ã€ŠAeromancerã€‹


 Chapter 1 - Blind

    Chapter 1 -Blind

    The worst decision the world ever made was to uninvent mages. Mages didn''t exist in the strictest sense, but when science caught up to the present, then the mysticism of abilities ended. Fire mages became pyromancers, water mages to hydromancers, and healing mages to vivamancers.

    Seti Tutt liked the word mage andmagifar better than the mancer titles. It was a mistake to change those names, just like it was a mistake to force students to report to the office at year''s end.

    The office door opened and a student came out. From the office behind him, a man''s voice called, "Cole." The student counselor.

    Another student went into the room and closed the door behind him. Only half a dozen students remained in the hall.

    Seti sighed. He realized his foot was tapping unconsciously so he forced it down, only to have it start up again. This wasn''t even a serious meeting; it was just the end of the school year wrap up.

    What was it that you want to do after yougraduatethe university? Whatpeople haveyou contacted so far?And Seti''s personal favorite:You have potential.The same thing was said to every student with a slight variation to make them think the counselor took each one seriously.

    And yet Seti was still nervous. Maybe it was an authority thing, though he preferred to think it was human nature. It was times like this where he used a trick to calm himself down. Seti closed his eyes, slouched forward in his chair, and turned the palm of his hand towards his face.

    A light breeze started to flutter from his hand.

    This was his ability. Moving air with his hand was something Seti had been able to do since he was young. It helped focus and ground him. He felt the features of his face with more definition when he controlled the air.

    Everyone had something. Some people could breathe fire, others could create energy blades, and there were those who could heal the body. But everyone had something. The question was how strong you could be with that power

    Seti was remarkably weak. This was exactly why he had decided to not pursue any careers that made use of his abilities. If there was one thing he knew the counselor wouldn''t say, it would be that he had potential to grow as an adept.

    The office door opened again and Cole stepped out.

    "Seti," the counselor called out.

    Seti stood, took a deep breath and walked in, shutting the door behind him.

    Henry Adamsread the plaque on the front of his desk. The counselor had his certificates lined up on the walls to each side, a shelf of books, and basic family pictures. The usual teacher''s office look.

    "Mr. Adams." Seti nodded.

    "Please, call me Henry."

    "Sure."

    Seti sat opposite him. After a brief silence Seti realized that the counselor wasn''t going to start the conversation. Was he trying to act like a therapist?

    Seti made himself comfortable in his chair, clasped his hands together, and spoke in a deep voice. "So how may I help you today, Mr. Henry?"

    Henry smiled. "As you know this is your final year here at Lambsgard University. I wanted to talk about your prospects and plans for the future."

    "To ensure the school looks esteemed with the careers of the alumni and the alumnae?"

    "To set you up for success," Henry corrected.

    Seti shrugged and slouched into the chair. "Not sure what to tell ya Mr. Henry, I''m the last person you have to worry about. I''m going into my dad''s business after, and I''ll be set for life, really."

    "The 3D visual business. Event Horizon, was it called?"

    Seti nodded. He was curious to hear what the counselor would say. Would it be that he had potential in a different field? Was he going to ask if Seti''s interest lay elsewhere and not in his father''s technological business? Or was he simply going to break the usual script and say that Seti should be proud of taking the opportunity he had before him?

    It was none of those.

    "Have you considered attending school after the university?" Henry asked.

    "School? There''s nothing after the university. This is the last stop."

    "I''m talking about Prestige Academy."

    Seti snorted involuntarily. "Okay let''s get real," Seti said. "I get you''re supposed to tell the students that they have potential, should aim higher, or whatever other crap you''ve been paid to say, but that''s just outright absurd, maybe even insulting. Not to mention I can''t even attend the school anyway. I''m a tier one wind adept, see?"

    To drive the point home, Seti raised his hand and faced his palm towards the counselor. He manipulated the wind forward and grazed the counselor''s face.

    "I couldn''t even mess up your hair if I wanted to.Tier one." Seti stressed the number and stopped his wind. "You can''t get any lower without simply being unable to discover what your ability is."

    "I''m aware," was all Henry said in response. Then silence. He was apparently content not be the one to break it.

    Again, Seti was being played as if this was a therapy session. He leaned forward and grabbed one of the pens on the desk.

    "Okay,Mr. Adams," Seti said, twirling the pen between his fingers, "then are you aware of the minimum requirement to attend Prestige Academy?"

    "At least tier five."

    "I''m a tier one. I was told if I triedveryhard, the most I could ever become would be tier three. More likely I''d end up as a two by the time I''m buried in the ground. Do you know what this means? On a scale of one to eight, I''m a bottom feeder."

    Seti''s finger twitched and he lost control of the pen, letting it flip to the floor. He opted to not pick it up. Irritation took him now. Would Seti attend Prestige Academy if he had the chance? Of course, he didn''t like the wholeride-the-father''s-coattailthing anyway, but it was a secure way of life. Thing is, life doesn''t let you choose sometimes. Sure, he daydreamed about being able to make tornados with his ability, or whatever the tier eight people could do, but it just wasn''t physically possible. So why did Mr. Adams bring it up?

    "There is something known as the Exceptions Program," Mr. Adams said, also opting to ignore the pen on the floor. "A university could recommend a prominent student to the academy even if they don''t meet the minimum tier requirement."

    "Those only apply to tier four users, like Aiden. That''s only one tier lower. They would definitely not let me get in. Someone like Aiden could actually do something with his abilities."

    "Someone like Aiden," Mr. Adams repeated before continuing, "I think people focus too much on the numbers rather than the potential." There it was.Potential.All scripted. "For example, could you tell me the length of time for one million seconds and one billion seconds?"

    "One million? I guess it would be¡­" He didn''t want to get the answer too wrong. There were sixty seconds in a minute, and sixty in an hour¡­ and twenty-four hoursina day¡­ who in the world would even try to math this out without a calculator? "A month? And I guess a billion would be a few years. Probably off a bit because who does math in their head."

    Mr. Adams smiled. "One million seconds is about twelve days. One billion seconds is about¡­thirty-twoyears."

    Seti shelved his irritation momentarily as he tried to visualize the difference.

    "Okay, so? Anyone with free time can go surf the web and look that up."

    "That''s not the point I intended to make. You see our sense of value with numbers can get skewed when it becomes so large that it''s incomprehensible. We put so much emphasis on the scale of power, but I say that true strength can''t be measured so easily. Especially not with numbers."

    "I''m not sure I follow how that applies toattendingPrestige Academy."

    "Consider for a moment if you went to a wind temple for proper classification and training. The wind temple of Maybell, for example, could really be a boon if you wished to explore this route. Don''t say a door closed before it actually is."

    Seti didn''t say anything. Instead, he held up his palm once again and sent a gust of air towards Mr. Adam''s face. Seti was sad to admit that he was trying very hard to be annoying enough to make the man squint from dry eyes. It wasn''t working.

    "Your hair doesn''t even mess up when I do this. I have more in common with the ants than to any of the upper echelon tiers."

    Mr. Adams might not care about the numerical classification of ability users, but the world certainly did. Anyone that was tier five or above received their mancer title. Everyone else was just an adept.

    "Let me give you an example of your potential," he said even with the wind blowing in his face. "You mentioned Aiden, yes? What do you think about him?"

    Almost on cue, the ground shook as if an anvil slammed into the ground a distance away. Aiden was fighting someone in the school right now.

    Seti spoke. "Aiden is the only tier four user in Lambsgard University. Easily the strongest. Everyone knows the school already recommended him to Prestige Academy, but even so, it''s not guaranteed he''ll make it in."

    "What about him as a person?"

    "As a person?" Taken aback, Seti put his hand away. "I guess people are scared of him? When he walks down the hallway people get out of his way. They don''t even make eye contact because he wants to start a fight with anyone that does. Ah, this isn''t me snitching; he''s not doing anything wrong in my opinion."

    Mr. Adams nodded sagely and smiled. "So that''s what you think about him. Now with that said, I''m curious, why does Aiden avoid eye contact withyou?"

    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">

    Cops and Robbers. Cowboys and Indians. Shepherds and Mafioso.

    Seti watched the TV in the lounge, not wanting to return to his dorm just yet. On the TV there was a reporter interviewing a Shepherd. Just hours ago a skirmish broke out between the Shepherds and the mafia in some far away city. A destroyed building loomed in the background.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    The Shepherd discussed how worse events had been prevented during the battle. He wasn''t a superhero as some might portray them, yet the Shepherds were regarded as such simply because they were mancers that could lift pebbles or breathe fire. To emphasize the point, the cameraman showed the second Shepherd telekinetically lifting debris as part of the cleanup. A geomancer.

    Seti Tutt didn''t like the Shepherds. They were a national defense group that consisted of only upper echelon tiers and their name wasShepherds. Since Seti was born and raised in the town named Lambsgard it was hard to not take offense. It was as if the Shepherds were named to help the lambs along, with him being the weakest.

    The lounge was empty except for Seti, who sat slouched with his feet set on another chair. Usually, there would be students studying or simply hanging out, but the year was over, exams finished, and all that remained was the graduation ceremony. More accurately, today was the last day of school.

    That was when Aiden walked in. Poorly dressed, unkempt hair, and sometimes bad hygiene. Seti recalled a time when that wasn''t the case, but a desire to focus on his tier four abilities had made Aiden forget the basic necessities of public appearance. Seti could not wear such a look, especially with his father being who he was.

    "Aiden, come over here," Seti called out as he sat himself up, recalling the conversation with the counselor.

    Aiden stopped and looked back at the door where he came through longingly. Seti thought he was going to make a break for it when instead he made his way to the table.

    "Howdy," Seti said with a raised hand.

    "What do you want?" Aiden asked. He didn''t sit. His attention was on the TV.

    Seti noted that Aiden opted to watch the TV rather than make eye contact. Or maybe he was reading into it too much after what Mr. Adams said.

    Seti had never actually talked to him at length before. They were from different worlds. Seti was the son of a successful businessman, yet weak in his abilities. Aiden came from¡­ well, Seti didn''t actually know any background information for the guy, but he was probably poor. Despite that, Aiden was easily the strongest personinLambsgard University and the one most likely to make it to Prestige Academy.

    "Do you actually want to be a Shepherd and all?" Seti asked. "Since you have the desire and talent to attend Prestige."

    "Apparently I don''t have the talent. I''ve already failed the entrance exams twice and the third one tomorrow is my last chance."

    "Oh. Well, that sucks. You''ve studied up on where you''ve failed?"

    Aiden sighed and finally turned away from the TV and sat down. With eyecontact,or as much as he could make with the hair in his face, he said, "You don''t know how Prestige works, do you? It isn''t a written exam but a practical one. The Exceptions have to prove why they should be allowed in even though they don''t meet the minimum requirement of being tier five. They don''t seem to think my force palm is anything special."

    "Even though you''re the strongest student here?" Seti asked.

    "That''s the same as being the tallest midget."

    "Well don''t be bummed, there are other ways to become a Shepherd than going to Prestige."

    "I don''t care about becoming a Shepherd. I need a way to make a living with my talents. You don''t get it, do you?" Aiden turned away and faced the TV once more. "You''ve had your life planned out from the start. Even you being here at this university was just a formality. You didn''tactuallyneed to be here. The life of a rich kid."

    After a moment''s awkwardness, Seti nodded. "Yeah, you''re right, I don''t understand. I''m just a rich boy who can get money from his pops like a vending machine, yeah? Poor you, life must be so hard because your classmates have more money, or whatever it is you tell yourself at night. Let me guess, you need to pay some hospital bills for some family member? I''ll write you a check. Boom. Life problems solved."

    Aiden slammed his open palm down on the table. With a loud crack, the table snapped in half and collapsed on itself. Seti flinched back in his chair.

    "You''re an idiot," Aiden said as he stood up. For a moment Seti thought he was about to get into a fight that he wouldn''t be able to win, but then he saw Aiden smirk. The tier four student seemed satisfied to see Seti recoil. So much for the theory that Aiden was afraid of him. "And you''re annoying, too. You always blow that stupid unnatural wind at people who piss you off and walk around as if you''re untouchable. And for the record, no there''s no hospital bill or any family emergency. Life is more than money."

    "Unnatural wind? This?" Seti said automatically, his mind caught up with that statement. He pointed the palm of his hand towards Aiden and propelled out what small amount of wind he could. "If mywindis unnatural then what is your force palm considered? You slap things around and things suddenly get crushed."

    "I mean it''s unnatural because no wind feels like yours," Aiden said as he stepped away from the feeble gusts. "I''ve fought a lot of people, some of them wind users and some of them from the underground, but yours is the one that makes me sick." He put his hands in his pockets and started towards the exit. "Whatever. You''re annoying. Talk to me again and I''ll put you in the ground, rich daddy or not."

    Once he was alone Seti realized his shoulders were tense. He relaxed them and turned his hand towards his own face. The manipulated breeze allowed a sense of calm to sweep over him.

    Unnatural? Did that line of thought have something to do with why Aiden avoided eye contact?

    Seti left contact information for Event Horizon, his father''s company, on the chair next to the broken table. Then, he made his way to his dorm. Had he not left the note the university would no doubt check the cameras to see who ruined the furniture. They still might, but now they''d likely just accept the money his father''s business would provide.

    He took the scenic route, taking in one last look around the university. The graduation ceremony would be in two days and then he would be gone from the school life forever. He was a little apprehensive about beginning the first day of the rest of his life. Aiden may have argued that Seti couldn''t understand him, but the opposite was true as well. Seti was going to have much responsibility placed on him, a burden that Aiden would never know.

    He followed down the corridor to the male dormitory and found his way to his room. He paused when he saw that the door was open a little. It should have been locked. The sound of the TV within reached his ears and he pushed the door open the rest of the way. He had a full view of the kitchen and the living room. A teenage girl on the couch with the TV remote in one hand and a spoon in the other. She was eating ice cream directly from a box balanced on her knee.

    "Oh, it''s you. What are you doing here?" Seti asked.

    "Tut tut tut," Sydria Tutt said in her usual annoying manner. "I should think you would know. You have it marked on your calendar."

    Seti turned towards his fridge where he hung his calendar. On today''s date, there was a colorfulBest Sister Visitingwith hearts adjacent, bleeding into the unfortunate days surrounding it.

    "Pretty sure this wasn''t on here this morning," Seti said.

    "Pretty sure I''m the best sister anyway," Sydria replied. "Anyway, I''m visiting like I said I would!"

    "You said you were coming last Friday. But not only did you not say anything when you didn''t show up, you haven''t said anything about showing up today."

    Sydria placed the controller down now that she had found something decent to watch and gave moreattentionthe ice cream.

    "And that''s my ice cream."

    "I got grounded last week," she said. "Dad took my phone so I couldn''t call or text."

    Seti took a marker and crossed out theBestinBest Sister Visiting. "You got grounded? But I thought dad liked you. Did you murder someone? Or did you wear yesterday''s fashion? Our ancestors roll in shame."

    Sydria shrugged. "Forgot to do one of my homework assignments. I was supposed to write a paper on the founder of the Shepherds."

    "No biggie. Everyone forgets to do their homework every now and then."

    Then she muttered, though barely loud enough for him to hear, "Not me."

    Seti joined her on the couch with a bowl and a spoon to help himself to his ice cream, which Sydria tried to keep away. Once the usual scuffle ended they binged on random shows she picked.

    "I''ll help you pack and stuff tomorrow," she said.

    Seti would be moving back home now that he''d graduated. It was only twenty minutes away from home, but he would miss his dorm. He would also miss the random visits from his sister. To come to his dorm willingly meant that she liked hanging out with him. It was a feeling he''d come to appreciate.

    Not that he would ever tell her that.

    The day turned into evening and Seti fell asleep on the couch. He dreamed dreams.

    In the first dream, he was in an office giving out orders and commanding people. He was the boss of Event Horizon. He had the bigger picture in his head and the underlings followed and obeyed. It felt fulfilling and paradoxically hollow at the same time. He had the power to control people in this way, but it wasn''t what he wanted.

    The scene changed. A destroyed building loomed in front of him with a cleanup crew trying to clear it out. A cameraman and a woman with a mic were interviewing him. He was a Shepherd. Respected. People wanted to be around him. Not to mention he was a tier eight aeromancer. Powerful enough to level towns if he wanted to. To be given special privileges. Invited to meetings like¡ª

    "What is this trash heap of a dream?" A woman materialized into existence.

    At that moment the feeling of the dream faded, but the dream didn''t end. Everyone but he and the woman vanished. There was no more interviewer and no more pedestrians. Seti came to his senses and grounded in the reality of this false place. He knew he was in a dream as if he had always known, but it only became obvious when the woman appeared. Her presence denied the dream of being a dream. It was like she was an alarm clock screaming that life here wasn''t real.

    Her blue dress swayed as she spun around to take in her surroundings. She was younger than him, but at the same time, Seti knew she was false in the same way that he wasn''t actually a tier eight being. Her face was blurred; even squinting, he still couldn''t place a shapetoit.

    "Let''s see." She looked around. "Hey, isn''t that building the Orator office? Didn''t the Vescio family destroy it this morning? Oh wow, you''re dreaming that you''re the Shepherd who stood up to them. This is embarrassing."

    "Who are you?" Seti defiantly asked.

    She gave a mock bow. "Call me Dream Eater, youngling. I am here to fulfill a petty revenge that was promised in the waking world."

    Seti became more aware of his heartbeat, of the air he was breathing, and of thegroundhe stood on. He knew he was in a dream, yet he felt the vital things that he could only feel when he was awake. Even though his heart and his blood belonged to him, his body was not his real body. He was still a tier eight being in this dream.

    "Revenge? Did I do something to slight you?" Seti asked.

    "Nope." Dream Eater began skippingbackwardsdown the sidewalk away from him. "Wow, you have no imagination. That whole area is blocked off." She indicated behind him.

    Seti turned and realized that only darkness and void was there. The city he remembered from the TV earlier in the day ceased when it came into contact with the void. It was so deep and so evident that he should have noticed earlier. There was no substance, no building to be had or street to walk down.

    The darkness only lasted another moment before it filled in with buildings and streets. He knew his mind was the one that was making it, not from a memory but rather with a thought of what it might have looked like. He was in full control of the dream.

    When he turned back to Dream Eater she was right in front of him, her fingertip resting on her lips. Seti''s heart skipped. He should have flinched back, but his body didn''t react.

    "You''re cute. Now I kind of regret my promise. See, I told her I was going to come and assault you, so here I am. Promised petty revenge."

    "Told who?"

    "You tell me." She smiled playfully. Smiled? He couldn''t see her face, yet he knew she smiled.

    "My first guess would be my mother. She''s in law enforcement and deals with scum on a regular basis. You look like scum."

    "Now let''s not say things we both know aren''t true. I look wonderful. Anyway, enough playing around. You would never guess because you actually don''t know her, or shouldn''t." Dream Eater took a step back, held up her hand, and waved it around like a wand. "Hocus pocus, now I''ve taken your eyesight. Goodbye light!"

    Seti looked around but nothing changed in his environment. He could see just fine.

    "And now I probably should do something about that memory of yours. See, you won''t remember any of this. There''s no cure for your eyesight, but I''m sure it''ll be fun looking for one. Part of the revenge. She adores you lots so this is how it has to be!"

    She raised her hand again and prepared to do more wand movements. Seti had the urge to knock her down a few pegs. This washisdream after all, wasn''t it? He willed her hand to stop moving.

    "Ah." She looked at her hand stuck in place in the air. In fact, not just her hand but her dress and her entire body froze in place. It was as if time had stopped for Dream Eater.

    "Enough is enough," Seti said. "I don''t know who you are, and quite frankly I don''t believe a word you''re saying, even though this has got to be the strangest thing I''ve ever experienced. But I won''t just let you do whatever you want. This is my world, after all."

    "Yeah, you''re definitely cute."

    Seti called upon his power of wind. Not the weak tier one he had in reality, but his dream based power. He was a divine being while in this world. The sky¡ªwhich had been void of anything this entire time¡ªfilled with dark clouds. Funnels appeared that called out to the ground to respond. The wind amplified and in a matter of moments, the area filled with no fewer than four tornados.

    Dirt kicked up, pushed and pulled by each tornado. The area darkened considerably as debris accumulated.

    "You''re making it hard for me to concentrate!" Dream Eater shouted over the wind, still frozen in place.

    Buildings began to evaporate into the tornado. A rush of power filled Seti. Each tornado, the towers of destruction, could be felt on the tips of his fingers. With a flick, he moved the towers. Another flick and he was floating in the air, hands outstretched. This was his might. Thunder roared. He was a tier eight being, the pinnacle of human power.

    He clasped his hands together and each tornado rushed to Dream Eater.

    [Well then.] A voice spoke clearly into his mind, a mental echo that demanded full attention. Silence lingered as the storm around him raged. Dream Eater vanished. [I hope you enjoyed playing the aeromancer, but theydon''t call me the Dream Eater for nothing. Your eyes are gone, and now you won''t remember this. Goodbye!]

    In an instant, the dream ended. Seti felt his presence return back to the couch in his dorm living room. His eyes shot wide open to a pitch black room. He must have fallen asleep while watching TV.

    Since it was so dark, it was probably past midnight. He thought nothing of it and tried to go back to sleep, but had difficulty doing so since his heart was racing. The last thing he remembered was an emotional rush. A high. He likely had a good dream, one where he was less pathetic, and he wanted to go back to it.

 Chapter 2 - Wind Light

    Chapter 2 - Wind Light

    "Geez, how long are you going to sleep for?"

    Seti blinked his sleep away and looked around to check his surroundings. Or tried to at least.

    "What time is it?" He asked. It was still pitch black out.

    "Tut tut tut." Running dishwater and dishes clanking against one another rang in his ears. "It''s ten, you lazy bum."

    He rubbed his eyes and rolled his shoulders. Sleeping on the couch always made him sore in several spots. "Did you sleep over?" He sat up to try to give another glance around the room only to realize that it was still pitch black. Odd. His window curtains weren''t good enough to block out the sun. But not only that, even the room itself was dark. He couldn''t see the digital clock across the room. "Ten? AM or PM?"

    "Are you sure you graduated?"

    Seti felt his heartbeat in his ear. It didn''t matter if it was in the morning or at night, Seti should have been able to see something. He felt around his face. There had to be something there. A contraption, or a mask, or anything!

    He steadied his breath and slowly stood to his feet. "What''s going on?" He blinked rapidly, as if it would reset his sight.

    "I''m washing your dishes. You should consider getting paper plates. What are you doing?" She asked.

    Seti reached out as far as he could and took a step forward. His lower leg hit the edge of the table. He bent down and felt the edges but still could see nothing.

    "Hmm." He stood straight again and felt around his eyes, expecting to feel something unusual. He was no expert in eye biology but didn''t notice anything out of place. "Hmm. I can''t see anything."

    Footsteps approached until they were next to him. Seti felt the passing of air in front of his face. Likely Sydria waving her hand around.

    "This is a pretty good prank," Seti said, "I''ll be honest and say you got me this time."

    She didn''t respond. A moment later she clapped once in front of his face.

    "Not even a blink. You really can''t see?" Sydria asked.

    "Nope."

    "I''m calling dad. You know what''ll happen if you''re lying."

    "Don''t call him, idiot." He snapped. "He doesn''t need to know about this."

    "What do I do, then?"

    Seti used his hand to propel wind at his face. He breathed it in and calmed himself. What, indeed? He was blind, though he didn''t know how. As he inhaled and exhaled he realized it didn''t matter how. Restoring sight wasn''t a problem.

    "We have one of those doctor''s offices here, just bring me there and we''ll see if it''s not something in the ice cream," he joked, now having felt bad for lashing out at her.

    "Ice cream doesn''t make people blind, you dolt." She went to grab his shoes and placed them at his feet. "That''s the left foot one. No, your other left¡ªokay, I lied the first time."

    "Sydria."

    "Right."

    When done, she took his arm and led him through the door, briefly grumbling when noticing that Best was crossed out on Best Sister Visiting.

    Seti wasn''t worried. If it was a tumor or something else a medical mage could easily remedy it. They were good enough that diseases and sicknesses weren''t a problem in the world. Research theorized what the world would have been like if diseases ran rampant. More than one horror story made use of that line of thought.

    After a time it became apparent how his directions to Sydria weren''t really getting them where they needed to go. It was much harder to explain when he couldn''t see his surroundings. In the end, she decided to not use his memory and opted for signs and the occasional question to the nearest person.

    "You remember what mom says about vivamancers?" Sydria asked. She was confident in knowing the directions now.

    "She''s paranoid about everything," Seti said. "To her, we''re just one step away from the end of the world."

    "You aren''t scared that they''ll mess with your brain and change your personality or anything?"

    "Highly illegal. Stop worrying."

    Seti knew his mother''s concerns about the topic. A medical mage had access to a person''s physiology, able to heal wounds, but they could also create certain wounds. That included changes to the mind. Not a real concern; a person could also take a knife and murder people, but it wasn''t something to live in fear with.

    When Sydria led him through a doorway the medicinal smell reached him; they had arrived.

    "Hello." A woman''s voice. "Seti, you aren''t one to visit. Or are you the injured person?"

    The woman, likely behind the counter that he remembered should be there, knew his name. That meant he should know her, yet he couldn''t place a name to the voice. If he had his sight he would know immediately.

    "He''s injured," Sydria answered for him. "Some of them are because he was dropped shortly after birth; beyond healer capabilities. Even the divine couldn''t heal him. New symptoms might be curable, though."

    Seti gave his best half-smile in the general direction of where the woman should have been. He realized she was no longer there when she spoke.

    "Poor eyesight?" She asked from his left. He hadn''t heard her move. "You got into a fight with Aiden yesterday, didn''t you? Is this from that?"

    Now he knew who she was. Cassie the undergraduate. From what he could remember she was a black girl who often tied her hair into a ponytail. She was an adept medical mage attempting to have a profession in her arts. Tier three, if he recalled correctly.

    "You got into a fight?" Sydria said, sounding unnaturally proud.

    "We didn''t fight," Seti said. "He got angry and smashed a table."

    "Tut tut tut. You can''t see me right now but you should know that I''m disappointed."

    He ignored her. "I never got touched. Besides, my eyes worked fine last night and now I can''t see anything. How did you even know we clashed?"

    "Please don''t say clashed when you did nothing that amazing," Sydria said.

    "Because he told me." Cassie took his arm. "Come; let me bring you into one of our rooms."

    A moment later she directed him to sit on a bed. Sydria commented on the nude posters once the door closed, though Seti figured they were medical charts.

    Cassie told him that she intended to look at his eyes. Latex gloves snapped on and his eyes pried open, she clicked on a flashlight. Seti expected to see some the darkness light up, like it would through eyelids, though no such thing happened.

    "Pupil nonresponsive," Cassie said.

    "His eye color hasn''t changed. Does that mean he isn''t the normal kind of blind?" Sydria asked.

    "Color change doesn''t happen to all blind people," Cassie responded.

    She had him lie on the bed and then heard a series of machine clicks. He couldn''t help but feel a little claustrophobic as if he was underwater while these tests continued. He closed his eyes to trick himself that the darkness was his choice. He raised his hand and propelled wind forward to his face. The sense of calm eased his anxiety.

    The machine clicks reminded him of his father locking the door. Both of his parents had just argued for the last time. His mother was gone. Seti had wanted to close the door to his room but was afraid it would draw attention. It wouldn''t have mattered in the end since his father sought him out.

    "Stop drawing those childish figures," his father had said.

    On the corners of Seti''s homework assignment was a picture of a person creating a tornado. The drawings became a habit and were on every paper he had touched. Some of them read Wind Mage Seti.

    "It''s time you grew up to be a man," his father continued. "Face reality. You''re a tier one, you have no talent. Erase that garbage and learn more about this."

    An envelope landed next to him and bills spilled out. His allowance. It was more than usual. A hundredfold more.

    Seti opened his eyes to stop the memory, not that his eyes could see. He was gratefully distracted when he heard Sydria fire rapid questions to Cassie, mostly about the clinic and why an older doctor wasn''t nearby.

    "You don''t trust me to know what I''m doing?" Cassie asked, her tone playful. While he didn''t distrust her, his mother''s constant worry about medical mages being the end of the world rang louder than ever.

    "Oh no, I didn''t mean it like that," Sydria said. He would have believed her if not for her remarks about his mother''s fear. "I just meant that someone going blind is pretty serious. I''m surprised there wouldn''t be some sort of supervision to it¡ªoh! Seti, I said supervision, get it? Super vision, something you don''t have."

    Seti rolled his blind eyes.

    Cassie spoke. "There are a lot of mock battles here. It''s part of the curriculum if you make it your focus. As an adept healer, I''m responsible for curing many injured students. I''ve been blessed with being able to heal any damage that''s saturated in aeronite. Ah, I''m going into medical terms, you''ll be bored with that."

    Seti knew the term aeronite. Previously known as mana: the source of power for all adepts and all mancers. That, too, had its name modernized to his disappointment.

    "I see, I see, I see." Sydria spoke with a hint of humor. "Tell me about this Aiden guy, the one that beat up my brother."

    Seti was curious to know what face Cassie had right now.

    "Yesterday Aiden sent someone to the clinic with a broken arm¡ªthe word broken used loosely here¡ªand it took me a bit to heal up." She sighed. "I had a talk with him after and told him not to get into any more fights for the rest of the day. And you want to know what I heard down the corridor shortly after?"

    "My brother screaming for forgiveness?"

    "Sure, let''s go with that. As for Seti here, right now I''m just doing standard tests before I look into his body where I''m expecting to find a tumor or damage to the optic nerve. I don''t think we''ll find any connection with Aiden."

    The machine clicks stopped and Cassie helped him sit up. He stopped blowing air to his face.

    "Will you be able to heal the tumor if there is one?" Seti asked.

    He knew that medical mages had their own limitations in the same way that a fire mage couldn''t weave water, but he didn''t research it enough to know what was what.

    "No, someone else would have to do that. A tumor wouldn''t have any aeronite attached to it since the growth would be natural, for want of a better word."

    "What if," Sydria started, "Aiden the awesome destroyed the table and a sliver got into his eyes? Would that be considered a magical damage or a natural damage?"

    "No one says ''magical'' anymore when talking about this stuff, idiot," Seti said.

    "I''ve heard you call them medical mages several times, dolt."

    Cassie replied. "It would be classified as mancer dealt, because when Aiden destroyed the table it filled the entire area, table included, with aeronite. The splinter damaging the eye would leave traces of that aeronite so my ability would be able to reverse it." She dabbed a wet cotton ball to his finger. "Okay, I''m going to prick your finger to gain access to your body."

    "That sounds dirty," Sydria said.

    Cassie didn''t give a warning when she punctured his middle finger. She put her own finger on the wound. Neither Cassie nor Seti said anything, though Sydria was passing time investigating the room, or at least that''s what Seti figured when something fell with a clang.

    "Sydria."

    "Right. Will stop."

    Cassie removed her finger and dabbed another wet cotton ball. Without warning, she pricked a second finger.

    Seti gasped involuntarily. "Are you doing that for fun?"

    "Lost contact," she said. "Give me another moment."

    Sydria slumped next to him and poked his free hand.

    "Give me some of your air," she said.

    "What? Why?"

    "I like the way it tastes."

    "Tastes?"

    "Not a real taste, obviously, but it feels good." She paused. "Also I shrugged just now; realized you couldn''t see me."

    Seti scrunched his face in thought. Aiden didn''t like his wind. Sydria did like his wind. Mr. Adams seemed serious enough when mentioning Prestige Academy, but his wind was just tier one. What could be done with it? The suggestion to go to a wind temple echoed in his mind.

    "There is nothing wrong with your eyes at all from my inspection," Cassie interrupted his thoughts. "Not even a hint of natural damage. But¡­"

    "But?" Seti pressed.

    "Your mind. Your brain, something is off there."

    "Ah!" Sydria''s smile was evident. "I believe I told you about that already. Dropped shortly after birth. Incurable."

    Cassie withdrew her hand from his and hesitated. "What do you know about the word geas?"

    Seti frowned. "It''s taboo. A geas is a curse set upon someone to act a certain way." And it was the very thing that his mother was afraid of. "Only capable by medical mages."

    "Vivamancers," Cassie corrected. "And yes, it''s illegal to perform."

    "What does a geas have to do with me?" Seti asked. "Do I have a geas on me right now? Is that what''s weird with my mind?"

    "I can remove it," Cassie said quickly. "It wouldn''t be a problem at all."

    "You''re telling me someone messed with my mind?" Seti touched his temple. He cursed. "How the heck did someone do that? Who could possibly¡ª"

    Cassie interjected. "If you let me, I think we could learn a lot more."

    Her breathing increased. Seti sensed something was wrong, but couldn''t put his finger to it. Sydria poked him again, which might have looked like sibling affection at this moment, but he knew she meant something else. When it came to magic that dealt with the mind, there should always be a reputable person doing the work.

    But Cassie was a known adept at school. Not to mention, Seti did think his mother was too paranoid. If his eyes received treatment without having to involve his father, then this whole thing would blow over.

    "Do it," he said.

    "Seti," Sydria started, but he held up his hand and puffed wind at her.

    Cassie pricked a third finger and began working. Previously, Seti felt nothing when she did whatever it was that medical mages do, but this time it was different. He could feel a tapping massage on his skull. The sensation was pleasurable and sent a tingle down his back.

    Then he felt a sudden stamp on the front of his mind.

    What are you doing? He wanted to shout, but his mouth did not obey. In fact, his entire body wouldn''t move at all. He was trapped.

    She had placed a geas on him.

    "Okay, now I''m ready to get working," Cassie said, her tone the same as it had been. "I need complete silence, please."

    Seti couldn''t respond. Horrified, he felt the tapping on his skull once again. The sensation tingled, but that contrasted to the monster who worked on him.

    A second stamp on his mind. This time he felt it a bit behind his ear. He wanted to rub his head at the two locations but was still immobile.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

    The second geas pumped, like a plunger to a toilet. Shortly after, a memory raised itself on the second geas'' call.

    [I hope you enjoyed playing the aeromancer, but they don''t call me the Dream Eater for nothing. Your eyes are gone, and now you won''t remember this. Goodbye!]

    Another pump. More memories returned.

    He remembered the dream he had, the surroundings, the smell, and he remembered Dream Eater, the one that claimed credit for him being blind. All the memories returned in its full detail.

    "Can you see?" Cassie asked.

    He felt the pressure of the first geas ease, but not fully dissipate. His neck prickled, like blood rushing forth. He tried to raise his hands up but failed to do so. He still couldn''t speak, but he could move his neck.

    "Nod if you can see," she ordered.

    Seti blinked a few times and shook his head.

    "Well, what the heck," Cassie said. "I could have sworn it was a memory problem. Give me a second to pull out."

    The pressure at the front of his mind, where the first geas rested, eased further and shrank. By time Cassie let her hand go from his, it was just the size of a penny. The second geas remained untouched.

    His motor control was fully his again. He stretched his fingers and rolled his shoulders as a test.

    What did you do to me? Seti wanted to say but failed. The penny geas throbbed once, causing an instant headache. He gasped.

    "Try saying something else," Cassie said.

    "I got a headache," Seti replied. He rubbed his temple. What happened to me? The question failed to vocalize as the penny geas throbbed once again.

    "That could happen sometimes. Mind if we talk alone?"

    "No way," Sydria said. "Whatever you have to say to him, you can say in front of me. Can''t have you do something weird when I''m not looking."

    Too late for that.

    "It''s fine," he said. "Sydria, wait outside."

    "Are you kidding me? Don''t you remember what¡ª tsk. Fine, go become a zombie for all I care." She fumed, walking out with each step heavy.

    Seti waited for Cassie to speak.

    "Okay, this isn''t as bad as it looks," she said.

    "Screw you," he said. You put a geas on me. As soon as the thought came to his mind a shock of pain followed.

    "The geas of silence is permanent, so you won''t be able to talk about what I did to you. The headache itself will pass after a few seconds."

    "Why do this?" Seti asked.

    "For you, naturally. When I said I saw something wrong with your mind I was serious. Your memory was tampered with and the evidence was slipping away quickly. A few more hours and whatever was wrong with your memory would be irreversible."

    "So you¡ª" decided to paralyze me? The geas throbbed. "Couldn''t you just have asked?"

    "Better to beg forgiveness than to ask permission. I figured you''d forgive me if I got your eyesight back. See, the theory was that a vivamancer took your sight through the use of some memory manipulation, but I was wrong. So¡­ this is awkward." She exhaled. "Look, I can''t have you telling people I went and put a geas on you, hence the silence geas. The second one is a remembrance geas, but it''ll vanish in an hour or two."

    "You can''t honestly think this''ll work. I''ll eventually have another doctor look at me." He didn''t expect he would be able to finish that sentence without another throb.

    "That''s true; a geas is pretty visible to all vivamancers. I planned to remove it after I got your sight back, where you would have been in a good mood. I don''t suppose you''re in a good mood right now, are you? But in case you didn''t know, if someone finds out about the geas, it''ll kill you."

    Seti groaned. He didn''t think a geas was something that was so easily placed. Worse yet, his mother was right about something for once. This was something that ruined a person''s reputation for life. A geas was immoral.

    "If you remove it, I won''t tell anyone what you did."

    "That makes no sense. If you won''t tell anyone what I did, it shouldn''t be a problem for it to stay," she countered. "Let''s just wait a few hours for you to calm down and think things through objectively. Then I''ll remove it and hope the rich kid doesn''t try to get me expelled."

    "Objectively?" He muttered. "You forced yourself on me."

    Then again, if Cassie wanted to really do damage, she could have. Instead, she tried to help him¡ªin the worst possible way, but her intentions weren''t bad, right?

    The door to the room opened. Sydria plopped herself down into a chair.

    "Still not done talking?" Sydria asked. "And here I went all the way down to the caf¨¦ and got me some coffee. I''m not leaving again."

    "It''s fine," Seti said. "Anyway, speaking of memory manipulation stuff, I do remember something."

    "You do? You never said anything about that," Cassie said.

    Of course not, I was too busy being paralyzed.

    "Sec, organizing my thoughts," Seti said. He didn''t dissect his recovered memories since his focus was on the geas problem. He took this time to contemplate.

    Dream Eater was the one that took his eyesight and would have successfully taken his memory too if Cassie didn''t commit the inhumane crime. Dream Eater had said that the assault was petty revenge, and the one she was acting against was some woman who¡­ adored Seti.

    That thought gave him pause. He really wanted to know who this secret admirer was. His dating life wasn''t exactly the most colorful, most likely due to him being rich, but he wasn''t socially inept. Whoever it was, they had done something that sent Dream Eater his way. If what Dream Eater said was true, then he didn''t know who this woman was, and he also would never be able to find a cure for his eyesight.

    While Seti was in thought Cassie received a text with her phone.

    "Oh, something happened with Aiden," Cassie said.

    "What?" Sydria asked.

    "Something about Prestige. Let''s see." A pause. "So you know how Prestige only lets people apply three times before permanently barring entrance? Today was Aiden''s third chance and, instead of denying or approving him, he got a free hotel stay so they could deliberate. I think that''s good news."

    "How lucky! So he texted you that? I guess that means you two get along quite well." Sydria noted with a hum.

    "I suppose so. People get sent here on a weekly basis because of him. I was eventually going to get to know the ''school bully''. He said he''s never seen them give anyone a stay, so here''s to hoping."

    "If we can''t heal Seti''s eyes then it would suck if Aiden was responsible. Wouldn''t that be a jail sentence?"

    "He can''t be," Cassie firmly said.

    "He''s not," Seti confirmed, finally breaking his train of thought. He kept his eyes closed for a lack of better use. "Someone named Dream Eater appeared in my dream last night and said she was going to take my sight, and she also said she was going to remove my memories too. So that explains what happened to me, at least."

    He thought about not telling Cassie anything, out of spite for what she had done, but the truth was that her intentions were meant for good. She genuinely tried to help him and his memories returning was proof of that.

    "Appeared in your dream? I''ve never heard of a mancy like that. Vivamancers always need some form of physical contact to work," Cassie said.

    "A new magic!?" Sydria bounced.

    "I doubt it," Cassie continued, "maybe a specialized vivamancy? I don''t know much about memory alterations, but it sounds like that would be the place to start investigating."

    This meant, since he could no longer keep these events under wraps, he''d have to inform his father of his current predicament. Would he rat out what Cassie had done to him? She was definitely wrong for using geas, but her line of thought wasn''t entirely off base.

    Cassie determined that nothing else could be done for Seti''s sight, but promised a follow-up. He wasn''t sure he wanted her to touch him again but he would like to have the geas removed. Perhaps he would inherit his mother''s paranoia.

    Seti still had to pack in preparation to move out, which meant Sydria had to pack for him due to his blindness. A few days remained before he had to leave the dorm but he may as well use her assistance while he could.

    Before they could begin packing in earnest, their stomachs reminded them that they had forgone breakfast. With the intensity of going blind now calming down, Sydria decided to get food for them. Seti lingered with his thoughts.

    That was all he had now, just his thoughts. He replayed the dream once again and tried to pick apart any detail that he could. He tried to find meaning in any detail, but he wasn''t much of a believer in dream interpretations.

    Even though it wasn''t relevant, Seti reimagined the scene where he summoned forth multiple tornados. He was so powerful then and it was everything he wanted. The counselor, Henry Adams, had mentioned a potential talent with his wind.

    Seti shut down the thought immediately.

    He had caged his inner child long ago. He had accepted reality. He didn''t need distractions from people who didn''t know a thing about his life.

    What would life be like if he couldn''t get his eyes fixed? The world revolved around abilities and technology, and his abilities were shot since they were tier one. Without sight, he wouldn''t be able to join his father''s company nor enjoy the simple pleasures of life. His phone, his TV, the movie theatres, even reading would be gone. Except, on further reflection, his reading ability could be retained with braille. It was going to be a whole new world.

    Seti''s eyes unexpectedly watered. He tried to blink it away. He was grateful that Sydria wasn''t here to witness it; the small blessings. When he failed to remove the moister he tried to gust some wind to his face in an attempt to dry it.

    The geas of remembrance pumped once behind his ear.

    A face appeared in his mind.

    "Holy!" Seti shouted and sat up lightning quick. The face vanished. It looked as if someone had lit a flashlight on themselves when telling a horror story.

    He sighed and laughed, melting into the couch as he did so. It was nothing; just his mind playing tricks on him.

    The second geas shrunk swiftly until it dissipated. Cassie said it would vanish in the hour, so he thought nothing of it. He felt behind his ear, expecting some physical proof that the geas was still there, which was nonsense as the geas had been on his cognizance directly.

    Seti propelled out wind from his hand again and pointed it at the ceiling. In his mind''s eye, he saw the ceiling, exactly where his wind was blowing.

    Seti turned off his wind and the image in his mind ended as well. He turned it back on and pointed it at the TV, which also lit up in his mind. He turned his hand and faced it towards himself. A face appeared again; this time he knew it was his own.

    His wind ability acted like a flashlight to his mind. He could see.

    Blood pumping with excitement, Seti tried it on other objects. It really was like a flashlight. Darkness enveloped him like the night, but his wind denied the darkness. However, there were several major differences.

    First: no color. His mind''s eye only saw the physical shapes of what his wind touched, but it didn''t go beyond that. The rule unfortunately extended to the TV that he turned on with the remote, which he found with his¡ªwhat? Wind light?¡ªbut couldn''t see what was on the screen.

    That remained true for his phone as well as anything written on the calendar. He noted, however, that could see some of the indents on written paper if the pen was pressed down hard enough when used.

    With another test, he learned he wasn''t able to use both hands at the same time as a double source of wind light. When he tried it would just end the wind from the other hand. Nothing new there, as that was true even before he went blind.

    Overall, this was fantastic. While Seti was still blind in every sense of the word, where his eyes were unusable, somehow his wind gave him information allowing him to see the shapes of anything he pointed his hand at. It couldn''t cover a very large distance, like he wasn''t able to see the other end of the room from the entrance door, and the visibility was small, but he could see.

    Seti continued to flicker his wind on and off, getting a feel for his new sight. What caused this recent change? He had used his wind earlier while he was in the clinic, at himself and at Sydria. Nothing lit up in his mind then. Or perhaps it was one of those things where someone loses one of their senses and the others strengthen.

    The most obvious answer, though, was that it had something to do with the geas of remembrance. It had pumped once right before he saw his own face for the first time.

    Which didn''t make sense to Seti. He had felt the geas work when it retrieved his dream memories, but how did memories and his wind ability have anything to do with each other?

    An unknowable amount of time passed (he would have to get an analog clock later) when Seti heard a knock on the door. He had his mouth wide open so he could control air down his throat. To satisfy his curiosity.

    "Who is it?" Seti stood and used his wind light to guide himself towards the door. He would have thought it to be Sydria, but since she had a key to the room he would have expected her to walk in. It was equally true that she was too playful and probably saw an opportunity to play another trick.

    "It''s Cassie," she said, her voice muffled through the door. "I come in peace."

    Seti opened the door and had his hand held up to let his wind light shape what it could. Without colors it was hard to identify her, even knowing who it was.

    "What are you doing?" She asked with a glance at his hand.

    With the wind light, he saw her mouth move as she spoke. He never knew mouths could be so strange.

    "I assume you''re here to¡ª" remove the geas. The geas of silence throbbed.

    She stepped in and fidgeted at the entrance. "Sister''s not here?"

    Seti shook his head as he navigated the room, avoiding packed bags, to sit on the couch.

    "You can see?" She asked.

    "Yes and no," he replied. "Still blind, but I can see with this."

    He pointed his hand up and drove wind towards her. She was far enough where he could only pick up small detailed bits and pieces of her face. She looked badly pixelated.

    "What!?" She made her way to the couch next to him and looked at his hand as if it was something amazing. He pulled it away reflexively. "You''re able to see with your ability? With the use of aeronite? How does that work? How do you see?"

    "You''re not going to use a geas on me if I don''t tell, will you?"

    She rolled her eyes. "Oh come on, I would never use a geas on someone. That''s illegal."

    "There''s no camera or bugs set up in this room," Seti said.

    She shrugged.

    He thought for a moment then sighed. "Okay, I''ll admit that objectively it makes sense. With what happened, I mean. There''s got to have been a better way to do it, though, since it was a terrifying experience."

    "What was a terrifying experience?" She asked. Playing dumb.

    He ignored the question. "As for my sight, I think it might have been because of¡­ the second one." He worried that saying the word geas would make his head pound.

    "Huh. How does that work?"

    "You tell me," Seti said, "you''re the medical mage."

    "Vivamancer," she corrected, then after a thought added, "and I''m not a vivamancer, I''m only an adept. But if what you say is true, then you owe me one!"

    It was Seti''s turn to roll his eyes.

    "Anyway, since you''re in a good mood, you want it gone or not?" She asked. "And in case anyone''s listening, I''m talking about his virginity."

    He didn''t dignify her with a reply. Using a geas was reproachable, and by rights Cassie should be reported. For now he needed it removed. He held out his hand. This would be the last time he would let any medical mage touch him. Cassie took out a needle and pricked a finger (without using a wet cotton ball this time, he noticed), then placed hers on the fresh wound. Seti felt the tingling sensation as she tapped around his skull.

    A new geas stamped on his head. He wanted to pull his hand away but couldn''t. He was paralyzed once again.

    "It''s a joke!" She laughed. "Don''t be mad."

    Just as quickly as the new geas appeared, it vanished. The penny geas also disappeared in an instant.

    Seti cursed as he rubbed his finger. "You''re a psycho."

    "And you''re free."

    "Cassie put a geas on me!" He shouted. No pulse denied his words.

    "That''s a lie," she said. "They can search your mind all they want and they won''t ever find anything."

    "Well, congratulations, you are safe from expulsion," he said sarcastically.

    "Oh, you don''t know?" Cassie stood up and walked around the room, examining any portraits. "I''ve already been expelled. Expelled-ish."

    "Already? For what? The geas?"

    "Allegedly for the geas." She paused as she reached the calendar on the fridge to let out a soft laugh.

    "Since I''m alive I guess you know it wasn''t me," Seti said.

    "If I, hypothetically, did put a geas on you, I would have lied about the death trigger. To keep you quiet. Can I be gushy for a bit?" She leaned against the kitchen counter. "I hate how everyone''s so scared of stuff they don''t understand. A geas is only as scary as you make it. A remembrance geas? You wouldn''t have to study for another test again; you would just know everything. Someone defects from the enemy? Loyalty geas. Someone gets hunger pangs because they''re fat and want to lose weight? Suppressant geas. I just hate how everyone is so stupid."

    "With good reason," Seti said. "You removed all my free will in an instant; with just a touch. No one should have that much power."

    "Except they already do. The Shepherds? The guilds? They could level cities if they wanted to. Look, I guess I just wanted you to understand me. I didn''t mean any harm, really. And I didn''t ask permission because you wouldn''t understand and I know I won''t violate any real moral issues. It was the best decision at the time to a time-sensitive problem. I''m sorry you felt the way you did, but I''m not sorry for doing what I could do." She pushed herself off the counter. "Gushy time over. This''ll be the last time we meet, with the expulsion and all."

    The funny thing was that Seti could understand what she was saying, and probably would have been more empathetic if she hadn''t placed the geas on him. It was similar in the technological world; the pushback could be severe when an advancement made an older system obsolete. Sometimes people didn''t want to learn more about new concepts. As for Cassie, he knew he should report her, but the working theory was the remembrance geas was the reason he could see. She may be immoral, but he couldn''t deny the benefits he received.

    "Fine," Seti said. "Fine, fine, fine. I''ll testify that you didn''t do any geas business with me. I''ll make sure Sydria backs us up. Our testimony will get you reinstated for the new school year. I''ll talk to my pops about it."

    Cassie smiled. "Your dad was the one that got me expelled."

    He stared at her. He turned off his air to encircle himself with darkness once again. Eyes closed, he considered several possible scenarios.

    "Sydria¡ªshe told my father, had to. There was no one else who knew." He thought about the events at the clinic. As far as his sister knew, he already had a geas and Cassie tried to fix the problem. "I don''t get why my pops would want you expelled for this. I''ll make sure everything gets¡ª"

    "Let me correct myself," Cassie said. "It was your father, but also wasn''t. It was the Shepherds. They finally saw this as an opportunity to snag me."

    "Shepherds? But why?" Seti was at a loss.

    Cassie explained her situation. "They''ve wanted me to join them for ages. Tried to use incentives to make me come, but I didn''t want to be part of that life. The peaceful, law-abiding life of a citizen is the one for me." She grinned.

    "I still don''t get why they want you. They have plenty of medical mages, don''t they?"

    "Vivamancers," she corrected automatically again. She paced around the dorm, more at ease than what she had been. "I''m unique with what I can do, as I''ve already told you. Some vivamancers can only work with blood, others with legs, feet, muscles, or organs. But me? I''m capable of total restoration of any aeronite damage. I''m a little useful I guess."

    "Extremely useful, I would say."

    Seti compiled his thoughts once more. So Sydria had called his father while she was out, who in turn contacted the Shepherds to do what? Investigate Dream Eater? To find some healer? It depended on what his sibling said. Regardless, the Shepherds caught wind and decided to act for their benefit; some pressure on the university and the end result was Cassie''s expulsion.

    "We can fight this," he finally said. "If their case is based on what my sister said, I can guarantee you that my testimony will help you."

    "No need, I''ve already accepted attendance at Prestige Academy."

    He frowned. "How does that work? Going to Prestige after getting expelled here is like getting demoted with a raise."

    "You remember Aiden? The one your sister says beat you up?" She was smirking when Seti shined his wind light on her. "He had his last Prestige application test this morning. They told him they were going to deliberate. Turns out they intended to use that as bait for me to join the Shepherds. If I go to Prestige, they''ll let Aiden attend. If not, well, then that''s that."

    "Coercion," Seti said.

    She golf clapped. "They already planned to use Aiden as bait to get me to go, since they know¡ªuh, well anyway, the fact that they think I tampered with a geas without authorization made them threaten to press charges. I''ve lost this battle of wits, so I''ve accepted."

    If she resigned herself to go to Prestige then there was nothing left to do. He did understand the feeling of having a planned future stolen, but her alternative didn''t seem so bad, whereas his future was literally dark. He''d have to find a way to heal his eyesight. In the meantime, perhaps he could strengthen his wind light into something more manageable.

    "You want to know something funny?" Seti said. "Mr. Adams suggested I go to Prestige as well. Something about going to a wind temple to advance my abilities, or whatever. Might be useful considering that I can see with my wind now."

    Cassie froze. "Mr. Adams? Our counselor Henry Adams? The same one that transferred here from New Vox? He suggested you go to Prestige?"

    "Quite the joke, huh?"

    "No¡ªdefinitely not. I think he''s legit. I don''t know what he saw in you; maybe it has to do with how weird your air is?"

    "Like being able to see with it?" Seti considered.

    She shook her head. "He doesn''t know about that."

    "I don''t know then; he only told me to go to a wind temple." It annoyed Seti that Mr. Adams wasn''t more specific. What''s the point of offering a recommendation to Prestige Academy but not argue it further? Or maybe he argued it enough and Seti was just too dismissive.

    "It probably has to do more with the way it tastes," Cassie said.

    "I really wish you guys would use a different word. What do you mean by taste?"

    "I only said it like that because your sister did." Cassie rubbed her chin. "When I first entered the room with your wind on me, it felt¡­ oppressive? I don''t know, I felt like I was suffocating. I couldn''t stand it so I had to walk away. But now it doesn''t feel like anything; just normal air that most people would expect. Does that make sense?"

    "When did it stop feeling oppressive?" Seti asked.

    She thought for a moment. "You know, now that you mention it, it felt normal after my gushy moment. Weird."

    The dorm room door opened and Sydria entered with grocery bags. On point too, since his stomach grumbled disapprovingly.

    "Oh, Cassie!" Sydria placed the bags down on the counter. "Eat with us. It''ll be a graduation breakfast¡ªlunch, now, I guess."

    A chipper request considering that she caused an expulsion. He set his wind light to see Cassie''s reaction, but unfortunately, the light breeze made her aware that she was being watched.

    "No, thank you," Cassie said politely as she walked towards the door. "And Seti, I don''t know how helpful vivamancers are going to be with your eyes, but you should definitely go to a wind temple if that''s what Henry recommended. Who knows, maybe we''ll see each other soon after all?"

    After she left, Sydria prepared the meal while chatting away about her trip to the store. Seti ignored her and mulled over his current options.

    The first was to pursue the business of Dream Eater even further. Cassie doubted anything could be done, but the world was vast; someone would have answers. He also wasn''t too fond of living in darkness.

    Alternatively, he could try to expand his wind light. That was only a temporary solution to his overarching problem, but his inner child was screaming loudly. It was a voice he had shut out years ago.

    During the happier days, Seti would watch TV and absorb all the news he could about wind mages. When he heard reports of one fighting against a member of the mafia or the abyss fiends, his own pride swelled. He always thought he would join the ranks of the greatest wind mages.

    But reality said it wasn''t possible. A tier one could never make a tornado, call a gale, or any other surges. Seti couldn''t do anything incredible. Spending large sums of money was the way he felt power, even if that was hollow.

    The inner child screamed out all the same. It wanted to go to a wind temple and find a teacher¡ª to grow, to train. His wind light and the taste of his air, it wanted to learn it all. The child wanted to challenge the blindness through wind. It was a na?ve thought, but the idea of using wind usefully awakened something. Seti couldn''t help but smile.

    He decided to meet an aeromancer.

 Chapter 3 - Enter Faulkner

    Chapter 3 - Enter Faulkner

    On Sunday morning Seti and Sydria were driving to the city of Maybell.

    Sydria found out about his wind light when they ate last night. Thinking she was invisible to all working eyes, she got caught picking her nose. Seti would have loved to see the color of her face when he told her to stop, all while looking down on his plate. Being able to see when people thought he wasn''t looking could do wonders for him.

    He hoped his wind light could grow, or expand because it was like permanently living in a world without the sun and only a flashlight on hand. He repeatedly had to propel wind at himself to reduce the level of frustration.

    Seti still hadn''t confronted Sydria about contacting their father, nor had she mentioned that she did so. While it was the Shepherds that pushed towards Cassie''s expulsion, it was Sydria''s loud mouth that allowed everything to happen in the first place. She needed to learn that her thoughtless actions had consequences.

    At the same time, Seti remained conflicted about feeling bad for Cassie at all. She placed a geas on him without his permission, and the feeling of helplessness gnawed him. But it did ultimately help him, in more ways than one. Regaining the dream memories gave him an idea of why he went blind, and he also believed that the remembrance geas had helped create the wind light.

    The thing that struck most odd to Seti was that his father still hadn''t said a word about his blindness to him. Perhaps pops would say nothing until Seti got home and informed him in person. That sounded like something he would do. He was grateful that his father wasn''t home after he finished moving out of the dorm. Had his father been there, it was likely Seti would experience a berate session about his desire to learn more about his adept abilities.

    "We''ve passed at least three temples already," Sydria tried saying again, "why does it have to be the one halfway across the galaxy?"

    "This one is the best," Seti said once more. He had not told her that he picked the Maybell temple specifically because his counselor mentioned it. Temples tended to reject people if they were too low tiered, as he was. If the counselor saw something in him, then maybe the recommended temple would see something too.

    "I don''t know, I can''t see why it would matter," she said.

    "When you learn about your abilities and decide to train them, then you''ll understand."

    Sydria said nothing.

    He was at least pleased that she focused on this topic rather than him deciding to train his wind before trying to restore his eyes again.

    The three-hour drive was painfully long. There was only so much in the car for him to look at with his wind light. He tried testing his ability further by using the wind light outside the car window. But unfortunately, the real wind outside overpowered his so he never got to see past the interior.

    He brought his earphones and plugged them into his cellphone. Sydria had helped him navigate to his music playlist, giving him some semblance of normalcy.

    A game he played in secret was pretending to sleep while he gently used his wind light on Sydria. He didn''t think she noticed the wind, but just as she was about to habitually pick at her nose, she slowly turned her head and saw his semi-hidden hand. He roared with laughter as she kept hitting him and calling him a wind pervert.

    When they finally arrived in Maybell, Sydria slowed the car down, followed by a comment or two about her hating cities. She kept glancing down at her phone to make sure she didn''t miss any turns before they arrived.

    "It''s closed," Sydria said. They were driving as fast as a car could when one didn''t press the pedal. Since Seti couldn''t see, he wasn''t able to know if a car was behind them, forced to match their speed.

    "Maybe because it''s a Sunday," Seti commented, "but that makes no sense; temples don''t close. This makes it all the more annoying that they didn''t have a website or a phone number to call them with." Perhaps he should have asked Mr. Adams for more information about the temple. It would be quite embarrassing to drive three hours and have nothing to show for it. Maybell only had one wind temple, according to the online maps, but perhaps Mr. Adams meant something else.

    "There are two people in front of the gate, just standing there," Sydria said.

    "What do they look like?"

    "The guy looks like a punk, like the real meaning of the word punk. Your age, maybe? And a little girl."

    "Perfect, let''s park and go talk to them." Better to get what information they could before making the decision to drive back.

    It took her another five minutes to learn the wind temple had no other entrances or parking spots, so Sydria had to pay the parking meter for two hours. She took Seti by the arm and led him towards the temple gate.

    Using his wind light outside was harder than he thought it would be. The world''s natural wind would push Seti''s away if it was heavy enough. He couldn''t get used to seeing his sight bend out of shape before it flickered off.

    When the natural wind was gentle he managed to get a glimpse of his surroundings. The temple grounds barred entrance with a brick wall all around. It went as high as ten feet if he had to guess.

    A moment later they were at the gate where the punk man leaned against it and the young girl loitered. Seti wasn''t sure if the two were actually with the temple until the man grumbled when they stopped before them.

    "We''re closed. Get lost."

    The man had a piercing chain from his nose to his ear and four piercings on his lips. He also wore a trilby hat and a vest over his dress shirt. The sleeves of the dress shirt were rolled up, showing off a well-defined forearm. His clothes became him. This man was fit.

    Seti did what he could to not draw attention to his hand. He had a tinge of uneasiness when he focused his wind light on the man, expecting him to react; Cassie had said it felt oppressive to her. Fortunately, nothing happened.

    "If you get lost, make sure you find yourself right after," the little girl said in a chipper voice. She was probably ten years old, dolled up with her hair in curls and wore a dress.

    "When is it open?" Seti asked.

    "Never," the punk man replied. "Closed indefinitely. Read the sign. Or are you blind?" He gestured towards the gate. Seti adjusted his wind light to see a piece of paper taped to the door.

    "He is, as a matter of fact," Sydria snapped. "Are you always so rude or did that happen when someone pierced your brain?"

    The punk man clapped his hands together and pushed himself away from the gate. He slowly separated his hands and a dagger formed between his hands. It looked solid to Seti, but he knew that it was ethereal. A phasm weapon¡ªthe crafter''s spell. The man took a step forward. Sydria gripped Seti''s arm harder but stood straight in defiance.

    It would be nice if he could go home alive.

    "No, you are in the wrong, Melvin," the little girl said as she pulled on his vest. "You can''t go calling blind people blind and then not expect them to get mad."

    The punk man, Melvin, clicked with his tongue and leaned against the wall again. He flicked the dagger up and watched it dissipate into the air.

    "I am so sorry," the girl apologized. "We meant no disrespect. Please accept our apologies." And she bowed a bit to that.

    "I need an aeromancer to help me," Seti tried again. "I''m blind but my wind lets me see when I use it. I''m hoping to someone could give me a pointer or two, then I''ll leave right after."

    "Listen, kiddo," Melvin started, looking down at Seti''s hand, "I don''t care if you can summon the lightless or are a mancer of every element known to man. You ain''t getting in."

    "I was told to come here," Seti said.

    Melvin''s face twisted. "Who told you that?"

    "A counselor at Lambsgard University, Henry Adams."

    Seti almost missed the reactions between the little girl and Melvin, since his wind light didn''t have a large view. Melvin himself frowned deeply, whereas the girl''s eyes opened wide.

    "Never heard of him," Melvin said. He crossed his arms and tapped his finger. The little girl looked at Melvin in confusion, then realized something and nodded as well.

    It couldn''t have been more obvious that they were lying. He wouldn''t be stopped here just because a punk guy said they couldn''t get in.

    "I recommend taking some courses on acting. I don''t think anyone here is fooled," Seti said. "I don''t know how you know Mr. Adams, but I drove three hours to get here. I''m going to talk to someone."

    "Actually, I drove," Sydria whispered.

    "Pissin'' abyss you are," Melvin spat back. "I decide who goes in and who doesn''t. Your ugly face better not be here in thirty seconds."

    Seti had his wind light focused on Melvin, waiting for him to get physically aggressive. He wanted him to calm down but couldn''t think of anything clever to say. Sydria, however, didn''t forget the presence of the little girl.

    "Please," Sydria pleaded with her. "We just want to talk to someone."

