SCHOOL OF MAGICAL ENLIGHTENMENT

HERE WE GO

Activities were ongoing on the premises of the school of magical enlightenment in preparation for the arrival of students for the new academic year.

Gnomes were seen to be directing walk-in students and cars to their appropriate faculties while brownies were busy cleaning, gathering supplies, and preparing living quarters on and around the school grounds as students began to arrive.

Within the inner corridors, the school teaching committee, consisting of the principal, deans, and heads of department, assembled to discuss the curriculum and other important matters concerning the students.

Principal Ethereal sat at the head of the table, followed by Taofeek- a djinn and the dean of the faculty of light, dean Cassius- a dragon and the dean of the faculty of shifters, dean Quelin- a vampire and the dean of the faculty of the night and dean Lucius- a grand master of white magic and dean of the faculty of nature. The whole room listened to each faculty member, giving the details of new admissions and required facilities for the new term. Dean Quelin, who was the last to speak, was questioned by the principal on the preparedness of his faculty to receive hybrids who were being admitted into the school for the first time.

'My lady Ethereal. Hybrids are unique creatures and exhibit their powers quite differently, and being that this will be our first set, it is too early to tell what would be required. However, we have prepared the curriculum, and we believe it will be best if they take general classes in the daytime with the general population as they do not need special requirements like vampires or night djinns.'

'I disagree with you, Dean Quelin,' said a female voice, and all heads turned to Alvida, a djinn who had recently been promoted to a departmental head in the Faculty of Light

'Alvida', said the principal in her soft voice, 'I understand that you are new to your position, however I would expect you to follow our procedures and more importantly show courtesy to your superiors. Taofeek, please ensure this doesn't happen again, I do not tolerate disrespect in any form.'

'My sincere apologies to you, my lady, and to my friend Quelin,' replied the Dean standing up.

'It's alright, Taofeek,' replied Quelin.

'Lady Ethereal' said another female in the room, the assistant dean of the faculty of nature and mate to Art master Lucius, Ruth. 'If sister Alvida has her misgivings, perhaps it is best to hear them. She may be seeing a point we all missed out on.'

'If Dean Quelin is finished with his presentation.' replied to the Mistress of the arts, turning to the djinn who bowed in response and affirmed his presentation was done before sitting down beside his assistant, who was a gorgon.

'Very well, sister Alvida, you may state your case,' said the principal.

'Thank you, principal Ethereal,' replied the djinn as she stood up from her chair.

'As we all know, the first hybrids created were very powerful, purely evil, and destructive by nature, which is why they were banished by the creator to protect mankind. It is our duty as truth seekers and servants of the holy to continue to protect the humans from these abominations.'

'Alvida enough!' said Dean Taofeek in a raised voice.

'Forgive me, Taofeek, but I fear you may not understand my plight.' said the Dean.

'No, Taofeek, please let her speak.' said the principal.

'From time immemorial, the school of magical enlightenment has been a sanctuary and learning place for the holy, seeking divine understanding. It is understandable that other creatures besides humans are allowed into our premises, after all the creator is merciful and loves all, but to give a place to creatures that the creator himself has called abominable is not justified. I cannot challenge the decision of the council to allow the half-breeds in, however it is my duty to protect the interest and the purity of the those who have been placed beneath my care and I will' finished the sister Alvida looking defiantly at the principal.

'I commend your devotion and passion for your students. However, you have made two mistakes today. The first I will choose to ignore, the second I will not.' said principal ethereal, standing up from her chair and slowly walking around the table towards the female djinn, holding her stare.

'The SOME was not created for any particular race. It was created as a sanctuary, yes; but not only for self-righteous pricks such as you. The school was created for all creatures seeking enlightenment and an avenue for various royal children to learn together so that as adults they may coexist peacefully, and it is for this reason that every single person you see in this room, has dedicated themselves to teaching the next generation for eons, some of them long before your great-grand parents were even conceived. To have you stand and question my decision is forgivable, but to have you presume any race to be less than another is an insult to all of them and the sacrifices they have made and that, I will not condone. I do not need a zealot inciting hate amongst my students'

'I didn't mean..' said Alvida but was cut short by the principals raised voice.

'NOR DO I NEED YOUR PERMISSION ON WHERE OR HOW ANY OF THE STUDENTS IN MY SCHOOL WILL BE ENLIGHTENED' the principal said, standing in front of Alvida.

'Alvida, you may leave the room. You are excused.' said Taofeek, pointing at the door.The whole room watched in silence as the djinn walked out of the room, shutting the door.

'With a tongue like that, it's no wonder she is still unmated.' said Lucius, causing several people in the room to laugh, including the principal, who slowly walks back to her seat. Ruth smacks her husband playfully in the chest to behave as the tension in the air is slowly diffused

'Lady Ethereal, I beg your pardon, Alvidas' approach may be crude, but she did make one valid point I think we should consider ' said Sindel, a siren, the assistant dean of the faculty of shifters and the mate of Cassius.

'Kindly state your case, princess Sindel.' said the principal.

'As can be seen in the admission test results my lady, asides the dragons and the lycans the top scorers of every other race were hybrids. It does give some concern as to if they are taught to channel their true strength but still choose to follow darkness.'

'It is our job to ensure that doesn't happen, princess,' said Quelin. 'Do not forget, these are teenagers and young adults, and their minds are like blank sheets of paper. We must ensure that what we allow to be written within those sheets will prepare them and strengthen them, not frighten them.

'I agree with Quelin,' said Taofeek. 'Their powers do not determine what they become. It is their characters that will. It is our job to build those characters the best we can. The rest is up them.'

'The truth is' said Lucius, 'I am more terrified of their wardrobes than their power exhibitions. It keeps keep worse with the next generation' and the room burst into a series of laughter's again.

'I thank you for the observation, princess, and I am even more thankful to all of you for your dedication to all of the students. I will ask based on this new information for the entire faculty of light and night with the dean of Shifters and Nature to schedule another meeting with me to discuss enhancements on our security details. If there is nothing else, you are all dismissed.'

'Actually, my lady there is,' said Sheikh Taofeek, looking at her.

'I fear I have in haste released a tiger from its cage. And it is imperative that I correct the situation before it gets out of hand,' he continued.

'Stop talking in riddles, man,' said Cassius impatiently.

'I wish to remove Alvida as department head within my faculty. I wish for the matter resolved immediately.' said Taofeek, looking at the everyone in the room, who stared back at him, surprised.

'Taofeek, she made a mistake, but I do not think you should do this?' said Lucius

'I do not agree, Lucius', replied Taofeek, 'there is a saying that you can forcefully open a box, but you can not forcefully take out what isn't inside it. She is a gifted teacher, but her judgement is clouded, making her unfit to lead. Therefore, I ask that we take a vote on the matter, here and now.'

'Very well,' said principal ethereal, looking at the crowd.

'All in favour of Alvira's demotion raise your hands,' she said, and the majority of the hands went up.

'Then it is agreed Alvida will no longer be holding the position as head of department.. The position will remain vacant until a suitable candidate is found.' she finished.

'Thank you, my lady,' Taofeek responded.

'Can we please go now? I keep having this strong feeling I am needed in the main hall.' said mistress Ruth.

'You are always worrying Ruth, relax, the session is just beginning, everything will be fine.' said princess Sindel, holding unto her friends arm.

'She is right, Ruth. The school session hasn't even begu. What could possibly go wrong?' asked Lucius, chuckling as a vortex opened behind him, dropping a teenage boy unceremoniously unto the large wooden oak table in the centre of the room, making a deep hole in the area he fell.