Mimic Arcanist [Chapters 18-21]

Hey peeps!

Lots of chapters today. Hopefully you enjoy!

Shami

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

THE HALLS OF ASTRA ACADEMY

Professor Helmith stood on the shore of the river, the moonlight bathing her in an otherworldly glow. Her black hair shimmered as she took a hesitant step forward. She frowned. I hated seeing her frown.

“Gray?” she asked. “You ventured away from camp?”

I sloshed through the water, heading toward the bank. “Uh, well, I can explain.”

“I told you that your presence could activate the gate fragments.” Professor Helmith sighed, her disappointment cutting me deep. “You put everyone in danger by coming here.”

I didn’t have a response to that. Sure, I could spin a tale or weave an excuse, and if anyone other than Helmith had caught me, maybe I would’ve, but not with her. I allowed my gaze to fall to the ground.

“I’m sorry,” I forced myself to say, though it was barely audible.

Twain splashed his way to the shore and shifted into his kitten form in order to stand next to me. He, too, bowed his head, like he was also in trouble. The cold night air whipped across my wet body, creating an icy sensation that nearly hurt.

Ashlyn and Ecrib also swam to the shore and stepped out.

Professor Helmith gave her the briefest of glances. “Ashlyn, I thought you were also better than this. Your instructions were to stay in your tents.”

“Forgive me, Professor.” Ashlyn bowed slightly. “Typhoon dragons are attracted to strange and powerful waters and—”

“I’ll be issuing you a demerit.”

Ashlyn stopped speaking.

Astra Academy had a demerit system to help correct delinquent behavior. Although I had never experienced anything like this, the other arcanists in my class seemed to fear having a demerit on their record.

Even Ashlyn seemed angrier than before.

“Gray—I’ll be issuing you two.” Helmith sighed. “One for breaking the rules, and one for selfishly disregarding the safety of others.”

“Yes, Professor,” I muttered.

I wouldn’t fight her on this. Helmith was probably being nice to me, given the circumstances.

That was when Starling clopped over to us. Helmith’s lifted eyebrows betrayed her surprise. She also stared in quiet disbelief as Knovak emerged from the mists around the waterfall, his silk shirt on his arm, his hat perched on top of his wet head.

“Professor,” he said through chattering teeth. “You sh-shouldn’t be too hard on them. I w-was the one who urged them to go. I was a-also the one who told them about the w-waterfalls in the first place. I even, uh, mildly threatened them.”

His unicorn nodded his head several times. “Yes. It’s true. All of it.” For some reason, Starling held his head high, as though proud of his declarations.

It wasn’t entirely not true, but Knovak was definitely taking liberties with the truth. And why? To help me and Ashlyn?

“I see,” Professor Helmith muttered. “In that case, you’ll take Ashlyn’s demerit and your demerit.” She gave Ashlyn a stern glance. “But you should know better. I’ve seen you make far better choices in the past.”

Ashlyn nodded once. “Yes, Professor.”

Without another word, Helmith turned and motioned for everyone to follow. She evoked a ball of light in her hand and headed for the trail away from the water. She didn’t look back, and I felt the disappointment radiating off her.

I grabbed my shirt and threw it over my wet skin. Then I scooped up Twain.

Ashlyn waited until Knovak was close before asking, “Why did you say that?”

“I know it’s really important to you not to have any b-blemishes on your record,” Knovak muttered, his chattering still noticeable. “And my folks won’t care, so long as I don’t get kicked out.”

Ashlyn didn’t reply to this.

Like with me, she almost seemed angry, or cold, and I wondered if she thought of everyone’s help as though it were somehow a mark against her. Like she wasn’t competent enough, and needed the aid of others. That was a silly thought, obviously, but she seemed so against any kind of assistance, what else could it be?

“That was nice of you, Knovak,” I said.

He fixed his large-brimmed hat tighter over his wet hair. Once Ashlyn had left to follow the professor, Knovak whispered, “I was just doing what you recommended, ya know.”

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“I mean… I’m not part of the nobility, but you said I would be treated like one if I acted noble. I’m t-trying that out.”

Starling snorted. “Yes. It was good advice. And we’re going to be the noblest of all.”

I had completely forgotten I had told him that. At the time, it had been to get him out of his depressed slump. For some reason, Knovak had always been concerned with the fact the arcanists from noble families didn’t want to associate with him. He came from a richfamily—the Gentz Merchant House—but that apparently wasn’t enough in the eyes of future dukes and cousins of literal royalty.

“You shouldn’t care what other people think of you,” I said. “But I will admit… That was a nice thing you did for Ashlyn.”

Knovak scoffed and offered a weak shrug. “Fantastic. Any more contradictory advice?”

“Let’s just get going.” I slapped his shoulder and motioned him toward Helmith’s light. “You don’t want to be left behind, do you?”

***

In the morning, we left our tents and headed for our ship.

The entire time, we never really saw the citizens of Red Cape. There were a dozen near the boat when we arrived, but otherwise, there was no meeting with them, or even a celebration for finishing the schoolhouse. I wondered why, but I pushed it out of my mind.

Perhaps we would have celebrated with them if we hadn’t found the gate fragments nearby. Now we just needed to get back to the Academy so my presence didn’t set any more off. No one wanted corpses around.

It was quiet as everyone piled onto the ship. The loudest thing was Brak as it stomped across the deck, its giant stone golem feet slamming hard, even when it was trying to be delicate.

Professor Helmith, Piper, and Captain Leon muttered things under their breath to one another the whole trip, even as we sailed for the Gates of Crossing that led back to Astra Academy.

Sorin stuck close to me, and so did Nini, but Ashlyn didn’t even glance in my direction. She spent her time with Phila and Exie, away from everyone else. Her dragon made sure of it, too. Anyone who got close to their group would have to deal with Ecrib—and that typhoon dragon wasn’t in the mood for talking.

Silence was a constant companion on our trek.

That was fine. I didn’t like the fact I had disappointment Professor Helmith so much, so I made a promise to myself to extra behave once we returned to the Academy. It wouldn’t be too hard.

I hoped.

***

Our ship traveled through the Gates of Crossing and emerged on the other side of the teleport in the middle of a grand lake. The water reflected the blue sky with the brilliance of a polished mirror. Our ship sailed over the reflection of clouds, and my mind filled with a sense of wonder and imagination.

Astra Academy sat atop the nearby mountain.

It was a black stone castle. Five additional buildings dotted the other mountaintops, each made of the same dark stone. They were tall and imposing, and a stark contrast to the gray and white of the mountains. Green pine trees added a bit of color to the campus, but nothing was quite as impressive as the treehouse.

