“It’s just like a game of hide and seek you played when you were kids, except everyone is cheating.” The middle-aged mage, wearing a symbol saturated robe and four gemmed rings on each of her hands, explains to our group by way of bad analogy. “Each of you will take turns going into those woods, and then minutes later the rest will try to find you. You all should have done the disk hunt here yesterday, so you should know the terrain. The play area is only a quarter of yesterday though due to logistics. So that’ll make things harder to hide but should still give you plenty of room. A wall of light will appear if you go too far.

“Each round will last up to an hour, and the fugitive will receive 10 points for every minute past the initial ten they remain uncaught, up to fifty minutes. The pursuers will receive 1 point for every minute less than fifty they take to spot them, and the spotter gets double. It’s not required to physically catch the fugitive, just visually spot them and yell freeze. Fugitives, if you hear someone yell freeze, then stop and look around. If you don’t see someone in ten seconds you can assume it’s a false alarm and resume running. False alarms come with a minor penalty to those who issue them. Now then, those are the rules, are there any questions?”

None of the group of eight has any.

“Excellent, now everyone, grab a number.” She holds out thin flat strips of wood with numbers burned on the held end. I get number three.

We watch as the first fugitive, a lithe squire, takes her turn to flee into the woods. As we wait, forbidden to perform divinations, Claudia Panihal III walks up to me.

“So, it seems we got stuck together.” She sneers.

“So it would seem,” I say, adopting the external calm I used with her before. Despite what Clara said about my enhanced control being paltry, it seems Claudia has not trained her perception enough to defeat it.

“I know you’re the one who ratted me out.” She takes a wide hostile stance, as if trying to prevent me from fleeing.

“Oh? And what have you been doing that could be ratted out?”

Shit, I really didn’t think that out. I shouldn’t have interfered back then; it’ll only draw attention. Though, if she’s going to be an enemy I might as well… I force myself not to scratch.

Her sneer intensifies. “Don’t be coy, with that placid face. Preston would never stoop so low as to report me, which leaves the tricksy mage who just happened to be there. Because of you I was eliminated after only five rounds.”

“Odd. I don’t recall making it that far.”

“…I see. That’s how you’re going to be. You don’t even have the nerve to look me in the face and claim what you did. To revel in your unearned victory. What a conniving little worm. You’re even worse than Preston.”

I perk up at my friend’s name. “Oh, speaking of which, did you hear that Preston got nine wins? I understand that’s very good, even for a squire, and especially for a page.”

She fumes. “He wouldn’t have gotten so far if he had fought me.”

“So you say.”

“So I know. He’s never won against me in a spar.”

“And yet you couldn’t even get half his wins, even accounting for the default one against you.”

“…I’m going to catch you and show you how little ability you have even in a test you think you’re good at.”

I laugh, causing her to redden. “Well, yes, that is the goal. Luckily for you it doesn’t make sense to threaten to ‘catch me too hard’ since it’s done visually. Also, we run one at a time, you’re already going to single me out, so it’s not like you can claim you’ll be focusing more on me than you would otherwise. What sort of threat is that? Like, I’ll be trying to catch you too, and I guess you can deduce some lack of ability on your part if I do, but the entire point of this test is that it’s asymmetric. ‘Oh, you’re so much better than me, you caught me with the help of six others. I must be so terrible.’ Think a little when you speak. If you did, maybe you wouldn’t have lost at round five.”

I tell myself to stop talking several times. The point was made, and she only got redder as I continued. I don’t want an enemy who might look into me, itching notwithstanding. But she’s so easy to rile. Her thoughts are so open, so… vulnerable. A dangerous thought about someone who can kill me with her bare hands.

Something finally boils over in her, but she just tersely says, “…We’ll see,” and then silently walks away.

A few minutes later the chase whistle shrills and the group of seven pursuers all chant their divinations in disjointed unison before rushing into the woods. I catch the squire in about fifteen minutes, a respectable time on both our parts.

She has a good medium, her own blood. It’s an unusual medium in that it’s much better at finding than it is avoiding being found. However, she mitigated this by having all the blood, and other bodily fluids it seems, prepared beforehand in sealed vials. This does reduce the offensive potency, but I suppose she could just cut herself on the spot if that's an issue.

However, it’s still less potent than my and others’ methods, so she relies on her speed. Using her divination to track us and rush to where we’re not. Unfortunately for her I’m a bad match up. While I’m not as fast, I am faster than she likely expected a mage to be, since movement enhancing items are allowed in this test.

