Bill and Phil sat down in an empty room. Little decor within the room except one sketch on the wall with writing so curved it was near impossible to read. After a minute of inspecting it, Bill read, "Live, laugh, love." Phil was already doubting the ability of this professor. A short man with a well crafted belly came in, neatly dressed except for his shirt hanging further than his jacket, hair ragged and his face sickly pale. Master Redrick. He groaned as he sat himself down. He let out a small burp and groaned again. "Ah, my head," he said to himself. He laughed, "Hah. One more student than last year. Word of mouth is the best source. Anyways lads, I'll be honest I'm wrecked. Had a mad night out. Think I had about eight pints," he snuck a cheeky look to his two students, "and then I went out drinking!" Laughing to himself, Bill and Phil chuckled, unsure if this man was even their teacher. "Take it easy today, just have a chat but keep it quiet yeah? I'll give–Ah, my head." He rubbed his temples in circular motions, "You know the moral question of two buildings on fire, someone tied to a chair in one building and two people in the other buildings. Or is it meant to be a Fahilar that runs them over while tied to the ground? Regardless, one with two people are murderers and the other is innocent or whatever. Who do you save, blah, blah, blah." He leaned back on his chair and softly closed his eyes and interlocked his fingers. I love this school, Bill thought.
Phil turned to Bill, "Easy. Save the one person."
"But what if the murderers did it to protect their families? What if it was self defence?" Bill asked logically.
Phil laughed, "We don't know the specifics. Let's just assume they did it for fun."
"But what if they're sorry?" Bill asked. "What if they didn't mean it? What if they want to save people?"
"Bill. You can't decide to save two bad people over a good person."
"What if the two bad people wanted to be good? And what if the good person wanted to become bad?"
Phil was genuinely surprised, he had never in all his life seen this level of compassion in a man, or was it naivety? "So, you'd save a murderer? Forget the other people in a fire?"
"Maybe," he said, nearly conflicted within his own dilemma.
"Forget about the situation, let's just say it's only the murderers left. What if they said after they'd try to kill you?" Phil smirked knowing that was the end of this debate.
"I'd save them and see," Bill's beard lifted with a jolly smile.
"Bill. They threatened to kill you. Why would you save them?"
"Maybe if I showed them kindness, they would learn from it?" Puckering his lips, he always hoped to see the best in people, was that so wrong?
Phil snapped at him, "That'll get you killed, Bill." Why did Bill saying that irk him so much? Was it the fact he was scared that someone with such pure intentions would be inevitably betrayed? "Some people are just bad. I've seen it for myself. And that's that."
"And everyone can change," Bill said firmly. This was one thing he would not waiver upon. "And that's that," he snorted amused.
"I hope you're right," Phil turned unconvinced.
For lunch the trio met up, alongside Phil, it would have been unfair to leave him alone.
"It's pretty interesting here. I do think it'll help us in time to come," Lurisa said.
"I love it," Bill said.
Arthur turned his nose to them, "Yeah…it's wonderful." The Mistrit flew around the back of his head, smacking his ear and laughing hysterically. The laugh was so high pitched human ears struggled to comprehend it.
A small student jostled up to Lurisa's shoulder, creeping over her shoulder and whispered, "Leave. He has rabies."
Now the Mistrit laid on Arthur's head holding its belly and kicking its legs. Lurisa couldn't help the big fat grin appear as she noticed the Mistrit and Arthur's miserable tone, "Wonderful? Yeah?"
"Master Ward may have taken a disliking to me. May have," he emphasised.
She knew there was no, 'may have,' involved, "For the hunger royale, make sure–"
Arthur held up his hands, physically pausing those in front of him, "What in the three hells is the point of a hunger royale?" he said. "They're literally endangering students? How are parents okay with it?"
Lurisa rolled her eyes, "We're not here to overthrow the thing Arthur, we're here to–"
"Hey, ice queen, are you heading to class?" Yannis interrupted the conversation and winked at her. He had a boyish charm to him. A sincere grin that most women would love. Unexplainably, Arthur already didn't like this guy. Well, Maybe it was because he was good looking or was it the fact Lurisa seemed to get flustered at his arrival? She was never like that with Arthur. Not that he cared, although it was always flattering, yes that was it. Arthur just wanted to feel flattered.