The gargantuan redwood tree grew on the east side of the Academy. Its thick branches wrapped around portions of the walls and created walkways for everyone’s eldrin. The paths connected to the windows, allowing the larger mystical creatures to come and go without needing to worry about the size of doors.

Ecrib was growing fast. Soon, he wouldn’t fit through a normal door. Thankfully, the treehouse had rooms built into the main trunk specifically for eldrin to sleep in. It was a useful system, though Twain rarely wanted to go there. And since he was the size of a kitten, it didn’t really matter if he slept on my bed.

Our ship docked, and as a class, we headed for the long stone staircase that led to the Academy’s entrance. The grand scale of everything impressed me, but my legs burned by the time we reached the last step. I wished they had built another gate just to take us from the bottom to the entrance—but maybe I was just feeling lazy. My dour mood made everything a little less exciting than before.

“Ah, it’s good to be back,” Captain Leon said to everyone.

His cerberus wagged his tail. “It does feel good to be back,” the middle head said.

Leon threw open the main door and ushered us through. Without much thought, everyone headed for the courtyard. It was a massive square area in the middle of the Academy that basically acted as the central hub.

The courtyard was surrounded by stone walls on all four sides, each lined with windows and balconies. The greenery in the middle of the yard was so vibrant it felt like summer, even though we were deep into autumn. A small brook also meandered its way through the middle of the courtyard—a beautiful addition to an already gorgeous location.

Sorin glanced around with a smile. “I love this place.”

“Me, too,” Nini said as she straightened her glasses. “It’s so tranquil.”

Four statues were positioned in the corners of the courtyard. One was a gold-and-silver globe the size of a small shed. It showed all of Vardin, our world as we knew it. Another was a sundial—equally large. The third was a statue of a seven-pointed star.

The last one…

It was a statue of twisted, upside-down gates. Normally, I would’ve said the statue of the gates was the most beautiful. They were sparkling gold, and the detailing on the metalwork was apparent, even from halfway across the courtyard.

But the upside-down gates represented the abyssal hells.

Now it was my least favorite statue.

“Do you remember our school motto?” Sorin asked once he noticed me staring at the decorations.

Nasbit coughed and stepped closer to us. Even though Sorin had clearly been speaking to me, Nasbit replied with, “In Life, Through Time, With Magic, Till Death.” He pointed to the statues. “That’s what each of those mean,” Nasbit said matter-of-factly.

“Who do you think wrote the motto?” Sorin ran a hand through his hair and narrowed his eyes. “Do you think that’s a job they hand out to anyone? Or… do you have to have connections?”

“There’s a book on the Academy’s history in the library.” Nasbit pointed to a far door as we reached the other side of the courtyard. “I saw it, but I was too busy reading about the God-Arcanists War to read everything about Astra Academy. I’ll eventually figure out who wrote the motto, though.”

Sorin turned to me. “Aren’t you happy to be back, Gray?”

I nodded. “Yeah.”

“Are you okay, Gray?” Nini asked, frowning. “You haven’t seemed like your normal self.”

“He’s upset because his honeysuckle is mad at him.” Sorin shrugged. “But Gray is overreacting, because everyone knows Professor Helmith will forgive him. They go way back.”

I fought the urge to punch my brother in the shoulder. Why did he always call Helmith that? It was starting to eat away at my patience. Even Twain shot my brother a glower, like it was upsetting him, too.

We entered the Academy and headed for the grand staircase that led to the dorms. As everyone headed straight for the steps, Leon stepped in front of Sorin, Nini, and me. He motioned for us to stay behind.

For some reason, Nasbit was trying to stay behind as well, but Leon pointed him away. “I need to speak to these three.”

Nasbit weakly nodded and then headed off with his stone golem.

Once we were alone, Captain Leon and his cerberus stood close. Sticks and his three heads gave us each a once-over. Then Leon placed a hand on my shoulder. “So, I, uh, need to apologize to you three.”

“Why?” Sorin asked.

“I set up this camping trip to give you three a little vacation. Something easier. Ya see, when I was younger, taking a trip to the woods was my favorite pastime. I thought you all would enjoy it, especially after everything that had happened with the gate and Professor Zahn.”

Sorin crossed his arms. “I enjoyed it.”

“So did I,” Nini added.

“As did I,” Thurin said, his voice drifting up from the darkness around Sorin’s feet.

Waste twirled his scythe. “I have two new chains for my collection. I would say it was a worthwhile expedition.”

My brother glanced over to me.

“It was great,” I muttered.

Captain Leon frowned as he stroked his trim, white beard. Then he sighed. “I didn’t think you would get into trouble. So, I’m sorry for that.”

Sorin waved away the comment. “No need to apologize. No one could’ve known about that. Thank you for looking out for us.”

“Yes, thank you,” Thurin chimed in.

With a smile, Captain Leon motioned us back to the hallway. He and Sticks guided us the rest of the way to the staircase. “You all should get some good rest today. Tomorrow your classes will start up again. Regular schedule. And don’t worry, most of the professors know of your situation, so you’ll be caught up on everything you missed out on.”

“Does everyone know now what happened with the Gates of Crossing to the abyssal hells?” I asked. “And not the professors… I mean the other students. Were they informed while we were out camping?”

Leon replied with a curt nod. “Yes. Well. Most were informed what happened, since a potion of the Academy was wrecked. But you don’t need to dwell on that. I doubt anyone will mention it.”

CHAPTER NINETEEN

NORMAL SCHOOL LIFE

When I walked the halls of Astra Academy, people whispered and pointed.

I was the only mimic arcanist on campus, so it wasn’t difficult to spot me in a crowd. The arcanist mark on my forehead was blank, and a dead giveaway to my identity. The second-, third-, fourth-, and fifth-year students all wore different robes to distinguish their area of study, and their year at the academy, and for some reason, there were more of them around than usual.

They were the ones who were more brazen when they singled me out.

“There he is,” a third-year muttered. “The arcanist who supposedly fought a Death Lord.”

“He’s so young,” a fourth-year said, louder than the other. “Are mimic arcanists just that strong? I thought mimics were a low tier of creature.”

“They’re whatever tier they mimic, actually.”

First-year students all wore velvet robes of black and blue with silver lining. Our robes were marked with the Academy’s symbols—the globe, star, sundial, and upside-down gates.

The second-year students had robes of pure silver.

Third-years had robes of red with silver lining.

Fourth-years had robes of blue with gold lining.

And fifth-years had robes of black with gold lining, stitchwork, and symbols.

Only the first years had the Academy’s four icons. Once a student became a second-year, they had to pick a specialization of study. If they picked the knights, they would get a helmet on their robes. If they picked artificers, they would get a hammer. Mystic guardians would get a compass. Cultivators would get a tree with long roots. And viziers would get a quill.