“Too bad, it was a good chase,” I say, panting after catching her.

“Yeah, I was hoping to last a bit more, but I guess this is okay.” She speaks indifferently.

A moment later Claudia bursts into the small clearing, see’s that I’ve beaten her, and then walks away silently.

The next person is harder, being a mage with a better medium. It’s frustrating. My fellow competitors don’t know how to work together. They’re all just blinded by the extra points for being the finder, and so overdo their divinations which causes distortions that lets them hide. Eventually though they get cornered and caught by another contestant.

Then it’s my turn. I run into the woods for distance and get to about the middle on a bluff I picked beforehand in hopes that people might be led to the base not realizing they have to go about a quarter mile around to get to the top. It’s also easily fled from with my cape and boots.

I take about seven minutes to reach the bluff and spend the rest of the free ten chanting divinations to track the others’ current and likely future routes. Then the chase whistle shrills, and they all move at once.

I sigh in relief as they move as expected, meaning they each overdo it and cause distortions like before. They can’t even keep track of each other in the mess. Soon gaps in the formation form and I enact my plan.

This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

Rather than fleeing I jump off the cliff and run towards them with only the crystal pendulum to stave them off. When I reach the largest gap, I spam divinations with the rod to add to their distortions, causing them to swarm in panic. Suddenly, I’m past the search line, so I head back to the starting area.

The proctor is sitting on a folding chair next to a small table under a parasol, and sighs when she sees me. I was slightly worried a wall of light would appear, but as expected the starting area is ‘in bounds.’

“You’re one of those, aren’t you?”

“One of what?” I ask as I slowly walk up to her.

“Smug bastards too clever for their own good.”

“Probably. Are there many who go back to the starting area then?”

“About one or two a year.”

“And how long does it usually take them to get caught?”

“I really shouldn't say.”

“What if I promise to stay regardless of the answer?”

“Then I would say that those who succeeded in getting past the searchers in the first place typically aren’t caught before ten minutes till the end when everyone is panicking and someone finally thinks to check. Sometimes they last the whole hunt.”

“Good enough for me.”

“Thought so. Have a seat.” She pulls out another folding chair and sets it up for me.

“My gratitude,” I say as I sit.

“So, since you’re here I should ask some questions for your file. What made you think to come back here?”

“It was the second round when we were chasing someone with a method about as potent as mine. I noticed how bad everyone was at working together. I was frustrated since they kept on getting in my way, but I thought it would be more useful to think of ways to exploit than fix it.”

“A good answer. They’ll like stuff like that in your real interview. Though they’ll probably ask something like ‘so you’re saying you wouldn’t have thought of it if you went first or second?’ to try to trip you up.”

I shrug. “I can’t say what I would have done if things were different, but I can say their distortions were obvious even from a fugitive perspective.”

“And where did you learn to read distortions like that?”

“I’m from near Caethlon, on the border. We had to track down rebels who crossed over, and they would occasionally have a diviner with them. I learned from how they exploited my mistakes, and from a mage who had experience fighting the rebels directly who stopped by on their way from being recalled.”

“A good background then, you’re lucky, it should put you ahead of most of your peers.” As she says this, she slowly plucks all eight of her rings from her fingers then spins them on the table. They stay moving for an unnatural amount of time then all stop at once. “Hmm, it seems your gambit is paying off. They’re all on the far side, chasing their own tails.”

“Oh good… That’s an interesting method. I’d imagine it’s very good at passively detecting distortions or targeted divinations.”

“Oh, yeah. Medium potency, but one of their techniques lets me wear them while active. They’re also very precise and quick when tracking those who might track me.” She goes into various details of the rings, and the different gems on them and the utility of each.

“That’s very helpful, thank you. I don’t think I’ve come across this method in my readings.”

“I’d expect not. It’s from a small island to the east of Hyclion after all.”

“What brought you so far away?”

“Oh, you know, the war 30 years ago.” She doesn’t clarify.

“Did you fight in it? I’ve been somewhat interested in it as of late.”

She grimaces. “That stings. You’re talking about it as if it’s ancient history. Though I guess for you it might as well be. But yeah, I did some fighting. I don’t really like to talk about it though.”

“Can you at least say if it was much different from Caethlon?”

“…Yeah, from what I hear it was a completely different beast. Caethlon sounded brutal, but it wasn’t an existential threat to the empire. You never had to worry about being trapped in a small fort, outnumbered 10 to 1 because the generals got played. My students who came back from Caethlon told me the worst thing was the anticipation of terror that may never come. But with Hyclion, the terror was frequent and intense.”

