Mark of the Fool
Chapter 684: The Ruling Council of Generasi

The council of wizards looked down from their floating thrones, considering the young wizard with eyes that held deep wisdom and great power.

Meeting those eyes wasn’t quite as intimidating as holding Baelin’s gaze— especially if you didn’t know him—but it was uncomfortably close.

The Fool of Thameland tried reading their body language, looking for clues on how they felt toward him.

He called on the Mark, watching them closely, and…

…got little in return.

They were unreadable, statue still, calm, relaxed, almost emotionless. Each breath they took was even, controlled, and comfortable. Only the vaguest of curiosity marked their faces.

‘I should’ve known,’ the young wizard thought. ‘They’re centuries old, they’ve been ruling this city forever…any of them who couldn’t keep their intentions hidden wouldn’t have lasted this long. I’m sure they only show you what they want you to see.’

“Before we begin,” the elephant man spoke, “I would like to hear from Officers Ferrero and Gustavo, it seems they had a prior interaction with Mr. Roth in a legal capacity regarding criminal acts being committed in the city last year. Hearing from them could be useful in gathering information about his history…perhaps they might offer a perspective that wasn’t included in their report.”

“Very well, Councillor Bwanatembo,” Kartika said, looking down and nodding at the yellow robed wizard.

The bald woman closed her eyes and muttered a quick incantation.

Suddenly, a doorway appeared on the stone platform; Alex felt a pulse of teleportation magic as air parted, revealing a hallway within city hall where the two officers who’d interrogated him over a year ago were standing.

The pair looked just as stern as he remembered.

Stepping through the portal, and giving him only the slightest of glances, they turned and faced the wizard-council.

“I am Officer Ferrero,” said the older of the two, bowing. Alex recognised his balding, greying hair, and pencil thin moustache.

“And I am Officer Gustavo,” the younger, bulkier man introduced himself in a gravelly voice.

“Welcome. For purposes relating to this meeting, I’ve learned that you officers questioned Mr. Roth on the matter of the demon summoner? Could you expand on that interaction for us?” the councillor asked.

“Certainly,” Ferrero stepped forward. “At the time, we were looking for anyone who might be involved in demon summoning for nefarious purposes here in the city, and Mr. Roth came to our attention under suspicious circumstances. It seems he had left his homeland to attend school here and avoid the Ravener upheaval that plagues his countrymen.”

“But,” Officer Gustavo’s gravelly voice cut in. “We had information indicating that he’d already had an incident with a mana vampire before arriving in the city. Our report said that the creature was dispatched aboard the Red Siren… The timing of that event and his movements raised questions for us, since it would have been impossible for him to get to Generasi as fast as he did after leaving Thameland. Not without being teleported by someone, or teleporting himself, which wasn’t the case.”

“I see, and what was the explanation you received from Mr. Roth?” Councillor Solaris asked.

“That he left as soon as he received his letter of acceptance to the university, and so he was—I assume—supposedly travelling well before this…Ravener arose in his homeland,” Officer Ferrero said.

“And you believed this?” Councillor Bwanatembo asked.

“We did,” Gustavo said. “I’m trained to read people, Honoured Councillor, and he showed no signs of lying on that score. But, we still kept him as a potentialsuspect for a time.”

Alex remembered those dark days; having plain-clothes officers following him around, being questioned like some criminal, and vowing to make a name for himself so he’d never be subjected to that kind of treatment again. Today might tell him how successful he’d been.

“I see,” Councillor Bwanatembo said. “And, of course, Mr. Roth had nothing to do with the demon summoner?”

“That’s correct. The only time he had anything to do with demons was when he saved innocent lives from them on Oreca’s Fall Islandduring the Games of Roal,” Ferrero said. “He was someone who was instrumental in keeping the number of casualties from being worse in that attack.”

“I see.” Councillor Solaris looked at Alex. “And when did you leave Thameland, Mr. Roth?”

Alex paused, glancing at Professor Jules who silently nodded.

“The day after I received my letter from the university…which was around the time the Ravener returned.”

During his and Professor Jules’ frantic preparations for this meeting, the two wizards had decided that one thing would stand firm.

They would not lie to the council.

“Mr. Roth, you are obviously excellent at keeping secrets,” Professor Jules had said while they huddled around her desk in her office. “But now, we must avoid deception at all costs. Better for you to tell the truth and receive their final decision, than be caught in a lie later. Trust me, it will be much worse if you attempt to deceive them.”