    The girl moaned with indecision. She kept stealing glances at Melvin looking for a cue. "If Henry said¡ª"

    "Dora. Be quiet." Melvin glared at Seti for a moment longer before he heaved a sigh. "I better not get in trouble for this. Go get Elder Poe."

    "Finally! Something interesting to do." The little girl saluted and trotted to the gate, opening it. It creaked heavily, indicating its weight, but she had no problem.

    The natural wind of the world picked up, disabling Seti''s sight temporarily. They waited in silence until the gate creaked again.

    "This is them, grandpa!" Dora said.

    "Greetings," an older voice said. "It is a pleasure to meet you. I am Poe."

    "I am Seti. This is my sister, Sydria. We were recommended here by Henry Adams." Seti kept trying to get his wind light started again, but the natural gust wouldn''t allow it.

    "Dora here says you are blind and capable of seeing with your abilities? Are you an adept or a mancer?"

    "I''m only a tier one, so an adept."

    Melvin snickered.

    Seti felt his cheeks flush. While the term adept applied to all tiers between one and four, an unspoken belief existed that tier one people should be given a different title altogether. The purpose was to disassociate them from the rest of the ability users.

    "May we test it?" Elder Poe asked.

    He tried to start his wind light again but watched it die off quickly. "I can''t while there''s a strong breeze."

    "Or a yawn," Melvin supplied.

    "Melvin! You can''t make fun of people just because they''re weak," Dora said.

    Dora, for all her considerations, wasn''t helping.

    Suddenly, "Holy!" Sydria yelped at his side.

    "It would appear that you are indeed blind," Elder Poe said. What just happened? "Please, come inside. Dora, if you will."

    Dora took Seti''s hand and guided him forward, with Sydria close behind. He grimaced when Melvin blew air at him and laughed. Once they went through the gate Seti felt the breeze die down, so he turned on his wind light. He still couldn''t see very far and barely glimpsed at anything beyond Elder Poe. He had yet to see the temple. Melvin wasn''t with them, so he likely remained at the gate.

    Elder Poe was wearing a traditional temple outfit. His hands were invisible behind the overly long sleeves. He was a bald man with a long beard growing from his chin.

    Once they crossed a wooden bridge over a small stream, Elder Poe turned around, halting their progress.

    "This will do. Thank you, Dora," the elder gave a meaningful look at the young girl, but by time Seti moved his wind light to her she was only smiling happily. "Now then, let me see what you can do."

    Dora let go of his hand and stepped away. Elder Poe instructed Seti to face another direction, then detect how many fingers the elder was holding up. With the wind light, it was the easiest thing for him to do. Elder Poe continued the tests, alternating hands and sometimes informing that his "guess" was incorrect, but Seti knew better.

    "Fascinating. Your perception is quite high," Elder Poe said. "Though I am unsure if the word perception is correct."

    "What do you mean?" Seti asked.

    "How do you see with your wind?"

    "Like an image in my head, but without any color. I can''t read the words on a piece of paper, or see the image that a TV displays, but I can see the shape of those objects."

    Elder Poe stroked his beard. That was when a woman walked into Seti''s view, to the elder''s side. The first thing Seti noticed about her was that she was wearing some bandage wrappings around her eyes, covering them completely. Maybe she was blind, too?

    She clasped her fist into her other hand a bowed slightly; her bob stylized hair swayed forward. "The young master wishes to meet with the guest." Her voice was mature; most likely in her late thirties. She wore a suit with a tie, a deep contrast to the elder''s temple garments.

    Elder Poe frowned. "He just wants to delay the meeting. Tell him that I will handle this personally."

    The blindfold woman held her bowed position. "Yes. He said that when you say that, to say: ''I want to meet them anyway.''"

    This young master reminded Seti of a spoiled brat. Maybe he was the same age as Dora.

    Elder Poe countered again. "Tell him he can''t meet anyone and should focus instead."

    "Yes. The young master said that when you say that, to say: ''breaks are necessary to relieve stress.''"

    "Bah, he has no stress. Regardless," Elder Poe started, taking a glance at Seti, "there is a risk to bringing the¡­ uninitiated into the temple."

    "Yes. He said that when you say that¡ª"

    "Yes, yes." Elder Poe waved his hand dismissively. "Lead them if you wish."

    Sydria returned to Seti''s side and took his arm again during the conversation. He would have felt bad for being the uninvited guest, but a larger picture was at play here: Seti needed to better his wind light skill.

    Seti and Sydria followed the woman down the temple grounds until they stood before the patio. The patio began to sink into the ground, or at least that''s what he thought until Sydria exclaimed.

    "Wow! You''re a geomancer."

    He looked around at their feet and learned that it wasn''t the patio that was sinking, but rather they were the ones that rose up. The ground they stood acted as an elevator to the second floor of the temple. When the floating rock (or pillar, Seti didn''t know) stopped moving, the blindfold woman created a geo-made bridge and walked forward into the temple.

    He expected to pass other people, like temple maidens or butlers, but there were none. The area was quiet.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    After walking through the large temple, their guide finally opened a paper door and gestured for them to enter. The room was stuffy and smelled of wood.

    "Welcome! Welcome, indeed."

    Inside the room were three elders, all dressed in a similar fashion to Elder Poe, and the man who was presumably the young master. The young master also wore a suit, with no tie, and instead had the top three buttons of his dress shirt undone. He wore his suit jacket like one might a cape, with the empty sleeves hanging. His hands were in his pocket while he leaned against a window, with his dress shirt sleeves rolled up. And just like with Melvin, the young master wasn''t lacking in muscles. His long hair was tied back in a ponytail.

    He grinned through the cigarette in his mouth. "Do you know who I am?"

    Seti shook his head. He had difficulty identifying people he already knew as it was, so a stranger he may have seen in the past was definitely out of the question. Sydria also shook her head.

    "I am Faulkner. Does that ring any bells?" The young master was expectant. Though called the young master, he wasn''t young in the way that Seti thought; in fact, he was probably the blindfold woman''s age.

    Again the two siblings shook their head. The elders exchanged glances.

    "Ah, I''ll pretend I''m not disappointed. Our temple may or may not have been on a reality TV show a few years back, but I suppose all fame dies out eventually. Now then, with whom am I speaking?"

    Seti introduced himself and Sydria. "I was recommended here by Henry Adams. I''m hoping to get some help with my wind."

    "Of course!" Faulkner gestured wildly with his hands. "Shame on us if we don''t help those in need. Isn''t that right, Elder Narn?"

    One of the elders sighed. He must have taken that as a reason to leave because he led the other two elders out of the room. The entrance door remained open with the blindfold lady still there.

    "So you''ll help me?" Seti asked.

    "Now wait a moment," Faulkner raised up a finger. "If we''re going to waste time we''ll have to do it right. Let''s start from the beginning. Come, come. Sit."

    Faulkner brought them to a short table without chairs. He sat crisscrossed on one end and indicated that the two of them should do the same.

    "Shanna! Drinks!"

    The blindfold woman was gone by time Seti turned his hand to see her. He took the opportunity to look around the room with the best of his ability. It was fairly empty, excluding the table they sat at now and a gym mat at the other end of the room. A display of swords rested near the mat, and an open window helped clear the stuffiness of the room.

    Sydria poked him sharply on the side. Seti focused back to Faulkner, who had been watching his hand.

    "Interesting." He puffed on the cigarette and exhaled the smoke. Seti expected the smoke to hinder his wind light in some way, but there was no issue. "Not only sight, but it messes with emotions, too."

    Seti tilted his head in confusion. Was he referring to the taste of his air, that Sydria and Cassie mentioned?

    "Huh," Sydria said. "I can''t smell the cigarette."

    Now that she mentioned it, he realized that he couldn''t smell it either. Faulkner''s grin grew.

    "When you become as good as me, you''ll be able to do more than this."

    "So you''re an aeromancer?" Seti asked.

    He took another puff. "I don''t like titles, but if I had to choose between calling myself one or not, then yeah, I''m a master aeromancer. Best in the world. King of the skies. Emperor of the clouds. But who likes titles?" He shrugged. "So you know our good buddy Adams?"

    Shanna, the blindfold woman, came into the wind light view suddenly, causing him to jump. She had a tray with three cups on it and placed it before them. It smelled like tea.

    "Young master, you must remember that we aren''t aware of him," she said.

    "Oh. Right. Who''s this Adams guy? I don''t know him." Faulkner peered into the contents of each cup. "What''s this? Where''s my stuff?"

    "Elder Narn prepared them." Shanna stood straight and held the tray at her side. How was she able to see with her blindfold?

    "Tch." Faulkner lifted a cup and smelled it. "It''s probably poisoned with something. Return it; guess I''ll just die of thirst."

    Shanna bent down and collected Faulkner''s cup, but left the other two. "You will not die. I''ll try to get you something you like, but it will take me a little bit."

    "That''s why I love you, Shanna."

    Shanna didn''t react at all and left the room.

    Seti cleared his throat. "Maybe I should mention that I''m a tier one adept. I''m not looking to do anything amazing; I just want to help expand my¡ªuh, sight, I suppose is the way to say it."

    "So you got the worst of both worlds: tier one and a wind user."

    Sydria sipped her tea. "Why is it a bad thing to be a wind user?" She asked.

    "Nobody wants to be one!" Faulkner said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "For example, even a tier one fire adept can be useful. Fire is fire no matter how ''weak'' it is. Only you can prevent forest fires! For earth users, they have the best employment opportunities; I''m sure you can imagine the need when constructions abound, roads to fix, debris to clear after a battle, and so on. Those silly mafians," He smiled to himself. "And with water, it can shape the environment and help plant life. So what can air do? Be an air conditioner? It''s useful on a hot day, I''ll admit that."

    Seti picked up his cup. He pictured what it would be like if he was able to manipulate water instead of air. He could have easily weaved the tea directly from the cup to his mouth, all without touching the cup itself. That sounded cooler than what he was able to do with his wind if he excluded the wind light.

    "Can''t wind suffocate people?" Sydria asked. "Like, remove air from a spot."

    "We went from career choices to killing people," Seti noted.

    "Killing people with abilities are what most people care about," Faulkner said with a laugh. "As for the void technique, you''d think so, but any aeromancer that tried knows it''s quite the task. At best, what we''re capable of is limiting the amount of air a person could breathe. Nothing too fancy."

    Faulkner waved his hand dismissively. "But all this talk about how to expertly kill someone with wind dampens the mood. Around here, tiers and numbers don''t mean much. If you''re strong, you''re strong. Doesn''t matter what your mancy is."

    "Melvin thinks otherwise," Seti said.

    "Melvin couldn''t even beat Eustuss. We made fun for days. Don''t worry about him; let''s talk about your ability. Were you always able to see with wind?"

    Seti explained his situation. From his pre-blind state and how his wind worked in comparison to now. He told Faulkner what rules he knew and limitations; that included how natural wind could push aside his wind and disable it. He made it a point to not mention Cassie and the geas; people tended to freak out when it came to unauthorized geas use.

    Faulkner rubbed his chin and stared into space. He expected the young master to ponder on how he could see with the wind now, and not before, but the line of questioning went somewhere else. He asked Seti how the blindness came, to which Seti answered about details regarding Dream Eater. The irrelevant information, like pretending to be a Shepherd in the dream, was left out.

    "I''ve never heard of someone being able to enter dreams," Faulkner said. "And I''m well versed in the unique mancer skillsets of the world. I even know of a vivamancer that doesn''t need to physically touch someone to work on them, but he can''t enter dreams."

    Seti thought about Cassie pricking his finger with a needle. She needed access to an injury to scan his body. If a healing mage didn''t need to touch someone to place a geas on them, then that person would be a powerful individual indeed. He wondered what the countermeasures were for that.

    Shanna reappeared again, this time with only a single cup. Faulkner flicked his cigarette towards the open window, though Seti couldn''t see quickly enough if it made it outside. Shanna placed the cup before Faulkner, who beamed back at her as she left. Seti was curious to know the contents of the cup, but he wasn''t able to smell anything. The young master had claimed he could control smell with use of his aeromancy, which was something Seti had never considered possible.

    "You said my wind messes with emotions?" Seti brought up.

    "Yes, it''s your niche," Faulkner said.

    "Niche? I''ve never heard that term used with a mancy before," Seti said.

    "No? How familiar are you with aeromancy?"

    Seti considered how to respond. He used to fanboy over wind mages and other mancer skills in general, but after his father pushed those fantasies away Seti avoided that knowledge like the plague. He did, after all, want to "grow up."

    "I only know what I knew when I was a kid. I don''t know the science behind it since it wasn''t relevant to my life anymore."

    "That''s unfortunate," Faulkner said, then considered for a moment. "Or fortunate, from a certain point-of-view. That makes you a blank slate. A niche is something unique to each person, separate from their mancy. Take Shanna for example, she''s a geomancer. Geomancers, by default, are very slow to use their mancy. Her niche counteracts that and allows her to mold earth freely. She''s instantly a star by that alone¡ªif you exclude her inability to kinetically throw rocks."

    Huh. Seti didn''t know about another layer to mancer skills. The focus was always on what element a person used or what craft they could make. Or maybe this was what they meant when people spoke of an aeromancer specializing in twisters while another could fly effortlessly. It was no wonder the word mage was replaced with mancer; mage implies spells at their disposal, but a mancer with a specific niche was isolated to their boundaries.

    "A niche with emotions could probably propel a person to feel a certain way, though I''m not sure of the logistics behind it. I don''t imagine it to be terribly powerful if it wasn''t noticed at your tiering." Then Faulkner stared off into space. "Oh. How nosy. I don''t imagine Henry recommended you to Prestige as well?"

    "As a matter of fact, he did. I don''t think he did the paperwork though, I didn''t exactly give the impression of joy and happiness." Seti changed sitting positions and leaned forward. He was all ears to hear more on the subject. However, Faulkner remained silent and didn''t offer anything further.

    Sydria, on the other hand, wasn''t silent. "You were recommended to Prestige? As a tier one? They''ll never let you in."

    Faulkner only smiled.

    "So, my wind, are we able to train it?" Seti asked, ignoring his sister.

    "Of course," Faulkner replied. "The wind light is a simple matter, actually. Let''s do it now. Ready?"

    Seti nodded and stood, hopping in place to get the blood flowing through his legs again, all while Faulkner remained sitting.

    "You can sit; we aren''t going anywhere." Faulkner gestured him back to his seat. "Okay, now with your wind light, from what you''ve told me it works like a flashlight, sending information directly to your brain. Up until now, you''ve been focusing on the point of impact; I want you to try to focus on the light itself. Get a feel for it."

    "A feel for it?"

    "Yeah, your wind is a conduit of information, and I believe you can control it."

    Seti closed his eyes instinctively. It did nothing, of course, as his sight came from his wind. He zoned into the wind light, attempting to see if it would respond to any prodding. Then, like a filter applied to a picture, he felt that his wind consisted of thousands of tiny dots¡ªair particles, maybe¡ªall flooding towards Faulkner and vanishing as it collided.

    "Whoa, okay, I can sense the makeup of my wind. They feel like dots."

    "Try to imagine control of one of those dots and move it away from the rest," Faulkner suggested.

    Seti did just that. A small particle left the highway of light; it shined like a star in the dark night. He made the particle dance in a circle above his other hand, and then made it crash into his palm. The light particle vanished and, for only a moment, he could see that part of his hand.

    Seti spent the next few minutes testing what he could do. Sydria, now bored, talked with Faulkner, who was content to let him practice on his own. He realized he could move several particles around at once and tested his control over them. It wasn''t long before he commanded the entirety of the wind light to spread out.

    Thousands of dots went in its own direction, eager to obey his directive. Some towards Faulkner, lighting the young master in his mind once more, while others hit Sydria, who had been out of his original view; neither reacted as the air struck them. The freed particles zoomed on as shooting stars in the night sky until they hit anything they could, crashing into walls and the ceiling. Particles that hit objects vanished shortly after, sending the information to Seti''s mind. In a matter of seconds, the entire room appeared in his mind.

    The opened window had a ladybug on the edge. Above them, a ceiling fan that Seti missed completely, and a fly rested on one of the blades. The gym mat across the room rippled where people had stepped, each and every wave detailed like the ocean.

    "I can see everything!" Seti excitedly interrupted them. His heart beat wildly. He could see! The world remained colorless, but that was a small vice to a view of the entire room.

    Just as quickly as the room lit up, it darkened. It took a moment for Seti to realize that no one had flicked the light switch off, but instead, his wind light stopped working. His world was darkness. He was back to being fully blind.

    "Umm," Seti started, "I can''t use my abilities anymore."

    "Of course you can''t," Faulkner said. "Our mancer abilities are like muscles. If you don''t use them, then they deteriorate. If you work them out, they tear and repair. Right now your abilities are in repair mode." Seti heard a clap from the other side of the table. "Congratulations, you have taken your first step in the world."

    ***Break***

    It wasn''t long after when Faulkner insisted that they stayed to eat. Seti was quick to accept the offer, whereas Sydria didn''t want to impose more than necessary, claiming she didn''t want to incur the wrath of the four elders. Especially when it was clear the two siblings interrupted a meeting.

    "This is a once in a lifetime event for me," Seti argued silently. "And you heard Faulkner, he needs a break."

    Seti was still fully blind since his abilities hadn''t repaired itself yet. Faulkner gave reassurance that he had expected this to happen. The aeromancer compared Seti to a toddler who learned to walk for the first time. He should be able to use his wind light again by the next morning.

    And when his abilities did come back? Seti knew that his wind light had become something else entirely. The view of the entire room had been available from every angle, which surpassed all expectations. He would effectively have eyes at the back of his head.

    Melvin and Dora entered the courtyard for dinner. Shanna was grilling hamburgers at Faulkner''s behest, using Seti''s blindness as an excuse.

    "It''s easier to eat a hamburger when one''s blind, right?" Faulkner had said.

    Dora, eager to be useful, led Seti to a picnic table on the temple grounds. Melvin stole the grill from Shanna, saying it was a man''s duty to make the meat right. Sydria was about to renew her parking meter when Faulkner said that they would lift the car with aeromancy and bring it into the grounds.

    "You guys can do that?" Sydria asked, marveled.

    "Of course," Faulkner said. "This is the wind temple. We can do anything you can imagine."

    "The young master is lying," Shanna said. "I''ll move the car to our garage. Give me your keys."

    Dora left Seti''s side to go with Shanna, leaving him to his thoughts. He had already accomplished the first part of what he wanted to do at the temple, which was to expand his wind light. The niche, as Faulkner had put it, was something else he would like to learn. Emotion inducing air, how would that work? Would he be able to control people using their emotions? Make a depressed person happy? Calm an angry man?

    "Boo!"

    Seti jumped as Sydria grabbed him by the shoulders. He cursed.

    "Sucks being blind, doesn''t it?" She said.

    "It sucks having you for a sister," Seti replied.

    Truthfully, having to identify where everyone was using their voice and soft footsteps wasn''t appealing. He knew his eyes would get fixed when he found a proper healing mage, no offense to Cassie, but the current plan to train his wind light before healing his eyes seemed like a poor choice at the moment. Not because he wasn''t excited to train his wind, but because he was enveloped in a darkness he couldn''t dismiss and because he couldn''t use his air to calm himself down. The emotion would pass, he knew, once his abilities started working again.

    Faulkner left for another meeting until it was time to eat; in which case, only Faulkner and Elder Poe remained. Melvin may be rude and condescending, but he knew how to grill. Seti was certain he had never tasted a burger this juicy, though he preferred chalking that up to his sense of taste improving.

    They all sat around the table. Seti, unable to see, was trying to figure out where everyone was using the conversations he heard. Dora was with Melvin, and was wasting pickles. Sydria talked with Shanna, asking about her relationship with Faulkner.

    "We''re lovers," Faulkner said.

    "We are not." Shanna was monotone in her reply.

    "How do you see?" Sydria asked.

    "She uses echolocation," Faulkner said.

    "I do not."

    "How do you guys all know each other?" Sydria didn''t get an answer to Shanna''s blindfold. Frustrating.

    "We''re all former inmates on the run."

    "We are not."

    Elder Poe sat next to Seti and struck up a conversation. "Seti, tell me about your family. What do your parents do?"

    Seti gulped his food down to respond. "Father owns Event Horizon, a technology company dealing with 3D images. My mother separated a few years back and moved across the country. She''s with one of the defensive teams over there."

    "The Shepherds?" Elder Poe asked.

    Seti snorted. "I hope not. No, she''s with the Guild Association. The Sentinel Guild, I think? They work closely with the Shepherds but they aren''t the same thing. She''s a bit¡­ her job makes her paranoid."

    "Hmm." Seti pictured the elder stroking his long beard. "You don''t like the Shepherds I take it?"

    "I hate them," Seti spat. The venom in his voice caused other conversations to die down, making him regret being so careless. He didn''t want to ruin the mood.

    "Oho?" Melvin mumbled through a mouth full of food. "Maybe you aren''t so bad."

    "Melvin! You''re disgusting," Dora said.

    "If I may, why do you feel so strongly against them?" Elder Poe asked.

    Seti hesitated. "They''re selfish. They''re willing to ruin lives, coerce, and blackmail people, all for their own benefit. But everyone says they''re the good guys. A student got expelled at Lambsgard because she¡­ helped me, and they would only let someone else into Prestige as long as she went too."

    The table was quiet except for Sydria''s murmur, and he remembered that he hasn''t told her about Cassie''s expulsion yet. He hated being blind at moments like this. What face did they have? Were they mouthing words to each other? He couldn''t tell if they agreed or disagreed with him, though his imagination of Melvin nodding approvingly was welcome.

    "She sounds like a catch, almost as good as me," Faulkner said. "Was she a vivamancer?"

    He wondered if Faulkner had some affiliation with the Shepherds. "Tier three, so an adept only. She did say that she could heal all mana damage, though."

    Faulkner whistled.

    "It''s wrong," Seti asserted. "She had a whole different career planned and they ruined it to make her a Shepherd. Not to mention they put another person''s future on the line to bait her."

    "Philosophical question for you, then," Elder Poe was quiet enough that Seti had to strain his ear to hear. It was likely he whispered to draw attention. "Would you be willing to sacrifice one life to save two? Two to save four?"

    Seti pursed his lips. The statistical approach. Reducing lives down to a number was possibly the easiest way to reduce guilt.

    "What about one life for a hundred?" He continued. "Forcing a career change of a single vivamancer could save hundreds. And what''s being exchanged is a career, not a life. Vivamancers with a unique niche is desirable by all parties."

    "So you''re saying they should have permission to do whatever they want since they ''know'' best? Why not just set up a draft and create an army while they''re at it?" Seti''s nostrils flared. He wished he could make eye contact.

    "Sometimes," Elder Poe said, "it is best to view things from both sides. Only then can we understand one another."

    Seti opened his mouth to argue more but closed it instead. Truthfully, Cassie had done the exact same thing: forcing a geas on Seti to do what was "best" for him. She explained herself, to be understood, and Seti could see her reasoning. But for whatever reason, the Shepherds left a bad taste in his mouth.

    Side conversations picked up again near the end of the meal. Melvin left the table immediately after finishing his food, but everyone else stayed¡ªat Faulkner''s insistence¡ªto chat further. Whatever meeting they were having before the siblings showed up, Faulkner wanted little to do with it.

    Faulkner cleared his throat. "Seti, I have a proposition if you would be willing to entertain it."

    "Young master," Elder Poe said firmly, "I recommend thinking through this further."

    He ignored the elder. "Would you be willing to stay for the week to learn more about your niche?"

    Seti snapped his head towards Faulkner. There was only one answer.

    "I''m willing."

    "Holy moly!" Dora shouted. "Faulky is getting a disciple? Melvin! Melvin come here!"

    "He is not," Shanna said.

    "Indeed, he isn''t. And mind your manners, Dora," Elder Poe said firmly.

    "Yeah Dora, my name is Master Faulky."

    Elder Poe sighed.

    "But why me?" Seti asked.

    "Why, this is a wind temple of course! Shame on me if I don''t do my duty to the world."

    The table shook when Sydria stood quickly. "Seti, can we talk?"

    Right. She was his ride home.

    The two siblings left the table with Sydria guiding her brother. She brought them out of earshot.

    "You''ve been acting weird ever since the clinic," she said, turning them around, slowly walking back to the picnic table.

    "Weird how?"

    "I don''t know, you''ve been¡­ This isn''t like you. Going to a random place hours away from home to train even though you know you''re a tier one. I get you can see with your wind but you''ll see again normally once your eyes get fixed."

    He scoffed. Of course, it was family that would try to bring him down. What else was family for? This was an opportunity that he wanted to take no matter what. He needed to know if there was a life he could achieve using his mancy¡ªa life beyond the corporate world.

    "Why is it so weird that I want to do what I want, instead of what dad wants? Eyes can get fixed anytime, but I''m finally talking to a real aeromancer who wants to train me. If you want to go home feel free. I''m staying."

    Seti disconnected his arm from hers and walked forward blindly. He didn''t know where the picnic table was but he was determined to walk anyway. A small drop on the ground made him stumble. An arm grabbed him and steadied his balance.

    "I''ll stay with you, then." Sydria.

    He knew they arrived when he heard Faulkner speak.

    "Have you reached a verdict?" He asked.

    Up until now Seti had obeyed his father and dropped his fantasies of being a wind mage. He denied himself that identity and accepted the predestined life set before him. It wasn''t noticeable at first, but he became colder and quicker to snap. However, if he had to describe what he was feeling now it would be that he was thawing¡ªreturning to an identity he had always wanted.

    "Let''s do it."

 Chapter 4 - The Liar, The Pupil, The Shepherd

    Chapter 4 - The Liar, The Pupil, The Shepherd

    The siblings stayed the night. The temple was large enough that everyone was capable of having their own rooms, but Sydria insisted on being in the same one as Seti.

    "Still awake?" She called out. Her bed was on the other side of the room. He wondered if she had the same stiff pillow as him. Even his old dorm room was more comfortable than this.

    "Yeah."

    She shifted on her bed and her voice grew clearer. "You know I''m on your side, right?"

    "You have a weird way of showing it, especially since you blabber everything to dad."

    "Are you talking about that girl at the clinic? That vivamancer was wrong," Sydria said. "You can''t do stuff to people''s brains and not get in trouble."

    He clenched his jaw. "Cassie helped me. Because of her¡ª" He stopped. He was about to say how he could see because of the geas but remembered that what really happened at the clinic wasn''t what Sydria thought happened. "So she breaks the law to help me, who cares? What have you done?" The words came out before he could filter them, and he regretted it instantly. He opened his mouth to apologize, but his pride wouldn''t let him speak.

    Silence lingered a moment before she replied, and when she did it was a whisper. "Yeah, I guess I''m just a stranger."

    It was hard to fall asleep that night.

    At morning''s arrival, Seti was momentarily confused as to why it was so dark. He sat up with a heavy sigh when he recalled he was blind. It was followed by terrible leftover taste in his mouth when he remembered last night''s conversation. To dismiss the feeling he activated his wind to propel air at his face, as he tended to do. However, instead of a gust of air to his face, the wind light spread out around the area.

    The room lit up.

    His wind didn''t act as a flashlight anymore, but rather it was like a lamp. It remembered his last command and traveled through the room automatically, hitting every corner and touching every crack. The air was gentle enough that the drapes over the window didn''t move on impact if it had felt anything at all. Sydria was still in bed, one leg over the edge, sleeping peacefully. The room they were in was small, with only a single drawer between the beds. On the drawer were two folded temple clothes for the siblings to wear when they awoke.

    One thing he realized about this new mode was that the diameter was smaller than what it was before his ability broke yesterday. If he had to eyeball it, his vision was roughly ten feet in every direction. As well, he could only focus on one thing at a time within range. It reminded him of his normal vision, which could only focus on a single point and everything else was the peripheral vision. And a strange sensation came to him informing him that the area was thick with his air so that he could stretch it further beyond the ten-foot mark. When he tried to break the radius, his air had a spasm and return back within the limit.

    Faulkner had called him a toddler with his adept abilities. Maybe he could extend his reach with some practice.

    Another thing he realized was that his air hadn''t traveled under either bed. He willed it to be lit up, and the air particles flew in without hesitation. The ease of control that he had was enticing. When that was done, he had an omniview of the room. The experience was only dulled by the fact nothing had color.

    Seti slipped on the temple robes that Shanna provided for them. They had not brought extra clothes, as they didn''t expect to stay the night. He grimaced at how uncomfortable the clothes were and made his way out the door.

    The feeling that he was in a horror movie loomed when he walked down the quiet hallway, the amount of visibility matching a lamp light. The diameter of his view squeezed into the rectangle shape of the hall. Each door Seti passed had gaps that his air pressed through. He paused and let his air look into the rooms for him, getting a feel for his ability. With nothing of interest to look at, he continued to the main entrance room.

    A figure shaped into view.

    "Freaking!" Seti jumped up. "At least say something if you''re there."

    "Good morning. I''m here." Shanna spoke.

    She still wore a suit with a tie, as a businesswoman would, and had the blindfold over her eyes. And now that Seti had an omniview of everything within ten feet of himself, he could see her figure well. She followed Melvin and Faulkner''s example of being fit, with her bum perfectly shaped. Seti "looked" away, not in the physical sense, but the one where, while in range, he placed her in his peripheral vision. He didn''t want to get into a habit of leering on women just because he could get away with it.

    With that thought, it was possible for him to peak into locker rooms and¡ª

    Seti shook his head violently.

    "Are you unwell?" Shanna asked. Her posture didn''t move an inch.

    "N-no, just thinking." His turned away as his face flushed. "So, what now?"

    "I''ve told Faulkner that you''re awake. He''ll be arriving shortly."

    He didn''t know how she informed Faulkner or when, but they waited in silence. Shanna seemed comfortable, while Seti found it awkward.

    "So," Seti started, "are you also blind?"

    "I am not."

    Seti heard Faulkner before he shaped into view. "She wears her blindfolds because she''s denying her sense of sight." Unlike Shanna, he was wearing a different outfit. A short sleeved button up shirt, where the top three buttons were undone, and jeans to match. His hair was still tied back in a small ponytail.

    "Denying her sense of sight?" Seti questioned.

    "Perception training," Faulkner said. "For the past year, she''s been wearing a blindfold in order to train her geomancy. She''s jealous of what you can do in only a day."

    "I am not," she said.

    Faulkner beckoned both of them to follow as he left the room. He informed that breakfast wouldn''t be for another hour, which meant that Seti woke up much earlier than usual. The hard beds and stiff pillow could be partly to blame.

    "Tell me about your wind now," Faulkner said as they walked.

    Seti explained the diameter limitation and the feeling that it could be stretched. He noticed that he was physically staring off into space and made a note to turn his head as he spoke¡ªpublic appearance was something he agreed with his father on. He didn''t need to physically look at anyone to see them, but it would be a bad habit to get into. Faulkner only nodded silently until they reached their destination. It was another empty room.

    "Let''s make a few things clear," Faulkner started. They faced each other in the middle of the room. Shanna stayed by the door. "You''re my pupil but not my disciple."

    "What''s the difference?"

    "Pupil means I can kick you out by the end of Friday¡ªwe only have five days, by the way. Disciple means you become my son."

    "It does not," Shanna said.

    "It''s close enough." Faulkner took out his pack of cigarettes and hit it against his palm, then lit one. "My skills are too valuable to teach to just anyone. My disciple must leave his old life behind to dedicate himself. Even if you were willing to do that, I only want someone that could change the world. Nothing you would need to worry about at this time, as being a pupil for a week will be enough."

    Faulkner, satisfied with how he worded his comment, nodded. Seti wouldn''t be a person who could change the world, but even before that, would he be willing to leave his old life behind? Other than his sister and his father, he had no family or friends of note in Lambsgard. And his old life, once his sight was restored, would only consist of working at a company for money and not really making a difference. It wasn''t exactly glamorous.

    "Let''s test your niche a bit. Make me feel happy. Go."

    "Uh." Seti looked around. "How?"

    Faulkner puffed smoke out. "Some abilities work just by desiring it, so desire me to be happy, like you desired me to train you when we first met."

    Seti furrowed his brow. Certainly, he did want Faulkner to train him when they had first met. Was that desire expressed through the wind? Cassie had said she felt oppressed when he viewed her in a negative light. Sydria said his air tasted good. How many other things worked in his favor without him knowing?

    He unnecessarily closed his eyes and tried to wish happiness unto Faulkner. It felt cheesy. Pictures of garden flowers popped into Seti''s head, and then rainbows, and finally he even ended up seeing a unicorn.

    "This is so stupid," Seti mumbled. "Did you feel anything?"

    Faulkner nodded with a grin. "I feel disgusted. What are you imagining?"

    "Something disgusting."

    Seti attempted other emotions, which included anger, remorse, and envy, to see what stuck and what the limitations were. The result was the same each time. Faulkner''s emotions were unfazed.

    "Maybe I have boundless talents and no emotions to be tainted."

    "That''s not true," Shanna said.

    "Try using it on yourself to get a feel for it. In my case, the air was either nasty or it was so faint that I dismissed it automatically."

    Seti had used his own wind on himself previously, though it was always when he wanted to calm himself down. To see if he had any control over the emotion niche, he tried to breathe in his air in an attempt to become happier. At once, he felt his nostrils close to stop the cold air from entering, as if it was winter. The pit of his stomach turned disapprovingly. The sensation lasted only for a moment and the air he breathed returned to normal temperature. Next, he tried to use the air to calm himself, something he was familiar with, but didn''t feel anything odd. Strangely, he was more at peace with himself and the decisions he made so far. There was no anxiety for the future; what would come would come.

    Ah, that would be the calm talking.

    "It only works to calm me, nothing else," Seti said, turning off the calming air. As soon as he did, his shoulders slumped. He realized how much he wanted it to work out, to become something unique he could control¡ªa wide variety of emotions. If he could do that, he would be able to register himself with a guild and maybe make a living of being a therapist or something else, something where emotion control would be beneficial.

    "Don''t be so certain. Niches and abilities are never quite so easily explained. I have a theory, try to make yourself excited," Faulkner said.

    He had nothing to lose, so he tried. He willed himself to be excited, currently bummed and expected nothing. But maybe Faulkner had a point. Even the simplest systems tended to have complicated components behind them. Maybe there was a reason that Seti could only be calmed; maybe it had to do with his body, or current time of day, or previous mood, or¡ª

    Seti stopped. His excitement was rising. Just thinking about the possibilities gave his heart a race. He sensed something at work inside him, subtle in that he wouldn''t have noticed if he didn''t know to look.

    "It works!" Seti said. "I really don''t get it, but it fits like the calm fits."

    "My theory, based on the information we have, says maybe your ability doesn''t change someone''s emotion but amplifies it. You wanted to be calm. You wanted to be excited. For me, hearing that Henry sent you to us made me curious, so I wanted to see what you could do. I believe either a desire for that emotion, or if that emotion was already present, is a requirement."

    "And I don''t want to be happy?" Seti asked, remembering the cold air that his body rejected.

    Faulkner shrugged. "I suppose we''re depressed people."

    "Incorrect," Shanna said. Seti nearly jumped, forgetting that she was behind him. She had been in his vision diameter the entire time but didn''t move at all. He had dismissed her figure as a pole or something. "Happiness is not so easily calculated. It is the result of happenings."

    That was the most he heard her speak at once since the first time they met.

    "Perhaps. Regardless, there must be more to the niche. I still believe you could alter the mood, rather than just amplify it. Possibly with practice. There may yet be a way to manipulate people into your bidding, all while making them think it was their own doing," Faulkner said.

    "Forcing myself on them," Seti concluded. "How is that any different from a geas?"

    "Interesting word choice." Faulkner hummed. "But there is a clear difference. Your emotion inducing air is easily repelled if it isn''t used as an amplifier, and easily detected. Any adult with decent cognition can dismiss it like we can control mood swings¡ªthough your emotion niche isn''t strong enough to be compared to a mood swing just yet." He paused. "Children may be more receptive. A geas, on the other hand, is irresistible and requires a tier eight vivamancer."

    "A tier eight vivamancer? You''re sure?"

    "Of course there''s always an exception to the rule." Faulkner smiled. "Each person has their own mancy, and each mancy has its own niche. Depending on the niche, that person could very well break the boundaries we all know. I''m sure you''ve heard of the chaos theory."

    The chaos theory. A belief existed in the world where if a single person was born with the right conditions, they would become a global phenomenon. Reality would be unfair to their advantage. It was the explanation for the few born with immense powers¡ªa level of their own. Their mancer abilities were often called incomprehensible. All of them made history. All of them were tier eight, but even then, they were a level above that. They all received the same title: Divine.

    Seti hadn''t known that the chaos theory could apply to a lesser degree.

    "But if you''re still worried about forcing yourself on people, consider that inaction is just as wrong as committing the crime itself," Faulkner said. "You could walk around and praise yourself that you aren''t as bad as the next guy, however, when you could do good but fail to deliver, then how are you any better? The world is worse off both because of the one who decided to do evil, and because of the one that decided to not prevent it."

    Seti thought about the people called heroes. In interviews, after doing some amazing act, they would often say that they weren''t heroes, only regular people who were at the right place at the right time. If he could control emotions to some degree, maybe he could stop fights from breaking out by calming people down. He could be useful in the mancy world.

    "Speaking of forcing, that reminds me. Did you know that we''ve given Melvin strict orders to allow no guests to come into the temple? How strange that he should make an exception for you." Faulkner rubbed his chin with mock thought.

    "You''re saying I changed his mood to let me in?" Seti had blown his wind at Melvin and Dora yesterday when he wanted to enter the temple, but did he really affect their mood? Of course, there could be another explanation. "They knew Henry Adams sent us. Everyone here is acting as if they don''t know him, but that''s obviously not true. That''s why they let me in."

    "That by itself wouldn''t have budged Melvin. If Henry sent you he would have called one of us, but no such thing happened." That was a punch to the gut. Seti should have contacted his school counselor before traveling. "Your emotus alone likely wouldn''t have been enough, either. But combined? Now you''re training under an aeromancer¡ªto which I should add that your air wanted to move me to train you as well. But I prefer to think this was my own decision."

    The inner child reared its head into Seti''s thoughts. Maybe his niche was a sign; a sign to force a way into the mancer world. No one else had thought he was capable. He could use his ability for good. But truthfully, whether he would do good or become selfish was a secondary thing. If a less ethical path was his only option, he might have picked it anyway. The desire to enter the mancer world shadowed over his moral compass. He simply wanted to change from his old life. It was fortunate that he could wrap up his actions as good deeds.

    A voice screeched down the hallway. "Breakfast!" Dora.

    "Ah, time ran out. I have several ideas how to advance the niche, but we''ll talk about it later," Faulkner said.

    The morning ritual of the wind temple seemed to be consistent. Dora, youngest of them, set the table without complaint. Melvin arrived wearing a sleeveless shirt; his toned muscles dripped with sweat. Sydria was already at the table, with bed hair and drooping eyes. None of the elders showed up.

    Sydria avoided looking at him.

    After breakfast, Faulkner and Seti met alone in a training room. On Faulkner''s suggestion, Seti tried to get a feel for what worked and what didn''t. Trying to increase his own joy or happiness didn''t work and was only met with a wave of cold air. Anger worked easily, which in turn made Seti recall his previous conversation with Sydria and her arrogance for not looking at him during breakfast. It was a good thing he didn''t apologize last night.

    Of course, that feeling passed when he calmed himself. The whole experience felt like he was drugging himself.

    "Wouldn''t everyone around me start having their moods affected?" Seti asked. "I mean, my vision is ten feet all around me, so wouldn''t that mean my air alters everyone inside?"

    "Maybe one day, but definitely not currently," Faulkner said. "Before, your air was compressed and the niche was always on. Now, your air is too weak and spread out to affect everyone equally. Focusing on one person at a time is the go-to method for the time being."

    Before they could go deeper into the topic, the four elders arrived, guided by Shanna. One of them, the one Seti knew was Elder Narn from the first day, threw a nasty glance at him before speaking.

    "Young master. Tell this boy we must continue our discussion. I will not be swayed."

    "Boy! I''m to tell you that we must continue our discussion." Faulkner smiled and winked.

    As Seti left the room, Elder Poe gently tapped him on the shoulder as a friendly gesture that he appreciated. He tested different emotions as he walked around the temple ground. It took only a few minutes to note that he could amplify his boredom, and then wondered why he did so.

    He passed by Dora and Sydria, where the latter ignored him completely. They were whispering intensely. With nothing else to do, Seti returned to his room and rested on the bed, allowing a serene calm to envelop him. It was comfortable to the point where he unwillingly took a nap.

    He woke up to a tap on his arm.

    Sydria was sitting on the edge of his bed with a cellphone in her hand.

    "What do you want?" He asked with a voice deeper than he meant it to be.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    "Dora and I made some changes to your phone. Apps galore!" Sydria showed off the phone like it was a trophy. Any apathy she had before was gone.

    A drawer by the door moved and waved¡ªexcept it wasn''t a drawer, but Dora. How strange; he could see the entire room with his omnivision but sometimes recognized things incorrectly. Thinking a person was a piece of furniture was concerning.

    "Okay, a promise is a promise! I''ll let you teach him," Dora said. She spun on her heels and skipped out of the room.

    Sydria showed him the functions of the new apps. Now, whenever anyone called, the phone would announce their name. Texts were read aloud as well, and he could reply with a voice-to-text program. Other useful apps made use of the phone camera. It could identify money bills and read back any words that the phone picked up. They practiced its usage with a book Sydria took from the temple library (he noted to visit it later). He held up his phone camera to the book cover and took a picture.

    "Cause and Effect. Vivamancers and the Brain. Bestseller. Cory Donovan." A metallic female voice said from his phone.

    "How weird," Seti said. "Why would technology like this exist when vivamancers can fix everything?"

    "Not everyone can afford things like we can, and you know they have to make non-mancer stuff. But these apps were expensive anyway!"

    "You bought them?" Seti disbelieved. "I''m not going to stay blind; I''ll get it fixed after this week. Why would you pay for it?"

    "Oh could you just say thank you for once. Dora was absolutely convinced you were permanently blind and said I had to change your phone. She can get pushy."

    Seti smiled. He pictured the two arguing until Sydria caved. Not to mention Sydria found him a book about memory manipulation, something else he intended to learn.

    "Thank you, Sydria," he said earnestly.

    She shrugged. "We''re going out in a few minutes and wanted to see if you want to come. It''ll be Dora, Shanna, and the tattoo freak."

    Tattoo freak was probably¡­ Melvin. It was another reminder that Seti couldn''t see the world in the same way others could. While his omniview allowed him to have eyes on the back of his head, things like tattoos or other art would be invisible.

    "Sure, but I want to dress into something better than this." Seti didn''t actually want to go and would rather read the book, but since Sydria was attempting to bridge the gap between them, he figured he should do his part as well. She was his sister, after all.

    It turned out that Sydria had insisted on getting their regular clothes washed, which worked well for Seti. She then insisted that they take her car out into the city, but that might have been the default choice since there was no other car in the garage. Did no one else drive?

    "I want to go too," Dora pouted.

    "Shut it," Melvin said. He wore a sweater with the hoodie up. Considering his piercings, and the tattoos Sydria said he had, he probably was annoyed by the attention he received in public.

    "You shut it. Why can''t Shanna stay instead of me?" Dora asked.

    Shanna said nothing. She was still in her business suit.

    They were sitting in the car, with Melvin in the driver seat ("It''s a man''s job to drive") and Dora outside his window, complaining. Shanna sat in the front passenger, her blindfolds still over her eyes.

    Sydria leaned forward from her seat to get into Dora''s view. "Shanna needs a new look. Aren''t you bored of seeing her in a suit all the time? Just you wait¡ªshe''ll have so many new clothes that you can dress her up."

    Dora''s eyes lit up, then frowned, then beamed, then crossed her arms defensively.

    Be more excited, Seti willed unto her.

    Dora gave a final nod. "Okay! See you soon. Melvin, don''t fight."

    They drove out of the garage and entered the city. Sydria fidgeted; maybe she was anxious that someone else was driving her car. With Seti''s omnivision being what it was, he could only see within the car. He plugged his earphones into his phone and took a photo of Cause and Effect. Vivamancers and the Brain. Listening to it read the index back was droning, but fortunately, there was an option for him to change the speed of the reader. Unfortunately, the speed was either too slow or too fast, causing a level of frustration to rise.

    Seti took a deep breath to calm himself. His air acted its part as well, amplifying the emotion. He kept his eyes closed and tried to focus on the words read to him, but he would get distracted when Sydria stole glances and nodded after.

    Several minutes passed before Sydria poked his arm. At this point, Seti still hadn''t started any serious reading, both because he couldn''t find the specific chapter he wanted and because snapping a photo sometimes had a delay. Technology that didn''t respond instantly was something that irked him. His calm air, however, was shaping him to become a patient man.

    "What is it?" Seti asked once he took off a single earpiece.

    "Us girls are going shopping. There''s a bookstore at the mall that you can check out, using that app. I''ll buy any books you want when we''re done."

    "Sure. I''m not saying thank you again. I only have the ability to do that once a month."

    Once they parked, Melvin left them immediately to do his own thing. Sydria took Seti''s arm to guide him through the parking lot. That peeved him since he was capable of walking on his own, and could see even better than her in a ten-foot radius. He kept his mouth shut, though, because he didn''t want to get into another fight so quickly.

    Seti''s "superior" vision ended when the natural wind blew into his omniview, pushing his own air particles aside, rendering him fully blind until the wind died down. He would need to find a way to stop that from happening.

    The girls talked to each other¡ªSydria doing most of it¡ªabout which outfits to wear. Every time Sydria offered a suggestion, Shanna would simply nod and say that it would work. The younger sibling was likely annoyed since she spiced up her comments.

    "Even Faulkner would fawn at you," she said.

    "He''s not interested."

    "Are you interested?"

    "I am not," Shanna said, still monotone.

    "Is there anyone that you''re interested in?"

    "I do not know."

    Seti absorbed the heat he felt on the back of his neck. The sun overhead blazed directly on him, meaning it was a sunny day. The heat sometimes ended and started again; the result of clouds passing by? The air smelled different¡ªlike rain, which was a strange thing to notice since he didn''t usually focus on smell except when it was a terrible odor.

    They stepped inside the mall and stopped at a terminal that mapped the area; at least that''s what Sydria told Seti, but he couldn''t confirm nor deny. They made their way to the bookstore first to drop him off. More than once did Shanna get a double look from people, either for her blindfold or her figure.

    Soon after, Seti was alone in the bookstore with a promise that they would send a text before returning. The store was larger than Seti thought it would be, and it used engraved headers over each aisle, to indicate genre and sort order. That made it easy for him to see what was available since his omniview edged into the engravings. Most book spines bumped out their titles, removing the need for the phone camera to find a book.

    In the end, after strolling past several books, Seti decided the most interesting one he wanted was the one he already had. He sat at an empty table and began reading a random page.

    Before he could start in earnest, a large bulked man made his way to Seti''s table. Up until now, Seti had dismissed the random shapes of people entering and exiting his vision range. However, this man was different. His hair was short cropped, to the scalp, and his upper body was large like a sports athlete, whereas his legs were thinner. That wasn''t what got Seti''s attention. The man wore a tailcoat that had a neck collar which rose to the height of his chin. On his chest was a badge with an engraved shape of a cane.

    A Shepherd.

    He sat directly opposite of Seti. He clasped his hands on the table and waited to have attention. Seti, who had been looking down on his book the entire time, acted as if he had not seen the man. The Shepherd was clearly here for him, but for what reason?

    Seti amplified his own calm, removed his earphones, and then closed the book.

    "Hello," Seti said.

    The Shepherd stared at him. "I am Shepherd Cyrus Everstone."

    "Hello," Seti said again.

    "You are Seti Tutt. Son of Jacob Tutt and Lieutenant Noelle Cambridge. Tier one wind adept. Successfully graduated from Lambsgard University with prospects to join your father at Event Horizon."

    "You did your homework. How may I help you?"

    "I''m investigating an incident that occurred at the Lambsgard University clinic Saturday morning. Specifically, a geas event done by Cassie Carter.

    "Ah," Seti said. "Odd, I thought the investigation was stopped because you guys coerced her into joining the Shepherd ranks, starting out at Prestige or something. Doubly odd that you came here to Maybell for the investigation; a bit slow, are we?"

    And triply odd that they found him at this specific bookstore.

    "By the time we came to Lambsgard you were already gone. Cassie had said you might be aggressive until I explain a few things. If I may?"

    "I find it strange she would be willing to talk at all."

    "After being granted immunity, she told us she had placed more than one geas on you. She guessed that you would understand our position if we explained."

    "Oh yes, please share your side of the story. I would love to hear what you tell yourself at night."

    If Shepherd Cyrus was fazed by Seti''s comment, he did not show it. He stared on, shoulders wide and imposing.

    "Cassie has a unique specialization. She can see aeronite in a way that other vivamancers cannot. This allows her to be more¡­ precise in her modifications. This also includes control of brain vivamancy. Under normal conditions, a tier three adept should have no ability to shape a geas. For that reason alone, she was not under the effects of the AVC Act¡ªAnti Viva Cult, a means to stop the usage of geas. But since her specialization could bend normal understanding of vivamancy, she has been practicing geas on herself in secret."

    "So no one knew she could use geas until now?" Seti asked.

    "Correct."

    "A bit of an oversight."

    "We do what we can to predict and prevent these events," Cyrus continued. "Cassie is too bright and too foolish for her own good. She reached the pinnacle of what she was capable of with geas shaping, therefore she would need another mind to practice on. She believed she could get away with using yours, but here we are." He paused, considered something, and then started again. "We could penalize her for her actions, but we believe it better to guide her to become a better person. The world could use someone of Cassie''s talents."

    "And Aiden was just piece to play? I know that you people threatened to reject his application to Prestige. How does it feel to play divine?" Seti asked. He didn''t care for Aiden, nor was he even considered a friend, but the idea of Shepherds threatening to end a man''s future was something Seti could relate to.

    "I know Aiden. I reviewed his Prestige application personally. We rejected him due to lack of talent. By us doing nothing else, his future would have been decided. We gave grace under the condition that his girlfriend attended the academy as well."

    It was ironic that they told a tier four the same thing that Seti heard all his life: no talent. Slightly more surprising was that Aiden and Cassie were dating if the girlfriend comment was true, but to each their own.

    "I''m assuming she told you the reason I was at the clinic that day," Seti said.

    "She did not tell us about that. I granted her leniency during the Veritas test when it regarded your personal plight. We know nothing other than the need for a remembrance geas." Cyrus glanced down at the book Seti had been reading. "But it would be a fair guess to think memory manipulation was done on you. For the problems we caused you, we are willing to provide our own vivamancers to help solve your dilemma. Free of charge."

    Seti tapped his finger on the book. Well, he had a means to solve his blindness without using his father''s money, so that''s a plus. And it would be someone from a reputable source.

    "During the Veritas test? What''s that?"

    "We have permission under certain conditions to make the subject become a truth sayer. A truth serum, as some fantasize it. It is the Veritas geas."

    "A geas to solve a geas problem sounds contradictory."

    "I agree it does, but geas is not something we take lightly. In fact, as of right now you might be screaming internally at me to help you but could show no sign of it. The power of a geas under the wrong hands could be disastrous. And that is why I am here. I''m bringing you with me."

    "What?" Seti flinched back. "Why?"

    "Regardless of any statement we receive from Cassie or another source, we must do our due diligence and ensure no foul play remains at hand. We will be forced to scan you and confirm that you are not under a geas currently and had no personality alterations. Once you are cleared, we will return you back to your father."

    "What¡ªno!" Seti stood to his feet. The amplified calm over him fading quickly. "I need to stay, there''s something I have to do. I''m not under a geas right now."

    Shepherd Cyrus raised an eyebrow. "You''ll understand if we don''t take your word for it. You''ll come with us. This is not a request."

    Seti steadied his breath and calmed down. He was currently Faulkner''s pupil and was learning more about his wind adept abilities on a daily basis now. He learned more in the last couple of hours than he did his entire life up until now. The downside was that Faulkner said he only had five days to teach him.

    "How long will it take to clear me?" Seti asked.

    "When we scan you and return you to your father, we will supervise you for roughly a week."

    "No!" Seti shouted. People that passed by were side glancing him. He lowered his voice to a whisper. "A full week would ruin what I''m¡ª Unless you can provide an aeromancer to teach me?"

    "That''s not possible," Cyrus said, his hands still clasped on the table. "No aeromancer would take in a tier one adept, not even as a favor to me."

    "But my niche¡ª My niche is unique!"

    "I''m sorry. A tier one simply won''t be accepted."

    Seti opened his mouth to argue, but no sound came out. His future denied again. He was finally making headway with his abilities. Hope had filled him for the first time in years. It was ending just as quickly as it started. A Shepherd could not be denied when a decision was made.

    "Could we delay for a few days?" Seti asked though he knew the answer.

    "Under the circumstances, we cannot."

    He was defeated. What options did he have? His shoulders drooped down. He dragged his feet towards the bookstore entrance. The Shepherd stood and collected the forgotten book and cellphone on the table.

    "Follow me," Cyrus said after handing the items over. He was at least a foot taller.

    Seti obeyed. The crowds parted as the Shepherd walked through, drawing attention as he did. Seti lingered a step behind, his slow walk being the only protest he could muster. He wished he could do something, do anything to change how unfair life was. But what could he do? No one fought the Shepherds. No one other than the mafia, at least.

    Except¡­ perhaps Seti could do something. It had only been one real lesson, but he did learn something new with his wind. He could amplify emotions. How could he have forgotten something so important so quickly?

    He immediately amplified his own desire to want a change. He didn''t want to hesitate any longer. He would find a way to fight back. The sense of defeat he had felt waned. Now it was a matter of picking the Shepherd apart.

    "Do you think I''m under a geas right now?" Seti asked, matching his step to the Shepherd''s. His voice was clear and confident. He would gauge the Shepherd''s thoughts and manipulate what he could. This ordeal could possibly end with Seti simply walking away.

    "What I think is irrelevant, we must undergo the procedure."

    "I understand. But do you think I am?"

    If there was even a little doubt¡­

    "Your sister thinks your recent actions are fully suspect. That is why we are here. I trust that over a single conversation we had."

    Sydria!

    He wouldn''t give up so easily. They entered the cafeteria of the mall, soon to be out of the building. Seti would have to push several different emotions unto the Shepherd until something stuck. Maybe he would try mercy? What emotion induced mercy? Empathy? But to the Shepherd, if Seti really was under a geas, then it would be empathetic to bring him in. Maybe tiredness? Laziness? What would work on a Shepherd? He had no other choice but to gamble and see¡ª

    Melvin shaped into view. His hoodie still up, he sat alone at a table with a phone in one hand and his chin resting on another. He seemed bored.

    Seti amplified that boredom.

    Melvin yawned but still looked at his phone. He had no awareness of his surroundings.

    "This is retarded," Seti said loudly. He stopped walking and gave no indication that he saw Melvin. The benefits of omniview. "It''s unfair. The Shepherds always do whatever they want."

    Cyrus, now a step ahead of Seti, turned around. He tilted his head. "Mr. Tutt?"

    But Seti''s words weren''t meant for the Shepherd. He meant it for Melvin. The man''s eyes snapped to attention when he saw Seti with the Shepherd.

    Melvin pointed discretely at Seti, then at his own eyes, and finally at himself.

    Can you see me? He was asking.

    "This does not help your case, nor will it deter me from what we must do," Cyrus said.

    "Yes," Seti said. And if there was one thing he knew about Melvin¡­

    You want to fight! Seti willed unto Melvin. Consequences be damned. Fight the Shepherd!

    People slowed to a crawl as they passed. Melvin pointed again at Seti and then did the universal motion of a finger-man running. He opened his hand, every finger wide, and counted down.

    Five¡­ Four¡­

    "Sorry, just emotional," Seti said, starting his step forward. Cyrus turned slowly to lead again, but he was wary.

    Zero!

    Seti turned and bolted. Cyrus reached out. The grab short.

    "Stop!"

    Seti ran. Cyrus followed. Melvin clapped once.

    Then several things happened at once.

    Melvin leaped off the table¡ªknocking it down¡ªand lunged himself towards the Shepherd. His hands, clasped together from the clap, separated.

    A phasm sword materialized between his hands.

    Cyrus turned¡ª He noticed Melvin. Instantly, a barrier wrapped around the Shepherd. Seti''s sight of the Shepherd changed into something entirely different: Cyrus now visually appeared as a humanoid solid block of something.

    Melvin took his sword and swung down as he landed. The Shepherd caught the blade.

    Boom!

    A shockwave erupted on impact. Wind blew past. Cafeteria cups flipped and spilled. Melvin forced Cyrus to one knee. People screamed.

    "He''s not alone!" Cyrus shouted.

    Seti ran on. The two combatants were no longer in the ten-foot view. Another burst of sound. More screams. Then an odd figure shaped into view. She was running and jumping off the cafeteria tables, knocking them down as she went. She also wore a tailcoat.

    A second Shepherd.

    She snapped her fingers. A spear materialized for her to grab. Seti changed directions. She threw the spear at him¡ªmissed over his shoulder.

    Not a miss. It impaled the wall. The second Shepherd soared off the table and flew acrobatically towards the spear. She landed on it with grace, as if weightless.

    "Halt! You''re being detained for¡ª" She tried to say, but then the wall her spear rested on changed. A giant hand, with each finger as tall as a person, tried to grab the Shepherd. She jumped off her spear and dodged. The ground she landed on shaped into bars and tried to imprison her. She rolled back to avoid capture. "Enemy geomancer on site! Visibility negative!"

    The ground continued to deform and shape into obstacles against the female Shepherd. Poles. Boulders. Pitfalls.

    Shanna!

    Seti ran with the crowd. Someone had a phone out as they ran, pointed backward. They were recording the fight.

    Another burst of sound. Melvin slid into view with his phasm sword thrust into the ground to slow his speed.

    "Switch!" He shouted. His hoodie was down, revealing all the piercings on his face.

    He noticed Seti in his peripheral and tossed the phasm sword. Seti caught it while Melvin clapped his hands and formed another blade and ran in the direction of the female Shepherd. The juggernaut that was Cyrus appeared and charged at Seti.

    A wall, taller than Seti could see, accelerated from the ground between them. It cracked when Cyrus slammed into it. Seti ran away from the fight, clutching the weightless phasm sword in one hand and the book in the other. He forgot he had the book.

    The female Shepherd jumped off the geo-made wall to the normal wall and somersaulted midair. She landed in front of Seti. She stepped towards him, katana in hand, and swung. Seti held up his own blade to block but he lost his grip on impact. The sword flew out of his hand, leaving him defenseless.

    "This pissin'' monkey!" Melvin ran into view.

    He slid to a stop and set his feet. Seti jumped behind him. The female Shepherd stepped into his range¡ªhe swung down. She directed the blow and countered; his sword blurred in response. Neither gave ground as they had a response for each move. Seti was mesmerized, completely forgetting that he should be running. Melvin feinted and low kicked. She snapped her fingers while losing her step and her katana changed into a staff¡ªthe blunt end hitting Melvin square in the chest when it shaped. He flew a few feet back, landing on his backside. He kicked his feet up and re-engaged battle once again.

    "Seti!"

    Seti heard Sydria call his name but couldn''t tell which direction it came from. The wall by him formed again, this time to shape into the figure of a person. No, rather, Shanna had just walked through the wall.

    Shanna stood calmly, one finger raised up. In the next instant, another wall appeared, separating Melvin from the female Shepherd, and it became a dome over the three of them. It cut them off from the outside world. The shouts outside muffled.

    "What happened?" She asked. A bang echoed against their geo-dome from the direction Cyrus had been. He was trying to smash an opening.

    Melvin sat down and breathed heavily. "He was dragging Seti off. I stepped in."

    Dragging wasn''t the word Seti would have chosen.

    "Debrief me," Shanna commanded.

    "Two opponents, one Shepherd," Melvin said between breaths. "Both are crafters, but the Shepherd is Cyrus Everstone."

    Only one Shepherd? Who was the female fighter then? She definitely looked like a Shepherd and fought like one too.

    Shanna frowned. "You were losing to the Lamb."

    That answered that question. By naming conventions alone, the Lamb was likely a future Shepherd.

    "Screw off, I was not. Want me to go all out? I can, but you guys said to keep a low profile."

    Another bang to the dome. A crack appeared. Melvin stood and clapped his hands to form a great sword that he rested on his shoulders.

    "Picking a fight with Cyrus is low profile?" Shanna flicked her finger towards the crack. The dome shaped slightly and repaired the crack.

    "Like I said, he was dragging the kid off. He''s a pupil now, you know?" Melvin shrugged. He reached out and felt the wall by him.

    Shanna turned towards Seti. She still had her blindfold on but the clothes she wore were different. Her sleeveless sweater hugged her chest and the jeans were tight around the waist. Sydria knew how to pick them out. They also had the price tag hanging from them, meaning she had been in the middle of trying them on.

    "You look good," Seti said.

    "I know."

    "Must be nice to see in the dark," Melvin muttered.

    "I will bring the roof down," Shanna said. "Faulkner is coming."

    "Ah¡ª Pissin''."

    "What do you mean you''ll bring the roof down?" Seti asked. This was beyond what he expected would happen. "What about the people out there? Sydria is out there, too."

    "She is being protected by the Lamb." Shanna glanced up and raised her hand. "There are no other civilians in the cafeteria."

    Right, Shanna could perceive things outside the dome. Seti''s visual was limited to within their geo-made hovel, but at least it was better than seeing nothing.

    "Why not make a tunnel for us so we can escape?" Seti asked.

    "We are not attempting to escape." Shanna''s raised hand clenched into a fist. She brought her arm down quickly in the act of pulling.

    Muffled shouts came from outside the dome. A second later the ground rumbled. It continued to shake for several more seconds before the calm. Shanna flicked her fingers several more times. The dome opened and melted around them. The smell of debris forced Melvin and Seti to breathe through their sleeves. Shanna did not follow their example.

    Seti could check his surroundings now. He was probably able to see better than what he would have been if he had his eyesight, with the dust in the air. Chunks of concrete littered all around, a high contrast to the clean ground where the dome previously guarded.

    The woman Shepherd¡ªLamb?¡ªjumped into view and whipped a rope at them. It latched onto Seti''s arm and pulled him off balance, dragging him away from his two protectors. Shanna flicked a finger and a geo-spear rose from the ground and stopped inches from the woman''s throat. She stopped moving.

    "Reimir, enough!" Shepherd Cyrus yelled. He walked on top of the debris and dropped next to his partner.

    Seti tried to pull his arm free, but the rope only tightened unnaturally.

    "Where is my sister?" Seti demanded.

    "Safe. No thanks to any of you," Reimir said. Her tied back hair was coming undone, covering some of her face. She leaned away from the pointed tip that was an inches from her throat. She gripped the phasm rope firmly.

    Seti heard the sounds of rocks falling behind Cyrus. Sydria appeared.

    "Seti!" She shouted.

    She was unharmed. He was relieved momentarily until he remembered that she was the one who called in the Shepherds. She was the one who was in the way of him becoming a wind mage.

