Time-Honored Tradition

"Professor Sunderland and I almost had a fling once. It was during a Teachers' Conference in Rio. Give that woman a few caipirinhas and she's a completely different person, let me tell you." Henry Fogg, Dean of Students at Brakebills, chuckled. If Quentin could see the dean's eyes behind his dark glasses, he was sure they would be gleaming with nostalgia. However, he didn't have time for this stroll down memory lane. He had a battle to prepare for.

Quentin and his friends were preparing to attack the Beast, a being from a land called Fillory (which, as he suspected, really did exist) from Quentin's favorite book series, Fillory and Further. Quentin had gone through so much in the last few months he was surprised he was functioning. He learned magic was real and that he was a real magician. He was accepted into Brakebills, a college for magical adepts, and accidentally opened a door allowing a monster to attack his school. Now he had to destroy him before he destroyed everyone. Dean Fogg himself had already paid a heavy price. The Beast had taken his sight.

"That's great, Dean, really," Quentin said quickly.

"She was flashing everyone! Oh, what I wouldn't give to see those again." Fogg's face softened a bit. "Ah, see. Hmm--Quentin, you did it again, didn't you?" Dean Fogg snapped his head in sudden realization. "Every damn time, I drink that truth serum. Every time."

Quentin's heart leapt. "You mean, this has happened before?" Now they were getting somewhere.

"Way too many times."

"Then you must know how we stop the Beast. What have we been doing wrong? And how many times have we done it?"

"You've tried everything I would have tried already. If I knew differently we wouldn't be here."

"So, help me!" Quentin's emotions were getting the better of him.

"I've prepared you all to the best of my ability."

"I think I have an idea." Quentin paused, hoping to get some encouragement from the man, but he remained stone silent. "We need to look closer. The Beast had to learn his magic from somewhere."

"Knowing the mind of your enemy is very good strategy. Knowing the heart of your enemy is a whole other matter. So is having the heart, or in the Beast's case, lack thereof, to do what you need to do to defeat him."

Quentin thought about that for a moment and then lightning struck. "Give me a spell to give us extra fingers. Even one more than the Beast would be enough, right?"

Dean Fogg laughed until tears rolled down his cheeks. "To be young and moronic again!"

Quentin inhaled deeply in an attempt to avoid blowing up on Henry. "Look, I'm trying my best, okay? You don't have to laugh at me." There was nothing but despair in his voice."I'm doing all I can to save everyone, including you! If this has happened as many times as you say, then I'm sure it's so hilarious to watch us all repeatedly die!"

"That is the most difficult part, of course." His tone became gentler, breaking the tension.

"What is?" Quentin snapped.

"It's no fun for me watching you all lose over and over again. I care for you like a son, Quentin. I care for you all. Deeply."

Quentin turned toward him slowly as he continued. "You tried extra fingers on the third loop. It backfired tremendously. Most of you didn't even make it to the battle. It's-it's not worth discussing anymore."

He knew he could just ask and the Dean would have to tell him the details but he decided to let it go. Focusing on what could be done now was important, not rehashing the past.