The man's skin resembled an old leather chair that had been left in the sun and then used to soak up dirty bathwater. Over long years of penitence and guilt, the frown-lines in his cheeks had become deep fissures that would qualify for sight-seeing tours had it not been for the overwhelming caustic scent of medication and ointment. They framed a short, stubby nose and thin-lipped mouth. Along with the jowls that flapped against his chin whenever he became excited or animated, his features gave the man the distinct appearance of a hound that had willed itself to walk upright and study metamagic theory for 40 years in a dark tower. He was wearing a robe that at one time had been filled with thick stripes of vibrant, living colors, but had, like his face, worn out until everything was just an off-shade of grey.
"Mister Sydai?" he asked in a stern tone that made everyone in the room feel like they were about to get detention. Eaups peered out from behind Mel with the familiar look of innocence that nearly always graced his face.
"Y-yes Grand Hierophant Bernard?" He was greeted with a basilisk stare.
"The dormitorium is strictly off-limits to guests. You are an Avatar; surely you know this."
"Yes, sir. They were just leaving, sir," Eaups replied, lowering his gaze.
"You are supposed to be an example to the other students," the hierophant said. He stared at the group, sizing up each person individually. "Miss Adina. Must I tell your father that you have been fraternizing in a man's room?"
Mel shrank back as a good deal of blood drained from her face. "N-no Uncle."
"When I introduced you to Mr. Sydai, it was purely for professional reasons, and I expect it to remain professional. The fact that you dragged along... her," he said, sharing Jesz in his cold gaze, "is bad enough. And who is this?"
Jesz, who did not seem to care one way or the other that she was being verbally chided, spoke up. "That's Manfred." This earned her a punch in the arm by Manfred and a gentle kick in the foot by Mel.
"...I see. Mr. Sydai, as you know, I am very busy with the preparations for the Great Council of 6. I'm far too occupied to be called in for every noise complaint in the dormitories. I assume this will no longer be an issue." This last sentence skirted the line between statement and question.
"No sir, w-we were just on our way out."
"Out? You'll do no such thing! Your... friends," Bernard said with a sneer in his tone, "should be leaving, but you will remain exactly where you are. Or have you been so preoccupied with your gallivanting around that you are unaware of the decree?"
"De-decree? We haven't... I haven't heard of any decree, sir." Eaups had already drawn back to his desk.
"By Royal Edict, no one of the noble houses, member of the royal family, high priest, or Avatar is to leave the confines of his or her place of residence until further notification, excepting that the confined is on an official duty with escort. The last time I checked, Mr. Sydai, you have yet to be given a Mission by your deity, so you will not be leaving these grounds."
Jesz started to protest, but before an intelligible syllable could pass her lips, Bernard interrupted her with a stiff, bony index finger. "Do not waste your breath. The Spatlese Guards have been on high alert for an intruder discovered last night in the royal palace, and no one has seen Aska, the highest Judge in the Skepian Court, since this morning. Doubtless it is the fault of the intruder. And on top of this, I've learned that one of the Great Faculties has been missing for weeks. The Eye was just on loan to us... what am I going to tell the Patriarch?" Bernard trailed off, muttering mostly to himself as he turned away. He had lost all sense of location and presence of mind as he rattled on about chores, dead friends, and fish that he was sure was off but he had to eat it anyway or else insult his host.
"S-sir? Grand Hierophant? Bernard?!" Despite the group's attempts to bring him back into reality, the old man turned and shuffled off down the hallway, leaving them behind.
"What... was THAT?" Manfred asked.
"My uncle. He makes sure all the gods and their Avatars are given equal representation in the Pantheon. And he sometimes... forgets where he is." Mel was looking down the hallway as Grand Hierophant Bernard disappeared around a corner. "He is a very busy and important man."
"He's a loony," Jesz said, earning a sharp glare from Mel. "Whaaat? It's true! He's older than dirt and is more enchantment than man by now." Jesz unapologetically tossed the Gazer from hand to hand as she walked towards the door. "Come on, let's go. You too, Poindexter."
"But, but I can't! The decree! The Hierophant! He'll hang me by my toes!"
"Psh! Yeah right!" Jesz was grinning mischievously at him as she walked back into the room and pushed him towards the door. "What was it he said? An official duty and bodyguards. Manfred?"
"Yeah? I mean, stop calling me that!"
"You want to go to the Oak Forest thing, right?" Manfred nodded to her in response. "And your god Murphy told us to do what this guy wants. Sounds like an official duty to me!"
Eaups' eyes widened as he realized what she was getting at. "What? N-no! It doesn't work like that!"
"Oh? Why not? You've got your mission, and we're your 'escort.' We won't let anything happen to ya, right guys?" Mel and Manfred both agreed and started to help pull Eaups out of the door, adopting the same impish expression as Jesz.
"Yeah, we'll keep you safe. And besides, rules are there so that we don't have to follow them," Manfred said.
"What? That doesn't-"
"If you get in trouble, we will all take the blame. I will make certain Uncle knows it was not your idea."
"Heh, yeah! We're practically kidnapping you as it is!" Jesz smirked and pushed him the rest of the way out of his room, shutting the door behind her. "Do you want to complete this mission and find out what that thing does or not?"
Eaups let out a long sigh and slowly nodded. "Yeah... I do..."
"Well then, let's get going! What's the fastest way to the docks?"
After putting up the required amount of resistance, Eaups finally gave in. "Fine... we'll go. But if we get caught, you guys tied me up and carried me against my will, got it?"
Manfred leaned in close, his crooked smile gleaming in the light of a nearby window. "We can always arrange that."
"N-no thanks... L-let's go this way. We'll have to go out the back way, through the kitchen if we don't want to get caught."