    "Don''t be so loud," he said, annoyed.

    Cyrus, Reimir, and Sydria all stood on one side. Shanna and Melvin on the other. Seti was between them with a rope wrapped around his arm.

    "We are at an impasse," Cyrus said. He crossed his arms and shook his head slowly.

    The wind picked up. The air started to clear. Seti lost his omniview to the gale.

    "No, we are not," Shanna said.

    The wind continued to turn faster and faster. It surrounded Seti and pressed him in every direction. He could feel it rise in its height. The sound of the wind shut out any other voice. It lasted for another moment before the gust slowed enough for his omniview to work again. It took him a second to realize what he was seeing. A powerful twister formed¡ªwith them in the eye of it. The wind was so great that the debris outside lifted off the ground and spun with the wind.

    The center of the twister was silent of the world without.

    Cyrus was the first to look up. Reimir noticed and followed his line of sight. Her own eyes widened. A moment later, a man floated down from above. His clothes swayed gently as unseen wind held him up. He was like an angel that descended from heaven.

    Or the devil that was kicked out.

    Five feet from the ground, whatever power was holding Faulkner stopped, dropping him next to Shanna. His eyes narrowed. He had no cigarette. He wore no smile. His thin lips etched into his face.

    "T-that''s¡ª!" Reimir stammered. She peeled her eyes off Faulkner and turned to Shanna. "Then y-you''re¡ª!"

    "That''s correct," Shepherd Cyrus said calmly. "We are in the presence of the Wind Dragon and the Earth Dragon. The members of the Serio family. Mafia."

 Chapter 5 - In the Middle

    Chapter 5 ¨C In the Middle

    When Seti was a child, he recalled one open discussion.

    Critical Thinking with Ms. Gant was the student''s favorite class. It wasn''t a class where the teacher taught anything, but rather they facilitated discussions about the topic provided. Seti was certain Ms. Gant liked this period the most as well since she typically spent the time grading papers and only occasionally made a comment.

    Today''s topic was the great families.

    "Which is a stupid name, everyone already calls them the mafia," one boy said.

    The class laughed. It wasn''t even funny, but people tended to laugh more just because the boy was the class clown. Seti hated how they were all in a good mood. Why were they happy? Not a single person in the class was above tier one. What was so fun about life when they were all puny?

    It was only a few weeks ago when his mother divorced and moved out, to pursue her career as a mancer. His father had thrown Seti a new allowance amount, which meant he probably had more money in his pocket right now than anyone else in the class combined. He was adapting to the new life. It meant growing up, just like his father wanted.

    "I don''t get why we don''t just put them all in prison. They break the laws, right?" Another asked.

    "They break our laws," a girl responded, "but my dad says they have their own laws. My dad says they are like their own country, but living in the same land as us. My dad says they have a king. The boss of bosses."

    "Then let''s kick them out! They''re nothing but ugly stupid crap!"

    "Ahem," Ms. Gant cleared her throat without looking up from her desk. "Focus on the topic and not name calling."

    "But I don''t get why we don''t kick them out. How many times do they fight with the Shepherds?"

    "My dad says they fight over land a lot."

    Seti looked down at his paper. Ms. Gant graded the class based on participation or on the notes taken. Since he didn''t feel like speaking up, jotting his thoughts down was the only way to pass. She didn''t consider accuracy, either. The idea for the class was to teach the students to think for themselves, even when an answer wasn''t apparent. For that reason, Ms. Gant wouldn''t correct false information. Just because the students agreed on something wouldn''t make it right.

    Great families ¨C AKA "Mafia"

    Different country?

    Share shopping stores.

    Bad guys.

    He looked at the last line. Bad guys. They were the bad guys because they didn''t follow the rules that the guilds made. That meant they should learn to grow up, too. Their bad example made anyone who didn''t like the rules join them. All the criminals grouped up with the mafians.

    "Don''t be stupid," another person said. "If we try to kick them out, they''ll fight back and we''ll have to fight another war."

    "Dad says if there''s war with the mafia then the Third Age will end."

    "Idiot! Ages don''t end just because of a war. It has to be super big, like when all the divine people killed each other during Age Two."

    "It''s called the Second Age, not Age Two. Retard."

    "Language," Ms. Gant said.

    "My dad says when people swear it''s because they aren''t smart enough to think of a different word."

    Seti looked at the corner of his paper. He was tempted to draw a tornado, as he had always done, but fought the urge by dropping his pencil. When his hands felt naked, he picked the pencil up again and scribbled more notes down on the paper.

    Guilds make laws. Mafia doesn''t follow.

    Second Age ended when the divines went to war.

    People scared of big war.

    Billy is a retard.

    Seti smiled when he erased the last part.

    "I don''t think they''re the bad guys," said a quiet girl.

    Everyone stopped talking to look at her. Kimberly wasn''t the type of girl to speak up, and everyone wanted to be her friend. She was smart¡ªsuper smart, since she knew how to build electronic stuff; better even than some adults. She was also pretty and kind. She didn''t care if you were ugly or had no friends. She treated everyone the same.

    Kimberly is a retard.

    "My dad says they''re the bad guys," the girl countered, daring Kimberly to challenge her.

    "Well¡­" Kimberly fidgeted. She looked around for support. Ms. Gant was paying attention as well. "Don''t they also help when fighting the abyss?"

    "Language!" Shouted the boy who originally said retard.

    "Abyss isn''t a bad word, idiot."

    Seti finally spoke up. "The mafians help fight the abyss monsters? You sure?"

    Kimberly nodded, glad to have someone to focus on. "My uncle lives in New Vox, and there''s a gate there. A lot came out and my uncle was about to die, but then someone from the families saved him. They also fight the monsters."

    "Kimberly is correct," Ms. Gant said. How odd. This was the first time she ever said someone was right. "Regardless of past grievances, a truce is always called when a primal appears. I don''t think I need to remind anyone how the First Age ended, do I?"

    The class shook their heads in unison. Seti looked down at his paper again. He erased Kimberly is a retard and examined the rest of his notes.

    Maybe not bad guys. Sometimes good.

    **Break**

    Faulkner was the Wind Dragon and Shanna was the Earth Dragon.

    Titles were commonplace and used freely in the lands. Other than the official ones (such as aeromancer, hydromancer, and so on), titles were sometimes used to identify unique individuals. Some of the famous Shepherds were only known by those titles. For example, Spitfire was the Shepherd''s strongest pyromancer. Soundwave: the man who could disable abilities with his own; probably with some use of aeromancy. Then there was the leader of the Shepherds, one of the three divines in the world. She was known as the Strongest Woman, which was a misnomer since she was the unequivocal strongest¡ªregardless of gender.

    The Dragon titles were something only the mafians used, given to the powerhouses of the families. It was their way of recognizing those could stand on the plateau of the very best. Most of the Dragons were head of their own families.

    People would debate what it would look like to have the Sun Dragon fight against Spitfire or the Earth Dragon versus Aegis. But one thing was certain: no one actually wanted to see either side fight to their full strength. That would be too close to how the Second Age ended.

    Seti stared at Faulkner. Sydria mouthed the word "mafia?" as she glanced back and forth between the Wind Dragon and the Earth Dragon. Neither of them knew, or had even guessed, the kind of people with whom they shared a roof. Faulkner ignored their looks and instead glared at Shepherd Cyrus.

    The seconds ticked as both sides stared at each other in silence. Seti was still wrapping his head around the identities of his hosts. They were all inside the eye of a twister. Debris circled around in the air, caught in the vortex. Whatever rage the twister had, none of them within could hear a sound of it. Seti was at the direct center, with the Serio family to one side, and the Shepherd team on the other. Sydria stood with the Shepherd team. A phasm rope gripped his arm, with a geo-spike inches from Lamb Reimir''s throat.

    Shepherd Cyrus had the appearance of a blocky man. Originally, Seti suspected that he coated himself with some form of rock to create a geo-barrier, but Melvin had said that the Shepherd was a crafter. That meant the barrier that surrounded him was phasm made, something that could be partially seen through. Unfortunately for Seti, being blind and seeing only with his air meant he couldn''t glimpse through any phasm material.

    Cyrus removed his barrier and regained his normal appearance.

    "What are you doing?" Reimir hissed. She warily eyed the geo-spike. All it took was a flick from Shanna and the spike would go through the Lamb.

    "There are very few people in the world that could rip my barrier away," Shepherd Cyrus said. "Two of them are standing right here. If we''re to win, it''ll be with a civil conversation. Earth Dragon, if you would?" He gestured toward Reimir.

    Shanna waved her hand, causing the Lamb to tense, and then the geo-spike reversed back into the ground. As soon as the threat was gone, Reimir snapped her fingers with her free hand and shaped a kite shield into existence. She placed it before herself as a ward against the mafians. Her rope wrapped around Seti''s arm remained. Sydria inched behind Reimir.

    "Look at this monkey with the shield," Melvin said. "Doesn''t matter what you craft, it won''t work."

    Reimir said nothing and kept her eyes on Faulkner, her gaze intense.

    Seti physically looked back and forth at both parties (with a brief thought that he felt like an actor as he could see everyone anyway). This was not what he imagined when he willed Melvin to fight. But he also didn''t imagine he had been hanging out with members of the mafia. They were a dangerous group that acted outside the laws set by the guilds. It was hard to guess what their intentions were.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

    "By my authority as a Shepherd I will be taking Seti Tutt into my custody," Cyrus said. He was the most unaffected by the knowledge of his opponent''s identity.

    "Why?" Shanna asked.

    Faulkner did not move or talk. It would have been more bearable if he did since he had been so animated at the temple. The twister around them was a direct reflection of the Wind Dragon: powerful and untamed on the outside, but calm and unspeaking within.

    "There was a breach in the AVC Act as of Saturday morning. Illegal use of a geas was made on Seti Tutt, and by due process, we''re to examine him," Cyrus said.

    Sydria, hiding behind Reimir, beckoned to Seti to go to their side. His instincts urged him to go as well, to where it was safe. But another side of him resisted the call. Maybe it was his air still amplifying his desire to change. Or perhaps it was knowing that even if he went to the Shepherd, the two Dragons were strong enough to wipe them out anyway. He had known Faulkner to be a playful liar and wished the man would show some semblance of that person right now.

    Faulkner tilted his head. The rope on Seti''s arm tightened further. He could feel his blood struggle to pump through. Any movement from the Wind Dragon made the Lamb tense. Seti couldn''t blame her; the aeromancer looked fierce.

    The Earth Dragon spoke. "Seti is not under a geas, nor has there been a personality alteration."

    "Why, of course we''ll believe you," Reimir said. "The tier one, who had done nothing with his mancy until now, is suddenly mall shopping with two Dragons. We''ll definitely ignore the confirmed geas he was under only two days ago. That makes sense."

    Oh, Seti liked her. Reminded him of himself.

    "Reimir." Shepherd Cyrus didn''t look at his partner, but his words were enough to quiet her.

    "We''ve scanned him ourselves," Shanna said.

    "What?" Seti said. That caught him off guard. "When did you do that?"

    Melvin stabbed his great sword into the ground and leaned on it. He was the polar opposite of the Lamb: at ease and without a care in the world. "Moron, everyone you''ve met is exceptional in our family. That includes our personal viva, Dora. Don''t tell her I said that, though."

    Dora was a vivamancer? When did she scan him? There were several times when she guided him at the wind temple, but he never had an open wound she could access. Unless¡­ maybe only Cassie needed an open wound? And Dora could scan with just a touch? Or maybe she didn''t need to touch at all. There were too many variances and Seti wasn''t accustomed to the mancer world.

    "Right, you scanned him," Reimir said. "That''s a wrap boys, let''s go home. Mission accomplished. Shepherds and the mob will have a grill out next weekend to celebrate."

    Boom!

    Every debris that circled with the twister dropped all at once. The ground shook. The silence of the twister''s eye ended. Rushing wind reached them, throwing Seti off balance. Just before his omniview ended, he saw Cyrus reformed his barrier as Sydria grabbed Reimir in fright, who was trying to stabilize her own footing. It was hard to breathe. The wind pressed them on every side.

    Faulkner''s voice thundered over the gale. "My word is beyond contestation."

    The wind subsided. Seti caught his breath and tried to stay balanced by crouching down. He could feel the soot on the floor from the rubble; they themselves were probably covered as well. His omniview activated to see the twister around them continued on, lifting the debris off the ground once more. Cyrus was in a battle stance. Reimir covered Sydria with a shield in each hand. The rope around Seti''s arm had vanished.

    "Well then," Cyrus removed his barrier again once the calm returned. He straightened out his coat collar. "Reimir, I''ll have to ask you to not speak for the duration of this discussion."

    Faulkner''s glare remained on the Shepherd. It was a reminder that the Wind Dragon was a dangerous person and should not be joked with. Whoever they had met at the wind temple wasn''t the same man.

    "I''ll admit I''m confused," Cyrus continued. "I don''t understand why you want Mr. Tutt. Anything dealing with a geas should be taken seriously. Even the Serio family understands this, as the mafians helped ratify the United Accords."

    "How convenient," Melvin said. "Those laws only seem to apply when it''s useful to the guilds, but let''s ignore it when we get a chance to whack a member of the families."

    "This situation is different from that," Cyrus said.

    Shanna replied for Faulkner. "The master''s outburst was not in regards to our objection to your obligation, but your objection to our word. We do not lie."

    Seti couldn''t help but turn his head towards the aeromancer at the last statement. Faulkner does not lie? Until now, she had corrected every other word at the temple that he spoke. What was going on?

    Then, a movement hidden to the eyes. Seti wouldn''t have seen it if it wasn''t for his omniview. The soot on the ground behind Faulkner changed slightly. A small pocket of air moved it into a picture. A frowny face.

    Seti couldn''t resist¡ªhe laughed.

    Everyone but Faulkner and Shanna looked at him in confusion. Seti couldn''t help it; it made sense now. Faulkner was pretending to be a frightening figure but had just made a small frowny face in the dust, one that only Seti could see. He was indeed the same man that they had met at the temple, but he was acting. It reminded Seti that back at the university, people would act differently to him just because he had money. How he acted to those people wasn''t the real him; the real him was the man who lazed around his dorm and hung out with his sister. As for Faulkner, he was the playful liar, even now in the midst of the Shepherd team, but he had to act as the fearsome Wind Dragon.

    Knowing that had placed a smile on Seti''s face. The frowny vanished before the non-blind people could see anything.

    "Sorry," Seti said sheepishly. He felt awkward standing in the middle of both groups.

    Shepherd Cyrus examined him for a moment longer before speaking. "By right of the United Accords, the opposing faction can make themselves the cross-examiner in matters concerning geas usage. Faulkner, do you have any objections to us taking Mr. Tutt with us?"

    "We have none," Shanna said for him.

    "Seti, get over here!" Sydria said, beckoning fiercely.

    Seti waited. He expected Faulkner or Melvin to speak up, to argue against what the blindfolded woman had said. No one did. It sucked that they didn''t fight for him. He looked up, not seeing anything beyond his ten-foot range. How high did the twister go? How many people were watching, recording, and wondering what was happening? Would anyone believe that two Dragons stood within? He was surprised to note that he didn''t want to leave the Serio family. It was satisfying to learn about his abilities. The Wind Dragon had wanted to train him for five days, but what would happened now?

    "Do I have to go?" Seti asked as the thought appeared in his head.

    "Yes," Cyrus said.

    "No." Faulkner spoke.

    "You just said you had no objection," the Shepherd countered.

    "We do not," the Wind Dragon agreed, "but he has an objection."

    Reimir shifted in place, but a look from Cyrus made her stop. She likely wanted to speak up, probably say something about how Seti could be under a geas at this very moment. To say that, though, may cause an unwelcome reaction from the Serio family.

    "Seti!" Sydria hissed. "They''re the mafia!"

    "Yes, and they''re the Shepherds," Seti said.

    "Something is wrong with you; the Shepherds are the good guys!"

    "Then answer me this," Seti said. His blood was boiling thinking about his next comment. "If the Shepherds are the good guys, the people who pastor over others and try to do what is best for everyone, then why was I forgotten? Why am I dismissed as a talentless hobo when the Wind Dragon himself was willing to teach me?"

    Cyrus and Reimir shot an alarmed look at Seti. Sydria didn''t notice.

    "You''re a tier one!" She exclaimed. "But you were never forgotten. You want to know something? I''m a mancer¡ªlook!" She held out her hands. Bolts of lightning flicked from one hand to the other. The sound of zapping static filled the area. "Electromancer. Tier five. I got my title last year. But guess what? If you, who wanted to be an aeromancer so badly, couldn''t, then I decided I wasn''t going to do anything either. I''ll join the company with you. That''s what family is for. We''re family, Seti."

    He looked at her hands. The electricity bounced around with complete control. She was an electromancer? Seti had thought she simply hadn''t discovered her mancy since she was too low tiered, but a tier five? She could apply to Prestige Academy without a recommendation if she wanted to. She hid it for his sake.

    Yet, that thought made him irate.

    She hid it for his sake? Why? Because she figured he couldn''t handle knowing what she could become? She would throw away her potential because he had no choice except to join the company? That''s stupid.

    "I didn''t ask you to," Seti said.

    "It''s my choice," Sydria replied.

    "You wouldn''t understand never having one. You want me to praise you? This annoys me more than anything; that you''d throw away the life that I''d want is the stupidest thing I''ve ever heard of."

    Her eyes welled up. She swallowed several times but didn''t speak further. She looked down and locked her eyes at a point on the ground. It was the book she had given him. Vivamancers and the Brain. He dropped it sometime earlier and it rested between them.

    When the siblings didn''t continue, Shepherd Cyrus spoke up. "Faulkner, am I to believe that you took Mr. Tutt as your disciple?"

    "He has no disciple," the Earth Dragon responded.

    Shepherd Cyrus took that at face value and nodded.

    Seti considered his options. The Maybell mall cafeteria had been obliterated by the small skirmish between the Shepherds and the Serio family. Who would pay for the repairs? Who would hire the geomancers needed? He didn''t know the details behind incidents like these. Maybe as an involved party member they would delegate some fees to him, which in turn meant to his father. Not to mention the whole ordeal would likely end up on the evening news.

    As far as he knew, the only path before him would be to walk to the Shepherds and bid farewell to Faulkner. The whole thing blew out of proportion just for the sake of training a few more days. But if Seti wanted to change, he couldn''t walk that path. He would have to forge a new one.

    Cyrus reached out his hand. "Come."

    "Faulkner," Seti said, "you said your disciple had to leave their old life behind, right?"

    That broke Sydria''s trance. Her eyes went wide and she looked at him in horror. "What? No!"

    You want me to come with you! Seti willed his thoughts unto Faulkner.

    The Wind Dragon took out a cigarette and a lighter. He hid his mouth as he lit it. Faulkner was smiling. Did he know Seti made an attempt on his emotions? The Lamb Reimir looked at Seti as if she was seeing him for the first time.

    "He also said his disciple would change the world," Shanna said.

    Seti motioned around him. "Who do you think did all this? I started this fight. I made Melvin fight."

    Melvin furrowed his brows. He probably didn''t like that statement. The Earth Dragon looked at Faulkner, unwilling to speak for him this time.

    A pause. No one moved or said anything. Sydria''s eyes were wide, unblinking as she stared a hole into Seti. He wanted to put her out of his vision, but the omniview wouldn''t allow it.

    "Then come," said the Wind Dragon of the Serio family.

    "No!" Sydria screamed. "Stop him!"

    Cyrus activated his barrier again. Reimir snapped her fingers and held a shield in one hand with a hammer in the other. Melvin ripped his great sword from the ground and poised to strike.

    "Faulkner! He cannot go with you." Cyrus footed himself in some martial arts posture.

    "I will not deny you the right of cross-examination," Faulkner said slowly, uncaring for the battle stances around him, "If you want to scan him for geas tampering then do so this Saturday at the Exceptions exam. Seti Serio will be attending Prestige Academy this year. Our business here has concluded."

    Seti''s stomach leapt. He could hardly believe what he heard. Prestige Academy? Seti¡ªthe tier one wind adept¡ªwas being backed by the fearsome Wind Dragon? Was he finally going to become the mancer he always dreamed of?

    "Prestige?" Cyrus'' bulk figure relaxed. "Then this is your response to¡­"

    "As you have chosen your champion," Faulkner said as he held up his arm to look at an electronic bracelet, "so then I have chosen mine."

    Reimir looked at Cyrus in confusion while Seti did the same to Faulkner. Neither the Shepherd nor the Wind Dragon met their gaze. Trusting that he would be told everything, Seti walked towards the Serio family.

    "Stop him!" Sydria shouted again.

    "Cyrus, you cannot mean to let the Serio family take him! It is our right to detain the victim." The Lamb spoke defiantly to her superior.

    The Shepherd did not respond.

    "Miss Amicone, bring us. Plus one." Faulkner spoke to the bracelet.

    "I thought I told you to call me Lightning Dragon when you''re in public." A female voice came from the bracelet.

    Sydria''s arms and hands electrified with bolts. A burst of static filled the air. "If no one else will do anything, then I will!" She swung her hands at Seti. Lightning struck forth. A bolt zapped straight at his arm.

    Shanna flicked her hand. A giant wall appeared behind him, cutting off the lightning. Seti''s arm limped uselessly at his side. He was not in pain, nor did he have any visible wounds. Paralysis.

    "No!" Sydria screamed.

    With his omniview, Seti saw what happened on the other side of the wall. Reimir grabbed Sydria but was electrified in the process.

    "Son of a¡ª" Reimir slumped face first to the ground.

    Cyrus hugged Sydria from behind, her lightning failing to penetrate his barrier. Bolts erupted from her body as she cried out. Her voice ripped into Seti''s heart. He tried to amplify the calm on her, but she only yelled louder.

    "You''re not a Serio! You''re a Tutt!" She screamed.

    With a crack, a bolt of lightning came down from the heavens. It landed on Melvin first; he vanished when it did. Then Shanna vanished with the second strike. Faulkner with the third. The fourth came down and hit Seti. It was warm and he felt it pull and stretch his body. The last thing he saw when his omniview ended was his screaming sibling and the surroundings melting away.

 Chapter 6 - The Worst Champion

    Chapter 6 ¨C The Worst Champion

    Outdoor hot springs were great for relaxing. The sound of water streaming and dripping was the only thing to break the silence. Seti focused on his breath. His arms floated on the water''s surface. He was supposed to wash off the soot that had piled on him from the mall. He leaned his head against the towel that padded the rocky edge. He was alone. He wanted to be alone. How long had he stayed in the water? He didn''t want to think about recent events yet. However, even as he blankly stared into the edge of his omniview, he could hear the echo of his sister''s scream.

    Seti Serio. That was his name now. He had made a life-changing decision in the heat of the moment. He desired change, to become something other than a company worker, and this was the best way to do it.

    They all had teleported to the Serio neighborhood by lightning strikes, thanks to the Lightning Dragon, who had apparently done it from an entirely different city. He wasn''t sure if they were even in Maybell anymore.

    Many butlers and maids had greeted Faulkner when they first arrived. The place was like a palace of a home. Some whispered that the young master had finally returned after so long. Seti didn''t care for it; he had simply placed one foot in front of the other. The excitement had caught up to him and now he felt exhausted. One of the first places Shanna brought him to was the hot springs.

    Seti raised his hands out of the water. One was slow to respond, still recovering from the temporary paralysis that Sydria caused with her electromancy. He tried to shut out Sydria''s scream again by amplifying his calm. The voice fainted a bit. She deserved a better brother, he thought. But if Seti was honest with himself, he just couldn''t continue his old way of life. How many times had he wished to be born as a different person? When things settled, he would visit her. Maybe they could be on good terms.

    He submerged his mouth underwater and exhaled. Bubbles raised and popped. His omniview didn''t go deeper than the water''s surface; he would need to restore his sight before the week was out. He came a long way in just the past few days. The blindness coming from Dream Eater seemed so far away, and insignificant in light of recent events. Thinking about Dream Eater helped distract him.

    The dream sequence from that fateful night was still clear to Seti''s mind, with no detail unforgotten. Maybe that was a result of the remembrance geas. Dream Eater had appeared and said she would fulfill a promised "petty revenge" against someone who adored him. He had played with the idea of a random woman fantasizing over him, but those thoughts were never realistic. Truthfully, if he could look back at it all now in hindsight, the only person that could possibly fit that description would be Sydria. Now even more so, since his sibling had been an electromancer all along. She could''ve made her own enemies, who in turn targeted him. But there was a small detail that discredited that theory: You would never guess because you actually don''t know her, or shouldn''t. Dream Eater had said those exact words. As long as she wasn''t lying, the assumption was that Seti didn''t know her, whoever this woman was.

    Footsteps came into the hot springs. Shanna stepped into view. Seti scrambled to cover his private parts; he was naked.

    "I cannot see anything specific," she said, indicating towards her blindfold. She wore the same clothes she teleported with¡ªa sleeveless sweater and tight fitting jeans. The price tags that once hung were gone; they had stolen the clothes. It was a weird thing to think about considering they destroyed a section of the Maybell mall.

    "Still, common courtesy," Seti said.

    She turned away so her back faced him. "I''ve placed new clothes in the basket. Once you finished cleaning, get dressed and meet us."

    Seti nodded, and then realized she probably couldn''t see, so he spoke. "Okay." Considering all the butlers he saw, it was strange that an eighth tiered geomancer came to him. "Are you a maid here?"

    "I am not. I am the Earth Dragon."

    "Right. But what I mean is¡­ Why are you here instead of one of them?" He clarified.

    "Because your life changed in an instant. It would do you well to have familiar ground. I am familiar ground. The clothes are in the basket." After saying that, she walked out of view. It was considerate of her to think about his mental wellbeing. The kindness from Shanna assuaged Sydria''s voice even further. Sure, he had left his own life behind, but his new life would bring new things.

    Seti dipped his head into the water and rubbed his face and hair. He could only trust that he got all the soot off, as he was unable to confirm with his omnivision. He dried and got dressed in the clothes Shanna left him. The button-up dress shirt was a little tight around the stomach; he wasn''t fat or unfit himself, but he definitely felt like it when comparing himself to the Serio family. When he finished buttoning the sleeve, he paused. The Serio family. That was him now. Seti Serio. A member of the mafia.

    He fought back a smile thinking that.

    His pocket weighed from an object inside. His cellphone. Sydria and Dora changed it back at the wind temple, to include several apps that helped with his blindness. He clicked on the screen button.

    "7:03 PM. One missed call and two new messages from¡ª" the robotic voice changed to a prerecorded one, "¡ªbest sister ever!"

    That was a knife to the gut. Seti didn''t want to read what she had to say. He held down another button until the phone vocalized once more.

    "Turning off."

    He exhaled and walked. The outdoor hot springs were part of the mansion''s backyard. Seti wasn''t sure how large the entire plot was, considering he could only see within ten feet of himself, but he imagined if a hot spring was backyard decorations then the Serio family had it made. From what he understood, the entire neighborhood consisted of only members of the family.

    When Seti reached the back porch, the door opened. A butler held it for him.

    "Welcome back, young master."

    Seti focused on the area behind him, expecting to see Faulkner pop out of a tree plant. There was no one else, and the butler looked directly at him. He was a young master, apparently.

    "I''m expected to meet with Faulkner and Shanna," Seti said. He fiddled with the sleeve collar of his numbed arm. Sydria''s electromancy lasted for a while. That would be useful in combat, or massively annoying if she was the enemy.

    "I will guide you."

    They passed by several servants, each one stopping and bowing until they passed. It was so different compared to walking down the hallway at his father''s company. In Event Horizon, the lower ranked employees would avoid eye contact, knowing he was the son of their boss. The higher ranked people would force eye contact as if it was a battle they had to win or a way to prove themselves.

    Seti arrived at a fireplace room where the cushioned chairs and couches littered around it. Faulkner sat in one chair staring blankly at the fire, a cigarette in his mouth. Shanna stood next to him, hands clasped behind. Seti expected to see Melvin or even Dora, but no one else was in the room. The butler bowed and left, which was Seti''s cue to walk over and sink into the chair. It complimented his rear.

    The flame itself was unusual to Seti''s sight. Since his vision was based on his omniview, the fireplace looked like a void¡ªempty of all air. The ember was gravity itself, sucking in any particles that got too close. Similar to a black hole. It was mesmerizing.

    He could feel the heat bounce off the voided area, hugging his skin. Here he was, sharing a fire with what many consider as two of the most dangerous people in the lands. The Wind and Earth Dragon. How many would freeze if they were in his position?

    "Sup," Seti said with a wave of the hand.

    Faulkner peeled his gaze away from the fireplace. "I see you''ve composed yourself again. That is no surprise considering that the Blue Dragon made our hot springs. It reduces your age by a year every time you dip in it."

    Seti looked at Shanna. It sounded unrealistic, but he was the one with the emotion amplifying wind.

    "That is incorrect," Shanna said.

    Faulkner smirked.

    "And I see you''re back to your lying ways," Seti said. "Who was that scary guy at the mall? Your twin brother?"

    "You nearly crapped yourself, didn''t you?" Faulkner said. "Shanna swore to never get on my bad side because of how scary I am."

    "I did not."

    Seti laughed louder than the joke warranted.

    "Imagination is the greatest weapon. Let them picture how frightening you are without lifting a finger," Faulkner said.

    The blindfolded woman turned her head slightly; she noticed something. "They are here."

    Faulkner let out a sigh. "Get ready to be yelled at. He''s going to be furious."

    Seti figured they were talking about the elders. He didn''t exactly have a wide database of who else was part of the Serio family. But Faulkner was the boss of the Serio family, so how bad could it be?

    "He will only be displeased with you, young master," Shanna said.

    "You think so?"

    Seti heard the footsteps enter the room. They were off rhythm, meaning multiple people. A confirmation that it could be the four elders.

    Who it really was, though, was someone he would have never suspected.

    "Presenting Henry Adams," said the butler.

    The Lambsgard University counselor stepped into visual range. The man who had inadvertently sent him down this path. Seti stood quickly.

    "Mr. Adams!"

    He smiled. "Hello, Mr. Tutt. I''m glad that you decided to pursue your mancy after all." Mr. Adams turned to look at Faulkner, his eyes narrowed. "Or am I to call him Mr. Serio now?"

    "Don''t look at me like that." Faulkner raised his hands in surrender. "You sent him my way. What did you expect to happen?''

    Mr. Adams pinched the bridge of his nose. "Yes, I sent him. Nonetheless, the intent was never to have him join the family. Does he even know what we want from him?"

    "Nope." Faulkner grinned.

    "He does not," Shanna said.

    "Wonderful." Mr. Adams gave a pity smile to Seti. "I''m sorry, Seti. I expected you to come to me again if you had a desire to train your mancy. You were never to know the involvement of the Serio family."

    "How are you related to the Serio family? Everyone acted like they didn''t know you." Seti sat back down on the chair.

    "He was banished," Faulkner said.

    "I was not, and your voice isn''t as pleasing as you think it is," Mr. Adams said. "I was a member of the Serio family, but I left of my own accord years ago. Some important things they had done was unforgivable."

    "Well, you see¡ª"

    "Stop talking," Mr. Adams cut Faulkner off.

    Seti''s eyes widened. It was awkward enough that he felt the need to physically look away. Faulkner simply smiled though. Mr. Adams walked to an open couch and sat.

    "Henry Serio," Seti said. He was trying the name on to see how it fit. He screwed his face in distaste as he might when feeling his oppressive air.

    "My name wasn''t Henry back then," Mr. Adams said. "Full name change to disassociate myself, and I did a damn good job of it until the need to step back in."

    "Edgar. Ahem," Faulkner said as he faked a cough, and then cleared his throat. "Excuse me. And you weren''t needed; you just wanted to give your input."

    "I didn''t trust you to come up with a proper solution," Mr. Adams said.

    Seti could piece a few things together. The first was that something was happening at Prestige Academy. It was something that the Shepherd at the Maybell mall knew as well, based on the conversation Faulkner had with him. The second, with Mr. Adams involvement and certain comments, was that Seti could potentially do something about it. Specifically, his niche could do something.

    Seti raised a hand. "Okay, how about someone explain to me what''s going on? I feel like I just got involved in a mess that''s kind of big. Even the Shepherd seemed to know something about it."

    "Shepherd?" Mr. Adams looked at the two Dragons.

    Faulkner gave an innocent smile but said nothing. Shanna spoke for him. "Cyrus Everstone moved in to detain Seti."

    "Cyrus? The second immortal? Did he see you, Faulkner?"

    "Maybe."

    "Oh, you''ve got to be kidding me." Mr. Adams rubbed his temples. "So we can assume that the Shepherds know you''re back. Not exactly what we needed. The Vescios might make a move."

    "Can someone tell me what''s going on?" Seti said loudly.

    Faulkner looked at the counselor. The blindfolded woman offered nothing.

    "Okay," Mr. Adams said. "However, you should know that there are three things in total we must discuss. The most obvious is the situation at Prestige Academy. The second is how we can develop your mancy within the week. The last is tackling the unique problem that is your blindness."

    "Unique problem?" Seti folded his arms. "What do you mean by unique? Can''t we just get a super strong healing mage to take care of it?"

    "Best to wait until Dora is in town." Mr. Adams turned to Shanna. "How long until the elders arrive?"

    "We left them in Maybell. They will be here in less than ten minutes."

    He nodded. "Okay, so we have limited time. Unfortunately, Seti, we''ll have to save the blind talk for last. I would like to confer something with Dora before we go deep into that. For now, let''s discuss the niche training so we have something to sell to the elders. What do we know so far?"Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

    "It amplifies emotions," Faulkner said. "The emotions have to already be present or a desire for it needs to exist. Anything else causes a disconnect and fails to attach."

    "So most would fail due to innate mana defenses." Mr. Adams tapped his chin. "Having the present emotion be a prerequisite could act as a backdoor that bypasses that line of defense. De-escalation?"

    "Haven''t tried," Faulkner said.

    "Seti, what do you picture when you want someone to feel a certain way?" Mr. Adams asked.

    "Uh, I don''t really need to picture anything," Seti said. "When we tried to create happiness, I pictured what I thought might be related to it, but it didn''t feel right to me. Now I just think in my head what I want them to feel, and focus on them, I guess."

    "Like the brain moving our fingers when we will it," Mr. Adams said. "We may not necessarily know what''s fully required to do it, but that''s not needed to make it work."

    Seti nodded to acknowledge the comment.

    "Tell me about the wind light you''ve mentioned to Faulkner."

    Seti described his omniview, how it had a ten-foot radius and couldn''t go further than that. He explained how he could see no colors and that it didn''t work when natural wind came into play.

    "That would be because your grit is weak. Stronger grit will allow your air to stand its ground." The counselor stood and paced in front of the fireplace. "Regarding your visuals, I imagine you can only focus on one point and not simultaneously import every detail into your mind. Like peripheral vision."

    Seti didn''t even think to mention that. "As a matter of fact, yeah."

    "That would be because our brains aren''t wired to collect data from all angles at extreme detail." He continued to pace and muttered words to himself. A pause. "Have you ever interpreted what you saw incorrectly? Like seeing a person as a statue or a dog as a cat?"

    "Actually¡­ yeah, it happened twice before." Seti remembered the morning after they stayed at the temple. Shanna had been in his view and hadn''t moved at all, so his brain "forgot" that she was there, causing him to jump when she finally talked. And when Sydria and Dora woke him from his nap¡ªhe originally saw Dora as a drawer.

    The thought of Sydria took the air out of him.

    "Incorrect data filtering." Mr. Adams nodded. He bit his thumbnail as he walked. "What our abilities can''t do is a tell. It''s likely your air is gathering way more information than you can process. You''ll have to learn to sort that out. That means¡­ information distortion¡­ application¡­ but no color¡­ aeronite¡­ Finalis Gatu, maybe?" He stopped and tapped his chin again. Faulkner tilted his head at the last comment. "I believe the remembrance geas broke the boundaries of his perception."

    Seti nodded as if he understood what Mr. Adams said. Then he realized something. "Wait a second¡ªthe remembrance geas? How do you guys know about the remembrance geas?" He had told none of them about it. Even Sydria didn''t know about it. The only people who knew would be Cassie and those she told.

    Mr. Adams closed his eyes. "We''ll talk about that later. If it''ll sate your thirst, then for now just know that vivamancy leaves a data trail that our little Dora can see. Give me a moment, I need to think."

    He went silent for a while after that. Seti decided to use that time to think as well. How much did they know? They were even aware of the remembrance geas, and considered his blindness to be a unique issue. He calmed himself when he started to get concerned. There was nothing for him to worry about as of now; they said they would tell him later. Faulkner stretched his arms and yawned. Seti amplified the boredom for no other reason than he could.

    "Stop it," Faulkner said as he grinned. "This conversation isn''t that boring. Henry is top notch when it comes to theorycrafting."

    "Top notch? Even though he''s a counselor?" Seti asked.

    "He''ll figure out more about your ability in an hour with a few questions than you could do in a few years. The Serio family is the only family that has two Dragons thanks to him."

    "Really? Huh." Seti thought about what he knew about his school counselor. Lambsgard was a small city, and the university wasn''t large either. So what was a former Serio family member doing there?

    "For example, let''s take a look at our beautiful Shanna," Faulkner gestured towards her. Seti jumped when she waved. He forgot she was there. It would be nice if he could learn to stop that from happening. "Before she joined our family, she was known as the cookie crumb."

    "That''s the strangest nickname I''ve ever heard."

    "Remember when I said her niche was to weave her geomancy quickly? No one knew that until Henry found her like a stray cat. Before then, Shanna''s geomancy broke apart as soon as she tried to mold anything¡ªlike dried dirt or a cookie that couldn''t stay together. She couldn''t do even the most basic of skills. Then lo and behold, Henry said he wanted her to be part of the family." Faulkner leaned forward and whispered. "He then goes and calls everyone an idiot for not recognizing it earlier. The quickness was a weakness because the dirt couldn''t hold together, but under Henry''s guidance, it transformed and now she''s known as the cheating geomancer¡ªthe Earth Dragon that bypasses slow geomancy."

    Seti tried to picture the three of them as children. What an interesting childhood they must have had. So what was Mr. Adams to Faulkner? Brother? Cousin? They did look similar, though Faulkner''s ponytail and his toned body stood out more. The counselor was handsome in the sense that some women at Lambsgard University picked him for their imaginary older partner.

    "Time''s up," Shanna said. "The elders are here."

    Mr. Adams stopped pacing when Faulkner stood and had them follow Shanna out of the room. The counselor walked next to Seti. "Don''t say anything unless addressed directly. We''ll do most of the talking."

    "Who wants to wager that Henry dies before the meeting ends?" Faulkner asked.

    "I will fight them if I must," Shanna said.

    Both Faulkner and Mr. Adams gave her a look. Seti had to raise an eyebrow to that. Seemed like Shanna was more loyal to the former Serio member than she was to the elders.

    "Well, let''s just hope it doesn''t come to that," Mr. Adams said. He stopped and placed a hand on Seti''s shoulders. "A moment, Seti?"

    Seti paused with him and watched Shanna and Faulkner walk out of view.

    "Yes, Mr. Adams?"

    "Please, just call me Henry," he said. "I feel that I should apologize again. When you came into my office a few days ago, I intended to become like salt to you, to see if you would begin to thirst for this world."

    Seti remembered the meeting. Lambsgard University had every graduate meet the counselor before the end of the year. He originally thought Henry would just talk about each student''s potential, but Seti''s life had already been planned out. He was to join his father''s company and become an office man. It was a secure way of life, and a lucky one according to most, considering that the young wind adept was only a tier one.

    "Why didn''t you just tell me what I could do?" Seti asked. "You were so vague that I couldn''t help but wonder if you were mocking me."

    "I would never mock you. I didn''t want to forcefully steer the life you had set. I walked a fine line in how I dealt with this. If you ignited interest in your mancy after a slight push from me, then we would see what could be done. It also would have absolved any guilt I would have felt by¡­ placing you in the danger you would unknowingly face. For that, I apologize. And now I must offer you a choice." Henry sighed. "By joining the Serio family, their problems become yours. You could find yourself in a situation where your life was at risk. This is not something that should be decided lightly. With that in mind, I could arrange it so that you would no longer be a member of the family. You could resume your old life and the safeties that go with it."

    Sydria''s face came to mind. If Seti were to go back to his old life, it would be because of her¡ªnot to be safe. If anything, the idea of being in danger ignited a fire in his heart. Danger was the thing that made the mancers so appealing. It was night and day when compared to the corporate life.

    "Thank you, Henry. I really mean it. I definitely didn''t expect these things to happen, but I don''t want to leave. It''s like I''ve been stuck in a desert my entire life and Faulkner gave me the drop of water I needed. Besides, danger is part of the mancer life, and I want to be a mancer."

    Henry took that in and nodded. The former Serio member knew where to go and led Seti through the corridors until they came across both Dragons, who were waiting outside a door. Faulkner smiled when Henry inhaled and breathed out slowly. They opened the door and stepped inside.

    A long table was on the other end of the room, with five chairs and five computers before each one. Three elders, Elder Poe included, sat behind their chairs with grim faces. It reminded Seti of a town hall setup, with the elders being the council members. But when they entered the room that was not the first thing he noticed. Elder Narn stood beside the table, his hand shaking and his nostrils flaring. He was livid.

    Melvin was in front, eyes downcast, rubbing his cheek.

    "What''s going on here?" Faulkner asked.

    "Play it again," Elder Narn commanded. He did not look away from Melvin. "Play it again so this fool can hear the damage he''s done."

    Elder Poe turned the computer screen to face them and clicked something.

    "What you''re looking at here is the remains of the Maybell mall cafeteria," said the reporter. Seti couldn''t see what was on the screen, but it didn''t take a genius to guess what it was showing. "Not long ago, the Second Immortal Shepherd did battle with an assailant. Information is scarce but if you look at this recorded footage," the sound of a low-quality shouts came from the screen, "the tattoos suggest that this man is Blade of the Serio family¡ªfamously known for his rivalry with the Octet''s sixth seat, Eustuss. Now, let''s go to our manceologist, Jorge."

    "Thank you, Stacey. From this online footage you can see here, you''ll notice that this isolated tornado sprung rapidly and powerfully. The scale indicates at minimum of tier six is at play here. It may be difficult to see through the dark clouds, but look at how the debris lifts off the ground¡ªthen look here! This tree is unaffected by the wind altogether; there is a hard stop on the destruction level of the vortex. All this suggests that the effects of the tornado did not go beyond what the aeromancer wanted. This level of strength requires a sevener or an eighter. And we only know of a few aeromancers in the great families that are tier seven or above, so I don''t think I need to say any more about that. Back to you, Stacey."

    "Great insight as always, Jorge. The appearance of the tornado over the mall only minutes later could suggest that the Wind Dragon may have returned to end the Serio exile. And it was only a few days ago when the Vescio family attacked the Orator office! With the tensions between the great families and the Shepherds being at an all-time high, could this be the start of war? The Shepherds offer no comment. This is Stacey Bately, reporting from the ruins of the Maybell mall cafeteria."

    Elder Narn slammed his hand on the table. "Incompetent! Insufferable! What excuse do you bring me? Who gave you the authority to fight? Speak!"

    Melvin shrank back. He dared not meet the elder''s gaze. The powerful Blade that the newswoman reported on was definitely not here.

    "Do not be mute now, boy," Elder Narn said. "You will speak."

    Elder Narn called Melvin "boy" in the same way that he called Seti it when they last met. People who loomed over others just because they could irritated him.

    "The pupil¡­" Melvin muttered.

    Elder Poe slapped him; flesh pounding on flesh. The room echoed the sound. Henry flinched but made no move. Faulkner only smoked some more.

    "Speak clearly," Elder Poe commanded.

    "The pupil''s niche made me¡ª"

    Smack. Another slap.

    "You can''t resist a tier one adept? Are you only useful for your swords? Do you have no pride?" Elder Narn clenched his fist. He was breathing heavily. "Stupid boy."

    "Um, Faulkner," Seti whispered as quietly as he could. The aeromancer turned his head a fraction. "Protect me from dying."

    He smirked. "Scared? Nothing will happen to you."

    It wasn''t so much because Seti was scared, but rather because he wanted to act. Seti knew it was his fault that Melvin fought, so he felt guilty over the punishment. Hoping he wouldn''t make matters worse, he focused on Elder Narn and tried to push the calm emotion. A tinge of dread hovered over the young wind adept, anticipating that the elder would notice his actions.

    Unlike Faulkner, who seemed to know every time Seti used his emotion thing, the elder was not aware. The room was silent until Elder Narn dismissed Melvin. The man known as Blade, holding a rivalry with a member of the Octet, didn''t lift his head as he walked out of the room looking awfully small.

    Henry was the first to speak. "I should think you of all people would understand that tiers aren''t the real determination of strength. You belittle Seti for being a one, yet consider what he could do for us."

    "The disappointment returned home to lecture us? Don''t presume you have a standing here, Edgar." Elder Narn walked over to the table and sat with the other three elders.

    "Don''t presume the disappointment is me," Henry spat. "I left because you couldn''t see further than your own ambition. Don''t forget that Faulkner is the boss."

    "My ambition is this family," Elder Narn said calmly. "We are where we are thanks to me."

    "You believe you are the family."

    Elder Narn flicked his hand forward and, almost simultaneously, Faulkner responded. The Wind Dragon swung his arm down, casting a cut of air forward. Aerial Slash. The air between Henry and the elder distorted and hummed softly. It lasted for a moment longer before the elder gave up, relaxing in his seat.

    Seti had never seen Aerial Slash used like that before. It was a party trick, something the mediocre wind adepts used. They would set up cans across the yard and tried to knock them down by swinging a stick or a knife. The spell would propel wind forward, caused by the pressure of the held object, and they would knock the cans over. It wasn''t an offensive spell for combat, despite the name. Yet, Faulkner''s Aerial Slash felt heavy, as if it was a real sword made out of air.

    The Wind Dragon turned to the counselor. "If you''re going to be aggressive, you should at least give me a warning. This is unlike you."

    "Poor character can get under anyone''s skin," Henry said.

    Provoking the elder didn''t seem like a wise decision to Seti. Even when attempting to amplify the calm on the man, Elder Narn still lashed out. Though, if the angry old man didn''t have any calm in the first place, then the amplification would only worsen the mood.

    "And you''ve brought the boy back with you." He noticed Seti for the first time. "I seem to recall saying that he isn''t what we need. Send this infant somewhere else so the adults can talk. "

    Something inside Seti snapped. The young wind adept instantly knew what he was going to do next. His conscience was telling him to use the wind to calm himself down, but Seti didn''t want to be calm. He gave the biggest grin he could possibly manage, focused on the elder, and then amplified the old man''s anger.

    "You want to know something funny?" Seti asked.

    "Seti," Henry said under his breath.

    Elder Narn said nothing, but his breathing quickened. The blindfolded woman was the first to turn her head towards Seti. He figured it was her way of showing that she knew what was happening. Faulkner flicked his eye once to Seti then returned his interest back to the cigarette. He did his best to hide his smile.

    "You said Melvin had no pride for not being able to resist a tier one. Amusedly, neither can you. Old man." Seti expressed the last words in the same tone that the elder did when he said boy.

    A force of power hit Seti. He flew back and crashed into the wall. The air knocked out of him. It was like an anvil had just hit him. The elders were out of the ten-foot omniview. Faulkner held out one hand to weave air at a point ahead of him. A ringing noise pulsed throughout the room.

    "Stand down," Faulkner commanded.

    The ringing stopped. Henry walked over and helped Seti to his feet.

    "And here I was trying to draw their attention away from you," Henry said. "You always did have a problem with authority, however."

    Seti caught his breath. He rubbed his back and looked at the wall he crashed into. It was different. That part of the wall had an extra layer to it. A slight move from the Earth Dragon and the geo-layer portion of the wall aggregated until the wall returned to normal. He realized that his back didn''t hurt as much as it should have. But what did Elder Narn do? That felt more like a kinetic attack than anything done with wind, which was nonsense as psimancers were part of the myth mage category.

    "Maybe I should just assume that everyone is aggressive today," Faulkner said. Then he laughed. "This is fun; just like old times. How''s your back?"

    "I thought you were fast enough to stop him," Seti said.

    The Wind Dragon shrugged. "He was trying harder that time." He took a puff from his cigarette and then winked. "Well if we''re all going to infuriate them, I guess it''s my turn now? All right, listen up! I''m going to take Seti as my disciple."

    Each of the four elders started talking at once.

    "This decision is too hasty!" Elder Poe said.

    "Young master, he is but a tier one."

    "For this boy to represent us¡­" Elder Narn grumbled.

    "But we have not decided!"

    Seti stepped forward until he was next to Faulkner. The elders were in view again and the young adept saw Elder Poe standing with a hand on Narn''s shoulders. Faulkner beckoned Henry to the table. Your floor now, he was saying. The counselor sighed.

    "Seti is a tier one, yes. But like Shanna, certain boundaries have been broken," Henry started. "His niche could still be strengthened to do what we want, but his main strength is no longer that. The perception level has been broken. I believe we could start grit training immediately, among other things."

    "But we have until Saturday for the last Exceptions exam," Elder Poe said.

    "We could teach him the foundation. With Faulkner and me, together we could hit the most necessary parts so that he wouldn''t need a teacher to continue growing. Then we just hope it''s strong enough when combat comes to him."

    Seti was confused. Perhaps if he knew what the overarching problem was, he would be able to piece everything together. And he never heard of grit training before.

    "Grit training, at tier one?" Elder Poe stroked his overly long beard.

    "Yup," Faulkner nodded. "He''ll be the strongest tier one in the world."

    "And the worst champion," Elder Narn said quietly. He was more subdued than he had been.

    "At least we know he won''t have a problem questioning the authority," Henry said with a hint of amusement.

    The wind adept looked at each person in the room. He wanted to ask a question but had a slight fear that he''d find himself against the wall again. Seti considered using his wind to remove the feeling but decided to push past it.

    "And what exactly is this whole champion thing?" Seti asked.

    Elder Narn scrunched his face tightly. "He doesn''t even know."

    "Ah, well," Faulkner said, "it''s a simple thing. Not that big of a deal. So as you might know, the families have something called the boss of bosses. Our noblesse. One thing led to another¡ªminor events, really¡ªand now the last boss is dead. Now, see, most families blame the Shepherds for it and want equal payment: they want the divine Shepherd to keel over."

    "The divine strongest woman? Leader of the Shepherds?" If someone were going to pick a fight with the divine, they''d either have to be divine themselves or have a lot of firepower. No one could just kill a divine.

    Faulkner nodded. "Obviously the Shepherds won''t comply, and the Vescio family particularly are upset about that; it was their boss that was killed. Weekly skirmishes, destroyed buildings, and just a lot of pressure are what we have to deal with. We think it might end up becoming a full-blown war."

    "Then something unexpected happened," Henry filled in. "The new noblesse, Tobias Vescio, claimed the Shepherd''s broke the United Accords when his older brother died, but his response was different. When the peace talks went nowhere, he sent out an invitation to several people in secret, requesting that they submit their champions to attend Prestige Academy this year. To the Shepherds, to some families, and finally to some of the guilds."

    "To do what?" Seti asked. "Does he plan to have a battle royale at the school? How does that help with anything?"

    "A good question," Henry said. "No one but the noblesse himself knows. However, we have several theories."

    "Give me the most plausible one."

    The Wind Dragon smiled. Shanna stood unmoving, as she tended to do. The four elders were quiet, watching Seti''s reaction. Henry finally answered.

    "We think the noblesse is going to determine if he should spark the war by interacting with the champions of different ideologies. Being young himself, it could be that he wants the younger generation to decide the future."

    "Congratulations!" Faulkner clapped. "You are now officially a piece on a secret board game called Play-Along-Or-War."

 Chapter 7 - Just Happened

    Chapter 7 ¨C Just Happened

    Tiers likened to lightbulbs. One tier represented one lightbulb. The heat the bulbs produced would be the mana that mancers used to weave their spells. A mancer, then, could use spells until all the heat emptied and the bulb "broke," resulting in a rest period where the mancer had to wait for the self-repair, unable to use their mancy. Tier two represented two bulbs, three for three, all the way up to tier six.

    Tier five was known as the start of the upper echelon tiers because of how the mana interacted with each other. Five lightbulbs would produce enough heat that it would buff each other and gestalt into stronger heat, loosely similar to two people huddling to stay warm in the cold. Therefore, starting at tier five, the number of spells a mancer could use would increase exponentially. Both because of the gestalt heat, and because that heat wouldn''t drain from the bulbs as fast, allowing the break to happen much later. Ultimately, that meant mancers could forgo counting the number of common spells they had for each day.

    "Is that what we''re doing, then? We''re lighting up the world with these bulbs?" Seti asked.

    They were sitting on the patio outside, enjoying the cool morning air. Henry had a piece of paper out and drew lightbulbs to describe the difference in tiers. Shanna sat next to the counselor while Faulkner was nowhere to be seen, busy with other things after last night''s meeting.

    "The analogy isn''t completely accurate, but it''ll best describe why you''ll be fine at Prestige despite the rank of tier one," Henry said.

    "Yes, these pictures are the best. Don''t you agree, Shanna?" The blind wind adept leaned forward to look at it.

    "Very artistic," said the blindfolded woman.

    Henry furrowed his brows, and then widened his eyes when he realized something.

    "It appears I''ve made a mistake. I''d forgotten that you''re blind. It keeps slipping my mind since you''re capable of eye contact."

    "It''s a lovely drawing, though," Seti said.

    "Very precious," Shanna supplemented

    "Even Shanna makes fun." Henry chuckled.

    A day had passed since Seti learned about his place as a champion. Not everyone was on board with the newest Serio member representing the entire family, and Seti himself had concerns about his role in everything. He would wait for a meeting with Faulkner to voice his thoughts.

    Regarding Seti''s blindness, Henry put it off again and said they could discuss it after the counselor had a chance to talk to the sleeping Dora. The little girl was apparently the one that sneakily scanned Seti without him knowing it. Vivamancers were going to be the bane of his existence.

    The family did well to care for Seti. His room had its own bathroom and fridge, and felt more like an established hotel over a guest room. The butlers and maids made the family seem like nobility, rather than a gang of criminals that was often portrayed.

    Shanna still wore the sleeveless sweater and the jeans she took from the Maybell mall. Seti was beginning to wonder if she really didn''t have any other pairs of clothes other than the business suits. Though, he had a suspicion he knew why she wore these new clothes. The blindfolded woman was leaning towards Henry.

    "You said this lightbulb analogy goes up to six. Why six and not eight? Isn''t tier eight the height of power?" Seti asked.

    "That is often misunderstood by many," the theorycrafter said. "Tier six is the final stage of how much mana a person produces. In a sense, you could say that a tier eight person has the same amount of mana as a tier six, but they are more efficient."

    "Does this have to do with the grit training that you guys were talking about yesterday?" The wind adept recalled how the elders reacted when mentioning a tier one having that special training. Faulkner ended up saying that Seti could become the strongest tier one user in the world. He wasn''t sure how he felt about that, yet. It was true that just being a higher tier didn''t guarantee victory over a lower one, but just how high can the first tier go? He couldn''t cast a single spell.

    "In a way. Ah, look who decided to finally show up." Henry looked to the side, seemingly at nothing since Seti''s vision didn''t extend beyond the ten-foot mark. Faulkner stepped into view. "A demonstration will explain better than I could. Faulkner, we''re talking about rankings above six. Show him an example of efficiency."

    Faulkner slumped next to the Earth Dragon, so that all three older adults sat opposite to Seti.

    "Not even a minute break," Faulkner complained, but complied as he held up his hand. Nearby air swam into his palm and was forced into a compact ball. It shaped again and another set of wind came and enveloped the ball like a shell, rotating so fast that any air that tried to escape the core would be caught by the outer shell and forced back down. It hummed silently as it spun. "This ball is visible to the naked eye, in case you''re wondering. Now, I want you to perceive what''s happening around it."

    Seti wasn''t sure what the Wind Dragon meant by that. From his view, it was just a ball of air, spinning in place. But he remembered the lesson he learned the first day they met. It was when his omniview was still just a wind light¡ªthe air flashlight. Faulkner had taught him how to expand his wind by perceiving his air as individual dots, which he had successfully done by applying a "filter" to his sight. He did the same now, sensing for what he wasn''t able to see.

    Something appeared. It was residue air that floated uselessly around the sphere, not participating in any way.

    "I see unused air, if that makes sense. I''m not sure if it does make sense, especially when we''re surrounded by air, yet only those particles are pointed out with my perception."

    Faulkner smiled. "That would be because the useless ones you''re sensing is my mana-controlled air. Except, as you already said, it''s unused. Most mancers can''t detect the excess mana they waste when weaving spells. In this case, I''m wasting an additional twenty percent to make this ball, but without perception I''ll just assume it''s part of the cost. Now remove that," the unused air then either floated into the ball, or vanished entirely, "and you become more efficient than the tier six version. Spells become cheaper and more durable."

    He made his hand into a claw, where he paired the outer fingers together and held the thumb out wide, then turned the sphere to the table and slammed into it.

    Screech! A loud wail ripped through the air. The ball sliced into the table, sending slivers all over the place.

    "Watch it!" Henry smacked the aeromancer''s arm. He brushed off the junk that landed on his clothes.

    The sphere had cut through the solid table as if it wasn''t even there. It looked like it steamed a little after. Shanna reached over and touched the damaged spot. The hole closed, while the table legs thinned a fraction.

    "How can that air ball do that?" Seti asked, bewildered. He understood that a tornado could destroy houses, due to the sheer force of all the wind. But this was just a ball that could fit into the palm of a hand.

    "I''m famous for this one. My Wind Claw spell." The sphere disappeared, but Faulkner''s hand still had the claw shape. "Perception training leads to grit training, and grit stabilizes spells so much that they become a force of destruction."

    "What''s the point of the claw-shaped hand?" Seti asked. "Does it help with the shaping of the wind?"

    "Not at all," Faulkner smiled. "I named it the Wind Claw, so I fashioned my hand after a claw. There''s no reason behind it other than the dramatic effect."

    Seti rolled his eyes.

    "It''s important you learn to act the part," he continued. "Too many are defeated in combat because they talk too much and reveal their secrets. Keep them guessing and soon you''ll be fighting off multiple people at once, simply because they don''t know how to approach you. So make it a habit."

    "Is that why you''re always lying?" Seti asked.

    "Definitely." Faulkner took out a cigarette from his pockets. "Never drop the act."

    "Right. So perception training and grit training sounds mega useful. Why don''t people learn how to do that right away?"

    "This is where you have the advantage," Faulkner said. "Tell ''em, Henry."

    Henry described perception training. It was an advanced technique that couldn''t start until tier six, or rarely five. At six, using the lightbulb analogy again, would be when there was enough residue heat that the untrained could slowly sense it in a new way. Using that knowledge, the mancer could redevelop their abilities to the point where they would reach an entirely new tier. The number of people that can''t develop that sense limited how many could walk into the realms of the seventh tier.

    In Seti''s case, he was able to see with his wind, which extended to sensing mana as a tier one user. He would be able to begin the efficiency training only upper echelon tiers could do. That would be especially useful, since a tier one would need all the help they could get. Combine that with the grit training mentioned, which should allow his spells to be more effective, then Seti''s own Aerial Slash should be stronger and cost less than a higher tiered person.

    Something disturbed him, though.

    "Okay, either I''m the luckiest person alive, or something else has to be going on here." Seti thought back to the events that happened to him so far. "Are you telling me that I just happened to have the niche that just happened to react appropriately to a remembrance geas that just happened to be done by a healing adept who just happened to know how to make one despite the laws against it. And all that even started because I just happened to become blind from Dream Eater who just happened to want revenge against someone who just happened to know me! Anyone else bothered by all these coincidences, or is just me?

    "I''ve mentioned the chaos theory before, haven''t I?" Faulkner said.

    "This feels less like a butterfly flap creating a tornado years later, and more of a ''the planets are aligning'' kind of scenario."

    "Maybe I could shed some light on this," Henry said. "There''s a tall tale around the theorycrafters; the story of Paul Benton. It''s a lesson for us, but applies to you as well. As the tale went, Paul was a child who went to his tiering ceremony and reacted to the first element that was tried: water."

    Yet, despite water reacting to the boy, Paul could not weave any of it. They tried many different methods that they knew, but Paul still couldn''t move a drop. He was disappointed and decided to do what he could to activate his ability. As a result, he fell in love with the seas. Paul sailed, and made a living out of it.

    One day, a storm caught Paul and he struggled to remain afloat. Unfortunately, the storm turned the boat over, and Paul sank. It was the end for the young man. When his breath finally ran out, Paul inhaled¡ªonly to learn he could breathe water!

    The new hydromancer decided to give back to the community. With the ability to breathe water, he joined the rescue teams to help others who were lost at sea. He came across a fiery boat, and went inside to save all that he could. The walls collapsed, and Paul found himself trapped. The fire surrounded the man. He gave up and was glad that he lived a good life¡ªonly to learn that fire couldn''t hurt him!

    Paul Benton was neither a hydromancer, nor a pyromancer. He was a vivamancer. He could adapt his body to the elements of the wild.

    "Now, I should mention that this is not how vivamancers work at all," Henry finished. "This is a tall tale, and obviously some points are exaggerated."

    "I don''t like that story, too bogus," Faulkner said.

    "Every story, and by extension every person, has something of value."

    "How does this relate to me?" Seti asked. As far as he knew, this was a story of someone finding their identity, and learning at each step that there was more to it than previously suggested.

    "It''s a farfetched way of someone learning that they were truly a vivamancer all along when the original assumption was something else," Henry said. "But the right conditions paved a road for that discovery. He was always out at sea, and eventually he would run into a scenario where he''d breathe in water. It''s the same for you. When your air was more compact, the emotion niche was always active. Can you imagine the effects you made for those around you? Even when you were younger?"

    Seti thought about it. When he first arrived at the wind temple, Faulkner suggested that his emotion niche helped convince Melvin and Dora to let him inside. The Wind Dragon had then said that the wind tried to create a desire to train the young adept. Perhaps the effects went even deeper. Aiden, known as the "school bully" at Lambsgard University, didn''t like Seti specifically because of how his wind felt. His sister, on the other hand, liked the way it tasted.

    Sydria may have liked it because, when they were children, Seti would often tell stories of what he would do when he got stronger, and would constantly blow his air around. His excitement would have moved her to be excited as well. His parents would have been excited too, or should have been. Instead, they ended up divorcing because his mother wanted to pursue a career in her mancy over the family life¡ª

    ¡­Pursue a career in her mancy?

    He lost his breath. Seti slammed his hands on the table as he stood up. His heart went cold. He just realized it. The divorce¡ªhis father''s reaction to his wind. All of it made sense now! His eyes glazed over the three adults looking at him. His niche did affect the life around him. No, it was better to say that it ruined that life.

    "You knew?" Seti asked Henry. "You knew how it changed my family, didn''t you?"

