Chapter 17
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Owen moved over to the weapons rack and rested his slightly battered sword in its previous resting spot. While he did so Lorelle moved over to where Ethan remained on his back to check on him. She was a few steps away when he slowly brought his body up into a sitting position and began to roll his neck trying to release the tension in his muscles. His right hand rubbed his left elbow while his left hand rubbed his right leg, and though it looked a bit comical Lorelle was a bit impressed that his hands weren't in unison. Looking up to her with an expression that was half pout and half frustrated Ethan switched the placement of his hands before speaking.

"So how bad did I do?"

Offering the battered, at least emotionally, boy a smile she leaned forward and carefully flicked a chuck of debris from his messy hair. Shaking her head she held out the same hand for him to take and waited to respond until she was helping him to his feet.

"Bad isn't a word I would use to describe that exam sir."

Unfortunately for Ethan's fragile ego her choice of words left his concerns unaddressed and he fidgeted slightly after she released his hand while trying to decide how to clarify his question. Brushing off his clothing while thinking on the situation he looked over to where Owen stood in silence while watching them. The stare, though innocent, was enough to make Ethan pause in mid pat and audibly gulp for a third time that day. Hearing the gulp Lorelle looked from Ethan over to Owen before clearing her throat.

"Guild Master are you ok?"

"Hmm? Oh, yes, yes I'm fine, thank you."

He lowered his hand, removing his fingers from his chin, and offered the pair a smile before looking behind him at the wall with the small crater and scorch mark. However, his smile slowly dissolved when he turned back and looked at the massive hole in its opposite wall. Motioning with a hand toward the destroyed wall he shifted his gaze to Lorelle.

"So do we know what happened to the enforcements on that wall?"

Lorelle looked away from the Guild Master to glance down at the boy who unfortunately was looking up at her with a childlike curiosity. By the Keepers he was adorable when he looked like that. She was about to say she could understand Cecelia in this situation when her mind recoiled with enough force she actually had to cough to hide the wince! Clearing her throat, this time for her own benefit, she looked back to Owen.

"It would seem that the enhancements, as they are now, aren't powerful enough to suppress an Impac that is compounded by an enhanced physical attack. Whether or not it was the technique Mr. Kipley used or if any type of enhanced attack would cause it isn't known yet."

After answering Owen she turned to look back at the boy half expecting him to be swelling with pride. After all, not only was he taking the exam at 13 he had also overpowered very strong enhancements on an already strong wall. However, what she saw nearly made her heart melt, and that was the look of a terrified boy who feared he was in trouble. Before she could say anything he began to stutter half sentences.

"I'm sorry... so sorry... I didn't mean to.. I didn't even.... I'll pay... I'll fix it!"

"Woa he can talk fast when he is scared" both Owen and Lorelle thought to themselves at the same time.

Before he could catch his breath and continue Lorelle placed a gentle hand on his shoulder and smiled.

"It's quite ok sir, the guild covers such costs. Well, in this case, it will be the Guild Master as the examiner." Turning from Ethan Lorelle placed a sincere but meaningful smile on her face as she looked to Owen as if daring him to argue.

"Well... yes... is the case... usually." It would seem that it wasn't only boys that stuttered when they felt they were in trouble.

However, it wasn't Lorelle's voice that brought Owen's response to a quick halt. No, it was a sweet, no, too sweet, call from none other than the cute boy loving, mess and dirty despising Cecelia.

"Ooooooh Guuuuild Maaaaaaster. Is that you over there? I'm so happy to see you are ok. Do you perhaps feel up to answering a question... or two?"

Three sets of worried eyes either shifted or turned completely to look in the direction of the voice. While Owen and Lorelle now wore expressions of concern, Ethan, who was still too young to quickly pick up on subtle situations such as this, simply felt a tingle shoot down his spine making him shiver for a second. What did the three see? Well they saw the still dust covered, messy haired, right eye twitching, half smiling Cecelia standing on the other side of the hole that had, until a few moments ago, been the back wall of her reception area.

While the exam room was well lit and painted to help reflect the light the setting sun was pouring in through the large windows across the top of the outer wall of the guild hall. This time of day the light hit the receptionist desk and the wall to its left with gold and orange rays of warmth. While it was usually a rather brilliant sight, at this moment it was causing Cecelia to be silhouetted as she stood there, clearly irritated. The whites of her eyes and what teeth were visible from her half smile really stood out and offered a rather scary looking scene before the group.

"Of course Cecelia! I'll have plenty of time here shortly. I just need to stop by the office."

Owen started speaking while making his way slowly toward the door they had all entered through. Cecelia remained silent while her contrasted gaze slowly followed the fleeing Grand Master.

"Oh very well Guild Maaaasteer. I'll meet you there."

As Owen slipped through the door he actually yelped when he heard Cecelia's words. He turned to look back toward Lorelle and Ethan while Cecelia slowly walked out of view.

"Lorelle please let him up in a room for the night. Ethan we will discuss your results tomorrow."

"Guuiiiillld Maaaaster..."

Lorelle and Ethan turned from Owen to see if Cecelia was back at the opening. However, she wasn't, so she must have been in the hallway at this point and they simply heard her voice from the open door and the opening.

"Got to go!" And with that the door shut behind him and both Lorelle and Ethan were left alone in the exam room.

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