Furner's Trail

The next morning in Dusty Zephyr Island's Medical Clinic.

The Clinic was situated in the backyard of the old building; none of the students was aware of its existence as it has been closed.

It just had three beds and was Kallis was lying on the adjacent to the window bed, as he blackly staring into the ceiling in deep thoughts.

It's been 6 hours and Kelly has been running tests after tests. Although Kallis condition has stabilized long ago, she still wants to be doubly sure before discharging him.

Outside the clinic Quinn, Boris and Lardo were standing before Ben and Fran briefing about their Quest.

Quinn did most of the talking while Boris and Lardo nodded from time to time. Except for a few minute details he informed everything that had transpired.

"... and in a few minutes, the whole island sunk while we helplessly watched our Jade Pearls drown into the sea."

Quinn intentionally focused on the Jade Pearls and recounted the events imitating Boris's style. Obviously, a few patch ups were needed to hide Elgar's existence. Fortunately, Quinn was a veteran and his teachers weren't suspicious of a little kid.

Fran and Ben locked their eyes at the same time and helplessly shook their head.

They knew Furner was in deep trouble, Natal Dawn School had many factions and only a few people manage to stay out of this politics. Furner is one such individual; he'll have to face the difficulty without anyone's support.

Just when Fran was about to open his mouth, Kelly walked in donning a white doctor Coat and a fitting Golden Rimmed glass. Fran and Ben immediately stopped their conversation and paced to the clinic. While the kids nervously followed them.

"Kallis your Physique has mutated and the mutation of your body is just a side effect. This is actually a very rare condition; our school only has a hand full of students with 'Evolution of Physique'. But you don't have to worry, this evolution will strengthen your Physique multi-fold."

Kelly spoke with a simple and encouraged the little and concealed later part that evolution will have equivalent side-effects. Kelly eyed her husband, Fran immediately got the clue.

"You guys can freshen up and start for the class from here only. Travelling to the dorm is just a waste of time."

Fran tried to behave as usual as possible and quickly left the room with Kelly and Ben. In fact, all of them worked very hard to ignore Kallis's mutation and treated him like just another kid.

And Quinn was grateful for that, he knew pity and sympathy will backfire put Kallis in a tough spot.

"Kallis you should have seen the island sink into the lake, it was like huge tortoise going undercover to..."

Boris started narrated his exaggerated tale conveniently forgetting that Kallis had awakened in the caves only. But none of them stopped him, they were in dire need for some distraction and Boris seemed to be the right person for the job.

Thankfully Quinn had warned Boris and Lardo, so they had a chat while carefully avoiding potential landmines like Kallis's past or his physique.

In a few minutes, Kallis got his trademark grin back. Clear signs of his misgivings and insecurities being vanished.

An hour later they walked to the class, Kallis was hesitant but he knew hiding wasn't a long term solution. One day or the other he has to face reality and it's better to be sooner than later.

After a deep breath, Kallis stepped into Classroom taking his big brother's lead.

At first, no one noticed him they were too engrossed with their gossip. But it didn't take long, a kid pointed his figure at Kallis to whisper something to the guy next to him and it became infectious.

Everyone eyed Kallis curiously and conversed with their friends in a hushed tone.

At that moment Kallis got the taste of despair, the utter isolation much similar to his home. Kallis was alone despite being in a crowd of 50 people.

Then a hand-pulled him out from the abyss of despair, his big brother Quinn put his hand over Kallis's shoulder and pulled him to their table. There Boris and Lardo greeted him with a smile reminding him that he wasn't alone.

*****

At the dead center of Pregandis Lake, in the Largest Island of the Pregandis archipelagos – Palace of Justice.

In a massive White Palace expanding throughout the island, it's the headquarters of Disciplinary Department of the school. The Disciplinary Department was headed by Three Vice President and the bench of three judges is called for this case.

Furner was in Natal Dawn Court with his hand tied to his back, standing upright. He was completely isolated, even those who used faculties who used to greet him went around.

Everyone was discussing his fate, 'Drawing pleasure from other's predicament I guess' Furner mentally whispered. Still, nothing bothered him he just vacantly stared, not that he can see.

All the Vice Principals were gathered in the Courtroom, this case made too much noise for them to ignore.

Except for the Presiding Judges, everyone had gathered; still, none of them complained, for they were the senior-most faculties of their school. In the school hierarchy, these three are placed right after the School Dean.

Suddenly a beam of golden light shot from the Court Room's main entrance and a three silhouette slowly walked in. The moment he golden light appeared the entire room quietened to pin-drop silence.

A hunched elderly lady briskly walked while two other elderly men followed her at a respectful distance. All of them donned a Majestic Golden Rode and their neatly groomed white hair seemed to be the most natural pair.

The Elderly lady had a humble smile and pure eyes devoid of any prejudice. The man to her right was six-foot-tall and broad shoulders while the one to her left was shorter and even slightly pudgy. Both the old men were stern and rigid like a wooden block.

All three of them took a cursory look around the Court before finally stopping at Furner's indifferent eyes.

All three of them imperially walked to their Thrones, even here the hunched elderly woman was given a much larger seat.

"Silence"

"This case will be Presided by Vice Principal Lena Pogher, Vice Principal Benjamin Gower and Vice-Principal Kiran Burman. The Details of the Case are as follow…."

A scriber walked forward with a solemnly read out the script he was holding. After all the standard Court customs the real proceedings started.

"Present the evidence," Benjamin ordered.

Shortly the video clipping of Furner rushing to the cave and helping the Kallis was displayed. The video played till the entire island sunk into the lake.

"Please Submit the medical report of that kid."

Without any commentary on the video, Benjamin asked for Kallis's medical report. The report which Kelly submitted was projected to them.

"So a Physique Mutation… is it." He mumbled.

"Please call on this Group's leader for giving the statement of witness," Benjamin ordered.

The scriber accepted the order and flew to Dusty Zephyr Island. Their bloody scene greeted him, in the classroom two kids were lying on the ground with his teethes broken and a stream of blood flowing from his nose; all their body was bruised all over.