    Despite Seti''s demand to know right now, Henry waited a bit before replying. "We cannot know for sure, but¡­" The counselor nodded slowly. "I suspected, once I hypothesized what you could do."

    "It was me! I caused my parents'' divorce! My excitement for mancer things¡ªit invaded other people''s emotions¡ªmy mother! She divorced my dad because she was drugged, by me!"

    The realization hit him like a hammer. He had always loathed his mother for leaving them when she pursued her career. Their family changed drastically after that. His father made it plain that he didn''t want Seti to use his air around the house. No doubt because of the excitement that came from the wind. It would have been too much of a reminder of the divorce. It changed Seti''s life permanently.

    Seti slowly sat down. He had forgotten what point they were trying to make.

    "I''m sorry this happened to you. Had the niche been discovered at your tiering, it would have prevented a lot of your heartache," Henry said. "But now, as you can see, your niche set the stage for your life, like in the tall tale. It shaped how people responded to you, to the point where someone eventually stole your eyesight. All of that could be likened to Paul Benton sailing at the sea. Eventually, you were going to run into a scenario that would shake things up. The coincidences don''t pile as high as you may have originally thought."

    It didn''t matter to Seti anymore. His abilities altered the way his life could have been. Maybe he could''ve walked a different path. How different would home have been if his mother stayed? She was a real mancer and could have taught him some tricks to help him out.

    Faulkner picked at his ear. "Don''t be so depressed. All the ''just happenings'' brought you here. Now you''ll become my disciple, and the champion for who-knows-what."

    "Faulkner, be silent," Henry said. He was watching Seti carefully, but the wind adept offered nothing. "Let''s have ourselves a breather and meet up later."

    **Break**

    Having a pond in the yard was overkill, especially since the hot springs were in the backyard. But that was the benefit of having a large house and presumably several hydromancers. Seti rolled up his pant legs and let his feet rest in the water. He wondered how clean the pond was and if any fish swam nearby.

    Seti had hated his wind because it was so weak. Then he was glad to learn that he could forge a path with it using the emotional niche. Now, after learning more, he wondered if it was too¡­ Too what? Unethical? Powerful? He couldn''t think of the right word. People weren''t meant to be manipulated. He had known that, of course, but dismissed it because he wanted to join the mancer world. What did he think about it now, though?

    He felt a pit in his stomach. It made him think about Sydria. She likely had it the worst. With her emotion affected by his wind, did she change into a different person? Did he know who she really was? What if the sibling relationship was falsified from the beginning because of him? What if her visits were more akin to being addicted to drugs rather than sisterly love?This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

    Seti heard the crunch of grass before Faulkner shaped into view.

    "Still moping?"

    "Still an emotionless prick?" Seti spat back.

    Ah, he hadn''t meant to say that. Faulkner shrugged it off.

    "I thought about what Henry would say in this situation. He told me to leave you be, but I wouldn''t be annoying if I did that. So here''s my attempt to console you." The aeromancer flashed a grin, but switched to a mock serious face. "Fire is dangerous. It can destroy lives with almost no effort. Fire can also give life if used properly. You are that fire. Yes. I should become a counselor."

    "Are you a pyromancer or an aeromancer? Why are you using fire as an analogy?"

    Faulkner tried his best Henry voice. "Every element is useful, and by extension, every advice I give."

    Seti felt a small smile creep to his face. He resisted it.

    "Why me? Why am I the family champion? You guys just met me, so why me over literally anyone else in this neighborhood? Do our ideals match? Am I so trusted that you''ll expect me to do what you guys want? Or is this another one of those things where my air is ruining decisions and personalities?"

    "Well, according to Henry, the plan was to see if we could send you to Prestige as a contingency, without you ever knowing who we really were, which meant you would be an unofficial champion. Alas! The Shepherds got involved, and there was that skirmish at the mall, so I was forced to make a move. Things didn''t go quite as he planned."

    "But still. How do you even know I''m going to do what you want? We just met. Or have I proven myself to be such a selfless person?"

    "And what do I want?" Faulkner challenged. "For that matter, what do you think the Serio family wants?"

    "Isn''t it peace? To prevent war?"

    "Ask around. Go meet some people here. Find out what they think about the noblesse''s death and what we should do. When you''re done, come back here."

    **Break**

    Seti didn''t have an issue talking to strangers. Each person was a potential networking partner, according to his father. Some of the best ways to start a conversation were with a compliment.

    "Lunch was delicious today. The seasoning was perfect!"

    The chef was a bigger woman. She gave him the side eye. "I won''t be making ye something special. Wait like the rest."

    Seti was in the kitchen. The main reason that was the first stop was that it was the few locations he knew. Other cooks came in and out, carrying bags of something.

    "I''m not here for food, Faulkner sent me to ask questions. I''m his disciple."

    She gave him a proper look this time, eyeing him up and down. "Ye got that coin yet?"

    Seti furrowed his brow. "No, I wasn''t given any coin."

    The chef returned her focus to the ladle at her mouth and tested the contents. She shook her head and pinched something into the pot. "Have a question fer me?"

    He didn''t know anything about a coin or what it had to do with discipleship, but made a note to ask Faulkner later. "Yeah, I was wondering what you thought about the whole noblesse dying thing."

    "Ah, the poor master. I knew the two of them from littlehood, ye know? Always coming and sharing meals."

    "The noblesse and Faulkner?"

    "Ye. Jonny, was he name. Sun Dragon, they name he. Big and scary, but not scary here. The master and Jonny be like brothers. Jonny helped everyone, and united all the families. But we thinks the Shepherds hated him; killed him, even."

    "Why would they do that?"

    "Jealous, or maybe scared. Jonny could fight that divine Shepherd some, see?"

    "I see. And what do you think we should do as a response?"

    "Same as everyone, methinks. Head for head. They whack Jonny, we say hello back."

    **Break**

    Seti learned that the mansion also had a library within. He found a maid and had her guide him there. For whatever reason, his omniview didn''t default to looking up her skirt. It was uncertain why it behaved like that. Maybe it was a gentleman. Or, on further reflection, it could be because he had already decided he wouldn''t fall into the perverted lifestyle.

    The library itself was filled with books that did not have covers with dented out titles. As a result, Seti was unable to see the kinds of literature that were available. It didn''t take long for a young man approach him. The librarian.

    "Joneleth was a hero amongst us," the librarian said. He had books trailing behind, floating in pairs of two, with at least six stacks. From what Seti could see, the man was using a dense amount of air to keep them up. They passed by a cart that could carry far more books and required no mana, but the man ignored it. "There''s a lot of discrimination against the families. People refusing to serve you, or upcharging the moment they find any affiliation. Joneleth helped create a culture for all of us that didn''t want to sacrifice our rights for safety."

    "What rights would be sacrificed?" Seti asked.

    "Submitting to the Guild Association. Registration to determine if any part of the mancy should be illegal."

    "But shouldn''t some be illegal? Wasn''t there a mass use of geas during the Second Age?"

    "Why, of course some should be illegal or controlled¡ªhence the United Accords. But where do we draw the line? Majority rules the decisions, and the majority of the guilds are in the lower echelon tiers. There''s a bias against mancers with unique abilities. If it''s too different and has no preexisting guidelines on record, you can expect your niche to become illegal, rather than researched."

    Considering what Seti''s niche could do, he could understand the guild''s view. His ability would be able to alter people''s emotions, and some may compare it to geas, as Seti had done. Had the guilds discovered his niche at the tiering ceremony, would Seti have been marked as an illegal user? How would he, as a child, have reacted to that?

    "But fear rules their decision, not reason." The librarian continued. He hovered his hand over one pair of books and slowly lifted that pile into the air. The books went into an open shelf space. Seti sensed residue air round the book-carrying spell, and if what he saw was correct, the librarian was wasting two-fold more mana than needed. "The First Age ended when the primals nearly won, so we let the divines rule the Second Age. Then that age ended when the divines all around the world went to war with one another, and now we''re trying to control everyone with excessive laws."

    "Some good comes from it though, doesn''t it?"

    "Definitely, but again, at what cost? Anyone who doesn''t line up will miss on most of the privileges of life."

    "But that''s how countries work," Seti said. "You follow the rules or you get imprisoned or kicked out."

    "Except this country established their own government by force, and expected everyone to follow or leave. Think of it like a classroom where the teacher went missing, so a student decided to teach the class. What right do they have to rule over their equals? Those that didn''t play along were called criminals. A few families protested against it, and were powerful enough that they were a rallying point for the likeminded."

    That wasn''t how Seti remembered history being taught. The Guild Association had been established long before the families tried to separate themselves. Sounds like both sides were telling the tale that best suited them.

    The librarian continued. "Then a few years ago, Joneleth finally united the families, who had been too stubborn to follow any one person until now. We''re like two nations sharing the lands on a smaller scale. Now his death happened, and we don''t think it was an accident."

    The Sun Dragon''s death was public knowledge. It was during an A rank primal attack¡ªthe siege of Tennor. It was reported that the mafian Dragon died, but nothing more than that.

    "How is that the Shepherd''s fault?" Seti asked.

    The librarian gave an appraising look. "It was an ice primal, so the Shepherd''s sent Spitfire and we sent our Sun Dragon. Spitfire came back just fine, and Joneleth died from burns. He was nearly immune to fire and they''re saying it wasn''t Spitfire¡ªthe lone pyromancer in the country that could hurt him? Nah, no one intelligent would believe that. They took a shot at us and now we want a shot at them."

    When he said burns, Seti pictured ice burns, but he probably wasn''t referring to that.

    "If that''s the case, why aren''t people asking for justice against Spitfire?"

    "Because Spitfire is only the Octet''s third seat. We won''t be satisfied by exchanging our strongest for their third strongest."

    When Seti finished questioning the librarian, he stopped before leaving. "Those books you''re hovering, what tier does it take to do that?"

    "Two, but I know some exercises that help it carry up to four pounds. I could show you, if you''d like?"

    Even something as simple as carrying books took more than what Seti could do now. Perception training could make him more efficient, if Henry and Faulkner were to be believed, but surely it wouldn''t make him be a sudden master at aeromancy. How was he to go from his current level to the level of Prestige Academy?

    "I''ll have to check later with that, thanks."

    **Break**

    Throwing himself at the task Faulkner gave him was a good distraction from the pit he felt. He decided to keep asking around to learn what he could. Suspiciously, none of the other servants offered anything new. Seti found some that weren''t busy to get their thoughts, but it seemed they had a rehearsed response ready for him. It was similar to a child mimicking what their parents said. But maybe that''s exactly what it was¡ªrepeating the thoughts and words of the elders.

    So then what did the elders want? War? Peace? It was hard to collect any more data since the mansion had little traffic outside the few people Seti already knew. When he asked about it, he learned the mansion was home to the pure-line family, the direct biological line. Everyone else was considered the branch line. The tradition of changing last names to the family name could cause confusion, so there''s a bunch of little rules to clarify some things. For example, if someone had same first name, they would differentiate between the two by using their old name and a hyphen. So Seti would be Seti Tutt-Serio.

    He wondered if he would have to call Melvin his cousin, or Shanna his sister. Sydria was the only person he could consider a sibling, despite joining the Serio family. Maybe that would change over time.

    He passed by the hot spring changing room and saw a bigger maid inside. She felt motherly¡ªnot that he would be an expert on it since his own left years ago.

    "Tamara is my name," said the maid. She was folding towels and restocking items.

    "What do you think about Joneleth dying?"

    "Oh, that," she slowed her speed just a bit. "The shepherds are¡­ evil for doing what they did."

    Seti had a distinct impression that she wasn''t being wholly truthful. None of the servants really were when he had asked them, but she was the weakest to hide it. He wondered if he could force her to be honest, with his emotion niche, but decided against it. It reminded him too much of accidentally using it on his own mother and driving her away from the family.

    But sometimes mancy was overkill when there were other ways.

    "I am Faulkner''s disciple. Do not lie to me."

    Tamara''s eyes went wide. She stopped folding the towels entirely and looked at him.

    "Forgive me! I did not know." She bowed low and held that position.

    Seti was about to tell her to stop, but made a last-second decision not to. "What do you really think about Joneleth dying?"

    She didn''t move from her bowed spot. "I''ve never met him, but I know he was like a brother to Master Faulkner. I think he was devastated after it happened; he vanished for a little bit."

    "Vanished?" Seti recalled how the servants reacted when they arrived by the Lightning Dragon''s long-distance teleportation skill. They talked as if they had not seen him in a while. "How long was he gone?"

    "Since the family exile started."

    He asked her a few more questions, about the exile and whatever else she could offer, and then made his way out. She was still bowing by the end of it.

    As he walked down the hallway, trying to find the exit that would lead him to the pond, a figure shaped into view. The long and thin bearded man was waiting for him. Thankfully, the beard was so unique that Seti could recognize the man quickly.

    "Hello, Elder Poe."

    The old man nodded. "I heard a new face has been asking questions, regarding our history and culture, and thought to myself that perhaps I could share a piece of wisdom."

    "That would be welcome." Seti was reminded of the last time he spoke with Elder Poe in length. It would have been the dinner at the wind temple. The hamburger meal. There were things he thought of after the discussion that he wanted to say. "You remember that philosophical question you brought up when I mentioned I didn''t like the Shepherds? About what has greater worth: one life versus two, two versus four, and so on?"

    "Yes, I remember. Let''s go for a turn."

    The two made their way down the hall and went outside. Seti heard the chirpings of birds that he could not see. Every now and then, the breeze would pick up, ending his omniview, but Elder Poe made no mention of it when they stopped for the wind to die down.

    "I didn''t like that discussion," Seti said. "Life can''t be measured so simply. You guys have a king of sorts, the noblesse¡ª"

    "The noblesse is your king now, too. Continue on." Elder Poe smiled gently.

    "Right, we have a noblesse, the boss of bosses, king, or whatever. I''m sure there are many people who would''ve been willing to sacrifice a ton of people for him. Especially now, with everyone wanting revenge. Could you really say you wouldn''t trade two maids for him?"

    "It is interesting to note that you used the phrase, ''especially now.'' You are referring to the potential break of war, and referring further still the lives at risk. So, in truth, the scenario isn''t two lives for one, but two lives for one so that many more could be saved. The life of one man could be weighed as multiple."

    It made sense, but in reality, sometimes people would simply pick those they love over a multitude of others. "I have a hard time agreeing."

    "Perhaps because of your bias against the Shepherds? It''s good to be objective with ourselves, Seti. It helps us grow. Though I should add one thing, I do not recall ever stating my position in the matter." He flashed a happy smile. "I only posed a philosophical question as a means to help understand why the Shepherds do as they do, since the context was that healer friend of yours, who was forced into Shepherdhood."

    Elder Poe took a moment to enjoy the scenery, and then continued. "You''ve heard from many already what they would want done, with the death of Joneleth. I do not think the guilds are evil, and I believe they have done far more good than harm. No government is without fault. I believe the real reason between the split of the guilds and the families, and possibly your dislike for the Shepherds as well, could be summed up in a single riddle."

    "A riddle?"

    "If you have three of this, you have three. If two, then two. On the contrary, if you only have one, then you have none. What is it?"

    Seti was not in the mood to solve riddles. His first thought was the tiers. A third tier was still a third tier mancer, and a second was a second. But a tier one adept had nothing. He knew, though, that wasn''t the sought answer.

    "I give up, tell me."

    Elder Poe smiled. "Options."

    **Break**

    Seti went to the pond where he had originally spoken with Faulkner. He rolled up his pant legs again and let them rest in the cool water. Faulkner wasn''t in the area so that left his mind to wander. The thoughts of his life-changing childhood crept back up. He wondered what choice he would make if he had a do-over; would he be willing to exchange his mancy to keep his mother from leaving? Before he could get too deep into it, the boss of the Serio family appeared.

    "At risk of being called an emotionless prick, done moping yet?" Faulkner smiled his large smile. He had no ill will.

    "One can never mope too much," Seti said sagely. "How can you always be in a good mood? I heard you and Joneleth were close friends."

    "They probably said a lot of things, including Jonny being the best thing since hydro-cleaners. The dead are always remembered as great stuff. But don''t be fooled, Jonny was an angry man. Consider me his opposite, the always-happy man."

    Seti watched the aeromancer closely. Something was off about Faulkner. It wasn''t that something was off now and not before, but rather something had always been off. Most mentioned what should be done on a political level, as if Joneleth''s death was a distant thing for them. But it wasn''t distant for Faulkner, who had grown up with the noblesse. He suspected the Wind Dragon hid far more than he showed. Even the regular meetings at the wind temple, the ones he had with the elders that he tried to get out of¡­

    "You aren''t an emotionless prick," Seti said, piecing everything together. "You''re angry. You''ve been angry these past few months. Ah! Is that why the first thing you made me try with my niche was to make you happy?"

    Faulkner laughed. "Listen to you, trying to channel your inner Henry." He waved his hand dismissively. "So, tell me what you''ve learned. What does the Serio family want?"

    Seti thought to the collective voices. They were united in their opinion. "The family¡ªor should I say some elders?¡ªwants the head of the Shepherd leader."

    "At least you were able to put that together. And Elder Poe, when he visited you, what does he want?"

    "Shame on you for spying. And he didn''t say whether he was for or against war, but I''m pretty sure he doesn''t want war." Considering Elder Poe''s talk about viewing things from the other side, and that the guilds were an overall good force, that''s what made sense.

    Faulkner nodded. "The elders are split on their opinion. The daily meetings are just a repeat of everything they''ve already said. Now, what do you think I want?"

    "You''re hard to read. I don''t know. I guess if I had to say something¡­ Not war?"

    The aeromancer reached out and waited for three pebbles to float to him. Seti was puzzled at how Faulkner could use geomancy, but then a further look revealed he was using air to move the pebbles with precision. Each pebble had an air ring circled around it. He juggled them aerially over his palm. The power of each air particle had to be something amazing to do that so effortlessly. Except for one thing.

    "You''re wasting mana," Seti said. "About half, actually."

    The aeromancer looked at the three pebbles, circling in the air. "Am I? And here I thought my spell was perfect. I suppose there comes a point where perfect perception is simply impossible. Unless you''re you, of course."

    Seti felt a small nibble at his foot. He kicked around the water reflexively. Seemed like fish were in the pond after all.

    "I''ve decided to not decide," Faulkner said.

    "Not decide? For the war?" The adept looked up at him. "Isn''t that a bit hypocritical? I remember you saying a person who doesn''t act is just as bad as the person who does the evil."

    It was an early lesson Faulkner gave, when Seti voiced the dilemma of forcing his niche on others and compared it to geas. The lesson was definitely relevant again after learning what he had done to his childhood. He liked those words. Even if his niche damaged his life up until now, maybe he was still obligated to do good with it. It could be that he absolutely had to, because of what had happened.

    Except that was a lie. That''s not what Seti thought at all. Obligation wasn''t what drove him. Those were just fancy words he told himself, to coat his desire with good deeds. An excuse to go forward despite what he had done and what he might do.

    It''s good to be objective with ourselves, Seti. It helps us grow.

    Elder Poe''s words rang in his ears. The truth was, even considering what had happened to his childhood, Seti wouldn''t want to trade away his wind abilities. He didn''t want to stop using them no matter what. He was curious to know how deep the desire went.

    "Yeah. Even with advice in mind," Faulkner continued, "I have decided to not decide. I''m not indecisive, but I don''t trust whatever decision I may come up with. I want peace, but I also want to hurt someone. I don''t envy our new noblesse. Did you know that after Jonny died, everyone looked to me to start marching against the guilds?"

    "I''ve heard, yeah. You vanished shortly after."

    Which slowed down war talks, so that was the likely reason Faulkner did what he did. But Seti figured he also needed to express his feelings in a way that wasn''t irrevocable. He probably left to vent.

    "I did say that when I returned it would be with a response to everything," Faulkner said. "I don''t think I''ll remove the exile just yet, since it could still snowball into war. But once the country learns you''ve become my disciple, eyes will be on you. The new noblesse will definitely be interested as well."

    The thought that he would be center of attention was somewhat intriguing, except for the part where he was only a tier one.

    "What''s so special about being a disciple?" Seti asked. "I get that you''re the Wind Dragon and all, but why should it cause so much attention? And what''s this about a coin? One of your chefs mentioned that."

    "Right¡ªthe coin. I''ll have to give that to you by the end of the week. It''s proof that you''re mine. Being a disciple of a Dragon is different from being one to someone else. It''s a declaration that the Dragon handpicked you to one day become a Dragon yourself. A nascent Dragon, if you will."

    Seti froze. That didn''t add up in his books. "Me? You don''t even know me, and how could I possibly get that Dragon title at tier one? And why me? Because of my niche? I''m not a good person, you know. I didn''t think twice when I used my abilities on Melvin. In fact, I''m pretty sure I thought ''damn the consequences.''"

    Faulkner burst out laughing. "That''s why. When I heard Melvin started the fight, I knew it was you. Ah, that was the best." He looked up and smiled at the sky. It was a while before he spoke again. "It''s time for me to be honest, for once. Me picking you has absolutely nothing to do with the war or the exile. You''re like a bug fighting its way out of a faucet. A tier one bug. There comes a point where someone trying hard to change makes others want to help. I want to see if you can succeed, despite handicaps."

    "You have a way with words." Seti deadpanned. "Then what about the whole Prestige thing?"

    "As I''ve said, I don''t trust myself to make a decision I can say I fully support. Henry was right to have no faith in me. He''s doing everything he can to prevent a war, and I respect him for it. But me? I only want to see what you can become¡ªthat''s a decision I can trust. You were mentioning all the ''just happenings'' that you experienced? Our lives are just a series of happenings. So fight. Fight past every obstacle and force your way into the mancer world. If you prevent a war to do it, then that''s what happens. And if war starts? Well, doing nothing will likely lead to a war anyway."

    Silence took the scene. Seti reached down and felt the calm water to his hand. He knew what he wanted to do. Being an aeromancer meant making tornados, flying, and making a difference with their abilities.

    "Champion Seti." The wind adept tried on.

    "Sounds stupid," Faulkner grinned.

    "Who am I representing, if not the Serio family? I mean, if the new noblesse is asking for champions¡­"

    "We still don''t know exactly what he wants, but if you must represent something, represent yourself. Or the weak mancers of the world. I''ll support whatever you decide."

    Seti stood up and shook his legs to dry them off. He stretched after. The arm that had been numb from Sydria''s paralysis had recovered, he realized. The path to Prestige was before him, and he might be able to prevent a war while he attended. All his daydreams as a child, to do amazing things, could be summed into this moment. It was unfortunate that Joneleth died and people were angry, but nothing was purely bad or purely good.

    "We have less than a week, right? Let''s start."

 Chapter 8 - Finalis Gatu

    Chapter 8 ¨C Finalis Gatu

    The two Dragons and the wind adept were in a room decorated with no furniture and only a dirt floor. The appearance made it seem like the area was hastily built, with the lack of flooring, but that was intentional. The room was built for weaker geomancers who couldn''t weave harder floorings.

    "Let''s get right to it. We''re going to test your physique. Shanna, a treadmill please," Faulkner said.

    Shanna waved her hand once and clasped it behind her back. The ground beneath Seti started moving, hauling him away from Faulkner. The moving ground was isolated so it only affected him. Seti walked at a brisk pace to match the geo-made walkway until it picked up speed.

    Five minutes into the run, Seti could feel his lungs burning.

    "How long¡ª Run?" He panted.

    "Only for a mile." Faulkner took out a pack of cigarettes and hit it against his hand. "Don''t tell me you''re tired already?"

    Seti didn''t respond. Every breath of air was precious. He didn''t think he was out of shape, and if he set his own pace he could run a mile without a problem. However, this treadmill was setting the speed; it was a mile sprint.

    Eventually the moving walkway slowed to a halt. Seti was sweating into his clothes, making it stick to his skin. He was lightheaded.

    It was Tuesday afternoon. Last Friday night, only four days ago, was when Seti lost his vision to Dream Eater. Sunday, he traveled to the Maybell temple at his counselor''s recommendation. Monday had the skirmish at the mall. Now, he was finally starting his training. He had until the end of Friday to do everything Henry and Faulkner wanted. It would be a crash course on the essentials needed to stand on his own two feet at Prestige.

    Saturday was the day of judgement. The Exceptions exam. The exams happened every Saturday at different cities throughout the country. Many people would show up, recommended from their schools or the guilds. The goal? To show off until someone said they were exceptional. This Saturday would be the last exam until the onboarding for Prestige Academy took full flight. Seti thought it was terrible timing, as most schools and universities would have only recently ended. Prestige starting so quickly meant no break for the fresh graduates.

    But that also was one of the perks of the academy. With other schools done for the season, the now-free elite teachers would go to Prestige to share their knowledge.

    Speaking of elite teachers, Henry Adams, the former Serio member and the counselor at Lambsgard University, had left to meet with little Dora. When he was done, he would call for Seti. The blindness talks would happen sometime later today.

    "That was terrible," Faulkner said, partly muffled by a cigarette in his mouth.

    Seti was forced to do other tests at Faulkner''s whims. Pushups, sit-ups, and pull-ups (with Shanna''s geomancy creating a sturdy bar on the wall). As each test ended, Faulkner would specify the performance was poor.

    "So this is what we''re doing all week? Bodybuilding?" Seti asked. He sat on the ground, limbs stretched out. The ground helped cool him. His breathing was returning to normal.

    "A week''s workout is the worst way to prepare you for Prestige," Faulkner said. "But you should consider doing it on your own. You''re awful."

    "Abysmal," Shanna supplied.

    "I''m normal. You guys are the oddballs."

    "Occupational requirement," Faulkner smirked. "Alright, now I''ll teach you how to breathe properly."

    "Breathing? I''m going to die at Prestige, aren''t I?"

    The blindfolded woman nodded. "It is possible."

    Seti pretended that was a joke.

    Faulkner breathed out his cigarette smoke. "My training methods are the best. You''ve never seen those martial arts movies, have you? Breathing is foundational."

    Seti''s forehead furrowed. He was the weakest tier of the weakest element, and he was to believe that a week''s training, starting with breathing, meant he could stand evenly against the real mancers at Prestige?

    "No two mancy skills should be trained the same way," Faulkner said. "This should be obvious, but it isn''t in most circles. Some temples try to teach wind as if they were teaching a future pyromancer¡ªa force of destruction. Pyromancers have it the easiest when trying to tier up, so everyone thinks mimicking the style would help. It''s a different element, and therefore has different strengths. If you were anything else, I wouldn''t be teaching you how to breathe."

    "You wouldn''t? Even though it''s foundational?" Seti asked.

    "Breathing is important, and I''m sure certain martial techniques are useful for everyday things. But as a wind adept, using your wind to your benefit is only common sense. So when I say you''ll be undergoing breathing training, it''ll be directly related to your air."

    Faulkner gave instructions that led to Seti asking a series of questions. As Seti understood it, his air surrounded him while his omniview was active, but apparently, it wasn''t the "special" breathable kind. As it so happened, some air particles were rich with mana. When aeromancy operated, it would consume mana from the mancer to take control of the surrounding air, leaving traces behind. The goal was for Seti to sense these special traces and breathe them in.

    Sensing them wasn''t difficult. They weren''t magically blue or anything¡ªnot that it mattered since Seti couldn''t see color¡ªbut he did feel a certain depth to several of the particles. It was strange that he didn''t notice it until Faulkner told him it would be there. Under his teacher''s guidance, he learned to control them and separate it from the regular air. It felt more like telekinetically catching small special marbles that floated in space. The idea behind it was to ensure the deep air didn''t shallow out with normal air when breathing them in, or they''d be useless. Once he collected all ten marbles before him, he inhaled.

    The air was cold at first, sending a shiver throughout his body. Then his body revived.

    Seti felt his muscles ache for movement¡ªfor exercise¡ªfor anything. He was jittery. Fidgety. Energy surged within. And a desire to punch the wall just to see how much damage he could do.

    "What is this feeling?" Seti asked. His mind cleared, as if he just had a full night''s sleep. In addition, it was like all the air he had breathed up until now was dirty, and this mana-air just detoxed his body. His arms and hands felt powerful, though nothing had physically changed with them. He jumped in place to exert some of the drive.

    The aeromancer smiled. "Aeronite saturated or mana-based. Take your pick. We can do some fun stuff with our air."

    To emphasize the point, Faulkner had him do the exercises again, but this time while under the effects of his mana-based air. He did pushups at a pace he shouldn''t be capable of. When doing sit-ups, he lasted three times as long without feeling any muscle burn. Shanna created the isolated treadmill once again.

    This time the sprinted mile was too short.

    His legs were powerful with each step. Minutes passed as he ran and still he felt like he had only begun¡ªfull of vigor and the need to continue.

    "I don''t get how this works," Seti said. He was stretching his leg muscles when he finished. His breathing too calm for someone who just ran a mile. "Just adding my own air lets me be more physical?"

    The energy from the mana-based air ran out after the sprint. In short, using the special state lasted only several minutes.

    "Have you tried exercising while holding your breath?" Faulkner said. "Muscles need oxygen, and we specialize in that. This has several effects, but we''re focusing on the physical aspects first. It won''t make you physically stronger or inhumanly fast, so don''t go thinking you''re invincible, even though it can make you feel that way. It also takes times to regenerate the expensive air; a day''s worth of time, I believe. We''ll see if it''s the same for a tier one. Now, what we''ll be doing next is another kind of breathing exercise. Get ready to suffocate."

    Without warning, Shanna punched the ground.

    Boom!

    The ground exploded. The air filled with dirt. Seti coughed, unable to breathe clearly. He covered his nose and mouth with his hands. The polluted air did not dissipate, and remained filthy.

    "Okay, now figure out how to breathe," Faulkner said, his voice as clear as it had been. Both he and Shanna stood in the midst, seemingly unfazed by the amount of dirt they were breathing in.

    Except, Seti realized, they were likely not breathing in the dirt at all. The wind adept focused and sensed his air around the room and tried to navigate it through the pollution. Solving the maze of the dirt-air wasn''t difficult; it was the coughs that slowed him. Eventually, Seti could weave the air in such a way that he filtered out the dirt when he breathed.

    The wind adept removed his hands from his nose and mouth and inhaled deeply. It didn''t even smell like dirt. The polluted air remained outside his nostrils while the clean air had free sailing.

    "Fast." Shanna spoke.

    "He''s cheating. Sensing air like that at tier one is broken as heck."

    Seti noticed that he was covered in dirt. He could feel it stick to his sweat. Faulkner, on the other hand, was doing something around his body, like an air barrier of sorts. The dirt couldn''t land on him. It was similar to the phasm barrier that the Shepherd made at the mall. The wind adept took note, in case he could replicate it in the future.

    "So I can breathe when there''s a lot of debris," Seti said. "Neat."

    "Let''s do that again, but make it a little harder. Shanna."

    The Earth Dragon hit the ground once more. More dirt flung into the air. Air was pushed aside, and Seti''s omniview wavered slightly. It still wasn''t a problem for him, as he could navigate through the maze as he had done previously.

    Except this time, Faulkner decided to be annoying. The teacher walked up to Seti as he was concentrating, and hit him across the head.

    "What are you¡ª" Seti coughed. He lost sense of the air he weaved and hacked as the dirt entered his mouth.

    "If there''s this much filth in the air, you can''t expect the battlefield to let you concentrate in peace," he said matter-of-factly.

    "It''s a school¡ªcough¡ªnot a battlefield! Idiot!"

    "It won''t do if my disciple struggles to breathe in suboptimal conditions."

    Seti backed up as his teacher continuously hit his head. Faulkner was smiling. That jerk. With less air to control in the room, the adept breathed in more dust and willed for the air to filter itself. After struggling a moment longer, Seti managed to regain his composure and could filter some clean air again. It smelled like dirt this time.

    He grabbed the Wind Dragon''s arm mid-strike. Seti inhaled deeply.

    "Took you long enough to defend." Faulkner held up a finger and spun it around. A gust of wind entered the room and replaced the pollution with clean air. Seti stood, covered in dirt. "I noticed you couldn''t breathe cleanly the second time. You''ll have to practice until the micromanaging becomes automatic."

    Seti coughed again. Right as he thought that he could use some water, Shanna entered the room with a glass of it. He hadn''t noticed her leaving at all. The cool water soothed his scratchy throat.

    "You know," the adept began, "I used to fanboy over all things wind magic. Things like Aerial Slash, twisters, flying, air elementals, and some atmosphere stuff were pretty popular. But I''ve never heard of these basic breathing techniques. Is there a book for them?"

    "Basic?" Faulkner forgot to close his mouth. "This suckling babe just called my Finalis Gatu a basic technique. Elder Narn rolls in his grave."

    "He''s still alive," Shanna corrected.

    "It''s not basic?" Seti asked. It definitely wasn''t the hardest thing to execute.

    "Here''s the thing, mancer skillsets are broken down into different categories. You''re already aware of the most popular one: the tiers. Our tiers are based on how much mana you produce. The second category would be the might behind the spells, or strength, which is different from tiers. To not confuse the two, most masters call it grit."

    "Different how?" Seti asked. To him, a high tier was to be strong, so strength being a different category was something he wasn''t aware of.

    "Consider this: a tier seven hydromancer could weave tons and tons of water that would simply crush you by the pressure of the water alone. That''s not the strength we''re talking about. When we say grit, we''re talking about the difference between someone weaving a bucket of water at you and you get wet, and someone weaving that water and your arm gets lobbed off. We say grit in the sense that you grit your teeth in pain. That''s strength."

    It made sense. Aerial Slash was the party trick that people used to knock things over, but it was also known that it couldn''t be used in combat. It just wasn''t strong enough to cut anything. But Faulkner proved that to be inaccurate when his version of the spell was on a level of its own.

    "Oh!" Seti realized something. "Is that why the natural wind of the world pushes my own like it''s nothing? Henry did say that my grit was the reason."

    "That''s correct. It does get naturally stronger as a person tiers up, which is the same as our muscles getting stronger when we grow up. Being tier one, your grit is nonexistent. But you''ll be fine since we''re able to shape it to be just as strong. The only difference between you and others would be you having less mana to use. As for the third category of the mancer skillsets, that would be perception."

    "My visual prowess," Seti said.

    Faulkner nodded. "Perception, for normal people, would consist of sensing mana, shaping strengths, and to a degree: sight. When I say sight, I don''t mean what you''re able to do with your wind. In my case, I could tell you how many people were in each room. Shanna can do one better and determine who was where, and then some. But neither of us could tell you how many fingers a person is holding up."

    "So, basically, what you''re saying is," his mouth curved into a smile, "I''m a grandmaster at perception."

    "Let''s not get too excited. Nobody here cares about titles," Faulkner said, though he held back his own grin. "You''ve bypassed nearly all perception training as a result of your visual prowess. It would take years, or maybe decades, to reach that level of mastery. My Finalis Gatu technique, the Windan Brata¡ªyou don''t have to remember these names¡ªrequires the aeromancer to filter out the common air to breathe in the mana infused one. The lesser version of it allows breathing in a polluted environment."

    Seti''s inner child squealed with glee. Finally, he had something he could claim as his own. He would no longer have to be ashamed of his adept abilities.

    "Don''t go telling people about the Finalis Gatu," Faulkner added. "And I don''t want you to be deceived; your perception is unnaturally high, but that doesn''t mean you''re ready to call yourself an aeromancer. The main advantage you have over others is that you won''t need a teacher for most things once we''re through with you."

    Which was something temples were popular for. Guilds would sponsor the temples, and the students that attended would have a teacher over them, training them in the molding exercises. Combining certain moldings allowed for faster spell execution and higher durability, standardizing the form. Eventually, that would lead to the creation of common household spell names.

    So they started grit training. Seti''s weak grit was to blame for his inability to mess up anyone''s hair. The training was simple in that it didn''t require an advanced technique to execute. However, it was difficult for most in that it did need someone to have perception, whether it be the student or the teacher.

    Faulkner instructed him to create a small sphere made from his air. It wasn''t exactly difficult, as he could navigate each air particle freely. His teacher made sure to mention that a person without any perception couldn''t see individual air particles, and therefore had to rely on masters to ensure that the shapes were made without wasting extra mana. If an adept molded a shape inefficiently too often, it would reflect on the final product, which was the spells.

    Once the pebble-sized sphere was made (which was invisible to the naked eye and couldn''t be felt physically), Seti ordered it to squeeze tight, like gripping a stress ball. The bits compacted tightly, though they wanted to separate as a magnet would to its own attraction. Seti continued the exercise when suddenly the room went black.

    His omniview ability stopped working.

    "Crap," Seti sighed. "I broke my wind again."

    That meant he would be blind for the rest of the day, and the day was long.

    "Your body doesn''t know its own limitations yet," Faulkner said. "The first time you try something it''ll obey until a force shutdown happens. Tomorrow, when you try the grit exercise again, you''ll notice how much weaker it''ll be since your mana would''ve created restraint."

    The lesson ended there. Seti, being completely dirty and blind, needed one of the servants to assist him to his room. He was starting to hate the feeling of powerlessness. The first thing Seti intended to do was take a long bath. While the outdoor hot springs was definitely preferred, not knowing whom else was in the vicinity pushed him away from the option.

    Once they arrived at his private room''s bathroom, the maid took his hand suddenly to show him where the handle for the bath was.

    "Enough!" Seti snapped as he pulled back. "I can navigate around the bathroom just fine."

    "I''m s-sorry," she replied quietly.

    She closed the door behind him. He sighed as he undressed and prepared the bath. It was unnecessary for her to baby him every step of the way. He knew the general layout from memory. He felt the steaming water before stepping in, letting the heat blanket him. It relaxed him. A minute later and he was ashamed for his aggression. Maybe he shouldn''t have been so harsh to the maid.

    The darkness around him made him think of Dream Eater. Henry had gone to speak with Dora, the vivamancer who had information concerning the ordeal. Seti just wanted to know why Henry considered his blindness unique and what could be done to reverse it. Though, with the lessons currently underway, he couldn''t help but wonder if his wind abilities would get weaker if he got his eyesight back. Shanna was using a blindfold on a daily basis, wasn''t she?

    He finished, dried, and then dressed (using the tags on the back of the clothes to help) when he knocked something over on the dresser. He leaned down and patted the ground until he felt something leathery. It was his wallet. There were bills inside that he took out, but he had no way to differentiate the different values of each one. His cellphone did have the app that could take a picture and read back what it detected, but when Seti considered using it, he recalled he turned it off when he learned it had some unread messages from Sydria.Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.

    He didn''t want to hear those.

    A knock on the door. Shanna identified herself and Seti called her in.

    "How do you tell which bills are which?" Seti asked, feeling the edges as he might a coin.

    "Give them to me." Shanna took the bills from his outstretched hands. He heard crumpling sounds, and soon after she placed them onto his hands again. "Ten. Five. One."

    She had folded them in different ways. Some at the long side, others at the shorter side, but each one unique at the touch. This would be useful even when his omniview worked since his air couldn''t tell the different values.

    "Do you have the app? The one that takes pictures and has it read back to you?" Seti asked.

    "Yes. A necessity, as the young master informs me incorrectly what my bills are."

    He made a mental note not to trust Faulkner in this area. "So why do you have the blindfold? Your perception is already pretty great. What else do you need to improve?"

    "My Finalis Gatu."

    "You can do the breathing technique, too?" Seti thought only wind users could do the special skill.

    "A different Finalis Gatu," she said. "Erden Finalis Gatu."

    "Ah, a geomancy thing?"

    "Yes."

    "Gotchya."

    Seti fidgeted when silence lingered. Shanna had always seemed content when no one spoke, but it was awkward for him. It was only then that he realized he didn''t know why she came in the first place.

    "Henry wishes to speak with you," she said when asked.

    "Start with that next time!" Seti stood to his feet quickly. It was time to learn about his blindness.

    Shanna asked to guide him by the arm, which was strange as most people tended to invade his personal bubble without request. Maybe it was because she was effectively blind as well that she understood.

    A moment''s walk later, a door creaked and they walked into a room. It smelled of light cologne. Seti wondered who the counselor was trying to impress.

    "Thank you for bringing him, Shanna," Henry said.

    "Two beds. One table. One couch. One television. One person." Shanna described. She led him to a chair and he sat on it. He felt a table before him. "I will be leaving. Goodbye."

    He heard the door behind him close and the chair in front scratch the ground as it moved. Henry sat across from him.

    "Finally," Seti said. "Tell me about my blindness. You said it was unique? How did Dora scan me? Can we heal it with a vivamancer or what?"

    "Slow down," he chuckled. "I should first explain my train of thought so my conclusion won''t seem as¡­ unbecoming."

    Seti mustered the most unamusing look he could manage. "My eyesight was stolen in a dream. I accidentally made my parents get divorced. I went to the mall with the Earth Dragon. My teacher is the Wind Dragon, boss of the Serio family. I think I''m used to ''unbecoming'' events."

    "This might top that, but let''s start from the beginning." Henry took a deep breath. "A few days ago you arrived at the wind temple in Maybell. Since you mentioned my name¡ªand I didn''t inform them you were coming¡ªthey took precaution before letting you in. Unfortunately, I was in a board meeting that Sunday and missed their calls. Therefore Dora, a vivamancer specially groomed, could see some things as she scanned you with a touch. You recall her leading you into the temple itself? That was when the scan took place. The benefits of a child; to enter a person''s personal space without much complaint."

    "She was groomed in a special way? What does that mean?" Seti closed his eyes after noticing them blink. There was nothing to look at anyway.

    "It means the Serio family prepares for worst case scenarios with what''s available. Dora is incredible by vivamancer standards, but she doesn''t know it herself."

    "I don''t know much about vivamancers myself," Seti said. "I don''t know what they can and can''t do. Makes me wish I had that information."

    "I have no problem sharing knowledge. In fact, let me give you my number. You''ll likely have questions when you enroll at Prestige. I''ll respond whenever I can."

    Seti gave his number and waited for the man to send a text with his information. He expected to feel his pocket vibrate, but remembered that his phone was off.

    "Let''s continue," Henry said. "She scanned you to determine if there''s anything of note that we should be concerned about. Geas is a rare thing nowadays, and not as large of a threat despite the heavy negative connotation associated with it. One thing is absolutely certain: geas is not permanent."

    The wind adept thought back to what he knew about the topic. Cassie had mentioned several things a geas could do. There was obviously the remembrance geas: recall a memory with perfection. That was also what allowed him to see despite being blind. Then she mentioned a suppressant geas, to lessen hunger pangs. A loyalty geas, which dealt with a person''s personality or something.

    "You remember Cassie, our healing adept at Lambsgard?" Seti brought up. "She told me a few things about geas. Did you know she could use geas? She was the one that used the remembrance on me."

    "I''m familiar with her, but I didn''t know she could create geas until she dropped out of the university. Imagine my surprise when I learned she applied to Prestige. But regarding the geas, she''s the exception to normal rules; similar to how slow geomancy doesn''t apply to Shanna or weak grit won''t apply to you." Henry paused. "Even with Cassie''s unique skills, hers won''t be permanent either. But how long it stays, and how much damage is done before the reversal, is another question entirely. It''s why there''s the contingencies against probable actions."

    Cassie''s had made empty threats, like when she said that if the geas was discovered he would die. She later clarified it wasn''t true and wouldn''t happen. He noted to learn everything he could about vivamancers.

    "What are the contingencies?" Seti asked.

    "An anti-geas geas, placed on certain vivamancers. But we''re getting off topic; let''s get back to why this relates to your situation. While a geas stamped on someone is visible to any vivamancer, finding evidence for it after it dissipates requires special training. Before we go deep into it, I want you to tell me the events leading up to the blindness. Faulkner mentioned several key points, but I wanted to hear everything from you."

    He complied and mentioned everything he remembered from the dream. Back when he gave the details to Faulkner, he left out several things; such as him being a Shepherd in the dream. Seti didn''t hold back any information this time, and was glad he couldn''t see Henry''s face. He shared it all, and everything Dream Eater had said. The remembrance geas had allowed him to retain every bit of detail (though, now he wondered if that would be permanent). He also shared what Cassie had done to him at the clinic, something else Seti left out when talking to Faulkner. It didn''t make sense to hide that detail when the Serio family knew about the geas.

    "I do not believe a geas is why you''re blind," Henry said.

    "No? But Cassie said she saw something with my mind and wanted to try to fix it."

    "She may have inferred you had a geas, but according to Dora, you had no such thing until Cassie used hers. So let me repeat: Dream Eater did not put a geas on you." Henry paused. "Faulkner didn''t mention the part about you not knowing who this ''woman that adores you'' is. But no matter, that reinforces my theory. Which is extremely unfortunate, as I had hoped I was wrong."

    That wasn''t something Seti wanted to hear.

    "This may sound very strange," Henry said slowly, "but I want you to tell me what you know about necromancers."

    Seti stopped. Then he laughed.

    "You''re joking, right? Necromancers aren''t real. They''re one of the myth mages."

    Before the Third Age started, mancers were known as mages. People had a hard time defining the boundaries of magic, and the divines in the world broke most known rules anyway. Once things calmed down and the chaos became controlled, the mancer titles came into existence.

    Magic was broken down into three categories: the elements, the crafters, and the vivamancers. Vivamancers were their own category due to how vastly they varied. Crafters had their phasm creations. The elements were self-explanatory.

    Because magic had not been defined, hearsay would create all sorts of spells and mage types that simply did not exist. Born from such talk were the myth mages. The three most popular ones were the necromancers, chronomancers, and the psimancers.

    "They''re a myth mage," Seti said again. "After decades of research and study of mancy stuff, no evidence for necromancy came into light at all. At least nothing that couldn''t be explained with vivamancy, anyway."

    "I''m inclined to agree, minus one little problem. The scar left on your mind."

    Seti reflexively touched the spot behind his ear. "Scar?"

    "Dream Eater said she intended to take not only your sight but also your memory. That could fall into the category of vivamancy, but I don''t think that''s what happened here. When Cassie used the remembrance geas on you, she must have seen something very odd. Dora and I concluded that the scar was proof of soul tampering. Cassie was clever enough to use the remembrance geas, which disallowed the soul to heal in a mutilated way. As a result, you were able to retain the memory that should have been lost. Hence, the scar."

    That¡­ was interesting. "Soul tempering? What makes you think it was the soul and not my brain or mind, or something?"

    Henry exhaled slowly. "I have a theory about our souls and how they relate to our mancy. The study on the subject is short, as there''s only so much we can learn with vivamancy. I believe geas is not permanent because the soul heals the unnatural change done to it, which led me to believe that memory is partly related to the soul since all memory geas eventually reverts as well."

    "Okay, stop. Hard stop, please." Seti said. "If necromancy was real, then surely there would be more on the subject. More people would know about it. You can''t be the only one to know these things."

    "I''m not the only one that has theories, and the deepest studies have similar thoughts that I do. However, we wouldn''t know more on the subject if we don''t know where to look. We have never seen a case where memory was irrevocably removed¡ªbut yours was definitely one; not to mention we would''ve never known, either, since it was a dream memory."

    A frightening thought. It was true that Seti wouldn''t know if he lost any memory or not if the stolen memory was from a dream. The perfect crime.

    He continued. "The only reason we know about the Dream Eater in the first place is the remembrance geas, which left that scar. But what if there was something that was lost before we could catch it?" Henry paused for emphasis. "Now finally, that brings us full circle to your eyes. Dora says your eyes are fully operational, without any problem or vice. Yet, you''re blind and we cannot explain why. I believe that your soul was damaged in regards to your sight, and it healed in a way that didn''t recover that damage."

    Seti slouched in his chair. He was having a hard time grasping the conclusion.

    "Why me? I''m just a tier one. Why would they attack me?" He asked.

    "You''ve told me yourself, remember? Petty revenge against someone who adores you¡ªsomeone you don''t know."

    "¡­Someone I don''t know. Don''t know?"

    Henry didn''t say anything, but he didn''t have to. If necromancy was real, and Dream Eater was a necromancer that altered Seti''s soul and memory, then it could be possible they''d done it before. The "someone he didn''t know" was someone he had known, but now forgotten.

    "Well, that sucks," Seti finally said.

    "Indeed. But in a way, this is a boon to us."

    "How so?" He could use some good news right about now.

    "People''s lives leave traces behind. Someone can''t just up and disappear from existence the same way your memory can. It may be our way to track Dream Eater. With that mentioned, I would like to request a favor from you," Henry said.

    Seti beckoned him to continue.

    "I have a personal interest in the subject of necromancy, so I''ll do research on my end. There''s vast knowledge at Prestige, so you can assist in the investigation when free. I''d prefer you to focus on the champion matter over this, but there''s no reason not to use our resources."

    Seti started to laugh, but then stopped. "This is crazy. Just last week I wondered what my first day at Event Horizon would be like. Now, we''re talking about seriously investigating the topic of necromancy."

    "Be careful with whom you share your secrets," Henry warned. "Considering what happened, we must take utmost precaution. And again, I would like you to focus on the more pressing concerns of Prestige. It would be unfortunate if war broke out as a result of poor concentration."

    Seti stretched his arms. His sight stolen from a necromancer. That was the theory, and while not yet fact, the thought made him smile. How strange. He should be more concerned, but maybe the excitement of it ruled over everything else.

    "You do your part," Seti said. "I''ll take care of the champion business with necromancy on the side, and you''ll take care of the necromancy business while answering texts on the side. We''ll reconvene at the end of the school year if the country still exists."

    **Break**

    The next morning, the first thing Seti did was activate his air. The omniview went off without a hitch. He noticed a single mana marble in the air, where before it had been ten when he went into the energy-filled state. Curious to learn the difference between one mana marble versus ten, Seti breathed it in and began a pushup marathon.

    After about a minute, the super state ended. It was difficult to discern if one marble equaled a minute of energy, or if the length was determined by its use. Concerned about recovering one marble per day, and with the Exceptions exam happening on Saturday, Seti approached Faulkner.

    "Marbles?" Faulkner raised a brow. "I''ve never pictured them like that. In my mind, I viewed them as an invisible blue gas. But your perception is higher, so who knows."

    He agreed that one marble per day, with potentially a max of ten, was worrisome. Then smacked Seti across the head, saying that he wasted a precious marble when the disadvantage was already huge. With Wednesday''s marble used, that meant Seti had three total left¡ªThursday, Friday, and Saturday itself¡ªfor whatever test the Exceptions would bring.

    "Two," Faulkner corrected. "I want to test something with tomorrow''s ''marble.'' The Finalis Gatu does two things for us. The first, as you''ve experienced, is the physical aspect. The second is the mancer aspect. Don''t use tomorrow''s portion until you find me."

    They went immediately into more molding exercises. The sphere that broke Seti''s omniview yesterday was harder to compress, as Faulkner had said it would. His mana placed a limiter to what could be done.

    That was when he learned something about his omniview itself.

    His omniview range had increased. Before, when he sat at the edge of the table during lunch, the ten-foot range was satisfyingly perfect when it ended as the table did. Now, there was a slight gap, indicating the range increased an inch or two. It wasn''t much, but the little grit training had visible effect already. It was likely that the ten-foot range could be increased significantly after a few weeks'' time.

    That wasn''t all the good news, either. When Seti was outside, he felt the natural wind pick up and he was ready to be blinded, only to realize that his omniview resisted for a brief moment, before finally collapsing.

    Resisting a breeze was the low-end goal that Seti reached for. Faulkner told him that once his grit was truly powerful, his air could resist being consumed by flames¡ªeffectively suffocating a fire''s life. That came with a warning: natural fire and mancer fire was not the same thing. While both fires needed air to breath, a pyromancer could technically consume personal mana over air. Faulkner learned that the hard way when he had a holmgang with the Shepherd''s strongest pyromancer, Spitfire.

    Seti wondered if that duel was before or after Joneleth''s death. He didn''t ask.

    Training that day was grueling and had little downtime. Melvin and Dora finally came around to talk to him, though Seti suspected it was at the little vivamancer''s behest. Melvin, also known as Blade to the outside world, didn''t seem any different since their last meeting. Elder Narn had struck the tattooed man several times earlier, fumed for starting the fight at the Maybell mall. But if Blade didn''t seem embarrassed, then Seti wouldn''t be embarrassed for him either.

    That was, until, Melvin became responsible for teaching him how to fall properly. They spent a large portion of the day learning how to set his feet when in combat, changing the center of gravity, and learning how to get up off the ground without creating openings. Melvin was relentless in his methods. Seti, feeling sore around his shoulders, was grateful that Shanna had done some geomancy spell to the floor to help absorb impact.

    "The knowledge of what I''m teaching you won''t stick with just this," Melvin said. "Find a sparring partner at the school to help make good habits."

    When Seti wasn''t with Melvin, he would continue molding exercises. He learned a block-shape one, which supported the book-carrying spell that the librarian had used. That Carry spell was categorized as a tier two, not because of how much air was needed to carry the books, but because of how much grit was needed for the weight. Since Seti''s grit would become unrealistically good for a tier one, the spell wouldn''t be a problem.

    Other moldings that Faulkner taught were rather unique. When focusing on the block mold, Seti had to make the core denser for one, but another exercise had the edges thick and the block itself hollow. Then there was the star-shaped one, meant to focus on the pointed edge, and another exercise to split an air sphere into two, then combine them again. None of the exercises caused his omniview to break a second time.

    Eventually, he thought up a loophole for the moldings. A single air sphere was meant to help him compress air quickly and strengthen his grit, but what if he could summon several spheres at once? It was not advisable to the average adept, according to Faulkner, since these moldings were similar to muscle memory training. An improper molding could escalate into something going wrong with real spells. But in Seti''s case? Since the wind adept could see exactly how his shapes looked, with no wasted air particles, creating several could be exponentially beneficial. With all that thought out, he brought out all different shapes out and practiced them.

    At first, it seemed like it would be difficult to multitask, like a person patting their head while trying to move their hand clockwise on their stomach. But that worry ended quickly when the shapes started doing what Seti willed without needing to micromanage them. There came a point where trying to put out even more shapes would just fail for no apparent reason. No matter, what he had now would work fine.

    The next day produced another mana marble for Seti to breathe. Faulkner said not to use it just yet, and to keep practicing the shapes. Henry came in and out from time to time with his shaping tips. Shanna tended to appear whenever the counselor did.

    Then Friday came.

    "Not going to lie, I''m a bit nervous," Seti said. "All we''ve done is moldings. I can''t cast real spell yet, and the exams are tomorrow. Am I supposed to pass with just my good looks or what?"

    The wind adept held out a bill from his wallet and dropped it on the air block he made. The bill slowed as it passed through the thicker air. That was supposed to be the Carry spell, but it couldn''t even lift a piece of paper, let alone books. He was making progress, but it just wasn''t enough to stand on equal footing against real mancers.

    On a positive note, Seti''s omniview had increased to eleven feet. He would have to make detailed records on its growth.

    "You don''t trust Master Faulkner? Greatest aeromancer to have ever lived?" Faulkner asked.

    "I mean, other than that Final Gutter technique¡ª"

    "Finalis Gatu."

    "¡ªI haven''t really learned anything that wasn''t basic."

    "Funny you should mention that," he said. "Remember that mana marble I told you not to use yet? Let''s see if it''ll do what I hope it''ll do."

    Seti now had two mana marbles, with a third coming on the day of the exam. He wanted to do more research on them, to confirm the time limits and other restraints, but that was out of the question currently when only one spawned per day.

    "Okay, when I breathe it in, what do you want me to do? The one I tested two days ago lasted for only a minute, so we should assume that''s the time limit."

    Faulkner nodded. "I want you to try to make the Carry spell. Think of the block and the sphere exercises. The sphere''s compression to the block''s shape and flatness should do it for you."

    He had already tried to make the Carry spell just earlier, with his paper bill. It just wouldn''t work. He couldn''t compress the air particles tight enough to give it a solid ground effect. Seti breathed in the marble and felt his muscles energize and his thoughts clear. Without wasting time, he began the combination once again. This time, several things happened.

    Seti''s omniview shrunk. He lost at least a foot radius, bringing his visibility back down to ten feet. Where that air went, though, was to what looked like a solid floating brick, five feet off the ground. It was locked in place and couldn''t be moved¡ªwhich was different from what the librarian could do with his version of the spell. Seti poked at it and his finger couldn''t penetrate it at all; it was as solid as it could possibly be. Then he placed both of his hands on the brick and lifted himself up. The brick didn''t collapse.

    "What the heck!" Seti''s feet were off the ground, his entire weight held up by the air brick that floated in midair.

    He dropped down and created another brick two feet off the ground. The omniview shrunk again, but otherwise he summoned it without a problem. Seti stepped on it cautiously, expecting it to collapse under him. It did not. He balanced on one foot as he stepped to the higher brick, like going up steep stairs.

    Seti started to laugh. He wobbled on one foot. It was like he was floating. Just before he tried making a third brick, the one he stood on vanished, and Seti dropped, stumbling to his rear. He stood, patted himself down, and realized what happened.

    "The marble ran out of energy," Seti said. "That was nowhere near the minute mark."

    Not only that, his visual range remained at its shrunken state. The air he used to make the bricks were gone¡ªmaybe for the rest of the day. At least his abilities didn''t break, making him go blind entirely.

    But who cares! He made a spell! A tier one shouldn''t be able to use structured spells, yet that was the strongest slab of air he''d ever seen.

    "What tier do you think that was? Definitely stronger than a three, I think. Maybe even a five?" Seti sensed the other mana marble. He wanted to consume it and make more stuff.

    Faulkner shrugged. "I don''t know. There''s not a single tier one mancer in the world that can use a Finalis Gatu, and I can''t use myself as a reference; that technique brought me into tier eight. It''s time to go to Henry and see what he has to say about it."

    They found and approached the theorycrafter, who was outdoors with Shanna. The wind picked up, distorting his view into a crescent shape, but the omniview didn''t collapse.

    "You''re asking me when you''re the Wind Dragon?" Henry looked baffled.

    "Don''t look at me like that," Faulkner said. "This is a tier one using the Finalis Gatu technique. He literally counts them as marbles. Isn''t unknown territory your field?"

    They explained Henry the situation. The ten marble count lasted roughly ten minutes during their original use, and one lasted about a minute when Seti only did pushups. But now, after making a unique version of the Carry spell (that was locked in placed and couldn''t be moved, Seti mentioned), the super state didn''t even last twenty seconds.

    Seti would have to come up with a better name than "super state."

    "I agree with the minute limit assumption," Henry said. "But using spells, or maintaining one that''s beyond your current boundaries, would be the reason it ends early. I imagine the stronger the spell, the quicker the state ends."

    "Okay, so¡­ I''ll have two marbles to use for tomorrow''s exam," Seti said. "I''ll probably pass because of what I can do, but there''s one little problem. I''m expecting to survive at Prestige just by having several seconds of decent spells that everyone else could probably do on a regular basis?"

    "Of course not." Faulkner smiled. "You''re going to lie and make them think you''re capable of doing much more than you can. Their imagination is going to be your weapon."

    "I''m going to bluff? That''s the plan? To lie my way through Prestige?"

    Henry gave the aeromancer a look and sighed. "I think what he''s trying to say is that you will be capable of doing the things you can do when you consume a marble, but it''ll take time. Now obviously we don''t have that time, so imply what more you can do, without actually doing it."

    "Trust me, it''ll work," Faulkner said. "To put it simply, where you have skill, feign incompetence. Where you lack, feign strength. You''ll want to bait them to your advantage. Act in a way that would catch them off guard. Add my name to the mix, by calling yourself my disciple, and everyone will think you''re beyond comprehension. Almost like a divine, if you want to think like that."

    Seti pursed his lips. "Yep, I''m going to be expelled during the first week. But you know¡­" He paused. Everyone would think he''s beyond comprehension? Like a divine? The idea that a tier one could use such a powerful Carry spell was unthinkable. "I think I have a better name for my super state. Get this: divine mode. I mean it makes sense; when I consume those marbles, I''m like a divine to the normal tier ones."

    Henry chuckled. "You have an imagination, at least."

    "We''ll need way more spells ready than the Carry one," Seti said. "Teach me more."

    Most of Friday''s remaining time was used to learn how to combine certain shapes into proper spells. The star, block, sphere, and others could be used to help make a version of Aerial Slash, one that included different levels of strength. Seti couldn''t test it, of course, since that would require one mana marble. The Wind Dragon also taught how to create his well-known Wind Claw spell¡ªwith a severe warning that he would hunt Seti down if the adept didn''t make a claw-shaped hand when forming the spell. Acting was important to Faulkner.

    The crash course covered many molding exercises, and the potential combinations they could become. To say it was overwhelming would be an understatement, but Henry reassured him that he would be a phone call away to help piece things together.

    Speaking of phone calls, Faulkner claimed he had no phone, which Seti immediately suspected to be a lie. It was only after that Henry confirmed that most members of the mafioso don''t use cellphones, as it was a guild product. The mafia used an electronic bracelet to communicate with one another, and that wasn''t so easily made. They promised they would get him a specially made one after he made it into Prestige.

    Friday evening came. Seti was becoming anxious. He didn''t feel prepared at all. Less than a week''s worth of training to attend a school where the very brightest reigned. It was out of his depth. His own arsenal was the emotion niche, which he didn''t know if that would get stronger alongside his grit, and his limited divine state. Without that divine state, he couldn''t cast any real spells.

    The air was cool, indicating a sunset. This would be his last night at the Serio mansion. He took out his phone and looked at it. He wondered how Sydria was doing, and how his father had reacted after being told what he had done. He couldn''t keep avoiding the issue forever. But being as mentally exhausted as he was, he wouldn''t turn on the phone until tomorrow.

    With a deep breath and a whiff of his own calm air, he left to sleep. This would be the last night before the world learned about the Wind Dragon''s disciple.

 Chapter 9 - Exam Start

    Chapter 9 ¨C Exam Start

    "If someone tries to steal this, kill them."

    Seti examined the coin Faulkner just gave him. It was small, with a designed engraving on it. An S-shape serpent was on one side and a chair on the other. It was the proof that Seti was indeed the disciple of the Wind Dragon.

    "How¡­lovely." Seti stuffed it into his wallet.

    An entourage of people was seeing him off. The morning chill wasn''t too bad, but his body had yet to fully wake. His sweater pockets did its part to keep his hands warm. A butler was moving his traveling bags into the back of the vehicle. Most of his clothes would only be used occasionally as Prestige Academy supplied their own uniforms. Of course, that wouldn''t matter if he couldn''t pass the exam in the first place.

    "Kind of joking, but not really," Faulkner said. "I really would rather not have to hunt this coin down."

    He nodded as Faulkner stepped out of the way for someone else to meet him. Elder Poe walked up with Dora. They both would be coming as well, which totaled four in the vehicle when counting the driver. Seti was glad for their company, but their reason for coming wasn''t his comfort. Faulkner had promised Shepherd Cyrus that they could scan him for geas effects at the exam, so Elder Poe and Dora would act as the representatives of the Serio family when that happened.

    Melvin walked up to Seti next. He wasn''t sure what to expect. The two of them didn''t click and barely talked throughout the week. Maybe that would have been different if he wasn''t directly responsible for the punishment Melvin received. But despite that, the two of them trained on the fundamentals of combat postures.

    "If you see Eustuss, kill him," Melvin said.

