Adult-FanFiction.org : Games

Lessons of Dynasty Part 1: Abecedarian	By : JohnDoe Category: +A through F > Exalted RPG Views: 470 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: White Wolf, Exalted and Exalted 3rd Edition are all trademarks of White Wolf Publishing AB, and official characters, names, places and text are copyrighted by White Wolf. I do not own Exalted and I'm not making money from this fiction.

Chapter List
- 14
- 15
Chapter 15 – End of Year 1

The month of Descending Fire burns down from summer to autumn. At the foot of the Imperial Mountain at Mnemon-Darjilis, it’s a season of long shadows and beautiful foliage, where the blazing heat of summer dulls to warm embers. On the Isle of Voices, it marks the coming of winter. The few islanders, a strange folk even by the standards of the students of the Heptagram, send out their fishing boats with more urgency and strip the boarders of their fields to bring in enough food to last the winter. The older students who shuffle between the Heptagram’s towers for their classes start to dress for warmth – second years easily picked out as they shiver in their summer jackets, with older students donning multiple layers. And then the crisp, autumnal months of Earth begin, and the leaves fall from the trees, and multiple layers are eschewed for thick woollen jumpers worn under thicker furs.

****

“It’s Ascending Earth! How is it so cold!” Udi complains to Riven as Mistress Hironi has them run laps of the grounds.

Riven smiles brightly at her, “Well, run faster!” He puts on a burst of speed, pulling ahead. Udi and Versi, not wanting to look bad run harder as well to catch up.

Udi looks over to the middle of the grounds. She can see Reya’s class go through their morning exercises. No fierce immaculate monk drills them, rather a mortal astrologer runs them through yoga positions. For a moment, Udi pities Reya – at least running is keeping her warm – but then she remembers who she’s looking at. Mnemon Alinos Danireya, Chosen of Mela, Daughter of the Ice Bitch, has never once complained of the cold. She sprints next to Riven.

“So, what do you think? About getting rid of Instructor Ganan?”

Riven shrugs as they go into their next exercise, “I don’t know. I kinda like him.”

Udi gives him a knowing look, “Of course you do. I was kinda hoping you’d like me more? And aren’t you failing Shogunate History?”

“Oi,” Riven groans, “How about I tell Kinesi and Padar? They’re both upset about this end of year exam thing.”

“What are you talking about?” Versi asks.

“Your boyfriend!” Udi snaps angrily, refusing to give a serious answer and guessing Versi will have no interest in helping her.

****

Morning dew turns to frost come Resplendent Earth. The temperatures aren’t low enough for snow, and the salt spray off the Inland Sea melts the frost before mid-morning, but ice is now a daily part of life.

“It’s meant to be autumn, Reya! Autumn! There’s snow, everywhere!” Udi complains bitterly, rubbing her arms for warmth.

“It’s ice, and it’s already melted. What were you expecting? A Chiaroscuro Summer? This is the north-most part of the Blessed Isle: it’s cold.” Reya doesn’t point out that they’re inside, and that the library is heated by roaring fires and powerful enchantments that keep it basically the same temperature all year round. Nor does she point out that they started their studies in winter, and that the temperature outside is set to get a lot colder after Calibration.

“Technically, mommy, the Isle Of Voices isn’t part of the Blessed Isle…?” Ro adds quietly. Udi and Reya ignore her.

****

The school year is almost over. The student’s primary school education has given them the grounding needed to function in Dynastic society, and their first year at the Heptagram has built on this to give them the skills they need to succeed as sorcerers – basic mathematical skills have been expended to understand the foundations of mystic formulas, physical fitness has been honed to withstand the physical demands of six-hour long rituals, fluency in High Realm has been expanded to knowledge of the mystic Old Realm and the linguistical rules and cadences required for magic. The students have declared their intentions for their next year’s studies to their tutors. To pass the library, the students need to pass their core classes with enough credits. To graduate the Heptagram, they need to pass at least four libraries. No-one wants to have to retake classes – trying to fit them in alongside their second year studies – or worse still, have to retake the entire course.

Grades are fraught. Most students are in danger of failing one of their classes: even Rowena is in danger of failing weapon’s training. Almost all the class is in danger of failing Shogunate History – Ganan’s decision to weigh the final exam so heavily means that even Reya hasn’t got enough credits to pass the course and will have to do well. (Udi’s attempts to steal the exam paper have been thwarted by the fact that it only exists in Ganan’s mind.)

This has won Udi’s cause to get Ganan fired some support. Kinesi, Padar, and Harite were all eager to sign her petition to have him removed. Rowena admittedly, required a little strong-arming, before adding her begrudging support. Udi’s swallowed her pride enough to ask Evede and the Tepet’s to sign, with no success. Solu, despite being bottom of the class, was indignant at the idea.

