YP – B2: UtGoaFN – Chapter 19 (Chapter 65)

220 Days Until Promotion And the Uncertain End (part 1)

Tightening his gloves against his hands, Zeydar steadied himself. Hood above his head, he walked into the council room he’d, all too many times, been in for questioning. The council room looked odd, when compared to the last time he’d been in there. It was more open, free, darker. He was dressed in all black like the other Superiors who sat watching him from their council seats. Standing on the same level as Zeydar was the familiar old man, High Superior Chamblin. 

“Welcome Zeydar to your Superior promotion ceremony.”

It’s about time, Zeydar wanted to say but refrained. It had only been the morning after he’d completed his testing that he had realized how reckless he had been in his declaration to the Superiors for his interview. Passing out and self medication, really opened his mind to mistakes in his behavior. The plan had been to be perfect, to blend in, but his head had been pounding, and he had been sleep deprived, and… somehow in his gutsy words he had been listened to.

“Many thanks.” Zeydar stepped up to his position in front of the Superior alter, where many objects lay waiting to be moved. It was time for the ceremony that Zeydar had read about many times in text books. Finally, it was his turn and he knew what to do.

“Before you, you will see the three Staffs that were decided for you.” The High Superior wove his hand over three new staffs that would not be, or were not supposed to be, hindered or limited in anyway. A bracelet, a thin chain necklace, and the major Staff that would be seen by all. The main Staff was woven and beaded similar to the one he already held, but with all too much more detail and coloring to reflect his power. He wouldn’t be surprised if it were charmed to give off a different look when he used his power, to protect their lie on his powers. Regardless, it was a Superior Staff with the mark of the Superior within it’s crystal. 

Zeydar handed his existing Staff and bracelet to the High Superior before taking the others and putting them on.

“Your oath?” The High Superior placed the old Staffs aside, beginning the formal part of the ceremony.

“As a Superior I will act as pure, perfection, and true to magic and to the Stars as a whole, guiding and aiding all those who require my magic. As Superior I will teach and learn, constantly striving for knew knowledge and world in which our magic can strengthen and support all.” Zeydar answered the text book answers, that he had drilled into his memory when he was sixteen. He’d reviewed in the last few days, but it was like greeting an old friend. How long he had waited for this.

“To be Superior is to be Class 1 or above.” The old man had to be smiling, Zeydar hoped. His voice had a chipper tone to it, even if Zeydar could not see his face. “State your classification.”

“Zero.” Zeydar did not hesitate, and he knew no one would claim him otherwise. For it was the darkest truth that they held.

“To be Superior is to be a teacher.” The Superior handed him a file from the alter. “Your assigned class will be magic identification.”

“Many thanks.” Zeydar took the file and refused to open it, despite his curiosity.

“To be Superior is to be a student.” The High Superior prompted Zeydar to place his hand down on a scanner. Zeydar did as he was instructed, and watched as his hand signature was taken, and glowed blue. “You will now have unlimited access to all texts and materials, please simply.”

Zeydar had to bite back his excitement faster than it could peak through. The information was what he had waited for, and he had to believe he’d have access to everything. Needed to. “Many thanks.”

Then began the vows. “To be Superior is to be true to magic and to guide those who use it unjustly or ignorantly. To this you vow?”

“I vow.”

“To be Superior is to be a leader. To be the figure that all Stars may look upon and see as an example. To this you vow?”

“I vow.”

“Are there any other statements that would like to be given at this time?” High Superior Chamblin asked the other Superiors, who did not respond. It was not a pleasant silence and rather filled with a tension that Zeydar figured was because they wanted to disagree, but had already come to the agreement of: yes, he would graduate.

“Place your hand upon the tablet of Superiors.” The High Superior lifted the tablet that Zeydar had only heard about from Tyler as important, but no other details. Books said little on it, only noting it as the final part of the promotion ceremony. When Zeydar’s hand was on the tablet, the High Superior gave Zeydar a spell to repeat along with with the words to swear himself to the order. Zeydar did as such, saying the spell with ease, and swearing to the Order of Superiors, to the Stars, to magic. With the spell came an odd connection. A tug at the back of his mind, that made Zeydar realize that the spell tied him to the tablet, to them as his words said.

The spell would need to be analyzed further, but Zeydar was almost certain, that in that moment he was chained worse than he had ever been before. Upon removing his hand he would be an equal, but as long as he kept it there, there was a chance for him to take back control of his own destiny. He could not let them control him as they had before. They had sworn, nothing, he realized. They had said not to kill him, but they hadn’t sworn not to control him. He had let them do it, and without the knowledge of what the actual tablet was supposed to be, how would he have ever known? Before Zeydar could atempt to use his magic to gain freedom, the tablet was taken from his hand and at once he was at a loss. High Superior Chamblin declared him. “Welcome, Superior Zeydar.”

“Welcome, Superior Zeydar.” The others echoed.

“Many thanks.” Zeydar hovered for a moment, debating on trying to figure out what happened or to to continue with his plans for the day. He would need to address it at some point, and with each passing moment, Zeydar knew that asking more questions in that moment would only hinder him more. He needed to do research first, which meant it was time to go on with his day. He was a Superior and he could do what he wanted. Zeydar pulled off his hood and headed towards the door, to leave the council room.

“Where are you going?” The High Superior laughed.

“Do you need me? Is there a meeting? No? Then I have plans. I missed my birthday after all.” Zeydar answered without looking back again, throwing open the door and discarding the black robe. He found May outside the hall with his bag in her hands, and heard the disgruntled noise of the room behind him. Stuffing the black robe into the bag, he pulled out the Superior jacket that he was permitted to wear. Black and shining with magic, done for normal wear, he would have to get used to it instead of his Star uniform jacket. He had the jacket given to him when he got his official Superior robe, and his other Superior uniform clothes.

“You look happy. I’m happy for you. Superior Zeydar.” May smiled but her eyes darted back. “Is everything okay?”

“Perfectly. Pay them no heed. They thought we’d have more time to discuss, but I told them I had plans.” With his new power he was able to do what he had just done, and May, respectfully didn’t question it. “It’s going to take some getting used to. Where are your friends?”

“We have to pick them up from the entrance gate.” May answered pointing towards a car that waited to take them toward the front. “What were your final scores?”

“Perfects. What else?” Zeydar answered even though they had not given him the formal numbers. He knew that they had given him no choice. Death or Superiorship. Perhaps he hadn’t been so delusional and crazy in his sleep deprived thought, but they were trying to control him either way. He would not soon forget.

Zeydar threw his bag into the back seat of the car as May got in and signaled to the driver. Staff in hand and Jacket over his torso, Zeydar felt the smile rising to his lips as he made his way to move through Star campus as a Superior for the first time. Finally. 

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