Shadowcroft Academy Year 2 - Chapter Thirty-Five

Logan arrived back on Arborea at the BYE portal tree. Only his friends were waiting. They said Melvin had come storming through and then immediately took the DIE back to campus. Chadrigoth and the First Cohort, including Tet, followed him. Logan was more than a little surprised that Professor Zantho wasn’t buzzing around, waiting to give him piece of her tiny mind—or see what had happened—but according to Marko, the Fairy Fetch had better things to do with her time than babysit wayward fungaloid’s who couldn’t even master the basics of BYE travel. Her words.

Logan should’ve felt shocked, but at this point he’d come to respect that sort of response from the administrative staff at Shadowcroft. It was very much a sink or swim educational method. At least they were consistent.

Logan quickly told his friends what happened—his encounter with Chadrigoth’s minions, Melvin saving his bacon, and then the uncomfortable conversation that had followed. He also told them his plans to go to Rockheart. Maybe Professor Zantho wouldn’t do anything about the obvious murder attempt, but Rockheart was solidly in his corner these days. He might do something.

Inga immediately wanted to join him, and Logan thought that might be a good idea—it would be good to have backup.

In the meantime, Marko and Treacle would hit the dinner hall, and try to patch things up with Melvin. He could be anywhere on Arborea, but if there was one thing the Kitchen Ghast enjoyed it was food, so chances were high they would find him eating away his woes.

Plans made, Logan and Inga made a beeline for the practice field. Since it was the end of the day, they found the well-dressed griffin gargoyle at the Akros Coliseum, putting away practice equipment in the shed where Logan had slept over the summer. It was a little shocking, but Professor Moonbow Rainsap was helping him. Professor Rainsap’s biceps bulged as he lifted a big battle ax and set it onto a rack near the shed. The sun gleamed off his blonde hair and rainbow scales. A leather vest, taken from someone who hadn’t survived 1969’s summer of love, covered his upper human part.

Rainsap glided around on his snake tail like oil sliding over water.

Logan was also surprised to see Professor Bartholomew Nekhbet there doing some power walking around the running track which surrounded the Iceblade grass. Nekhbet was going to have to spend a lot of time on that track to work on his getting rid of his neck wattle, or maybe have it look slimmer? Could you lose wattle weight? He idly wondered what Inga would have to say about that—he knew for a fact that she was very fondle of flappy skin folds. One of his best features, she’d said on more than one occasion.

Logan thought he’d be talking to Rockheart alone. But then maybe having a witness would be better. Logan had swung by Shadowcroft’s office a few times over the year, but the headmaster was never present, which wasn’t very surprising since Shadowcroft worked all the time to keep the school up and running. Were the various errands more important than dead students at his school? Logan wouldn’t have thought so, but the Ashvattha Multiverse was a big place and full of danger.

Logan and Inga hurried over to the shed.

Professor Nekhbet raised a five-pound weight as he power-walked by. “Hello, Miss Therian. Hello to you, Mr. Murray.” Without waiting for a response, the vulture-headed professor kept right on power walking.

Inga blinked and her mouth fell open. “Was Bart sweating? I think he was sweating.” She fanned her face as if she was the one who was overheating. . “He definitely had a healthy glow to him.”

Logan was too focused to worry about Inga’s crush on the universe’s most boring teacher.

He grabbed her shoulder and steered her over to where Rockheart was sorting through a collection of arrows and crossbow bolts. “Today was your fieldtrip to see Ji-Soo, was it not?” Rockheart grunted as they approached. “She is truly horrifying, but you wouldn’t have appreciated the experience last year. No, Kyvandry Spencer is the only way to start. She is a bit like fine wine in that way—she takes age to appreciate.”

Professor Rainsap hefted a slashed-up dummy onto his shoulder.

Inga didn’t look at the beefcake naga at all. Her eye were still on the power-walking bird professor who wogging around the track.

Rainsap turned to address them. “Kyvandry is fearsome, but I’d rather face him and his abattoir ogres than Ji-Soo and her teddy bears any day of the week. She has almost complete control over her Apothos. Truly a wonder.”

Rockheart grunted but didn’t even throw a single look over at Rainsap. It was clear, the two had to work together, but they didn’t like it.

“Professor Rockheart,” Logan said. “I’ll get straight to the point. Chadrigoth used Psuche Powder to knock me out of the BYE and attempted to kill me with his minions.”

“And yet here you are, alive and well,” the Rector Prime replied flatly, “so I’m not sure what the issue is precisely?”

“Well, the murder attempt,” Logan said slowly. “That sort of seems like it has to be breaking some sort of school rule, right? I mean, students can’t just go around killing students without repercussions, right?”

