Legend of Ransera

---

The first official day at work was always an interesting one, as Tobias walked up to the Presidium that morning as he stared at the fountain in the middle, before he looked over at his place of work. The Hall of Reconciliation was the place where mages would study the cause-effect chain of magic and enforce it’s restriction across the whole of Zaichaer. As he entered, he approached the desk and as he took his permit from his front pocket as he prepared himself “Your credentials please.” Tobias remained quiet as he observed the place before the secretaries observed his permit, identification and other things as the secretary squinted at him.

“You’re the new Aspirant, clearly you’ve been through your training procedures haven’t you?” She asked. Tobias charmingly smiled at the female as he tilted his head “Yes, I’m pretty sure my father has the details, if you would like to check with him” The secretary smiled as he stares over at him “That wouldn’t be necessary, after all he did let me know you were coming” She chuckled as she looked over at the white haired male with a coquettish smirk. Her eyes narrowed with feline intensity as she fluttered her eyelids at me “I must say, you’re quite handsome… Zorrothy’s have good genes and your hair, peppered white...” Immediately, this was too close for comfort for Tobias as being flirted at in a professional environment was not something he had dealt with “I think you're mistaken, we’re not biologically related”

The secretary looked over at Tobias as eyed him from top to bottom “Oh… I see” She said as she brushed off my shoulder, before heading off “You’re wanted at the desk, whilst I go take a long needed break!” She said as went back and slammed a load of books upon him “These also need returning to the library, do it swiftly…” She said with a malicious glare as Tobias took them, already lost for words on his first day at work “The desk needs to be manned at all times, to ensure mages that are registered within the College of Minders, may I also remind you there will be a case study on Mesmer and Summoning this afternoon, if you bare those cardinal runes you are to attend at once” Tobias nodded “Yes, ma’am…”

The intensity of the situation rose as he placed the books and sighed “Does everyone here have such a snobby attitude?” He asks himself, already showing signs of tension in his shoulders already as he had been overwhelmed with tasks. Things couldn’t get worse when a mage approached the counter. It was unknown what he was meant to do as he looked at him “Erm, Credentials please?” He asked. The mage immediately as he looked over at him suspiciously before he placed his permit on the table. Tobias skimmed and scanned through the identification and permit that the mage gave and noticed an expiry date “This permit expired 3 days ago. From this on, you are unable to practice magic, unless it is renewed. Would you like to request a renewal?” The mage appeared angry as he looked over at the other male “But I just came for a renewal, it’s part of my work.”

Tobias smiled nervously, before he looked around for another Aspirant “Excuse me! Do you know about this man receiving a renewal on his permit recently” He asked as the male in a white waistcoat came around and smiled at the man “This is Argo Manalin, one of our investigators.” Tobias flushed in embarrassment as he nodded over at him “I’m giving the lecture on the basics of mesmer later this afternoon, I can tell there's a mesmer within you… I can see it in your eyes” He said, sternly as his look became inquisitive as Tobias nodded with a smile “I’m sure, It’ll be interesting.” Nervously, he shifted over to the other male who saved him from a troubled outburst.

“Execute me already…”

“First day? Usually the roughest of them all, but you get used to it… I’m Salahan…”

“Tobias…”

“Well… Tobias, if you wanna swap, take those to the archive, you're free to do so.”

“What are these?” He said pointing out the vials of sorcerer's sand, a signet ring and a kris blade with ritualistic markings on it’s hilt.

“Well, what do you think? Confiscated tools from mages…” Salahan gestured to the collection of items on the desk.

His eyes shifted towards the items as he looked at the amount of sorcerers sand in vials as well as old tomes, books and soul gems. He sighed as he took the items all in one hand and nodded to Salahan “Probably best, if you take over, since the lecture on mesmer is starting soon.” Salahan chuckled “Then, you’ll be taking over straight after as the summoning case study starts… It’s weird how they let us practice and study magic when it’s restricted.”

“To understand one’s flaws and desires to gain power through magic is to study the cause-effect chain…” Tobias purred with a roguish smile “If we don’t understand it, how on earth are we suppose to define laws around it when it has not been any sort of scientific experimentation?” His gaze became feline as a smirk crept on his lips as Salahan furrowed his eyebrows at Tobias. “I call us scientists rather than reconciliators, maybe that is something you should think about in regards to words of wisdom.” He left Salahan to ponder his thoughts.

As he made his way to the archive of confiscated goods. He scanned around curiously, noticing several unused Morbus Domicillae as well as necromancy tools, there was something about their crookedness that they unsettled Tobias slightly, as well as . Tobias eventually found an empty space within cabinets of sorcerers, potions and other things, including an old severed finger on the landing shelf. Tobias stuck his nose up in disgust as he shook his head “Disgusting…” He said as if trying to hold back vomiting at the thought of something vile and macabre as a single finger. It appeared some mages often had hygiene problems, or even psychological problems that they’d keep a single severed finger with them.

