“Tomorrow?” Jorik asked with a frown.

“Yeah. Or tonight, but I haven’t slept yet.” Mahon answered.

The sun was starting to rise on the still sleeping school, but the two men were more than awake, given the situation.

“And you’ll not go to sleep soon, that’s for sure…” Jorik mused out loud. “Why did they have to be so quick about it? I was so close to more information.”

“It’s too late now. We can’t let this happen.” Mahon asked, looking straight into Jorik’s eyes.

The noble sighed and nodded. “Yes, we can’t delay it more. It’s a shame, we could have used this to stir the noble families. At least, all hope is not gone, depending on what the backer does...”

“So, what’s the plan now?”

“We need to inform Ravatoris.” Jorik said as he changed his posture. His defeatist look was gone, replaced by a more neutral one. Almost resigned. “It’ll not be a pleasant time, but that’s the only way to stop this. You’re coming with me.”

The two men left Jorik’s office and walked to the even bigger mansion at the very beginning of the lodging district. Mahon walked beside it every day, but he hadn’t paid much attention to the building. Even now, he ignored the ostentatious garden and ornaments and simply followed Jorik inside.

The First Black knocked at the door, and a man opened shortly after. Mahon didn’t recognize him. He then realized that the man had no badge, and that he was probably a servant hired by Ravatoris. The servant seemed to recognize Jorik and let them enter directly.

“I suppose it is urgent to come at such an early hour?” The servant said, and Jorik acquiesced. “I’ll inform master Ravatoris then.”

He left, and Jorik took a seat in the beautifully decorated room they had been led to. Mahon mimicked the noble and sat as well. They didn’t have to wait for long, as the servant came back a few minutes later.

“Master Ravatoris will see you in his office. If you would like to follow.” He said with a small bow.

He led the two students in front of the said office, and Mahon realized the disposition of the rooms was very similar to Jorik’s own residence. Just bigger. The servant knocked, opened the door of Ravatoris’ office, and gestured for the two men to move inside.

Without hesitation, Jorik walked in and took a seat. Again, Mahon mimicked the noble, and somehow, he got the strange feeling he had already lived through this scene. But instead of Jorik, it had been Zac at his side. And instead of Ravatoris, it had been Jorik.

How things have changed.

In front of him, the Last Green barely glanced their way. Even though he had been woken up, Ravatoris showed a face as neat as always. His curly golden hair cascaded along his face, and his childish, innocent look contrasted strongly with the harshness in his eyes. He looked at Mahon and Jorik as if they were not worth his presence.

“What do you want? And why did you bring a commoner to my sight?”

“We have news regarding the Fada cult. There is a big attack planned against the no-dream pill infrastructures tonight. The whole cult is involved. We can kill them all tonight.”

Ravatoris threw an annoyed look at his half brother. “And why is he here?”

“Mahon is the one who discovered the cultists’ plan.”

“You woke me up for that? You trust him?”

Mahon had interacted enough with Jorik to be able to read some of the man’s body language. He felt the First Black tensing at his side, but it lasted just an instant.

He is pissed off by his uncaring attitude.

“I’ve crossed his discovery with my own sources, and it seems truthful.” Mahon could see Ravatoris didn’t like it was he who had discovered the operation. Jorik seemed to feel it too, and he added. “Because Mahon is a commoner, he went unnoticed among the cultists and managed to find more information than we did. They blend together.”

Ravatoris seemed to accept this fact and leaned back in his seat.

“I see. You did a good job using him like that then.” The noble spoke as if he wasn’t here, and Mahon suppressed his desire to punch the noble.

A few more days, and then it’s over.

In front of him, Ravatoris continued to speak. “Let’s do this then. Gather the other First Black and let’s hear what you have to say about this attack. Also, didn’t you already learn everything from the commoner? Does he need to stay here?”

“Mahon told me once, but I don’t know all the details yet. It’s best if he stays.”

Ravatoris sighed loudly. “Let it be so, then.”

What followed was long hours of meeting, first with Ravatoris and the three First Black, Jorik, Taenya and Dai, and then with the First Yellow as well. Jorik mostly spoke, but as the discussion needed more details, Mahon took the floor more and more. He indicated the strength of the cultists, their number, their target, and all the little details of the plan.

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They were things he didn’t know for sure, but the amount of information he had was more than enough to devise a counterplan. Jorik had even started to write down most of the cultists' force every time Mahon came back from an infiltration mission, and it helped tremendously to speed up the meeting.

Ravatoris stayed in the back, not speaking much, and letting the three First Black lead the debate. Once upon a time, they needed his approval to settle on a decision, and he approved with a wave of his hand. As if everything that was decided here was beneath him.

Mahon didn’t do much, besides providing information. He watched attentively as the counterplan built itself, but didn’t intervene as the three First Black were more than enough to devise a perfect plan. The main advantage of the cultists was their secrets, but once they had been unraveled by his work, ending the cult didn’t need someone at his level.

The plan was pretty simple. The school’s students were divided into three units, and there were two buildings to defend. Jorik’s unit would take care of protecting the storage, because most of the strong people wouldn’t be there, and it was the part of the plan they knew the most since Mahon was in this group.