“I mean, it’s not exactly what we like to see,” Professor Rainsap said with a shrug, “but sometimes when a storm sweeps across the ocean, the waves battle the wind, before both are consumed by the rainbow light of reality. The sun murders the sea. The sea bleeds rain. The rain replenishes all life. But then the wind comes to tickle life, and life laughs, before the day ends and the eternal darkness begins.”

Logan squinted at the Naga professor, trying to follow his bizarre chain of logic and figure out what in the heck he was even talking about.

“So are murder attempts okay or not?” Logan asked again.

“As my colleague stated,” Rock heart said, “‘it’s not exactly what we like to see.’ Students are a valuable asset, after all, especially the more powerful ones. Last year I wouldn’t have lost an ounce of sleep over your death—I actively sought it. But then, you were a nothing. Your potential was so low that losing it was a net gain. That has changed. You have proven yourself time and again—both Shadowcroft and myself would be displeased at your destruction. But…” he shrugged. “Competition weeds out those who don’t deserve to survive. That is the heart of Cemoyre’s Constant: only the fit survive. You survived the attempt and now are stronger for it. I imagine you will not be caught off guard by Psuche Powder again.”

Anger burned inside Logan’s chest and he balled his squat hands into tight fist.

“But surely Professor, there must be something we can do about it,” Inga said, seeming to sense Logan’s frustration. “This isn’t even the first time Chadrigoth has made such an attempt. Why just last year he attempted to kill not just Logan, but all of the Terrible Twelfth—which surely would’ve been an great loss to the Academy.”

“But you survived,” Rockheart said. “All of you. And that very murder attempt pushed you to your utmost limits in order to survive a similar attack. That nefarious act, nonetheless, was the catalyst for a glorious transformation. Hardship and danger push us to excel, that is part of our core philosophy.”

“I see how it is,” Logan growled. “Well next time you see Chadrigoth, Professor, please kindly pass along a message from me. If he takes another poke at me or my friends, I will. Kill. Him. I’ll turn the whole damned Azure Dragon’s dormitory into my own personal fungal dungeon, and I’ll feed him and anyone else who helps him right into a digestion pit. You let him know that for me.”

“Now that is the fighting spirit!” Rockheart said, offering an exceedingly rare smile. He turned to the Naga. “You should’ve seen him last year, Rainsap. This little fungaloid wasn’t half the core he’s grown into being. Threatening murder in front of faculty? It takes some salt, I’ll tell you what. He’s come so far!”

Inga crossed her arms. “And since Logan and I are bound together, we’ll be working together. I’d much rather save the murder for dungeoneers. Please, talk to Chadrigoth.”

Rockheart exploded into hearty laughter and dropped his armful of bolts and arrows. “Why should I? There is nothing better than a committed enemy. It will keep you on your toes, force you to work when you won’t want to, and drive you. Lest you die.”

Professor Rainsap set the practice dummy down and considered Logan and Inga thoughtfully. “Unlike my colleague I would urge caution,” he said slowly. “Many of the facility here at Shadowcroft are a little indifferent toward the death of students, but I can assure you the Council of Dungeons and the Arcandor Initiative are not. Even aside from the ethical considerations, purposely killing a fellow dungeon core will place you firmly in their sights, and that is a thing you very much don’t want. There was that one snake lord dungeon a few years back, a bad egg. He survived Shadowcroft and even graduated, only to fall into the bad side of an Arcandor.” Rainsap paused and glanced at Rockheart. “Was that Zantho or Ji-Soo that did him in?”

“Neither,” growled Rockheart. “It was Clint Steelsack. He was the one with the unfortunate poncho and the ridiculous hat. You know the one I’m talking about. Carried those ghastly crossbows. His whole ensemble was hideous.”

“I’d forgotten about Clint… Too bad about him. I always liked that guy.”

“Indeed. Everyone liked Clint. He was a standup dungeon despite his numerous fashion faux pas” Rockheart went back to sorting arrows.

Professor Rainbow lifted a hay bale, used for archery practice, and set it against the shed. “You know, Mr. Murray, sometimes it’s when the ocean waves battle the storm winds, something new is born. Friendship. Could it be that Chadrigoth hates you so much because he knows, that one day, they will become the best of friends? Oftentimes, the wind and the waves come together to destroy beach towns.”

“Why are beach towns being destroyed?” Logan raised a thick-fingered hand. “Never mind. It could be Chadrigoth wants to kill us because we’re investigating into the murders. There hasn’t been a lot of movement, you know, about the murders.”

“Only two murders,” Rockheart said absently. “And an attack. Tet was hurt. That’s unfortunate. Tet has promise. I highly doubt that Chadrigoth is involved. And for your information, Professor Arketa has been doing some work on this. The Bharoosh runes. The chanting, ‘Will Yum Yum Yum,’ which points to Melvin, of course, since he is a kitchen ghast with great talent. Have you had his cherry triangles, Rainsap?”

