Master Lanlie
Master Lanlie was the heir-apparent to the seat of High Priest. Known for his sense of balance and his sense of humor, he was the logical successor to continue on in the increasingly volatile environment of the Temple. But due to Nemisis' machinations the Unbeliever was promoted instead and Lanlie was exiled and sought refuge at the Urban Temple.
Lanlie taught Ronin the Law of the Real, including the Perplexing Principles of Perpetuities (setting forth the limitations on the magic that can wielded by the dead) and the rules of Adverse Possession (making demons think twice before reenacting the Exorcist).
***
The words in the casebook seemed to whirl and the sounds of the classroom seemed to blur. Young Ronin fluffed the pages of the book before laying his head down between its open pages to enjoy the somnolent bliss that only a casebook could induce.
Zzzzzzzz.
A sharp poke in the ribs. He awoke with a start. Vectar elbowed him in the ribs again for good measure.
"Well Mr. Amano," Master Lanlie leaned forward expectantly. "What are the facts of this case?"
Ronin began feverishly flipping through the book looking for the case, but not quite certain which one he was searching for. The room full of acolytes broke out with laughter as they relished Ronin's discomfort. Vectar slid his case book, already turned to the correct page, in front of Ronin knocking Ronin's book aside. Ronin began scanning the case in earnest.
These old cases are so damn verbose, Ronin thought. One track idly followed the origins of the word longwinded, while one pondered the unfairness of being called on after he had already spoken earlier, and the rest focused on answering Lanlie.
"You there, Mr. Nerdly, tell us the facts."
In a nasal, dripping with snideness, the acolyte began to recite the facts in his robotic monotone. Years later Ronin would happen upon a cartoon with an character named Mandark, leaving Ronin to ponder whether Nerdly had left the Law to begin a career in voiceovers. The voices were that similar.
Ronin continued to scan the case while one track followed Nerdly's drone with its precise cadence. He was embarrassed and vaguely aware of the many smirks directed at him. Some were just laughing to break the tension. Some were just laughing because the scene was comical. Some probably resented the fact that Ronin usually wasn't terribly intimidated by the Masters' grilling and usually answered with ease and confidence. Here he had been caught sleeping, so to speak.
The case involved Magnolia trees dying as a result of apple trees being planted close to them. Naturally the case language was written in a style so contorted that it was nearly encrypted. The outcome was easy enough to figure out, but the method they used to get there was a mystery.
Lanlie smiled a Cheshire Cat smile and turned back to Ronin, who felt a sudden sense of dread.
"Mr. Amano" Master Lanlie's feline smile spread across his face. "How did the Court reach it's decision?"
The room shook with laughter again. This Cheshire Cat had selected a mouse to play with.
Focusing all tracks on the issue of Nuisance, and comparing it to the Laws of Torture, Ronin extrapolated the answer using the teachings of The Raven. The Law had to have a logical consistency, he reasoned, even across disciplines.
"The court ruled that the magnolias were first in time and therefore first in right. The apple trees are the cause of the magnolia's harms. Therefore, the apple tree landowner is liable for damages."
Ronin stopped. The answer had felt right when he spoke it, but his fellow acolytes didn't seem to agree. Nerdly rolled his eyes and made muted snorts of disapproval. Master Lanlie stepped back from Ronin blinking slowly and looked up at the class. The silence burst like a bubble as the acolytes roared. Some even laughed so hard that they fell out of their seats. Nerdly, and others like him, began passing around briefings of the case proving how 'stupid' Ronin's answer was. Lanlie again stepped back and blinked. He looked at the entire class before his Cheshire Cat smile again spread across his face.
Ronin turned so red his ears felt hot. He trained all tracks on the problem again scanning the decision backwards. Surely Nerdly and his anal retentive competitors must have seen something Ronin had missed. Afterall, it was clear to everybody in the room that Ronin had neither seen nor briefed the case before being called upon. But he couldn't find anything that contradicted his analysis.
Master Lanlie raised his arms towards the class like a champion entering an arena. The acolytes roared their approval. He approached Ronin.
"Is that your final answer?"
"Yes." said Ronin and the class roared again.
"What a glutton for punishment." One acolyte said.
"Too stubborn to admit defeat." said another.
"Doesn't know when to quit." said yet another.
Looking for all the world like a bullfighter taunting a bull, Lanlie circled in front of the room with a flourish. He scanned the room looking each acolyte in the eye as they enjoyed their laughter.
"Mr. Amano is absolutely and completely," Lanlie paused to again scan the room. "correct."
The room fell completely silent. Vectar patted Ronin on the back and a few other supporters gave him the thumbs up. Nerdly sat shell-shocked and his clique members stared back and forth at one another with worried expressions.
"I have a sneaking suspicion that some of you didn't understand Mr. Amano's answer." Master Lanlie said wryly. "Extra projects will be assigned to the rest of you to assist you in reaching a state of understanding. See you all next time."
The acolytes filed out of the class in near silence. Nerdly sat rocking and muttering to himself, "Does not compute. Does not compute. I need a counselor." as his study partners tried to console him.
Another acolyte walked by, "I told my dad to assign more of his associates to brief my cases for me. Ten is clearly insufficient!"
"Thanks for the help Vectar." Ronin said shaking Vectar's hand. "I've got a question for Master Lanlie. I'll catch up with you at lunch."
Ronin passed by Nerdly on his way to Lanlie. Pity, he thought seeing Nerdly in the throws of panic. All those hours of work briefing and not a minute spent thinking.
"Well done Mr. Amano." Lanlie said as Ronin approached. Nerdly heard the compliment and fainted.
"Thank you Master Lanlie."
"I felt certain that you would retract your answer after all of your peers mirth, but you held your position. Very admirable."
"Master Lanlie, why did you call on me then?" Ronin asked the question that had bothered him the entire time. "I had already answered a question today."
"Yes." Lanlie chuckled. "I know. Every day you seem to volunteer, and then later in the class get very quiet, excepting a few snores. I was curious to see how well you handled a question you hadn't volunteered to answer. Now I have a question for you. Had you read the case before I called on you?"
Ronin shook his head.
"Then that was even more impressive, Mr. Amano. But we don't want you resting on your laurels just yet." Master Lanlie said with a mischievous gleam in his eye. "Next class we'll be covering Adverse Possession. Do come prepared, The Raven's teachings won't apply at all on that principle."
Ronin's eyes grew wide with surprise. No doubt about it, Lanlie was aware of the STMS and the extrapolation. Ronin would have to change tactics. He bid farewell to the Law Master and hurried to buy Jimi Hendrix's 'Are You Experienced?' disk. He rushed to his chambers, put the disk on and prepared to study as the magic of Purple Haze blared. Casebook here, studyguide there, pen and pad, glass of water, Ronin was going to out-Nerdly Nerdly, except that he would actually think about the cases he briefed.
By the time I'm done, Ronin thought, I will be the undisputed master of Adverse Possession. Everyone says it's useless in the modern world, but Lanlie had given me fair warning. This will be mastered. Purple Haze finished and was followed by the song Ronin had been waiting for, Adverse Possession. As Hendrix's magical guitar playing filled the air the real studying began.
Old Socrates knew what he was about. Ronin had no intention of ever sleeping on Lanlie again.