away. Let's go." Kawerik mutters, a quick smile crossing his lips before he begins walking towards the eastern border of Beryn.

If any kingdom is to welcome his presence, it would have to be Khovalon. Surely, they'd be honored and ecstatic to have a mage of his caliber join their ranks. But, he had to focus on leaving Beryn without drawing the attention of his students first. If he did, he'd have to lie, and tell them he was just leaving temporarily. Just a routine trip to study magic in another kingdom.

There are students and mages walking about the smooth paved stone paths, some holding weapons, though the energy in the air restricts harmful magic from being utilized. While a few students and other professors smile and offer waves in passing, most avert their gaze and quicken their pace as soon as they catch sight of him.

It seems the rumors have influenced the general population's perception of him. And though he grinds his teeth and lets out a sigh, he finds it understandable. What he was assumed to be doing was completely unethical and harmful, yet only he knew the truth about the experiments. If he had to give a reason as to why he was exiled, it would have to be jealousy on the part of the council.

Yes, that's it. They're just jealous of him. Jealous of their own creation. Yet none of them had the heart to put him out of his misery whenever he would beg to die and have his constant suffering end. But that was early in his life. Now, he knew just how to control his abilities and barely felt any of the pain he did before. And he was becoming quite a respected professor, too. Yet, with a single trial, in front of a jury of people who hate him, he's leaving Beryn....hopefully for good.

Kawerik feels more raindrops fall on his head, and he sighs, shaking his head and flicking his right wrist upward. The rain no longer soaks his hair or his outfit, a black and dark purple suit with a crimson tie. Even the steps he takes with his black boots repel the puddles of water that begin to form on the walkway he takes.

And though he is walking further away from Hikimora Spire, the tower that provides both Surgai and Mirene to the students and professors at the Academy, he doesn't feel his energy weakening at all. In fact, he is fairly energized, finding a sense of calmness in the weather. But he finds it completely normal, and quite convenient that a small storm has started just after his exile from the kingdom he was born and raised within. All it does is make his wish that Khovalon will accept him stronger.