He looked at the grandfather clock at the side of the cabinet as Tobias’ eyes widened “Oh bummer! I’m late for the lecture!” He gasped as he ran out of the archive and immediately power walked across the hallways. His boots created heavy footsteps as he looked around, opening the door to the lecture as everyone turned around as glares shot at him, like a wake of vultures staring at him in his prey “Excuse me...” He whispered as he pushed into the queue of people, before he came across the same man whom he mistaken for an unidentified permit, Argo Manalin, one of the seekers of the order. With a stern look, he approached me. Whack. The sound of the cane echoed in the room as the baton hit the man’s groin “You're late!” As Tobias held his breath to keep quiet as it shocked him slightly. He closed his eyes and exhaled calmly as the searing pain of the area could be felt amongst his inner thigh.

“As you can see, the symphony of each human being is a fascinating influence for the Mesmer, it allows them to what? Let's start with the late boy…” Tobias gulped as he tried to remember but couldn’t exactly get it out “Erm… The symphony is a source a mesmer taps into to allow them to influence the emotions and decision making of one particular person, maybe multiple depending on the strength of the mesmer’s abilities?” He said with a lack of confidence in his voice “If I remember correctly, it begins with the overture, when you channel aether to choose a host, or multiple hosts throughout?” Everyone looks wide-eyed at him as he shifts his eyes from left to right nervously.

Argo looks over at Tobias as he sizes him up before looking down “Very good… You must be an insufferable know-it-all then?” Tobias looked at the other male as he furrowed his eyebrows with the way he answered. It was rather abrupt, rude and yet demoralising. What was even more humiliating was the way he moved his cane up his chest, towards his chin. He flinched as he whacked his cane against the floor “As he said, filthy mages like in this category will try to manipulate you, bewitch you… They control your emotions, drive your thoughts to do the unthinkable most heinous crimes, here is an example” Argo’s eyes glow orange as Tobias could feel something influencing him, like he was in temporary stasis “Come forth…” Tobias felt the need to walk forth as he was in front of the chalkboard before Argo decided to let him out of the trance.

Tobias was confused for a moment as everyone laughed at him, he shook his head “What?” He said as Argo smiled “And you see what a power of a mesmer can do to people, I could’ve influenced him to rob a bank or rob him blind… Or something more sinister. Many mages who practice this magic have been known to be rapists, con artists, thieves and even scheming nobles, which is why this magic must be policed. Only members of the Order of Reconciliation have been allowed to practice this magic for a reason… To study it, to identify phenomena and also in acts of interrogating mages if necessary. Mesmer is known to not only influence the mind, but to reveal secrets that no one will tell” He said, eyeing Tobias once more as if he was going to get used as a test subject, once again.

Richard walked into the room and witnessed try to use Tobias as a test subject before he glared over at him and crossed his arms “Another student late to your lectures again?” Argo smiled at Richard as he chuckled “Ahh, yes… I was just showing him kindly that being late again, will result in worse” Richard shook his head as he crossed his arms. “I wouldn’t tempt me to write a complaint on your abuse of power against employees, it’ll not end well” For a moment, Argo scowled as he looked over at the aspirants in the lecture room “That’s all for today…” He said as Tobias looked over and noticed the tension between Argo and Richard building up.

Richard inspected Tobias and nodded as he gestured to him to go out of the room for a moment as he walked out and sighs with relief. He returned to the desk where Salahan worked as he appeared to have a thunderous glare “What happened?” He asked curiously.

“Don’t… If I had the power to do so, I’d burn this fucker down…”

“Argo? Ehh, he’s resigning soon. I heard he was recently involved in a scandal, but not exactly sure what for...”

“Singling me out like that though?” He rolled his eyes “Come on, what kind of people do that?”

“Welcome to working in such an Order, you’ll eventually get used to it… If you want, can we go to the Hobbled Gobbler later?” He said with a sigh “You should meet Franky, a funny goblin” Tobias looked over at Salahan and sighed “I think I already have plans with my father, if he feels like it. He’s going through a rough time at the moment.”

Salahan sighed “Well, perhaps another time…”

“Sure, if you excuse me, I need some fresh air before I lose my sanity”

He said as Tobias walked out of the Hall of Reconciliation before heading to the fountain. He stared for a moment, taking a view of the other city structures in Zaichaer before he stared at the sky as Richard headed outside “Hey, Toby… You ok?”

He turned around and smiled, bottling up the emotions he truely was feeling. Anger, fear and the sense of being trapped “The Golden Peacock, tonight? I seriously need to drink away my sorrows…” Richard laughed as he shook his head “I mean, sure but… I’ll say if you’ve had enough…” Tobias nodded as he sighed as today everyone gave him the cold shoulder, but for what reason.

---