“Every single day,” the naga professor answered.

“But Professor Arketa hasn’t been working very hard,” Logan stood with his hands on his hips.

“Says you!” Rockheart exploded. “It’s been taking up her weekends. That has had a direct impact on my life. A direct impact.”

Logan and Inga shared a knowing look. Rockheart and Arketa had a secret romantic relationship, though not too secret.

Rockheart set the quivers in the shed. He came back out and retied his ascot, then slipped on his velvet waistcoat. He joined Professor Rainsap, who slithered over. They’d finished their work, and would be going to the Golden Serpent Hall for dinner.

Logan balled his hands into tight fists. This was a waste of time. He should’ve known going to the staff wasn’t worth the effort.  He’d have to deal with Chadrigoth directly.

Or maybe not…

Rockheart cleared his throat. “Very well, Mr. Murray. I can see you’re going to make more problems—it is just in your nature to not let things go. If you will agree to focus on your studies, I will talk with Chadrigoth. Though we believe in the survival of the fittest, there are consequences for murder at this school. If Chadrigoth is responsible for the trouble in the dungeons, we would need to see absolute proof, not conjecture, and so far, Professor Arketa has not found any evidence pointing to any one dungeon core. Also, the trouble in the dungeons have not affected the realm, the school, nor the lives of the students. Except for a couple unfortunate exceptions. We will welcome any findings.”

“Do you believe in the Four Cardinal Dungeon’s theory of Arborea?” Inga asked.

“I totally do,” Professor Rainsap said. “The universe is full of hiding meaning a divine insight for those willing the look closely enough for it. How could this marvelous world not have such deeply hidden meaning?”

Rockheart waved a claw. “Utter nonsense. Besides, I don’t see what that has to do with anything. The dungeons help us practice. True, there are energy fluctuations from time to time, but no one dungeon is more important than any other dungeon. This entire realm was created to test dungeoneers and forge the best dungeons in the universe. That’s not opinion. That’s fact.”

Logan had to give it to Rockheart—he was focused, completely focused, and if there had been more student deaths, he could easily see Yullis dropping everything to figure out what was happening. The problem was, just not that many people had died, so the Rector Prime didn’t care. Another problem? Two murders was nothing in a place like Shadowcroft Academy; not even two murders under incredibly suspicious circumstances. If he wanted to get to the bottom of this, he’d and his friends would have to do it themselves.

Logan thought of a name that Melvin mentioned. “What do you know about Billy Scales?”

Professor Nekhbet stopped his exercise. He joined them. “It’s not Billy Scales, Mr. Murray. How droll. It’s William of the Scales. He was a villainous dungeoneer who had armor like scales.”

“Blue scales?” Logan asked.

“His armor was blue,” Professor Nekhbet agreed. “And this talk of the Cardinal Theory is very controversial, and I do not enjoy controversy. The Four Celestial Ancestors were drawn together to slay William of the Scales. This villain was probably the most feared dungeoneer ever to raid a dungeon. He would walk through worlds, destroying dungeon cores, draining the Celestial Nodes dry, and it was his most fervent desire to destroy the Tree of Souls completely, so he could become immortal and transcend all of reality.”

“But someone could’ve nicknamed him Billy Scales.” Logan wasn’t going to let this drop.

Professor Nekhbet coughed and cleared something from his throat. He spat it out onto the ground. “Your friend Melvin would say so. We were just discussing this the other day. I, however, am deeply dubious. Just as I am dubious about the Cardinal Dungeon Theory. In that, I agree with the Rector Prime. And I agree that the original purpose of Arborea was to train dungeoneers. The generally scholarly consensus is that it was created by the four Celestial Ancestors.

“Shadowcroft Academy is the first and oldest school of its type. Before then, newly-minted dungeon cores would simply spawn as wild monsters, and would be forced to seek out Nodes with no training and no instruction. The more ambitious cores would find ancient masters to train them, but it was always a risky proposition. Those were dark days when dungeoneers ran roughshod over the Tree of Souls. Feasting like gluttons. William of the Scales was the worst of the dungeoneers. He drained whole worlds—they withered on the vine.” He shook his head, his waddle waggling frantically. “But then the Council was established, and the Four Ancestors built Shadowcroft Academy,” he said more hopefully, “a safe haven designed to nurture dungeon cores and prepare them for the awesome responsibilities we’ve been interested with.”

Logan nearly attacked the vulture-headed professor. Instead of rambling, or droning, or both, Professor Nekhbet had just laid out a very concise theory on the history of Arborea. Why in the world hadn’t Nekhbet just told them this months ago! It made his whole class seem even more ridiculous.