Alex had wholeheartedly agreed.

He wasn’t about to volunteer information about the secret order inside the church, or the fact that Uldar was long dead, since the fallout from having those things exposed without careful thought and discussion could be devastating for the people of Thameland.

But beyond keeping that information to himself, he wasn’t going to lie to the council.

And so, Alex told what he had held back from the two investigating officers…

…and his words were met with a stunning lack of reaction.

Not a single councillor showed any interest in his revelation, nor did the two investigators.

“I see,” Councillor Bwanatembo said. “And how did you get to Generasi so quickly?”

“I was able to use a portal in the Cave of the Traveller,” Alex said. “The Chosen of Uldar, Cedric of Clan Duncan, had gotten rid of most of the Ravener-spawn in a dungeon that had sprung up there, and my family and I managed to get rid of the stragglers.”

“I see,” Bwanatembo said, glancing at the floating scroll.

The quill was blurring across the parchment.

“Are there any other reports that the officers wish to give us? Any other information that would be pertinent to this meeting?” Councillor Bwanatembo asked.

“None,” the two officers said in unison.

“Is the rest of the council satisfied?” the elephantine wizard asked his colleagues. “Are we free to move on?”

For the first time, Alex caught a tinge of emotion in his voice.

Was that…irritation? Agitation?

Councillor after councillor replied in the negative. “Then the council is finished with your statements. You officers may go,” the elephant-like councillor said. “If you wish to learn the outcome of this meeting, you can return to the waiting area.”

“Thank you, we will,” Ferrero replied quickly.

“Very well then,” Bwanatembo nodded to the yellow-robed wizard.

She nodded in turn, waving her hand at the floating platform and muttering an incantation.

Another surge of teleportation magic.

The air parted beside the two officers, and they followed each other into the hallway.

With a soft hum, the portal closed behind them.

“Now, then,” Kartika said. “We’ve received a breadth of petitions from interested parties concerning this matter. The king of Thameland and his High Priest have—of course—petitioned for Mr. Roth to be banned from Generasi, as did one Priestess Alice of Thameland earlier this morning. Hers was co-signed by members of her congregation.”

Alex fought the urge to twitch.

“We’ve also been petitioned by quite a few groups arguing for Mr. Roth to stay in Generasi; the interested parties are staff members from the Roth Family Bakery, the captain and crew of the good ship, Red Siren, the alchemy department and Thameish Expedition at the University, and a final one from Toraka Shale and her staff.”

“Has Chancellor Baelin made his opinion known, Councillor Kartika?” the elven councillor asked.

“He has not, Councillor Eleniel,” Kartika replied. “He, as of yet, has not returned to the university.”

‘Eleniel,’ Alex thought. ‘His name’s similar to the last name of the chancellor before Baelin.”

“A pity,” Eleniel mused. “My cousin’s successor’s opinion would be valuable here. In any case, proceed. Are there any other petitions to take into account?”

“None,” Councillor Kartika said. “Now that they have been entered into the record, we may proceed with the arguments. Professor Jules, Mr. Roth, which of you will speak first.”

“I will.” Jules got to her feet and cleared her throat.

“You have the floor,” the owl-like beastfolk said.

“Thank you, Councillor Tsgililuga,” Professor Jules bowed her head, then began addressing the wizard-council. “Honoured members of the ruling council, I am here to argue on behalf of Mr. Alex Roth so that he can remain in Generasi. I can speak to his character, his achievements and his bright future. It’s my sincere belief that we can truly benefit from his continued presence in our city, and that his exile would harm Generasi’s future.”

And she elaborated; speaking to Alex’s accomplishments in his time at the university, listing them from his first project in her classroom, through his academic achievements in different departments, his innovations in alchemy, his understanding of dungeon cores, and his acts of heroism during the expedition.

“I think Mr. Roth’s heroism must be taken into account,” Professor Jules continued. “We have a host of brilliant alchemists here in our enlightened city, including myself and members of this esteemed council, but we have relatively few who have, at such a young age, demonstrated the ethical character, bravery and dedication to this city and his compatriots as Mr. Roth has.”