In the last weeks of Descending Earth, the first years are allowed their first taste of academic freedom. Their subjects are still dictated to them, but each individual is allowed to pursue their own interests within the field… in every subject except Shogunate History, where the students are brought back into a single class for crash revision before the end-of-year exam.

As the year comes to a close, final exams in the first year subjects come and go. For the most part, they just confirm what the students already know: they do well in the subjects they’re good at, and poorly at the subjects they are weak in. Results come in a trickle, providing relief for much of the class. The Shogunate History exam is the last one of the year. Because of course it is.

Udi tries presenting her petition to Ragara Bhagwei, but failing to achieve a majority, the dominie dismisses it out of hand, and she’s forced to take the exam.

****

Later that evening…

There’s a knock at Ganan’s classroom door. Ganan waves the student in without looking up.

“Master Ganan,” Ferem Taleki Solu asks. His tone is decisive, but warm as he prepares to ask a favour, “I’ve been reviewing my academic performance over the year and… I believe I need to pass your exam to pass the year.”

Ganan doesn’t look up but gives an affirmative grunt.

“I was wondering if you had the chance to mark my test yet?” Solu pushes.

Ganan unceremoniously throws the paper at him.

Solu looks at it disappointedly, “Oh.”

“You did… better than I expected. You very nearly passed.” Ganan says as he continues to work without looking at Solu.

“Is there anything I can do for extra credit? A make-up paper over Calibration? A… personal favour? Or… anything?”

“You can retake the class next year,” Ganan says bluntly, “You’re more than welcome to sit in on any lessons with the first years. Your paper highlights which areas need improvement.” Ganan pauses and looks up at Solu, “If that doesn’t mesh with your course load… I would be willing to provide one-on-one tuition on Saturnsdays and after class.”

Solu smiles weakly, “I already have make-up classes in mathematics and Old Realm.”

Ganan shrugs, “Then you might be better off repeating the whole year.”

“I don’t think that’s a… financially viable option for my family.” Solu says, “Please, sir. I will do a pop quiz right now. I can write a make-up paper. I will… help you organise your paperwork for the new year. I will fetch and carry for you over Calibration. I’m sure my mother would be willing to buy you a… gift… in appreciation of your generosity. Or… I could show you my appreciation… personally. Please, I’ll do anything.”

“If you can’t afford to repeat the year, you repeat the class. If you don’t have time to repeat the class, you drop-out.” Ganan goes back to his marking, “I will fit your history make-up lessons around your second year studies, and mathematics and Old Realm lessons. But you have failed. Accept it.”

Solu turns and leaves without a word. An hour passes as Ganan finishes marking the final papers. Reya is meandering her way over to the classroom. If Ganan should have finished marking all the papers by now and should be sitting there alone… that’s surely not a calculated move on her part. She catches sight of the dominie heading the same way and hangs back. If Ragara Bhagwei notices her, he doesn’t show it. She watches him enter the classroom and listens at the door.

Ganan looks up as Bhagwei enters the room and he stands in respect and gives a short bow. Bhagwei hands him a peach.

“Thank you, sir,” Ganan smiles, “Come to congratulate me for making it to the end of the year without getting fired?” He drops his voice mock-conspiratorially, “I assume Mistress Ibelin had a pool for that.” He waggles his eyebrows and takes a bite of the peach.

Bhagwei sits, produces a second peach, and takes a bite himself. Ganan sits, and they eat the fruit in easy silence. Ganan whips the stone into the bin on the far side of the room. Bhagwei presses the stone into his palm and makes it disappear by slight of hand, and the two men smile at each other.

“You have… peach juice,” Bhagwei says at last and gestures at Ganan’s chin.

Ganan wipes his mouth crudely with the back of his hand. “Thank you.”

“Ganan,” Bhagwei says, with affection, “You are fired.”

Ganan nods slowly, “I did not see that coming.” He pulls a brooding face, “Well… it was a helluva year. Can I ask why-?”

“The same as in the spring, when Ledaal Ludila tried to have you removed.”

Ganan nods, “I’m safe until the majority of students call for my removal. Huh. I kinda thought that this late after the last school day…” Ganan trails off as he mentally tries to work it through in his mind.

“Ferem Solu,” Bhagwei gently prompts him.

“The worst student in the class waited until after the end of year test to get me removed?” Ganan shakes his head, “He’s really not that bright, is he?”

Bhagwei nods, “I do not have high hopes. I think he liked you though. He seemed… conflicted, if that is any consolation.”

Ganan makes a confused face, “Why would I care? That’s not what I meant… This has been the best year of my life. Thank you, master. But you were right back in spring: I literally cannot change the way I teach. And I don’t think I’m capable of caring about what a student thinks of me?”