Inga, of course, didn’t have that same reaction. She hung on every one of Nekhbet’s words.

Logan pushed away his budding angry at the Professor and tried to fit all of these new pieces into the puzzle. “Okay, let’s back up a minute. So, there was this triple-S class dungeoneer, William of the Scales. I’m assuming since the Tree of Souls is still alive, that he failed, and the Four Celestial Ancestors killed him. Is that right? So then the Four Celestial Ancestors created Arborea?”

Professor Nekhbet drew himself up straight. “Well, that is where things get a little more complicated. There are a number of theories about that. For instance—”

Professor Rainsap cut him off. “No, it’s not more complicated. The Four Celestial Ancestors lured William the Scales into a dungeon on Bharoosh, not Eritrea, like some people think. Or it might have been Tull. Doesn’t matter. It was Vilhelm Audax, the Azure Dragon himself, that created a massive dungeon, full of minions and traps and lured the dungeoneer in. When William ran it, he got to the Inner Sanctum, but then the other three ancestors were there, waiting. Working with Vilhelm, and they destroyed Billy Scales. Easier to say, Nekkie.”

Inga’s antennae quivered in agitation. “His name is not Nekkie! It’s Professor Nekhbet, or if, you’re more familiar, Bartholomew or Bart.” She then caught herself. “But please, Professor Rainsap, continue.”

The naga professor’s tail shook like a rattlesnake in August on a hot Colorado trail. “Not much left to tell. They killed Billy Scales, his death released an explosion of Apothos, and they use it to create Arborea using that magic. That’s what happened. You can still feel the energy signatures in the dungeons. I don’t care what these two think”—he waved at Rockheart and Nekhbet—“the Cardinal Theory is correct. There are four special dungeons that match the Four Celestial Ancestors.”

“Yes!” Inga exploded again. “That’s what The Stone Hermeneuticsaid. I believe it. So, if we could attune our energy to the dungeon, we could confirm that theory.”

“Highly irregular.” Nekhbet coughed up something else. “This conversation has become very intense. I am not feeling well. Perhaps some soup. But please, William of the Scales was the enemy that drew the Four Celestial Ancestors together.”

“And where are the ancestors now?” Logan asked. “I think I might’ve seen their graves in the Sacred Hollow. Well, three graves at any rate.”

Professor Nekhbet opened his beak but seemed to faltered, as if considering what to say.

Rainbow jumped in. “No one is certain, except maybe Headmaster Shadowcroft and he isn’t talking about it.”

Rockheart crossed his arms. “All of this claptrap is ancient history. The Four Celestials are gone. Almost certainly dead. And I doubt very much that they are actually buried in the Sacred Grove. Those are simple monuments and nothing more.”

Logan knew a graveyard when he saw one. “But I saw the tombstones, and I matched up the names. Anna Puurta, the Vermillion Phoenix, Moisha Majaboot, the Crystal Tiger, and Vilhelm Audax, the Azure Dragon. I didn’t see one for the Onyx Tortoise.”

Rockheart steamrolled over him. “Perhaps the ancestors transcended this universe, or started their own. Who knows what happens to triple-S dungeon cores? If they aren’t dead, then they are probably off protecting whole galaxies as celestial beings of infinite power. Either way, they are gone. As am I. If you’ll excuse me, I have dinner to attend to. Rest assured I will have a friendly chat with young Chadrigoth, but I hardly doubt he needs much convincing. After seeing Ji-Soo in action, I don’t think any dungeon core wants to get a reputation as a murderer. Ji-Soo and the Council track such things, so we don’t need to.” Rockheart took to the air, leisurely flapping his stone wings.

When he was gone, Nekhbet nodded, making his wattle jiggle. “The Arcandor Initiative has destroyed troublesome dungeons before, even while they attended school—though that is a rarity and rather unfortunate. It makes graduation an awkward and a rather sad event.”

“Not gonna happen this year, my friend.” Rainsap threw an arm around the vulture professor. “I’ll escort you to dinner, Professor Nekhbet. You’ve worked out very hard today. I’m proud of you.”

The pair wandered off, chatting idly.

Logan had the distinct impression that Nekhbet had hired Rainsap as some kind of personal trainer. Things on Arborea weren’t getting any less weird.

Inga drew Logan in close and looked him in the eye. “I think I know what to do. I just got Melvin’s cookbook, and I’m almost done with the third appendix in The Stone Hermeneutic. Only one more to go. But Professor Rainsap might’ve given me the clue I need to blow this case wide open.”

Logan was intrigued, but he had to laugh. “The snake hippie has a way of doing just that.”