Stolen Inheritance![Job]

Spoiler:

Zion stood there in the courtyard feeling confused and conflicted. All at once Casvallion had both acknowledged him as an authentic sentient life while also revealing that he wasn't a "real person" in some way. "I don't understand, what makes me different?!" The youth raised his voice slightly and demanded an explanation. Without skipping a beast, Casvallion smiled as he told Zion the truth.

"You mean Mikael never told you? Most people are born of normal flesh and blood. Life moves on in a cycle of people starting as something smaller than an infant before growing old to the point of death. But you were just an empty shell for years. A body born at the age of a young man that will never experience the underdeveloped stages of childhood nor decay into the weakness of old age. If the academy knew what you really were, you would probably wind up as some sort of test subject. Lets be clear here, if either of up slip up and reveal your true nature before you've grown strong enough to protect yourself, your future turns pretty bleak."

Casvallion let the words sink in for a moment. Zion looked down at his own hands somberly. As the man spoke Zion had slowly washed away his confusion as he came to understand his situation. There was no reason to doubt Casvallion's words and Zion had once felt that Mikael was hiding something from him. This must have been it. The masked man saw that Zion didn't panic and nodded in praise of his calm before going on further.

"There is one more matter of importance we need to discuss...Mikaels lab, research, and all of the land he owned is supposed to be your inheritance as he named you his successor. However, the academy wont just stand by and watch those assests fall into the hands of some mystery adopted son who appeared just as Mikael died. He also had enemies that hold a lot of influence in Magnostadt. They won't stoop to killing you as long as they think you are a normal magician and don't discover your real identity. But I wouldn't put it past them to make things difficult for you. In fact, they've already interfered with your inheritance by getting the academy to agree to put some conditions you need to meet before you can claim whats rightfully yours.

Contempt showed itself on Zion's face once he heard about those who wanted to steal that which his father had left behind for themselves. But from the way Casvallion spoke it did not seem like they could simply snatch it away. Maintaining his calm, Zion looked up at Casvallion and spoke in an even tone, "I understand...what are these conditions?" Casvallion smirked upon seeing the youth's guts and nodded in approval. "Simple, you need to prove yourself worthy of Mikaels Legacy. The next Iktiyar exam is in three months. You just need to pass it and become a 2nd Kodor on your first try." The words were spoken as though it were a simple task but truth be told Zion was ill equipped to meet those requirements as he was now.

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WC: Complete [534/500]

Just as Zion was beginning to fire himself up to accomplish the goal set out before him, Casvallion suddenly shifted gears and spoke in a sharp tone that pierced through Zion's swelling anticipation causing it to smolder into anger. "Or at least that is what I would like to say. Unfortunately for you I'm in need of funding from the academy. Another attack from a foreign nation coveting Magnostadts power could come at any moment. If I hand you over to them, they will listen to my concerns about the security of the city...It really doesn't sit well with me to betray a dead old man after all, but it's something I can live with if it means keeping this city safe." The masked man suddenly revealed his ivory wand and with a swish he caused the earth around Zion's feet to gather up around him. A borg quickly formed to keep the dirt at bay but it quickly cracked and shattered leaving Zion helpless as an earthen fist of soil closed shut around him binding his entire body in place.

Shocked by this betrayal Zion shouted out angrily as he strained against the restraint but to no avail. "Aaaaaarrgh! My father trusted you!" The words enticed a scoff out of the masked man as he stepped forward to smack Zion with the back of his hand. "Ah, that's right. Mikael was far too trusting. Just like you were far too trusting of that guard and got easily tricked into lowering your guard. Mikael hasn't spoken to me in eight years since he retired just as I graduated from the academy. It was foolish to place his faith in me not knowing anything of my life in the decade he hasn't known me!" The scolding was followed by a cruel ultimatum. "You have two choices before you, doll. You can either live on as a slave experiment, or I can show you mercy and kill you now."

Silence. Zion couldn't answer immediately. Not because he was unable to choose, but because he was too overwhelmed with anger to speak. To be deceived again? It was almost like everyone in the outside world couldn't be trusted. Even Mikael had hid things from him. Was nobody truthful in this unforgiving world? Then a thought came to Zion...what if this is what Mikael had meant when asking greatness of him. If the world was one of lies it would clearly be a bad thing. Perhaps being different despite the disadvantages was some form of greatness. Clenching his teeth Zion steeled his resolve before shouting out a third option, "I'm not going to just be some doll and I'm not going to die here! I'll find a way out of here and then I'll...I'll...I'll kick you like I did those guards! Then I'm gonna go kick that whole crooked academy! Just you watch!" Hubris laced arrogant words that the speaker didn't know the weight of.

Laughter broke the tension and the spell binding Zion fell away as Casvallion covered his fact in amusement. "Well said! Well said!" The subtle warmth and familiarity was back in Casvallion's voice as he praised Zion for his speech. "You are far too weak to back those words up, but I've confirmed you're willing to not give up on your fate even if it seems to turn against you. You've passed the final test. Now I'm going to teach you not just for Mikael's sake, but because I like your spirit!" The man then offered his hand to shake Zion's. Having been through a roller coaster of emotions all day Zion didn't know what to say as he realized he had been double tricked. Part of him felt a deep seated anger towards Casvallion, but he was also experiencing relief. Begrudgingly Zion reached out to shake Casvallion's hand non-verbally forgiving him despite holding a petty grudge.

"Right then, from today on I will be your teacher. But before we can get started..."