A Mage's Power (Journey to Chaos) by Brian Wilkerson

but
couldn't keep up. Cat-human Revas and lizard-humanoid Oito had similar
difficulties from their slouches and groans. The girl with the pointed ears,
Annala, didn't have any trouble at all. When the bell rang, some couldn't get
out fast enough while others showed restraint. Eric was a third group that
waited until everyone was gone so he wasn't jostled.
    “Mr. Eric,” the teacher called. “Feel free to ask any
questions regarding the lecture. You are new to our world, not just to our
school. I want to make sure you understand everything or there would be no
point in teaching you. Understand?” Eric nodded. “Good. Ms. Annala?”
    The girl was in the doorway. At the sound of her name, she
stopped. “Yes?”
    “Would you show Mr. Eric around?”
    “Of course.” She stood before Eric and smiled. “I'm Annala
Enaz, pleased to meet you.” She extended her hand, which she did not spit on. I guess that isn’t a common thing . . .
    “I-I'm Eric Watley.” Eric shook her hand and his ears
burned. The feeling made him glance at hers. Annala withdrew.
    “Please don't stare,” she said softly. Eric blushed and
stammered apologies. Someone shoved him from behind.
    “Blushing at a nonhuman; disgusting,” Noreji muttered on his
way out. Eric was positive it was his imagination, but the room felt brighter
with him gone.  
    “What's up with him?” Eric thought aloud.
    “Noreji?” The bipedal lizard was at his side. “He'sss jussst
a basstard withhh a sssstick up hisss asss.” He spat as if his opinion of
Noreji wasn't clear enough.
    “Actually,” Annala interrupted, scholarly toned. “It's more
than that.”
    Revas rolled his eyes. “Well, Miss Know-it-all, enlighten
us.”
    “Norej is from a very old noble family, the Darwoss; a
family that holds firmly to its beliefs in human superiority. They were the
premier noble force in the founding days of Ataidar's history of 00AA and
retained enough power to start the Two Fires War of 1000 AA, the climax of
which almost destroyed Ataidar entirely. The Treaty of Talves held them
responsible and made them pay greatly in post-war retributions. They lost
respect in the eyes of the people and influence at court. Furthermore, they
refused to mend their ways and acknowledge their fall from grace and so
continued to cause trouble over the centuries and so earned a second demotion.
Most recently, they stood in the way of the Demonic Civil Rights Movement of
1955, 56, 57, and so on until the 'Mercy of Chaos' bill was signed into law by
Her Majesty Elizabeth Landros Ataidar IX with tripartisan support from the
Common Council, bipartisan support from the Noble Council, and a petition
signed by eleven companies and guilds, the most prominent of which was the
Dragon's Lair Mercenary Company.”
    Revas and Oito blinked.
    “So he has a superiority complex because of his family's
heritage?” Eric said. Oito’s and Revas' jaws dropped. Annala's eyebrows rose.
    “You understood all that?” Revas asked.
    “ . . .Well I . . .um . . .ah . . .” Eric looked down and
scratched the back of his burning neck. Stupid! This is exactly why I was
bullied last time!
    “Finally!” Annala cried. “ Someone understands!
Usually my friends tune me out.” She playfully punched their arms. “I tutor
them all afternoon about the impact of this law or the behavior of that monster
and all I get are blank stares.”
    “But you're alwayss ssso wordy,” Oito grumbled. “Eric sssaid
it better.” Revas nodded and Annala scowled, and suddenly, Eric didn't feel so
awkward. They all seemed so close; a circle that excluded him. Now that circle
was opening up.
    “I'd love to be friends with someone who could have an
intelligent conversation with me.”
    “Hey, we resent that!” Revas said.
    “Yeah! We'vvve had plenty of intelligent converssssationsss,”
Oito agreed.
    “ 'How to score hot babes,'” Annala drawled, “is not an
intelligent conversation.”
    “Yeah it is!” Revas