Well, better law to be restored amongst the students by an exemplar rather than with gunfire. Otis met the red-haired youth’s stare, his own expression a practiced calm that was broken only by that flicker of inquisition that he could never truly get rid of. The Leuvalt name carried a gravitas to it, at least more so than Arillo, and the Strigidae himself had no particular qualms about allowing Valen to enjoy his pride. Heroes had their arrogance; it was a necessary quality for one whom accomplished deeds of martial excellence.
Gulliver too had been powerful, powerful enough to take on a team of exemplary prospectives at once, powerful enough that Otis would not have fought him head-on if he were alone. By that quality alone, he had allowed the noble puppeteer a seat, a share of the glory. He would be inconsistent and foolish, to bend his criteria simply because of a child’s pretentiousness.
So all Otis spared to Valen was a nod, before students less capable began to crowd the front, their cries falling upon ears that were all-too willing to accept them, to parse them, to categorize them. He shared the paladin’s words on the matter, thought Ciara’s own criteria as something too heavily laced in ulterior motives. He had expected much more out of those who would even get a chance of attending Wingram Academy. He had expected them to possess pride in their capabilities and, if not pride, then the poise to face their own shortcomings head-on. If they were heroes, they had to have a strong will. If they were to change the world, then they had to have knowledge and ingenuity. If they had neither, and pleaded rather than promoted?
…that had no particular effect on Otis’s criteria either. It only affected his opinions, which mattered so much less than their Ethos, their individual peculiarities that he could make something out of.
Time continued to pass.
He continued to index those with potential.
He had glanced over the boy that the bespectacled one had pointed out, but while charity and loyalty to one’s friend was admirable, there was no point in giving a chair to someone who didn’t desire one to begin with.
“He will receive it if he comes. It won’t be fair otherwise.”And indeed, as time continued to tick away, Otis remained still, giving every student time to say their piece. He did not bring forth a single seat, did not even demonstrate the method in which he would perform such a feat. Instead, he simply waited, burning away the time.
Preparing, perhaps, for those last five minutes, in which everything depended on his ability to instill elation and despair in equal measure, enough so to quell any desire for violence.
It didn’t hurt though, to give another some perspective.
“Davil. Take a breath. They will not be banned from Wingram Academy for this one failure. They can return next year, better prepared for what lies ahead. And when they do, you will be able to guide them as their upperclassman.”A void of thought.
“For some, it’s better not to leap before they’ve the wings to fly.”