E10 Q1 Dunstor

Dunstor was 15 and as one of the older boys and not yet a full mage was given the responsibility of “keeping order” and making sure the younger boys were “living the life of a true mage.” Unlike most boys Dunstor knew his birthday as his parents had given him up at the age of 7 hoping the old masters at Zouken could do something for the boy as they suspected that he was “born evil”. The story that Zelnard had been told was that after Dunstor had tied their pet putle to a line as bait hoping for a raptal attack and later how he pushed his sister down the stairs his exhausted parents had handed him over. Zelnard had never seen Dunstor’s parents visit even though they were supposed to be in Kath only a few days' journey away so he believed every word of it. 

Dunstor was walking into the grey stone room where Jabar and Zelnard slept, he did so under the guise of "checking on the order of the room" which was code for he was bored and he found annoyance entertaining. He brushed into Jabar's shoulder as he walked towards the window. He smirked at the two boys and said, "Are you confused Jabby wabby,? You are walking in my way." “No, just dreaming as usual,” Jabar replied in as calm a voice as he could muster. 

Jabar hated Dunstor. It wasn’t one event that made him feel that way, it was everything. Taking his favourite minced turnip off his plate at dinner with a dirty spoon, the shoulder clips as he passes by, giving him the toilet duties when it wasn’t his turn, standing on the back of his heels when they lined up for classes. The list of infractions was endless and Zelnard could understand completely the visceral reaction Jabar had to even hearing his screachy and somewhat high pitched, pubescent breaking voice.

“Do you mind “Dumbstorm”? I could have been changing.” Zelnard fired off at Dunstor with a smile and tilted head. 

Dunstor walked over slowly to Zelnard and stepped on his toes. His lunch time fishy breath making Zelnard wince and close one eye. “What did you say, Zelly boy? I hear you think it might be your birthday? Well since mummy and daddy didn’t tell anyone your birthday before they went swimming you can’t be sure about that now can you?

“Shut your fishy hole”, Zelnard blurted out with a cracked voice and a tear in the corner of his eye. Dunstor pushed the young boy back against the cold stone wall and Zelnard felt the cold "thack" of stone against his skull,  putting a hand on the pain on his head to stop the ringing but it was to no avail. 

Zelnard felt the need to justify his belief in this being his birthday and quietly said, “I saw the records in the city. They have this as my birthday, so leave off!” 

How does Dunstor’s past help explain the way he treats Zelnard and Jabar? Use at least two details from the passage to support your answer. Answer this in Thy Quests to move forward..

Next: E10 Q1 Crystal Quay