Ermand sensed that something atrocious would happen any moment. He immediately stood up face to face with the man.

"And I thought Agledon was situated in Tawarn not in some dreamland," the man replied in a stern voice.

"We are sorry, sir. Me and my friends didn't mean to create a scene. I just felt a bit nauseated and--"

The man raised a brow with the same sneer look on his face.

"Is that what a normal person would do if he feels nauseated?"

Ermand was speechless. How could he ever explain to him about what happened with him a moment ago?

Timothy and the rest others got up. Timothy glared at the man.

"Everybody is dismissed from the hall," the man said in a loud voice. "You, Chisel. I thought we kicked you out," he said through gritted teeth.

"Professor Qorder, please forgive us. It wasn't our intention. I apologize on behalf of all my friends," Emile pleaded.

The Qorder eyed Emile with an enraged stare, his lips in a thin lips

"I don't take requests. I will cross check all your certificates and details," he stated, glaring at Ermand.

He turned his back at them and walked away just as he came. Some students were watching them while they walked out of the hall.

The professor's voice echoed in Ermand's brain. I will cross check all your certificates and details...

He blinked rapidly as the thought floated in his head. There's no escape. He had to face it. There's no point in hiding the whole thing, but the note in his pocket was his only hope.

"Cross check is always fine for me but..."

Emile turned his gaze at Ermand. "What about you?" he asked.

Odin frowned, he looked from Emile to Ermand.

"There's nothing to get nervous about. A Qorder is just above a Chestnut. There's nothing he could do either to me or to you guys. I'll make sure!"

With his face still looking fierce, Timothy dashed out of the hall with the other students.

"Let's go," Charlie placed a hand on Ermand's shoulder.

Ermand was glued to where he stood.

"Now what's that supposed to mean?" Charlie folded his hands.

"I can't come with you guys anymore..."

"Don't be a dolt."

"No, I'm not being a dolt. If I come, it's all useless."

Charlie sighed and strolled toward Ermand.

"You're selected in the interview and then you're selected to join the Defenders, what's more to look at now?"

"You heard what that professor said."

"Show him the professor's note," Emile suggested from behind Charlie.

He knows the note can end everything but he was still unsure about relying upon it.

Silence lingered in the air for a few minutes as Ermand was hesitating to take the right decision.

"Okay..." he finally replied.

"Let's follow them then," Charlie pointed to the last group of students that exited the hall. A group of students were left in the hall, the ones that failed the selection.

After following the crowd of students, Ermand and his friends found themselves in a long and wide corridor. Vintage pictures were hung on the white walls. Excellently chiselled pillars made of Rougiatum stone held the high ceiling. Everything was literally made of Rougiatum stone -- the most expensive stone in the whole magical world.

Fractions of the crowd deviated from their path as their respective instructors reached their way to their own department. The group of students to the Defense department walked forward, watching groups of students deviate away from them.

The major instructor suddenly stood fixed to the ground when he reached between two pathways. He turned to address the crowd of students.

"Students, now I will be calling out some names of whom will be moving to their respective department classes for Defenders. Those classes are D1, D2, D3 and D4. A minimum number of forty students will be moved to each class. Now pay attention."

"Here, I'm declaring the names of those who will be moving to D1 with professor Derek Chestnut," he said. "Elena Rauffin of Garylande."

A joyous low scream erupted among the crowd. She might have been excited about it. Immediately, the professors standing along with the instructor hushed her.

"Blake Spears of Hiliburg. Verbena Qorder of New Tawarn. Corvina Stin of Nubrad. Aiden Lewcent of Scettre. Madeline Vinn of Roparika. Amara Grottin of Roparika."

Meira and Amara hugged each other tightly out of excitement. It seemed that they were friends already and might be expecting to be in the same class.

"Skender Halchalc of Dyne. Timothy Chestnut of Tawarn."

Timothy's friends were still searching for him. His name was called, where could he possibly be for the moment?

"Priscilla Halchalc of Jordi. Gavril Qorder of Garylande. Gawen Stin of Nubrad. Olea Estrel of Callopy. Cecilia Daller of Scettre. Emile Waps of New Tawarn."

"You'll be in the same class with Tim," Charlie whispered.

"Arawn Logge of Martan. Rose Trainor of Callopy. Alexia Rauffin of Hiliburg. Barbara Lapel of Dyne. Veronica Barlour of Arail. Bonham Logge of Lintonland. Nicole Trainor of Arail. Chloris Chisel of Martan. Broderick Estrel of Jordi. Charles Daller of Tawarn."

It was just Ermand and Odin who was left to be called. Ermand wished his name to be called with the rest others.

"Randolph Chestnut of Tawarn. Damien Qorder of New Tawarn. Petronella Lapel of Jordi. Abigail Vinn of Hiliburg. Arabella Vinn of Hiliburg. Edwin Lapel of Scettre. Alfreda Trainor of New Tawarn. Isadora Lewcent of Arail. Odin Barlour of Tawarn."

As Odin's name was also called, Ermand wanted to join D1 very badly.

"Marcus Clodde of Martan. Tomin Stin of Garylande. Emlyn Trainor of Scettre. Luqmen Waps of Lintonland. Ermand Chisel of Tawarn."

Ermand let out a heavy sigh of relief when the Instructor spelled his name. They are all in the same class.

"Now, we don't have to bother with the announcement anymore..." Charlie whispered but Emile hushed him.

Several more names were called before the last five names.

"Artemisia Clodde of Dyne. Brody Waps of Roparika,Selena Grottin of Jordi, Morpheus Barlour of Callopy, and Theresa Lewcent of Martan. These fifty students will move to D1. Follow Mr. Derek Chestnut, he will take you to your permanent class for this year."

"We're all in the same class," Charlie told Ermand before turning around as the professor cleared his throat.

"D1 students, follow me." Professor Chestnut said.

The students quietly followed the Professor. He was a very tall man with wavy brown hair and vigilant, large and protruded dark brown eyes that were focused at the straight path ahead of them. His pale thin lips were narrowed and remained the same while he led them to their classroom. He looked like he had some kind of authenticity in him. Something was mysterious and unique about him; the way he walked and spoke.

"Chelsea, told me this man will be real trouble for us," Charlie whispered, tilting his head.

"Like what?" Ermand asked with a mix of amusement and confusion dangling on his face.

"You'll see," he replied. He gently brushed his rough chocolate brown hair with his fingers.

Ermand had never been to an educational institution in his life till that day and so he doesn't know how awful some teachers could be. Jack always complained about one or the other teacher at home every day after school and college, which always left Ermand to think about why students complained of some teachers being a trouble for them.

Hope I don't feel the same.