A Charlatan
A momentous occasion such as a Facet advancing Stages should have brought a rush of Mana and all kinds of dazzling displays resulting from this. The sunlight would grace Light Mages with an angelic halo, the world itself would sing for a Sound Mage, and the air would bend the knee before a Wrath Mage.
But Fate's advancement brought forth none of this. It lacked any fanfare whatsoever, with the exception of a slight breeze rustling through the room as Fate's Mana pool doubled in size. Despite the breakthrough he just experienced, along with the subsequent strengthening of his Mana, it felt like he hadn't changed at all.
Rather than it feeling like Fate's Mana increased in quality, which should have happened, it was as if it simply shed an invisible shackle. As opposed to the phenomena that accompanied such Mana strengthening, Fate's Mana slid smoothly into the next tier as if it was already more than capable of outputting such power, as if he was holding it back somehow.
And Fate's "Mage Sense" was already a full-blown aura before now, something Famden Dreyden picked up with some scrutiny. So the anticipated evolution of his Mage Sense into an aura didn't happen either.
His Skill didn't change either, gaining neither a buff nor a reduction to the drawbacks. It was almost like…
He was already at this Stage?
In an instant, Fate broke out of his reverie, all of such thoughts dusted away into the foggy wall within his mind.
He raised his gaze from the desk, meeting the shocked stares of Professor Redek and the terrified gazes of the students, many of whom were covered in cuts and scrapes. A few even had larger shards of glass wedged somewhere on their person.
Professor Redek was a professional at heart that had seen many ludicrous things during his years, so he was the first to recover. He schooled his expression, back straightening and hands clasping behind him once more as he glared imperiously at Fate.
"Due to the unique nature of your Facet, I shall not deign to demand an explanation for this. I do, however, expect you to properly compensate me for destroying my property. That training orb you just broke takes several hours to make. See me after class."
"I – Yes, sir," Fate replied distractedly, somewhat dazed by what just happened. Had he really become a Journeyman? But why didn't he feel any different?
"Good." Professor Redek nodded, satisfied. With a wave of his hand, the shards from Fate's destroyed ball flew back together, clumping into a mass of broken pieces before dropping lightly into the trashcan next to Redek's desk. "Tell me, have you been to your Vice class yet?"
"No, sir," Fate told him. "I just did what you told me to do. I listened to the patterns."
"Interesting. Well, since you've finished your task, you are free to observe your fellow students or read up on the class's textbook.
"And you five," he turned to the five students with more serious wounds, "go to the nurse's office. I don't need students bleeding out in my class. Don't worry about the assignment, I won't count it against you. As for the rest of you… get back to work."
The bell rang, and Fate stowed his book away into his backpack, slinging it over his shoulder as he stood. As the rest of the students filed out, he stopped in front of Professor Redek's desk, the latter wearing a pair of glasses as he wrote a summary of the class's proceedings.
"Yes?" he asked. He didn't tilt his head up, his eyes staring at Fate in askance from above the glasses low on his nose.
"How much do you need for the glass ball?" Fate asked respectfully.
"Ah, that. Truthfully, it gives me something to do on the weekends. I do not require any compensation from you. That was merely a reason to see you after class, away from the prying eyes of the other students."
"What would you need to do that for, professor?"
"Don't think I didn't notice your aura when you were using my enchantment, young man. And your Mana and Mana pool improved smoothly, almost as if it was entirely natural for them to be at the power level they sit at now. What I need to ask you is…"
He leaned forward, eyes hardening as he pressed his quill down a little too forcefully onto the paper. A splotch of ink splattered across the paper, rendering entire sentences illegible. Professor Redek didn't seem to notice as he continued.
"Are you hiding your true Stage?"
"What?" Fate asked, brows furrowing.
"This is not a joking matter. Feigning one's true Stage to get into the Academy is difficult, but not impossible. It's also strictly against the Academy rules, and I have no wish for a charlatan in my classroom."
"I swear, sir, I have no idea what you're talking about," Fate said calmly. "I haven't even had my Facet for a week yet. I just Awakened this Sunday."
A sneer grew on Redek's face, his eyes flashing with fury as he leaned back, tapping the ruined quill onto the ink-covered paper aggravatedly.
"An Apprentice that has had his Facet for less than a week has advanced to Journeyman? An Apprentice who should by all accounts be entirely unable to enchant can do so with other people's Imprints? An Apprentice with an *aura* is claiming to be normal? Does that sound believable to you, Mr. Fate?"
"I honestly have no idea, Sir. I don't know half of the words you just said."
"Taking the hard route? Fine. You and I will go see Principal Alessandra right now. If she finds you somehow without blame in this ridiculous situation, I shall never speak of this again. But if she sees you for what I suspect you are, I shall be the one to deliver the rod."
He tossed the ruined quill into the trash and pushed himself to a stand, taking his glasses and folding them in half before slipping them into his robes. He strode toward the door, not bothering to check if Fate was following.
Fate had no choice but to follow, his face still marred by confusion as he tried to understand just what it was he was being accused of. He hadn't had time to read a dictionary yet, so he truly had no idea what most of Redek's words meant.
'What the hell is a "charlatan?"'