They appeared in a large, circular study. Enormous bookshelves covered the walls of the enormous, curved walls; with a full-on gantry overhead with ladders to access the upper levels. A half-circle desk was in front of them, and seated behind it was a stout Human with some trace of heritage he could not identify. He had deep brown hair with flecks of red scattered throughout. And as his eyes looked up from the papers on his desk, Tristan saw they were a deep, burnished copper.

"Reginald, you said it was urgent," the man muttered as he put his pen down. He sounded stern, serious, and no-nonsense.

"That is right," Reginald replied as he gestured to Tristan, "This is Tristan Winterbloom, also an Anorox. You know, like the dragonslayer we have on commission from the Pathfinders."

The headmaster gave a curt nod and lifted his hand, making a rolling-forward gesture for Reginald to continue. "Proceed."

Eloise spoke, interrupting and cutting off Reginald. Her excitement was mixed with trepidation, but her words gushed out as she spoke. "He can get other spell types just like his half-brother Bertram. Plus, he can use fortune reliably! It was astonishing!"

Reginald tapped her shoulder, and she quieted, "We want to consider him for a self-study program, sir."

The headmaster's eyes snapped onto Tristan, and the young dragonslayer felt as if the world was compressed to a needle's point, his gaze sucked into those copper irises. "Well?" he asked in a slightly perturbed voice. "Speak up. Tell us why you think you should be considered for this special status."

I can use my trump card here, Tristan thought. Reveal my role as the ruler of the Fey Realm, use that as leverage. Or keep it secret. He saw those piercing eyes once more, and felt the familiar pressure of enchantment on his temples – which he immediately shook off thanks to the wyrm-sized demon dragon's blood he had drunk. "Please don't try to enchant me," he stated sternly as he crossed his arms.

Both Reginald and Eloise looked at him, shocked, but the headmaster just cracked a smile and leaned back in his chair, chuckling. "Well…interesting. A person who can resist my enchantment." He tapped the chain around his neck, "Second Order enchantment spell stored on this with artifice. A means to force you to tell the truth." He glanced at Reginald, "Having someone here who cannot be controlled is a problem."

"Would you mind giving us your name, at least?" Felicity asked impatiently. "First you try and use enchantment, and you don't even have the decency to give Tristan your name?" She scoffed in an impetuous way.

The headmaster's chuckle faded instantly and his appearance became stern once more. "Markus Vrilz. So, Tristan of the Anorox bloodline, and the near-extinct Winterbloom…what is it you hide from us? And why should I allow for you to do this self-study program? It has had questionable outcomes in the past – unrestricted knowledge and all that."

"Teaching myself – which I've done up to this point, save for Obadai Grimtome giving me some instruction."

Markus' stern gaze became a deep set frown, "That…that student…he was your teacher at one point?"

Felicity put her paws together leaving a little sliver in the middle. "Obadai taught a tiny bit. Just some fire elementalism."

Markus shook his head, "A former student of Obadai has no place at my Citadel. Reginald?"

Well, nothing for it now. Tristan spun his essence crucible and let it vent out of him. "I am not just an Anorox or Winterbloom – as the last Winterbloom, I am the de-facto lord of the Fey Realm." At his saying this, and the sudden display of raw power, the three other individuals in the room reacted differently.

Reginald took a step back and tapped a bracer hidden under his sleeve as a sphere of brown light popped into place around him. A protective shell of some sort. Eloise's jaw went slack, but she did not react otherwise. And Markus let out a barking laugh. "Lord of the Fey Realm? Prove it."

Tristan unlatched his gauntlet and pulled it and the glove off. He held his hand up, with the ring prominent upon it. "Give me an hour, and we will travel there."

"You cannot use Realmwalking inside of the Citadel proper – only the inner grounds on Yustat's center," Eloise stated as she regained her composure.

"Not Realmwalking," Felicity stated. "Interrealm Warp."

Eloise's eyes went wide, but Reginald and Markus just glanced at each other with inquisitive expressions. Eloise rapidly explained, "It's an ancient means of inter-Realm travel. Not as precise as Realmwalking, but far more reliable in location."

Markus raised an inquisitive brow, "Let me guess…you are offering us access to the Fey Realm-"

"No," Tristan said, cutting him off. This is where the power dynamics shift. He kept his face serious, but inside he was grinning. "The Realm Protector obeys my commands. What I propose is this; you will allow me to be a self-study student. I will allow for Seasonal, supervised visits. The Realm is perfectly safe. I will also make trade goods available to the marketplace that Eloise mentioned in my signing up."

If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

Markus looked at Reginald, then Eloise, then Tristan. "You said an hour for that ring to charge up?"

"Yes," Tristan replied.

Markus pointed at the door, "Please step outside. I must consult with our senior staff on your proposal."

Tristan nodded, approached the door, opened it, and closed it behind him. He was in a large, stone hallway – much like the one that held the domiciles that he had met Betram in. But these looked like offices, as names were affixed to metal placards set into the walls next to each door. He saw various personnel teleporting through the use of their staffs, and entering doors. Just as many were departing.

Felicity was making paw-claw biscuits on his head as heated sounds of discussion from what sounded like dozens of voices faintly echoed through the door. "You made a power play there," she stated bluntly.