“You’re a teacher then? Do you teach any first year classes? Assuming I get in, of course.”

She smirks, but shakes no. “I did: applied divinations, basic through advanced. Unfortunately, for you at least, I’m going on sabbatical. It was supposed to be last year, but my replacement got caught up in the fighting and stayed chasing some particularly persistent rebel past when she was supposed to come back. But feel free to write me if you have any problems. I’m Count Wilma Therinhal. I make no promises of replying, but I might at least find it an amusing reminder of what I have to come back to.”

“…You’re the second person in a few days to tell me to write them so they can laugh at me. Is that some sort of strange custom in central?”

She laughs. “Not that I’m aware of. But if others are telling you to do it, maybe take it as advice.”

“Advice to do what?”

“I don’t know. Maybe not be so smug?”

“Right…”

We spend the rest of the time talking about various divination methods and difficulties, and some advice for if I wanted to change my medium – occasionally checking the others’ positions with her rings. She also gives some hints for passing the interview and general life advice. I learn a lot and wish she wasn’t leaving so I could take her classes, but she’s confident her replacement is good.

Then the end whistle shrills, and the others slowly make their way back. Claudia is furious when she sees me, out breath and sweating. Surprising given a squire’s stamina. She must have been running frantically through the woods at every distortion from her own team, eager to keep her promise/threat. How amusing.

I mouth “didn’t catch me,” in childish baiting, which she eagerly takes, turning a new shade of red.

“What’s going on? Why does he have a chair, and how did he get here before us?” Claudia asks, clearly hostile.

“To answer both of your questions, because he’s more skilled than you.” Count Wilma speaks unperturbed, causing Claudia to increase in her fluster.

“What does that mean?”

“It means he was here nearly the entire time you were running in the woods, and you just didn’t think to look.”

Claudia snaps her head to me, prompting a very smug smile, to which she reacts poorly – stomping off to the corner of the starting area in a fit of pique. Hilarious, since we can still see her fuming, as she’s not allowed to leave lest she forfeit.

The others start asking questions about the details of what went wrong. Count Wilma patiently deflects them until everyone arrives, then turns to me. “Malichi, would you care to answer them?”

I wince at the thought, but it may be a good opportunity. At the very least they might not get in my way anymore if I do this right.

“I was able to slip past you because you were all awful. You got in each others’ way. You divined too much, and countered your own teammates' divinations, which caused holes in your formation. A few of you could likely catch me on your own, but together you were useless.”

“Will you direct us then, since you obviously know more about this sort of divination.” The mage who went second speaks out from the group.

I don’t want to. It would be a hassle. Though… I suppose I could get them to just so happen to let me be the one to catch the fugitive more often than not. I would get points, and they would learn how to do this properly and get points too. Win-win.

“Hold it.” Claudia speaks before I can agree. “That wouldn’t be fair to those who haven’t gone yet. We didn’t assign a leader for when you went, so you shouldn’t get one when we do. Besides, if you let him lead, this conniving worm will arrange it so that he just so happens to catch the fugitive every time. You all know it’s true, that’s why we didn’t organize before.”

“Claudia is right,” count Wilma says. “Excessive communication is discouraged by the rules. Part of the test is to show us you can coordinate using only your divinations. Just keep what Malichi said in mind for your future hunts. Now then, it’s time to hunt number four.”

There’s a groan from the group – break time comes from catching the fugitive early. Though of course, I’m well rested and eager for the chase. Number 4, a mage, is not, and can only manage a weak jog into the woods.

Claudia gives me a ‘see how I foiled your plan’ look while we wait, which I ignore. It’s not like Count Wilma would have let me if Claudia hadn’t spoken up anyways.

The chase whistle shrills, and I quickly move ahead of the line and catch the prey in less than ten minutes. Some look resentful that I was the one to catch him after my earlier performance, Claudia obviously among them, but others seem grateful for the longer rest.

The rest of the game goes smoothly. Claudia does well, taking about twenty minutes to catch, which is very good for those who went after me, though she did rely heavily on her speed like the other squire. Sadly, I wasn’t the one to catch her. In fact, I only catch one other fugitive, which is still rather impressive since that is nearly half of my chases. Claudia, afraid of my smugness, doesn’t talk to me the rest of the day.

“How did it go?” Allan asks when he picks me up.

I smile broadly. “Excellent! Better than I hoped!”

“Fantastic. We should celebrate.”

“I was hoping you’d say that.”