Her eyes rested on Alex for a time, then she smiled. “I can truly say that it has been an honour to teach and mentor him, and that—judging by the ways in which he has distinguishedhimself—he will be a benefit to the city. He has shown that not only has he been blessed with great insight, but that he will turn that insight to the good of Generasi and those around him. While it was designed to be a great burden and a hindrance, The Mark of the Fool, in the hands of a rare few such as Mr. Roth, can actually be an incredible gift. As I am sure you have all been briefed, Mr. Roth has used it well for both our country and his own. With him in this city, I have no doubt that magic will take a fantastic leap forward, and Generasi will benefit from having a hero as great as he—and his companions—on our side.”

Professor Jules looked from one councillor to the next. “Thameland has shown itself all too willing to spurn heroes of Mr. Roth’s calibre, and sadly, that is to their own detriment. Let’s show them that we are better.”

As her last words rang out, the councillors watched her impassively.

“Are you done?” asked the demonic-looking woman.

“Er, yes, I am, Councillor Firenza,” Professor Jules said quickly.

“Very well,” the horned woman said, her voice crackling with heat and…something else. Something that seemed to be quietly trying to worm its way into Alex’s brain. “Does the council have any questions for Professor Jules?”

“None,” the wizards said as one.

“Then, you have our thanks and may return to your seat, professor,” the demonic councillor said.

Jules and Alex exchanged confused looks.

Where were the questions? They’d expected at least a few.

Maybe even more than a few.

Alex’s stomach began to sink.

Had they made their decision already?

Should he get ready to teleport?

“Mr. Roth, you may speak now,” Councillor Kartika said. “Stand, and say your piece.”

Alex’s mind began racing, he took two deep breaths, held them and slowly released them, calming himself. He called on the Mark to guide his body language and help him display calm and confidence.

“Honoured councillors: Councillor Kartika, Councillor Bwanatembo, Councillor Ebenhad, Councillor Solaris, Councillor Firenza, Councillor Eleniel, Councillor Tsgililuga—” He named each councillor who had named themselves over the course of the meeting. But, he didn’t stop there. “—Councillor Calliope, Councillor Esposito, Councillor Striga, Councillor Maldici, Councillor Bianchi.”

He named all twelve wizard-councillors, demonstrating that he’d come prepared by doing his own research, that he respected them, and that he was engaged.

“I am not going to stand before you today and talk about how much it means to me to be here…though it does mean a lot. I’ve built a life for myself, and my family here. I feel a connection to the university and to the city it stands in, but those things are personal to me,” he said. “I doubt they would matter much to you or for the reasons that we’re here today. So, I’ll leave all of that aside and talk about numbers and projections.”

And he did; informing the council in his own words about his businesses, about what he’d accomplished from the time he’d opened his first one, revealing how he’d grown them in the community, how they’d touched the lives of his customers and those he’d been able to employ. He talked of plans for the future, for innovations in industry and magical science.

Alex argued for his life using tactics he knew well; using merit to justify his very existence in Generasi.

He was driven by a single goal: convincing those who held his fate in their hands that he was worth defying Thameland for.

Convincing them that he was worth the diplomatic problems that refusing Thameland could cause.

That he was worth keeping around at all costs.

He poured all he had into his words. All he could think of that might be relevant to these ancient wizards.

Then he paused, looking directly at them, ending his remarks with, “I don’t know if any of what I’ve just said will convince you, but I assure you, honoured members of the council, that I will contribute to the city for years and decades to come. If you’d just let me stay.”

With those final words, he fell silent.

And then…

“Can we not end this farce, already?” Tsgililuga sighed, sounding irritated.

“I agree,” Councillor Bwanatembo echoed emphatically, looking to his left and right. “My opinion was reached before I even stepped foot in here this morning, and I have to say, I’ve heard nothing to change that. If anything, I’m more firmly in my position and see no need to waste time over this matter any longer.”

“I am in full agreement, Councillor Bwanatembo,” Kartika said. “Is everyone alright with putting this to a vote at this time, or should we ask more questions of Mr. Roth?”

“I have weighed the scales: a country against one individual,” Councillor Solaris said. “And my scale remains in the position it started in. Let’s put an end to this.”

“W-Wai—” Alex began.

“Then I say we vote and be done with all of this. If we vote now, we can enjoy an extended lunch,” Councillor Ebenhad said, hiseyes twinkling.

“Indeed,” said Councillor Calliope. “Let’s take a vote on the matter, and move on.”