II - Under Watchful Eye

[Liandrix]

Liandrix entered the corridor with the golden coloured doors he had visited not twenty hours before. He had gotten up early to make sure he wouldn’t be late and so he had exited the house before the sun had risen and after Wald had shouted at him that he had forgotten his packed lunch.

Any attempt at making clear to Wald that he wasn’t, in fact, Erik had fallen on deaf ears. All Wald had wanted to hear was about Erik; how Erik had spent his days, what he had seen during his travels, how Uncle Barney was doing with his uneven legs. Eventually Liandrix simply announced that he was tired and went to bed early, only to end up lying awake for hours, pondering on the awaiting hearing and trial.

Liandrix made to knock on the door of Meredith’s office but stopped when he heard voices on the other side of the door. Loud voices. One was clearly identifiable as Meredith’s, the other, however, Liandrix could not place. It sounded squeaky but still male, like a big door that needed some oil. Liandrix knocked shortly on the door and entered quickly, not wanting to interrupt the conversation but not wanting to wait outside on the chance he might be late either.

From the moment Liandrix closed the door he knew he had succeeded in entering the office without interrupting anything as Meredith’s voice sounded from behind her desk.

“Honestly, Cohlien, no one is out to get your cap,” Meredith said wearily. “I assure you, their intentions are purely playful in nature.”

“Hat! I told you, it’s a hat,” the squeaky voice sounded.

Liandrix could not see who had spoken, but whoever had either had to be invisible, or so small that his head could not be seen over the tall chair. The squeaky voice continued to lay arguments on the table, and Liandrix started to grow a suspicion as to whom Meredith was talking to.

“And if you think I’m lying than you don’t know the nature of those mean little students. I swear, they’re out to get my hat. It’s a feud between them, I tell you!”

Meredith looked like she was attempting to remain impassive and considerate. She folded her hands on the desk and, with a flicker of her eyes, indicated that she had seen Liandrix enter.

“I’m afraid I cannot act upon suspicions alone, Cohlien. If you will excuse me, I have another matter to attend to right now.” She straightened behind her desk and indicated for Liandrix to step closer.

A small head appeared from behind the chair. It looked small, with relatively big ears covered for the most part by a large black bush of hair. On the dark jumble, which included a long beard and moustache, perched a slightly too big but short hat. The kind of hat that fishermen wore.

“There’s one of them!” the gnome pointed accusingly, but then pulled his hand back and absentmindedly tugged at his beard.

“No wait, this one I haven’t seen before.”

Meredith stood. “Well I would introduce you two, but I doubt you will hear of Liandrix here again.”

Liandrix looked up at the Abjurer and saw she was glaring at him. His knees suddenly felt like pudding.

“Liandrix you say?” the Gnome piped up, breaking the uncomfortable silence. “That name I have heard of.”

Cohlien jumped out of his chair and appraised Liandrix like he was an interesting piece of art, all the while tugging excitedly at his black, pointy beard. Liandrix could now see that the Gnome was dressed in ice-blue robes that gave him chills even by looking at it.

“I know you, boy. Aren’t you the one who destroyed half the Thalassian section on Quantum Conjural Ethics?”

Liandrix felt himself go red. News of his misdoing had apparently spread like a wildfire … or a fireball.

“I was asked to demonstrate … something,” he said meekly.

The Gnome snorted. “And quite a demonstration it was. Who asked you to do it? I bet it was that oaf Belindrar. I heard his excitement got him thrown out of Quel’Thalas.”

Over the top of the chair Liandrix could see the hands of Meredith tighten on the desk and he wouldn’t have been surprised if her grip had sent splinters flying.

“That will do,” Meredith said with surprising calm. “Liandrix is not here to be praised, but to be judged.”

The word ‘judged’ added another weight to Liandrix’ heart. Meredith’s eyes shot back towards Liandrix.

“A day, a single day. I have never met a student who got into trouble this fast, especially not this kind of trouble.”

Liandrix tried very hard not to roll with his eyes despite his anxiety, a feat he had become practised in in Margaret's office, aside from the feat of getting into trouble itself.

“You’d be lucky to simply be exiled from Dalaran, with destruction of the Kirin Tor property on your record.”

Cohlien, who had been standing still while watching the one-sided conversation, cleared his throat; a sound relative to that of a bird being flattened by a brick.

“I believe the goal of this hearing is to accumulate information on behalf of the Supreme Council tasked with the trial of this boy, not to speculate as to which measures the Council will find necessary to impose on him.”

