Alaric wanted to ask what Geralt meant by that, but he knew that he wouldn't tell him. They didn't get along well. Geralt liked those who worked hard and those with naturally good talent. Alaric, feeling the weight of his inadequacy, knew he was neither of those things.
He pushed the double door and entered the headmaster's office. Usually, the students who went there didn't go for a good reason.
An old man with a stern expression and a few wisps of grey hair peeking out from under his academic cap was behind a desk. Many papers were above it. The old man was writing something with a quill pen.
"Alaric, you're finally here," the headmaster said, "please sit. This is important."
Alaric nodded and sat in a comfy chair, facing the headmaster. The atmosphere was tense. Alaric was sweating, his heart pounding in his chest while thinking back at what Geralt said just before he entered.
Not only that, but he felt that the headmaster, despite his amicable words, was actually angry with him. That was how he saw the situation.
"Do you know why you are here?" the headmaster asked.
"Of course I do," Alaric said, his voice tinged with frustration, "I ain't stupid. Tell me, am I expelled? I really don't want to continue studying magic. It's just not for me."
The headmaster was visibly taken aback. It was not what most aspiring wizards said, especially those with low talent like Alaric.
Based on what he saw, those with low talent were the ones working the hardest to keep up with those who had better talent. Alaric was a peculiar case. He lacked the natural talent and the desire to work hard, even in this world of swirling spells and enchanted creatures.
The headmaster looked at him with a pitiful expression. "Alaric, did you read the document you signed when you came here?"
He was referring to the document that the untalented individuals signed to secure a spot in the prestigious Magic Academy. Alaric knew that one of the things stated in the document was that he would have to serve the kingdom's army for 5 years after graduating.
"You mean the army thing? It only counts if I graduate, right? So it doesn't count, considering I am about to get expelled."
The headmaster laughed.
"Sort of. It's written that those who didn't try to learn magic at their hardest can not only get expelled from the Magic Academy but from the kingdom too."
"Wait, what do you mean?" Alaric asked.
Things were not looking good for him. Geralt's voice kept coming back to haunt him.
"I won't exactly expel you from the kingdom because that might worsen my school's reputation, but I'll toss you into some god-forsaken place for you to die. That's what I am sure of."
Alaric didn't know what to do. He didn't have a family in that world, and his only friend was Kenzy, someone who had entered the academy just like he had.
With no connections or money to help him escape, Alaric even tried to dispel his laziness. "If I start working hard, will you consider letting me stay?" he pleaded, his desperation palpable.
Alaric's fear was palpable. He really didn't want to die.
The headmaster shook his head. "No. Your destiny is sealed. We are leaving tonight."
The headmaster was the one going with Alaric. He wanted to be sure everything would work out well.
Not only that, but they weren't using any flying mounts or balloons. They were, in fact, embarking on a journey through the rare and complex teleportation magic! This was no ordinary feat, as such magic was of the highest level and even required a special fuel.
The fuel used was mana, obviously, but the mana didn't come from the mage doing the spell but from mana stones. A mage could use smaller teleports with just its own mana. Still, in the headmaster's case, he wanted to go far away with Alaric, so he needed the mana stones.
"If you want to say goodbye to someone, do it. We are leaving in five minutes," the headmaster said.
Everything was happening so fast. Alaric felt displaced, adrift. He went to Kenzy's dorm to speak with him. A few knocks were enough to wake up his friend.
"What happened in that meeting? Did they allow you to stay in the academy?" Kenzy asked.
Kenzy was trying to think positively during that situation. He didn't want his friend expelled.
"No... It's even worse. They are sending me away using a teleportation spell. Like sending me to a faraway place that is possibly dangerous and fatal."
"What the fuck? Are you serious?"
It was hard to believe in that. Kenzy thought that Alaric was joking, but when he saw how worried Alaric looked, he knew that wasn't the case.
They embraced each other, their friendship a bond that could not be broken. Kenzy was Alaric's only friend, and the thought of their impending separation was a heavy burden to bear.
"I know you'll survive this, and I know we will see each other again, my friend," Kenzy said.
"Yeah, me too," Alaric said, his smile a facade to hide the uncertainty that lay ahead. The future was unknown, and the only thing they could hold onto was the hope of a reunion.
The headmaster came to see what Alaric was doing.
"Are you done? Everything is set," he said.
Alaric left with him, leaving his friend behind. They went to a special underground room that was used for teleportation magic. It already had the symbols on the ground and the mana stones ready when Alaric and the headmaster arrived there.
"They couldn't prepare this so fast, so my destiny was sealed before this meeting," Alaric thought.
"Step into the middle of this circle, and wait. Soon, you'll be teleported," the headmaster's authoritative voice echoed in the room, his command carrying the weight of his position.
Alaric obediently followed the headmaster's instructions, a stark reminder of his lack of power in the face of the academy's mages. He had no choice but to comply.
As the headmaster channeled the spell, the room was engulfed in a brilliant blue light. When the light faded, Alaric was nowhere to be seen.