"Why are you calling me that?" A fork and knife fell to the table, Bill's face was blank.
Yannis squinted and his face crunched. Why would the bearded guy even think that? Was it not clear the woman who wielded ice would be called that? "Eh, no. I meant Latixia."
Startled at his presence, she ruffled with the fork on the table, "In a minute Yannis. Just finishing up."
"Cool," he started to walk off as he held onto one book loosely by his hip, "I'll save you a seat."
Humming, Lurisa continued her original point, "We need to all be selected for the hunger royale. That was my point."
"Already have been. Same with Phil."
"Hello," Phil waved.
"Hello Phil," Lurisa quickly moved to the subject, "How?" Lurisa asked.
"We're the only two in the entire year for counselling."
Arthur sighed, "What would a counsellor do in a hunger royale that's magic and combat based?"
"Perhaps you'll fall and my words will lift you up," Bill laughed and rubbed his beard.
"Fair," Arthur said. At this point he wouldn't be surprised. Bill had some voodoo to do with people liking him. It was fascinating. Even Lurisa and Arthur noticed they had taken a liking to him even though they still didn't know much about him. "Lurisa, I don't think I'll be able. I'm…" He didn't want to say it. One thing Arthur never wanted to admit was that he wasn't good enough. A feeling that has followed him his entire life.
"Arthur," she half smiled. He didn't realise but a grin began to crack as she continued, "You're the warrior for the chosen one. Of course you're good enough." His smile faded and he just nodded in reply.
I'm a joke, Arthur thought.
One of the five bells rang, This was to give the students a five minute warning not to be late for class. They all waved to each other and left for class.
Bill's teacher, Master Redrick, didn't show up again. Apparently a serious extreme family emergency, which was strange as people had seen him stumbling along the campus in the early morning. But he organised something far better than simply being taught and that was to experience. He threw them in the deep end where Bill had to counsel a knight wizard, it was an unusual combination, most would decide between one or the other.
Bill shuffled himself on his leather chair waiting for his patient. He kept reorganising himself unsure of what a formal introduction would be like. The door opened, "Niall. Great to meet you." He was large with a square beard and fitted with grey armour.
"Thanks Redrick."
Does he think I'm Master Redrick? Has he just passed on one of his new patients onto me? His face contorted and resumed, "So, Niall. What can you tell me about yourself?" Bill jotted down random squiggles and then wrote, 'Writing down serious notes.'
"I'm a wizard knight and that's it. I'm all alone."
"Any significant other?"
"Nope. Single all my life."
"Family?"
"All dead." He said with a nervous chuckle.
"Friends?"
"Nope. No one," he smacked his lips together to force a squeak.
"Wrong," Bill said, "you just made friends with me," he planted his hand on the distraught gentlemans' shoulder.
Niall's eyes expanded and became blurred. He exploded into tears, sobbing a sadness that had been bottled up for too long, "That's all I needed. That's all I needed. Thank you Master Redrick. Thank you!"
Niall stiffened up and started to leave. Bill called out to him, "We've another thirty eight minutes?"
"And you somehow fixed a lifetime of problems in two minutes. Thank you Master Redrick. You're a hero," and just before leaving he made one final comment, "and my friend."
Think I'm getting the hang of this. Bill thought pleased with himself.
He met with Phil after their work had finished. Bill asked how it went before they even greeted each other.
"It was…okay. I don't think I'm as good with people as I thought. I'm more on the quiet side. But it's just a matter of time isn't it," Phil frowned.
"Why did you decide to become a counsellor if you're naturally quiet?"
Phil deeply pondered, "To help people. I think helping people is the single greatest accomplishment anyone can make."
"That's a philosophical way of looking at it. I just like helping people."
"Different reason but same intention," Phil smiled. "You're a good man Bill."