War of Emperium

- Side story 1 -

A Wizard was sleeping on the street. No?

Impossible?

Nah-uh, I'm not kidding. I saw him early this day, just before the first rays of true sunrise broke through the horizon. He was there, just beside the main road, asleep with his back leaning on a post. 

I couldn't see his face, because it was hidden beneath the shade of his Sakkat. But I was sure he had red hair. It was really odd, many passerby stared at him on the way, but he just slept on, comfortably, as if he had been lying on a real bed. He also had a bulging mountain pack and an abandoned Bone Wand beside him.

Who was he, anyway?

Maybe he was one of those nutters who were too intelligent they went insane. Poor man, I wish he'd go away now before the younger Wizards and Magicians make fun of him...

My thoughts were still on that weird Wizard until I went to class. Oh, before I forget, my name is Cleis Marina, a Magician-in-training, second year, at the Magic Academy of Geffen. I am sixteen years old, and has two more years to go before going out to the wild world of Rune-Midgard to partake of any adventures we might encounter.

The classroom was noisy as I entered it and sat on my seat by the window. Our class had never been the peaceful type, many of my classmates were arrogant because they have the Geffenese magical bloodlines in them. Some even considered themselves as being even brighter than our teachers.

Duh... 

No, honestly, that's just an empty boast. Feed some of those potty mouths with an unexpected exam and they go poof. What a pity... I think many of us won't reach Wizardhood... already five teachers have been in our class and left. Apparently, they found my classmates too unbearable...

And then the doors opened. A young wizard, who couldn't have been more than twenty, entered the classroom. In an instant I recognized him as the Wizard who slept in the street. I recognized his sakkat and his Bone Wand. 

Axel, one of the class biggest problems, piped up.

"Who are you?"

The Wizard stopped, but did not answer. He just tipped his book and Bone Wand onto the teacher's table and sat down, surveying all of us with sharp yellow eyes as he rested his chin on his gloved hands. Then he reached up and removed his sakkat.

After ten minutes of utter silence, he stood up and conjured a chalk. He turned his back on us and started writing his name on the board.

Nerva al'Thor...

"I am Nerva. You can call me Nervy if you wish."

He said in a deep but clipped voice.

"I will be in charge of this class from now on. I am a Premier Wizard"

"Wait!" Axel said, raising his hand. I blinked. Axel never raised his had before if he wished to interrupt the teacher.

"How old are you, uh... master?"

Nerva smiled at us and blinked his sharp eyes.

"Oh, me? I am twenty years old."

A loud murmur swept through us. I straightened in my seat.

A Premier Wizard at twenty years old???

Who was this Nerva?