Wish Stars (W.I.P)

Behind Closed Doors (1/2)

Headmaster Greybond loved to sleep, or at least, he loved the memory of sleeping.

The man hadn't slept a wink all semester, and as he rushed through the empty corridors or his school, it didn't look like he was going to get the chance anytime soon.

He hesitated for a moment before entering the staff meeting room to catch his breath. He could tell the other masters were already present-- he could sense their powers radiating through the doors before him. Master Duure had called an emergency meeting but didn't specify its purpose. So, whatever the topic was, Greybond already knew he wasn't going to like it. As a matter of fact, he was dreading it.

Taking in a deep breath, he gently waved his hand and willed the massive doors to open before him.

The large, mostly empty stone and mortar room was brightly lit with the white-flame torches that lined its walls and numerous ridiculously massive support columns. It had bothered the Headmaster over the past few centuries that the room held so much unused space, but every time he mentioned redecorating, the topic of "tradition" and "sacred ground" always prevented him from completely renovating the place.

As a result of the stern traditionalism, the only objects present in the room was a single preposterously large rectangular wooden table. The seats were arranged with two seats on each side, and a lone chair at its head-- the only empty seat at the moment.

Master Lance Duure sat attentively to the right of the vacant head chair, wearing his usual attire: black on black magician robes. His long flowing dreadlocks blended against his clothes, silhouetting most of his profile. As soon as Greybond entered the room, he could feel Duure's cold, sunken eyes lock on and take note of every movement-- every heartbeat.

Master Harriet Macdonnalynn was seated beside him. Her bright red hair was tied into two frizzy pigtails that stuck out from either side of her drowsily bobbing head. The tiny woman must have just dragged herself out of bed. She still wore her almost nauseating brightly colored striped top and checkered bottom pattern pajamas and hadn't bothered to wipe the sleep crystals from her eyes. As Greybond approached the table, she shot him a friendly grin before putting her head down on the table.

To the left of the vacant head chair sat Master Lillexintgon, occupying themselves by arcing lightning between their fingers, the force of their magical power causing their blonde hair to be in a permanent porcupine-like state. In the many years the Headmaster had known them, they had only ever worn their red and blue martial arts gi and never seemed to change. Greybond could feel the magical energy radiating from their body, the closer he got to the table, the more it seemed to eclipsed every other presence in the room.

Master Jarri Quartz was seated in the final chair, her metal arm and red bionic eye shimmered in the light of the flames. Her jeans and tank top were covered in metallic dust and smudged with grease, like she had been busy working on something until the moment she was summoned here. She turned to look at him with her one good green-hued eye and stoically nodded her head in greeting as he passed behind her.

Before he could return the favor, he was interrupted.

"Headmaster Greybond, it is a pleasure that you could join us, " the deep, rich voice of Master Duure greeted.

Greybond smiled and straightened his suit as he sat at the head of the table.

"Perhaps if you didn't call for a meeting on such short notice at such an unorthodox hour, Master Duure, I would have arrived on time."

Master MacDonnalynn opened her mouth wide and yawned loudly, her eyes weighed down with exhaustion.

"Yeah, man, it's one o'clock. In the A.M." she whined. "Couldn't this have waited until morning?"