“Sea folk blood?” Kaz asked.

Cyr’ran looked excited. “I’m a--”

“You’re name,” Tristan said, cutting him off. “It sounds like a sea folk name, Kaz’myr. Most human cultures consider it rude to ask a person’s name but sea folk think land dwellers' rules are stupid. Not that I blame them. Elves and dwarves have even stranger conventions that no one wants to untangle.”

Cyr’ran nodded but didn’t continue what he was saying earlier.

The boy he’d seen yesterday, with the square pupils wrang his hands in excitement. “Water-folk because they don’t all live in the sea- even though the two groups don’t traditionally get along- have names with apostrophes. We don’t know why, but scholars think it’s a preference because it sounds different when spoken underwater. They also don’t adopt surnames unless they will be living on land. Oh, and Dwarves, like the headmaster also only have one name but dwarves never adopt a surname instead they get a nickname because they never tell their true name to anyone other than family or close friends. Onukss is a derivative of onix which is popular like really popular. All stone names are popular among dwarves. That and just random words. That was a problem for a while. Calling yourself hammer in a workshop, not the best. Elves are simpler and more complex. Their surnames have prefixes that denote the type of elf. Like LuEau, who is by far one of the world's best spiritualists, is an ice elf. Ni is for grey elves and– anyway there are a bunch more. Elves didn’t have that before the magic era. They used to take last names that were regional or nature-inspired. At the start of the magic era, after the war, the Elven Coalition was formed and the different groups needed better ways to distinguish themselves, and I’m rambling.” The boy turned red. “I’m sorry.”

He didn’t know if his name had a deeper meaning and the only person who could explain it to him was in a place he couldn’t reach. “No,” Kaz said, scribbling in his notebook. “I found it fascinating. As for my name, my mom picked a few she liked and then I chose the one I liked the most and we changed my name when she married my dad– well, my stepfather. He took her last name and his last name became my middle name, Blake.”

Their mouth dropped open and they glanced at each other, not quite seeming to process what he’d said. Slowly, they rebooted.

“A man took a woman’s name?”

“Remarried?”

“He said that yesterday.”

“Where was I?”

“Why is that a big deal?” Cyr’ran asked.

“Your mother changed your name without your father’s permission?”

“A degradation in moral decency!”

“Where exactly is this rock, exactly?” Tristen asked.

Tristen’s question silenced the room. All the boys focused on him and their expressions were–interesting. A little fearful which was everyone’s general demeanor around Tristen.

“I’ll tell you someday. It was an interesting rock.” Kaz checked the time. “Anyway, we’re wasting time. The information I have is that there is a physical at eight at the white tower. The other information I’m willing to give for free is that the first qualification to change dorms is to have no demerits.”

“I’m Luther Cesar Mather,” The boy who’d given the naming facts said. “Thank you–”

The whiny boy cut in, “that’s not valuable.” He looked to the other boys for support.

“Did you know that before he told you?” a boy wearing a cross said. “He doesn’t owe us anything. And I would argue the information isn’t free.” He turned to Kaz. “I’m Seminarian Nathan Jones.” Nathan smiled turning to Luther who was bouncing excitedly. “Jones was a name I adopted when I started seminary school, when I am ordained I will be renamed to show my commitment to Sol. Most priests have the prefix papa- attached to their names and suffix -ideas. That naming practice also started in the dawn of the magic era but the reason is widely debated.”

“I’m Niko Vance.”

“Pleasure,” Kaz said, stretching out his hand to shake.

“What do you mean the information isn’t free?” The whiney boy asked, still having not introduced himself. Any longer and his nickname would become permanent in Kaz’s mind. Kaz found the custom of not asking someone’s name cumbersome.

“Should we use Heather’s Scale to determine the price? Equivalent value is the best way to ensure everyone feels they’ve gotten a fair price,” Nathan said.

“No,” Kaz said with confidence as if he had a clue what Heather’s Scale was. “The value of one requirement, in particular, will tip the scale should we use absolute value.”

They shared a glance and Kaz could guess their thoughts.

“That’s a problem?” Kaz laughed. “The buyer is complaining he isn’t being charged more.” Kaz just managed to stop before saying they were complaining about not being ripped off. It was hard to tell what slang was acceptable or not. “You live and you learn. We’ll use Heather’s Scale and then half the price. Also, I’m not interested in money.” Money was the first thing to lose value in the apocalypse and his mother hadn't wasted time collecting it and she forced him to do the same. He had more than enough gold and silver, precious stones as well if those had value here.

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“You want mana stones?” Whiny asked.

Kaz took a deep breath. “Did I say that? Is that the only thing of perceived value you have? No items or ingredients? No materials you don’t need or have an abundance of? You should stop talking before you annoy me enough I decided to charge you full price. Everyone else has figured out why I’m giving a discount, why don’t you sit and think about it?”

“Should that be in writing,” Tristen asked.

“No. That’s the sort of thing better left as a verbal agreement. However, we’ll need it in writing that you’ll pay later since none of us have access to our storage items.” Kaz didn’t know how to write a magical contract and was really hoping one of them would step in. It was fine to pretend to grow up out of touch with reality. There were other continents and ways of life. It was curious but not unheard of, probably.

“What are you agreeing to?” Whiny asked, saving Kaz.