It made it easy to identify everyone’s year and specialty with a quick glance. And if someone couldn’t remember the colors—or they had a hard time seeing the colors—the year of each student was stitched onto the shoulder once they were beyond their first year.

But I tried not to focus on the other students. Instead, I turned my attention to the Academy itself. The high ceilings and blue rugs gave everything a lush feel. The tall windows allowed me to view the vast campus as I headed to class.

The mountains around Astra Academy were nearly as magical as the students. The Nimbus Sea—a mountaintop surrounded by perpetual clouds—remained one of my favorite locations. I stared at the swirling nimbuses, wishing some of my classes took place on the plateau just above the cloud line.

The growing mutters of other arcanists drew down my enjoyment. With my notebook, pencils, and books in my arms, I hurried along. Twain bounded after me, his footfalls silent.

I felt relief the moment Twain and I reached our classroom. I stood before a large oak door. On the front of it was carved the words: CLASS ONE, YEAR ONE.

I pushed open the door. My classroom greeted me with a welcoming warmth that reminded me of home. And that surprised me, because the far back window was open. A treehouse branch was positioned just beyond the sill, to allow for everyone’s eldrin to enter.

The room was just as I remembered.

Five large tables stretched across the room, each facing the professor’s desk at the front. A chalkboard, covered in a fine dust, hung on the wall. It was cozy. I liked it.

And I immediately took my seat at the table near the front. Professor Helmith would teach our class for the day. She was the professor in charge of teaching us everything about mystical creatures. It was probably my favorite subject.

Twain jumped onto the table just as I set all my supplies down.

He stretched and then curled himself into a little loaf shape. “Wake me when it’s over, okay?”

“Aren’t you going to learn any of this?” I asked.

“Do I need to?” Twain twitched his large lynx-like ears. “We’ll be together for the rest of our lives. If I need to know the information, you’ll have it. If we were smart about this, I would study half the classes, and you would study the other half… Half as much studying, but full amount of benefit.” Twain tapped his temple with his forepaw.

“Good luck writing notes with your lack of thumbs,” I quipped.

Twain lifted his head and glared. “Low blow, Gray. Low blow.”

The door opened, cutting off our playful conversation. Sorin and Nini entered together, both wearing their robes and smiles that stretched to their ears. Nini also had a coat, and a shirt, and maybe two vests—she had enough layers to clothe an entire orphanage.

Waste floated in behind her, and I found it ironic that her eldrin was basically yet another layer of clothing she could wear.

I snorted back a laugh.

Sorin and Nini both sat at my table and spread out their notebooks and materials. All our eldrin were small, thin, or a puddle of darkness. The whole table was practically empty.

Ashlyn, Exie, Phila, and Nasbit entered next, none of them with their eldrin. They took a seat at the second table closest to the professor’s desk, each of them radiant this morning.

Especially Exie.

She must have bathed four times over to wash away the “gunk” of camping, and also all the perfume she had used to cover the scent of our campsite. Her chestnut hair practically sparkled, and while she wore her uniform robes, she had them tied tightly around her narrow waist, giving her an exaggerated hourglass figure.

There was no way that was an accident.

Ashlyn’s brilliant blonde hair looked slightly metallic in the glory of the morning light. When she glanced over at me, I thought I would see ice in her eyes, but instead, she offered me a slight smile.

I returned the gesture.

She quickly looked away and took her seat between Exie and Phila.

Phila was probably the oddest one of the trio. She didn’t wear her robes fancy, and her strawberry-blonde hair was pulled back in a bun. But when she smiled… it was bright and genuine. She had a face that came alive whenever she grinned.

It reminded me of Sorin.

For that reason—which was illogical—I liked Phila. I knew very little about her, but something about the way she held herself seemed pleasant. Beautiful.

“I think this class is going to be interesting,” Nasbit said as he sat on the opposite end of the table from the three girls. “I heard the headmaster has summoned several powerful arcanists to give guest lectures to the students, and one of them might even be Professor Helmith’s father.”

Nasbit’s robes were pulled tight around his round body. Was he cold? Or just trying to hide himself? Either way, he wore his uniform like someone wore a blanket.

“Guest lecturers?” Exie frowned. “That’swhat you’re excited about? Naz, darling, you need to straighten out your priorities.”

Nasbit opened his notebook. He pointed to a page with a copious number of notes. “W-Well, I’m really excited to fill in a few bits of information I don’t have. See, Professor Helmith hasn’t gone over several subjects regarding mystical creatures, and I wanted—”

Exie rolled her hand, gesturing for Nasbit to get to the point.

“I’m just excited for specialists,” Nasbit lamely ended. He stared down at his notes and sighed.

Knovak and Raaza were the last to enter the room. They didn’t enter together. No—the exact opposite. I suspected both of them had reached the door at the same time, and then they awkwardly determined Raaza would go first, and Knovak huffed in afterward.

Raaza wore his robes open and half on his shoulders, as though he would need to throw them off at any second. He rubbed at his scars as he sat at the very back table. Away from everyone. His kitsune hopped along behind him, her flame-feet an interesting sight. Her fire flashed with each step. Small flashes, but still.

“Hey, Knovak,” Sorin said with a wave. “Did you manage to find the right notebook?”

“It was hidden under my bed,” Knovak stated.

The man didn’t know how to do anything halfway. He wore his robes, a silk white shirt, a pair of knee-high trousers, shiny boots, and a black hat. With the pride of three kings, he strode over to the third table and sat.

All alone.

Unlike Raaza, who had a whole table between him and the rest of the class, Knovak took a seat that was semi-close, but still notably away. I almost called him over to our table—since we had so much room—but I decided against it. Perhaps Knovak wanted to be alone.

A few minutes later, several eldrin entered through the treehouse entrance. Ecrib, Starling, Rex, and Tenoch entered in a line, as though on parade. Brak was the only mystical creature that took its time. It stomped in last, long after all the other creatures had gone to their arcanists.

Then the classroom door opened again.

Professor Helmith.

She walked in, smiling bright. Her robes were like ours, and I wondered if the color signified she was a professor for first-year students. That would make sense, but I had never asked to confirm.

“Good morning, students,” Helmith said in a singsong tone.

Everyone quieted down. Nasbit sat forward, his pencil already poised above his notebook. He looked almost as excited as I was to see our professor.

When Helmith turned to face me, I grimaced. In my heart, I feared she would still be upset. Instead, she maintained her bright smile. Her eyes—lavender, with a mystical quality all their own—told me she was pleased to see me here.

I exhaled in relief.

“I hope everyone is prepared to learn everything they possibly can about mystical creatures.”

She walked around her desk, and the clink and chime of her gold anklet faintly echoed in the room. Everyone was so silent.

