CHAMPION'S FAVOR

The press corps was thrown into a frenzy. Mr. Starkridge had told the students that they needed to leave the interview location. Cecily's outburst was to blame for everything. She'd dropped a massive bombshell in front of some of the four kingdoms' most powerful media companies. Mr. Starkridge gave them instructions to report to his office.

Except for Norval, who was always the most docile of the group, the other students followed with reluctance.

"What in the world do you think you're doing, kid? Do you have any idea what you've done to this school?"  With red stinging eyes glaring Cecily down, he barked. She didn't seem to be fazed in the least. The adrenaline rushing through her veins and the rage seething in her mind propelled her intentions.

"Mr. Starkridge, tell us the truth! Did you know all this time that Nelanian had a brain tumor?"  she inquired. Her classmates waited by her side, waiting for the answer as well.

"Of course not you child, what do you take me for!?"   he retorted, enraged. He was never one to be startled to the point of stammering or stopping his speech; so the slight pauses in his speech made the students know that he was concealing something.

"But, you knew he was going to get it in the end didn't you?"  Cecily said as she took out the paperwork she had brought with her earlier.

"What exactly are you referring to? Is it possible that you've lost your mind!?"

Cecily took cautious steps towards him and began to speak, "Nelanian had been given the incorrect dose of mutagen for his training. Since he enrolled in the training to become a candidate for the champion of Ithea, they have been giving him the improper dose. You were aware of this, weren't you? That's why you persuaded him to enroll in extra training sessions?"

"That is a ridiculous accusation. Do you understand what you're accusing Mr. Starkridge of doing, Cecily?"  Cecily's statements disgusted Luciana, so she retaliated. Surprisingly, Mr. Starkridge appeared unfazed when confronted by the young girl. Norval studied his expression and tried to figure out what he was thinking. He didn't say anything in response to the claims, and he didn't defend his name. Norval then took the paper from Cecily's sweating palms and began reading it aloud to himself.

"This is not correct. The tests show that he has a high amount of blue fire,"  Norval was taken aback.

"What's that supposed to mean? " Jalon inquired, perplexed.

"When elderly alchemists' bodies begin to break down, they are given blue fire as a mutagen used to maintain their bodies. Using alchemy and drinking too many potions causes the body to crumble from the inside, hence the cure would be to drink blue fire. It has been known to stimulate rapid cell production in the body, and when taken in high doses, it can be lethal to young alchemists,"  Norval finished his remark by directing his attention to the school director, saying, "It causes cancer."

"When I asked the school nurse where someone could receive a dose of blue fire, she responded that the only supply that gets into the school is for Mr. Starkridge, the school director," Cecily added on.

"What you children are accusing me of is ridiculous!"

"We inquired of Nelanian as to whether you ever administered mutagen to him throughout his training. He showed us the medicines you provided him, which were examined and determined to contain traces of blue fire," Cecily explained further, pulling out other documents from underneath her grasp.

Luciana's face was a picture of horror. The notion of their own principal attempting to assassinate his own student.

"Is this true Mr. Starkridge? Tell us right now! " Luciana added her two cents to the interrogation.

Mr. Starkridge slumped in his chair and sighed deeply. "Look at you, young detectives," he said, "so were you going to ambush me with this knowledge and hope for me to kneel and confess?" Of course, I was the one that gave him the blue fire,"

Cecily was on the verge of collapsing. She began to stagger as her legs began to lose power. Before she slid on the floor, the others ran to her and provided her with anchorage. Mr. Starkridge went on to say, "Even all of you agreed with me that Nelanian was not a good fit for this institution.  Throughout the history of this school, several notable alchemists who have gone down in history as the best alchemists to ever live have graduated from its halls. Because of our institution's outstanding performance, the government rewarded us by entrusting us with the task of training Ithea's champions.  Then Rhaizen Gale appeared! That knucklehead,"

Cecily muttered under her breath, "Stop it, stop talking." The rest of her classmates did nothing to obstruct the director's speech; they were all ears.