Bhagwei chuckles, “You barely care what the faculty thinks of you.”

“I care about what competent people think about me, sir,” Ganan smiles playfully, “It’s late, but I’ll leave tonight. I can be in Chanos before Calibration.”

Bhagwei shakes his head dismissively, “Stay. As my guest. Ride the yacht back to Chanos in the new year when I send Professor Duhalva out to pick up the new first years.”

Ganan nods, “Thank you, sir.”

Bhagwei rises, “This entire… unpleasantness can be traced back to a single student. We will wait a few years – the memories of Dynasts are not as long as people suppose they are.”

“It has been my honour, dominie. You don’t have to console me. If you need any field research done, I’ll be in Greyfalls.”

“He’s all yours, Danireya,” Bhagwei says as he sweeps out of the room.

Reya hangs sheepishly in the doorway for a moment, but decides it’s too late to slink away and enters the room as Bhagwei leaves.

“I… just wanted to know how I did on the test?” She smiles weakly, “I’m… I’m really sorry about… I should have stopped her.”

Ganan shrugs, “Why? I could have stopped her. At any point. I could have slept with her. Or expelled her. Or thrown her to the fogsharks. Or just let her get away with cheating without making a fuss. But I didn’t. If I didn’t stop her, why should you?”

Reya shrugs awkwardly, “You didn’t stop her because you were being true to yourself. I didn’t stop her… because I’m a coward.”

Ganan rises awkwardly and grabs his cane, “Then let this be my final lesson to you. Help me with these papers will you?”

Reya nods and collects up the scrolls on Ganan’s desk.

“You aced it – top of the class. I actually had to stop and look up some of your references.”

Reya scoffs, “Why mention that? You must have to look up… Wait, are you saying you don’t usually have to consult the text books when you’re marking our work?”

Ganan smiles patronisingly, “Danireya, you’re brilliant. For a first year. Keep it up and I’m sure one day you’ll eclipse me. One day.” He gestures at one of the scrolls on his desk.

Reya unrolls it and glances over it, “What’s this?”

“It’s Mistress Montegnin’s syllabus for ‘A Brief Introduction to the Glorious History of the Dragon-Blooded Shogunate of the Immaculate Dragons’.”

Reya cocks an eyebrow as Ganan starts to head for the classroom door, before trotting after him, “I see that. Where’s the rest of it? We covered… all of this in the first three months.”

Ganan smiles sadly, “Yes, you did. Then in the next three months, you and the rest of top set covered Advanced Shogunate History. That took the… lesser students the rest of the year, but you’ve spent the past nine months studying Post-graduate Shogunate History… on an accelerated program. You’re qualified to teach Mistress Montegnin’s syllabus.”

“But… you didn’t have to… You could have just taught us what you were supposed to have taught us and left it at that?”

“Then no-one would have thought I was the meanest teacher in school and tried to have me fired?”

“Yes!”

“Then you wouldn’t be qualified to teach Shogunate History, Reya.” Ganan chuckles to himself, “I had the option to play it safe. To know all my students would pass and none of them would complain. But also be certain that they wouldn’t be pushed to do their best. Or I could take a risk. Gamble on a better future.”

Reya feels a turmoil of emotions, but the predominant one is anger, “You could have taught me and Ro advanced classes, and given everyone else the basic syllabus!”

“I could,” Ganan agrees, “And you could have decided that you’d rather use your Saturnsday’s for something else. The threat of detention wouldn’t have been a meaningful deterrent to your errant behaviour if you knew there was no danger of you failing class. Ludila would never have pushed herself to complete the course. Ylva seems to think you wouldn’t have made friends with Harite (though, frankly, I don’t see what that’s got to do with anything). Padar would have never finished Advanced Shogunate History if he didn’t think it was part of the basic course.”

Reya has to concede the logic to that, “Who’s Ylva?”

“You ask that a lot, you have no idea how annoying it is to have to keep explaining it,” Ganan tisks, “Ylva Wataru. The astrologer. From the test.”

“Future of Gold.” Reya murmurs, “I’m sorry it was the wrong choice.”

Ganan takes his papers off Reya, “It was the risky choice, Reya. I do not believe it was the ‘wrong’ choice… Although… based on these test results… half your classmates will need to take some remedial classes.”

And with that he clack-thump-thump’s away. Reya watches forlornly after him, thinking she’ll never see him again.

****

“Congratulations,” Reya says to Udi on returning to her room. She forces herself into false cheer, “I never doubted you for a moment.”

“Aww, thanks babe,” Udi responds absent-mindedly as she fixes her make-up, “What for?”