"I did," Tristan replied. "Controlled, limited access for a set number of students. In exchange, I get to do this self-study program, and now I have a means to bring a mind spell capable essence-weaver into the Fey Realm to revive grandfather."

She hummed, "Mhmm. Smart move, saving that for this critical point." She batted his ears softly, "I think that you made the right call. We'll see if mom is okay with it."

"It's my Realm," Tristan replied softly as he finished reaffixing his gauntlet. "I make the rules."

"T-r-u-e," Felicity replied as she stopped batting his ears and began making paw-claw biscuits again. "Hopefully the decision doesn't bite us in the butt!"

"We will keep a close eye on visiting students," Tristan replied. "We have fairy dragons and nymphs. We'll just keep the students in specific sections that we cordon off. I can reshape parts of the forest around the Queen's Wood into an impassable corral."

"Oooh, like a shepherd!"

"Sort of," Tristan replied.

He stood there, outside, spinning his essence crucible for a good forty minutes while heated discussion went on behind those doors. Then, it went silent. Eloise opened the door and beckoned Tristan enter, "Come on. We made a decision."

Tristan walked inside and saw only Markus and Eloise were in the room. Markus looked like a man who had fought a war – his hair was plastered to his forehead with sweat, and he appeared exhausted. "We…came to an agreement," he said with confidence. There was a tinge of uncertainty to his voice, but the words themselves were assured. "We accept your proposal. Supervised, Seasonal field trips to the Fey Realm, and in exchange you will be allowed to self-study and audit any classes you deem necessary."

"Audit?" Felicity asked.

Eloise leaned in and whispered to Felicity, but Tristan overheard, "When you attend courses and lectures without grades or credit."

Markus cleared his throat, "If that is all…I would like to see this Fey Realm."

"I am ready," Tristan replied. "But I do have one request before we go. Do you have an essence-weaver capable of mind spells?"

"We do," Eloise said with a curious edge to her voice. "Why?"

"My grandfather is comatose. Poison. An unknown type that has locked away his mind."

Markus nodded, "You are in luck. I am skilled at enchantment and mind spells. But before we go, you will not begrudge me bringing guards, would you?"

"I will allow it," Tristan replied. "As long as they are within arm's reach of me. Be aware, the Fey Realm responds to my whims. I hope for this to be a prosperous, amicable relationship between my Realm's residents and the access that the Citadel provides. But do not cross me."

"Wouldn't dream of it," Markus said as he ran a small towel across his forehead before grabbing a staff that was tilted up against his desk in one of the holsters. The same type of staff that Eloise held. "Let me just summon up a few guards." The man closed his eyes, and gripped something around his belt-line beneath the clothes – Tristan assumed an artificed item.

In front of Tristan, two vortexes appeared. Whirling, whipping wind that contained itself inside of a humanoid-shaped shell. Each had a pair of glowing, green eyes that regarded Tristan with a dull expression.

"Elementals," Eloise muttered. "I was wondering where that belt went to."

Markus chuckled, "Let us depart." He came out from behind the desk and got closer to Tristan. "When you are ready."

Tristan activated the ring, the world went white, and they reappeared in the Fey Realm. Almost instantly Eloise and Markus both gasped in disbelief. The nymphs in the water hole before the Queen's Wood dipped into the waters, and fairy dragons flew around above the group in a swarm, asking Tristan dozens of questions – so many that it all blended together.

He both-direction spun his essence crucible, "Settle down!" he shouted up as the Realm vibrated along with his speech. Even Eloise and Markus seemed shaken as their gaze locked onto him. "These are guests. Matriarch? Attend me."

The Matriarch flew down from the top boughs and regarded the swirling vortexes of wind, "You brought guests, Lord Tristan. And their guardians." Her enormous, fairy dragon form dwarfed the group as she settled back onto her haunches.

Felicity nodded and her tail swished back and forth, tickling the back of Tristan's neck. "We're going to be students as the Citadel of Essence!"

Markus found his voice and dipped his head, "Realm Protector?" he asked as his voice trembled slightly.

"You have met her," The Matriarch replied.

"I am Markus Vrilz, and this is Eloise Serre. Lord Tristan has made an enticing offer."

Tristan walked forward alongside The Matriarch and swapped to Elvish, filling her in on his deal. She nodded sagely and her form shrunk down to her regal Elfanoid form as he finished, her wings folding in to her back but still present. "It sounds like a decent plan," she stated. "We can ensure that any visiting students remain on the grounds here in the market area before the Queen's Wood, or in the training field nearby. I'll set my children to marking out off-limits areas."

Markus looked at Tristan and cleared his throat, "May I speak?" Tristan gestured for him to do so, and the man pointed to Eloise. "She is capable of Realmwalking. With your leave, Lord Tristan, she and your Matriarch may arrange for these Seasonal, supervised visits. In the meantime, I can see to your grandfather and attempt to bring his mind out of its locked-in state."

Tristan looked up at The Matriarch, "I leave this part of managing the Realm to you."

She nodded, "I will ensure that these field trips are…routine." She said the word with a shudder, and shook her head as if she was swallowing down bile. "The rest of your Fey Court will want to have some input. I shall summon Thallia to that end." She faced Eloise, "If you will, Demonkin. Follow me."

The Matriarch led her towards the pool of water, and Tristan gestured for Markus to follow him into the Queen's Wood, "This way." He felt his heart racing. Finally, he was going to be getting his grandfather back.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.