The Crime of Life

Instead of searching for a killer, in a school for magic someone has resurrected a student who had been put to death.

Vesmani: Master Dreggelorn, any ideas?

Dreggelorn: He was dead and now he is not.

Garoqlie: Astute observation, my esteemed colleague. But how?

Dreggelorn: He was resurrected, I'd say.

Vesmani: Yes, yes, we figured as much. Please, Dreggelorn, we do not teach necromancy here. Which of the students could have done this?

Garoqlie: Right, how could a student have done this then, if we don't teach raising the dead? Let's not jump to conclusions, Adrela.

Vesmani: Are you saying what I think you're saying, Master Garoqlie?

Garoqlie: I am not accusing anyone. But we likewise cannot rule out anyone prematurely.

Vesmani: Look at it! This was no master's work. It was waddling about like a brainless idiot! The culprit likely thought they had botched the whole thing and then left the body there on the floor. Later it got up and aimlessly wandered across campus. It would have probably done that until morning had I not found it. One of our students is a necromancer!

Dreggelorn: Resurrection is no small achievement - and quite different from necromancy. Acquiring such a skill takes years - more years than any student here has had the pleasure to attend Strahtenfel.

Vesmani: Well, I trust your judgement, Dreggelorn. You are the master of restoration after all.

Dreggelorn: Thank you, Master Vesmani.

Vesmani: And what gifted students you have. Say, what was that one boy's name again? The one that grew back another student's arm from nothing?

Garoqlie: Adrela....

Dreggelorn: His name is Trassar and, in fact, you're looking at said arm.

Dreggelorn nods toward the unconscious student on the ground.

Vesmani: Perfect. Means and motive. But how did he get into the morgue?

Dreggelorn: I do not quite follow.

Garoqlie: Master Vesmani suspects this Trassar fellow to be capable of this … crime as well as willing because … Um, Adrela?

Vesmani: Because who likes seeing one's work squandered? One day you perform a miracle only for the next day to see that miracle be put to death. It is quite simple, really. Excuse me, while I go and get the culprit.

As Master Vesmani steps toward the door, it opens and a man and a woman enter.

Vesmani: Ah, Vicemagister Evenfield, there you are! I was just about to wake the student responsible for this act of defiance and forbidden magic. Thank you, for alerting her, Rapal. Was the Greatmagister not available?

Evenfield: No one is waking anyone. We do not want to alarm the students unless we are completely sure what happened. We will have to deal with this matter ourselves; the Greatmagister was also summoned by the Faceless King. I just saw him off. Sorry if I seem exhausted; the portal had to be perfect.

Garoqlie: So we are all the remaining masters? Let's make this quick then.

Evenfield: Master Dreggelorn, please summarize this night's events so that all of us may be on the same page.

Dreggelorn: Of course, Vicemagister. Approximately two hours after midnight Master Vesmani alerted Master Garoqlie, Master Ysriel and me about a student she had caught roaming the campus. She described him as delirious. When we arrived he was already passed out. We then brought him to my chamber and Master Ysriel was sent for you and the Greatmagister while I examined the boy. He turns out to be the student we put on trial and executed mere ten hours earlier for repeated grossly negligent use of combustion magic, which gravely harmed himself and almost two other students. Master Vesmani suspects Trassar of Springcreek, the student who grew this boy's arm back after the incident, to have resurrected him out of spite for rendering his work obsolete.

Evenfield: Thank you, Master Dreggelorn.

Dreggelorn: I would also like to explain that we are not dealing with necromancy here, but with resurrection. The body had been properly healed before he was returned to life. Few necromancers train themselves in restoration and most would not go through the trouble anyways.

Garoqlie: So resurrection is just necromancy with extra steps?

Dreggelorn: That would be a cruel way to put it. And no, it is not that simple. Resurrection involves tapping into and repairing the mind and dreams of the deceased. Necromancers prefer forcing their own inside.

Vesmani: But we do not know if his mind and dreams have been repaired, do we? He was not exactly stable when I found him. And I would like to remind everyone that we in fact teach restoration here.

Garoqlie: Yes, every student has a basic understanding of it. And so has every teacher and master.

Evenfield: No, Master Vesmani has a point. Basic restoration training goes no further than stopping blood loss and mending minor cuts. To heal a broken neck requires expertise.

Rapal, what is your assessment of the boy? Is his mind intact?

Ysriel: I can do a quick survey if you will it.

Evenfield: Please do.

Ysriel: Hold him still. Just a precaution.

Master Garoqlie performs a downward motion with his right hand and a thick layer of ice begins to form around the boy's arms binding him to the chair. Master Ysriel approaches, places his thumb against the boy's forehead and two fingers against his left temple.

Ysriel: I sense movement. Frantic thoughts in circles. Trying to make sense of their own existence. A shimmer of dreams beneath them, but deep and still.

A minute of silence passes.

Ysriel: There. I calmed his thoughts. They seemed to be his own. I would not intrude any further. I could lose myself.