    Seti gave his best half-smile and shook the man''s hand. A weird comradery. Henry came up next.

    "On record, you''re still known as Seti Tutt. That won''t officially change until a few business days. You''re free to decide when you want the public to know about your discipleship with Faulkner, but I believe the families will learn about it tonight. Right, Faulkner?"

    "Yeah, Tobias called for the gathering of bosses. I''ll let them know then," Faulkner said.

    Henry nodded. "When asked, the recommendation comes from Lambsgard University."

    Faulkner gave a devilish grin that Henry didn''t see. That was concerning.

    Shanna was in the back, doing something to the ground. Cracks were appearing here and there. She continued to move her hand around until she finished whatever she wanted to do, and waved Seti over.

    "What''s this?" Seti asked, gesturing to the ground. Except she had a blindfold and likely didn''t notice.

    "My farewell." The Earth Dragon flicked her hand. The ground rumbled for a second. Then, arising from the cracks she had made, a massive hand folded upwards. It went higher than Seti was tall. It nearly went beyond his omniview''s height when it stopped, then leaned side to side. It was waving.

    "Holy crap!" Seti walked around the giant hand. "Is this an earth elemental''s hand? Can you make the whole body?"

    "Yes," she said.

    He remembered that she had made something similar during the Maybell mall skirmish. All the excitement from then had made him forget. An elemental of this size was an amazing feat.

    "The full elemental has to be at least titan-class!"

    "It is. But I only use the waist and up." Shanna used her hand to indicate her stomach to her head.

    "That''s a shame." Seti touched the hand. It was rough, like cement. Only the wrist and higher came from the ground. It even had fingernails, which was an unnecessary detail to add. "Walking giants are the coolest."

    "Coolest, but they have a major weakness," Faulkner said. He walked up to the geo-hand and gave it a look. He held up his own hand, like he was about to slap someone, then swung across. A cut of air struck one of the fingers, lobbing it off. It broke off into chunks and fell to the ground.

    "My finger." Shanna knelt and petted the broken parts.

    "An earth elemental requires a complete contact with the ground to exist," Faulkner explained. "Remove that and you cut off the mana flow, ending its existence. You lose mobility by not calling forth legs, but you won''t have that heavy fault. Similar restrictions exist for other elemental types, so remember that when you run across them."

    "Enough lessons," Henry called out. "He can text me more questions later. They have a long drive ahead of them."

    A long drive was right. The destination was Blue Castle, the location of the Exceptions exam. It would be a three-hour drive¡ªor four-hours if going directly from Lambsgard. Seti bid his farewell. The other elders were supposedly seeing him off as well, but his omniview wasn''t large enough to cover the entire yard. With no one else to say goodbye to, he sat in the back of the vehicle. He had intended to sit in the front, but Dora was adamant that it was her spot because she called it first. Soon after, the four of them were driving out of the neighborhood and onto the road.

    Elder Poe was content to not talk, so Seti pulled out his earphones and plugged it into his phone. He turned it on. He was mentally refreshed and ready to take on the world, and that meant taking on the texts he received.

    Sydria''s two texts were now five. He also had one text from Henry from the necromancy talk, so he added that to his contacts. The process was slow, as he had to hear the app read out every option he highlighted. Once that was done, Seti listened to the five texts in order. The female metallic voice took out some of the emotion that should have been conveyed.

    "Monday, 5:09 PM. I''m so mad right now. Ugh-exclamation point. I keep telling myself that you were tricked, or something else. If you don''t call me, I''m going to tell the Shepherds everything about your wind."

    Wonderful. So now they knew he had an emotion amplifying niche.

    "Monday, 6:18 PM. Did you really not like having me as a sister¡ªquestion mark. Was our family really that bad¡ªquestion mark."

    Even with the robotic voice reading the text, that still cut. He decided not to linger on it and moved to the next one.

    "Tuesday, 9:28 AM. Dad knows. He said he''ll doing something about it. I told him I''ll come back if he can make you come back."

    She said she would come back? Come back from where? Did she run away? And his father would do something? Hard to see what his influence would do in this situation.

    "Wednesday, 5:50 PM. I lied. I didn''t tell them about your wind. I''m mad at both them and you. They threatened to write me up for using my mancy. Hmm¡­ what else should I say¡ªquestion mark. Whatever, you owe me one¡ªexclamation point."

    That was fortunate. He was surprised she didn''t blab everything out of resentment. She seemed much calmer after only two days.

    "Thursday, 2:42 AM. See you soon¡ªexclamation point."

    Seti sighed. That didn''t bode well. That statement could be in relation to several things. The first would be a sudden appearance at the exam. He really didn''t want to meet her there. Less so, with her niche of paralysis. It could also refer to her potentially attending Prestige Academy. She was a tier five electromancer, after all. He didn''t know what the standard application into Prestige was like, but the Exceptions exam didn''t allow anyone above tier four. Considering the school was for the top (which he doubted she was), it wasn''t likely they would have a spot for her. So Seti could safely assume she wouldn''t be a student.

    At that point, his imagination went wild. What if she joined the Serio family as well? Or another family, for that matter? Tsk, she could be annoying. Not knowing made him think of all sorts of scenarios.

    Ah¡ªthat was a plus in Faulkner''s favor. His master had told him that imagination was a powerful weapon. Sydria withholding information caused him more discomfort than she probably realized.

    The most realistic scenario was the likeliest. Seti figured he would be seeing his sister at Blue Castle. But to do what? Maybe she would try to carry him off. With that in mind, her paralysis electromancy was a real worry. He wouldn''t put it past her to zap him in public. Hopefully, the people there would step up. Would the non-mafians even help him now? But with Elder Poe at his side and the vivamancer Dora present, he really shouldn''t be worrying.

    Seti typed out a text. It was a long and painful process since he would fat finger a letter and then fat finger the delete button. Having the app vocalize every action lengthened the process. Several moments after he sent it, the recipient responded. Henry Adams.

    "Saturday, 8:36 AM. Defense against paralysis-niche electromancy¡ªquestion mark. Innate defense would stop the full effects, which increases as a mancer''s grit gets stronger. I recommend looking up mancy versus nature. Several online sources talk about it. And a three-hour drive is enough time to research¡ªexclamation point."

    And so that was exactly what Seti did. The topic of mancy versus nature was the comparison of mancer-made elements to the natural ones of the world. Mancers needed their elements nearby to weave it. So a hydromancer couldn''t weave water unless a body of water was in the area. The same applied to geomancers and aeromancers with their element.

    Pyromancy and electromancy didn''t follow that rule. While they could use surrounding static or flames, they also could create their element with nothing but their mana. As a result, those two elements had a special weakness. Innate magic defense. A mancer''s fire was less effective against people, depending on the opponent''s tier.

    The article said tier, but Henry had said grit. If it were actually tiers, then Seti would be screwed from the start. The interchangeable use of grit and tiers was something he would have to keep an eye out for.

    A video link showing an example of a pyromancer calling forth a pillar of flame on an opponent. Unfortunately, Seti couldn''t benefit from it. He had to imagine what was shown based on what else the article said. It seemed like the opponent was barely burned and even his clothes didn''t catch fire. If the clothes were also protected, then the innate defense was like an aura of sorts.

    While pyromancy and electromancy had that weakness, the other elements did as well, but to a much lesser degree. So wait a second. If a geomancer threw a rock at someone, and that person had a high tier, that rock would hurt less? Probably not enough to notice a difference.

    Seti wondered the details behind that. It took mana to weave elements around, so maybe the element''s strength was based on both the natural properties and the total mana used? If that were the case, it would make sense that an opponent''s innate defense could negate some of the mana. He was going to get a headache trying to figure everything out. At the end of the day, pyromancy would still burn things, regardless of minute differences.

    Hmm... What ifusing a mana marble would give him an explosive increase of innate defense? The defense was based on grit, and it seemed like the marble gave him several tiers worth. It was another thing he would have to test once he got enough ammo. One per day just wasn''t enough.

    When he had a basic understanding of mancy versus nature, Seti looked up other things online. The first thing he determined to know was what Blue Castle was like. With no sight outside of the vehicle, that was the only way to know what he would''ve been looking at.

    During the Second Age, a divine from that time helped forge Blue Castle to be what it was now. Bruno Hugo was his name. Bruno was most famously known for ending all earthquakes¡ªpermanently. As a divine, his mancy assisted heavily during the restoration attempts. He did something to Blue Castle''s ground, allowing geomancers and adepts alike to weave the earth with much less effort. It became a beacon to earth mancers.

    It was a mountainy area. Most of the hills were geo-made, as part of the culture. When an earth adept became of age, they would raise up part of the land. The website went into detail as to what each hill represented, but he skipped over that. The town itself was on a slope, and he figured they were getting close once the vehicle started to tilt up during the drive.

    Dora struggled against her seatbelt, undid it, and turned around in her seat to give Seti a piece of candy.

    "Eat it," she said with a mischievous smile.

    A plastic wrap covered the ball. Seti squeezed it a little. It was soft.

    "Is it chocolate?" He asked.

    "Eat it," she said again.

    Seti undid the wrapper and threw the ball in his mouth. He took a bite. An intense flavor filled his mouth in an instant, causing him to scrunch his face in disgust. Dora started laughing, and even Elder Poe smiled. Seti spat it back into the wrapper.

    "That''s disgusting," he said. The taste stuck to his mouth.

    "It is." Her face glowed. "I can turn off my tongue, so it''s super fun to trick people into eating it."

    Turn off her tongue? That would be one way to eat vegetables.

    It wasn''t long after when they arrived. Seti was about to step out when Elder Poe stopped him. It was the butler''s duty to open the door. That could get to his head quickly if he wasn''t careful.

    A smell of pinecones and forest trees greeted him. They were in a parking lot, surrounded by cars in every spot. Rather than using yellow paint as the separator (which Seti wouldn''t be able to see), this parking lot had a small bump of cement, raised by earth mancy. An aesthetic choice, if nothing else. Another car drove into the lot and stopped at the center. The ground shifted and slowly moved the stopped car into a parking spot. That was one way to control traffic.

    The butler stayed behind as they hiked up a trail. Dora took Seti''s hand. He wondered if that was to guide him since he was blind, or simply because she was a little girl. The natural wind was more common at this altitude, and the air was thinner. He placed his free hand in his sweater pocket when he noticed that the air moved and clumped in such a way that the three of them could breathe normally.

    "Are you controlling the air?" Seti asked.

    "I am," Elder Poe replied.

    Interesting. So an aeromancer could negate the negative effects of higher altitudes. Though, didn''t higher altitudes also have some positive aspects? Seti was sure he heard about athletes sometimes training in the mountains. He would have to look into that and see if he can''t replicate the positive effects while on ground level.

    The chattering of a crowd came from up ahead. Seti did a quick check of his resources. He felt his two mana marbles and noted that his omniview was roughly eleven feet out. It would bend out of shape when a gust came in but otherwise remained intact. He also had his emotional niche, which wouldn''t get past anyone''s innate defense unless they allowed it by having the emotion in question.

    As they walked up the slope, there were people standing off to the side, looking at statues that geomancers likely molded. Five in total. Dora let go of his hand to go look at one. Seti stopped and let him omniview get a read on them. They stood on a pedestal, with engravings written on it.

    Amy Thorn ¨C Age 32 ¨C Geomancer Tier 6 ¨C Shepherd

    Gary Yam ¨C Age 18 ¨C Earth Adept Tier 4 ¨C Student at Sierra High

    Dan Davis ¨C Age 17 ¨C Earth Adept Tier 4 ¨C Student at Sierra High

    Linda Johnson ¨C Age 17 ¨C Geomancer Tier 5 ¨C Student at Sierra High

    Jenelle Serio ¨C Age 11 ¨C Earth Adept Tier 3 ¨C Student at Brockton Junior High

    The three high school students were on one side of the trail, and the other two were on the other. The last one, where Dora was, caught his attention. Jenelle, the youngest of the five, was a member of the Serio family. Each statue had a likeness of a person. The Shepherd had a smile and clipboard in her hands. The Serio girl had a book in hers.

    "What''s with these?" Seti asked.

    "I can answer that!" Someone said just as Elder Poe opened his mouth. A woman turned from a statue and walked to them. She was¡­unique. Her hairstyle was a braided twintails that looped and clipped above her ears. She also wore the largest glasses Seti had ever seen. "They''re the Maze Makers, the saviors of a hundred people. Died in action. Hi! My name is Vivian, journalist. Question-for-question? Partaking in the Exceptions exam? Or just viewing?"

    He looked at her outstretched hand before shaking it. He side-eyed Elder Poe in a way that asked permission to talk to a journalist. The elder made no response so he decided to humor her.

    "Partaking," Seti said. "Saved them how?"

    "By making mazes, of course!" Vivian beamed. Her glasses slid down a notch. She pushed it up. "A primal attack. Three years ago. The five made mind-maiming mazes in the massive mole mountains. Say that quickly five times. They evacuated the area with their geomancy. My turn! Are you an elementalist, crafter, or healer?"

    "Wind adept." Seti looked at the Serio statue. Dora hadn''t moved from it still. "They let an eleven-year-old participate in battle?"

    "We can''t pick and choose our help during a crisis. Primals don''t care about your age. Tier four? Three?"

    He hesitated. "One." Then he quickly added, "Why do you wear glasses? Can''t you vivamancy it away?"

    "And ruin the style!?" She took off her glasses, held it up like a prize, and then put them back on. "But in seriousness, vivamancers are expensive. I''m not rich. A one, you say? In all my years, the lowest I''ve ever seen attempted is a three. Do you think you''ll pass the exam?"If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    Seti paused. He would have to be careful how he responded to people''s questions. He was a tier one, yes, but he could also weave spells with the use of his mana marbles. He was unique. "I will pass the test." He noticed that she held nothing in her hands. "A journalist that doesn''t take notes?"

    Vivian tapped the temple of her head. "Good memory¡ªnot a geas! Partaking in the exam as a tier one? Why the hope?"

    He shook his head. "Because I''m exceptional. I have no more questions."

    "Aww. My question-for-question has ended."

    She gave thanks and waved as she walked up the trail. Seti went to Dora, who hadn''t left her spot. Jenelle Serio. Eleven years ago. Barely older than Dora was now. They stood in silence for a moment.

    "Did you know her?" He asked.

    Dora shook her head. "But I know Eddy. She saved him. Her brother."

    He read the markings on the statues again. Three students, a Shepherd, and the Serio girl. He imagined what might have happened to unite them. Maybe the three students were friends, hanging out when the attack started. Maybe the Serio girl was walking with her brother somewhere¡ªcould''ve been a birthday celebration even. Then the primal would come. The Shepherd would try to do her part by fighting but recognized her inability to stop the primal. The five would unite and create mazes throughout the mountains to help everyone evacuate.

    Then they would die.

    It was probably intentional the Exceptions exam was happening here. Over half of the Maze Makers weren''t even tier five, yet they saved lives. It might be the academy''s way of saying that they were exceptional.

    Dora finally broke away from the statue and they continued their way up the slope. She would stop to pick up the petals that flowered the ground. The higher they went, fewer petals remained. The slope eventually flattened out to a plateau. Several porta potties lined up on one side, and a large crowd awaited on the other. He doubted this many people were trying to pass the exam. Maybe family members? Or those that just wanted to watch the show? From what Seti knew, the exact details of the exams was not public knowledge. It was a different test each time, kept secret. Considering the history and culture of Blue Castle, it would be a fair guess that the test would be in favor of earth adepts.

    "Wow! It does look like a castle," Dora said.

    "Mountains that appear as watchtowers." Elder Poe nodded.

    Both of them looked around and off to the distance. His omniview was amazing in all its right, but not having long distance visibility sucked. He pictured blue watchtowers in the distance but knew he was off.

    "What am I supposed to be seeing?" Seti asked.

    Elder Poe looked around and stroked his beard. "In the distance, there are mountains that look like castle walls. A city sprawls at the base. On this field, I see quite a few people." He stopped talking. His mouth opened slightly, and he nodded to the distance. "Word travels faster than we thought."

    "Hm?" Seti turned to him.

    He shook his head. "There''s a table for the registration, where you''ll have to go. A building to our right, and a cave directly in front."

    "A cave? Lovely."

    Seti looked around to see if he could find Sydria anywhere, but his limited view wasn''t doing him any favors. A cameraman grouped the crowd behind a rope line and instructed them to cheer when he ran past. He gave the signal and the crowd hollered. The cameraman ran down the line, recording everyone''s reaction. When he was done, they stopped cheering.

    "Is this some kind of show?" Seti asked.

    "I''m not certain if they''ll televise it, but the feed goes directly to that screen." Elder Poe pointed diagonally up. Seti couldn''t see what he was referring to. "It seems we''ll be able to watch the exam from here."

    They walked past the crowd to the registration table. A young man was at the table. His hair was shaved to the skin except at the top of his head, where he had it tied back into a mini ponytail. He wore baggy clothes and had his own squad of people, a total of five. Four of the guys all had their own baggy clothes and unique hairstyles, and the fifth woman revealed way too much skin. She was more heavyset.

    The young woman behind the table was typing away at her laptop. She had a plastic card stringed around her neck. Her uniform consisted of a blazer with a tie, and a skirt that had stockings underneath. A special sowing designed around the shoulders and sleeve collar. The sowing also wrote words on her front breast pocket: Abigail Pritchard. On the back it said Prestige.

    "Name and recommendation location?" Abigail asked the man.

    "Listen to the itch pretend she don''t know me." His squad started laughing. "Tyronn, and me recommendation from the Sentinel Guild."

    Seti knew the Sentinel Guild. His mother was a member of it.

    "Oh my, how fearsome." Abigail stopped typing to look at him. "You might be a big bad boy where you''re from, but here you''re just another contestant." She side-eyed her laptop. "A tier three crafter. Not even a four. You must be very proud."

    Tyronn held up his right arm. His baggy sleeve slid down to his elbow. With a turn of the arm, strange particles formed around it. Soon after, a spinning drill covered his right arm. It hummed silently.

    "Aye, you right, itch, I be tier three. But you see me drill here? It cuts through any barrier. Take a wonder why the Sentinel Guild want that." Tyronn lowered his arm and the drill vanished. "I be no contestant. I''m only here for they formality. I already passed. Just you see."

    Abigail sighed. She pushed forward a paper and a wristband. "Whatever. Sign this and be on your way. If you want to nominate yourself for the camera feed, please check these boxes."

    "Stupid itch, I don''t need that." Tyronn took the paper and signed at the bottom. Seti took note of the signature location, so he could mimic it when it was his turn. A moment later and Tyronn was gone, along with his five groupies, but not without saying some vulgar stuff as they left.

    A phasm drill. Tyronn claimed it could pierce through any barrier. That made Seti think about Shepherd Cyrus, who was also a crafter and could create a barrier around himself. He even earned the title of Second Immortal. Could the drill pierce through that barrier even though Tyronn was a tier three?

    Elder Poe leaned close to Seti and whispered. "According to her tag, her name is Abigail."

    He knew that from the sowing on her clothes, but perhaps Elder Poe didn''t fully know what he could do with his omniview.

    "Sorry you had to go through that, Abigail," Seti said as he stepped forward. Dora and Elder Poe hung back.

    "It''s fine," she typed away on her laptop again. "Name and recommendation location?"

    "Seti Tutt, from Lambsgard University."

    She clicked a few more keys then stopped. "Tier one?" She looked at Seti. "Usually the applicant''s tier is¡ª"

    "Four, I know," Seti said. "But circumstances could allow people even lower to apply."

    "Well, yes. But according to this, your special trait is¡­ ''Because his teacher is the most handsomest to ever live.''" She looked away from the laptop to him again. Abigail pursed her lips.

    It took a bit to process the information. Seti laughed. Somehow, Faulkner must have gotten his hands on the application after Henry completed it.

    "Well, that was unexpected," Seti said. "I still intend to apply. The recommendation isn''t invalid, is it?"

    "Well, no." Abigail typed at her laptop again. "It''s quite in order, but I can''t imagine you clearing the exam at all, or drawing any useful attention for that matter. Even if we exclude your tier, you have no prior experience and today is the final exam for the year. I don''t know what¡ª" she stopped to read something on the screen, "¡ªHenry Adams sees in you, but this is probably more of a private lesson from him to you. I can''t disallow you from continuing, but you definitely shouldn''t get your hopes up."

    She gave him the wristband to wear and the paperwork to sign. He looked at it as if he was reading, which obviously wasn''t the case, then readied himself to sign the bottom portion.

    "Maybe you should consider checking the camera star box," Abigail said.

    "What does it do for me?"

    She leaned forward and pointed a pen at the middle of the paper. "If you volunteer to be the camera star, there''s a chance that you''ll be selected to represent the Blue Castle exam. You would get a lot of publicity¡ªyou know, get your name out there¡ªwhich couldn''t hurt your chances when the judging happens."

    "Couldn''t hurt my chances?" Seti gave her a look.

    "Actually, maybe you shouldn''t." She switched back to her proper seating posture. "I mean, if your special trait is that your teacher is handsome, there probably isn''t much you want people to know about yourself."

    Seti laughed. He signed his first name and paused before writing his last. He had always signed his name as Seti Tutt up until now. It was strange to think that signing his birth name would only be partially true. He scribbled a bunch of loops for his last name, so it was neither Tutt nor Serio.

    Abigail took the paper and smiled. "It would be fun if you could make it into Prestige, though. I would love to see Professor Dawn''s face."

    "What year are you?" Seti asked.

    She held up the plastic card around her neck. "My second; my colors represent it too. Student council members don''t usually attend these exams, but I think I ticked off the wrong person. Ah! I probably shouldn''t talk about that. Good luck, Seti."

    That was his cue to leave. The three of them left the registration table and made their way to the building. Dora made a comment about knocking Tyronn unconscious, but Elder Poe lightly rebuked her. Others had plastic cards around their necks and vests that had Volunteer edged on the back, directing the flow of traffic and answering questions. The adobe building itself was a single floor and had no actual doors or windows, only openings in the walls. Seti suspected that a geomancer made it.

    The exam people separated Seti from Dora and Elder Poe, and had him enter an interview room. At the center was a table, with a laptop and a small paper pile on it. A woman sat on the opposite side. Her coat collar was neck-high. She had a badge on her breast pocket. A cane.

    She was a Shepherd.

    Seti froze. He hadn''t expected to run across another one so quickly. He knew they were supposed to do their scan or whatever, for the geas event, but Elder Poe and Dora should be present. He readied his two mana marbles in case he needed it, then prepared his niche so he could have the element of surprise. Whoever struck first would¡ª

    "Welcome, contestant," the Shepherd said. "I am Shepherd Christella Webber. Please take a seat." She motioned to the empty chair at the table. "This''ll be an oral interview."

    Ah. Well. He overreacted.

    "A Shepherd doing the interview?" Seti pulled up the chair and sat.

    "Of course. We have a stake in Prestige as well. Many graduates join the guilds or us. I''m teaching there this year as well, unbelievably. Let''s get started. Let me pull up your records. First and last name?"

    He considered briefly saying Serio as his last name. The look on her face would have almost been worth it. "Seti Tutt."

    Christella typed away on her keyboard. She rested her chin on her hand while she read her screen. The sleeve of her outfit slid down a little, revealing an armguard. The communication device of the Shepherds. She had pixie short hair, with a portion covering part of her face. It was hard to tell how old she was. Her brows furrowed at one point; likely the moment when she read the special comment about his handsome teacher.

    "Lambsgard University. I know that place. There''s a student named Aiden from there that made it in. Did you hear about him?"

    "I did," Seti said. Aiden was allowed in on the condition that Cassie accepted attendance as well. The Shepherds had planned that out.

    "I won''t spite you for being tier one. If you''re here and someone of authority recommended you, then you must think you have something of value."

    Seti noticed that she said "you must think" rather than "you must have." It was indeed incomprehensible that a tier one could achieve anything. If not for the mana marbles, he wondered how he would''ve advanced using just his emotion niche. Maybe he would have had to manipulate his way through. Perhaps he should do that anyway?

    Christella began asking the interview questions. It started out vague, like what he wanted to accomplish there. Vague questions got vague answers. ("I want to expand my boundaries and knowledge, and make networking connections.") They went into the enrollment process, explaining how residency worked, and what was expected of students. For someone who believed he wouldn''t make it at all, she left no detail out.

    "As you know, Prestige is in New Vox; home to one of the primal gates," She said. "Despite that, it''s a very safe city. The Octet''s sixth seat has overwatch, and there''s plenty of Shepherds at the ready¡ªmoreso with some teaching at the academy. And if that wasn''t enough, the Sentinel Guild relocated there as well."

    Quite the defensive measures; more than what other gates had. The Sentinel Guild transferring to New Vox was overkill in consideration¡­ Sentinel Guild?

    "W-what?" Seti blurted. "The Sentinel Guild? Why are they at New Vox?"

    "Because they''re a defensive group? I''m not sure what you mean."

    It wasn''t so much the Sentinel Guild itself that interested Seti, but rather it was who was a member of that guild. If he did get into Prestige Academy, he would be living in the same city as his mother. He had not seen her in years.

    "No, I don''t mean anything by it," Seti said.

    She gave a confused look but continued. "You may be concerned about your obligation during a primal assault, but students are not required to help. We have an abundance as is. There are exceptions to these rules, of course, but generally, that''s how it goes. Ultimately, New Vox is one of the safest cities in the region."

    New Vox may be safe from primals, but what about from the mafia? Seti wondered if she thought the same thing he did at that moment. The noblesse was cooking something at Prestige. Did she know about that, or was it kept secret from her?

    Christella switched topics to the Exceptions exam. The details of what the contestants must do wouldn''t be revealed until moments before it started. Any family or friends that came with the contestants would receive their own screen that would follow them. For those that opted in for the camera star, the main screen would show their progress while the commentator spoke. They would also be the ones shown online. It really was like a sporting event. It couldn''t be too entertaining, considering so few would pass the exams.

    There was the rule of three failures. Each year a contestant could fail three times before they weren''t able to apply anymore. But it wasn''t as permanent as Seti had thought. Those failures would reset for the next year, so they could try again. The age group at Prestige varied wildly as a result. Some would be as young as eighteen years of age, while others could be nearly thirty. However, it wasn''t age that mattered, but the capabilities of each mancer.

    As Seti was about to leave, he turned back to ask one last question.

    "What are your thoughts on members of the mafia going to Prestige?"

    She was taken aback by the question. "They have rights to attend, and some do. You shouldn''t worry about them; they come to learn like everyone else."

    He gave his thanks and left the room. Another contestant entered on his exit. Seti took awareness of his surroundings. Vivian, that private journalist, was talking to another wristband wearer. She was easily noticeable with her strange hair loops. Seti realized he probably wouldn''t recognize her if she made her hair differently. A Prestige student was working with a power box. She held a finger out and let sparks come out, hitting the box. She must be the technician on site.

    "Care for a cup?"

    Seti turned to an elderly lady sitting by a tall water container. She filled plastic cups and gave them to those that walked by. He took the cup.

    "Stay hydrated," she said. "Most of the water in the area is in here."

    He thanked her and explored around the building. It was a maze in itself. There was no way this blueprint would have been approved with normal buildings. The two Serio members he arrived with were nowhere to be found until someone directed him outside. Elder Poe and Dora awaited him, holding a small flat screen.

    "We can watch you with this!" Dora said as she held it up. "They put cameras inside the cave. I asked grandpa if we could cheat but he said there''s a dally."

    "Delay," Elder Poe corrected.

    The atmosphere was changing. People were talking with excited voices. The exam was about to begin. Volunteers were directing traffic to separate the watchers from those that were participating. Just as Elder Poe was about to depart, someone called out his name.

    "Seti." A voice cut through ambient voices.

    He looked in the direction where it came from, but the person was outside the eleven-foot visibility range. However, Seti didn''t need to see the person to know who it was. This was the one time he could recognize the voice instantly. The benefits of living in the same household.

    It wasn''t Sydria.

    "Hello, dad," Seti said when his father stepped into view.

    Jacob Tutt, owner of Event Horizon and father to Seti and Sydria, stood before the three of them. He ignored the orders shouted out by the volunteers that tried to get the show started. His face was clean-shaven and he wore a polo shirt. One hand in pocket, and taller by an inch or two.

    A tinge of worry began to rise. Seti thought to use his emotion niche to calm himself, but he decided to go a different route. He amplified his own bravery.

    "I see your eyesight was fixed. That''s one less expense. We''re going home," his father said. He looked at Elder Poe, almost asking him to interfere.

    "Can''t," Seti said, "I''m taking the exam."

    Dora looked at both of them and at the person directing traffic. She was conflicted about not obeying the instructions. Seti didn''t need them here to defend him, so he turned to her and Elder Poe and waved them off. After a pause, both Serio members left to stand with the other observers.

    Seti turned to face his father head-on. Did you know I caused your divorce? The thought appeared in his head in an instant. He pushed it aside.

    His father spoke first. "You''ll only embarrass me. Learn to grow up and be a man. You won''t get anywhere in life if all you do is dream."

    "Ah! The ever supporting father," Seti said. "Did you know that there are some people who think I could do quite well as a mancer?"

    His eyes narrowed. "Watch your tone. Have you ever considered that you''re being swindled? I raised you better than that. The consequences extend beyond you this time."

    "Good thing I have you here to think for me. Speaking of consequences, did Sydria run away? What''s with her saying she''ll be back if I come back?"

    "A fallout of your stupidity, certainly," he said. "She went to live with your mother."

    Oh. That explained why Sydria thought she would see Seti soon. If she left to live with his mother, and his mother was part of the Sentinel Guild, and the Sentinel Guild relocated to New Vox, then they all would live in the same city.

    His father''s phone vibrated. He took it out and texted a reply.

    "I''m going to take the exam," Seti said again. No response. His father''s focus was on the phone.

    The crowd was thinning out. "Last call! Contestants line up over here!"

    Seti started to walk away when his father grabbed him by the shoulder.

    "Where do you think you''re going?" He asked.

    "You''re too busy with your work to have a conversation, so I figured I''m free to go."

    "You will not participate. We''re leaving." His shoulder grip tightened.

    The two had a stare-off. Seti was determined not to blink, but the last thing he needed was some disqualification because he couldn''t line up in time. His father wasn''t a bad guy; their family was provided for and mistakes of the children were erased. But at the end of the day, not letting him choose his own path and make his own mistakes was a mistake in itself.

    "I''m an adult. I can make my own decisions. When I pass, you''ll see that everyone¡ªyourself included¡ªwas wrong about me." He took his father''s arm and pushed it away. "But if you want to negotiate, I''ll listen."

    His father didn''t reply at first. Seti became anxious when the commentator started speaking. As he was about to leave, his father spoke.

    "When you fail, I want you and your sister back home."

    "Sure." Seti ran off and followed the volunteer''s directions.

    "Thank you all for coming! I will be your host, Leonard Kinsley. And if you''re watching online, please note that rebroadcasting, reproducing, republishing, uploading, posting, transmitting, copying, and publically displaying or otherwise for commercial use without written consent is strictly forbidden and punishable by law. Our electromancers are onto you! Today, we''re at Blue Castle to see if anyone here will start the new school year at Prestige Academy! We have a total of nine contestants¡ªall from different walks of life!"

    Seti lined up with the others. He saw Tyronn, who yawned in boredom, a few feet away. An eleven-foot radius was large indoors but was left wanting outside. A few other contestants were in range, and a cliff rose up behind him. They were close to the cave entrance.

    "Today''s exam will be centered around a piece of history that happened right here. Three years ago, a primal made its way to Blue Castle. Four unlikely heroes teamed up with Shepherd Amy Thorn and became the Maze Makers. A moment of silence for these brave heroes."

    Someone coughed during the silence.

    "And now, to reveal the exam! Inside the cave is a specially designed maze, a similar concept to what the Maze Makers made. All throughout the tunnels, we have our cameras lined in the walls or ceilings. As you can see, we''ve placed dolls within. The contestants must collect as many of these dolls as possible, then make their way back to the surface. Too simple, you say? Of course, there''ll be obstacles! But first, a word from our sponsors. The next generation of hybrid vehicles is here! Combining the tech between mechanics and electromancy, cars are now capable of driving an entire month before requiring a recharge!"

    Someone walked up to the contestants. He had a thick belt and several walkie-talkies hooked to it. "Okay listen up! When the announcer calls your name, you may cast a flashy spell¡ªdo not hit anyone with it. If you''re not capable of a flashy spell, feel free to pose. When you''re done, go immediately into the cave and stand in front of the torches. Do not take the torches from the wall until the start. Please listen to the instructions from the commentator, as he will disclose several key rules. If you''re claustrophobic and want to escape the exam, take your wristband off and we will rescue you."

    "Welcome back! Here at the Blue Castle Exceptions exam, our constants must gather as many dolls as they possibly can, and then return to the surface. But how hard can that be? Allow me to reveal the geomancers of the freelancer guild: Vaguely Competent! What an interesting name. The Guild Association gave permission for the creation of standard-class earth elementals. They''ll wander the maze, and if they catch you, they will melt on you¡ªlocking you in place! The more time passes, the more elementals that''ll form. It''s a risk and reward game. How long will you stay? Is it heroic? Or is it arrogance? Let''s meet our contestants!

    He called off some names and Seti heard oohs! and aahs! when they showed off their spell. But they were too far away to be seen with his omniview.

    "Representing the Sentinel Guild, I introduce to you: Tyronn Zhwan! Tier three crafter."

    Tyronn walked forward and shouted. He pounded his chest and then raised his right hand. With a turn of the arm, the phasm drill appeared, and he plunged it into the ground. The drill ripped the ground apart. Chunks of dirt hit several other contestants as it tore up. He pulled out and let the phasm material dissipate. The hole in the ground remained.

    Obnoxious cheers and ugly shrieks came from the already loud crowd. Tyronn''s squad made themselves heard.

    The commentator called off several other people. One guy to Seti''s right, Ivan, stepped forward and created a quick burst of flame between his hands. A woman named Libby pulled up a slab of dirt into the air and stepped on it. Just before it was about to collapse, she stepped off and bowed. That was similar to Seti''s own Carry spell¡ªor maybe he should call it Air Step? It wasn''t like he was going to carry anything other than himself, with the time limitation.

    Mindy was an unfortunate girl. The commentator called her next and she tripped on the hole that Tyronn had made. Too embarrassed to pose or cast a spell, she ran off to the cave rather quickly. Then it was Seti''s turn.

    "Don''t worry, we''re almost done here! I present Seti Tutt, representing Lambsgard University! He''s a¡­ A¡­ A tier one wind adept? Tier one? Is this right?"

    The crowd quieted down. Then someone¡ªprobably from Tyronn''s group of people¡ªerupted in laughter. Others joined in the jeering. He was certain he heard someone call him itch.

    He stepped forward. As of right now, no one knew that he was Seti Serio, the disciple of the Wind Dragon. They would laugh because he was a tier one. The superiority wouldn''t last forever, and when they found out, they would rewatch these clips. It was important to send a message to those future viewers.

    Seti raised his right hand and made a claw, where he paired the outer fingers together and held the thumb out wide. He smiled. With no context, they might think he was just making an aggressive gesture. Once they learned who he was, though, they would know that this represented Faulkner''s spell: Wind Claw. At that moment, tier one would no longer be synonymous with weakness without exception.

    Doing nothing else, and ignoring the laughing crowd, Seti walked to the cave entrance.

 Chapter 10 - Fair Judgement

    Chapter 10 ¨C Fair Judgement

    The tunnel descended into an open room, which was small enough that Seti could see everything inside all at once. Five paths appeared to branch out of the room. As Seti raised his hand to touch the short ceiling, which felt cool and rough, he noticed a lumpy line on the ceiling that veined throughout the cave into each branching path. Seti concluded that it must be an electromancy-made camera, covered with a plastic or metal casing. This thought was cut abruptly short by an ice cold draft, which made the hairs on Seti''s back stand on end. It almost seemed like the only source of heat were the four flaming torches spread out against the wall.

    The eight other contestants had separated into groups of two or three, with the exception of Tyronn, who was by himself. Some members hugged themselves to fend off the chill. The commentator spoke overhead, his voice echoing.

    "Now that we''ve had a chance to see all of our contestants, let''s see what we can learn about them! Please watch this interview from our star, Ivan Girvin! ¨CHello, I''m Ivan Girvin, a tier four fire adept. This is my second year and sixth overall attempt at the Exceptions exam."

    "Holy crap, Ivan!" one guy, James, said as he turned to another. "Six times? You know there''s a point when your application just gets thrown out because you suck too much."

    Ivan was the fire adept that had created fire between his hands as a demonstration when the commentator called his name. He was younger than Seti.

    "As embarrassing as that is¡ªcheck out the tier one over there." The woman, Libby, pointed at Seti.

    James laughed. "Seriously... tier one? Who did you sleep with to get the recommendation?"

    Seti said nothing. People had their phones out and pointed them around the room. At first, he thought they were making video recordings, but later realized that they were using them as flashlights. It made sense as this was a cave; the room had to be dark, lit only by the four torches he noticed earlier. Not that it mattered to him; his omniview cared not for the light in the world.

    Ivan spoke. "As the most experienced person here¡ª"

    "Don''t say that like it''s a good thing," Libby inserted.

    "¡ªI can tell you that working together is our best bet." He finished without missing a beat.

    They started talking over each other.

    "I''m not even here for Prestige," James said. "Get enough publicity with the right guilds and that''ll be enough to land me a job."

    "Good for you, but some of us actually have a chance," Libby snorted.

    "Guys!" Ivan said loudly. "There''s no light beyond here. There are nine of us, but only four torches. We''re supposed to work together."

    "Uhh¡ªhello?" Libby held up her phone. "Some of us can clearly afford light?"

    "This is why you need my experience. Just wait and see how long your phone will last down there. I bet they got an electromancer from Prestige somewhere above to mess it up." Ivan''s smug face was the opposite reflection Libby''s disgusted look.

    "There was one," Seti said. "A technician. Prestige student. Saw her in the building."

    The contestants started talking amongst themselves again. Tyronn crouched down, unnaturally silent. The interview video above was still playing. Ivan was trying his hardest to unite the people, but few were swayed. That might be in part due to Libby freely arguing with him, though she offered no real merits as to why. Seti wondered if this was the time to use his emotional niche, but didn''t know what to do with it.

    "So here''s the breakdown," Ivan said. "This whole thing is like that Maze Maker incident. Those five heroes worked together to help evacuate the randoms. The dolls are the randoms. The elementals we''ll run across are supposed to represent a primal, I''m guessing. My fire can burn anything, regardless of material, so I can help fight them off. It also doubles as a light if something happens to our torches. The drill guy over there could also help fight off the elementals by¡ª"

    "Don''t count me, oval face," Tyronn said. "I go by me self. I work with no one."

    Ivan''s face was oval on further inspection.

    He flustered. "D-dude! You have to understand¡ªwe''re expected to work together to pass!"

    "I pass anyway." Tyronn looked away to end the conversation.

    Ivan turned back to the others and continued. He asked everyone to share their mancy. Excluding Tyronn, everyone complied. Seti was surprised by how forthright they were with the information. Faulkner had driven the point home to keep the cards close to his chest; he said that it would help fight off multiple people at once, simply because they wouldn''t know the best way to handle him.

    Everyone, except for Seti and Tyronn, were tier four adepts. That meant they each had the mana to use one big spell, if they knew how. They explained what they could do and what their restrictions were. Tyronn, who had been acting bored up until now, was listening with keen ears. Likewise, Seti made a note of each person''s ability as well, because knowing potential friends could be just as important as knowing probable enemies.

    Ivan the fire adept could set anything on fire if he physically touched it, and could spread that fire the longer the contact remained. Libby was an earth adept that could stabilize floating ground for a short period of time. Another girl, Mindy, was a water adept who could recollect water that soaked into the ground if she was fast enough. She reached for her utility belt to demonstrate, but then froze.

    "My canister!" She shrieked. "I left it in the building¡ªoh my goodness! How am I supposed to do anything without my water?!"

    She was the clumsy one.

    Strangely, none of them had any interesting niches. Seti thought that since they were recommended, they would at least have something of value. Then again, Lambsgard University had recommended Aiden simply because he was the only tier four at the school. None of them had any mind-blowing skills that Prestige would be interested in. Actually, when he thought about it, these exams weren''t the best way to determine someone''s skill in the first place. Some would stand out more than others through sheer circumstantial conveniences.

    That could be why Prestige allowed three failures a year. But even so, what was Prestige looking for? Was it really just teamwork? From a corporate standpoint, they wouldn''t gain anything by allowing people into the school just because they could work together as a team. They would want someone very exceptional; someone that stood out.

    Ah. Seti came up with a theory.

    The reason they picked Blue Castle. The style of the exams they had set up. Those were clues in itself. The corporate world was a heartless place, and Prestige was no exception. The Maze Makers were regarded as heroes because of what they''ve done¡ªbut were they really exceptional? Maybe he was cruel for thinking so, but he was willing to bet no one thought they were very special, even until the moment they died. When it came to battling primals, dying so that others could live wasn''t remarkable. What was truly impressive, and what Prestige likely wanted, were people that could stand out on their own. It may be that this exam wasn''t only about teamwork, if they even considered that at all. Sure, in reality, if they were really in a situation where lives were at stake, they should work together...but that''s not what was needed right now.

    "And what about you?" Ivan asked Seti. "What can you do?"

    Libby scoffed. "Seriously? He''s just a tier one. He''ll only be dead weight if we bring him with us."

    Seti decided to respond. "My wind, if done right, can be used to replace an air conditioner during a hot summer day."

    They all looked at him in silence. It might have been Seti''s imagination, but he could have sworn he saw Tyronn subtly nod.

    Ivan turned back to the others and pitched his case again. Seti decided he would help convince them¡ªwith his niche. He amplified their desire to work together. Humans were herd creatures; everyone had some inkling to be with someone else. All he had to do was increase it while Ivan spoke. They would work together and rescue as many dolls as they could, but then they would fail the exam.

    Tyronn was still crouched down. Seti used his niche on the man, but he only rubbed at his nose. Either it didn''t affect him, or it did and he simply dismissed it.

    "Now that we''ve met our contestants and our judges, let''s review the rules! The contestants may do whatever they can to rescue the dolls¡ªexcept murder! Damaged dolls will be taken into account at the time of review. If an earth elemental catches a contestant to the point where they are immobile, they''ll be out of commission until the end of the exam. But does that mean they automatically fail? You tell me! If things get too rocky and they want out, all they would have to do is remove their wristband. Contestants¡ª Are you ready!? Three, two, one¡ªgo!"

    Tyronn stood and grabbed the torch behind him. He casually walked off into one of the tunnels. Two of the other contestants paired up and took the second torch and left. Ivan, Libby, Mindy, and two others took the last two torches.

    "Oh look! Ivan starts out right away trying to convince the others." The voice above changed. "¨CI can tell you that working together is our best bet!" Blared Ivan''s voice overhead. That would''ve been their earlier conversation. It seemed nothing was private in this cave.

    "Come with us," Ivan said, as he stood straighter after hearing himself above. "There are no more torches, and I promise you that all cell phones will stop working."

    "Not interested," Seti said. With no torch in hand and no cell phone out to create a light, he walked forward into a tunnel.

    The commentator''s voice began to dim and muffle the further Seti walked. After a while, the only sounds that remained were his footsteps and his breathing. The further Seti went, the cooler the damp, cool air became, causing goosebumps and a rather uncomfortable shiver that chilled him down to his bones.

    Seti stopped and strained his ears for anything that might be out of place, but nothing drew his attention. It wasn''t long until passageways began to open up every few feet. Nothing indicated which direction would be the best, so he arbitrarily picked his route. Upon further examination, the lumped line Seti noticed before stretched against the corners where the ceiling met the wall. As he kept on walking, he wondered how the camera would see him if he had no torch for light. When he turned the corner, Seti spied a doll resting against the wall. It was as tall as his forearm was long and it quickly became apparent that if he found too many, they would be too cumbersome to carry.

    "I''m going to name you little Dora," Seti said as he placed the doll under his armpit.

    A low rumble. Then, the ear piercing, screeching sound of rock grinding against rock echoed from every direction. The earth elementals had arrived. It was impossible to tell if one was nearby due to all of the noise. If only his visibility could extend beyond his eleven-foot range. Seti thought how amazing it''d be if one day he could see the entire maze at once with his omniview.

    He walked on. A distant scream echoed in the tunnels. Someone must have run into an elemental.

    "This is the stuff of nightmares," Seti mumbled.

    The constant grinding noises made Seti flinch every now and then. If both Seti and Ivan''s hunch was correct, then these elementals were supposed to represent primals. Thinking about it, Seti had another advantage that the others probably didn''t consider¡ªprimals only attacked at night, as they had no eyes and thus didn''t need light to see. Because of this, they were commonly referred to as lightless. Assuming all of this was true, then navigating the tunnels with only torches would act to represent limited visibility during a real attack, but in Seti''s case, it didn''t matter.

    What did matter was that Seti was the only one wandering with no light source. He wondered if the judges would guess he had unique perception. He wouldn''t tell them the truth. He would just wander aimlessly to throw them off and keep them guessing. Faulkner had said to feign weakness where he had strength, after all.

    Crack! The sound came from the ceiling. Maybe it was Seti''s imagination, but there was something there that he didn''t seem to recall sensing before¡ªa relatively small crevice. He knew geomancers were good enough to prevent the cave from collapsing, but this felt ominous. Just as he was about to turn to go another direction¡­

    Cccrrrrrraaaaaaaaaack!

    This obviously wasn''t some old crack that randomly started to collapse; it was fresh! It began to spread, and with it, the ceiling began to give way. Seti quickly sprinted in the other direction to try to outrun the fissure as it attempted to swallow him. He focused intently on the ceiling as he ran with his omniview¡­ Too intently! He stumbled and flew towards the floor. Little Dora nearly escaped. The ground reverberated against his palms. Shattered rocks flung into visual range. A cave in! Seti slipped as he rushed away. The crack stopped spreading. He managed to get away. Breathing heavily, he considered checking out the source, but decided he liked living instead. He exhaled slowly as he walked along a different path.

    Why the heck didn''t the geomancers stop the collapse? Couldn''t they feel it? See it? He took a deep breath. They wouldn''t let anyone die in this exam. They had everything under control. Hopefully.

    Seti''s omniview revealed an obtuse hiding spot, roughly one-foot high, which would have been nigh invisible if a torch user wasn''t closely watching their feet or randomly tripped over it. A doll lay hidden within. He wondered if he would get bonus points for finding this one, he thought with a smirk. He squished the second doll (little Eddie) next to little Dora, disallowing free movement of his right arm.

    A new noise could be heard up ahead. It was quite different from the annoying sound of rock scraping on rock; like someone accidentally scuffed their shoe. Seti stopped. The noise stopped as well.

    "Um," a woman''s voice called out. "You wouldn''t happen to be an elemental, would you?"

    "Sure am," Seti replied. "Sculpted into a masterpiece."

    Her figure inched into view with a torch held out in one hand and a doll in the other. She looked almost pixelated as her torch consumed some of his air. Redoubling his concentration and focus made the particles dodge around the flame, revealing the girl to be Mindy, one of the people that teamed up with Ivan and Libby. Her headwrap headband was slightly wet with sweat, which she wiped off with her doll. Considering the maze''s cool temperature, that sweat was either from anxiety or, more likely, a leisurely sprint.

    "Thank goodness... you''re human! These rock noises are freaking me out." Mindy tugged at her bellybutton-high pants.

    "You''re that girl that tripped on the hole outside, during the name introductions. You also forgot your water canister," Seti said.

    "Please don''t remind me." She flinched when someone shouted a distance away. "I''m Mindy. You?"

    "Seti. Where''s your team?"

    "Libby backstabbed us¡ªnot literally. Those elementals surrounded us, so she used people like shields. Goodness, it was freaky. Not as freaky as you, standing in the dark like it''s nothing. How do you see?"

    "My cell phone," Seti lied automatically. "But it doesn''t work now." He didn''t know if they had actually stopped working or not, but it was the first thing that came to mind.

    "Ivan said they would stop working," Mindy said.

    Since she came from the path ahead, he walked back until another pathway opened. She looked around before trudging behind him.

    "Well, don''t mind me not trusting the guy who took the exam six times."

    And Seti made a note to not trust Mindy, either. Her persona screamed vulnerable and "please protect me," but that was exactly why he should guard himself against her. He strained his brain to remember how the announcer introduced her. Did he say she was a water adept? He couldn''t recall. Would a real water user forget their canister? Wasn''t that the same thing as going outside naked?

    Since Mindy had the torch, he gestured for her to lead the way. He half expected her to offer it to him, so that he would lead instead, but she didn''t. Maybe she didn''t want to part with her only light source.

    Honestly, he gave thanks to his omniview. Her figure as a woman wasn''t bad, and her face was agreeable. While the fashion she sported was odd to Seti, some people could make anything work. However, the distinct lack of seeing color to bring all of these features together made it difficult to be taken in by the illustrious charms of the opposite sex. Nevertheless, if circumstances were a bit different, it would be easy for Seti to fall for her and put her before him, but this was simply something he wasn''t willing to do.

    A bump in the ceiling appeared at the edge of Seti''s omniview. He wasn''t sure what it was. Mindy didn''t notice it as she kept walking forward. In order to assess the situation, he let his air get a feel around him to see what it was. The lump connected with another bump, which stretched out along the maze wall. Touching each side were thin humps that looked an awful lot like hands¡­

    Seti grabbed Mindy and pulled her back as the elemental dropped down atop where their heads were seconds before.

    Screech!

    The geo-hands ripped at the wall as it came down. Mindy screamed. It was inches short of snatching her. She took off running. Her doll fell, forgotten and alone.

    Seti picked it up as he ran, nearly tripping over himself. One mana marble came up to his nose. It was ready to be used. Luckily, the elemental was out of view, unable to keep up. However, Mindy also vanished from his sight as well.

    "No-no-no-no!" She chanted with each step somewhere ahead.

    At least she was loud enough for him to trail her.

    Mindy finally stopped running to catch her breath. She flinched when Seti came up to her.

    "Gone?" Mindy huffed. Sweat dripped from her brow. He gave her back the doll she had dropped. She whispered an apology to it.

    "Yeah," Seti said. His two mana marbles were yet unused, ready for the next trap.

    Even though the elemental was out of view, it was abundantly clear that it was still following them due to its obnoxious sound. While the elemental was slower and could be outrun, the problem was that they could easily pull off surprise attacks and entrap them if they weren''t careful. They walked with that extra caution.

    Seti took a deep breath and listened to his surroundings. No amount of air seemed to satisfy his lungs, despite running only for a relatively short distance. Then, it hit him¡ªit was the thin air. Seti had previously relied on Elder Poe to normalize it, but now that he was alone, he would have to do it himself. He concentrated and weaved some. He did the same for Mindy, who was also out of breath.

    There were still many things Seti didn''t know about the elemental that left him asking more questions than he had answers for, as he didn''t get a chance to take a good look at it. Did it have spikes on it? Perhaps, but it could also have just been his projection. How did they work? Did they have a mind of their own, or did the geomancers see what they saw and possibly even controlled them? Perhaps it was through perception, like what the Earth Dragon could do. No, probably not, as Faulkner had considered Shanna skilled, and his standards were quite high.

    Little Dora and Eddie were still tucked under his arm. How long had he been down here already? Seti pulled out his cell phone and clicked a button to announce the time, but nothing happened. The Prestige electromancer must have done something to shut down their devices.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    Crap! He had forgotten already that he told Mindy his phone was his light source and that it stopped working. Had his phone responded, she would''ve known he lied. He took note that he would need to practice his acting.

    "I hate those stupid rock things," Mindy said as she wiped away more sweat with the doll in her hand.

    He had been walking aimlessly, but only found two dolls. If his omniview could go further than eleven feet, this would have been the easiest task. Instead, he was trapped down here with earth elementals just waiting to lock him down.

    Another scream could be heard in the distance. His heart quickened. He wanted to laugh at it and ask why it was so worried. Well, he could understand; he didn''t know a way out and primal-like creatures were out to get him. Fortunately, he had the cure for his anxiety. He used his niche to amplify his calm and his heart returned to normal.

    "Squeak, squeak, squeak," Mindy whispered.

    "What are you doing?" Seti asked.

    "I''m trying to pretend these noises are mice. It makes them seem cuter."

    He stopped to give her a look. Everyone had their own calming methods, it seemed. "How many exams have you taken so far?"

    "This is my first!" She said with a bounce to her voice. "Although I heard no one ever passes their first exam, like it''s a ritual to fail."

    It would be problematic if they didn''t pass people on their first exam, and it bothered him how much it made sense that they should reject the first application. The contestant would have three chances per year at different locations. Prestige would want to see how they did in other environments. Seti bit the bottom of his lip.

    They continued on until lumps of rock appeared into view. Seti was about to take off running when he noticed something. It was a fallen earth elemental. The head was crudely shaped, edged out like clay, and its body was thick and rough. Several spikes came out of its back. Rock debris littered the area, coming from the arms and legs. A large hole had been drilled through the center.

    "Tyronn," Seti said.

    "Wow! A third tier beat an elemental? He''s going to be famous."

    Mindy crept close and kicked a lump of rock with her foot. Seti was sure that the earth elemental was out for the count, but not so sure that he would bet his exam on it. He kept his distance until she was satisfied with her poking.

    "It has legs," Seti said as soon as he realized something.

    "Of course, silly. How else are they going to move?"

    They could move, yes, but they also received a weakness as a result. Faulkner mentioned that a walking earth elemental might be cool, but they were easily defeated. A geo-elemental required constant contact with the ground to exist, so maybe he could do something against them.

    They turned back, not wanting to risk stepping over the dead pile of rocks. He was sure that Mindy thought he was being paranoid, but it was a stupid risk to take. The tunnel began to split into two again when they heard a scream coming from one, so they took the other. How many people were eliminated from the exam by now?

    As they walked on, the tunnel began to slope upward. This likely meant they were heading towards an entrance again. It was as much a relief as it was worrisome, as he had barely accomplished anything, much to the chagrin of his two dolls expecting more company.

    The tunnel opened a new path. A lonely doll lay seated at the entrance of the new passageway. It was inviting them. Seti stood before the doll and faced down the tunnel it guarded. He could continue walking up the slope, but something made him feel like he wouldn''t have the freedom to pass freely.

    "You know that doll just screams trap, right?" Mindy held the torch out before her to see deeper into the tunnel.

    "I''m going to go further down, but I think the exit is that way." He pointed up the slope.

    Mindy looked longingly at the indicated path and then turned back to him. "We should leave together."

    Seti bent down to pick up the guard doll. He now had three. With Mindy''s doll, they totaled four. Would that be impressive enough to pass, or would they dock points because he ignored the obvious trap? Or rather, not a trap, but¡ª

    "If this was real life, then this guard doll is a child asking for help," Seti said. "Which means we only have one option."

    And, according to Elder Poe''s riddle, having one option meant having none.

    Seti walked to Mindy and handed her his three dolls.

    "W-wait!" She stammered. "We only have one torch, and there''s probably an elemental over there!"

    Seti fake-coughed and spoke in a deep voice. "Take these cute children to safety. I shall save the lost child, who is incapable of escaping on its own. Trust me."

    Mindy giggled. "Don''t die, Mr. Shepherd."

    Oh, crap.

    He watched her until she was out of his visibility range, and then walked into the tunnel.

    Crap! Crap! Crap!

    He was probably being recorded now, so when people wanted to know what type of person the disciple of the Wind Dragon was, they would see that. Seti sighed. What persona did he want everyone to see, anyway? Would he be a stoic mafian mancer? The sarcastic liar? Maybe acting wasn''t for him.

    The passageway did not split, and no other tunnels branched out. It was long and straight. The lined vein on the wall changed into a void that licked air. It was on fire. The flame didn''t spread anywhere except where the camera was. This control meant a fire adept was at work. Smoke crept up to the ceiling, slowly spreading. It wasn''t enough to be a concern.

    Seti followed the fire line when someone called out ahead of him.

    "H-hey! Get this thing off of me!"

    He was silent until he could see someone pinned to the wall. A spiked blanket covered the oval-faced person who had merged with the wall.

    "Hello, Ivan," Seti said.

    "Am I glad to see someone!" Ivan said. "You know how stalker-ish you look, walking through the tunnel with no light? How do you even see? Actually, nevermind that! Can you get this thing off of me?"

    Two other dolls were on the floor. Seti picked them up and squished them under his right arm. No one else was in the area, although Seti found it odd that the ceiling had two parallel cracks perpendicular to the walls. This was yet another thing he wouldn''t have noticed without his omniview.

    "How do you propose I do that?" Seti asked.

    Ivan squirmed under the earth blanket. "I don''t know. You wouldn''t happen to know some air spell that can break me free?"

    Seti shook his head. "So let me guess...you were abandoned by your group the moment an elemental appeared."

    "Yeah, those cowards," Ivan spat. "I can set these things on fire, but they didn''t get destroyed as easily as I hoped."

    "Gee, I wonder why. They''re earth elementals. Just because you can set things on fire doesn''t mean it''ll burn to ash." Seti kept an ear out to listen for a potential ambush. His omniview noticed Ivan''s finger pressing against the wall, where a line of fire split off to cover the cameras.

    "Man, I can help fight primals. Real primals, not this fake crap!" Ivan twisted under the rock blanket. "I just need to be given a chance. I can help...really!"

    "Seems like you''ve had several chances. Sometimes life just sucks."

    Something felt off about the parallel cracks on the ceiling. Seti didn''t know what to make of his thoughts, but his instinct told him to be cautious. He just knew it.

    Suddenly, the ceiling came alive and began to writhe. By the time Seti figured out what was happening, it was too late. A large slab of earth dropped from the ceiling, where the cracks had been, blocking his path forward. Then, from the route he came from, the sound of rock grinding on rock edged closer and closer.

    Ivan laughed. "Yeah, you''re right¡ªsometimes life does suck!"

    The elemental in the distance was slow. It didn''t need to be fast to catch its trapped prey.

    "You might as well lay down and make yourself comfortable," he said. "You won''t be able to run past it. Trust me¡ªI tried."

    The earth elemental stepped into view. It was a short thing and looked to be only about three feet tall. Where it might have had a weakness in its height, it more than made up for in its frame. It was sturdy and full figured with spikes protruding from its back. Any intimidation ended there, however. Its back hunched over as it scraped its two feet across the ground. The arms, which were as long as the body was tall, stretched out wide to touch the walls. Also, its head was comically small. It was obvious that no primal looked like that, given how laughably disfigured it was compared to the real thing. More bewildered than anything, Seti readied one of his mana marbles as the strange creature stopped. The two faced off.

    Earth elementals needed constant contact with the ground or they would break apart. Seti figured all he had to do was make it go airborne for only a split second. What would work best here? Aerial Slash? That''s what Faulkner used to slice off the finger of Shanna''s giant geo-hand. Doubt began to set in. Even with Seti''s divine mode, would he have that same level of grit?

    "We''re about to spend a lot of time together," Ivan said.

    Seti placed each of his two dolls on Ivan''s left and right shoulder. Then, he thought back to his combat lessons with Melvin and readied his combat stance.

    "Well," Seti started, "I think it''s time to witness what it really means to be exceptional. Let me show you what the world''s strongest tier one can do."

    "I''m getting ready to say ''I told you so.''"

    Nine feet out. The earth elemental moved. It raised its foot and dropped forward.

    Seti inhaled one of his mana marbles. It felt as if time slowed down. While he wasn''t really a mythical chronomancer and literally slowing time down, it was more accurate to say that his mind and body became sharper and more attuned. He breathed out slowly and zoned in.

    Eight feet. The run wasn''t a run, but a fast paced wobble. One foot touched the ground at all times. Its hands never stopped scratching the wall, either.

    Seven feet. Seti focused on its feet.

    Six feet. It was getting a bit too close for comfort now.

    Five feet. Its path was systematic. Seti knew exactly where one foot would land. He used the Air Step spell. His visual range shrunk. An air brick appeared slightly above the ground. The elemental stepped on it and wobbled its other foot off the ground.

    The elemental didn''t break apart.

    Four feet. It reached its hands out to grab him.

    Hands! Light-footed, Seti stepped backward and formed a second Air Step on the ground. It stepped on it again. He pivoted his heel and stepped out of the way as its momentum threw it forward, breaking apart into chunks and slamming into the wall that trapped him. The tunnel echoed with its rumble. Then silence.

    "W-what?" Ivan''s mouth was open. "What did you do? What happened? Why did it break apart?"

    Seti undid both of his Air Steps. He almost lost simply because he focused on the feet without realizing it had contact with the arms. Divine mode still hadn''t run out. Funny enough, he almost wanted another elemental to appear. Considering how quickly he undid the Air Steps, he estimated he had about half a minute left, if not more. He walked to Ivan and tapped him on the cheek.

    He took a step back and examined the geo-blanket. Ivan''s hands were free to move around, but otherwise, he was almost completely strapped to the wall like an infant in a car seat. Seti pulled on one side of the melted elemental, testing its durability. No luck. The other side wasn''t any different. None of the spells in his repertoire would be useful. Air Step can''t be moved once placed. Aerial Slash was a definite no go, too, because if it was strong enough to rip through rock, then it would rip through Ivan as well (barring innate defenses), and Seti wasn''t confident on it''s grit, anyways.

    There was one spell that would work: Wind Claw, Faulkner''s signature move. But there was a major problem with it...the secret behind Wind Claw''s strength was that it wasn''t one spell, but three. It required a specific air ratio for each one, and if Seti wanted to use it, he would experience a significant drop in the range of his vision.

    Divine mode ended. He was disappointed with how distasteful regular air tasted, but that lasted only a moment before his body got used to it. Seti still had another mana marble left, but decided he wouldn''t use it for Ivan. Using three spells at once and controlling the ratio behind them would shorten the time on his divine mode by a significant amount. He then would have to cut through the rock with an unknown time limit, which would reduce his visual range drastically regardless of success.

    After taking the dolls from the man''s shoulders, he began walking away.

    "Wait!" Ivan called out. "Help me out! Get me out of this thing!"

    Seti walked on. "If this scenario was real life, you''d be the dead Shepherd who protected those two children." He raised up the dolls. "You''ll be remembered as a hero! "

    "That''s not funny! H-hey! Get back here!"

    He ignored Ivan. Even if Seti used his last mana marble, the cost for helping Ivan would be too great. He reached the tunnel that sloped upwards. Seti followed the path and dimly heard the commentator above.

    "James struggled to the last! That''s the end of that makeshift team. Samuel doesn''t know it yet, but he''s surrounded on all sides. Say goodbye to the next target."

    The slope evened out when he saw an opening to a room. He had arrived where they had begun.

    "You''re not dead!" Mindy rushed forward and grabbed his arms. "And you got two dolls!"

    Several people occupied the room. A man attended Libby, who had a cut lip and torn jeans at the knee. Two dolls rested on her lap. Tyronn sat with his back at the corner. His eyes were closed and his arms crossed. One doll for him. Mindy beamed at Seti, and it caught him off guard. She had no reason to act so cutesy now that the maze was over.