"That fool walked the corridors as if they were his toilet, carrying himself as if he were a village boy visiting the city for the first time. Then he passed the trials and was crowned the new champion of Ithea, all the while slandering the school's name. I put up with his antics for a while, but when he brought along a little lad who was covered in grass and mud and smelled like a pigsty, informing me that he wanted him to enroll as a candidate at this institution, that was the final straw for me. I couldn't let a boy like him, who wasn't of Ithean blood, become a candidate, let alone a champion, at this institution. So I did what I had to do, I gave him the blue fire with the agreement of the school administration council,"

"You're suggesting the school was involved as well?"  Luciana was taken aback by the news.

“Who do you think authorized this plan? Who in this entire kingdom has the authority to give this scheme the green light to sail?” Mr. Starkridge said, his gaze fixed on Luciana. She figured out what the school director was implying.

“My father, he's the one who approved this plan,” she replied, her face expressionless.

“Your father has dug his claws into this institution. He rules this school as if it were his own. There was nothing I could do about it I suggested that the boy be expelled, but your father said Rhaizen Gale went too far and needed to be taught a lesson, one he would never forget. He wished to render the youngster incapable of ever recovering from his fraud. And no one was willing to argue with the king when he said that was the plan.”

“You are a liar, and the king is a noble individual,"  Cecily expressed her disbelief at Mr. Starkridge's statements, saying, "He would never say such things."

“Oh, so Luciana hasn't told you about his father's true colors?” Mr. Starkridge expresses his view.

Luciana drew the attention of the entire room. She didn't give in to the looks. “My father is not the man you people know, he is a terrible man,” she admitted softly, acknowledging the attention, " He could very well be the mastermind behind everything,” says the narrator.

The candidates couldn't stand it when they heard what was being said inside the office. The truth smacked them in the face more forcefully than they had anticipated.

“Children, let me tell you something. You are mistaken about King Vonner. He despised Rhaizen Gale with all his might. He puts on a show for the media that is nothing like his genuine self. I would have been dead a long time ago if I hadn't done what he wanted me to do, and another of his pawns would have taken my place, and Nelanian would have suffered the same fate. All you can hope for is for him to leave this school and depart the kingdom, for King Vonner holds grudges like no one else. The rest of you should remain out of this unless you wish to suffer the same fate as Nelanian, if not worse,” 

“I'm also dropping out of this school. You may make up whatever narrative you want about my dropout, but I'm not going to participate in this disgusting scheme you're running,” Cecily replied, tossing the papers to the ground. She looked around at her peers. Jalon and Luciana averted their gazes, while Norval remained silent.

“Even after hearing all of this, you guys are still standing with this institution?” Cecily inquired, her voice strained.

“... This system has flaws. It always has been. And we must be the ones to bring about change. However, if we quit, we will not be able to make the necessary changes. I'm going to stay at this school. I want to be the next champion of Ithea and bring about the reforms I desire,"  To Cecily's repulsive glances, Luciana replied, "Establish the world a better place, even if it takes me to hell. I will side with the demons if it helps me make new heaven."

“I'm staying as well; I didn't come all this way to give up. “I want to be Ithea's next champion,” Jalon stated. Everyone knew the selfish guy only cared about himself and would never side with anyone unless it benefited him, so his response didn't elicit much of a response.

“Cecily,  I understand the anguish you're going through. This organization and this kingdom have done terrible things to Nelanian. I never imagined they'd be capable of such heinous acts. Luciana is correct; we must bring about the necessary change. Let us utilize this as fuel for our quest to become the next Ithea Champion. Let's use this to get Nelanian some justice. We'll make sure he gets the justice and retribution he deserves whenever one of us becomes the next champion. I will personally ensure that his tale gets heard and...”

“Enough of this. I've had enough of it. You're all egotistical and heartless individuals. What happens to Nelanian is unimportant to any of you. You'd rather stand with the devil in exchange for false promises of change than be the change. You are no longer my friends, and I disown you all. Nelanian and I are leaving this institution, and I swear on the name of my ancestors that I will never return, and  I don't want to see your faces again,” Cecily added.

She slammed the door behind her as she rushed out of the office. The remaining pupils were left to the school director...