Vesmani: In a confused mind?

Ysriel: Especially in a confused mind. It would not know I'm different. Could not show me the way out. Would take me in. I would need a helper. An organized mind is easy to traverse.

He will wake in a few hours. Then we will know for sure.

Dreggelorn: Is this usual for a resurrection?

Garoqlie: Who can say? I myself would not be surprised if someone told me coming back from the dead is a rather stressful experience. And it seems this fellow had not have the calmest of minds when he was alive.

Dreggelorn: So we can assume the resurrection was successful?

Ysriel: It appears so.

Dreggelorn: Fascinating.

Vesmani: Well, whatever the case, he is supposed to be dead. Can we please get this over with?

Garoqlie: Are you suggesting we kill him? Here and now?

Vesmani: Why not? The council voted for his death. We should instantiate that voting. It will be quick and painless.

Garoqlie: The voting was faulty to begin with. The council should not have voted with so many masters absent. And even then, it was three against three. Only the Greatmagister's voting privilege tipped the balance in your favor.

Ysriel: An unfortunate process, yes. But legal within our rules.

Dreggelorn: No matter all that. We already satisfied what the council demanded, didn't we?

Vesmani: What are you talking about, Dreggelorn?

Dreggelorn: We, as the council, voted for his execution. And we executed him. Whatever happens after that is a new matter.

Vesmani: Even if the exact wording of our verdict says only that he is to be put to death, the intent is quite clear: To prevent harm of uncontrolled magic. For that he needs to be dead. He is not. End of discussion.

Garoqlie: But that is why this school exist: To control magic. We shouldn't just kill those who make a mistake. They are students! They need to learn control and we need to teach them.

Ysriel: He broke our rules. Twice. He endangered others and harmed himself.

Garoqlie: He blew up his arm, so what? He does not deserve to die for that. It's not like he created a plague or enslaved a tribe of peaceful spirits.

Ysriel: Be careful what you say, Master of Elements. Remember whom you serve.

Garoqlie: Besides, how do we know that this is the same person? Maybe the resurrection messed with his mind so much he is no longer who he was. Maybe he will be incapable of magic.

Ysriel: Unlikely. We will know in the morning.

Evenfield: While I do agree with Master Garoqlie that this particular case should not have resulted in execution, Master Vesmani and Master Ysriel are right in that we have a duty to uphold the kingly given rules. We accepted these rules when we became teachers at Strahtenfel. However, in this case the rules are not clear and it thus falls to the Greatmagister to decide further procedure.

With the power invested in me as Vicemagister, during an absence of the Greatmagister, and after hearing your arguments, I hereby decree to postpone the vote on another execution of this student until the Greatmagister's return. I also decree utmost secrecy in this matter. No student is to be informed of, questioned about or otherwise treated differently because of tonight's events. I will prepare a message for the Greatmagister. The student will remain in Master Dreggelorn's chambers until further notice. You are dismissed.

Everyone except Master Dreggelorn exit. Then, one after another, everyone except Master Vesmani returns.

Dreggelorn: Well, that could have gone better.

Garoqlie: You almost blew it, Dreggelorn. You could barely contain yourself.

Dreggelorn: There is no shame in taking pride in one's work. As I said, resurrection is no small achievement. Besides, Adrela could not fathom the possibility of me doing anything forbidden.

And what about you? You basically told her right away that it was no student.

Evenfield: No, it was my fault. I was preparing the portal to Rapal when the Greatmagister knocked. I hastily finished it and it must have sent the boy somewhere else on campus.

Garoqlie: The Greatmagister actually knocks at your door? For me he just walks right in.

Evenfield: Oh, he still does, he just knocks first. Vicemagister privilege and all.

Dreggelorn: You finished the portal between him knocking and entering? That the boy ended up even somewhere on this plane is a miracle - or a testament to your skill.

Ysriel: We still have a problem.

Evenfield: It would be the easiest if she cooperated. We cannot have the Greatmagister become suspicious.

Garoqlie: Why was Adrela even up? This night was my duty.

Ysriel: I will make her forget. But first.

Evenfield: Yes, Rapal, you can take him now.

Ysriel: With pleasure. I will learn much.

Dreggelorn: You said you needed a helper? To traverse his mind?

Ysriel: An obvious lie. That goes for students. I am not a student.

Dreggelorn: Well, we are all liars now, it seems.

Garoqlie: We'll all be heroes once we bring the boy back to his parents. And a good fortune richer.

Evenfield: You can take my cut and give it to Rapal. After tonight he deserves it. I don't.

Garoqlie: I'm sure I can work out a complication fee. Your contribution shouldn't be overlooked, Vicemagister. You gave us access to the morgue after all.

Dreggelorn: Is it not grim? We kill a boy and make his parents pay us to bring him back.

Garoqlie: We didn't make them, they asked us. Or me for that matter. And I'm glad they did. We should reverse more unjust executions.

Evenfield: I would be glad if we didn't produce any more...