Rembrandt Payne managed a solemn smile as he watched his students reunite after their ordeal, but couldn’t help but feel responsible for their rash actions. Years of pressure from Godhand had stifled the Academy’s curriculum, leading to countless students graduating with far-less skills than he’d have liked. Phoenie Rogan, the leader of this minor student rebellion, was seventeen – at fifteen, Payne had completed his education, trained as a soldier and mage and joined SEELIE to fight in the Apostle Wars. At least now, with Godhand in disarray, there was a chance to get these students back on track.

No matter what the circumstances, though, he was still responsible for a crisis that had almost ended in tragedy. He knew they blamed him, and he knew both students and teachers alike would be questioning his leadership capabilities. It wouldn’t help for much, but the least he could do was try to apologise. He approached the students and cleared his throat.

“I’d like to have a word with you all, if that’s possible,” he said, and waited for the teenagers to quieten down. If he could have guessed beforehand which students he’d find here, he would have: the ‘school newspaper’ staff was always skirting the borders of trouble, while Joel Gibson was as dedicated a boyfriend as there ever could be. Payne wouldn’t have guessed Elone Kent or Dante Orpheus would be involved, though, and he could tell that both were still shaken by whatever experiences they’d had inside, as were Kaori Shimomura and Shelley Edwards. For all Laura Clarke’s alchemic healing and Yuki Shimomura’s psychic empathy, there were still things neither could cure – unless they could invade the students’ minds and rearrange memories. If they could, Kaori wouldn’t have to live with haunting memories of being beaten by Inquisitors for information she didn’t have, while Shelley would be able to let go of the darkness she’d been imprisoned in and the taunts she’d endured. That Katrina Ritches appeared unharmed still confused Payne, however, and he would have to investigate once he’d dealt with the current situation. When the students were paying attention, he continued.

“I know you think I’m going to chastise you for your reckless behaviour – and it was reckless – but I wanted to say something quite different. I wanted to apologise.” He waited a few moments to let that revelation sink in. “It’s my fault that this situation developed the way it did. I refused to act because of politics on countless occasions, and this was no different. I only wish I realised my mistakes sooner, so none of you would have suffered as you have.

“You have all been kept in the dark about a lot of things and I think it’s time we stopped hiding behind illusions. Now a lot of the blame could be placed on Godhand for pressurising us, but…” He noticed Shelley Edwards poking the air with a slim finger. “Yes, Shelley?”

“Are we gonna save Phantasia now?” she asked. The other students mumbled their agreement and Payne realised his lecture would have to wait.

“You’re done enough,” he replied.

“But the Patriarch is some kind of magic user!” said Katrina. She waved her camera around. “I’ve got the proof on here!”

“Please, you’ve got to save Phantasia. I don’t want her to suffer…” said Kaori. Her voice was trembling and Payne wondered if she was reliving her torture. From the sidelines he could sense her mother extending an empathic shroud to support her. Joel kept his arm around her, but there was no doubt he was ignorant to her true suffering as an idea dawned in his eyes.

Chapter 23
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