Meredith gave the Gnome a venomous look, which he easily matched, and then sighed. “Very well, tell your tale, Liandrix, but be warned: I have had my share of sources that have told me what happened in the archives.”

Feeling immensely grateful towards Cohlien, Liandrix began to explain immediately how he had met a High Elf named Althanir Felo’dinoriel in the Archives and how the Elf had asked Liandrix to demonstrate conjuring a fireball. He explained in full detail how he had lost control of the fireball which had then driven itself into the bookstand before Althanir could douse it. He also added the facts that Althanir had recommended him to get out before the authorities arrived, and that he had assured Liandrix that the damage could be repaired.

“No Elf was there at the time and place of the time,’ Meredith noted.

“No Elf was approached at the time and place of the crime,” Liandrix corrected, “he was certainly present.” Liandrix felt his face flush, despite Cohlien’s approving chuckle.

“Very well, if this so-called Althanir was there we will find out easy enough. But until that time—“

“I know him,” Cohlien interjected. “And I could tell you that it would be him who would ask someone to conjure some fire. Fire-loving nutcase,” he added under his breath.

“The Council will decide the truth of that,” Meredith said. “In the meantime I want to—“

“Take my statement?” a clear voice behind Liandrix said.

Liandrix turned around and looked at the tall form of Althanir, dressed today in rather dominating red robes. He hadn’t heard the door open, and looking back behind the elf he saw that it was closed. Had he teleported himself inside the room?

Althanir stepped to the front of the desk, spread his arms and raised his head in a dramatic display. “Remove of me, my liege, my teeming freedom so – your servant, he has naught but struck your soul.”

Meredith stared at the elf. “Althanir, I presume?”

Althanir came out of his stance with a flourish and instead rearranged his features to resemble a most humbled man.

“It is I, yes, here to lay my very being before your feet and confess my crimes.”

“That will have to wait until I have sent Liandrix to the Supreme Council,” Meredith said shortly.

“I assure you, Abjurer Dippel, that such a thing will not be necessary. You see, all the crimes Liandrix here has been accused of were committed by none other than I.”

There was another moment of silence before Meredith spoke.

“You were involved in the destruction of Kirin Tor archives?” Meredith asked incredulously.

“I was.”

“It was you who used a fire spell outside the appointed areas?”

“It was.”

“And you fled the scene after the incident?”

“I did.”

Meredith shook her head fiercely. “No, I have numerous eye-witnesses that can account for Liandrix to have committed all these crimes and the boy’s own story attests to those facts.

“Oh, I in no way dare to assume that it was not Liandrix who cast the fireball into the books and fled the archives afterward, but I am responsible for the events as they happened. You see,” Althanir increased the drama in his voice, “before Liandrix cast that fireball I selflessly claimed to hold responsibility over his actions and promised that no harm would come to pass. Ah, how foolish my actions were.” He finished in a deliberately trailing voice.

“Are you saying you claim responsibility for these events?” Meredith said carefully.

Althanir spread his arms wide again. “I do.”

Meredith slammed her fist on the desk. “Then you shall be brought before the Supreme Council, Althanir.”

Although Liandrix felt elated by the fact that Althanir had come to claim responsibility, he hated to see someone else pay for what he had done in the Archives. Althanir himself did not seem bothered by Meredith’s statement, however. In fact, he seemed to be genuinely surprised.

“Oh? How so?”

Meredith seemed ready to explode. “How so? How so! You are responsible for destruction of Kirin Tor property!”

“Oh I don’t question that part, Miss Dippel. But I do wonder why that would result in my being judged by the Council,” Althanir said pleasantly.

Meredith was beyond words and simply stared at the elf, her hands shaking in silent anger.

Althanir continued in a more business-like tone. “You see, I would be countable for destruction if I had in fact destroyed someone else’s property.”

“But you destroyed Kirin Tor—“

Althanir casually opened his robes a little, as if he was simply getting more comfortable, and Liandrix spotted something on his chest that he had not seen the elf wear in the Archives: an emblem of the Kirin Tor.

“I know the laws well, Abjurer,” Althanir continued, “and they clearly state that a person’s property is theirs to do with as they will as long as they do not hinder the order of things or other people.”

Before Meredith could open her mouth in response Althanir continued briskly. “But that is not the sole purpose of my visit.”

Here Althanir stole a glance towards Liandrix who still stood very much still, trying to stay out of the feud. The elf rubbed his bare chin. Somehow this made him look playful and serious at once.