“You scored a 62 on Shogunate History. You passed. And also, the dominie just fired Cynis Ganan.”

“Shut up!” Udi says, dropping her make-up brush.

Reya crosses her heart with her finger.

“You… don’t seem happy about it.” Udi accuses.

Reya’s smile fades, “This is a frown. This is a smile. This is what happy looks like.”

Udi shakes her head slowly, “No, that’s a fake smile. It’s very convincing, but I know the difference.”

“Why would I be unhappy that you passed Shogunate History?”

“You wouldn’t.”

“Why would I be unhappy that you got the person who rejected me fired? We’ve passed. Even if he wasn’t fired, he’d literally never teach us again. Even if I liked him, which I don’t… he’s taught us all year. I’ve had the maximum amount of teaching from him possible. And now you’ve got revenge. It’s perfect.”

Udi isn’t convinced, but doesn’t have a counter-argument. Instead she grunts non-committally and goes back to her make-up. “You’d better get ready. Calibration starts at midnight.”

Reya shrugs, “I was thinking I’d just stay in and sleep? Nothing happens the morning of Calibration, tomorrow night is the…” Udi’s look of disappointment cuts her off mid-sentence. “Alright, alright. Let me beautify myself.”

****

As midnight approaches, practically the entire school gathers on the grounds in front of the Hall of Terrestrial Puissance: 80 nearly students, half as many teachers, and the same number of custodial staff. Elementals made of molten rock stand solidly at strategically placed intervals, warming the bitter winter chill of the night. A bright gibbous moon, the last moon of the year, quivers in the sky illuminating the assembled sorcerers and their wards. The faculty surround the grounds with wards of salt and lines of geminated grain. They trace mystic sigils in the air and hang markers of carved wood at the boundaries of the school.

Students and teachers alike cast nervous glances at the sky: though Calibration is a yearly event, a basic fact of living, even those who have seen it hundreds of times have to be jaded beyond the norm to not feel a little uneasy. Then, as the last seconds of the year run out, the big, beautiful, terrifying, comforting, maddening, moon in the sky, flickers once, then disappears. The argent light that illuminated the darkness is gone, and for a moment the company is blinded as the sky goes black. And then the lava elementals burn brighter, and cast the assembled sorcerers in a ruddy glow.

Ragara Bhagwei speaks, his voice low and even, buoyed by the unnatural silence of the night (and perhaps some unseen magic).

“And so another year comes to a close. Our ranks have been swelled by new students, and new sorcerers, as they will be again with the coming of the new year. And, as all things in their season, we have suffered losses. Some of those who have joined us on our journeys, return to the Realm, even as others amongst you remain to advance in your studies.”

Bhagwei goes on to list this years graduates, wishing them well in their future endeavours in service to the Realm, and reminding them of their Obligation owed to the throne to repay the favour of being allowed to study sorcery. Reya notes that he does not innumerate the drop-outs, returning to the Realm in shame and failure. She doesn’t notice that she’s started to think of the Heptagram as being somehow separate to The Realm.

“Instructor Cynis Ganan will also be leaving us, to return to his work in the field of demonology in the East. Mistress Montegnin will be returning to teach Introductory Shogunate History.”

There’s a small murmur from Reya’s classmates – it seems half of them need to resit Shogunate History and have cautious optimism about Montegnin.

“Now, I must remind you all that the study of magic over Calibration is strictly forbidden, without explicit permission from myself or the relevant head librarian. All students are expected to have closed your laboratories and to move back into the main dormitories in the Hall of Terrestrial Puissance. Our incoming second years are going to find your tower much busier these next five days. Under no circumstances are students to cross the wards that mark the boundary of the school. Our ancestors designated Calibration as a time of feasting and celebration, and we honour that tradition: food will be available at all times of the day and night and recreational substances be made available for the incoming fifth years and above. This is a communal time. Everyone, regardless of station, is expected to be in company for the next five days. Look to the faces around you – no-one is to be solitary.”

Bhagwei’s eyes settle on someone in the crowd and he stares at them for a long time. Reya cranes her neck and catches sight of Cynis Ganan shifting uncomfortably under the dominie’s gaze.

“Every year, we face rumours that the bindings on our sorcerous custodians become weaker over Calibration. These rumours are false. The demonic staff remain completely under control. What does change over Calibration are the school rules. Students who attempt to break the rules – by crossing into forbidden areas, by studying magic, by seeking solitude – are very likely to be killed by our demonic guardians, assistants, and cleaners. The friendly librarian who has helped you in your studies all year will literally bite your head off if you attempt to study magic during the holidays. Enjoy your break.”
- 14
- 15
You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.
Report Story

Lessons of Dynasty Part 1: Abecedarian