“I believe you all learned about the four tiers of mystical creatures, correct?” Helmith took a piece of chalk and wrote numbers one through four on the board. “Where one is the weakest creature, and four is the strongest?”

Nasbit raised his hand.

Professor Helmith didn’t even turn around. She kept writing as she said, “Yes?”

“Isn’t there a fifth tier of creature? God-creatures?”

Helmith nodded once. “There is, but they have all, unfortunately, passed away.” She turned to face the room, her long black hair flowing with her movement. “Did you have any other questions?”

“Yes. What about elder-creatures?”

The question caught me off guard. Those were the sinister beasts that supposedly lived in the fourth abyss. Nasbit had said they ate the souls of everyone who went there.

“Elder-creatures are said to range,” Professor Helmith quickly answered. “Some are the lowest tier, while others are said to be more powerful than dragons.”

“So you know about them?” Nasbit wrote some notes down.

“I’ve never seen one. I’ve just studied every scrap of material on mystical creatures that I’ve ever gotten my hands on.”

“But dragons are usually tier four…” Nasbit glanced up from his notes. “If some of the elder-creatures are stronger, would they be on par with god-creatures?”

Professor Helmith shook her head. “I apologize. I don’t actually know. Most information about them is written like a fairy tale. Some stories have them rending the sky open, and others are simply cautionary allegories about avoiding the abyssal hells altogether.”

“Hm. I see…” Nasbit had no other comments. He focused on his notebook as he wrote even more notes.

What more was there to write? Why was he so obsessed?

Smiling, Helmith returned to the chalkboard. She wrote the words PROGENY and FABLE and then returned her attention to everyone.

“Today’s lesson is about how new mystical creatures come into the world.”

“Gross,” Exie muttered under her breath.

Professor Helmith held up two fingers. “There are two ways new creatures come into existence. The first is the progeny method. As the word suggests, this is when a female creature and a male creature come together to have babies. Either with eggs, or live birth… All mystical creatures that have families—and nesting grounds—are classified as progeny creatures.”

Everyone in the room glanced around.

I turned to Twain.

My little mimic twitched his ears.

Helmith pointed to Starling. The unicorn perked up and swished his tail. “Unicorns are progeny creatures.” Then she gestured to Ecrib. “So are typhoon dragons.” Then she pointed to Tenoch. “And coatls.”

For a long moment, there was silence.

Professor Helmith nervously chuckled. “Oh. Well. This is interesting. Most classes I teach, the majority of creatures in attendance are progeny creatures. It’s rare to see so few. Progeny creatures are the most common.”

“What’s the other kind?” Exie asked. She pulled her erlking fairy close and practically hugged him.

Her erlking tilted his head and glanced up at her in confusion. “You’ve never asked me about erlking reproduction.”

“Ew,” Exie said. “Don’t call it reproduction. I just want to know if there will be more erlkings, and how.”

Professor Helmith held up her hand to interrupt their conversation. “I’m so glad you’re curious, Exie. The other classification for mystical creatures is fable. That’s when a mystical creature comes into existence after a certain set of criteria is met.” She gestured to Sorin. “You have a knightmare, yes?”

Sorin stood from his chair. “Oh, I know this.” He faced the rest of the class. “A knightmare comes into existence whenever a king or queen—or sole ruler—is killed via assassination or betrayal.”

I had heard this before, but I hadn’t thought much of it.

Nini raised her hand. Helmith pointed to her.

“Reapers… They come into existence when the blood of a thousand people has been spilled across an acre of land.” Nini straightened her glasses. “Which means they’re basically born on battlefields. Or at the base of gallows. Or jails.”

Professor Helmith clapped her hands together once. “That is absolutely correct. Both of you. Reapers and knightmares are classic examples of fable creatures. They don’t breed or produce babies, but the good news is that no matter what happens, they—theoretically—will never go extinct.”

Phila raised her hand. When the professor pointed at her, she furrowed her brow. “Are all fable creatures born from… killing? It seems a bloody affair.”

“That is a good question. The answer is no.” Professor Helmith’s expression lit up as she asked, “Has anyone here seen a relickeeper before?”

Nasbit’s hand shot into the air, his fingers spread. Helmith chuckled as she pointed to him. Nasbit slowly lowered his hand and cleared his throat.

“Relickeepers are pseudo-dragons. Their body is made up of broken materials. Wrought-iron, bricks, stone, glass—but shaped as a massive dragon. They are held together by nothing but threads of magic.”

Professor Helmith laced her fingers together. “That’s correct! Thank you so much, Nasbit. Do you know how one comes into existence?”

“Of course I do,” Nasbit said, chortling. He glanced around as though we would all join him, but the rest of the room was dead silent. Nasbit then coughed and said, “Relickeepers are born from hoards. Specifically, a hoard of wealth or valuable martial objects that has been sequestered from the world for exact one hundred years.” Nasbit sighed. “It’s actually rather rare, but sometimes pirate treasure turns into a relickeeper. By accident, mind you.”

“Yes. Right again, Nasbit. You’re quite well-versed in this subject. I can’t wait to see your test scores.”

“Well, what about erlkings?” Exie interjected. “I wanted to know about my creature first.”

Her anger came quick, it seemed.

I glanced over my shoulder and spotted Nasbit scooting closer to her. He whispered something—probably trying to tell her the answer—but she leaned away from him and frowned.

“Erlkings are disturbing creatures, actually,” Professor Helmith said, her voice devoid of emotion. In the same monotone, she continued, “They’re fable creatures, yes… They’re born after a queen fairy consumes the corpse of her former arcanist.”

CHAPTER TWENTY

RUMORS OF A COTILLION

Half the class either sneered or made a gagging noise.

I had to admit, I hadn’t expecting that. The reaper fable birth was already a little grim, but the erlking was surrealist nightmare fuel.

Exie slowly unwrapped her arms from Rex. Her eldrin fluttered his wings. “Hey!” he barked. “I didn’t eat anyone!”

“The queen fairy eats the corpse of her arcanist and then vomits it,” Professor Helmith added, like she wanted to really drive this home. Or perhaps disturb Exie, I wasn’t certain. “The vomit is what forms into an erlking.” Then Helmith’s good mood and pleasant tone returned as she said, “Erlkings are considered the strongest of the fairies. They’re a tier three creature, while all other fairies are tier one or two.”

Nasbit made more notes, half-smiling to himself while he worked. If anyone was having a good time, it was him. I sometimes wondered why he was so passionate about schoolwork, but I never remembered to ask him when we were alone.

“Okay, so now that you’re all aware of progeny and fable mystical creature births, I want you all to start reading your textbook from page fifty to one hundred.” Professor Helmith wrote the information on the board. “Those pages cover the most common mystical creatures. I want you to learn their tiers of power, as well as their reproduction methods. You’ll have a test on it next week.”

