Chapter 140   - A loophole

Everyone sat at the table was now unmoving after hearing the decision made about Gary. The fact that not even one elder had voted for Gary to stay in the academy, came as a shock. Gary was the number one ranked student out of the second years, if he didn't get any leeway then the others already knew the result of their vote.

Gibby then went on with the next vote.

"All those in favour of banishing Monk, please raise your hand."

Again, just like before all of the elders had raised their hand. It was all too much for Monk as he started to burst into tears. Gibby ignored Monk's cries and continued on to the next vote.

"All those in favour of Banishing Dan please raise your hand."

Again, the same result. Dan mumbled cursing the academy under his breath. His fist was clenched hard.

The vote continued and each outcome was the same for Martha and Kyle who were too shocked to even make any sort of reaction. Finally, it was down to the last two, Slyvia and Ray.

Before Gibby could even say Slyvia's name she stood up in protest.

"How can you do this to us? I do remind you that I am part of the Heart family and if you chose to continue with this, the relationship with the Hearts' and this academy will be broken."

"She's right about that," Humfree said.

"There shall be no special treatment regardless of who or what background you have, rules are rules."

The vote continued with 2 of the elders in favour of Slyvia staying and the rest for banishment. The decision had been made. Before Slyvia sat back in her seat she had one last thing to say.

"You will all regret this."

Finally, it was time for Ray's vote. When asked the question about banishment similar to Slyvia, two of the elders were in favour of Ray staying while the other four agreed to banishment.

"As I said justice has prevailed," Gibby said.

Ray wasn't moving though and he wasn't reacting but underneath his calm look, his blood was at boiling point. Ray was currently deciding whether he should just attack the elders right here and now and take over the academy but there was one thing stopping him.

The black knights. For some reason their presence worried Ray, this uncertainty was what caused Ray not to act.

"We shall have a knight escort them to their dorms and stay on guard until they can be sent home."

Just as the two knights started to move, the old man stood up.

"Wait, no one shall be doing anything."

"The vote has been cast old man, there is nothing you can do to change that," Gibby said.

The old man then smiled at Gibby before giving his answer.

"I hereby relinquish my seat as an elder and select Ray Talen as my successor."

"What, can he do that?" One of the elders asked.

"Just what are you thinking." Gibby cried out.

"An Elder can see the Divine being whenever they wish and can name anyone as their successor. With this, Ray will be exempt from the banishment correct?"

Gibby gritted his teeth in anger, why would an elder go this far for a student. Then a thought came to his mind.

"Ha, you forget one thing old man, for before a successor can be chosen, the master knights must cast a vote." Gibby started to laugh. "All those in favour of Ray becoming an elder of Avrion Raise your hand."

But the next scene nearly gave Gibby a heart attack, for three out of the five master knights had raised their hand. Bernardo, Wilfred and Sir K had raised their hand, while Rose and Delbert didn't.

"How? this has never happened in the history of our kingdom, how can we allow a kid to have a seat as an elder!"

"I believe were not breaking any rules." Sir K said with a grin. It was the first time any of the students had seen Sir K smile.

"Fine but that doesn't let the rest are off. The rest will still be banished."

For a brief moment, while everything was going on, the students had forgotten about the situation they were in. Although now Ray was safe this didn't mean they were.

Slyvia then suddenly thought she had found a loophole in the system. She whispered to Ray and gave him instructions to which he nodded and then said.

"I wish to relinquish my position as elder and name Gary as my successor."

Gibby had nearly fallen out of his seat along with the other elders as they heard those words. Then the old man started to smile.

"It looks like these students have beaten you in a game of chess," The old man said.

After Ray gave up his position to Gary the same thing had occurred with the master knights voting Gary in. As an Ex elder they had permission to know the secret of the academy and there was no punishment for seeing the Divine being.

The group continued to do this, voting in each and every one of them as an elder, until finally, the last person's name was called which was Slyvia. Once Slyvia had been voted in as an elder she then realised that there was no one else that needed to be cast, so she decided to give it back to the old man.

The old man who had started this whole mess, his real name was Von. He had been at the academy since the Dragon knights had existed and knew something needed to be changed. He looked at the students and thought they were exactly the type of thing this academy needed.

"I relinquish my position as elder and name Von as my successor."

Von then shook his head.

"I'm afraid young lady, that is not possible. Once an elder has given up their position they can no longer obtain that title again."

"Wait! Does that mean!" A realization suddenly hit Slyvia.

The man then said.

"You are now one of the elders at Avrion academy, Slyvia Heart."

Ray and the others looked at Slyvia standing there in the elder's seat and couldn't think of a better person who could change and lead the academy.

****

Special thanks to?PhantomNite629,?kingog and?AbyssalSovereign every little gift brings me closer to my goal of becoming a fulltime writer :)