“You’ll figure it out,” Tristan said, grinning. “I’ll write the contract.”

“No,” Cyr’ran said, panicking. “Nathan, yes. Nathan please write the contract and bless our transactions.

“Cyr? Why? I thought we were friends!” Tristan tried launching himself at Cyr’ran but was pulled back by Luther who rolled his eyes in exasperation.

Kaz had already guessed but this was confirmation that they already knew each other. Also, Cyr’ran had gills that popped up and disappeared with his emotions. He wondered how that differed from Luther’s eyes.

“It’s self-preservation,” Cyr’ran said.

Kaz knew there was a story there. Whiny and Nathan also looked curious.

Chirp.

Kaz’s hand shot out, catching the black thing flying at his face. It sort of materialized in the air, flying away from Whiny. Kaz glanced at Fluffy who–abandoned Whiny and was hopping in Kaz’s palm with dissatisfaction.

“Is that a? It can’t be right.” Nathan’s eyes were wide, his hands clasped in front of him.

“Of course. He just has to be fucking special,” Whiny said.

Fluffy turned to look at him. That look was the same as when it begged Kaz for the tomato.

“Why is it black?” Luther asked, whispering.

“I don’t know. Shouldn’t there be a lot more of them?” Tristan tried poking Fluffy, but Luther slapped his hand away.

“We should get a magizoologist or a spiritualist,” Luther said.

“What is it?” Cyr’ran asked, looking on curious.

“What is it doing?” Nathan asked, his expression was full of reverence.

Kaz glanced at the system. It was five-thirty. Did he want to know more about Fluffy while risking being late?

“Looking for food,” he said.

Chirp.

Fluffy looked up at him like the world was ending. That was the same poor-me puppy dog eyes every pet had mastered. It was that look that earned Kaz’s dog scraps from the table. It sat up on its back legs, little feet held in front, and big eyes staring into his soul. Kaz scratched Fluffy’s belly and Fluffy made a chittering sound Kaz likened to a pur.

Food–what the–Kaz,” Tristen said, his expression serious but his purple eyes dancing with joy. “That is a mythical creature. They are widely considered a divine manifestation of Sol’s will because they are gold and only show themselves on consecrated ground during religious services. That is why Nathan looks–like that.” Tristan gestured to Nathan whose emotions were changing rapidly. His hand awkwardly held out.

“Oh. Another silly human thing,” Cyr’ran said.

“Don’t sea folk have deities?” Luther’s eyes were glued to Fluffy, and he was sitting on his hands.

“Yes. We worship the twin gods Aestas and Aqya but sea folk don’t revere any animal. Well, maybe the divine serpents Jor and Mund who bring storms as the twins ride on their backs.”

There was something disturbingly normal about seven boys who’d only recently met, sitting on a bed, and talking about nothing in particular. He’d gone to boarding school and there’d been a similar conversation about Pokemon or Call of Duty where they stayed up too late. It was a lifetime ago.

Chirp.

Fluffy nuzzled his palm.

Oh. Kaz looked at Fluffy, taking in his black color, and then at Whiny. Then Kaz matched up his experiences with his hypothesis.

Kaz opened his other hand, thought about a happy memory, and formed a small black sphere in his hand. Fluff popped from his right hand to his left, letting out an excited chirp.

“Did you see that?” Luther asked, tapping Cyr’ran’s shoulder.

“Sol’s mercy.” Nathan clutched the cross around his neck.

Tristen cackled. “Never a fucking dull moment around you.”

Whiny was hunched forward, his eyes large as he slow blinked. “Did it just warp?”

Even Niko, who had appeared uninterested and hadn’t participated in the conversation stared transfixed. “What’s he doing?” he asked in a hoarse voice.

Fluffy nuzzled around his palm and examined the sphere but soon lost interest.

Kaz repeated the process, but this time he thought about his brother, the way he’d look when he found out Kaz was leaving.

Chirp.

Fluffy popped into his palm and attacked the black sphere. They all watched as it shrunk in size. What they didn’t know was the anguish Kaz felt also eased. He could think of his brother without his inside twisting. “He eats mana, emotionally charged mana. And I think he just prefers black mana which explains the color and maybe the abilities,” negative emotions Kaz added in his mind. It was an adorable little anti-depressant but he wasn't sure how to feel about it eating his emotions. It might also explain why he ate the lettuce. It was polluted with black orgone.

Whiny held out his hand and a black flame lit in his palm.

Chirp.

It wasn’t surprising when Fluffy flashed from his palm to Whiny’s. Whiny seemed like a bundle of negative emotions. Fluffy sucked down the flame and then started grooming himself, rubbing his paws against his face and then his body.

“By the way, the contract will include a secrecy clause about everything we talked about here.”

They looked like he’d killed Fluffy.

Kaz held up a hand, stopping them from arguing. “There will be caveats to the clause. As a group, we can decide to sell the information and profits split equally. On that note, I think we should share this with the girls. They might have different items or bonuses in their trunks. We can discuss Fluffy later.”

“You fucking named it,” Tristen said giggling.

There was a bit of grumbling before Nathan finished writing the contract- in the interim Kaz jotted in his notebook.

Magic Era.

Kaz circled the words on the page. Papa was a prefix in Greek that indicated a person was a priest. The connection between this world and Earth appeared to stem from the magic era.