12 - Dean's Office [2]
Credits.
One of the, if not the most important thing to the cadets of this awakeners' academy.
Credits determined whether one would graduate from the academy after three long years of tedious study and training or not.
They were grades, and a necessity that each cadet had to put in effort into boosting.
Before graduating, there was a set amount of credits that was the minimum requirement for a final year cadet to have.
This was exactly the reason why Wendy and Eris were flustered by the dean's question that had been directed to Mr Thomas.
Both ladies knew that the dean wanted to punish them by tampering with their credit scores.
Mr Thomas gave a light now and raised his right hand, looking at his watch.
From the centre of his watch, a miniature screen projected, revealing small holographic images of Eris and Wendy.
Each of this image had a data profile written by the side of them in small font that was just enough for Mr Thomas to read.
From the projection, Mr Thomas could see the registered information on both of them.
After checking what the dean had asked him to, Mr Thomas then raised his head.
"They both have the same outstanding credits," the tutor began, "300 credits to reach the max."
Wendy was still wearing a remorseful look on her face, almost drawn to tears as her eyes water.
Eris had her hands folded into fist while she gave the druid a sidelong glance.
If not for their present predicament, Eris was bound to have a pound of flesh from Wendy.
Dean Ambrose waved his right hand dismissively, "To think the top two finalists would be the ones standing here for defaulting."
Cloaks of shame descended on the two ladies at the same time, rendering them speechless as Dean Ambrose continued to address them.
His words cut deeper than a dagger but he was not wrong in anything he told them.
After he was done with admonishing the two of them, he looked at Mr Thomas.
"Take away 200 credits each from what they've gathered so far."
"200 credits!" Eris and Wendy exclaimed in unison, feeling their heart sink deep into their guts.
Removing 200 credits would make them be behind the graduation requirement by 500.
Eris turned her head to Wendy, clearly pissed off at her because she was the reason they were here in the first place.
Nevertheless, there was nothing she could do right now.
They were in the dean's office. Even worse, standing right in front of him.
Dean Ambrose then gestured towards the door, a sign of his request for their exit.
"That will be all."
****
At the cafeteria.
Bran and I had made a quick stop at the cafeteria so I could get something to eat.
I was very famished, enough that I could down a horse in a matter of a few minutes.
I got three doughnuts and a drink while Bran simply had water.
This guy was really deep into this fitness lifestyle.
"I need your help, Bran."
Bran took a drink from his chilled bottle of water, before dropping it gently on the table and turning his eyes to me.
"What's up?" he asked, "You know I got you."
"It's no longer news that I passed out while fighting the people who attacked me and Eris."
Brian nodded affirmatively.
Everybody knew the story by now, including him.
"I believe that happened for two possible reasons," I added, raising two fingers up.
"And what are those?" he cut in quickly.
"Essence and then, stamina."
Bran paused, taking what I just said.
At this very moment, I looked at me and I could tell he saw the seriousness on my face.
"I assume so too," he responded, "While Essence is vital for execution of abilities, stamina is also very important for the user of said ability to be able to withstand the side effects or any effect at all… even recoils."
As expected, Bran caught the drift.
He was one of the smartest people in class anyway, and the best when we considered the training exercise.
"Stamina can be increased with training and experience," he added, examining his body and flexing some muscles with a proud smile on his face.
"Our bodies tend to adapt to conditions and the harsher they are, the better we adapt until we can't anymore. However, the same could not be said for Essence. You know this, Link."
I nodded.
Bran was right.
Stamina levels can be increased with training and practice.
In my case, if I wanted that, I might as well as Bran to train me for a time.
He was physically strong and amongst the final cadets, he had the most endurance.
The Warrior class assigned to him was perfect.
However, for Essence, the method of approaching a lacking Essence to increase it was a bit more… demanding.
It was demanding in terms of cash and resources needed to get it done.
"You are right," I replied to Bran, "and I understood what you have said so far. Of course, I know what applies to Essence and that is why I've raised this matter to you alone."
Bran's pupils shrank in a second.
I noticed this and smiled.
He could hint at what I was about to say.
"Don't tell me you want to—"
"Yes, Bran," I answered with a firm nod. "I want an artifact that will solve this problem of mine. It's not news that your family has connections with several craftsman guilds in the country."
"But it's not cheap, Link."
Bran's voice came off as discouraging, almost as if he didn't want me to take this step forward.
"If you insist, I might be able to use my family name to pull a few strings for you but even then, it isn't something that I think you can afford. At least, not as a cadet of this academy."
I took a drink from my cup of juice and then, fixed my eyes on Bran with every form of expression vanishing.
"Has the Remington family fallen out of grace so much that acquiring a mere artifact is considered an insurmountable wall to us?"