“I came to recruit an apprentice.”

Liandrix’ mouth fell open. Althanir wanted him as an apprentice? He hadn’t even been in the city for a full day.

“I think not!” Cohlien suddenly spoke up. He jumped up from the chair he had reoccupied, marched towards Althanirs feet and looked up at him. Liandrix judged Althanir to be about four times his size.

“You hot-headed fool, you don’t know what you’re doing. This boy doesn’t need prodding in the wrong direction, he needs guidance you inconsiderate firecracker!”

Althanir looked down at the Gnome with a sneer. “You’re one to talk Frostweaver. I suppose you would do better, bringing him under your wings? Under your misguided tutelage the boy may get brainfreeze.”

“I’d take him as an apprentice just so I could protect him from the likes of you! As it is, if the boy is as talented as you make it sound I don’t think I need much more reason to take him in.”

Liandrix would have pinched his own arm to check whether or not he was dreaming if he wasn’t afraid to be noticed and dragged into the argument. In a heartbeat, it seemed, he had gone from criminal to the object of two mages who were actually fighting to offer him an apprenticeship.

“You already have two apprentices,“ Althanir said, “besides, his talents would be much better suited to my guidance than some ice-frog of a Gnome.”

“I’ll turn you into an ice-frog if you don’t watch your tongue!”

“Enough!” Every eye in the room swivelled to Meredith. “This discussion for which my office is not the proper place has gone on long enough. Liandrix, you are free to go. Cohlien, you have more than overstayed your welcome here; and Althanir, although I can do nothing about your misbehaving, I am going to forbid you to recruit an apprentice! You have not assimilated the proper responsibility to be a master over a student yet, your deeds yesterday attest to that fact.”

Althanir’s face became even paler than it already was. Liandrix was impressed by the way Meredith had retaken control of the situation.

“I daresay, Abjurer. My current apprentice attests to the fact that I am a proper master. I’m sure his accomplishments have not failed to reach your ears.”

“Whatever your apprentice has done is of no argument here. Liandrix will not become your apprentice. This is my final word over this matter. Now all of you, out!”

Cohlien looked smug as he pulled the door closed behind himself and Liandrix, Althanir having stormed off in a fury.

“Well, young Liandrix, I think I better make it official,” the Gnome chirped. “How would you like to study under me as my apprentice?”

Liandrix honestly didn’t know what to say. It had all gone so fast. One moment he was walking over the paved stones of Dalaran, the next he was being hauled to justice, and in another being offered an apprenticeship. He almost backed out simply because it didn’t feel right. But he didn’t, and simply stood there, gawking.

“Tell you what,” Cohlien said as he looked Liandrix up and down, seemingly understanding his predicament. “Why don’t you mull it over for a day and we’ll talk about it tomorrow. I’m sure you’d like to shake Althanir’s trouble off your shoulders.”

“Sir,” Liandrix began, but then stopped, unsure of how to properly address a Gnome. Cohlien simply looked at him.

“Didn’t Althanir say you had two apprentices already?”

Cohlien snorted, making his dark moustache flare up. “That bears no reason I shouldn’t be able to handle three of you. I knew a mage who once who juggled twelve. Granted, he was a little deranged, but not all of them were killed,“ the Gnome said matter-of-factly.

Liandrix tried not to form a picture of that in his head. The two of them found their way outside where the sun did a good job burning through the last of the summer’s heat. Liandrix decided on the spot that, should there be no more hold-ups, he would immediately head over to the archives to get a proper look at its inventory, this time.

Before they parted Liandrix asked something as an afterthought.

“Sir, is it true what Althanir said about his apprentice? Did he really accomplish that much under Althanir?”

Cohlien Frostweaver looked at Liandrix long and hard and Liandrix actually swallowed at his rock-hard gaze.

“Do not think that a master is solely responsible for their apprentices’ accomplishments, Liandrix. This is not some class you take. You have to work at it yourself and there will be no raising your hand to get the answer for a question. A proper master will push you in order for you to find what you need to know out of your own volition, he shall never give it to you.”

Cohlien took a deep breath, his eyes staying focussed on Liandrix, although Liandrix rather thought his look softened a bit.

“What Althanir said about his apprentice is true, but I can tell you now that Althanir himself had nothing to do with it, even less than a master should.”

The Gnome smiled and shrugged as he turned to leave. “Besides, if I compare the apprentice with his master than I doubt that Kel’thuzad has learned anything from Althanir at all.”