“A test?” Raaza lifted his head a bit. “Already? We just got back from camping.”

“There isn’t too much information to learn.” Helmith turned around and smiled. “And the test will be multiple choice, so even easier. I just want to make sure you’re all absorbing some of this information.”

No one complained after that. Instead, the room filled with the sound of pages turning. I pulled my book close and casually glanced over the pages. Our bestiary was rather comprehensive, and only two creatures fit on each page. That meant our test would potentially cover a hundred mystical creatures… That didn’t seem as easy as Helmith was making it out to be.

But no use complaining.

I didn’t want to disappoint her again. If I just buckled down, mastered the test, and showed her I was learning, I was positive Professor Helmith would forget all about my stunt at the waterfalls.

Well, I hoped, at least.

***

Over an hour of reading, and my eyes hurt.

“Oh,” Professor Helmith said, startling half the class. She stood from her desk. “I have a minor announcement. Next week, we’ll have a guest speaker. You all know him as the Warlord of Magic, but I like to call him Dad.” She giggled at her own joke.

Nasbit gasped so hard, I thought he might choke on the air.

“By the abyssal hells, it’s not thatexciting,” Raaza grumbled, his chin in one hand, his posture slouched.

“He’s coming to teach a lesson on true forms.” Then the professor motioned to the door. “All right. Class dismissed. Remember to continue your reading, and to prepare for a lecture about how all your mystical creatures might one day ascend to their true and rightful form.”

She said everything with such joy. I couldn’t wait to meet her father. With a title like Warlord of Magic, he was probably an imposing man. I could already picture it. Tall. Muscles galore. A beard so thick, it acted as a second shield…

Was I jealous? No. I cursed under my breath. Obviously, I wasn’t.

Everyone stood from their seats, leaving their notebooks at their tables, and headed for the door. I followed Sorin to the door, and then he stopped to wait for Nini. She packed up her things, but before she could join us, Raaza walked over to the table.

“Hey, Nini,” he said. “Do you have a moment?”

She fidgeted with her notebook, gave Sorin an apologetic glance, and then said, “Yes. What is it?”

“I just wanted to talk to you about your reaper magic.”

When the other arcanists in our class went to leave, Sorin and I had to exit into the hall to allow them through. My brother half-shrugged and then pointed down the hall to the bathrooms. I nodded, and together, we headed off.

Twain kept pace, walking directly next to my feet. My brother rotated his arms as we walked together. “Did you know mystical creatures could transform?” he asked.

“I mean, vaguely.”

“It sounds amazing.”

I nodded once.

“Hey, Gray? Do you mind if I ask for your opinion?” Sorin glanced over at me and lifted an eyebrow. “About personal things.”

“What personal things?”

“Well, on a scale of one to obsessed, how much do you think Nini likes Raaza? I mean, because they normally don’t talk, and I was just wondering if maybe there’s something to that.”

I ran a hand down my face. “Not you, too,” I muttered.

“Hm?”

“Never mind.” I shook my head. “You said one to obsessed? Can I pick negative numbers? Because Nini doesn’t care about Raaza. At all. You two need to stop dancing around each other. Just tell her she’s not cursed, you want to be sweethearts, and stop asking me silly questions.”

“Do you really think that would work?” Sorin asked, hopeful.

“Yes.”

Twain nodded along with my reply. “Tell her a cursed woman is your ideal woman.”

“No,” I muttered. “Don’t even imply she’s cursed. I can see her thinking it’s a confirmation.”

Sorin rubbed his chin, clearly pondering the situation. We reached the bathroom without him uttering another word, which was rare. After we had both finished our business, we headed back for our classroom. Sorin remained as silent as the dead.

***

Astra Academy had a fairly simple schedule. Each day, we studied a single subject, broken into two-hour classes. After the first class session, we had a thirty minute break, followed by another two hours. Then we had lunch.

After lunch, we repeated the process. Two-hour class. Thirty-minute break. One final two-hour class, and then dinner. The class we had shifted each day. If Mystical Creatureswas our class today, then we would have History and Imbuing tomorrow, the next day we would have Combat Arts, all the way through our first year, general education, curriculum.

Apparently, the classes shifted because some students learned better in the mornings as compared to the evenings, and to make sure everyone had an equal opportunity to absorb the material, the headmaster had the full-day classes rotate.

We studied six days a week, with a single day left over for relaxation or additional studies and clubs. That was fine. I didn’t want much time for other things. I had to stay in the Academy, away from the gate fragments, until the headmaster or Professor Helmith could concoct a way to find them.

***

Second day back, and it already felt like a standard routine.

Today we had Piper for Imbuing and History. She was always easy. Mostly because she was tired—or hungover—most classes. Tomorrow we would have Combat Arts. I wasn’t looking forward to that, even if I liked Captain Leon. And the day after that, we would have Magical Fundamentals.

I lifted my head, my brow furrowed.

Professor Zahn had taught Magical Fundamentals. But since he betrayed Astra Academy and tried to bring a Death Lord into the realm of the living, obviously he wasn’t going to teach anything else. Who would teach that class now that he was gone?

We entered the classroom to find that Nini and Raaza chatting together. Since when did Nini get here early to speak with him? I tried not to look worried, so that Sorin wouldn’t panic. Everything was fine.

Exie squealed in delight, drawing me out of my thoughts.

Sorin and I glanced over. Exie, Ashlyn, Phila, and Nasbit were all gathered close to one another, everyone standing, except for Exie. She sat on the table, her erlking in her lap.

Exie patted his little head. “That’s right. I had a letter waiting for me. I was invited to the Kross Cotillion!”

Ashlyn sighed, but said nothing.

“I wonder if I’ll get an invite,” Phila muttered. “I don’t see why not. But I suppose my family has little to do with the Kross family…”

“Oh, you’ll get an invite.” Ashlyn sighed harder than before. “My father did this exact thing when my brother attended Astra Academy.”

“If we get an invitation, are we required to attend?” Nasbit laced his fingers together and frowned. “I mean, I don’t want to insult your family, or your father, but I hate those kinds of social gatherings.”

“You don’t have to go if you don’t want to, Naz.” Ashlyn placed a hand on her hip. “I can always tell my father you were busy studying. He would understand.”

Nasbit rubbed his forehead with the back of his arm. “Perfect. Cotillions are the worst.”

“What is a cotillion?” I asked as I approached their little clique.

Exie threw back some of her beautiful brown hair. “A cotillion is a party to celebrate debutants. Basically, it’s for people who have just come of age, and want to mingle with powerful arcanists and make social connections and network.” She giggled before adding, “And its where all the young and single arcanists go to flirt.”