The two other First Black and their units were tasked with the other half of the plan. There would be both more experienced fighters and more incertitude on the no-dream pills factory’s part of the plan, and that is why they had allocated two third of the school’s forces to it.

The city guards weren’t allowed to help them, as per Rym’s orders. The Fada cult was the students’ challenge, and it seemed no one really gave a damn about really stopping the threat. Although, truth been told, the students were more than enough to stop the cultists now that they knew their plan. The city guard captains had still been informed of the events, and they would ensure to be at the ready if things turned sour.

The three First Black concluded with the way they would communicate since the two locations were not on the same side of the city, and agreed to send some scouts to relay information between their groups. They didn’t linger too much on it as everyone expected a sweet victory.

Mahon’s experience knew better than to think it’d be as easy as they said, but the fact remained that the students were much better fighters than the cultists. Only a few cultists were strong, but they also had First Yellow and First Black to deal with them.

The only real problem would be Belanor and the backer’s bodyguard, but Jorik and Mahon should be able to deal with them if the sheer number of students wasn’t enough. As a last precautionary measure, they had planned to start the storage ambush at the very beginning of the cultists’ path, whereas they would wait until the last moment to attack the cultists tasked with the destruction of the factory. Doing so, the strong fighters from Jorik’s unit would be able to join the fights in the factory if needed.

“Mahon will stay with the cultists so as not to raise any suspicion.” Jorik spoke, and Mahon focused back on the discussion as the First Black addressed him. “Stay at the rear of the group, and we’ll give you back your badge as soon as the ambush starts. It’d be a shame to get you killed because someone thinks you’re a cultist.”

Taenya nodded, but Dain simply shrugged, not caring too much about the commoner’s fate.

“Do what you want. He is in your unit, after all.”

The meeting concluded with every First Black and First Yellow going back to their respective units to spread the news. Ravatoris was really useful just once, when he went to talk to Rym and got the entirety of today’s lessons canceled so all the students could focus on the operation.

Mahon and Jorik walked back together, and they stopped for a bit in front of Jorik’s mansion.

“A few more pieces of advice, if you care.” Jorik started. “We’ll follow the plan, of course, but we should also focus on our secondary objective. The backer needs to be captured. Nobody cares much about him, as you may have noticed.”

Mahon and Jorik had mentioned the backer a few times during the meeting, but the nobles consciously ignored him. They all knew what game was played there, and they all didn’t give a damn. Only the head of the cult mattered to them, as it was he who symbolized the success of the operation.

“I didn’t plan to let the backer escape.” Mahon said.

“I expected nothing less from you. Go take some rest before tonight. And do ask Zac about bringing you your badge. Ravatoris doesn’t like you much, and he’d be more than happy you died during the battle, if you know what I mean…”

The implied meaning was obvious to Mahon. Ravatoris didn’t like competitors. Jorik had already warned him during the tournament, but now that he had also brought most of the information concerning the cultists, he was definitely Ravatoris’ target.

It’s good I’m leaving school anyway. Ravatoris won’t care once I’m a musician.

“Yeah, I got it. I don’t think I’m risking much, though. There aren't many people capable of bringing me down around here.” Mahon shrugged.

“You’re never sure enough. Watch your back.”

Why do you even care? Mahon thought, but he didn’t voice it out loud. He didn’t care much himself, anyway. He had chosen another path.

He pursued his walk up to his own residence, went directly to his bed and straight to Nightmare. He woke up around dinnertime, and Zac welcomed him as soon as he opened his eyes.

“And here is our late sleeper! You sure took your time.”

“If only you knew what you were talking about…” Mahon chuckled. “I guess you’re up to date with the latest events?”

“Yeah. We need to discuss with Ash as well. About what comes next. There is not much point staying after the cult has been taken care of, right?”

“No, you’re right. We’ll probably be taken to the frontline for sightseeing afterwards, though, and I’m quite curious to see it. But besides that, there is nothing holding us anymore. And I’m getting tired of this atmosphere. I’m pretty sure the Theodred brothers have a magic ability to tire people even faster.”

“Hahahaha. Yeah, it wouldn’t surprise me. I spoke with Ash already, and she is available now. The attack will only happen later in the night. What do you think of a beer at the tavern in the meantime?”

Mahon glanced at Zac and realized his friend was a bit nervous. It didn’t show much, but he had spent too much time with him not to pick up on the little signs. A little more sweat than usual. A little more tense. A smile a bit stiff. It would be his first real battle. They would have to kill their share of cultists too.

“I guess we could do that. We need to talk about what's coming next with Ash. Let’s do this. Just one beer, though. We need to be ready for the mission.”

“Great, let’s go!”

“Just a second. We’re probably gonna stay at the inn until it’s time for the mission, right?”

“Yeah, I suppose so.” Zac answered.

“I’ll bring my spear, then. And take my badge. You will need to bring it to me once the ambush starts.”

“Yeah, Jorik briefed me.” Zac flashed a thumbs up.

Mahon smiled back at him and prepared his bag. He switched his clothes to the one he used to wear among the cultists, and handed Zac his clothed spear, badge and spare clothes. The clothes were less important than its First Green badge representing his affiliation with the school, but it was more visible.

“Now, we can go.”