    Five others knelt against the entrance tunnels of the maze. They wore uniformed clothing, different from Prestige or what the Shepherds would wear. Their eyes were shut and their hands overlapped one another on the ground as if they were giving CPR to the dirt. They must be the geomancers controlling the earth elementals.

    "Can you see in the dark?" Libby asked. She grimaced as the attendant padded a wet cloth to her scraped knee.

    Seti shook his head. "No, I asked an elemental for directions. What do we do with these?" He raised up his dolls.

    The medic attending Libby answered. "Marty will take them once we conclude the event." He also wore the same uniform as the five geomancers. Seti recalled the announcer mentioning a freelance guild helping with the exam. Vaguely Competent was the guild name. Maybe all of the uniformed mancers were part of it.

    Seti joined Mindy as she slumped against a wall. Her four dolls sat next to her. She wanted to offer back the three he gave her, but the medic said the count had already been tallied. Everything was recorded, so the judges likely already knew the details behind every event that had transpired. He listened to the commentator. They hadn''t mentioned him once yet. Time passed. It became apparent that no other contender would return on their own terms. Finally, as the show came to a close, the geomancers each stood and stretched.

    One pulled a walkie-talkie from his belt and spoke to it. "Marty, we''ve closed most of the paths and released the caught ones. They''ll be here shortly. Over."

    True to his word, the others arrived one at a time. Ivan was the first. He refused to meet anyone''s eye but had quite the angry expression. This would be his sixth failed exam.

    Once everyone gathered, the guy with the utility belt, Marty, came down with a cameraman following behind. He described what would happen next. Those that didn''t escape the maze would go to the building right away for interviews and those that had escaped would be judged publically before having their own post exam interview. When he finished, he collected the dolls and led them above ground. The crowd greeted them with cheers. Everyone squinted to block out the sun until their eyes adjusted, so Seti played along and did the same. He wondered if his blind eyes would get damaged if he did otherwise.

    "Bruises and cuts¡ªand hurt pride! We welcome back our contestants. In a few minutes, we will begin our judging. Please stay tuned!"

    Seti couldn''t see anyone outside his visibility, which had shrunk down to roughly nine feet. He still had one mana marble left and silently kicked himself for not using it to put himself in a more advantageous position.

    They were split into two groups. Those the earth elementals caught went to the geo-building. That left Seti, Tyronn, Libby, and Mindy to remain standing in a line. The cameraman circled around them.

    Shepherd Christella walked up to them and exchanged whispered words with Tyronn. Seti couldn''t hear what they said, but by the end, Tyronn left the group and walked away with the Shepherd. Seemed like the four contestants were now down to three.

    Marty led them again until they stood before a table. Two of the three chairs were occupied until Shepherd Christella joined them. So it was the Shepherd sitting in the middle, that one Prestige student named Abigail, and a third person Seti had not met. That man wore the same outfit as the geomancers and had a thick beard.

    "Thank you all for staying with us. We have now arrived at the end of the show. Our three judges, Shepherd Christella, Prestige Student Council Treasurer Abigail¡ªthat''s a mouthful¡ªand Guild Master Tumgar will be taking over from here!"

    "Congratulations!" Abigail said. "The three of you managed to work the maze without being caught. You''re hereby submitted for official judging. Our format is simple. Guild Master Tumgar will focus solely on your navigation of the maze and the doll rescue. Shepherd Christella will focus on your encounters with the elementals. And I will explain why you will or will not fit into Prestige. Let''s do this alphabetically, shall we? Libby, please step forward."

    Libby did so.

    Guild Master Tumgar spoke with a gruff voice. "It''s important to know your way around in the dark. Wasting time backtracking from dead ends could cost lives. Ultimately, Libby, you were cornered several times and used your party members as bait to escape, even to the point of collapsing a part of the ceiling. That could have been dangerous if another contestant was in the area."

    Another contestant was in the area. Namely, Seti.

    Libby scoffed. "Realistically, our phones would work. Primals aren''t electromancers."

    Shepherd Christella replied. "Maybe not, but these exams were meant to put you in a position of limitation. You sacrificed your teammates, and worst yet, your dolls. You learned the dolls were a tracking method and used that to survive. As someone told you in the maze, it''s a cowardly act."

    Libby pursed her lips, but said nothing.

    "As for me," Abigail leaned forward in her chair. "I found it exceptional how you used your geomancy. Being capable of temporary geo-flight is impressive. The Rescue Guilds might have an interest in nurturing your skills and helping you realize your potential. Not to mention learning about the tracking method in the first place was quite clever." Libby rolled her eyes. Abigail seemed to catch it as an edge appeared in her tone. "As for Prestige Academy, we do not think the benefits you have outweigh the deficiency of the fourth tier. It is a no from me."

    The other two judges also declared a no.

    "This exam is stupid!" Libby steamed. "It doesn''t even show off what I can really do. I''m never going to be in a spot where this''ll be relevant."

    That sounded an awful lot like what Ivan had said.

    "None of the Maze Makers thought that." Abigail folded her hands on the table. She said nothing else.

    The crowd exploded in oohs. Libby clicked her tongue and walked away. Next up was Mindy.

    Tumgar complimented her spatial awareness. She never took the same path twice, which allowed her to avoid capture. Her memory was praised, and her bravery commended, as she was the last to leave Ivan.

    The bravery comment made Seti think about her running away in fear and dropping her doll. Odd that they didn''t mention that.

    "Decent navigation memory, but that pales when noting your forgotten canister," Christella said. Mindy made herself as small as possible. "You were defenseless for the duration of the entire exam and failed to discover another means to use your mancy. It is impossible for anyone to give you a high score."

    "I disagree," Abigail said. "Navigating the maze without using her mancy once, and succeeding with the rescue of four dolls, is quite the feat. Anyone else would have been trapped."

    "Yes and no," the Shepherd said. "She only found one doll but was given the other three. She didn''t find those."

    "She was entrusted with the other three. In a moment of crisis, it''s not always the mancers that save the day," Abigail said.

    "Wait, do my ears deceive?" Shepherd Christella turned to Abigail. "You would pass someone who didn''t use their mancy once?"

    "I did not say that," Abigail said. "But we should give credit where it''s due. Let''s switch topics. Mindy, I found it quite cute how you squeaked away your anxiousness."

    The crowd laughed. Seti had to remind himself that it wasn''t a sitcom track.

    "Yes, it helped me calm down," Mindy said.

    "A foolish notion," Shepherd Christella said. "Surrounding sounds are meant to be used for your benefit. Replacing those sounds with your own was a poor move."

    "Always so snippy." Abigail side-eyed the Shepherd. "It may be a poor move from a mancer''s perspective, yes, but it would''ve been a great one for a teacher to calm her trapped students. You remember Brenda? This is similar to that."

    "Then she should apply to be a teacher, not Prestige Academy."

    Abigail whispered under her breath. "Most people don''t take the exam for Prestige."

    The debate ended and all three gave a no. Mindy left rather bouncily for someone who failed her exam.

    "Seti," Tumgar said. "I''ll be honest and say I''m not sure what happened. We had no visibility of you throughout the exam until you ran into Mindy." He turned to the side. "Was that a technical difficulty on our end?"

    "No, it wasn''t," Seti said. He had contemplated how much he should reveal about his omniview. In the end, he decided to be vague and to act. "I''m good with dark places, so there wasn''t a need for me to have light."

    Seti used his niche. He amplified amazement on each judge.

    "Indeed, you are." Tumgar nodded. He rubbed his nose. "Some dolls you found were hidden in a hole made by my geomancers. It would''ve been invisible to torchlight. Would that be part of your ''good with dark places''? At tier one?"

    "Something like that," Seti said.

    "As impressive as that is, the navigation portion had nothing noteworthy. Based on your mapping, we would guess you made your choices arbitrarily," Tumgar said.

    "I suppose?" Seti said. "What else should I have done? There wasn''t a pattern to the maze."

    "Except there was," Shepherd Christella said. She sniffed once. "The maze followed the Hammington Layout Style. It''s a popular map if you''ve studied them."

    "That''s not a reasonable thing for someone to know," Seti said, getting annoyed.

    Shepherd Christella gave a smug grin. "Maze Maker Amy Thorn knew. But you''re right, the average person wouldn''t know. To know would have been...exceptional."

    "Just as it would be exceptional for an infant to drive a car," Seti replied. "That''s textbook knowledge, taught to those who may need to know one day. Hence, why Amy Thorn knew. I should not be barred entrance to Prestige for that."

    "And you won''t be." Abigail finally spoke. "We''re simply noting what''s exceptional and what isn''t. I''m curious to learn about the fallen elemental." She turned to Tumgar. "What happened there? Did a tier one really beat your baby?"

    Tumgar huffed and folded his arms. "Of course not. He knew earth elementals needed contact with the ground for the mana flow. He broke that contact. Although it''s hard to say how, as the cameras only saw the fire."

    "Elementals need to touch the ground?" Abigail looked at the Shepherd. "I didn''t know that."

    "Only the geo-elementals do," Shepherd Christella said. "It''s not really common knowledge as elementals only exist with approval from the association. False primal reports would be rampant otherwise."

    Seti hummed to draw their attention. "So, what you''re saying is, that was...exceptional."

    The crowd laughed. Abigail smiled.

    However, Tumgar wasn''t satisfied. "All he did was cut off the contact somehow. That''s not exceptional."

    "At tier one, though?" Abigail asked.

    "Aha! That''s the thing! Tier one." Tumgar sat up in his chair. "That''s how you know it''s a trick. No first tier can beat an elemental, let alone anything else."

    "That''s more than what any of us thought he could do. Myself included." Abigail flipped through some papers before her. "I''m interested."

    "So he knew how to beat an elemental, big deal." Tumgar didn''t budge.

    This whole situation reeked of insincerity. He was denounced for not knowing something, but when he did know something, it wasn''t anything special. It was as if they had decided their judgement prior to the exams.

    "It doesn''t matter in either case," the Shepherd said. "Elementals and primals are different. Finding the weakness of a geo-elemental does not help against primals. It''s a no from me."

    "And a no from me," Tumgar said instantly.

    Seti was about to speak but stopped himself. What garbage! Was it really set that no person could pass the exams on their first try? Their judging methods were nonsensical as well. It almost seemed like they could find something wrong with anyone taking the exam, and then use that as a reason to reject them.

    "I am curious to know what more he can do," Abigail said.

    "Aren''t we all," Shepherd Christella said. "But that''s not the judging criteria. We''re not supposed to be curious¡ªwe''re supposed to know."

    "A bit hypocritical, aren''t we?" Seti said before he could stop himself. The crowd oohed at that.

    The Shepherd slowly turned her head back to him. "Pray tell, what do you mean by that?"

    "Isn''t the leader of the Shepherds a divine? I don''t think anyone here knows what she can fully do," Seti said.

    "When you''re capable of soloing a primal, we''ll let you off the hook."

    Another oooh! Even if they wanted to know Seti''s secret, it wasn''t something he would divulge. The Shepherds may want to know every detail about a mancer''s capabilities, but Faulkner''s persistence to be vague had more weight.

    Abigail frowned as she tapped her finger on the table. As a last-ditch effort, Seti used his niche on her again, amplifying her curiosity.

    "Before he departed with Mindy, he purposely went to Ivan while thinking it was a trap," she said. "You don''t do that unless you''re confident."

    "He failed to rescue Ivan," the Shepherd replied.

    Seti amplified Abigail''s aggression. She pressed her legs together and pursed her lips. Was she holding her tongue? Oh well, some people would have self control and dismiss his¡ª

    "And Amy Thorn failed to rescue some too. But why aren''t we focusing on the accomplishments?"

    Nevermind. Abigail succumbed.

    She continued. "A tier one did rescue two dolls and destroyed the elemental¡ªsomething only one other person did, and he passed the exam."

    "Abigail." The Shepherd hissed quietly. "We already voted. Now vote."

    The two women stared at each other. Seti could almost hear the cat noises.

    "I vote yes." She sighed, and then mustered the best smile she could under the circumstances. "Unfortunately, the majority has spoken. Seti of Lambsgard University¡ªyou do not pass."

 Chapter 11 - Disciple of the Wind Dragon

    Chapter 11 ¨C Disciple of the Wind Dragon

    You do not pass.

    The wind blew gently, ruffling his hair. Seti''s ears were ringing as he played back what he had just heard in his mind, like a broken vinyl record. He had expected to pass. He was an exceptional tier one. The Wind Dragon, one of the strongest living mafian mancers, chose him as his sole disciple. He was capable of amplifying emotions and casting powerful spells for a limited duration. Yet, despite the planets aligning, the judges rejected him before a proper case could be made. Should he reveal his secrets and show off what he could do?

    No. Keeping some cards close to his chest was important. But how important would that be if he couldn''t go to Prestige Academy? What about the champion business that the Noblesse had called for?

    "Now that we''ve completed the judging of our three finalists, let''s watch some interviews with the rest! Let''s listen to Ivan again¡­"

    ...

    ...

    An uncomfortable silence. The crowd started to murmur.

    ...

    ...

    " ...It appears we may be experiencing technical difficulties. Please standby."

    The three judges shuffled their papers and prepared to leave. Shepherd Christella looked up from the table and noticed Seti still standing in place.

    "Please make your way to the building." She indicated to the side. "Someone will guide you to your interview room."

    It was at this moment Seti remembered Faulkner''s words.

    So fight. Fight past every obstacle and force your way into the mancer world.

    And so he would.

    "I challenge you to a holmgang," Seti said. "If I pass, let me attend Prestige."

    The effect was slow. At first, she ignored him entirely as she readied to leave. The crowd quieted down one at a time. Several people echoed the spoken word¡ªholmgang. The other two judges, Abigail and Tumgar, turned to look at him.

    "We''re back and we have a new development! Seti, a tier one wind adept, has just issued a holmgang against a Shepherd! A tier six crafter! Is he trying to overturn the judges'' decision?"

    "How ridiculous," Shepherd Christella said. "Go to your interview and begone."

    Seti shrugged. This time, he gave a smug grin. "I''m just a tier one. How could I possibly be arrogant enough to challenge you, right? But maybe you''d like to see if me beating that elemental was a fluke."

    He amplified her arrogance.

    "Your taunts won''t sway me. I will not accept a holmgang so easily."

    Her arrogance was definitely amplified, but it seemed to have the opposite effect.

    "Now wait just a moment," Tumgar said. "If there''s a holmgang, I want to see, in person, just how it was that my elemental was defeated."

    Christella scoffed. "Don''t entertain him. The exam was not to see if the contestants could undo your creations."

    "If it was, I could''ve taken out several of them," Seti said. "At once."

    "What a taunt! What a challenge! But is this any different from a child throwing a tantrum? Who would be willing to put him in his place?"

    Tumgar seemed to take that as a personal insult. He widened his shoulders, making himself larger. "Not one, but two lower echelon mancers disassembled my elementals. Why not have them both enter a holmgang?"

    Abigail took the opportunity. She spoke before Christella could complain.

    "It''s possible." Abigail turned to the Shepherd. "Holmgangs between students can occur outside the academy, and can be recorded by Prestige staff."

    "He is not a student." Shepherd Christella scowled. "And I won''t arbiter the duel."

    Abigail took out her phone and started tinkering with it. A tense moment. "Here we go. Holmgang between Lance and Soka. Soka was permitted attendance as a result. It''s only been once, but there is a precedent."

    "I will not arbiter it," the Shepherd said again.

    Abigail smiled. "You don''t have to. I''m with the student council, remember? I have authority to arbiter."

    Christella glared at Seti, who flashed a toothy innocent smile.

    "This holmgang won''t determine his attendance," Christella said spitefully. "We''ll re-review things after the duel."

    "Good enough for me," Tumgar said in his gruff voice. "Marty, summon Tyronn of the Sentinel guild."

    "What an unbelievable turn of events! Will a tier one wind adept really holmgang against a tier three crafter? Has a tier one ever holmganged before? Someone get me that data."

    Seti wanted to laugh. The crowd started to go crazy. He couldn''t tell if they were laughing or jeering. His father was in the crowd as well¡ªwhat face did he have right now? What about Elder Poe and Dora? Did they feel hopeful that he''d win?

    A moment later, several shouts tore through the voices.

    "Hey, you itch, why''d we have to come back?"

    "These baboons can''t think for themselves."

    "Isn''t he be the one tier?"

    The commentator''s voice echoed throughout the plateau. "And here he is! Tyronn!"

    Tyronn stepped into visual range. The man had his hands in his baggy pockets. He walked forward with a strut.

    "Challenging me? Who you be? Why you think you can fight me?"

    Shepherd Christella responded. "This first tier failed the judging. He wants to holmgang you as another means to measure his skill. You can decline the fight. There''s no benefit for you."

    "That''s not true," Abigail said immediately. "All holmgangs outside of school would still reflect on your record. I''m quite certain no other first year has had a holmgang yet. You''d be number one."

    Tyronn slouched his shoulders and sized up Seti. "Tier one?"

    "I beat an earth elemental, just like you," Seti said.

    "Oho." He straightened his back and held up his right arm. With a turn, a drill appeared, covering that arm. It spun.

    "I''ll assume that''s his acceptance." Abigail walked forward to stand between them. Marty walked to the judge''s table and lifted it away from Seti''s visual range. "Per holmgang tradition, please state your victory condition."

    Tyronn lifted up his drill-arm. "Victory when he be pinned and at the vitals."

    When she motioned to Seti next, he spoke. "I approve. My victory condition would be when my Aerial Slash hits him."

    "That is not an accomplishment," Shepherd Christella said. "You may as well have said you would blow air on him. It would be non-consequential."

    Seti had a few choice words he wanted to say to her, but if she wanted something more¡­

    "If you need proof of my strength, then what if my Aerial Slash makes him bleed?"

    "Aerial Slash?" Abigail turned to the Shepherd. "Is that safe?"

    "A recreational spell," she said. "No aeromancer specializes in it. I''ll remarry my ex if he could even make a scratch."

    No aeromancer specialized in it, she says. None, except for the strongest one. Seti''s version wouldn''t be as strong as Faulkner''s, but it should be enough to make the man bleed. He only had one opportunity.

    "I know a pretty good counselor¡ªmaybe he could help you with your new marriage," Seti said.

    Tyronn gave his approval. The commentator drew their attention. "The holmgang is in effect! Seti of the first tier will face off against Tyronn, the third tier crafter. It should be noted that both contestants had each defeated an earth elemental in the maze. How did Seti beat it? We don''t know! And just for the record, while tier one adepts have participated in holmgangs in the past, it was never on an official mancer-versus-mancer condition like we have now. A historical first! It shouldn''t be surprising though, as first tiered adepts can''t cast spells. How is this possible!?"

    Abigail raised up her hand and dropped it. "Commence!"

    The judges backed away from the holmgang.

    Tyronn stepped back and thrusted his drill-arm into the ground, throwing dirt around. He was nearly halfway out of Seti''s omniview.

    Seti readied his mana marble. He had never used Aerial Slash before, so this would be experimental. Of course, it wasn''t his only weapon.

    "Hey, Tyronn," Seti called out. "Why are you backing away? Scared of a tier one spell? How embarrassing."

    A crowd of voices shouted behind Tyronn at the taunt. They called Seti a few choice words and said that Tyronn could withstand any hit. His circle of friends were a bit lacking in the thinking department. Seti thought to amplify the man''s arrogance, but then Tyronn silently clicked his tongue.

    Seti had a distinct impression that the drill-crafter wanted to take the holmgang seriously, but to take a tier one seriously was a bit of a social blow. Tyronn had, thus far, kept a blank face. Suddenly, he let out a sigh, then made his face into something not entirely unlike an angry wolf''s. He used his free hand to pound at his chest.

    "Free shot. Show me you strength, and I show you me."

    Tyronn''s groupies cheered. Seti was absolutely certain he had not used his niche. Peer pressure was a heck of a drug. He grinned as he inhaled his last mana marble. His body revved. It awakened to the mana it so desperately desired. His focus sharpened. Calm controlled him.

    With Aerial Slash in mind, Seti raised one finger straight to the sky. Faulkner had taught him various levels of power with this spell. Each finger acted like its own tier, and each tier had different waves of strength. Seti debated using two fingers, but a single one should suffice if he cast the spell with enough sharpness. Because this was somewhat of an experiment for Seti, and without knowing how strong his divine mode would make his slash, going above one finger might be too much risk.

    He weaved his air. The omniview shrunk considerably¡ªalmost double what him casting Air Step took. Tyronn was no longer visible to him, but Seti trusted the man''s arrogance to remain in place.

    He swung his finger down.

    A single cut of air propelled forward, slicing through the distance. It continued until it reached the end of the omniview, when something unexpected happened. Seti could still see the Aerial Slash in the voided dark area beyond his omniview. It vanished approximately where Tyronn had stood.

    A gasp. Thump. Silence.

    A scream.

    "He killed him!"

    Abigail ran through the omniview towards Tyronn and disappeared again. Seti froze. He did what? With his divine mode on, he could focus on every sound and voice. People were freaking out. What happened? He took a step forward to look at Tyronn when he was intercepted. Shepherd Christella leapt forward at Seti and slid her hands together.

    A phasm catcher appeared around his neck. The surrounding circle had spikes pointed inwards, pressing into his skin. The Shepherd held the attached pole with steady hands. A flick in either direction would have the spikes pierce either Seti''s neck, or his throat.

    "We need a vivamancer!" Abigail called from the darkness. "Get Douglas! Marty¡ªcall Douglas!"

    "I¡­ I¡­ We will be temporarily halting this broadcast. Please stay tuned."

    "What have you done?" Shepherd Christella whispered.

    He didn''t know. He couldn''t see. What happened to Tyronn? Aerial Slash¡ªwhat did it do? Did it really cut deep? But he only used one finger! More footsteps. Hushed talking. Divine mode ended. A deathly silence. If only his omniview could reach out just a few more feet!

    "Wound closed." A voice came from Tyronn''s direction. "Unconscious from shock. Class two blood loss. His body can recover from that on its own. He''ll live."

    A unified sigh took the atmosphere.

    Shepherd Christella turned the catcher a fraction. The spikes pressed deeper into Seti''s neck.

    "As for you," she said, "I will be detaining you under my authority as a Shepherd."

    Seti couldn''t speak; a spike pinned his throat. Each swallow came with a pinch of pain. He wanted to see what happened to Tyronn. How bad was it?

    Tyronn''s people started to shout. Vulgar words were thrown at Seti. They demanded an execution. A bit overreactive, that.

    Then, a voice from the crowd.

    "He broke no law."

    The Shepherd turned her head to the direction of the voice. Seti''s first thought it might be Elder Poe and then thought maybe it was his father. But the man''s voice didn''t match anyone he knew.

    "Are you blind? Just look at what happened," Christella growled.

    "I am capable of sight, yes." The man walked into the shortened omniview. He was a good-looking man, and he wore a sweater vest over his buttoned dress shirt. One could say it was almost geeky, except for the part where his clothes fit flush against his well-toned, athletic body. (Was everyone so fit?) His wavy hair covered half of his face, styled similarly like model on the cover of a magazine. All in all, it was quite fashionable.

    "Prefect," Seti heard Abigail say.

    Seti racked his brain trying to remember if he knew the Prefect title from anywhere. He came up short.

    "If you''re capable of sight, then tell me how he didn''t break the holmgang," Shepherd Christella said.

    The Prefect''s facial expression was stoic. "The tier one adept claimed he would use Aerial Slash to make the man bleed. The man has bled. That was the victory condition. Therefore, victory has been attained. Shall I spell it out even further?"

    "Nonsense!" Shepherd Christella tightened her grip on the catcher. "Yes, he literally completed what he said he would do, but a near fatality? He can''t possibly be a first tiered mancer! This requires an investigation."

    Seti wanted to call bullcrap on that, but the catcher prevented him.

    "Near fatality?" The Prefect raised a brow. "He wanted the victory condition to be a simple hit of the spell, but you wouldn''t have it and egged for something more. He deceived no one. You underestimated him. The holmgang tradition remains unbroken. Release him."

    "Arbiter!" Shepherd Christella called out. "Say your ruling!"

    The Prefect shrugged. "I could countermand her, but I trust my classmate."

    Both the Shepherd and the Prefect looked over in Abigail''s direction. Seti heard a stutter, and then finally, "Victory conditions have been met. Seti has won the holmgang."

    The Shepherd glared at the Prefect. She released the catcher, which Seti thought would make the spikes impale him, but had vanished instead. Seti rubbed at his neck while stealing a peek at the Prefect. Who was this man?

    "Welcome back! Apologies for the delay. We had an unexpected turn of events unfold here. An infamous man has appeared as well," the commentator whispered to someone "...maybe I shouldn''t have said that publicly." He continued "Our onsite vivamancer has mended Tyronn! He''ll have a full recovery, but I have been informed that he will carry a long scar across his chest, unless he visits a specialist. As for the holmgang, the arbiter has declared a victor. Seti, the first tiered mancer, has¡ª"

    Boom!

    The ground shook. A wave of heat enveloped Seti. His ears rang, slowly replaced by shouts.

    "Get me water!" Abigail yelled as she took off in a sprint. Shepherd Christella was right behind her. They ran towards the adobe building.

    It was hectic. People were shouting over each other. Orders could be heard, one after another.

    "Where are we supposed to get water?"

    "Move the pack back!"

    "The water was in the building!"

    "Call backup!"

    "The crowd should be evacuated to the cave!"

    "Phones aren''t working!"

    Seti stood awkwardly as he heard people running all over the place. He had no idea what was happening. The Prefect frowned as he strode towards the commotion, leaving his omniview. Elder Poe and Dora entered, just as he exited.

    "What''s happening?" Seti asked.

    "The building is on fire," Elder Poe answered.

    More shouts for water. He wondered how big the blaze was to feel heat at this distance. His father stepped into view, but stopped at the edge of it. He said and did nothing.

    "There''re people inside," Seti said. That included Ivan, Libby, and Mindy. He turned to the elder. "Can''t we do something?"

    "What do you propose?"

    Abigail''s shout interrupted them. "I need more! Stop messing around and get me more water! Then, get the damn porta potty!"

    It was hard to grasp exactly what was happening. Based on what Seti was hearing, people were dangerously disorganized. Some were coughing from the smoke. Others shouted for any working phone, but they were all still inoperable.

    "This is pathetic. Everyone is running around with their heads cut off," Seti''s father said. He pointed to the distance. "You! Get over here. Yes, you, with the stupid haircut. Go get that Shepherd and have her come here. I have a solution for her communication problem."

    The person his father ordered ran through his omniview. Seti recognized him as a member of Tyronn''s squad. He had a mullet with one side shaved. He had been insulted and still obeyed orders. Under normal circumstances, Seti doubted the man would ever listen to his father, but this was a crisis.

    It didn''t take long for Shepherd Christella to approach his father. She panted and held a hollow rope in her hand. A hose? Was it a phasm one or a real one? Seti got an answer when it vanished on the spot. She didn''t give the rest of them a glance.

    "You have a solution for the phone disruption? You''re an electromancer?" She eyed him up and down.

    His father shook his head. "I am not. I am Jacob Tutt, owner of Event Horizon. And it isn''t the phones I''m interested in; it would be your armguard."

    The Shepherd looked down at her armguard. It was a piece of metal that covered half her arm. The communication device of the Shepherds, not unlike Faulkner''s electronic bracelet. "We need a phone fixed now. But if you aren''t an electromancer, then you''ll have to excuse me¡ª"

    "You are not excused," he said sternly, pausing her in her tracks. "And you''d do well to listen to your co-judge. Did she not say non-mancers could save the day? Electromancy disruption doesn''t disable your armguard¡­it only weakens it. I can calibrate it to bypass any basic interference, allowing you to reach several miles further out. It should be enough to call in for help."

    His father had quite a commanding presence. Seti couldn''t even do that with his niche''s help. Shepherd Christella flicked the armguard at several spots until it came off. She handed it over and looked at everyone else daringly. She was upset about something.

    Dora ignored the exchange entirely and instead kept her focus on the fire. She had her mouth wide open while she looked at the source of the heat. She seemed more amazed than concerned. Elder Poe remained content to stroke his beard.

    "I hope you don''t take long," she said. "The building is going to burn down with everyone inside if we''re not quick enough."

    Elder Poe spoke up. "Seti, do you agree with her assessment?"

    A lesson? Now?

    "Well¡­" Seti faced the direction of the building.

    He couldn''t see it as his omniview didn''t extend that far, and the radius was a few feet smaller than it usually was, considering the spells Seti used today. If he could see, what would he notice? He remembered that the building was cool on the inside because of its underlying material. What material was it, again? Then¡­it clicked.

    "It''s an adobe building, made by geomancers. It isn''t flammable." Seti knew he got the right answer.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    "Weird," Dora said. "How is it on fire, then?"

    "How, indeed?" Elder Poe asked. "Seti, can you tell us?"

    "Seriously, what''s with the lesson during a crisis? Shouldn''t we try to help? I mean, aren''t you¡ª" Seti stopped. "You''re an aeromancer, right? Can''t you suffocate the flames?"

    "Running in without thinking is liable to get you killed," Elder Poe said. "Think about the circumstances. How is a non-flammable building on fire?"

    Shepherd Christella looked at the two of them in confusion. Seti took comfort that either she didn''t know, or she didn''t consider the underlying circumstances. But he couldn''t blame her; the underlying cause wouldn''t be something people considered until after the crisis ended. Elder Poe thought it was important to know now; therefore, Seti would have to figure out why.

    If a non-flammable thing started on fire, what would cause it? Gas on the object? Extreme heat that burns things anyway? Or maybe he had to think along the lines of mancers¡­

    Oh.

    "It''s mancer made," Seti said. "Specifically, Ivan¡ªthe fire adept who can burn anything."

    Elder Poe nodded. The Shepherd''s eyes widened as she looked at the building. Knowing the cause changed things. It meant a second hostile force could be present.

    "It''s smoky, too," Dora said with a hop.

    Seti''s father motioned to the armguard and said something to the Shepherd, which was lost in the noise. Shepherd Christella rubbed her hands together. When she parted her hands, a disfigured screwdriver appeared. His father took it and continued the work on the armguard.

    Dora had said smoke was a thing¡­ "Suffocation is going to be a real problem too," Seti said as he looked back at Elder Poe, who nodded. "So what''s the problem? Why can''t you put out the flames?"

    "Unfortunately, my mana is nearly spent," Elder Poe said, giving the Shepherd a slight glance.

    That... didn''t make sense. Seti figured Elder Poe was at least around the same level as Elder Narn. Was he making that claim to hide who he was? To hide that they were the Serio family?

    Seti leaned towards the elder to whisper to him, doing his best to avoid arousing any suspicion if anybody was watching. "I don''t understand."

    "The exile," Elder Poe whispered back.

    Ah. The exile that Faulkner had placed on the Serio family. Whatever else this exile entailed, it included keeping themselves out of everyone''s business, which meant not assisting in this crisis. A building burned before them and they wouldn''t help.

    They didn''t include Seti Tutt. His last name wasn''t Serio, yet.

    "I''m going to help," Seti said.

    Elder Poe hummed to himself. "What is it that you want to do?"

    "If smoke suffocation is a thing, I can filter that out," Seti said.

    "You can filter air at tier one?" Shepherd Christella asked. "How do you still have mana left? First tiers shouldn''t even be capable of casting spells, let alone do what you''re claiming."

    Seti shrugged, but he didn''t reply. He turned to each person to see if they had anything to say. His father met his gaze, but otherwise said nothing and continued to focus on the armguard. Dora wasn''t listening to any of it. Elder Poe nodded in such a way so that nobody around would notice, except for Seti.

    That was his permission to go. Seti strutted towards the building. A new stench filled the air. It was the smell of urine, the kind of which every public bathroom had. Porta potties had been dragged over and knocked sideways, spilling some of their contents out. The heat increased, but not to the point of it being unbearable. Seti watched as people ran here and there. Finally, the building appeared within his vision''s range. Smoke spewed out of a glassless window, but he saw no visible fire. Someone ran with a bucket of water, careful not to spill the contents.

    He followed them until they stopped. The water from the bucket lumped into a single ball and floated out. It hovered through the air. Abigail appeared. She stretched out her hand and the water ball enveloped around her wrist. It took form and lengthened out like a long sword attached to the skin. There wasn''t a single ripple or a drop of water wasted. She pointed the solid hydro-blade at the building and it launched forward, leaving behind a bangle of water around her wrist. Mist sprayed in his face. The water missile returned to re-attach itself, recoiling her arm when it did so. It had slightly less volume. Abigail repeated the process. She fired, over and over until the water ran out.

    She panted and wiped the sweat from her brow. The water bucket carrier had run off to refill somewhere.

    "Two more potties here!" Someone shouted.

    Abigail hunched and rested her hands on her knees. She looked off to the distance when she finally noticed Seti.

    "What are you doing here?" Abigail asked.

    "I can filter smoke out to make the air breathable," Seti said. "Can we use that somehow?"

    "Nice!" She stood up straight and breathed a sigh of relief. "I can douse us in water to fight against the heat¡ªit should last just long enough to get us to the water room. Are you positive you can filter out the smoke? That''s a lot of smoke."

    "Trust me."

    The two looked at each other. She was likely debating whether she should put her faith in a tier one adept. But at the same time, he exceeded her expectations at every moment thus far. Seti knew what she wanted to do and decided to give her a push. Just as he was about to amplify her trust, she answered.

    "Okay, follow me." Abigail led him away. A porta potty was knocked down just as they walked by. A fresh stench filled the air. Seti began to filter the air around his face, so he wouldn''t have to deal with the foul smell. Even after he had done that, a slight odor remained. They continued until they came across Tumgar and several of his guild members, who were kneeling down and had their hands overlapping one another. They had used that same posture when they were controlling the earth elementals during the exam.

    "I don''t understand," Tumgar was saying. "How are you losing contact?"

    One of the geomancers shook his head. "I don''t know. It''s the same thing that happened when that Seti kid messed one of them up."

    Tumgar saw Abigail and Seti approach. The guild master filled them in.

    "We''re rescuing those that we can with our elementals, but they''re randomly losing contact. We can''t keep sending them in if they''re constantly breaking."

    "Why not just make more?" Seti asked.

    "It takes an hour to make one," Tumgar replied. "Time isn''t a resource we have. People will die of suffocation by then."

    An hour to make one elemental? That put some perspective on Shanna. She could make a titan-class geo-hand in a matter of moments, and that alone was larger than these standard-class ones.

    Abigail filled Tumgar in regarding Seti''s desire to help. Filtering the smoke would allow people to walk into the building and help rescue people trapped within. When Abigail and Tumgar discussed which route to take, Seti set his thoughts on the earth elemental problem. If they were crumbling at random moments it was likely they lost contact with the ground. His Air Step was one way to do that, but was there another?

    There was.

    "Libby could be in on it," Seti said suddenly.

    "In on what?" Abigail asked.

    "Our current working theory is that Ivan set the building on fire. Libby could be using her geo-float spell to disable the elementals."

    Tumgar scowled. "By the lightless! Why would they do that? Are they that upset?"

    It was understandable to a degree. Seti felt the judging method was unfair, and this was only his first attempt at the exam. But colluding to harm all these people? That was plain psychotic.

    Tumgar and Abigail had come to an agreement on an action plan. Tumgar gave orders to his guild members to have them round off to the other side and use their geomancies to create additional exits for the people stuck within. The Guild Master was loud and equally direct. He proclaimed he would assist in opening some ceilings to exhaust some of the smoke, then he would meet Abigail and Seti near their exit. By then, Abigail and Seti should have found the main water room.

    "I can take care of the fire in one fell swoop once we get the water," Abigail said confidently.

    Tumgar and his guild members took off. Abigail and Seti ran in the other direction. Shepherd Christella joined them while fumbling her armguard into place.

    "I can''t be much help here¡ªmy specialty is creating polearm-styled weapons on demand!" Christella said loudly over the noise. "My armguard is rebooting with new configs. I''m going to a higher altitude to call for backup!"

    "Got it! Tumgar and I have a plan for the water room," Abigail said. "We''ll do what we can!"

    Shepherd Christella tapped Seti''s shoulder to get his attention. "Good luck!" She ran out of view.

    Abigail led Seti towards a fallen porta potty. She began to flick her fingers around, which made all the liquid from the stall clump together and rise off the ground.

    "Whoa¡ªgross!" Seti jumped back involuntarily. "What are you going to do with...that!?"

    "Like I said before, I''ll have to soak us to fend off the heat." Abigail moved her hands around and the ball of liquid split into two smaller spheres. While Seti couldn''t see what color it was, it wasn''t exactly hard to guess. "We''ll dash into the water room and from there I can take care of the rest."

    "How about we just wait for that water bucket person to come back, yeah?"

    She looked as if she wanted to slap him. "This is a crisis and that''s what you''re concerned with?"

    That was probably her best attempt to make Seti feel shame. He absolutely did not feel any shame.

    The urine ball floated before her. Seti had never seen such a frightening thing in his life. He was willing to do many things to save people, but this one might have tipped the scale. Being soaked in pee was not his idea of heroic.

    "There has got to be another way," Seti said.

    "We''re wasting time here!" Abigail said as she readied her unspeakably evil ball of urine. "This is the only way to fight off the heat until we get to the water room."

    Then, like a glorious voice that came to redeem them, a man spoke. "No, there is another way."

    The Prestige Prefect walked up to them. His hands were in his pockets and his eyes lazily scanned the area. He was nonchalant.

    "What do you mean?" Abigail asked.

    "The fire on the south path has started again," he said. "This is a Fire Web spell. Everything you''ve done until now has been futile. The web needs to be cut off from the center. As a pyromancer, I can do that. I''ll go in with Seti. Alone."

    The urine ball dropped slightly. "Prefect? You would go? But didn''t you say¡­?"

    He held up his hand. "I''ll go with him, alone. Seti¡ªwalk with me."

    Abigail watched them walk off. The Prefect had a long stride. Seti matched the man''s pace.

    "I feel like I should thank you, Prefect," Seti said. They stopped before an open doorway. Smoke spilled out from the ceiling.

    "You can call me Toby. These flames were created by a mancer," Toby said. "To stop this from getting worse, all we would need to do is cut the core. Are you ready?"

    Seti nodded. The Prefect walked into the building and he followed behind. His air began to work through the smoke immediately. Most of it was slowly accumulating near the floor and rising towards the ceiling. His omniview was distorted and patchy given the fewer number of air particles in the room.

    Toby held out a hand, doing his part by keeping the heat in check. Surprisingly, it was cooler in the building with the Prefect than it had been outside. The air filtering had also helped, allowing them both to breathe without coughing. However, the smell of smoke wasn''t fully removed. The shouts outside faded, reminding Seti of when he had entered the maze.

    The smoke began to thicken, making it harder for Seti to filter it. They slowed their pace for him to work. Their shoes made noises on the sticky ground. Other than the smoke, no evidence of fire entered the omniview. A pile of rocks littered the hallway. It was an earth elemental that had broken apart. Next to it was a chunk of dirt that had been removed from the ground. That was the proof Seti needed to confirm Libby''s involvement. She had used her geo-floating skill to disconnect the elemental, but was she really that upset to cause all this? The Prefect stepped over it without hesitation. Seti wondered for a moment how the Prefect could see, considering all of the smoke.

    Just before the hallway opened to a room, Seti saw someone lying on the ground. It was an elderly lady...the same one that gave him a cup of water before the exam. He knelt next to her and checked if she was still breathing.

    "She''s still alive," Seti said. "Must have crawled here. We can carry her out."

    "Leave her." Toby walked past him, towards the room.

    Seti tensed up for a bit. "She''s still alive."

    "Others are alive as well. She''s old and will likely die, regardless of any assistance we offer. We have the chance to help those who need it now." The Prefect motioned to the room before them. He wanted them to enter.

    Seti wouldn''t have it. "Sorry, but she gave me water." He placed his hands under her legs and shoulders to lift her from the ground. The elderly lady was light, but carrying her was cumbersome, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn''t help but carry her in an awkward fashion. He walked back to the entrance with her in tow. The Prefect stayed where he was. That man would soon have trouble breathing if he didn''t follow.

    At the entrance, Tumgar saw Seti with the old lady and rushed over. When the wind adept was freed from the burden, he turned to return into the building when Toby stepped out. In his hand was a water container, which he tossed to the ground. It bounced a few times before it stopped in midair, and then floated higher. The water began to shape eerily. The container bent as the water struck out several times until finally cracking. The water poured out and rushed out of Seti''s omniview.

    "Tumgar, send your elementals in after us," Toby said as he coughed into his sleeve. "We cannot keep coming out here with each find."

    Tumgar nodded and beckoned to someone. The Prefect started for the building. Seti turned to do the same when Tumgar called out.

    "Help put an end this and I''ll change my vote," Tumgar said.

    "I don''t need your bribe to help people," Seti said coldly.

    To Seti, he was not acting any differently now than he was during the exam. Yet, Tumgar was singing a different tune. But worse than all of that, Seti still hoped Tumgar would change his vote and that the failed exam would be forgotten. The idle thought turned his stomach.

    Toby and Seti entered the building again. Neither of them said anything until they reached the area where they found the old lady. The room beyond had been the location of the water container that the Prefect found.

    In the middle of the room was a body.

    Seti approached it. Male, maybe in his forties? The texture of his arms and part of his neck was rigid and rather bumpy. He wore no shirt.

    "As a pyromancer, I''ve seen my share of burned bodies, but you don''t seem disturbed," Toby said.

    Ah, so the rigid texture was burnt skin. Seeing this with his omniview might have removed some of the horrors that the eyes should have witnessed. One of the short and stubby earth elementals lugged its feet into the room. Trusting the elemental would take care of the body, the two of them left.

    One path had been cut off by a collapsed ceiling. They took another route when Seti lost visibility of the ground. It was like a hole had opened up and took the hallway, replaced by beads that threw up smoke. The Prefect held out his hand and the flames that adorned the area vanished, allowing Seti''s omniview to see the ground again. They approached the other side of the collapsed ceiling.

    More bodies.

    Three were flat on the ground, a fourth was partly under the rubble, and the fifth sat up against the wall. None of them had the burnt texture on their skin, but the area was full of smoke. The fifth one wore a Prestige uniform. She was the technician that Seti remembered seeing. It wasn''t long ago when she had been doing her electromancy stuff. Now, she wasn''t doing anything.

    The Prefect walked up to her. She looked as if she was only sleeping, but she had no breath. Toby knelt down and placed his hand on her head.

    "She was a dutiful person," Toby said. "Treated everyone equally, and was kind when she did speak up."

    Seti couldn''t see the sown name on her uniform and didn''t want to split his focus to look while he was filtering the smoke. Toby stood and walked away from her. Seti followed him once again. Apologizing didn''t seem to cut it, but not saying anything also seemed wrong. This wasn''t an accidental death, or death by old age... It was murder. How could someone console another over that?

    "You knew her?" Seti asked.

    "Classmate. Kimberly."

    Seti once knew someone named Kimberly, back when he was younger. She had been kind as well, and good with technology. A small thought wondered if they were the same person.

    "Her death was recent," Toby said, interrupting his thoughts.

    Well, yeah, anyone who died in the building would have been recent. Unless he meant¡­

    "You think she was alive when we helped the old lady?" Seti asked.

    "I don''t know."

    Seti wasn''t sure what to think about that. Neither of them knew if Kimberly had been alive during the old lady''s rescue. They would only be placing undue guilt on themselves if they assumed otherwise. Maybe if his perception was large enough to see the entire building at once, then he could make decisions on who to save and who to let die. That was a depressing thought.

    "You think I was wrong for saving that old lady," Seti said. It wasn''t a question.

    "Do you think you''re wrong?"

    "No. We''re supposed to save those before us, aren''t we?"

    "It''s unlawful to ignore her, I agree. But do the laws apply to us here?" The Prefect diminished another path of fire that had blocked their way.

    "What''s that supposed to mean?" Seti asked.

    Toby stopped to properly face him. "We could do whatever we please in here, and no one could prove otherwise. Our word versus speculation. I do not think a man''s character is truly known until moments like this. If someone believes those of old age shouldn''t have priority over the younger, or that they''re a burden to our society, then that old lady was dead the moment they walked by. Who could say any different?" He paused, and then leaned closer to Seti. "Many people hate the families. Villainize them. I wouldn''t trust everyone so easily, especially in an environment like this."

    Seti''s eyes widened. Toby knew he was with the family. But how? Had he recognized Elder Poe?

    "I speak hypothetically, of course." The Prefect turned to walk down the hallway. "Teaming up with someone and trusting them to have your back when you''re considered an enemy to most...is a peculiar situation. Come, the room ahead will let me access much of the building''s flames."

    Seti stood in place for a moment longer. He wasn''t sure if he had just received an indirect threat or a "friendly reminder." But he was sure that he wanted to stick together with Toby. A desire increased from within, willing him to be with another person.

    Seti decided to follow. They stood before a room that had a table in the middle, which poured out smoke. It was getting so thick that he thought his air filtering wouldn''t be enough. That was when the pyromancer showed off.

    Toby raised a hand. A void appeared before it and shot towards the table. It hit and consumed everything. Seti felt a blast of air knock him back a step. A supernova, except without any heat. Everything in the room ceased to exist¡ªincluding Seti''s air. When the void vanished, he could see inside again. The table, and most of the smoke, no longer existed. Not even ashes remained.

    "The heck was that?" Seti asked.

    "Fireball. My version." The Prefect entered the room and looked around. His arms stretched out to the walls and held their position. His eyes closed. He had said this room would allow him to access most of the building''s flames.

    The Prefect had talked about people villainizing the mafia. Seti noted that he had not expressed an opinion of it himself. "What do you think about the mafia?" Seti asked.

    "I have an interest in laws," he said without opening his eyes. "It fascinates me."

    That wasn''t an answer. Seti decided to put words into the Prefect''s mouth to get a better response. "So you...distrust them because they don''t follow the guild laws?"

    "On the contrary, I enjoy the compromise. We come together to make up lines to govern us and assume everyone would obey. And there are so many unique ways to do it. We have the council and the families. The other major nations have a matriarch, a pharaoh, and the paladins. We put up with one another and trust the compromise."

    Seti knew where Toby was going with this. "Some think the United Accords were broken."

    The Prefect lowered his arms and opened his eyes. Was he already done? All of the fire in the building was gone?

    "Yes, the Sun Dragon''s death. Thus, a question arises: what shall happen when our laws are no longer trusted? Are we doomed to chaos? Or will we evolve? Come, I have found our enemies."

    The Prefect guided the way. The smoke thinned to the point where filtering required no thought. This pyromancer was an interesting man; Seti couldn''t say he disliked his train of thought.

    They walked to a collapsed doorway, so Seti thought they would backtrack. The Prefect motioned to him. They crouched near the rubble and heard voices.

    "Just put up more fire then, you retard." It was Libby''s voice.

    Seti''s air worked its way through the rubble, giving him visibility of the room. His omniview had shrunk to roughly a seven-foot radius, which was enough to see most of a room if he had stood in the middle. However, from his current location, he would only see about half.

    "I c-can''t," Ivan said. "My mana is almost empty."

    Ivan paced back and forth, breathing heavily. He was biting his thumbnail. Libby rocked on her chair, her hands relaxing on the back of her head. A rock formation stood near the edge of the omniview; it looked similar to¡­

    Seti leaned towards Toby and whispered. "The elementals¡ªthey weren''t destroyed. Libby somehow took control of one. Maybe more."

    Toby nodded.

    "How did all of your fire disappear anyway? Are you betraying me?" Libby asked. "Don''t forget¡ªyou need me to avoid the blame."

    "No!" Ivan shouted. "I d-don''t know what''s happening. I need to think!"

    Toby tapped Seti on the shoulder. "It''s time."

    They both stood and backed away from the debris so the pyromancer could do his thing. With a hand gesture, a pillar of fire erupted atop the debris. Seti''s air around that spot had vanished instantly, but his vision in the room remained. It was like he had two smaller omniviews at work.

    "Oh, someone''s here," Libby said calmly.

    The omniview in the room shrank to nothing. The Prefect gestured again, causing the pillar to disappear. The rubble that had blocked their path was gone. Both of them entered the room.

    "No! No!" Ivan backed against the wall.

    "Seti!" A woman''s voice from the corner.

    Seti''s omniview took to the room, revealing everything within a seven-foot radius. Three earth elementals guarded the opposite corner, where Mindy and two other people sat. Mindy held tight to a canister as if it was for dear life. Her eyes widened when she saw him. The other two hostages were two older people, a man and a woman, maybe in their fifties. They held onto Mindy. Her parents.

    "Stay back!" Libby ordered. The earth elementals marched in a line to the center of the room, blocking their path.

    "How curious," Toby said. "How did you commandeer these geo-elementals from the guild master?"

    "Heh!" Libby stood next to Ivan. "What do I get if I told you?"

    "On second thought, I''m not that interested. You broke the law. The outcome won''t change."

    "We''ll see," Libby sneered.

    "Libby. Ivan." Seti addressed them. "Why? Why did you do this?"

    Ivan shivered. "It d-doesn''t matter, does it? W-we''re going to j-jail, right?"

    "Executed, more like," said Mindy''s father.

    Libby started to laugh hysterically. One of the earth elementals punched the ground to puncture it. Seti pushed the calm emotion on her and the laughter quickly stopped. Her eyes were still wide with madness.

    "Libby, dispel the elementals," Seti tried.

    His omniview picked up cracks appearing on the ground behind him. It slowly raised from the ground. Libby waved with her hand once and the chunk of ground flew forward. Mindy shouted from her corner, but that was unnecessary. Seti dodged the projectile without looking at it, letting it collide on the opposite wall. The earth elementals took a step forward.

    "They cannot be reasoned with." The Prefect walked forward. "Champion, watch and judge."

    The Prefect had already proved he was a capable pyromancer. Now they would see how he dealt with elementals¡­ Wait¡ªwhat did he say? Champion?

    "Screw all of you," Libby said. "I''m the only one that can judge me!"

    Toby ignored her. He raised both of his hands and made something amazing happen. The temperature of the room dropped significantly. Three pillars of fire appeared in front of each elemental. The flames shaped and took form. They gained arms. A head. A blaze of flames came from their eyes and ears. Legs did not appear; instead, it was a singularly embodied fire, like a genie''s lower half. It floated midair and was a foot taller than Seti.

    Three fire elementals stood against the three earth elementals.

    The last set of events made Seti reconsider Toby''s identity. It just didn''t make sense. Who was this mysterious pyromancer? Not only did the man knew about the champions, but¡­ his name¡­his name was Toby. Toby¡­ Toby? Seti felt like slapping himself on the forehead. Prefect wasn''t the man''s real title¡ªit was only his Prestige one! On a national scale, perhaps even a global one, Toby was known as something else. He was the one that set the secret board game, causing a select few to scramble in response to his request for champions.

    Tobias Vescio. The younger brother of the Sun Dragon. He was the Noblesse. King of the mafia. The boss of bosses. The war between the families and the Shepherds had not started because he simply did not yet give the order.

    "You can''t use elementals¡ªit''s illegal!" Ivan said as he back further into the wall, if that was possible.

    Really?

    "This is fun," Libby said. "We should introduce¡ª"

    "Silence," Tobias cut her off.

    The earth elementals raised their fists in unison to inflict the first blow. Each fire elemental caught it as if their flaming hands were solid, then used their free hands to grip the opponents'' heads. A rupture of flame showered down upon the earth elementals'' bodies. They struggled to break free, but couldn''t. They melted in place by the sheer power of the inferno. The room was still cold, despite the heat they all should have felt.

    When the battle, if it could called that, had concluded, all that remained of the earth elementals was a lump of molten rock. The fire elementals floated in midair at the center of the room, unmoving.

    Libby wildly waved her arms. She ripped a chunk of ground out with her geomancy and lunged it at the fire elemental. It hit and bounced back, falling to the ground. The elemental floated forward, gripped both of her hands, and threw her down to pin her to the ground.

    She struggled at first, but then smiled. "Buy me dinner first."

    It did not burn her. The second elemental floated toward Ivan, who whimpered in his corner. It took hold without burning him.

    Tobias reached out to the third elemental and let his hand pass through the body. "What should we do? Would we be wrong to execute them, as that gentleman suggested? What merit would there be in letting them live? They''ve taken the life of my classmate, and no explanation would undo that."

    "You''re right, it wouldn''t undo it," Seti agreed. "But when the law is broken, sometimes a hammer is the wrong tool. Delicate situations need a delicate response. We need to know why this happened to prevent future incidents, otherwise, we''ll just be the oppressors, Noblesse."

    A faint smile appeared and quickly vanished on Tobias'' face. "Oppression and then revolution." He nodded. "Well spoken. I would be interested in seeing how things play out this year."

    Mindy and her parents stood and walked towards the room entrance. They circled Mindy and hugged her tightly. The mother and daughter started crying and the father''s shoulders shook softly, like he was laughing silently. Seti tried to imagine his parents acting with physical affection, but just couldn''t make his father do such a thing, even in his imagination. It just seemed completely impossible and detached from reality.

    When Mindy broke free, she opened her canister and weaved out water. It wrapped around her hand, and she touched Seti''s brow.

    "You''re dirty." Mindy went for his cheeks next. It was wet, but no water residue remained after she finished. "You know what? I think I''m okay with being a teacher."

    Seti smiled.

    Tobias waited patiently. When Mindy was satisfied, Seti walked to the two captured mancers.

    "Let''s hear it," Seti said. "Why did you do this?"

    Libby looked around the room and wiggled under the fire elemental. She looked for the opportunity to attack, but she would not be granted one. Seti pushed more calm on her, which seemed to help as she relaxed her muscles.

    "Yeah, okay, I''ll tell you. You''ll enjoy this."

    And so Libby told them her story and her plans. She explained how her niche worked, how she stole the elementals, and why going to jail wouldn''t matter to her. When she finished, she laughed hysterically.

    Tobias turned to Seti, asking the question he had asked before, this time silently. The Noblesse wanted to know if Seti would change his answer about letting Libby live. Seti wouldn''t say it aloud, but in some way, he understood Libby, even if her actions were abhorrent. He wondered what that meant for the future.

    **Break**

    The building had changed drastically when they navigated through. The ceiling was opened in several places, letting a breeze swoop in. The walls were dripping with water, and the floor was soaked. Tumgar and Abigail had succeeded in doing their part.

    Everyone came out of the building, one at a time. Mindy and her parents were in front. Ivan wobbled after each step, his eyes downcast and empty. Libby didn''t need anyone to force her forward, as she happily skipped and jumped ahead. Tobias and Seti were last.

    He heard a gasp from a group of people before he saw them. There was no more shouting or orders being given. The reigning chaos had passed. A line of corpses lie covered in a blanket. People crowded around them. Some cried, while others stared off in space. Abigail sat next to one of the victims and held its hand. With his omniview under the blanket, he could see it belonged to Kimberly.

    Next to one of the corpses was someone in a Shepherd outfit. Well, not exactly. The outfit had small differences to the real thing. This one had a shorter collar and different designs. If Seti had to guess, it would be the Lamb''s outfit. The woman who wore it had her hair in a ponytail and¡­ Cassie?

    Cassie Carter, former student at Lambsgard University, and the one who used a geas on Seti, was wearing the Lamb''s outfit. She had originally been expelled to start the process to join the Shepherds, which also landed her admission as a student to Prestige. She sat next to the deceased elderly lady¡ªthe same one from earlier that Seti had saved. Cassie looked up as they passed. She had recognized him. She only parted her mouth a little, but otherwise, she didn''t make any commotion to indicate that they knew each other.

    They stopped walking when two Shepherds stood before them.

    Cyrus and Christella.

    He had last seen Shepherd Cyrus at the Maybell Mall. Seti had expected to see Cyrus sometime today, as Faulkner promised him they could do the geas scan procedure on him.

    Tobias brought Libby forward, while Ivan followed automatically. The Noblesse explained who was responsible and what they saw within, with no mention of Libby''s plans. The conversation was brief as Shepherd Christella rubbed her hands together to create phasm cuffs. She slapped them on the two adepts and hauled them away. Cassie the Lamb approached Mindy and her parents to take them elsewhere, leaving Tobias and Shepherd Cyrus to whisper to one another. The cameraman of the exam came into view, recording everything. He approached Seti.

    "What an amazing display of bravery. Do you think people would see you as exceptional after today''s events?"

    Seti glowered. "Why should I care what others think? Get lost."

    The cameraman persisted. "Please, just one quote! Were you aware that you teamed up with a member of the families? Tell me about overcoming that fear for the sake of the masses!"

    The dissonance of his attitude compared to the atmosphere put Seti off. To add insult to injury, the man portrayed the families in a negative light. All for a story.

    Seti would give him a story.

    "My master is to thank for that," Seti baited.

    "And who is your master?"

    Abigail caught the end of that question. She tilted her head in confusion. Shepherd Cyrus frowned, which contrasted Tobias'' smile. The cameraman focused on the first tiered wind adept, unaware of the reaction he would receive.

    "I am Seti Serio, disciple of the Wind Dragon. The world''s unequivocal strongest tier one mancer."

 Chapter 12 - A Champions Cause

    Chapter 12 ¨C A Champion''s Cause

    History tended to be embellished in a way to invoke awe. Nobody wanted to dig up information and then present it to little acclaim. So when talks of the Second Age ending with the divines waging war, it was told as if every person felt the world shake.

    This was not the case.

    The majority lived their lives normally during that period. They weren''t directly affected by the war, despite the constant news coverage on the matter. They worked, they ate, they went to the park, and they enjoyed themselves in many other ways. And yet, a renewed anxiety arrived the moment new reports came in. It was then when they felt involved.

    The same was true for the events surrounding the mafian Dragons or the Shepherd''s Octets. People drank in the information, waiting for the next big news.

    The scene at the plateau had quieted down in the aftermath of the crisis. Some were in a stupor, unable to come to terms with the events that had transpired. A crisis was something that always happened to someone else, never them. Despite primal sieges, which were viewed more like a natural disaster, many only knew peace. Those that were not kept moving and helped with the cleanup.

    The cameraman went silent. Abigail, who was still with the line of bodies, looked as if she was just slapped. Tobias and Shepherd Cyrus gave Seti their full attention. Some of the crowd heard, but the information didn''t quite sink in for all of them yet. It was the ripple that had disturbed the calm waters; the warning of a coming storm.

    Shepherd Cyrus approached Seti. He created his phasm barrier around his arm and grabbed the camera. With his powerful hands, he crushed it.

    "Hey! What are you doing?" The cameraman shouted. He examined the destroyed tool. "That''s expensive!"

    "Leave us," Shepherd Cyrus said. The cameraman whined a bit until the Shepherd promised him reimbursement. "Seti, please come to the cave with us."

    Abigail stood from her spot before they could leave. "I''m coming, too."

    "Stay," Cyrus ordered.

    "I''m coming," she defied.

    "This is official Shepherd business, and partially the reason why I''m in the area."

    "You knew the Wind Dragon had a disciple? And said nothing?"

    "The Serio boss himself said otherwise. Speaking out in the open is unwise. Abigail, stay here to¡ª"

    "Kim is dead." Abigail''s voice was hollow. She took a step into the Shepherd''s personal space. She had to look up at the taller man. "I''m coming."

    Even Seti would have a hard time rebuffing her. Cyrus pulled her to the side, where they whispered fervently.

    Seizing this opportunity, Tobias made his way to Seti to exchange words.

    "Will you attend the summit tonight?" Tobias asked.

    Seti wasn''t even aware it was an option for him to attend. Tobias was referring to the meeting of the bosses that Faulkner had mentioned. Faulkner intended to announce Seti''s discipleship there, but that would no longer be a surprise to Tobias.

    "Probably not," Seti said. If Faulkner had wanted him there, he likely would have said something earlier.

    "A shame. A decision will be made tonight that may affect you, but it''s hard to know for certain," Tobias said. "Let''s speak again in the near future."

    Tobias left when Cyrus and Abigail returned. It turned out that Cyrus had relented to her and decided to bring her along. The Shepherd had the two of them follow him.

    Cyrus pulled up the sleeve of his tailcoat to reveal his electronic armguard. He spoke to it. "Chris, meet me in the cave."

    Near the cave entrance was Cassie, who was examining Mindy and her parents. Others lined up against the wall¡ªsome were wrapped in bandages, while others just rested. It felt cooler here, like the sun''s heat had been blocked. Cassie looked at the Shepherd inquisitively, but Cyrus only shook his head. She remained with the patients.

    The three entered the cave and made their way to the exam''s starting room. It was empty of anything, except for the four torches on the wall. A moment later, Shepherd Christella came in, followed by three others¡ªElder Poe, Dora, and Seti''s father.

    "Mr. Tutt," Cyrus said.

    His father only nodded in acknowledgement.

    "There''s talk above," Shepherd Christella said. "The Serio family is here? Someone mentioned that the Wind Dragon has a disciple."

    "That''s what I want to confirm. Faulkner told me he has no disciple," Cyrus said.

    Seti raised a finger. "Technically, it was Shanna that said that. Faulkner didn''t confirm nor deny anything."

    "Oh, divines," Abigail whispered. "You really do know them, don''t you?"

    "Why is that so amazing?" Seti asked. "Tobias Vescio attends Prestige, and he''s the king of the families."

    "But Tobias isn''t a Dragon!" Abigail replied in an animated stir.

    Cyrus, for whatever reason, wasn''t so easily convinced of Seti''s status. "Faulkner went on record stating he would not accept just anyone as his disciple. The person he picks would have to be an exceptional mancer."

    Seti shrugged. "I''m here at the Exceptions exam, aren''t I?"

    "Wait¡ªyou?" Christella''s face twisted to utter disbelief.

    "Poe, can you confirm that he is, in fact, Faulkner''s disciple?" Cyrus asked.

    "No need. Seti, show him the coin," Elder Poe said.

    Oh right, the coin. Faulkner had given him a coin before he left the Blue Castle. It was proof that he was acknowledged as his disciple. Maybe it would be better to think of the coin as a small medallion of sorts? Seti took out his wallet and revealed the coin he stuffed within. Shepherd Christella took it and examined the engravings on it. There was a serpent in the shape of a S on one side, and a chair on the other.

    "We need a geomancer to confirm," Christella said. She turned to leave when Seti called out.

    "I wouldn''t do that, if I were you," Seti said. "Faulkner told me that if someone tried to take that coin, I should kill them."

    The temperature of the room dropped further. Seti had meant that in a joking way, but the pitch in his voice didn''t change the way he wanted it to. Maybe it was the result of the smoke that he breathed in earlier. An awkward pause. Then, Shepherd Christella firmly pressed the coin back into his hand.

    "You think your Aerial Slash would work on me?" She narrowed her eyes.

    "I only used one finger that last time," Seti said with a shrug.

    Cyrus took the coin from Seti and examined it himself. He returned it after a brief moment. Seti wondered if his father or Abigail wanted to take a look, but neither seemed inclined to step forward. Dora started to hop and tried to touch the ceiling. As everybody''s interest in his coin dwindled, he put it away.