Ashlyn exhaled. “Exie…”

“Cotillions are the worst,” Nasbit said, glancing in my direction. “Don’t worry. You won’t be missing anything.”

“I want to go,” I said. “Where do I go to find my invitation?”

The silence after my question could’ve suffocated a small child. Phila and Nasbit glanced to Ashlyn. She avoided looking me in the eye. Exie snickered, breaking the quiet that had settled between us.

“Oh, I’m so sorry, Gray.” Exie dismissively waved her hand. “The Kross Cotillion is for established families. You know how it is. Nobility. Royalty. Government officials. There simply isn’t enough room, amazing food, and beautiful music to invite just anyone.”

“Exie,” Ashlyn hissed under her breath.

The two girls stared at each other for a long while, obviously having some sort of silent conversation between them. Once their deadlock was over, Exie slowly returned her attention to me.

“Archduke Kross—Ashlyn’s father—is rather picky about who he invites. That’s the truth. I figured you should hear it now, rather than get your hopes up.” Exie patted her eldrin’s head again.

The little fairy stared forward with eyes narrowed of irritation. He folded his little arms, obviously displeased with being treated as a cat. Rex didn’t say anything, though. He remained in Exie’s lap, even when she messed up his hair with her gentle strokes.

Knovak and his unicorn entered the classroom right before Piper and her rizzel. Now that everyone was here, I figured class would begin soon.

I glanced over at Ashlyn. “Well, I’m sure the daughter of an archduke could invite anyone she wants to her daddy’s little get-together. But, hey, what do I know? I’m just the son of a tallow chandler.”

I didn’t really see her reaction to my statement. I turned on my heel after the last word and took a seat at my table. Raaza returned to his place at the back of the room. Nini and Sorin sat around me, but I didn’t really bother giving them much of my attention.

A deep-seated irritation burned in my chest. I knew it was petty. What did it matter if I wasn’t invited? It wasn’t my stupid party. But still. The thought that I wasn’t invited because I wasn’t important enough sat awkwardly in my thoughts.

What was I supposed to do about it, though? If Archduke Kross didn’t want me there, there was no way around that.

Piper took a seat at the professor’s desk. Her long black hair shimmered like oil as she combed her fingers through it. Then her hand got caught on a tangle, and she struggled to free herself from her own locks.

Her rizzel, Reevy, watched the whole thing with a neutral expression, like he both couldn’t believe, and utterly believed, this was happening.

“Good morning, class,” Piper said as she jerked her hand free of her hair. She rubbed her face and leaned heavily onto her desk. She had bags under her eyes again. “So, I want you all to open your textbooks to page three sixty-four.”

Everyone did so, though at varying speeds. Nasbit was the first to get to the location. He glanced at the page and smiled. Then he raised his hand.

Piper halfheartedly motioned in his direction.

“Are we going to learn about the God-Arcanists War now?” he asked.

“Nasbit Dodger… I have a rule in my class. If you ask the question more than three times, you get a demerit. And since this is the tenth time you’ve asked that, I think it’s time you received one.”

“W-What?” All the color drained from Nasbit’s face. He stared at her in such shock, it was like he had just learned she had betrayed him to the enemy. His stone golem stood a little straighter, clearly agitated by its arcanist’s distress.

Reevy chuckled. The little rizzel clapped his forepaws together. “That one never fails to amuse me.”

Piper also laughed. Then she sighed and leaned back in her seat. “Calm down. You’re not getting a demerit.”

While some of the others in the class giggled at that reveal, Nasbit just frowned. The stone golem turned to face the others, and everyone quieted themselves.

“You aren’t excited to teach that subject?” Nasbit asked.

“I’m excited,” Piper muttered. “But history is typically taught in order for a reason. It’s logical. It flows. And sometimes the actions that nations—or long-lived arcanists—take is entirely dependent on the era they lived through previously.”

While Nasbit had been grumpy before, halfway through Piper’s speech, he started taking notes. When she finished, he smiled and nodded. “Oh, I agree. I just really want to learn about all the god-arcanists and what happened to the remains of the apoch dragon. My uncles have been trying to get their hands on some of the remains so they can make powerful magical items.”

Piper groaned. She rubbed her temple and just shook her head. “Look. We’re not going to get there today. Just… read quietly. After that… I’ll talk to you all about making magical items.”

No one argued.

Piper’s rizzel curled himself up into a tight circle and closed his eyes. His white and silvery fur sparkled as the sunlight trickled into the room from the back window. He seemed comfy.

I glanced down at my book and allowed my own eyes to flutter into the half-lidded position.

History wasn’t my favorite subject…

I closed my eyes.

A second later, it felt as though gravity had increased on my head. I jerked awake, having almost collapsed forward onto the desk with fatigue. Twain stared at me with his two-toned eyes, his whiskers twitching.

“You need to wake up,” he whispered.

“Huh?”

The people in the class were talking. Had I really been sleeping?

“That’s right,” Piper said. “We’re going to have a quiz. Everyone grab a pen and shut your notebooks.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

RUNNING

Piper passed out small pieces of parchment to each student. Sorin and Nini took theirs with some hesitation. I smiled as Piper handed me one. While I probably didn’t know the subject matter necessary for this, I could fake my way through a lot of things. It probably wasn’t a talent I should be proud of, but in moments like this, it came in handy.

“Were you sleeping through the whole class?” Twain hissed under his breath.

I shrugged. “It’ll be fine.”

“Hm! Or maybe you’ll fail.” Twain stepped close and narrowed his kitten eyes. “How about I walk around the class, glance at people’s answers, and then report back to you?”

“Wow,” I sarcastically muttered. “The way you pitched that idea… It almost didn’t sound like cheating. Way to go.”

Twain huffed and stepped away from me. Before I could give him an honest answer, he leapt off the table and hurried under my bench. If I yelled at him now, I’d draw attention to his sneaky ways, and I didn’t want that.

Instead, I focused on trying to wake myself. I rubbed my eyes, slapped my own cheeks, and then sat a little straighter.

“You can turn over your quizzes and begin,” Piper said as she returned to the desk at the front of the room.

The soft sounds of paper rustling filled the room. I turned over my quiz and read the first question. It was:

On which coast is the city, New Fortuna, located?

A) The Pineapple Coast

B) The Veridian Coast

C) The Crimson Coast

D) The Maple Coast

This seemed like an odd question for Piper to ask. Fortunately, I knew the location of New Fortuna. Everyone who lived on any of the isles knew about the grand city created by the world serpent arcanist. New Fortuna was just a few miles west of Old Fortuna, and stretched a good distance down the Veridian Coast.

I circled B and confidently went to the next question. I would effortlessly pass this quiz, it seemed. The next one read:

Which was the second mystical creature the famous guildmaster arcanist, Deen Strenos, bonded with?

