Leadership

"Then it is settled, I am the leader then?" Victoria inquired to a series of nods and confirmations. A few more hesitant than others.

Emeric was more than surprised at the unorthodox conclusion. Victoria, their resident healer, had managed to sweep the floor with the rest and claimed the leadership role for herself.

Personally, he didn't know how to feel. Traditionally for psychological reasons, you wanted the healer to focus exclusively on healing the group. The knowledge that she might be distracted by analyzing the fight would leave most with a sense of unease.

It was therefore to his surprise - that he had voted for her too. "In a provisional manner, for the first week." The disgruntled voice of Anya came, quick to get a verbal jab in.

His desire to remain neutral and his almost obsessive desire to correct what he saw as a possible costly mistake grappled inside him.

"About that," Emeric jutted in speaking his mind, "Would it not make sense for her to maintain the leadership role for longer? I figur-"

"How so?" Anya interrupted glaring at him with a look that could kill.

Emeric smiled and shrugged his shoulders lightly, "As I was saying, I figure even in a best case scenario. A week to iron out all the kinks and sort out the overall team chemistry would be unrealistic at best and downright delusional at worst."

"What he said." Arthur agreed.

Emeric smiled back at the thankful gaze from Victoria. Never hurt to reinforce a persons conclusion, especially when it was wrong but in ones favor.

Victoria for one, like a shark in water, immediately capitalized on her newfound support. "Great minds think alike, how does a term sound then?"

"Provisional. A term might as well be lifetime peerage in here. A month." Anya interjected.

"Three months?" Victoria said without hesitation, exaggeratedly deflating at the prospect of not leading for a full term.

"Two."

"Perfect. Sounds like a plan. Any objections?" She said all sunshine and rainbows.

Emeric had the sinking feeling that their healer got precisely what she had been after from the start.

////

Soundless the door closed behind him causing him to turn around and stare at the door hinges. Touching them gently, he frowned when he felt their well oiled surface.

"Just another reminder that I am far from home." He muttered.

Small as the difference may be, the well maintained nature of everything within the Academy chafed against his skin. Emeric looked over each of his shoulder in thought. Spying the empty hallway. Perfect.

Swiftly, he reached out with his mana. Grasping the air around the hinges and with a mental flick they were alight with fire. A few seconds later, equally quickly, he canceled the spell. Waving with his hands, waving away the residual smoke of burnt grease. Calmly, he applied the inverse spell but with a gentle, gradual application and so the glowing red metal hinges turned back to their normal dull metallic sheen.

A test followed and this time, there it was. The creaking, squeaky sound of of hinges screaming out their protests as the door swung open.

"What exactly are you doing?"

Emeric froze before sheepishly turning around and locking eyes with a tall man, one eyebrow raised inquisitively. An [Elementalist] judging by the pin on his chest and given the open door, a few meters behind - a neighbor.

He could only imagine too well, the first impression he was giving off. Scratching his the back of his head with one arm, he thought furiously.

"Just some late night vandalism. An old friend of mine lives in here you see." Emeric said pointing at his closed door with one thumb.

The Elementalist raised the other eyebrow.

////

Nothing like a late night library run to prepare oneself spirit, body and mind for bed. Emeric thought, walking back the way he came. Speeding his way back to his dorm with a spring in his steps. Two thick books held firmly underneath his robe, the haul of the night.

For once reality had lived up to the rumors and reputation if not surpassed them. The library was immense with endless books and scrolls to be found within its airy interior.

Still the main takeaway, had been the Librarian's warning. He couldn't help but take another look at his surroundings. The warning and his sleep deprived brain proving fertile grounds for an increasingly paranoid mind.

He was accustomed to keeping a close eye on ones belongings, a habit long since ingrained to him out of necessity and then later out of personal philosophy. Back then however all he could lose where whatever items he lost, here it seemed he would be on the hook for their monetary value as well.

Life in the Academy it seemed was not destined to be as peaceful as he had hoped but Emeric would adapt to the situation. Like he always has. He had to.

He had come too far to stop now.

Emeric stopped mid stride, thinking back to the grim words of the Headmaster and with a growing sense of unease, finally understanding the intent behind it.

"Winning. That is all that matters. The end does justify the means and everything is justified in order to win." His eyes drifted to the two books.