    "Today''s report is going to be painfully long," Christella groaned as she pinched the bridge of her nose.

    "So you''ve confirmed who I am¡­what now?" Seti asked.

    "I would like to know why Faulkner picked you, a tier one," Cyrus said. "And how you can do what you can."

    "Not happening," Seti said immediately. "I asked you myself if you could get an aeromancer to teach me, but I''m pretty sure your words were, and I quote... ''they wouldn''t even do it as a favor to me.'' The only thing you were interested in at the time was that whole geas business."

    Christella replied for Cyrus. "Aren''t you being a bit unreasonable? No one in their right mind would train someone who shouldn''t even be capable of casting spells."

    The audacity of what she just said. The words flowed from Seti''s mouth without a filter. "You have no right to tell me I''m unreasonable. Your judging system is nonsensical. You never intended to pass me in the first place. What a world to live in, where the Wind Dragon approves of someone, but a Shepherd is so short sighted they can''t see past their own nose. You may want a viva to check that out."

    "There''s more to the exam than our judging," Christella rebuked. "We interview the contestants and send out their profile to our contributors to have a say. People rarely pass the initial judging."

    It was only then Seti remembered he could calm himself with his niche. Unfortunately, when he felt like lashing out, he had no desire to even attempt calming down. A shame swept over him, and it extended further when he saw his father step forward.

    "Everyone here has verified my son''s status, have they not?" His father asked. "Then your business here has been concluded. Please leave. I would have a word with him. In private."

    It was eerie to see everyone obey his father without complaint. Abigail was the first to leave. Everyone but Shepherd Christella followed suit. When they were out of earshot, she spoke.

    "Tumgar apparently said if you played a major role in resolving the crisis and that he would change his vote. Congratulations, I suppose."

    After she said that, she left the father and son alone in the room. The last time Seti spoke to his father was before the exam, and his last words were in regards to what would happen should he fail. Thanks to what Christella had just said, they now knew that he indeed would attend Prestige. He didn''t feel like jumping for joy or anything, however, as he had exhausted most of his emotional outlets.

    "So, this is your career choice?" His father asked.

    "Career isn''t the word I''d use," Seti said. "I would think it''s more of a lifestyle. You know, with my last name changing to Serio and all."

    "You''ll always be a Tutt. What future goals do you have? What is it you want to do? Will you be able to support a family?"

    Seti had to steel himself with the barrage of questions. His goals were simple at this stage¡ªhe wanted to participate in the champion business at Prestige, and he wanted to see what information the academy had on necromancy.

    "You know, I''ve always wanted to be an aeromancer," Seti said.

    "Wind mage," his father corrected. "You''ve always wanted to be a wind mage, but that''s not a real thing. And to be an aeromancer requires the fifth tier, which is something you''re simply not capable of."

    "I''m not capable of many things, Dad, but I''ll become an Aeromancer."

    The demeanor his father held had shifted slightly. It was so subtle that Seti thought he may have imagined it. It looked like his muscles may have relaxed a tiny bit.

    Seti had a strange feeling. For once, he felt like he was speaking to his father as an equal. He didn''t use his niche, did he? No, Seti was speaking from his heart and his resolve was stronger than ever.

    His father replied. "As your father, I don''t like it. As a businessman that had invested in you, I despise it even more so. But...as a man?" He paused and took a step forward. Seti, unsure what his father was about to do, had to resist the urge to retreat back. His father raised a hand, but slowly dropped it at his side and stepped back once more. "Nobody believed I could take my company off the ground when I was your age. It takes conviction." Another pause. "Tell Sydria she needs to visit."

    After his father said that, he left the maze, leaving Seti to stand alone in his thoughts.

    **Break**

    An electromancer arrived on site. She was from Blossom, another freelance guild in the area. Her job was to restore all communication devices to working order. She walked around with her long scarf nearly touching the ground, despite having it wrapped around both of her arms and around her neck several times. Her eyelashes were ridiculously long as well. A remark or two freely left her tongue about how thoughtless the last technician was to do a hard and broad disable. Abigail wouldn''t have any of it, as she told the electromancer to work for her pay without comment. After some static flowed between the electromancer''s hands to and fro, she declared everything fixed.

    A connection to the outside world was finally restored. People began calling out with their phones. Some cried. Others were emotionally detached. It was easy to tell who was directly affected by the crisis. The two Shepherds started to dismiss people after briefly interviewing them and quickly jotting a few notes down.

    Seti sat alone along the cliffside. He was glad that Elder Poe and Dora were off somewhere else, so he could comb through his thoughts. It might have been immature of him to think so, but he figured some people might approach him to call him a hero or something. No one did. He didn''t know if that was because they knew he was the Wind Dragon''s disciple, or because no one was in the mood for it.

    He coughed. Even after filtering out most of the smoke, he still felt a bit nauseated. Water might help with the affliction, but there likely wasn''t enough to go around. Abigail might offer him a great big ol'' ball of urine from a porta potty and tell him to just deal with it. The very thought made him shiver. Seti weaved the air around him to breathe in easier, helping lessen his scratchy throat.

    Someone finally did approach him. Her braided twin tails looped around and were clipped just above the ear. It was so distinctively unique that Seti recognized her for it.

    "Hi!" She beamed. "Vivian. Private journalist. Favor-for-favor?"

    "You have too much energy," Seti said, feeling drained just talking to her.

    Vivian smiled. "You did us a favor by helping everyone, now let me do you one. Do you want anything? Back massage? A drink? Foot rub? Exclusive interview?"

    Seti laughed. "Water, please."

    She nodded and turned to leave, but stopped. "I would like to learn more about you one day. I''d be curious to see where you fit in. I''ll send for someone with water¡ªsomeone you''ll appreciate!"

    Vivian left and a moment later someone else approached him, holding a canister of water. Mindy.

    "Heya." She knelt on the ground before him and offered him the canister with a smile. "Cool-hair lady told me to get you water. We''ll be leaving pretty soon. How you doing?"

    He gulped a few drags of water, soothing the discomfort. He then wondered how clean the water was. Wasn''t this the same canister she used to clean his face? "I should be asking you that. How''re you? Got a long drive ahead?"

    Mindy shrugged. "Few hours. I live in Westhaven."

    "Lambsgard here."

    "That''s funny," she said. "A mafioso living in place called Lambsgard."

    It was Seti''s turn to shrug. "You don''t care that I''m with the mafia?"

    "A silly question¡ªyou helped me a lot today. Anyway!" She pulled out her phone. "Let''s keep in touch?"

    They exchanged numbers. She commented on his phone verbalizing the letters back to him, to which he replied by saying that his screen sometimes stopped working. The lie came out fluently enough that she didn''t question it. When she heard him put her first name in, she suggested that he change it to an alias to prevent enemies of the mafia from coming after her. She was joking, of course, but Seti nodded and said he would add her as Hole Girl. From his point-of-view, that name referred to when she tripped on the hole right before the exam. But to her, knowing it could be taken in an entirely perverted way, she play-struggled to get the phone from his hands. They ultimately settled to have it simply say Mindy.

    She hugged him and left. He knew she was attracted to him in some way and wondered which part appealed to her. It definitely wasn''t the power aspect. Seti suspected it was a result of the suspense or thrill she felt today. Thrill may be a poor word choice. The concept was similar to bringing a date to a haunted house or a theme park; the date would feel good during the event and confuse the cause, resulting in romantic feelings. And twice now he appeared to her during comparable events¡ªonce in the maze when she was alone, and once again in the burning building.

    It ultimately didn''t matter, as she lived hours away and wouldn''t attend Prestige. Their only communication would be through the phone, and he wasn''t the type of person to do long distance relationships. So, she would just be a friend.

    A group of people arrived at Blue Castle once the crowd thinned out. The detective team. A detective can get a reading on the traces left by mancers after a conflict, and could somehow connect it back to a specific person. It was like hunting for DNA, but with mana. Seti wondered if he could do something like that one day, with his own ability to sense mana.

    Four people entered his seven-foot omniview at the same time. It was Elder Poe, Dora, Cyrus, and Cassie. Seti stood to greet them.

    "Hello, Seti!" Cassie said. "I see you''ve acquired quite the identity since I last saw you."

    Seti looked her up and down. "You''re one to talk. You''re already a Lamb?"

    She twirled in place, as if she was wearing a dress. The tail end of her tailcoat was shorter than the Shepherd''s version. "Isn''t it great? People treat me like a hero, asking me how many primals I''ve fought. I tell them a dozen."

    "As much as I would love for both of you to catch up, we must talk about the geas business," Shepherd Cyrus said. "Natalie of Benediction and Cassie are the ones who will perform the test. If there is a concern with Cassie participating, as she''s the original culprit, know that she''ll only be shadowing Natalie and not actually partaking in the¡ª"

    "Meh, it''s just Cassie." Seti interrupted. Cassie raised her brow. "Besides, if she does anything too crazy, we have Dora here."

    "Both Dora and I will represent the Serio family," Elder Poe said.

    Cassie stretched out her hand to Dora, who eagerly took and shook it. They both nodded with serious expressions.

    "Unfortunately, we won''t be able to do it today," Cyrus said.

    "Huh? Why not?" Seti asked.

    "The plan was to meet with Natalie when she arrived in town, but with recent events¡­" Cyrus trailed off.

    "My aeronite, he means," Cassie said. "I''m only a tier three, and this whole fiasco, while fun, took a good chunk of my mana. I also used some yesterday and it didn''t fully charge this morning, so here we are. Can''t have me shadow if I don''t got the goods for it."

    Her mana not charging after a night''s sleep was similar to Seti''s mana marbles in that it only gave him one recharge per day. It was going to suck to play catch up on a daily basis.

    As they were not able to perform the test that day, they discussed the next best course of action. Staying in the Blue Castle area was one option, and Cyrus said that the Shepherds would cover all the fees that came with it. Elder Poe suggested they go to New Vox. With Seti''s approval to attend Prestige, he would need to set up his residency anyways, especially with the academy starting in a little over a week.

    Seti and Cassie stood off to the side, watching Elder Poe and Cyrus discuss the plan. Dora was using her finger to draw on the ground.

    "I take it you''re still blind as a bat?" Cassie asked.

    He wondered how he should respond. Cassie was one of the few people who knew about his ailment, and rarer still, the knowledge of Dream Eater.

    The awkward pause continued. She must have read his hesitation. "You''re still thinking about what to say? It must mean you are."

    "What about you, my dear little Lamb?" Seti asked to change the subject. "Last time I saw Cyrus, he was with another Lamb. Did you replace her? What''s her name, again? I think it started with an R."

    Cassie made gagging noises. "Let''s not talk about her."

    For whatever reason, Seti liked this other Lamb more.

    Cassie described the Lamb-Shepherd relationship. Shepherds were allowed pupils, who were known as Lambs. Sometimes the Shepherd selected them personally, while other times, the Lamb would be assigned to a pre-established team. The idea was to prepare the Lamb to become a future Shepherd.

    "But that''s boring stuff. Let''s talk about you! I still can''t believe you passed," Cassie said.

    "I don''t suck that bad," Seti said.

    "That''s not what I meant. Aiden said everyone usually fails because they''re actually looking for a special combo, like a mancer who could do something so awesome that they want to snatch them up before anyone else can."If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    "I see. And a tier one who can cast spells, while impressive, doesn''t give them something they can''t get anywhere else," Seti finished.

    "Yeah," she said. "Aiden''s pretty pissed, knowing he only got in because of me. But a win''s a win. He shouldn''t complain. Maybe you got in because you''re a Dragonspawn."

    "Nah, my discipleship wasn''t the reason," Seti said. "Tumgar, one of the judges, changed his vote before people here knew who I was. Even if he didn''t, it would be poor taste to not pass me after everything I did. Bad publicity."

    "They''ll have bad publicity now, anyways. Two contestants attacking and killing people? I can appreciate the craziness."

    "Ah, actually, it was just one," Seti said. Cassie looked at him in confusion, so he continued. "Libby''s ''plan'', if you want to call it that, wasn''t a real plan at all. She wanted to go to jail while causing as much drama as possible. Her niche was mana disruption, or mana infusion...however you want to put it. She was able to trigger Ivan''s big spell without his consent, and take over the earth elementals once she got a feel for them."

    Seti told her the rest of the story, as Libby had told him. Ivan''s big spell, known as Fire Web, was activated and he couldn''t undo it. It was like the fire was his, but had a slight variation to make it feel foreign. Libby''s niche allowed her to trigger other people''s spells if she knew what she was looking for. Seti pictured it like an earthquake to the victim''s mana. Ivan, terrified of what his spell had done, feared the consequences. Not thinking straight, he obeyed Libby''s stronger personality, hoping it would be like a light in the dark tunnel.

    "And why would she do that?" Cassie asked.

    Seti had thought about what Libby had said. When the fire elementals pinned her down, she had poured out her plans and her thoughts. Her only objective was a simple one: she wanted someone to appreciate and use her mancy. She didn''t want the Rescue Guilds to nurture her; she wanted to fight. At the end of the day, Libby wanted her niche to be used aggressively¡ªsomething she felt wouldn''t happen. Attending Prestige was her last chance to show off in a supervised environment. Her dilemma was this: why have a mancy if she couldn''t use it in its entirety?

    "That''s stupid," Cassie said after he finished. "She''s a fourth tier, and she can do decent things with her goods. Geomancers have it nice, always being needed. Her life was set."

    "You don''t understand," Seti said.

    "Wow." She raised her hands. "I can''t believe you''re actually defending her."

    "I am not," Seti said sternly. "Understanding someone, and justifying them, are two completely different things. She was wrong, but I know where she''s coming from. And you of all people should understand, too."

    She pursed her lips. "What''s that supposed to mean?"

    Seti explained it to her. "Some people have a desire to be utilized¡ªto be satisfied. We both know what it''s like to be a ''Libby'', to want our talents put to use. You with your geas. Me with¡­anything mancy related. Otherwise, we''d start to suffocate from the inside out."

    It would spread like a cancer and affect other aspects of their life. Even food would start to taste differently. Seti understood this well, as it was his very own desire to be a mancer that was shut down in the exact the same way. Just as Cassie had said Libby had her life set, others had told Seti that he had his life set with his father''s business. But that was wrong. Seti started to feel isolated, like it was the world versus him. Except he had Sydria. Did Libby have anyone at all?

    As weird as it may sound, Seti considered the situation a bit like love. Marrying into a good family would make someone set for life, but if there was no love present, then it would begin to gradually ruin all the aspects of their life and consume them. In the same way, having a life that didn''t match what a person had wanted to do deep down in their heart of hearts was like a marriage without love. With all of that in mind, Seti could understand Libby, even if her actions were detestable.

    "But I wouldn''t go off and kill people," Cassie said.

    "You would forcefully place your geas on them, though," Seti replied.

    Cassie didn''t respond back.

    Seti didn''t linger on those words. "So she wanted to go out with a bang to draw as much attention as possible. Make people ask questions. To make her point."

    "And what was her point?"

    "That she wants to have a place in the world. For all of her."

    Seti expected Cassie to ask why Libby never tried to do things normally, but she never did. It could be that she finally could relate to Libby in that field. Cassie wanted geas'' to be used. That was not something people were willing to entertain anymore.

    "It''ll only make people distrust mancers and weird specializations even more," Cassie said.

    He shrugged. "Maybe. She''s confident that she won''t remain in jail for long. She thinks that the Shepherds will recruit and train her for their benefit."

    "That''s something I can agree with, finally," Cassie said.

    "You do? Why?" While Seti understood Libby''s actions, he couldn''t make reason of the Shepherd''s releasing her. People had died today, and he couldn''t see how anyone would be okay with her walking free.

    "You forget one big thing." Cassie motioned to herself. "People would freak if they knew about me. Practicing geas'' on myself? Using one on you and getting a slap on the wrist? Not to mention that when I healed some peeps here, I had more fun poking around in each person than I felt¡ªwhat''s the word? Benevolent? Yeah, that."

    "I remember you being kinder back at school."

    "We all fake it ''til we''re in the presence of friends," Cassie said.

    "Friends? Us?" Seti gave her a look.

    She slapped him on the back and grinned. "Anyone that lets me use a geas on them for free is a friend of mine."

    He wiggled away from her hand to avoid physical contact. Cassie laughed. Seti brought his focus back to Libby and her apparent future release.

    "So, about Libby...why would the Shepherd release her after everything she''s done?" Seti asked.

    "You''re Dragonspawn now; you should know better than anyone," she said.

    In the end, it came back to Shepherds versus the Mafia. Libby''s niche was unique enough to cause serious damage to those unsuspecting. If the Shepherds really wanted to hurt the mafian families, who knew what lengths they would go through? Of course, as with all niches, there had to be some restrictions to what she could and couldn''t do. Seti felt it was likely she needed the victim to be in contact with her mana-infused ground, and there would be a battle of her grit versus the opponent''s. Or maybe her niche was similar to his own, where the victim''s desire allowed a backdoor entry through the innate defense. It was all speculation, as he hadn''t fought her. Yet.

    Libby''s niche made Seti consider the nature of niches in general. Each person had a mancy, and each mancy had a unique niche. Usually, these traits were simple and "logical", if one used that term rather loosely. Shanna''s niche was easily defined: fast shaping of geomancy. Ivan had said he could set anything on fire, regardless of material (did that extend to water?). Mindy''s water could apparently be recollected once it soaked into the ground. In short, these niches were almost passive in attribute, and affected the mancy directly.

    Then, there were the "illogical" niches. Seti''s emotion amplifier didn''t really resonate with the attributes of wind. Libby''s ability to set off other people''s spells was ridiculous at first glance. Why were they the way they were? Where did niches come from? How could some of the more ridiculous ones be mapped? It seemed like these unique ones used the mancy to carry its effect and not the other way around.

    This made him wonder what choice Tobias Vescio would have made in the building. The Noblesse might have killed Libby then and there to save himself from a future headache. But, then again, there were other eyewitnesses in the room, like Ivan and Mindy with her parents. Would he have killed them as well? Seti was reminded that he was part of a group known as the Mafia. He honestly didn''t know what they were truly capable of.

    Seti and Cassie were content to stand in silence while their spokespeople did their deliberating. He never considered her a friend, per se, and they rarely talked to each other back at school, but there was some connection he felt. He sensed Cassie felt the same. It was the result of both of them getting thrown into an entirely new world they weren''t familiar with. At the very least, they understood one another at that level.

    The Elder and the Shepherd came to an agreement. They would meet at New Vox tomorrow and go over details of the scan then. Seti could also familiarize himself with the area and prepare for Prestige. Dora was excited about the idea of being even further away from home, so it was settled. The groups started to separate.

    "Don''t have any nightmares about today!" Cassie called out. "These types of things aren''t that unusual. We mancers are a bit wonky in the head!"

    Cassie claiming that these events were common didn''t sit well with Seti.

    **Break**

    New Vox was a coastal city. It would be another two-hour or so drive, allowing Seti a lot of time to think.

    He couldn''t help but ponder on Libby and her psychotic breakdown. It wasn''t just because of the failed exam, but all the events in her life up until then. She was wrong in what she did, but there might''ve been an opportunity to prevent it from escalating. If the world was a little bit different, it could''ve been Seti, and not Libby, who went on that rampage.

    But it wasn''t only Libby who felt unsatisfied. Ivan expressed his dislike for the system. Even Cassie, who commented on Libby''s opportunities, had stated her dissatisfaction with the geas laws. Heck, Seti even remembered Aiden''s words before he smashed the table back at the university. Aiden had said that he needed to find a way to make a living with his mancy. All of them, Seti included, were legitimately, and rightfully frustrated.

    Seti was just fortunate enough to have Faulkner and Henry pull him out.

    That was what he could be champion of, Seti thought. Henry theorized that Tobias summoned the champions to represent those in power. But Faulkner had told Seti that he didn''t care what his disciple stood for. In short, this meant Seti could come up with his own cause.

    And so he did. Seti would not champion the weak mancers of the world, but those who were left out through the system or laws. Another Libby didn''t need to happen.

    After about an hour of driving, the butler commented on the current time and provided an electronic bracelet to Elder Poe. The elder pressed a button on the side twice.

    "Master Faulkner Serio," Elder Poe said to the bracelet. It beeped once.

    "Elder, my good sir!" Faulkner''s voice emitted from the bracelet. "I take it the exam is over? How badly did our cute disciple cry when they failed him?"

    "You knew they would fail me?" Seti asked.

    Henry answered. "We knew. With the limitations of your niche, and by virtue of how the system works, we never expected you to pass the initial judging. Don''t worry though, we''ll make arrangements so you''ll attend Prestige."

    "You can be mad at Henry if you want," Faulkner said. "He was the one that said some nonsense about how fighting against adversity helps build character. Or did he say reveal character? If it was me, I would''ve told you to brag and make as much noise as you possibly could."

    Shanna spoke. "Immature."

    "Wait," Seti said. "It wouldn''t have mattered what I did at the exam, no matter what? All this talk about me passing was just a ploy?"

    "Yes," Faulkner said.

    "No," Henry countered.

    "If you could''ve just passed me without this stupid exam, then why was I sent here? Why pretend it was important?" Seti tightly gripped his legs.

    "The exams are required to¡ªFaulkner, not another word¡ªthey are required in order to send a candidate to Prestige. Let me explain." Henry took a breath. "I didn''t want you to know that the exam results are also sent to the families, who can then pass the candidate and guarantee entry into Prestige. You''re a new mancer without any familiarity of the real world. The more practical experiences you have, the better off you''ll be."

    Seti exaggerated a long and audible sigh. They only needed him to attend the exam so they could use his application to force him through. Henry was right to assume that he wouldn''t have tried nearly as hard if he knew his success was all but guaranteed.

    "I understand you''re frustrated," Henry said. "But this did put you in the correct mindset. The life you''re used to, relying on easy escapes, such as money, have likely become a habit for you. This was necessary."

    Stupid counselors.

    "That''s what Henry says, but I''m all about cheating. I asked Shanna to help me show you the earth elemental''s weakness to give you a little edge in your exam," Faulkner said.

    "How did you know about the elementals?" Seti asked. "The details of the exam are supposed to be secret, so no one would have an unfair advantage."

    "Secret-shmeetic. They needed the association''s approval to get them going, so naturally they had to send word through the proper channels. Doesn''t take a genius to connect the dots when the say-so went out for Blue Castle."

    "I wasn''t aware of that," Henry said with disapproval in his voice.

    "He commanded me to remain silent," Shanna said.

    "Why would I tell you?" Faulkner said to Henry. "You''d ruin the fun of helping him. Speaking of fun, we''re all naked in the bath, in case you''re wondering."

    "Not true," Shanna corrected.

    Faulkner''s smile was heard in his voice. "Narn over here looks madly happy that we were interrupted. You know how he hates meetings. So, my wonderfully weak disciple, how depressed were you when you failed?"

    "Hate to break the news to all of you, but I passed," Seti said.

    Silence.

    It was one of the few moments in life Seti knew he would enjoy forever.

    "Okay, you win. How?" Faulkner asked.

    "Oh, you know," Seti began and shrugged. "The basic stuff. Just cry enough and smother their pity emotion with the greatest niche ever and bam! I''m now a student at Prestige."

    "I was worried how much Faulkner would rub off on you," Henry said.

    "You say that like I''m a bad influence."

    "Truthfully, though, I did take out an earth elemental, but even that wasn''t enough," Seti said. "So I challenged a holmgang against the Shepherd there. Tier six crafter."

    "You did what?" Henry asked. Faulkner laughed in the background.

    "Naturally, she didn''t accept, so I had to take out this other guy. Everyone freaked when I almost accidentally killed him. Small details. But then a building blew up, some lass took control of several elementals, and then Tobias Vescio appeared and we teamed up to solve the problem. It might be on the news later, I think. Oh, and everyone knows I''m a disciple now, so there''s that."

    Another moment of silence. Seti was grinning ear-to-ear.

    Faulkner then laughed again. "That''s one way to debut yourself to the world. Shame that Tobias was there. I guess I lose the element of surprise at the meeting tonight. Poe, did he know about Seti ahead of time?"

    Elder Poe nodded. "Yes. I believe Miss Amicone told the Noblesse about your request in Maybell. When we arrived, he recognized me instantly."

    "If the Lightning Dragon hears you call her Miss Amicone, she''ll zap you across the ocean and make you land on a deserted island," Faulkner said.

    "I''m concerned about the events Seti seemed to gloss over. The building blew up? A holmgang? Exactly what happened at the exam?" Henry asked.

    Seti gave them an overview. The maze portion of the exam was the least interesting, so he skipped most of that and mentioned his attempts to overturn the judge''s decision. He briefly spoke about Tumgar changing his mind after the crisis, and spent time on Tobias'' comments within the building. Then, he brought up Libby and her thoughts.

    Henry whispered something to Faulkner. A weird sound came over the bracelet, which Seti figured was them covering it with their hand. The conversation on the other side lengthened. It lasted for about five minutes. A wave of exhaustion took Seti while he waited.

    "I don''t think you''re wrong to let this Libby live," Henry said when they returned. "And despite what Faulkner wants, we should encourage your decision. What about the geas situation?"

    Seti let Elder Poe answer that portion of the conversation. Dora, still sitting in the front, sat in a sleeping position. It hadn''t been long since they left Blue Castle, but something about road trips made one sleepy.

    They didn''t have much else to say once Elder Poe disclosed the plan. Henry promised to be in contact and ended the transmission. Seti started some molding exercises to pass the time. Henry had implied that Faulkner didn''t want to encourage Seti''s decision¡ªmaybe to give the wind adept free reign. It aligned with what Faulkner had said originally: that he simply wanted to see what Seti can become, regardless of the champion business.

    Seti relived the events of the day, thinking about how he could have said things better, what cooler actions he could have taken, and so on. He recalled how his Aerial Slash was visible outside of his omniview, and how his omniview had effectively split into two when Tobias used his flame. Maybe Seti could do something with this knowledge.

    His thoughts shifted. It would be a lie if he said he didn''t imagine some moments where he impressed a few people; maybe some ladies. He should keep his delusions in check, lest he enjoy it too much.

    Seti knew they were in New Vox once Dora practically had her face glued to the window. She was either looking at Prestige Academy or the abyss gate. He knew what both looked like from when he still had eyesight.

    Prestige was located on top of a hill that oversaw the entire city. A lot of the area''s design was purely cosmetic, to emphasize its standing. The academy grounds were massive as well. It reminded Seti of a five-leaf clover, where each leaf was a section meant for a specific mancer type. In the middle was a joint building for everyone to gather. Around the academy, geomancer''s had carved up the ground to make it seem like an island, only accessible through several bridges. Surrounding the chasm was a peculiar blue hue, instead of the typical darkness one would expect. Electromancy. It gave the vibe of a floating island. The blue static would sometimes rise up and appear like a forcefield around the academy. It was so compact in the chasm that if someone were to fall, they would slow and eventually stop in midair, as if catching them.

    Nearly opposite to Prestige, near the edge of the city, was a tear in reality and a crack in space-time. People called these Abyss Gates, which were thought to be an entryway into the world of the primals, or so Seti liked to think. He wondered what the other "realm" looked like.

    They arrived and unpacked at a hotel. The butler made the transaction to pay for the room, but didn''t use the Serio name. Interesting. Dora made a comment about wanting to stay at Novea''s place, but Elder Poe said they couldn''t. Exile and all that. The elder asked if Seti wanted his own personal room, which he accepted immediately. He couldn''t imagine trying to keep up with Dora''s energy in a confined place.

    The upcoming schedule was simple. Tomorrow, they would meet up with Shepherd Cyrus and Cassie. After that, they would go to Prestige. It would be a busy day, so any rest he could get would be welcome.

    Seti was in bed, molding the air around the room into shapes. It was evening, according to his phone. Late enough that he didn''t want to do anything, but too early to give into his exhaustion. He was watching his shapes do their thing. Some of them weren''t as efficient as they were originally. Others degraded one air particle at a time. With his perception, it was no problem to fix. He wondered if other aeromancers could see small details like that. Probably not.

    He couldn''t wait until he could use spells without mana marbles. Henry had said he would be capable of it one day. Divine mode was a crutch for now. But¡­if divine mode could cast stronger spells than what Seti could do, then what would happen once his grit caught up? Would it still act as if it was several tiers higher, or lose its effect entirely?

    Seti felt a feeling of amazement wash over him. Doing everything he could do, was anyone else as capable? He took out an elemental, helped end a crisis, and many other things. It''s a surprise the judges didn''t just outright ask to shake his hand.

    A feeling of aggression began to creep up inside him. How dare the judges reject him! He wished Shepherd Christella did accept his holmgang. He would''ve used his most powerful Aerial Slash to teach her a lesson. She deserved to¡­ To¡­

    Seti grabbed his head. What was going on? He breathed in calm air, to settle down, when¡ª

    A storm of emotion exploded within Seti. An emotion overload¡ª Anger¡ª Amazement¡ª Spite¡ª Everything was piling inside! The ambivalence¡ª

    He blacked out.

    Seti''s phone vibrated. He blinked a few times. Right¡­he was in the hotel. He pressed the phone''s button to reveal that only a few minutes passed since his blackout, and that Mindy had sent him a text.

    He sat up. What had just happened? All those emotions he felt just now¡ªwhat was that? He breathed in and out a few times to settle in. After a quick think, he came up with a theory. The overload was a result of his niche. A backlash, if he thought of it like that. He hadn''t experienced it before¡­or had he? A text to Henry would be important. Seti clicked on his phone and heard again that he had a text from Mindy. He played it.

    "I''m home, unpacked, and got a cake to celebrate our rejection¡ªexclamation point. Wish you were here. Use one of your cronies to fly over to help eat¡ªexclamation point."

    Seti smiled. Mindy was carefree. He spoke aloud as he typed out his text. "I actually passed. Some of us don''t trip on holes."

    "You passed¡ªexclamation point¡ªquestion mark. Congratz¡ªexclamation point. Cheerful-smile. You deserve it. I think you''re exceptional. Don''t let the news get to you, they don''t know anything¡ªexclamation point¡ªexclamation point."

    Seti wondered if he could change the setting on the app so it wouldn''t read the ending punctuation. Especially if Mindy used them so often.

    "What''s the news saying?" Seti asked as he typed.

    "Not telling¡ªexclamation point. Speak-no-evil."

    He sat up, found the control to the TV, and flicked it on. If he thought texting was annoying, trying to find a news station while blind was even worse. He had to wait through commercials to confirm what channel he was on, and then change to the next one, repeating the process until he found the right one. Luckily, the fourth channel was the one he wanted. It was two people talking to each other.

    "I believe Guild Master Tumgar is to blame. He should always reserve a large amount of mana if his own members can''t do what he does."

    "A bit unreasonable, I think," the second person said. "Look at it from his perspective: his members were the ones who would guide the elementals during the exam, so they couldn''t be wasteful with their mana when constructing the geo-building. No one could have predicted what transpired."

    The first person wouldn''t have it. "It''s his responsibility to be prepared for anything."

    "There''s no arguing that he saved a great many people! Roofs were opened at strategic locations, and new exits were formed."

    "Tell that to the eight that died."

    The discussion reminded Seti of the judging format. To some people, nothing was done right. Seti decided to name the reporters accordingly: the first one would be Negative Norbert, and the second person would be Positive Paul.

    "But let''s talk about the real news," Negative Norbert said. "The Aero Dragonspawn finally exists. Not only that, but he teamed up with the Pyro Dragonspawn during the Blue Castle attack."

    "I heard a few things about that. Is it official? Was it confirmed?"

    "It''s on the Shepherd''s report. The Aero Dragonspawn is officially a real thing¡ªbut get this! He''s a tier one! A throwaway political piece for the families."

    "I don''t think he''s a throwaway piece," Positive Paul said. "I heard he helped."

    "What are you talking about? A tier one can''t do anything. That''s already been proven."

    "My sources say¡ªand my sources are credible¡ªthat he was the reason the crisis ended."

    "And I heard¡ªand my ears don''t listen to nonsense¡ªthat Divine Bruno''s ghost, may he rest in peace, rose from the ground like a geo-elemental. Can you believe that? I feel I should tell you I''m not being serious since you''re so gullible."

    "I find it hard to believe that the Wind Dragon would pick up a random adept that couldn''t do anything. They tried to send him to Prestige Academy, after all."

    "That reminds me! Everyone was asking if Tobias Vescio would attend Prestige again this year, now that he became the Noblesse. You''d think he would have too much on his plate."

    Seti started to type out a text to Henry regarding the surge of emotions he had felt. He kept an ear out on the conversation in case the two reporters said anything interesting.

    "Didn''t he originally attend to help the relations between the families and the Guilds? That''s what we need, now more than ever."

    "There''s one thing I can guarantee," Negative Norbert said. "And by guarantee, I mean absolutely guarantee: the Aero Dragonspawn will not attend Prestige Academy. They wouldn''t allow a tier one."

    "I don''t disagree with you there. I noticed you calling Tobias by his old title. Shouldn''t we call him the Sun Dragon already?"

    "That''d be a mockery to the title. He might be Joneleth Vescio''s younger brother, but he isn''t at that level. I say no one should pick up that mantle until they can holmgang Spitfire to an equal match."

    "We''re getting off topic," Positive Paul said. "Back to the original question...should we be worried about the newest Dragonspawn?"

    "Until we''re allowed to see the recordings at Blue Castle, we can''t say for certain. But I say no. A first tier isn''t a threat to anyone. It''s who he represents that''s the threat. The Serio family is in exile by the Wind Dragon''s declaration, but after this move, we can''t help but wonder if we''re on the eve of war. We''ll learn soon enough when the summit concludes. Besides, why send his disciple to Prestige? Can a first tier learn anything at the academy? I think the whole thing is a distraction."

    They didn''t provide anything else worthwhile. Much of their speculation was limited to the idea that he couldn''t attend Prestige, and that Faulkner picked him as a political piece. Neither was true. A few things they mentioned revealed the fact that either the Blue Castle camera feed never went live, or it was removed from viewership. Another thing he learned was that Tobias was a disciple as well, likely of the Sun Dragon, if common sense was any indicator.

    Seti turned the TV off and laid back on the bed. His groggy eyes closed. Just as he was about to slip into slumber, a knock came from the door. He used his omniview to slide under the door to see who it was. Elder Poe.

    "There''s something you should listen to," Elder Poe said.

    The elder guided Seti into the neighboring room. It consisted of two beds¡ªone for Dora and one for the elder. Dora was watching TV; cartoons, by the sound of it. The butler wasn''t anywhere nearby.

    Dora complained when Elder Poe changed the channel to the news station (which was different from the one Seti was listening to). Trying to pre-empt her inevitable tantrum, Seti recommended she watch the TV in his room. She took off before Elder Poe could say otherwise.

    Seti wasn''t sure what the news people were talking about until they did a quick recap.

    "For those just tuning in, we received word from Noblesse Tobias that he has an announcement to make. It will be happening live in a few moments. Please stay tuned."

    "An announcement?" Seti looked at Elder Poe.

    "The summit," he said. "I do not know what will be said, but it may affect us all."

    "Should we be worried, Stephanie?"

    "I don''t think so. There''s a lot of hear-say. Rumors are spreading about an official declaration of war. I don''t think it''ll come to that."

    "But the Wind Dragon has returned, hasn''t he? Isn''t there word that he''s returned with a disciple?"

    "That''s what our sources have been saying, but it''s a bit hard to believe. The Serio family has been in exile, and all of a sudden there''s a great influx of commotion. It may be a bit worrying to some."

    "Well, what do you think would even prompt the Wind Dragon to not only come out of exile, but also adopt a Dragonspawn?"

    "Perhaps we''ll find out. We''ve received word that the Noblesse is about to address the public. Let''s switch to the live feed."

    Seti could hear chattering and clicks from cameras in the background. Then, the whispers went silent. He sure did miss being able to see what was on the screen. Two taps on the microphone. Tobias Vescio began to address the nation.

    "Thank you all for showing up. I understand that there has been a lot of fear and uncertainty as of late and I would like to address it. A few months ago, my brother died during an A-Rank primal assault. We, the families, have felt that the investigation into this matter has been tampered with to obstruct justice. I have asked myself many times: why should the United Accords be upheld if both sides cannot come to an agreement? Despite this, we felt that threatening the continued peace and prosperity we hold dear with premature action would be detrimental to us all."

    Tobias paused. It was silent except for the camera clicks.

    "Thirty minutes ago, we concluded our summit and arrived at an agreement. We feel that the United Accords were broken during a primal attack. As such, we are obligated to disagree with this portion of the law. Effective immediately, the families will no longer assist either the Guilds or the Shepherds during a primal attack or siege, regardless of Rank level. This protest will remain until a champion resolution can be found."

    The silence of the crowd ended. Reporters yelled out questions for the Noblesse, but he did not respond to any of it.

    "They''re ignoring the word champion," Seti said. "The reporters think he just used a synonym, but that''s not true. It was a message to us."

    Elder Poe nodded in agreement. Back at Blue Castle, Tobias had said a few things inside the burning building. If the United Accords were no longer trusted, he had asked if things would break down into chaos, or if they would evolve. The proclamation he just gave during this national address inched things toward the chaos bracket. Which likely meant¡­

    Seti continued. "The protest will remain until a champion solution is found. He''s handing the baton to us now: the champions."

    But they didn''t know what the victory conditions were. How would a champion win? The longer it took them to finish, the more mancers that would potentially die during an assault.

    And Seti''s mother was part of a guild that fought against the primals.

 Chapter 13 - Veritas

    Chapter 13 ¨C Veritas

    There were hundreds, and quite possibly even thousands of primal gates around the world. No one knew how to close one permanently. Fortunately, new ones didn''t appear to randomly poof into existence either. They formed before the First Age, and there just wasn''t much recorded history from before that time. Their modus operandi was simple...these cracks in space would remain inert until a seemingly random time. Then, multiple gates would become active after being ripped open by the primals coming through.

    Sometimes, it was only one primal coming through a gate, and other times, it was ten. The amount of how many primals came through didn''t matter as much as the strength of the primals that appeared. Practically, this meant that each primal would be classified a letter based on how powerful they were. For example, if five primals appeared, all five primals could each be a D-Rank, whereas if a single primal appeared, this one primal could be an incredibly dangerous A-Rank.

    Once the final primal would come through the gate, it would close. Then, the siege would start in earnest. Mancers could prepare by setting their forces near the gate before the assault. They just had to hope (and some to pray) that this particular gate wouldn''t be an A-Rank, which required tier eights to enter the fight.

    Naturally, if a Divine participated, the primals wouldn''t stand a chance.

    The four Serio members were driving to the abyss gate in New Vox. Dora said she wanted to see it up close, but Seti wasn''t as enthused. Given his condition, he wasn''t capable of seeing it as a dome-like barrier surrounded every individual gate in the world. It was reminiscent of a phasm barrier.

    It was believed that each gate''s barrier was the result of a supernatural event and not created by any mancer. No one knew if it was reality trying to fix itself or if each barrier came to be to prevent the tear in space-time from spreading. Maybe a primal created the barriers to protect the gates. Some had speculated that a mancer was involved, and more specifically an unknown divine crafter from ages past. But¡­who could say?

    While the barrier did act to prevent anyone from approaching the gate, it was also a kind of warning system. If it glowed green, then the gate was inert and thus safe. If it was crimson, however, then mancers needed to be ready for an upcoming assault. Like clockwork, the barrier would vanish after the primals walked through and the gate closed behind them.

    Before long, their vehicle came to a stop and the butler lowered the window to pay the entrance fee. Dora bounced excitedly in her seat. After all, wouldn''t seeing a crack in reality be something completely awesome to see? On top of that, when the New Vox abyss gate''s barrier was green, the surrounding area was open as a scenic, beautiful park. It was clear why Dora was so excited, with so much grass to roll around in.

    The car came to a stop again. It looked like they had arrived. The butler came around and opened the doors for everyone.

    The parking lot was smooth, without a loose rock in sight. Excluding the distant sounds of traffic, it was quiet. There were few people around, save for the tourists that appeared to be enjoying a lazy Sunday afternoon.

    A pathway guided them past several memorial mounds that adorned each side as they walked onwards. Several tourists stopped to read them. Each one had engravings with a date, a primal classification, and the names of any mancers that fell.

    Seti appreciated engravings on stone-like objects. People should do that more.

    A lot of the dates were from years past. The further they walked down the path, the more recent the dates had become. The last mound they saw was from two years ago, with only one name listed. Perhaps it was luck, or perhaps it was fate, but no one else had died since then. Seti remembered the attack, too¡ªa B-Rank shark-octopus that stood on two feet. While each primal was unique and no two were ever the same, this one was particularly memorable. This water primal was twice as tall as any human, and its legs (did it even have any?) were covered by a water robe. Its head was shaped like a hammerhead shark''s, and it had a multitude of hydro-tentacles rather than arms. The tentacles all had a mind of their own, reaching out as far as thirty feet and fending off multiple mancers from a distance. The beast had been named the Monkfish.

    The Monkfish was particularly dangerous because it summoned forth an intense storm comparable to an instantaneous hurricane. During its attack, it almost caused wanton devastation and threatened to obliterate the surrounding area. Its ranking was nearly bumped up to an A-Rank primal, until the Blue Dragon had appeared. She single-handedly kept the storm at bay, prompting a counterattack by the brave mancers that fought back. Almost miraculously, only one mancer had died during that battle. While even one untimely death is a tragedy, it was either fate or pure luck that many more potential deaths didn''t turn this attack into a statistic.

    Several debates arose as a result of this incident, lingering for several weeks afterwards. Was the classification system really about the primal''s strength? Why was the Monkfish kept as a B-Rank when the Blue Dragon, the strongest hydromancer of the families, was tied up just to keep the torrential storm back? Accusations went out, claiming the rank system was based on how much financial damage a primal could do and not necessarily their actual prowess.

    It made Seti think about Tobias'' proclamation last night. The Noblesse declared that the families would not participate in any primal assault until the champion business ended. If Blue Dragon had not participated in that Monkfish battle, what kind of damage would have occurred in New Vox? The B-Rank would likely have ramped up to an A-Rank, which was a command for eighth tiered mancers to appear.

    The death toll for primal sieges were going to go up.

    Dora walked off in the distance, towards the tear in space. Her mouth was agape in awe. Elder Poe casually followed behind. Seti lingered back, not too eager to see his omniview stop at the gate''s barrier. He spent his admiration towards the grass and flowers in the area instead. The aroma was light and pleasing to his nose.

    He let his thoughts wander to the text conversation he had with Henry the night before. The topic was Seti''s niche and the surge of emotions he had felt. The theorycrafter had theorized several reasons why that may have happened. It could be that his niche always returned emotions back and made him feel the amplification he sent to others. Alternatively, it could instead originate from the emotions that didn''t stick.

    This left him to think about every event where he had used his niche and what had happened after. Seti had made Melvin attack Cyrus at the Maybell Mall, and he himself "attacked" Elder Narn (albeit verbally) during a meeting that same day. He had difficulty blaming his niche, though. It was more likely that it was just in his personality to speak out.

    He used his niche several times at the Exceptions exam. He first made people feel the need to work together¡ªwhich Seti admitted he also felt when he was with Tobias in a burning building. But honestly¡­couldn''t that just be a result of not wanting to be separated from the pyromancer keeping him alive? Seti then tried to make the judges feel amazement (he doubted it had worked on Tumgar or Shepherd Christella), and after that, he amplified Abigail''s aggression. Both of those emotions were ones he felt last night when he blacked out.

    Seti didn''t like the uncontrollable feeling he had when the emotions surged back to him. It bothered him, and it would be problematic if it happened during an unsavory time. He decided he would put his niche on hold until he could safely test it to get more information.

    The Serio members had left his omniview for a bit now. Seti strolled forward, not expecting to see the distortion of space-and-time itself. Regardless, he thought he may as well see what the barrier felt like. Elder Poe shaped into view, standing with his hands behind his back. Seti stepped forward next to the elder and saw it.

    He froze.

    "It''s green," Seti whispered.

    Elder Poe nodded. Then confusion. He turned to Seti. "Green?"

    Seti''s eyes were wide.

    He saw the green barrier.

    He saw green.

    He saw color.

    It had color!

    Seti didn''t move, as if fearing the color would vanish if he did. The green barrier was a wall that set itself into the colorless ground and extended higher than his visual range. His omniview hasn''t seen any color until now. Not black, nor white. It was simply his air pressing into objects, then sending the information back to his mind.

    But this barrier was different.

    Seti finally moved. He ran up to it and touched it. It had no temperature, as it was neither cold nor hot. The barrier was solid and gave no push. It didn''t look like anything beyond a transparent sheet of light green paper. It was light green. Light green! He rubbed it like a genie''s lamp. Snapping out of his trance, he fumbled for his phone.

    He quickly called Henry Adams.

    The phone rang three times before the recipient picked up. Seti''s mind seemed to be frozen like an ice cube. Forming basic, coherent sentences proved to be a challenge at that particular moment in time.

    "..."

    "Seti? Is everything alright?" Henry asked.

    "Color! I see it¡ªlight green¡ªbarrier¡ªI can see the color''s barrier¡ªerr, the barrier''s color!"

    "What barrier? Slow down. Take a breath. You''re seeing color?"

    Seti nodded, and then realized Henry couldn''t see him. "Yeah. In New Vox. The abyss gate. The barrier around it is light green. Like a leaf. Leaves are green. Not sure what happened, but it''s color!"

    "I can feel your excitement from here." Henry chuckled. "That''s great news. It could open up a new world for you. Hmm¡­ Can your air pass through the barrier?"

    "No." The light green wall was just that, a wall.

    "How does it look like to you? Transparent or solid?"

    "Transparent, but I can''t see beyond it. Like I know if I had eyesight, I could see the gate itself. But instead, it''s a see-through wall that I can''t see through. Don''t know if that makes sense?"

    "I''m curious to know the science behind it. Let me think for a second."

    If Seti could see color, even if it was just the barrier, then maybe he could see in color, like he used to! Henry would be the guy to figure that out. Elder Poe was listening a few feet behind him. Dora was elsewhere.

    "Okay. I have some ideas."

    "I hope one of them lets me see in color again! Is Faulkner there?"

    "No, I''ve returned home. Let''s take this one step at a time before setting up unrealistic expectations," Henry said. "We know you weren''t able to see color until now. We also know your omniview sees so much information that it can translate some incorrectly. Do you remember when I first arrived at the Serio home? I told you that your air was filtering data incorrectly. It was gathering more information than you could process."

    Seti nodded. "Yeah, I remember that."

    Henry had said that after asking whether Seti mistook an object as something else. The original question was whether he saw a dog as a cat, or vice versa, but what actually happened was a bit more substantial. He had confused Dora as a drawer when he woke up from a nap, and Shanna consistently causes him to jump if she doesn''t move for too long. The concept was similar to a non-blind person seeing something in their peripheral vision and thinking it''s something else. For his omniview, which could see everything in detail if he concentrated, this same flaw operated differently. Fortunately, he hadn''t experienced it again since then.

    He hoped.

    "I have two main theories off the top of my head. We know that the barrier triggered your color perception. This indicates it has some special property that nothing else can compare to, at least with respect to the things you''ve come across. With that being said, my first theory is that the barrier is exerting a special¡­something, and that information is unique. This would be bad news to you, as this would mean you still wouldn''t be capable of seeing color for anything other than the barrier itself."

    Seti felt his heart drop. The barrier was so special that people couldn''t pinpoint its origin. If other objects could project color, wouldn''t he have seen it by now? Color was a large part of the world.

    "The second theory is similar to the first, but differs in its conclusion. The barrier would still exert information in a way that your omniview translates as color, but that same info could be obtained from other objects. Perhaps the barrier is so pure in its¡­what-have-you, that your visual prowess has no choice but to express the information in a colorful manner. It may be possible that all objects exert this information and your mind simply filters it out as unnecessary. At the same time, it could also be that only mana-based objects exert this information, just more muddied in comparison to the barrier. Your perception is unique, so it''s hard to say anything definitively."

    There was hope! "How can we confirm? What do we have to do so that I can see color again?"

    Henry paused for a moment. "I''m not sure. Knowing you can see color in at least one way could be enough to trigger your mancy to sort for that specifically. But, as I said before, our mind wasn''t made to absorb all the potential information your air carries."

    Their conversation ended shortly after. Elder Poe and Dora walked around the park to get their full money''s worth. Seti stayed with the barrier, circling around the dome. It was wide enough to have covered a small building. He tried to make his air filter for something¡­anything, including residual mana, in an attempt to obtain new information. Nothing really stood out.

    Seti put his head against the dome. He really wanted to figure this out. His entire life may be forever changed if he could just¡ª

    "Seti," said a voice just outside his omniview''s range.

    Seti turned around as Elder Poe approached him. It was time to leave.

    "You could return for a future visit, to learn more," Elder Poe suggested.

    Seti nodded. He wasn''t sure if there was more to learn. How would he make his air capable of perceiving color, as he had before he lost his sight? Where would he begin? Until now, everything he did with his mancy stemmed from just a desire for it. His niche would amplify people''s emotions by simply willing it. Air obeyed and molded at a moment''s thought.

    They returned to the vehicle and were on the road again. Seti''s thoughts were consumed. He mostly daydreamed what it would be like to see color again. Henry thought that his air might be capable of filtering for color, now that he saw an example of it. But, no matter how much Seti stared a hole into the seat before him, it remained colorless.

    His phone vibrated. Seti took it out in a flash. A text. It was likely Henry coming up with a solution. There was no reason to put in earphones to block out the blind app''s voice, since those in the vehicle were Serio members.

    "Contact: Mindy. Sunday, 12:34 PM. Someone told me they loved how I can throw on whatever and not care what anyone thinks. I do¡ªexclamation point. Frowny-face. I thought my clothes matched¡ªexclamation point. Frowny-face."

    Seti blinked. He felt the embarrassment rise to his cheeks.

    "Fascinating," Elder Poe said.

    The butler smiled. Dora sensed the lighter mood and let out an over-the-top laugh.

    "Oops, I thought it would be Henry," Seti said as he plugged in his earphones to send a reply.

    The interruption had pulled him out of his deep thoughts. Seti felt some tension leave his mind. He didn''t need to worry himself with brooding on the topic endlessly. A solution would surface, eventually...

    Seti changed his focus back to the task at hand. They were going to meet up with Shepherd Cyrus, among a few others. Their destination: Benediction. Benediction wasn''t just a vivamancer guild; it was the vivamancer guild. The guild''s size was large enough that they had a branch in every major city. It was one of the super guilds on the Guild Association Council, with all other official vivamancer guilds acting as a sub-guild to them.

    It took them about twenty minutes to arrive. They walked through a set of glass doors to the counter. Seti had expected the place to have a sterile medicinal smell, but this felt more like a corporate office. The actual hospitals must have been somewhere else.

    The secretary asked if they had an appointment.

    "Yes," Seti said. "With Natalie, Shepherd Cyrus, and the Lamb Cassie."

    "Let''s see¡­ I have a one o''clock appointment for Seti Tutt. That''s you? Okay, please fill out this form."

    Paper. Seti''s greatest weakness.

    He looked at it and pretended to read over what it said. His phone''s app could read what it said, but Seti was too self-conscious to use it in public. Fortunately, Elder Poe saved the day.

    After the elder filled out the form, the three of them received their guest passes. The secretary made a call and informed them that Natalie would arrive shortly. As they sat on some rather comfortable cushioned chairs to the side, employees came and went to lunch, but otherwise there was no other traffic.

    Natalie came through a security door. She dressed business casually and had a laminated ID clipped to her breast pocket.

    "The Shepherd team hasn''t arrived yet," Natalie said as she beeped them into the building''s interior. "Cyrus usually arrives ten minutes early, but I suppose we caught him on an off day."

    They arrived at her office. The engraved plaque by her door said Viva Natalie Inkage ¨C Tier 7 ¨C AVC Division 2.

    Tier Seven. Seti fidgeted in his seat. They sat on the three chairs opposite Natalie''s desk, while she typed on her computer. Both Faulkner and Henry may think that high tiers weren''t the end all be all, but it was still intimidating. In an attempt to bring his attention elsewhere, he started some small talk.

    "AVC stands for¡­ Anti Viva¡­" Seti racked his brain trying to remember what Cyrus said a while back.You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

    "Anti Viva Cult," Natalie said. "Cult''s a strong word, but that was a reflection of people''s emotions back then."

    "Are you capable of making a geas?" Seti asked.

    She nodded. "I did a veritas test on Cassie Carter a few days ago. I recall Cyrus saying he mentioned it to you. Is this correct?"

    Seti remembered. The veritas test, or more aptly put, the veritas geas was a method to force someone to speak the truth. While geas was illegal, and there were some constraints used to prevent their usage, exceptions were made when trying to counter known incidents.

    "I remember Faulkner saying only tier eight mancers could create a geas," Seti said.

    "The Wind Dragon should have also told you that exceptions exist, as you yourself have experienced. Let''s see who we have registered for this¡­" Natalie said as she look at her computer screen. "The Serio family sends Poe and Dora. True lineage¡­" She paused. Her eyes went wide as she looked at them again.

    Natalie stood and walked around her desk. She held out her hand. Seti nearly shook it, thinking it was for him, when it instead continued to Dora.

    "Dora Serio!" Natalie beamed. "I thought you would be older."

    "I am older!" Dora replied, taking the hand. "I was younger earlier."

    Natalie leaned against her desk. Elder Poe didn''t seem to think Natalie''s reaction was out of the ordinary.

    "You should''ve been here last week. Lynliss made her rounds in the area. That would''ve been quite the meeting," Natalie said.

    Dora tilted her head in confusion.

    "Lynliss?" She tried again. "Lynliss Garne? Octet''s seventh seat? One of the best vivamancers in the world?"

    Dora exaggerated a shrug. "I''m going to be better."

    Natalie chuckled. "She may take you up on that challenge."

    The phone rang on her desk, shifting her attention. She apologized to them as she answered. Seti thought it was strange that a member of the Benediction guild would show special attention to Dora. While he didn''t know what they thought of the little Serio girl, shouldn''t there be some bad blood between them? Perhaps it was simpler than the idea of a feud; it could just be one vivamancer acknowledging another. Enemies and rivals could do that.

    Natalie informed them that the Shepherd team had arrived. With everyone available, they left to meet them. Shortly after, all six of them were in an interrogation-style room. The room had a single table in the center with a recording device, and seats lined against each wall. Seti and Natalie sat on opposite sides of the table, while Cyrus and Cassie sat opposite Elder Poe and Dora.

    "Before you start recording," Shepherd Cyrus began, "it may be prudent to inform you of Seti''s new identity."

    "Are you referring to his last name becoming Serio? That''s nothing I wouldn''t have guessed, considering who''s representing him," Natalie said.

    "Not quite," Cyrus said. "He is the disciple to Faulkner Serio. The Wind Dragon."

    Natalie raised a brow. "Since when?"

    "It went public yesterday," Cyrus finished.

    She hummed to herself. "Goes to show how up-to-date I am." She paused and furrowed her brows. "Wait¡ªbut aren''t you a first tier?"

    Seti whispered to himself, "One day people are going to stop saying that."

    Natalie used her pen to write something down on the paper before her. "I can see where your concern is coming from, Cyrus. The Serio family finds a random tier one and then has him debut on the same day as Tobias Vescio''s declaration. However, it ultimately doesn''t change anything we''ll be doing today, although it''s good to have it on record. Thank you. Okay, let''s begin."

    She pressed the recorder and spoke to it, starting with a summary of the events at Lambsgard University, where Cassie had originally given him the geas. When directed, Cyrus gave his testimony of the Maybell mall incident and his dialogue with Faulkner (excluding the champion bits, Seti noted). Once those legalities were finished, Natalie began describing the process.

    "This''ll be a two-step procedure. Once I establish contact with the patient, I''ll inject a veritas tendril at each potential sabotage location. When everything is complete, we will begin the questionnaire. Before I go into the safeties and privacy rights, I should first put on record that Lamb Cassie Carter, pupil to Shepherd Cyrus Everstone, will be shadowing me. As she is a tier three adept, we will use the wound method to gain access. Seti, are you familiar with the wound method?"

    Seti shook his head.

    "Let the record state that the patient gave a response in the negative," Natalie said.

    She then went into an explanation of the three methods vivamancers used to access a person''s body. Seti listened intently, as he wanted to know how to ward them off. The problem of accessing a person''s body was a simple power equation: the vivamancer''s mana versus the recipient''s innate defense. If the vivamancer was strong enough, they could just brute force their way past these defenses. This was inefficient and would be wasteful to Cassie''s limited mana, who would view the veritas geas after the questioning as part of her shadowing, so they wouldn''t do that.

    The second method was piercing. When a vivamancer learned to control their mana in such a way, they could simply pierce through any innate defenses and gain access without wasting too much mana. Unfortunately for Cassie, she wasn''t capable of that just yet. She technically shouldn''t be capable of that, period, given she was a third tier. However, her niche would allow it, similar to Seti''s omniview allowing him to hone his grit, despite being tier one.

    This left a third and final method, wounding. When a wound was made on a body, the vivamancer could bypass the outer innate defenses and gain access immediately. Seti was reminded of Cassie pricking his finger with a needle back at Lambsgard University.

    "As for your privacy rights," Natalie said, "you''ll be given keywords that will bypass the soon-to-be-established geas. When I place the veritas, you will lose the ability to lie¡ªwhich is defined by your understanding of the word. Any question we ask will force a verbal response. If a verbal response is not physically allowed through circumstance, such as a mouth gag, the veritas will not require a response. If you feel the imposed question is self-incriminating, you will be allowed to say the exit phrase: ''I plead the accords.'' The veritas will not require a response when the exit phrase has been verbalized. If the exit phrase has been stated, and the Shepherds feel the avoided question is intrinsic to their investigation, escalation to the higher courts may occur. Once the veritas has been established, the representing party of the patient may confirm its contents. When confirmed, the questioning may begin. Are there any questions at this time?"

    Seti zoned in and out during her long-winded and somewhat boring explanation of the legality to what he was about to endure. Most of it was self-explanatory. If she placed the veritas and Shepherd Cyrus decided to ask about, say, Faulkner''s weaknesses, Seti could simply say he pleads the accords (which was ironic, considering the current state of the United Accords was a game of picking and choosing). To ensure no foul play was at hand, Dora would also double-check the veritas prior to his questioning.

    All of this seemed excessive when compared to Dora identifying geas usage. She had simply touched him and done her scan without him even knowing. Seti wondered if she was an eighth tiered vivamancer. That would depress him, considering her age versus his.

    With no questions asked, Natalie began the procedure. Instead of using a needle, she simply touched his finger and made it tingle. A scab appeared at the point of contact.

    It was at that moment an idea had come to Seti. Wouldn''t this be an opportune time to test his divine mode''s defense against a vivamancer? It was something he wanted to learn about: how his mana marble affects his grit, and how his grit reacts against a vivamancer. So, he decided to try it.

    Seti inhaled the one mana marble that spawned for the day, reducing his marble count back down to zero.

    Natalie touched the scab and frowned. Seti felt a tapping sensation around his skull (the sensation sent a pleasant shiver down his neck), but it was light. A few more taps. Then it felt like a suction cup attached itself in several places. He felt like wires were plugged into his brain.

    "Are you sure you''re a first tier?" Natalie asked when she broke contact.

    Seti felt a desire well up within. The word yes wanted to come out.

    "Yes," he said, and the desire vanished.

    Shepherd Cyrus crossed his arms. "Were there complications?"

    "Yes and no," she replied. "I managed to attach the veritas at the necessary locations, but his defense reminded me of an upper tier mancer. I don''t see how Cassie could benefit from shadowing this patient. She would burn through her mana just attempting to stay inside."

    Cassie tilted her head in confusion. "What do you mean? I''ve been inside already¡ªit''s what you''d expect."

    Seti smiled. He gained the information he needed. Divine mode came to an end shortly after.

    Natalie noticed the smile and asked, "What did you do?"

    "Activated my divine mode to resist you," Seti said as soon as the desire prompted him.

    ¡­

    He hadn''t meant to say that.

    "Divine mode!?" Cassie stood to her feet. "You''re a divine? He''s under the veritas now, right? He can''t lie?"

    Oh crap. Seti felt a desire to respond again.

    Elder Poe stood. "Do not answer any more questions. Plead the accords."

    "I plead the accords," Seti said, which extinguished the urge to answer.

    "Please refrain from asking questions outside the business at hand," Elder Poe said. "Further pursuit down this line of questioning will result in negative feedback."

    Seti scratched the back of his head. "Negative feedback? Sure, if you mean Faulkner''s going to come here to wipe this place out." The room''s occupants gave him a horrified look. "It''s a joke! I''m allowed to joke while under the veritas, yeah?"

    "To be perfectly honest, I''m not sure," Natalie said. "Patients typically don''t joke during the procedure. I would ask if you were joking about the divine comment, but Poe is correct. If we may continue? Dora Serio, you may confirm his status."

    Dora hopped off her seat and walked to Seti. Ignoring the scab on his finger, she poked his cheek at the same time Natalie touched the scab. They waited. And waited. And waited. Seti wondered if Natalie had seen the "scar" that Dora mentioned to Henry, but perhaps not, if she made no remark on it. Dora nodded and they both halted their physical contact.

    Dora returned to her seat and Natalie placed her elbows on the table. The questioning began after that.

    It was phrased in such a way that Seti wasn''t sure what keywords they were looking for. They asked if he wanted to join the Serio family out of his own will and if that will was changed forcefully at any moment. The questions acted as a measure to identify things that Seti himself might have forgotten or would have usually dismissed.

    Eventually, Natalie came around to the original subject.

    "What were your thoughts on Cassie using a geas on you?" Natalie asked.

    "Didn''t like it," Seti said. "It was forced on me, but I understood her."

    Natalie looked up, appalled. "Why would you understand it?"

    "What do you mean why? Her reasoning made sense."

    Seti noticed Cassie''s reaction with his omniview. She was taken aback once again, like she had back at Blue Castle when he said he didn''t mind her shadowing him. Was the concept of understanding someone so foreign? Or maybe she never had an ally regarding her desire for anything geas related and felt like he fulfilled something.

    But Natalie''s posture also changed. It was like...she was angry about something.

    "Has your stance regarding geas'' changed since receiving Cassie''s geas?" She asked.

    "Well¡­ Yes." It was the truth. Seti had considered a few things after hearing her point-of-view. Not that he supported it in its entirety, but perhaps a discussion wasn''t out of the question.

    "Then is it fair to say your personality started to change after receiving Cassie''s geas?"

    The urge within Seti cried out yes, but he so desperately wanted to add more to it. "Yes¡ªbut that''s because¡ª"

    "Would you agree that Cassie deliberately and purposely inflicted you with a geas, all while being fully aware of how it could change you?"

    That question was so vague. The urge to say yes crept up again, but Seti consciously pushed it down so he could say something else. "Personalities can change due to circumstances involving a geas without the geas itself being the direct cause¡­ But yes, I would agree."