A) Atlas Turtle

B) Phoenix

C) King Basilisk

D) Bunyip

Whelp.

That was a short-lived burst of confidence. It seemed my knowledge streak was over.

I had absolutely no idea who Deen Strenos was, but he sounded important. Out of all the options, I supposed atlas turtle was a good choice. They were giant turtles that swam through the ocean. Their shells were covered in dirt that allowed vegetation to grow. Some atlas turtles were so large, buildings could be constructed on them.

They were little living islands.

Phoenixes were nice, but rare.

King basilisks… They were killing machines. Why would a guildmaster bond with that?

And bunyips were swamp creatures.

I was semi-confident with A. It seemed logical.

Twain leapt back onto the table. He trotted over to me and curled up next to my quiz parchment. In a quiet voice, barely a whisper, he asked, “Which question are you on?”

“Get out of here,” I replied in an equally hushed tone. If Professor Helmith heard I cheated on a quiz… I refused to even imagine it.

Twain glanced at my quiz. “Question two? Okay. Three people picked A. Two people picked B. Two others picked C. And Nasbit wrote an essay off in the margin.”

I almost laughed aloud. I hoped Nasbit never changed. But with a huffed chuckle, I said, “I don’t want to hear it.”

“Nasbit wrote about how Deen Strenos first bonded with a white will-o-wisp, and how he served in the Lamplighters Guild for several years before assuming the position of guildmaster.”

“What’s wrong with you?”

I gripped my pencil tight. Even if I wanted to cheat, this was all useless information. But I didn’t. This wasn’t worth it. And I seriously didn’t want any more demerits. At three, I would be sent to the Academy’s counselor.

“Hey,” Twain said in a harsh whisper. “You should be grateful. I was trying to be helpful.”

Reevy thumped his little ferret foot on the front desk. When I glanced up, I realized Reevy was glaring at me. His dark eyes were hard and discerning, as if he already knew what Twain and I were doing.

“I would be absolutely delighted if I managed to catch a cheater,” Reevy growled.

That last word drew Piper’s attention. She glanced in my direction and frowned. “I hate cheaters.”

Both of them had a harshly serious demeanor. That was… completely unlike them.

“No cheaters here,” I said with a chuckle.

At least, I was trying not to be a cheater. I shot Twain a glare, and my eldrin drooped his head. With his ears low, he just collapsed onto the table, his eyes downcast. While I felt for him, I just rolled my eyes and continued.

***

Third day back at Astra Academy, and it was Combat Arts. In the morning, we had actually studied different forms of fighting arts, from fists to pistols. For the afternoon session of our class, we were supposed to meet out in the training field. But first, we needed lunch.

The dining hall buzzed with excitement as I entered.

Sorin and Nini had left the classroom long before me. Fortunately, I spotted their table at the other end of the room.

Twain was still upset with me, however. I held him in my arms, but his body just dangled like a rag doll. When other students walked by, they gave me odd glances. He had been acting this way ever since yesterday’s quiz.

It had gone well. I suspected I had answered the majority of the questions correctly. And I was never accused of cheating, which was great. But Twain’s grumpiness brought down my enjoyment.

Astra Academy’s dining hall was large enough to fit a small village within. Despite that, the volume increased with each laugh, shout, and exclamation. The whole room was oval shaped, and I kept to the outsides to avoid most of the other students and their eldrin.

Large pegasi and sea serpents were crowded around a single table. Due to their size, I suspected the mystical creatures all had higher-year arcanists. Eldrin grew in size and magical power the longer they were bonded. If they weren’t bonded, they didn’t grow, so any adult-looking creature had to have been bonded for a while. Simple logic.

The dining hall had a central table with all the food. Today, for some reason, the selection for lunch was made up of pastas and soups. The fragrant broth filled my nostrils and ignited my hunger.

I walked away from the wall, navigated my way to the serving table, and spotted something of interest.

“Twain,” I playfully said. “I see some fish soup.”

“Hm,” he muttered.

I held him higher on my chest. His small kitten body was easy to manhandle. I wiggled his forearms up and down, as though playing an invisible drum.

“C’mon, Twain. You love fish soup. Let’s get some and enjoy it.”

Twain’s ears lay back flat on his head. He said nothing.

I was about to try something else, but that was when a shadow fell upon me. I glanced over, and then up. At Knovak’s pointed red hat. The velvet material and intricate stitching—which including the Academy’s symbol—was no doubt expensive. The tip was crooked to the side, and I hated it. A few people pointed in our direction, and for once, they weren’t talking about me.

I supposed I was thankful for Knovak in that moment.

His unicorn, Starling, stood at his side at all times. He was one of the most faithful eldrin at the whole Academy.

“Did you hear?” Knovak asked.

Twain perked his ears. “Hear what?”

“About the cotillion.”

I nodded once. “Yeah. It’s some shindig put on by Archduke Kross, apparently.”

“Some shindig?” Knovak repeated in contempt. “Do you hear yourself? It’s a grand party! All the most important arcanists from the local region will be there.” He grabbed my arm and pulled me close. “Everyone in our class going. Except for us.”

“Why are you accosting me?” I sarcastically asked. I pulled my arm from his grasp. “And I’m pretty sure Sorin isn’t going. And neither is Nini. Or Raaza.”

“That’s who I meant when I said us,” Knovak growled. “That’s us! None of the lowborn arcanists in our class were invited. Doesn’t that upset you?”

“A little.”

Twain snorted. “And by that, he means a lot.”

I glared down at him. He matched my gaze. Then I smiled. “Fine. It bothers me. But I have enough etiquette not to run around the dining hall with a chimney for a hat, shouting about my irritations.”

Knovak opened his mouth like he wanted to yell some more, but my words obviously sank in afterward. He swallowed his tirade, and this his shoulders fell. After a moment, he glanced at the serving table and grabbed a bowl.

“Yeah, you’re probably right,” he said.

I lifted an eyebrow. “Oh, yeah?” Then I set Twain down and grabbed two bowls. We needed all the fish soup we could carry.

“I just thought I would’ve gotten an invitation.” His anger was returning as he glanced over. “I mean, I helped Ashlyn, and I did what you said—I tried being noble. And I come from a wealthy family, and I’m an arcanist, and despite your bluster about how I have no etiquette, I actually took two years’ worth of manners classes!”

“Use your indoor voice,” I quipped.

Knovak huffed as he scooped himself some pasta with white cheesy sauce. Then he scooped up some meatballs and threw them on top. “Gray, I want to go to that cotillion.”

“Okay,” I muttered. “And?”

He lowered his voice as he said, “Help me find a way to do it.”