    Natalie nodded as she took a glance at the recorder. "I am inclined to say my thoughts at this juncture. I believe Cassie''s Prestige application, and her Lamb status, should both be revoked until future questioning is allowed to take place."

    Cassie jumped to her feet. "You can''t do that!"

    "Natalie, your verdict is out of the question," Shepherd Cyrus said.

    "I will not be challenged," Natalie said. "As the Second Division''s AVC Enforcer, this is my jurisdiction. I have reason to believe this matter should be investigated further."

    "But, don''t I have an immunity now?" Cassie tried weakly.

    "It does not apply if new evidence suggests you may have deceived us to sway our claim in error," Natalie said.

    Cyrus attempted to argue back regarding the interpretation of the law, but Natalie wouldn''t budge. When the Shepherd relented and suggested that they start questioning Cassie now, the Benediction vivamancer refused, announcing that a new set of questions needed to be written up.

    Cassie slowly sat back down. The look on her face caught Seti''s attention. It wasn''t sadness or shock, but rather the light leaving her eyes as darkness took hold. The feeling of the world''s rejection pressed into her.

    She would become another Libby.

    "Your assessment is flawed," Seti said, going on the offensive. "Your assumption is based on the idea that her geas was somehow involved in my personality changing, but your questionnaire was purposely and deliberately intended to invoke an affirmative response. You have a bias against geas''."

    "It''s in the job description. This won''t change my mind. I have made my verdict."

    Seti hesitated with what he wanted to say next. Faulkner had said to keep his cards close. Going down this path would force him to speak on a matter he would rather not disclose. But didn''t he just make a decision to stand up for people in these types of situations, acting as their champion? To delay their despair?

    The darkness that threatened to blanket Cassie had paused. She was looking at him. Hopeful. It was the push that drove him forward. Something within him had changed, as if a switch had been flipped.

    It was time for the Champion to speak out.

    Champion Seti leaned back on his chair and crossed his legs. "Your verdict doesn''t stand if I say my personality change is due to an overwhelmingly powerful mancer''s attack on me."

    "Seti," Elder Poe warned.

    The Champion held up his hand to silence the elder.

    "An absurd claim," Natalie retorted.

    "Yet, it is a claim while under the veritas."

    "If you think absolute truths are the only thing you can speak under the veritas, you are incorrect. While the veritas doesn''t allow you to lie, you are capable of believing things that are false. As a tier one, I imagine a great many things seem overwhelmingly powerful to you."

    Champion Seti held his hands forward as if he was holding out a gift. "Let''s put it this way: the mancer was so powerful that Dora Serio, the one whom you claim to be in the same category as the Octet''s seven seat, was unable to resolve the problem. The Wind Dragon and the Earth Dragon both helped combat what that powerful mancer has done, which resulted in me becoming the Aero Dragonspawn."

    That statement regarding Faulkner and Shanna was partially true¡­ They had helped alleviate the burden of being blind, but wording his statement like this implied they were more involved with Dream Eater than they actually were.

    "And why would this ''powerful mancer'' attack you?" Natalie asked.

    Champion Seti smiled. "I plead the accords. Let''s just say...my previous comment referring to the divine wasn''t a joke."

    The reason for Dream Eater''s attack, and Seti''s divine mode, were not directly related. But implying that they were, while under the veritas, drew far more attention to him than it would to Cassie.

    Shepherd Cyrus kept switching his look from Seti to Elder Poe, as if he could find a clue to help fill him in to more details. When Natalie didn''t speak, Cyrus took the opportunity to jump in.

    "I think it is fair to say that the previous ruling on Cassie Carter still stands," Shepherd Cyrus said.

    "We cannot let him walk out after all these...claims!"

    "That is not your jurisdiction," Shepherd Cyrus said.

    "Let''s finish this," Champion Seti said, examining his fingernails in an act of boredom. "I have places to be."

    A wrinkle appeared on Natalie''s forehead. She pursed her lips.

    "A remembrance geas is typically used to recall a memory with accuracy. Was your memory altered in some way?"

    Elder Poe opened his mouth to speak, but Seti beat him to it.

    "I plead the accords," Seti said. "Rephrase the question so that it''s specific to geas usage."

    Natalie didn''t miss a beat. "The event that caused Cassie to use a remembrance geas on you...was a geas involved in that?"

    "No," he answered truthfully. It wasn''t a geas that altered him, but necromancy (as the current working theory went).

    Seti thought Natalie would put up more of a fight, but she instead leaned back in her chair, motioned to Cassie sloppily, and found an interest in the wall. The healing adept was allowed a look at the veritas before Dora removed it. Once the scab on Seti''s finger was healed, Natalie declared that no harm with geas was done. The official investigation was now over.

    As they left the building, both parties faced each other.

    Thank you, Cassie mouthed, unwilling or unable to vocalize the words.

    The stress of the meeting had faded. Seti felt like cracking a joke to balance the world.

    Shepherd Cyrus crossed his arms. "I''m not sure what to make of this meeting. All divines have their eyes glow when they use their mancy. You cannot be one."

    Seti flashed a smile. "You''re correct that their eyes do glow. But as for me? The only thing that glows is my personality."

    Cassie rolled her eyes.

    "So you lied," Shepherd Cyrus said. "You lied by only speaking true words."

    "A wise counselor once said I had a problem with authority."

    "If I recall correctly," Elder Poe started, "all AVC meetings require the Benediction''s vivamancer to write the report. It would be troublesome if the wrong impression was made."

    In short, Elder Poe was asking for a favor. Or maybe it was the other way around, where the Shepherd was the one in debt to the Serio family. In any case, Elder Poe wanted the outgoing information to be controlled in some way.

    Shepherd Cyrus didn''t say anything. He looked past them while his mind turned. After the long pause, he nodded.

    And with that, they turned to leave.

    **Break**

    Their next destination was Prestige Academy. Elder Poe asked if Seti wanted to visit Sentinel, the guild where his mother resided, but Seti declined. He couldn''t pinpoint the exact reason for his decision or separate the mixed emotions he felt. His mother had left them to pursue a career in her mancy, but her real reason for leaving was Seti pushing his emotional niche on her unknowingly. Seti was the reason for his parent''s divorce. That wasn''t something he wanted to address today.

    The group arrived at the ticket booth station. This was where Seti would part ways with the Serio family. Non-students needed a special pass to enter, which none of them had.

    Trains were the only method to access Prestige Academy. Normal vehicles weren''t allowed, and there wasn''t a route for them, anyway. Several geo-bridges connected the chasm, and trains made use of them all.

    "A flying mancer could still get in," Seti commented.

    "Wouldn''t matter," the ticket-booth guy said. He had a name tag, but Seti couldn''t get a read on it. "Luminaire would activate and throw them back."

    "Luminaire?" Seti asked.

    Booth Man gestured towards the chasm, which was too far for Seti to see. "Luminaire¡ªthe static around the island. It''s quite the powerful self-sustained electromancy spell and the second line of defense, after the chasm. Here we go¡ªstupid computer was acting weird. Name and representing party?"

    "It should say Seti Tutt from Lambsgard University."

    Booth Man typed at the computer and frowned. "I see an Aiden here from Lambsgard, but I don''t see a Seti."

    "That''s what I used at the Exceptions exam, though," Seti said. Maybe the information wasn''t completed on Prestige''s side?

    "One moment," Booth man said. He typed some more. "The Exceptions list does have someone named Seti, but the last name¡­"

    "Oh, yeah, Seti Serio, then. My representing party probably switched to the Serio family, as well."

    Henry had said it would take several business days for the last name to update, but perhaps someone on the other side decided to speed up the process.

    Booth Man nodded. He kept his eyes on the screen. "Are you the new Dragonspawn? The tier one?"

    "The one and only. Can I get my ticket?"

    Seti didn''t want any complications to occur before he made it inside Prestige itself. The sooner he boarded the train, the better.

    "Right, of course. I assume you''ll be wanting a compartment all to yourself?"

    "Yes," Seti said, but then corrected himself. "Actually, no. Is there another Prestige student onboard?"

    "There is," Booth Man confirmed. "He didn''t actually say he wanted to be alone. I could put you with him."

    An interesting word choice, Seti noticed. "That''ll do. I want to get a feel for the students before school actually starts."

    The ticket printed, which Booth Man examined, paused, and then gave to Seti, who couldn''t read the ticket.

    Fortunately, Booth Man said the most important part of the ticket. "You''re at C3."

    Seti gave thanks and walked away from the ticket booth to stand with Elder Poe and Dora. This would be their goodbye.

    "I suppose things get serious once I get on that train, huh? When do you suppose I''ll see all of you guys again?" Seti asked.

    "It may be a while," Elder Poe said. "Not long from now, we''ll mail you a few necessary items. Study well, grow both as a person and as a mancer, all while enjoying yourself during your focus on the other matters at hand."

    They said their farewells and Seti boarded the train. It wasn''t a clunky metal train, but a sleek wooden one that seemed to be in impeccable condition. He was fortunate that each section had the letters and numbers carved out. Seemingly insignificant details such as this were insurmountable to him.

    Seti walked past the compartments until he found C3, and then opened the door to enter. Within was a single male staring out the window. His hair was completely shaven and he had a vertical scar that started from the side of his chin, went all the way down to his chest, and finally disappeared into his clothes. The male wore a baggy hoodie. He didn''t even look at Seti.

    Seti sat on the opposite side of the compartment, placed his bags on the spot next to him, and let his feet rest on the other side.

    The male finally took a casual glance at Seti, and then froze when he did so.

    "You!" The male stood. "It be you!"

    Seti was at a loss. Did someone recognize him for being Faulkner''s disciple already?

    "Hi, I''m Seti," he said.

    The male took one step forward and grabbed Seti by the collar. "That was a cheat you did! You didn''t beat me!"

    The voice was familiar¡­but not the haircut. Seti didn''t know anyone with a shaven head. When he squinted his eyes in confusion, the male took offense and raised his arm. Thinking a strike was about to happen, Seti raised his arms defensively. The male''s arm turned. A phasm material began to appear around it to form a drill. It hummed silently when it spun.

    "Oh¡­ Hello, Tyronn! Nice haircut," Seti said.

    Tyronn pointed his drill-arm at Seti''s face. Seti flinched back and hit his head against the wall behind him. Tyronn, seemingly satisfied, smirked and made his phasm drill vanish.

    "You didn''t beat me," Tyronn said again, looking down from above.

    "You''re right," Seti said, raising his hands up slightly in surrender. He pushed calm on Tyronn¡ªdespite promising himself he wouldn''t use his niche. "You didn''t lose to me because you''re worse than me. You lost because of your friends. They pressured you into taking my hit. You should''ve taken me seriously."

    Tyronn''s breathing slowed. He seemed to accept Seti''s words and sat back down.

    "How did you cast a spell?" He asked. "You be a tier one?"

    "I am." Seti nodded, feeling the bump form where he hit his head. "But it might be better to just assume I''m not a first tiered mancer. Anyone that thinks otherwise will suffer pretty badly."

    Tyronn automatically reached up to his chin, where the scar started. Seti felt a twinge of guilt. It was reckless of him to use Aerial Slash without testing it first. Spells were different with him and needed to be defined properly.

    The drill-crafter crossed his arms and legs and looked out the window. "I be careless. Me loss."

    Seti rested his foot on the seat. As for Tyronn, he didn''t expect the quick attitude turnaround. The crafter was proud, but perhaps he also was less unreasonable than he seemed.

    "Oh, I be remember," Tyronn said, turning to Seti. "Your last name?"

    "Serio," Seti said.

    "No, before. Tuff?"

    "Tutt."

    "Aye, Tutt. I met Lady Tutt at the base. You know she?" Tyronn asked.

    Seti scrunched his face together. Tyronn had met his mother at the Sentinel base¡ªwhich shouldn''t be surprising, considering that guild had recommended him at the Exceptions exam.

    "Yeah, she''s my mom. Did she mention me?"

    Tyronn shook his head. "I didn''t say it. She no knew I know."

    The compartment shook when the train rumbled to life. The train blared its horn. They were about to depart.

    "My master from home be saying Dragon and Dragonspawn dangerous strong. Tell me to not fight."

    Seti nodded. He wasn''t sure what to say.

    "Not enemy," Tyronn said as he stretched out his hand.

    Seti was taken aback for a moment. When he collected himself, he shook the crafters hand.

    "Not enemy," Seti agreed.

    The train moved. They were moments away from their destination. Prestige Academy.

 Chapter 14 - Prestige Academy

    Chapter 14 ¨C Prestige Academy

    Prestige, located at the edge of New Vox and near the ocean coast, was broken off into sections¡ªlike a five-leaf clover or a pentagon. Four of them were housed by the "main" elements: fire, water, air, earth, with each one protected by a barrier of its respective element. The fifth and final House was not a "main" element, however, so it was treated separately from the other four.

    The Aer House had something akin to a tornado-dome which never stopped spinning. It used to be that any aeromancer wishing to pass would need to use their mancy to enter and exit each time. But times have changed, and now the aeromancy students were somehow keyed to allow passage, or else they would be whisked away alongside a gust of wind to the entrance.

    The Ignis House had a pillar of flame. Spinning inside the vortex was several small fire mines that exploded when it came into contact with a student. As dangerous as all that sounded, the fire didn''t act as a normal flame, meaning a student without a key could never be burnt to a crisp as the heat was controlled, though their clothes could still become damaged. We aren''t savages, Seti remembered reading a professor once saying to a concerned parent.

    The Aqua House had something like a mix between a fountain and a sprinkler¡ªexcept it was big enough to be mistaken for a waterfall. It stood in the center of the House and surrounded the area with a constant stream of water. The pressure was powerful enough that if a student tried to walk into it, they would be repelled from entering and thrown back into the strangely, uncomfortably cold surrounding water. A current would bring them back to the area near the entrance.

    The Terra House was surrounded by a mud swamp. Because its defenses weren''t as impressive as the other two, Geomancers had wanted to put spikes at the bottom, but that suggestion was quickly dismissed. Anybody foolish enough to enter without being keyed would wander into the swamp and end up being pulled downwards (almost like quicksand), then swallowed by the earth itself and spat out just outside the entrance. If that wasn''t enough, the House was also protected by a mud-dome, in case any sly students would want to try entering from above.

    Often times, when people heard about all of the defenses present at each house, they wondered what purpose they served. Most thought that it was to protect students in the event of an attack, but the real reason was because student mancers could "assault" each element''s respective House. If they succeeded in penetrating any House''s defenses and made it inside, they would become keyed to that house, effectively letting them come and go without the barriers hindering them.

    "And if someone could break intoall of the Houses, they would be granted a unique title," Seti said. "The current headmaster managed to do it, so he''s known as both the Headmaster and as an Arch Mage, which is an impressive title in a world where the word "mage" is frowned upon. That''s pretty cool, I think."

    Tyronn nodded while looking out the train window. He wasn''t as interested in some of the fun activities Prestige had to offer. Seti didn''t mind; these types of things always excited him. Someone else might ask: what was the purpose to assaulting the Houses, and he would answer gleefully, as it was so simple:

    For the prestige.

    Though, now that he thought about it for the first time since he entered the mancer world, how did those barriers work? Who was responsible for their upkeep cost? Where did the mana come from?

    The train rode smoothly on the bridge to the academy.

    The fifth section of the pentagon was known as the Animus House, which meant mind, soul, and spirit. The remaining three mancy types resided there¡ªthe electromancers, crafters, and vivamancers. Unlike the other four Houses, no barrier protected the Animus House. It was open to anyone and also doubled as a recreational area with many activities for students and guests to use. There were all manner of game tables and other activities for anyone interested to relax or to blow off some steam.

    Sharing the Animus House section and overlooking the ocean view was a stadium, where people could play Astral Ball¡ªthe sport of mancers.

    Seti wasn''t accustomed to the rules of Astral Ball, as he didn''t watch it much. He did know a few things that made it appealing to the masses. The game had to be flexible enough to allow a team to have different composition of mancers and still be competitive. This didn''t stop meta teams from forming¡ªmeta meaning Most Effective Tactic Available. The meta teams would dominate the league and people would cry for new rules to be established to make the sport fun again. But naturally, anti-meta teams would form and quiet that crowd.

    Like most sports, one could get quite in-depth about them, as they could get complicated. The goal of this sport was simply to try to make the ball explode on the enemy''s goalpost. "Explode" was meant in the most literal of ways, in this case. What was interesting was how each mancy and sometimes each mancers niche could be used in unique and expressive ways.

    If he remembered correctly, Prestige has their own tournament during the school year. While Seti has no interest in playing the actual sport, maybe he could learn a few aeromancy tricks while watching.

    Then, at the very center of the pentagon-shaped campus was the Main House, which was where classes took place. It was one of the few places where students of all elements and Houses gathered, as there were quite a few classes that all mancers took together, given the overlap between all mancy disciplines. Other than its numerous classrooms, the Main House also had a massive library that grew from the contributions and donations of alumni and other donors over time. Additionally, many former secrets of the magical world were made public there; it was only a matter of getting access into Prestige Academy and reading it.

    It was important to provide students a place to practice and hone their skills. The Main House also had crafter-built battle rooms for this purpose. Specifically, the crafter-rooms were phasm based, and the strength of the phasm walls could be adjusted. Mancers could test their strength against a measly tier one wall, or see how they would fare against the might of the sixth tier.

    Most importantly, and usually the first question asked by students on their first day, was that the Main House served lunch. The other Houses would serve breakfast and dinner, making it imperative that students knew where to go when it was time to eat.

    The train stuttered to a stop. They had arrived.

    Seti and Tyronn left together. They collected their belongings and made their way to the train platform. Tyronn, who had appeared uninterested in Seti''s words, was now looking at each elemental House in the distance. It would be a sight to see¡ªif Seti''s sight could see.

    The other passengers got off the train and gawked in amazement at the surrounding view. Seti noticed that a few people didn''t even stop to look as they walked past a large bulletin board, marking them as those that had most likely seen everything already.

    As it turned out, this was indeed accurate. The bulletin board in question had instructions for the new students. It stated that they were to go to the Main House for orientation. Seti was secretly grateful that Tyronn took the lead (as the blind adept couldn''t read what the board said), and suspected the crafter was secretly grateful that the one who defeated him in a holmgang was following him. An alpha-type personality, that.

    Thin roads and sidewalks dotted the area. Seti wondered why these roads existed, considering that vehicles weren''t allowed to cross the bridge into Prestige. Then, he got his answer. A person rode a crafter-made bicycle past them¡ªwithout needing to peddle. Someone else was atop a phasm scooter that drove itself. Seti knew phasm vehicles were a thing, but never saw very many in person.

    Girls walked past on the sidewalk wearing different variations of the Prestige uniform. Some had blazers and ties combined with skirts and long socks or stockings, while others had a simple button up shirt with trousers. Regardless of the type of uniform they wore, they all had similar designs that represented Prestige Academy.

    As Seti and Tyronn moved towards the Main House, they stopped before the entrance gate. Students were entering and exiting in and out of the large castle-like gates. Some had luggage, whereas others seemed to have already been settled in and were now just wandering aimlessly.

    An older lady in a blouse stood by the gates. She made eye contact with them and gestured them forward.

    "I am Professor Dawn. I will direct you to where you need to go. Names and Mancy type?" She held up a clipboard and pushed a small pair of glasses up the bridge of her nose.

    "Tyronn Zhwan. Craft," Tyronn grunted.

    "Seti Serio. Air," Seti replied.

    "Serio?" She looked over her glasses and gave him a strange look. The look vanished after a brief moment. "Both of you will be at the Animus House to the north. A schedule has been posted in each room to let you know where to get your keys, obtain your uniform, and pick up your individual class schedules."

    "There''s a mistake with my rooming," Seti said. "I''m an air adept; I should be with the Aer House."

    "Exception students are all at the Animus House," she said with a bit of annoyance in her voice.

    Seti furrowed his brows. "Why am I being split from the aeromancers?" He asked.

    Professor Dawn closed her eyes and kept them closed for a few seconds. "When the Exceptions program started, mancers complained about lower echelon tiers staying with them...let''s call it pride."

    That irritated Seti to no end. It was misplaced pride and discrimination that was rooted in a sense of superiority from having a higher tier. It seemed that aeromancers went to great lengths to be distinct from the wind adepts, and he suspected that the other mancers in every other House felt the same way; elitism between higher tier mancers and adepts was the harsh reality at Prestige.

    Tyronn and Seti left and made their way to a trolley stop. Seti figured it would be a good way to get around while he was still blind, something he hoped he could figure out and resolve sooner rather than later.

    The trolley itself was crafted, making it a phasm trolley. It was likely made by the student who drove it. It had no walls, so the passengers could easily step inside and sit down into a seat quickly and easily. Since phasm was a see-through material, most students with perfectly functional vision would be capable of seeing the ground pass underneath. What stumped Seti was that this trolley had no engine or other means of propulsion like a real one would require. The wheels seemingly spun without cause, so it was probably mana that functioned as a source of power.

    They drove past neatly trimmed grass, some flowerbeds, and even a pair of students having a picnic. It was a serene atmosphere.

    After a few stops, they finally arrived at the Animus House. Two towering pillars stood tall and upright beside them as they passed the entranceway. It almost felt like entering the capitol building of a major world power. The two of them lugged their baggage up a flight of stairs and stepped inside their new dorm room building.

    "Elliot!" Someone shouted as they walked in. "Two more people¡ªit''s your turn!"

    A student hopped down the spiral staircase, skipping every other step and landed before them.

    "Sup, my dudes! The name''s Elliot." He had short hair and wore a polo shirt with jeans, rather than a Prestige uniform. He held out his hand. Just as Seti was about to shake it, Elliot reached out beyond the hand and gripped his arm. "I prefer armshakes over handshakes."

    Tyronn didn''t entertain the man and kept his hands to himself. He gave a glare to Elliot, who didn''t seem bothered and kept his upbeat attitude.

    "If you''re a crafter, this is the right place! Electromancers are on the floor above us, and the viva rooms are on the third floor." He pointed at the stairway as he spoke.

    "What about Exception students?" Seti asked.

    "Oh." Elliot gave a surprise nod. "Yeah, that''s this building, too. While upper tiers can pick any available room, you guys have yours assigned to you. Come on, I''ll show you."

    Elliot led them to the left wing, where the male dormitories resided. He explained the layout of the Animus House and provided directions as they walked, making sure to let them know where the cafeteria, the lounge, the gaming and workout rooms, and the swimming pool were. Of course, only Prestige swimwear was allowed at the pool.

    They finally arrived to a hallway full of rooms on the third floor.

    "This one belongs to a guy who came last week¡ªAiden was his name, an Exception like both of you," Elliot said. "Yep, it looks like those two rooms are free. There''s a schedule on the door inside. By the way, the opening on the door there is to let letters and package receipts through¡ªtrade the receipts at the Main House to get any parcels addressed to you." He turned to leave when he stopped. "Oh! Before I forget. Don''t enter the right wing, which is where the girls'' dorms are. They''ll slice you in half if they get the chance."

    Seti went to the room that Tyronn didn''t pick and set his bags on the single bed. It was similar to his old dorm room back at Lambsgard University. There wasn''t a TV (not that it mattered to Seti), but it had its own toilet and shower. A piece of paper was taped to the back of the door, so he took out his phone to take a picture of it with his app.

    As Professor Dawn had said at the Main House, the paper contained the pre-term schedule for the week. It was the same all week, allowing students to take care of each matter when and how they saw fit.

    The schedule had the location of where to get his uniform (after getting measured, of course), and the place where "keying" would happen. Seti wondered what they meant by that. Lastly, it mentioned where he could pick and confirm his classes.

    With some alone time, Seti unpacked and made the room feel as homely as possible. Once done, he felt the urge to surf the net with his phone. This was something he had done habitually in the past, but recent life changing events kept him preoccupied. He started to look up information. The first topic was Tyronn.

    Tyronn Zhwan was the full name, as Seti remembered when the crafter had introduced himself. Originally, he was born in the country of Keldorn¡ªwhich was ruled by the Paladins, but grew up in Kemet, which was nearly half the world away. Given that he''s been all over the place, it made sense why he had such a unique speech pattern.

    Seti was also surprised to learn that Tyronn was an accomplished Astral Ball player and that he made it to the nationals several times with his high school. His drill was great for something called the Offensive Flank position, making it rather easy for him to overcome the enemy guards.

    Seti wondered why an Astral Ball player would join the Sentinel guild. The two were almost exact opposites and couldn''t be any more different in that Astral Ball was an entertaining and leisurely sport that people could enjoy, while the Sentinel guild placed their lives on the line to do battle against primals.

    The second topic Seti looked up was Dora Serio. The events at Benediction made the young girl appear to be something of a prodigy. Information about her was scarce, except for one tidbit: she was known as the Fourth Immortal.

    Huh.

    The Immortal titles were only something used in his country, and currently there were four in existence. As one might expect given the definition of the word, Immortals couldn''t die by conventional means. Cyrus Everstone, the Second Immortal, had a powerful barrier that supposedly couldn''t be destroyed¡ªexceptions included the Dragons and those of that level of power. But with Dora as the Fourth Immortal, exactly how was she¡­immortal? She was a vivamancer, not a crafter that could create a barrier around herself. The site didn''t provide any information on that regard, but he figured it might be something like super regeneration.

    Curious to see who beat out Cyrus, Seti searched who held the First Immortal title, but the answer was anticlimactic. Aegis, the Octet''s fifth seat.

    Seti looked up whatever else he could find on the Serio family. Melvin Serio, known as Blade, had a rivalry against a man titled as the Reaper¡ªthough he hated that title and wanted people to use his real name: Eustuss, the Octet''s sixth seat. Eustuss used to preside over another city where Melvin lived (prior to the exile), and the Serio crafter would pick a fight any time he saw Eustuss. Since Eustuss was an eighth tiered mancer, Melvin could never win in a fight. Whatever other problems they had wasn''t revealed to the public, and the Octet''s sixth seat was relocated to New Vox, where Seti now resided.

    Next up was Faulkner. Reading about him brought a smile to Seti''s face. The Wind Dragon had made a comment about how one Dragon was worth two Octet seats. So, whenever Faulkner and Shanna showed up anywhere and wanted to "play-fight", as the website put it, the Octet would have to send half of their forces just to equalize the match.

    Seti didn''t think Faulkner was being literal. All members of the Octet were tier eight, and every Dragon was also tier eight. He had a hard time picturing how one tier eight could consistently do well against two eights.

    Other Serio facts included how some prominent members left the family. Edgar Serio (who Seti knew was Henry Adams) was an intelligent theorycrafter. Also, there used to be five elders (and not the four Seti knew about), but one of them left around the same time as Henry. Speculation arose that it was because of a disagreement on how the Serio and the Vescio family handled one particular affair:

    The annihilation of the Asani family.

    "That got dark rather quickly," Seti mumbled. Annihilation was an interesting word choice.

    Before Seti could listen to any more information about the Asani family, he heard a banging on the door over at the room next to his. A few footsteps later and then he heard banging on his door as well.

    "Wakey, wakey!" Elliot shouted. "Settled in? Let''s go play some pool."

    Seti figured he may as well go and try to have maintain good relations with some of his dorm mates. Tyronn didn''t join them. A moment later and they were in the game room. The place was long and contained several activities, including a pool table, ping pong table, throwing darts board, and other table games. A TV hung on the wall and played some movie. About half a dozen people were in the room, doing their own thing. Elliot led him to a man next to the pool table.

    Elliot gestured to Seti. "Trevor, meet¡­uhm¡­"

    "Seti."

    Trevor and Seti shook hands. The pool table was set up and ready for a new game. Trevor had a pool stick in his hand, but Seti couldn''t find the rack to get more.

    "Five or six?" Trevor asked.

    "Hm?" Seti asked.

    "Your tier," he clarified.

    "Oh, Seti isn''t a crafter," Elliot said. "He''s with the Exceptions."

    "Ah, so a four," Trevor said. Seti didn''t correct him. "Then get him a stick."

    Elliot walked over to an open window. On the window ledge was what looked like a piece of rectangular chalk. He took it and held it before him. It grew and expanded into a cue stick. He held out the second chalk to Seti.

    "Just pump your mana into it and it''ll become a cue," Elliot instructed.

    Seti hesitated. He didn''t know how much mana it would take to grow the pool cue, and at tier one, the little amount it took might take more than he desired.

    Elliot seemed to sense his reluctance, so he traded his stick for the one that Seti held. He grew it as well so that they all had their phasm pool cue sticks.

    Seti examined the one in hand. "That''s interesting. A self-contained phasm item that allows anyone to use it?"

    "Better believe it," Elliot said. "We call ''em Seeds, since they grow with mana. People from other houses come here, so we need to give them a way to make game items. Problem is¡­they start deteriorating after a few days if they''re left unused, so we have to keep renewing them."

    Since Tyronn wasn''t there to make it a two-on-two match, they decided to have Trevor and Elliot play the first game, and then take turns after that. The table was set and the game began with Elliot taking the first shot.

    "Why not just have actual physical items, then?" Seti asked.

    Trevor clicked his tongue when he missed his shot, though Seti figured the frustration came from the comment.

    "Careful," Elliot playfully warned by wiggling his finger. "This is a sensitive topic for him."

    They noticed Seti''s confused look, so they took turns explaining.

    Seti could follow what they said because he had a basic understanding of what crafters could do. While elemental mancers used their mana to weave elements, crafters used their mana to create an object called phasm¡ªa tiny see-through material, which could take different shapes, such as a sphere or a cube. Some say it was the physical representation of mana, because it had a random colored hue unique to the mancer doing the crafting. Crafters could combine this material into simple objects, like a pole or a sword, and then summon it on command.

    The problem that Trevor had was that crafter stuff wasn''t mainstream. It was possible for some upper tiered crafters to create their own vehicles that could drive on city roads, but that was illegal. The legal ruling could be summed up as follows: if everyone couldn''t do it, then it shouldn''t be done. Crafters, like everyone else, should thus have to purchase a vehicle.

    "Which is a bit hypocritical," Trevor said as he knocked down another ball into the hole. "The Rescue Guilds use phasm trains to evacuate people during a big primal attack."

    Seti understood why the word of the law was the way it was. Vehicle prices were in the tens of thousands, and to have that negated by simply being a crafter could change how society as a whole functioned, not to mention the economic ramifications.

    "If that''s the case, then why are there so many phasm made things around here?" Seti asked. "Prestige seems to allow it."

    "Two reasons," Elliot explained while holding up two fingers. "One: with the abyss gate in the area, all spells and mana activity is cheaper. There is no better time to learn how to do these things than now, especially since not all students have gates at home."

    While the abyss gate lowered mana costs, it did not lower the grit cost of the spell. Since Seti was left wanting in the grit department, he still wouldn''t be able to cast real spells outside of his divine mode. Speaking of his divine mode, he intended to see how much cheaper Air Step and Aerial Slash would be with the abyss gate in this city. He would do that when he visited the battle halls.

    Why an abyss gate lowered mana costs was not definitively known. To understand why would be to understand the gate itself. But because it had this effect, it made places with an abyss gate present a kind of gathering place for mancers.

    "Two: we''re a closed system," Elliot continued. "The goal''s to teach people how to get good, except we eventually become too good for society and therefore can''t be too creative. On that note, I feel a bit bad for our Electromancers."

    He knew that much about electromancers. Electromancy affected the progress of technology and helped invent new things, but there was a law that stated that if any electromancy item was to exist, there had to be a non-mancer version of it. The Guild Association didn''t want mancers to have a monopoly on anything¡ªexcept, of course, defending the nation against primals.

    "Heck, if it wasn''t for primals, I bet they''d try to shut down all mancers if they could," Trevor said.

    "Yeah," Seti agreed.

    It all started when they "uninvented" mages. The people wanted something they could understand and something they could control. Which meant everything outside the known spheres were shunned. That fear might have originated from the Second Age ending. It only took a few people going all out to change the global map.

    "What I absolutely hate," Elliot started, "is how they suffocate the creativity we have."

    That word grabbed Seti''s attention. Suffocation. It reminded him of Libby and Ivan from the Exceptions exam.

    "Why should we specialize Clay with our mancy if it can''t really be used to its full potential? It''s no wonder everyone goes Solid."

    "Clay? Solid?" Seti asked Elliot.

    Their game finished (Trevor won) so Seti was up next. He had to make sure he got the striped balls, since the stripes allowed him to almost make out the balls with his omniview. The solid colored balls were mixed in with the black ball and he couldn''t differentiate between them. Seti played with the idea of claiming a version of color blindness if he got solids, but dismissed the idea as foolhardy. An excuse wasn''t necessary in the end, as stripes became his.

    Elliot explained the routes. Crafters, once they reach the upper echelon tiers, would have to choose what "spec" they wanted to go: Clay or Solid.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.

    "It actually takes a while to make an object from scratch," Elliot said. He held out his palm and a small box appeared on it. "Once it''s made, we can store it within our mana, kinda like an inventory!"

    Trevor laughed. "Be careful not to say ''inventory'' to any professor here. They get mad if you oversimplify it. Eli started to use the term during his gaming days."

    "How would they describe it, then?" Seti asked.

    What really happened was that the mana "remembered" the craft it made, and thus couldn''t be used for anything else. The routes that Elliot described were in regards to how the unused mana treated a particular stored craft. The Clay route could use mana to alter the stored item before bringing it out. In that case, a crafted knife could be altered to become a sword, but not so much that it could be made into a shield.

    To demonstrate, Elliot pulled out the same small box he had before, except now it was twice as big. Clay specced mancers could change the shape of the stored object slightly at a near-instant rate, but it would cost significantly more mana to do that rather than crafting the object beforehand.

    The reason why it was called a route was due to it closing the other option: Solid. The more times mana was used for one route, the more efficient it would be at it at the expense of the other side.

    If the Clay route used mana to alter the object, then the Solid route would consume that mana to strengthen the phasm item. Seti realized that this was really just grit as he heard them both describe it. Even so, they made sure to note that no crafter is purely one or the other, but a mix of both while concentrating deeply on one.

    This explained quite a few things. Shepherd Christella had said she could only make polearm-styled weapons on demand. Obviously, she had chosen the Solid route. Melvin Serio was titled as Blade because he could bring out all shapes of bladed weapons, but no other weapon types.

    "So then someone like the Second Immortal," Seti thought out loud, "would be close to the pinnacle of the grit route¡ªer, Solid route."

    This time it was Elliot''s turn to click his tongue.

    "Don''t mention Cyrus around him," Trevor said. "It''s a sensitive topic."

    "You don''t like Cyrus?" Seti asked.

    "Eh," Elliot shrugged. "You''ll understand better if I introduce myself again: I am Elliot Everstone."

    "Ah. He''s your older brother?"

    Elliot nodded. Some similarities existed now that Seti took a closer look, like cheekbones and the ears. But Cyrus had a bulkier upper body, where Elliot was less so. Elliot flicked his hand forward quickly, which created a giant wall that split them off from the rest of the room. A large phasm barrier.

    "Everyone keeps talking as if I''m going to make these types of barriers at the same level as Cyrus. It gets annoying being compared to him constantly. I don''t want to be the Barrier King¡ªI want to be creative."

    Seti hummed to himself as he knocked on the rectangle barrier. It disappeared when Elliot waved his hand.

    "Cyrus isn''t all that," Seti said. He recalled how the Second Immortal turned off his barrier in response to the Wind Dragon and the Earth Dragon. It was an admission of defeat.

    Elliot scoffed. "You''d be the first one to think that. It''s always Cyrus this or Cyrus that¡­a shadow I can''t escape."

    "Except when you game," Trevor said, hitting his ball into a pocket.

    "Yeah," Elliot sighed. "I want to break free, but you know how it is. Even if I reach Cyrus'' level, I still lose because he did it first."

    "Well¡­don''t make living in Cyrus'' shadow your goal," Seti suggested. "Aim higher."

    "And what would be higher?" Elliot asked.

    "There''s a First Immortal, isn''t there? Cyrus isn''t the best in that category... Aegis is. Don''t become the Barrier King to meet everyone''s expectations. Go crazy! Aegis can make phasm golems. Maybe do something like that? It''s both creative and powerful."

    Elliot looked off into space and was quiet. The wheels were turning in his head.

    **Break**

    Getting keyed was the next thing they did. Seti and Elliot tried to bring Tyronn with them, but the man wanted to do things himself. The pair made their way to the Main House, past the receptionist desk, and into a great hall. Tables were lined along one wall where the students were gathered. Many of them were still carrying their luggage.

    Seti learned that, unlike him, elemental mancers had to get their keys first before settling in. Even then, the mancer still had to break through their own elemental barrier at least once before being keyed to their House.

    "Which wouldn''t be hard for them," Elliot explained. They stood in line for one of the tables. "There''s no student resistance for them."

    "Student resistance?" Seti repeated.

    "Yeah. When attacking a House, a student is able to take control of the barrier to counter you. So, in reality, it''s you versus the House''s defense and the student controlling it¡ªusually a Prefect. Since school didn''t start yet, no resistance is allowed."

    "So if I want to get keyed to one of the Houses, I should do it now, then."

    "Nah." Elliot shook his head. "You''ll learn in a bit."

    When it was finally their turn to get their key, Seti realized that "key" really meant a pin, which could clip onto their uniform.

    A special pin was presented to them, wrapped in paper. Elliot''s pin had a large C on it, whereas Seti''s had the letter X. He suspected it meant Crafter and Exceptions in turn. It felt slightly heavier than the common plastic pins, but he couldn''t guess what it was made out of.

    To be "keyed" simply meant having the pin on them at all times. It would somehow register their ambient mana signature and let them pass through barriers and defensive mechanisms. How many people could register to a single pin depended on the pin, among several other factors. For the vast majority of the pins (save some of the ones the teachers used), only the first person that was exposed to the key could be keyed to it.

    Since the school season hadn''t started yet, the pin would not key to any House except for its default one (which didn''t apply to him). Therefore, even if Seti assaulted the Aer House and made it past the barrier, his pin wouldn''t recognize his victory.

    Seti was reminded of the Serio coin that Faulkner had given him. He wondered if it was meant to grant access to something, just as his new "key" did, as both his key and the coin were to be on his person at all times.

    As the day drew to a close, it was clear that the guys would get class scheduling and uniform fitting done on another day. They returned to the Animus House and made their way to the workout room. Trevor was waiting for them.

    "You guys hear the news?" Trevor asked. He continued when they shook their heads. "Apparently, three Dragonspawns will be attending school this year."

    "Three?" Elliot was surprised.

    "The Pyro, Hydro, and the new one: Aero."

    Seti nearly choked on the air he was breathing in at the time. It was as awkward as one would expect.

    "But isn''t the Aero one a first tier?" Elliot asked.

    Trevor shrugged. "Maybe it was because of the attack at Blue Castle. Or maybe it was because his master is the Wind Dragon. Either way, it''s super weird that they''re all attending Prestige at the same time. Something''s up, I think."

    "You''re forgetting the most important part," Elliot said in a serious voice. "The Hydro Dragonspawn. Have you seen her? She''s a total babe!"

    Trevor sighed. "You never take politics seriously. Do you even know her name?"

    "Why would anyone want to know that?" Elliot asked, and then turned to Seti. "I''m not a fan of real names¡ªfor obvious reasons. Titles are all we need to identify what we want to know about someone."

    It was moments like this where Seti was grateful to the importance of titles. He wondered how long it would be before they connected him to his real identity.

    They spent the rest of the time at the gym going through the different workout stations. People believed that working out the body had a direct impact on a mancer''s grit, but both sides had arguments stating why this was or wasn''t true. Since keeping physically active and fit was beneficial in many ways outside of potentially increasing grit, many recommended it anyway.

    When it came time for dinner, Seti made an effort to find Aiden, but he was nowhere to be found.

    "He always comes late," said Elliot when asked. "That dude is either spending all his free time in the battle rooms or off trying to get someone to agree to holmgang¡ªnot that any professor would arbiter the duel before school actually starts."

    They headed to one of the long, communal-style tables after getting their food. Noodles with a special sauce and some garlic bread. Tyronn sat at the same table as them, but on the far, opposite end. Other students sat with them and they began to banter and discuss random topics. Whenever the conversation came to Seti and his background, he tended to steer it a different direction. He did learn a few things about the others, though.

    Elliot was an academic genius, in a way. He knew all sorts of crafter ratios off the top of his head, which helped him create sturdy barriers and similar objects of equal power. Elliot blamed his overabundant knowledge to his upbringing.

    "Blame" was a curious word choice.

    The topic turned to future goals. Seti wasn''t surprised that most people intended to join the Guilds, where their craft could be of some use. Those that wanted to join the Shepherds were considered highly ambitious, as doing so also involved mastering a form of martial arts and standardizing weapon choice. What was surprising was that one of the most challenging paths one could take was the path to becoming a Lamb, which people described as brutal. In retrospect, this made sense, considering that Shepherds were supposed to be capable of dealing with both mancers and primals alike.

    Primal training was a required class at Prestige for all mancers. The professor would conjure an elemental that would represent a primal and all students were supposed to battle it in some way. This was all approved by the association, of course.

    "Even the non-combat mancers need to take that class?" Seti asked. "What about the technology-based electromancers?"

    Trevor answered him. "Everyone''s required. But be careful when calling them electromancers," he warned. "A lot of them are trying to push for a new title: Technomancer."

    "It''ll never catch, though," Elliot said.

    "How come?" Seti asked.

    Elliot explained. "All ''technomancers'' are electromancers, but not all electros are technos. Some of those ''technomancers'' could still be capable of combat spells." He pushed his plate away now that he was finished with his food. "But let''s pretend it does stick. Would other countries recognize the title? Then we have to ask ourselves another question: would other mancer types seek to differentiate themselves because they operate a little differently?"

    "So you do know a little about politics," Trevor commented.

    Elliot shrugged. "I think all crafters should know that much. We have a similar situation to the whole techno and non-techno scenario. Remember, we have the Clay versus Solid routes. If that''s not a line to potentially split crafters into two, I don''t know what is."

    When the conversation died down, they all went their separate ways. Seti was tempted to return to his room, but decided to go to the game room first. There was something he wanted to know. He took the phasm chalk-like object and left. The goal was simple: learn how much mana it took to operate this Seed. He could have checked then and there, in the game room, but he knew better. Depending on the amount of mana it took, he could be effectively blind again, forcing himself to feel his way back to his room.

    Once he was alone in his room, he activated the phasm pool stick.

    Several things happened at once.

    His omniview shrunk to half instantly. The pool stick extended.

    Then it gained color.

    It was like watching one of those TV commercials where everything lacked color, except for one thing, indicating its importance. The cue stick was a transparent light purple hue and the contents of the stick and its insides were visible. Lines stretched around inside, like spider webs keeping the phasm stick together.

    Then something odd happened. When Seti moved the pool stick, the air where the stick had previously been remained purple¡ªlike a computer lagging and its screen failing to refresh temporarily, causing the colors in the air to mesh together.

    Before he could explore further, his omniview shut down and refused to start up again. It had broke for the remainder of the day. Interestingly enough, though, Seti could still feel the shape of the phasm cue, which didn''t vanish with his omniview. It was probably because it took all the mana it needed to take shape and then began to exist independently.

    Seti felt the stick. It was smooth to his touch. Curious to know if it was breakable, he bent it.

    It snapped in half. A puff of air burst out, and then the pool stick popped in turn, disappearing entirely with another burst of wind. His hands clutched at the air to ensure the object had dissipated completely.

    Seti stood in place for a moment longer to take everything in. He had seen color just now! And now he had a theory how he could replicate it. It could be that his mana was the answer he sought. On the other hand, it could be that only crafter-related items would show color, because of their attributes. He wouldn''t know for certain until he got more info, which would require his omniview to work again. He sent a text to Henry as well to update the theorycrafter on the matter.

    Henry''s reply didn''t provide any new information that he hadn''t already said on the matter. But it was proof that the abyss gate''s strange barrier wasn''t the only thing that could bring color to Seti''s world. It was a step forward.

    Seti''s line of thought eventually led him to think about his mana marbles. He was currently sitting at zero marbles, and only one spawned per day. It would be prudent to have his divine mode ready to be activated at any time, so having backup marbles was a necessity.

    Two or three marbles. That''s what Seti decided would be a good amount to have in reserve. Considering how much mana the Aerial Slash spell took (disregarding whatever mana cost effects the abyss gate gave), and how quickly divine mode runs out by casting several spells in quick succession, there would be no point in having four or more. Even three might be pushing it.

    Then again...there might be a need to have multiple marbles available for several days in a row. This was Prestige Academy; he didn''t know what things would be required of him.

    For now, he wouldn''t spend a single marble until the term started. Each one was precious and needed to be used thoughtfully. He would get a feel for the school and for the classes first.

    The rest of the week was busy in its own regard. Seti got measured for his formal uniform, which was to be used in formal occasions only, as the other more common uniforms he would be using more often could simply be purchased at the student store. While the formal uniform had the option to have his name and the word Prestige on the back, he opted to not have his name embroidered, since it would identify him as a Serio family member when he might want to keep it a secret. The first use for his new formal uniform would be this Friday, during the school''s opening ceremony.

    Odd that it was on Friday and not Monday¡ªwhen school actually started.

    Elliot had hung around Seti quite a bit. Seti suspected it was because he was the first to try to encourage him to look beyond the shadow of his older brother, which seemed like something no one else had apparently done until now. However, perhaps it had the opposite effect, since Elliot just seemed to begrudgingly sigh more and more often. He began to sigh for the third time this minute alone.

    "Okay, what''s up? Something''s bothering you," Seti said.

    They were alone in the game room. Elliot was constructing more Seed pool sticks. It was interesting to see one phasm cube absorb another in a tiny space. It was like watching far too many clowns climb out of a tiny car, except in reverse.

    "I was thinking about what you said," Elliot said. "About aiming higher."

    "Mhm."

    "If it was so easy, then anyone could do it." Elliot didn''t look up when he spoke. He kept his focus on his crafting.

    "Why is it so hard?" Seti asked.

    Elliot sighed for the fourth time. "It just is. The ratios and strength distribution has to be absolutely perfect if you want to reach that level. You literally have to know each cube as a whole, but that''s impossible without the highest level of perception. Remember, I''m only a fifth tier."

    Seti nodded sagely, although he had little idea what Elliot was talking about. "Show me your molding."

    Elliot stopped crafting and held his palm up. An arch, vaguely reminiscent of the world famous Arche du Victoria in Gallea, popped into existence. It was as tall as his index finger was long. Inside the arch were small building blocks that piled atop one another¡ªlike a brick wall. However, there seemed to be gaps in between each of the blocks.

    "I don''t know if you can feel this, but I''ve had several master perceptionists look at my moldings, and they all say that my arch is completely solid." Elliot shrugged. "That means I''m basically at the top of my game with my moldings already. I only need to work on my spell techniques now."

    Seti swung his hand at the miniature arch, but it passed through without any resistance. The arch swayed and bent out of shape before snapping back to its original upright position.

    "You can''t physically feel it," Elliot said. "Has to be felt with perception."

    This was his first time seeing a crafter''s moldings. From what Seti knew, moldings were the blueprint for spells, broken down into shapes and movements. Similar to the "bricks" seen in Elliot''s arch, these shapes and movements acted as building blocks for spells at the most basic level. Someone with perception would feel the moldings and be able to determine if there were any errors.

    Seti''s own moldings moved air particles to create shapes and other things. The moldings themselves were considered gritless and invisible, but Elliot''s version didn''t seem to be based on air. It was like his were a manifestation of his mana¡­yet still invisible to the naked eye. Maybe the miniature door having no physical properties was the gritless version of a phasm. It made him wonder about how other mancer''s moldings looked like.

    "This is the top of your game?" Seti asked. "Your moldings still need a lot of work. There are gaps all over the place."

    Elliot tilted his head in confusion and looked at the spot above his palm. "You can feel this? At tier four? I mean¡­it feels pretty solid to me."

    Seti paused. He knew Faulkner probably wouldn''t want him to reveal secrets so early, but he wanted to help Elliot. Wanting to aim higher, to break past the limitations that others had believed him to have¡ªthat was something Seti could empathize with. But at the same time, wouldn''t that be helping someone who could potentially be an enemy to the Mafia?

    Was "enemy" even the right word? It wasn''t like it was the world versus the families.

    He didn''t have to reveal all of his secrets to assist Elliot with his moldings. It was a two way street, though¡ªElliot would need to take a leap of faith to trust Seti, considering that he shouldn''t even be capable of that kind of perception.

    "Help me out this year and I''ll help you out," Seti said.

    "Even though you''re¡­" He paused. Seti knew he wanted to reference his tier. "Alright, I guess." Elliot finished with a non-committal nod.

    They continued to chat about several topics. After asking about the Seed stuff, Seti learned that it was unrealistic for people like him to use them regularly. In that the more complicated the Seed was, the sooner it would dissipate. Not only that, but it was extremely inefficient with mana. It took the crafter a disproportionate amount to make it, and the Seed consumed a large amount of mana from the mancer to grow it. Seti couldn''t help but think that the only reason it was used at Prestige was a simple matter of because-they-could.

    One thing they discussed was the thoughts on the Luminaire spell that surrounded the academy. Every night it would activate and surround the school like a dome. No one was allowed in or out of the school grounds during that time. Worse yet, it acted as a curfew since it also disabled all internet access and most phone activity. They were basically shut off from the outside world during this period.

    Seti severely disliked the situation at hand. What if there was an emergency and a call for help needed to be made? He didn''t voice the thought aloud to Elliot, but the Exceptions exam at Blue Castle had disabled the phones and it worked against them during the crisis.

    Elliot knew that the electromancers made it a goal to try and outwit the barrier, but so far only succeeded with short distance calls to New Vox. Internet was still a no-go.

    Someone came into the game room while they talked.

    "Knock knock. There you are, Eli. I''ve been looking for you." A student stepped into view. His hair was slicked back, with a few strands hanging before his eyes.

    "Zane." Elliot stopped crafting and stood up.

    "Still the same games," Zane said, casually strutting from one end to the other. He stopped to turn towards Seti. "Name''s Zane¡ªthird year. Aer House Prefect. Two years in a row and I intend to make it three. Tier six. You?"

    "Why are you here?" Elliot snapped before Seti could reply.

    Zane shrugged. "I said I''ve been looking for you. You don''t have to get so antsy and call Cyrus on me."

    Elliot furrowed his brows but said nothing.

    "A little birdy told me you think Cyrus is too low of a goalpost. I understand, though. If he refused to teach me a thing or two about my mancy, I''d get delusional too. You''re a tier five¡ªmaybe try aiming for something more manageable, like not being a disappointment."

    Ignoring Zane, Elliot returned back to his craft. Seti became annoyed that the crafter didn''t argue back. There was no reason to let anyone spout this kind of nonsense. Despite his better judgement, Seti tried to push aggression forth.

    Be angry!

    Elliot sniffed once but continued crafting. Zane took that to be his victory and turned to leave.

    "Itty, bitty, Zaney," Seti sing-songed, unwilling to stay silent.

    Zane stopped. "And who are you?"

    "The requirements to join the Prefects seems to be a bit low if someone like you became one," Seti said.

    "I''ll have you know that I beat out every aeromancer when I was a first year," Zane said.

    "Drop it," Elliot said under his breath.

    Zane smiled. "Even the company you keep is pathetic. Let me know if your confidence stays constant after a year of failure!" And with that, he waved and left.

    "Doesn''t that make you mad?" Seti asked.

    "Nah." Elliot shook his head. "I''m used to him by now. He''s like that because his own brother is an Astral Ball player, so he thinks greatness runs in families. But there''s more to life than tiers, though I suppose you already knew that, since you''re here as an Exception student."

    Seti recalled a similar phrase said by Faulkner and Henry. "I like you better than your brother."

    Elliot raised a brow. "You''ve met him?"

    Oops.

    "I mean¡­with only what I''ve seen," Seti corrected.

    The crafter didn''t think much of it. He finished resupplying the pool sticks and they went on their way.

    Tyronn kept to himself mostly. He was constantly at the workout room, lifting weights. Heavy weights. Seti had recalled how Faulkner and Shanna mocked him for being "unfit"¡ªwhich Seti thought was untrue; he was normal! Regardless, Seti would go to the workout room to do his own exercises, but it wasn''t a habit¡­not yet.

    The class schedule was something Seti was afraid of. It usually consisted of looking at a large catalog or a computer screen to select from a myriad of electives. Fortunately, Prestige First Years didn''t have many electives they could opt into. Instead, they had a standard set of classes based on their mancy. On top of that, each student was assigned a mentor that would help their pupils throughout the term.

    He wondered if being the Wind Dragon''s disciple would cause problems on that front.

    As for the library, it was closed to the public while they rearranged and reorganized the new books they received. It was apparently tradition to get an almost ungodly amount of literature donations prior to the start of a new school year. The library would reopen on Monday, when school started again. That would be when Seti could get his information about necromancy.

    Then Friday came.

    Seti went to go pick up his formal school uniform and returned to his dorm. It was almost time for the opening ceremony. As he was changing into his outfit, he realized the jacket was far too large and that the sleeves not only covered his hands, but also hung several inches beyond the tips of his fingers. Seti used his phone to take a look at the receipt. Seti Serio. The uniform was definitely meant for him, but the size was clearly wrong.

    Elliot knocked on his door to let him know that they were ready to leave. Seti walked out with his jacket folded over his arm.

    "They''re going to make you wear it," Elliot said as they walked to the Main House.

    Lovely¡­ A memorable moment at Prestige Academy would forever be tainted by the fact that he wasn''t dressed shabbily.

    He slipped on the overly large jacket and watched as it painfully made him look a size too big. Elliot made a joke and congratulated Seti on losing weight.

    "I have a spot reserved for me and a plus one," Elliot said as they followed the body of students into the Main House.

    They arrived at the auditorium. The stairs descended the closer they got to the stage, like a theatre. Seti felt conscious of his large jacket (despite knowing that most people were likely concerned about themselves), so he unbuttoned it and took his arms out of the sleeves. It hung like a cape, clinging only to his shoulders. He felt stupid for feeling a bit like royalty, but a smug grin still tried to creep its way to his face.

    Elliot led Seti to the very first row. Students had already filled most of the chairs.

    "The first row?" Seti hissed. "Are you a goody-two-shoes?"

    The Goody-Two-Shoes smacked Seti in the arm. "You''ll see." He smiled.

    Several people loitered on the stage by the podium. Seti figured they were some of the academy''s professors. They were mostly dressed in suits and the like. One of them was in the Shepherd''s attire and someone he recognized: Cyrus Everstone.

    "Your brother is a teacher here?" Seti asked.

    They both made themselves comfortable in the two open spots. More students filed into the room, causing the ambient volume to increase.

    "Yeah," Elliot confirmed. "He''s one of the three Shepherds here. Look¡ªthere''s the other¡­but is it just me, or is she staring over here?"

    True to his word, Shepherd Christella looked in their direction. She a little ways away from Cyrus. She saw Seti and was glaring at him.

    Seti gave a big smile and waved at her. Her look only deepened.

    "You know her?'' Elliot asked.

    "We''re best friends," was Seti''s only response before the teachers back away from the podium into a line to let the headmaster take the stage and quiet the room.

    Headmaster Maxwell. The Arch Mage. He had defeated each Houses'' barrier and earned his title. Seti had imagined him like one of those Wizards of Old¡ªthe ones with the long beards. Similar to Elder Poe, but thicker. While Headmaster Maxwell didn''t sport the super long beard (it was trimmed and clean), he did wear a robe that tied around his waist, and a real cape that flowed behind him.

    "Good evening, First Year Prestige Students," Headmaster Maxwell started. "I am tremendously delighted to welcome everyone here today. I would like to express my gratitude to those who have donated to us, so that we may further our cause in spreading knowledge.

    "Many attempt to attend Prestige Academy, and would there be enough room, I''d accept them all. Be that as it may, I am honored to have the best and brightest to share my teachings with, and to learn from.

    "And when it comes to learning, do not limit yourself to your teachers and your classes alone. Find a book! Find a fellow student! Everyone knows something you do not. Even the smallest and the weakest has something of value. Rarely will only talent take you to the top.

    "But I do not wish to bore you with an old man''s tidings. Let us go over some ground rules.

    "If a student wishes to leave the school grounds during the weekdays, they must first receive permission from their mentor. The weekends belong to you, naturally, so you may come and go as you please¡ªdon''t forget your Prestige pin, though!

    "For the geomancers that will try to replicate the pins: if you succeed, I know of several high ranking guild officials that would like to employ you."

    The students chuckled.

    Headmaster Maxwell continued. "Holmgangs must have an arbiter to be counted towards your official rank. Don''t assume we can see everything...even though we can."

    Slightly less chuckles that time.

    "Mana-heavy spells are only to be cast during classes, in the battle halls, or during the special events that we hold. If you have to ask what is considered mana-heavy, then the spell you''re thinking of is probably it.

    "Which brings me to my next topic¡­

    "As many of you already know, tomorrow marks the beginning for registrations for the upcoming Prefect elections. Each House is to have one Prefect represent them, and the selection will be based on two disciplines: academic aptitude and combat prowess.

    "Prowess will be based on these elections, which begin this Monday. The holmgangs will take place in the Astral Ball stadium, with the final match being Friday. The tournament will be open for viewing.

    "For the second and third years, I would normally introduce the highest ranked combat student. But as you all know, professors are instructed not to arbiter any holmgangs for first years before the term starts, outside of those with a solid justification. Therefore, there is no Combat Representative to call to the stage at this time."

    Seti thought back to his own holmgang at the Exceptions exam. It probably didn''t count, since it began before the term started. (Though he remembered Abigail saying it would count.)

    "As for the academics, the tournament will also consist of a written examination, which includes both practical and theoretical knowledge. Please note that it is possible to be eliminated from the tournament during these assessments.

    "And with that, I would like to introduce the highest entry-exam scoring student. Please welcome to the stage¡­ The Barrier Prince¡ªElliot Everstone!"

    Elliot gently hit Seti in the chest as he stood. He was all smiles as he walked to the stairs. The students applauded, and Seti loudly joined them. The Barrier Prince made his way up the stage stairs, making brief eye contact with Cyrus as he did so. Headmaster Maxwell stepped away from the podium to let Elliot take the mic.

    "Sup, my dudes!" Elliot said. He stretched out his arms as if he was addressing a nation. "I scored the highest for one reason: to let the ladies know that I''m single!"

    Everyone laughed, including the professors. Well, almost everyone. Shepherd Christella walked up to the headmaster and whispered in his ear. They both had serious expressions. Seti was able to lip-read one word with his omniview.

    Dragonspawn.

    "It is an honor to be the Academic Representative," Elliot continued. "But I won''t be satisfied by something so small. By the time I graduate, I plan to have the best barrier in the school." He looked towards Cyrus. "Consider this a challenge to anyone who thinks they can do better."

    The crowd ooo''d and applauded even louder. Cyrus himself smiled as he golf clapped.

    Headmaster Maxwell stepped forward towards the podium and said something to Elliot.

    "Right, I''m supposed to read the Student Pledge. Forgot!"

    Elliot read aloud from a piece of paper. The Student Pledge was basically just promising to uphold the rules, do the utmost, learn the utmost, and several other utmosts.

    When he finished, Shepherd Christella handed an award to Elliot, in the form of a piece of paper. She still had another paper in her hand.

    Headmaster Maxwell took the podium again when Elliot stepped back. "It appears that I have misinformed everyone with my earlier statement," he said. "There is indeed a Combat Representative for the first years."

    The students started to gossip. People whispered to their neighbors.

    "Someone tricked a professor into judging a duel?"

    "I thought they didn''t allow holmgangs for first years before school started."

    Headmaster Maxwell waited patiently for the students to quiet down. Shepherd Christella was looking at Seti.

    Oh. He knew who the representative was now.

    "This student forced a holmgang in order to attend the academy. Many years have passed since this last happened. I would like to welcome to the stage¡­ The Aero Dragonspawn¡ªSeti Serio!"

    Headmaster Maxwell started to clap. Very few joined in. The lonely claps echoed throughout the auditorium. Feeling gravity down on Seti''s entire being, he struggled to force himself off the chair. His jacket swayed like a cape as he walked to the stairs; the armless sleeves trailed behind. All eyes were on him. Elliot''s mouth parted in shock. The Barrier Prince had not known who Seti really was.

    Each step up the stairs to the stage seemed to echo. Seti passed by the professors and snatched the award from Shepherd Christella''s hands as he walked by. Headmaster Maxwell took a step back so he could take the podium. He had no speech ready since he didn''t know he was going to speak, and if they had a pledge for him to read off of¡­well, he would be screwed in that regard given he couldn''t read it, wouldn''t he?

    He stood silently. Only a few students were visible to him due to the limitations of his omniview. They started to whisper.

    "A tier one shouldn''t be here!" Someone shouted.

    People murmured their agreement.

    Seti felt heat rise up from his belly. Anger. Of course a Prestige student would say such things. It evoked memory of the Exceptions exam. But this time it was different. Seti didn''t need to prove he belonged¡ªhe was already a student. They needed to prove he didn''t.

    "Then make me leave," Seti said, feeling the satisfaction of giving into the antagonism. The auditorium was silent again. "I am the disciple of the Wind Dragon. If anyone here thinks I am incapable, I welcome you to holmgang me¡ªI''ll accept them all." Seti ripped the award he held and let it fall. It was so quiet that he could feel each shred of paper hit the ground.

    The auditorium erupted in a loud chatter. Students turned to whisper to their neighbors. Seti thought he heard someone laugh, but he couldn''t be sure. Uncertain of what to do, he took a step back and stood next to Elliot.

    The anger that had risen within Seti quelled. He watched as Headmaster Maxwell tried to quiet the students.

    Seti had just declared he would accept every holmgang. He probably ticked off a good amount of students with that proclamation. Funny enough, this was how he had always viewed the mancer world: resolving issues with their mancy. He anticipated it. He wanted it. He had always been the one to fight vocally, but now that he was a mancer, he would learn how to fight with spells.

    This was going to be a fun year.

 Authors Message

    First and foremost, I want to thank everyone who read up until this point! I am absolutely astounded by how much attention this story gained. I''m still used to receiving 5-10 followers on a chapter''s release lol.

    This story meant a lot to me since it was one of those stories I had since the 8th grade (chuunibyou, anyone?), and I''m sure many readers have their own story that they think others would one day enjoy. My story slowly changed and altered as I grew, which made it all the more close to my heart as a result.

    With that being said...I have news.

    This past weekend I was at one of those church camps (I''m sure some of you might know the experience lol) and encountered God and Jesus once again, who had asked me to give everything up to follow them. It hurts me to say this, since having my story enjoyed was a phenomenal thing to me (and we haven''t even reached the good parts, yet!), but I will no longer be continuing this story or any story.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    I had planned to just delete the story from existence but was moved to inform everyone of the reason. It took me days of reaching this conclusion since I was fighting back so hard and wanted to compromise, but no compromises were to be had. Ultimately, I decided this route since I am not ashamed of the gospel, which has the power to save to anyone who believes.

    Thank you everyone!