I took my fish soup bowls and turned away from him. “I’ll give the matter some thought, all right? Just… keep your cool. I have enough problems in my life. I don’t also want to be your handler.”

Knovak didn’t reply to that. Starling clopped his hooves, but Knovak held up a hand, silencing his unicorn before he made any snide remarks.

As Twain and I traveled away from the serving table, my eldrin sniffed the air. “Oh my. Is that salmon?”

“I scooped you so many pieces,” I said. “And you can have both bowls. But only on one condition.”

“What’s that?”

“You have to stop being mad at me.”

Twain snickered and smiled. “Ha! Deal. All the soup for me.”

***

Sticks and Captain Leon were out in the training field long before our class. Clouds wafted overhead, creating pools of darkness that sailed over the ground. The sunlight tried its hardest to pierce through, cascading between the clouds as shining pillars.

For our afternoon training, we were out by the track. It was a giant oval road of dirt around a lush field of grass. Large objects were scattered throughout the field, including several brick walls and balls of iron that resembled cannonballs.

As our class stepped onto the field, Captain Leon motioned to everything around us. “So, I didn’t want to have to train you all in weapons, as that’s Professor Jijo’s specialty, but since he still isn’t here, I guess we’re going to make due.” He forced a cough and glanced over at everyone. “So, I’ll be helping all of you build muscle. And endurance.”

His cerberus bounded around us. The three dog heads sniffed everyone’s hair and even some of our eldrin. Exie held her hands over her head, and Raaza’s kitsune attempted to hide between his legs.

“Does your eldrin always have to crowd us like this?” Raaza growled.

Sticks wagged his tail. “I’m making sure none of you are sick before our training begins. His second head added, “As a cerberus, I can tell if you’re in good physical condition.”

“I see…”

Captain Leon ran a hand through his white hair. With a sigh, he pointed to the track. “Listen, I know Jijo has a whole lesson based around physical training. I heard a couple times. Years ago. It went like…”

He thought for a long moment. When he returned his attention to us, his eyes were narrowed.

“Training starts at your core.” He slammed his fist onto his chest. “Even if you know how to wield a sword, or aim a pistol, or skewer with a lance, it means nothing if your body is too frail to wield them.”

Raaza’s whole demeanor changed. “Professor Jijo said that?”

“That’s right. Jijo is from a region near the Sunset Desert, where they take combat quite seriously. He has trained all his life to perfect his form with many weapons.”

“I can’t wait to meet him.” Raaza picked up his kitsune, still smiling.

“I want you all to run this track ten times,” Leon stated. He gestured to the entire track. “It’s important to build stamina.”

Nasbit raised his hand.

Captain Leon didn’t even call on him. Instead, as a pleasant afternoon breeze whistled by, Leon shook his head. “You can go at your own pace. This is more about having the willpower to see it through. We’ll do this three times a week, mixed in with some lifting, and some general stretches to keep y’all limber.”

The news obviously didn’t sit well with Nasbit. He rubbed at his gut. Nasbit was the chubbiest one in the class, and I felt for him. He clearly didn’t want to learn the art of combat, even if Raaza was excited enough for the whole class.

But I figured this was the price we all had to pay for general education. Once we became second-year students, we could pick our specialization. Nasbit would likely pick cultivation, or becoming a vizier. I suspected neither of those involved a lot of physical experience.

Exie raised her hand.

“Yes, you, too,” Leon said with a groan.

Exie frowned, her face reddening. “No. That’s not what I was going to ask. I wanted to know about our eldrin. Do theyneed to run around the track?”

“Oh. Sorry about that. I just… Well, never mind.” Leon shook his head. “Mystical creatures don’t actually benefit much from physical training like this. Actually, if Jijo is to be believed, the more at peace you are, and focused on your growth as a person—your soul and all that—the stronger and healthier your eldrin will be.”

“Really?” Nasbit asked, his eyebrows knitted.

“So he says.” Leon ended the statement with a weak shrug.

Exie crossed her arms. “So, they don’t have to run? Right?”

“They don’t.” Leon pointed to the middle of the field. “I’ll help them practice their own magics there while the rest of you get to running, all right?”

Twain laughed as he leapt from my arms. “Ha! See you later when you’re all sweaty and out of breath!” He chortled the whole way across the grass, his orange fur quite distinct in the middle of all that green.

While I wanted to make a sarcastic comment, I knew I’d feel the same way in his position.

The shadow around Sorin’s feet shifted and then slid across the ground. It zipped across the grass and chased after Twain. Thurin was such an odd eldrin. Were all knightmares that silent and mysterious?

Nini’s reaper floated off, twirling his scythe the whole time. Rex chased the reaper through the air, his fairy wings leaving an illusionary afterimage of his form as he went. He was beautiful, but I could tell he had a haughty demeanor even from all the way on the other side of the track.

Everyone else’s eldrin were noisier. Or bigger. Brak and Ecrib stomped the ground so hard they killed the grass with each step. Tenoch slithered behind them, his parrot-colored wings fluttering. Starling galloped after them.

Miko wasn’t so bad. She seemed to delight in jumping in the footprints left behind by the stone golem. With fox-like energy, she leapt from one divot to the next, giggling the whole way.

“I shall leave no tracks,” she muttered as she went. “No one will ever know I was here.”

Leon clapped his hands together and then fiercely rubbed his palms. “All right. Hang your robes over here on this little brick wall, and then off you go. Come on, come on. We don’t have all day.” He turned and spotted everyone’s eldrin.

The many creatures frolicked across the grass as though they had been let loose to play. Even Sticks got in on the action. The cerberus chased Twain, who hid under the stone golem. Tenoch took the sky and then landed on the golem’s hat. He coiled himself until he looked like a hat.

Starling ran circles around Ashlyn’s typhoon dragon, When the beast swiped with claws, the unicorn laughed and leapt out of the way. Miko got in on the game and flashed fake fire around, obviously irritating Ecrib. Lightning crackled around Ecrib’s fangs as he growled.

“Whoa, there!” Leon jogged toward them. “None of that! We need to be organized.”

Ashlyn tossed off her robes and stepped onto the dirt track. Because Combat Arts often involved a lot of physical activities, everyone changed their clothing under their robes before attending class. Trousers. Loose tunics. And after this, I everyone would head to the showers.

And while Ashlyn looked good in nearly everything she wore, I did think she was at her peak when clothed in lighter, but practical, outfits. Her lean, athletic build was more apparent then.

Ashlyn shot me a glance over her shoulder. “Think you’re suited for this, Gray?”

“Running? Pfft. I’ll be fine.”

“Then how about we make this interesting?”

I tossed my robes on the waist-high brick wall as well. “How so?”

“I say we have a race.” She flashed me a smirk. “How about it? Or are you afraid you’ll lose?”