“You don’t have to take that posting you know?” Master Alfein said to Yuriko when she came to the end of term Guidance.

Yuriko mentioned that she wanted to accept the volunteer mission to the north, at the border forts. The number of merits gained would be a basic one per day and she could receive more if she did well in her tasks.

She didn’t decide to go north out of the blue, actually. Senior Kale told her about it the last time they sparred in Martial Sciences.

“Well, you could try getting posted at the Watchtower,” Kale told her, “at least you’d be close to home.”

Yuriko shrugged and replied, “Well, I need enough merits to get a recommendation letter to Vagaris.”

“The Legion? You still have four and a half years to graduate. And…” he hesitated, “you’re in Sharom. It’ll take a high-level letter to be considered. If you pick Agminis, you won’t need as much.”

“What’s the difference?”

“About twice in merits and you’ll need to reach at least second-order Journeyman. Well, if you want Vagaris you’ll need to start early and you need the more lucrative postings. The call to Fort Aegermonth just came up a week ago and you’re likely to see action, and more merits, there.”

“Thank you.”

“Oh, it’s nothing,” he answered with a smile.

That was before the examinations and now, the 29th Day of Water, she visited her class advisor to register.

“There are other postings,” Master Alfein continued. “Some that are safer or closer to home.”

“Do you mean Faron’s Crossing? The only posting there is for the Watchtower.”

“No, I mean Rumiga City.” Master Alfein stood up and took a flask from a cabinet, a small glass, and poured the ruby liquid into it. The strong scent of liquor permeated the small room. “Like it or not, for the next five years your home is here.”

“I, uh, yes.” Yuriko sighed.

“Why did you want to go there anyway?”

“Well, it was recommended to me by a senior and I heard I can earn more merits there.”

“Your goal of enlisting in Vagaris? Oh, if you’re aiming for a rec letter then you’re looking to be a commissioned officer.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Master Alfein shook her head and gestured with her glass. “Why so intent on Vagaris? You do realize that Sorceresses have better prospects in the Inner Planes, right? Vagaris focuses on the outside and the frontier.”

“But I’m not a Sorceress.”

“You have the capacity for it.”

“If you say so.”

“Hmmm, I know so.” Master Alfein nodded. “Well, I can’t stop you if you want to intern at Aegermonth but let me give you further reading so you don’t regress over the break.”

Master Alfein placed her glass on the desk and rummaged into the drawers before pulling out a slim book that was a third of an inch thick. Yuriko eyed it warily.

The title read, “Theories on Spellweaving”.

“You’ve done well with runescript but further progress on that needs only reading and memorisation. You can do some advanced reading on Spellweaving and by the next term, we can start on inducting you into the secrets of Sorcery.”

Yuriko eyed it warily, already anticipating several hours of headaches and nausea. The instructor took the form that Yuriko had offered when she entered the office, filled in a few details, and then signed off on it.

“Here,” she handed it over. “Oh, word of advice, I’d suggest you finish properly binding your artefact before you leave.”

“Yes, ma’am. Thank you,” Yuriko said gratefully.

It wasn’t until she had left and was halfway to Holtzer Hall that the other half of Master Alfein’s words registered in her head.

“How did she know?” Yuriko muttered before shaking her head. “Actually, it would be more unusual if she didn’t know I have Fri’Avgi.” It was a matter of public record, actually, since she already had the license.

But Master Alfein was mistaken. Yuriko had finished properly binding Fri’Avgi the first time she held it. Deepening her relationship with the artefact had been what she had been doing for the past weeks. After a couple of days trying to penetrate the vortex in the middle of the red gem, she had taken a step back and used her Animus strands to follow and explore the runic lines spread out across the length of Fri’Avgi.

Yuriko shook herself out of her reverie when she arrived at Holtzer. She followed the hallway to Student Affairs and submitted her volunteer form. She was given a packet of papers that detailed internship goals, equipment lists, requisition forms, and permission forms. The last one was needed to bring any personal weapons, Yuriko’s Plasma Caster, which had been checked into the Academy Armoury, along with any other Animatech weapons that students possessed.

“Let’s see, I’m allowed twenty Jin of baggage,” Yuriko muttered as she headed back to the Willow. The day before, she and Krystal had shopped for clothes, mostly Yuriko’s underwear and other spare clothing.

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“Reserve Cadet Officer uniform. Er, I only have one set,” Yuriko muttered. “Can I use spare forceweave clothing?”

She scanned down the list and found that, while it wasn’t explicitly forbidden, it was discouraged.

“Well, I don’t want to wear the same set of clothes for two weeks,” she muttered. What isn’t forbidden is allowed? Maybe she should ask Senior Kale about it. He’d been on many internship missions. Ah, she could write to him later.

“Cold weather gear is on the top of the list.”

The cold up north was no joke, according to the briefing letter. Well, she would bring her uniform cloak and maybe some thermal underwear? She didn’t need it here in Rumiga City since she only needed to add a layer over her usual clothes.

The Academic Roundabout and the roads were the only ones that were regularly cleared of snow. The precipitation so far has been once or twice a day, adding an inch or two of the frozen stuff every time. The pond and the streams in the Central Reserve had frozen completely all the way to the bottom. Every puff of her breath produced a plume of steam and the skies were often clouded. The Radiant Sun peeked out maybe a couple of minutes a day at most.

Faron’s Crossing and the western province didn’t experience this kind of Season of Water. The temperature dropped, sure, but not to the point where water froze outside. Truthfully, Yuriko had been somewhat worried how she would adapt to the coldest Season, just like how both of her elder brothers usually came down sick or bundled up with at least four layers of clothing. But she was quite toasty warm. Her core heated up her entire body at the cost of eating a bit more Animus than usual. So how bad would the Frozen North be for her?

Well, better be prepared anyway.

When she arrived at the Willow, she started packing her clothes. Colder weather means less sweating so clothes don’t need to be washed as much right? Oh yeah, Orrin and Braden were joining her, maybe they could use their Facets to repel dirt or draw out sweat from her clothes. Hmmm.

‘I probably shouldn’t,’ she thought. Well, she had the set she used during the training camp. It was blue instead of green but that couldn’t be helped.

She pulled out her duffle bag from the closet and started putting in her clothes. Camisoles, panties, and a set of brassieres she started wearing. The ones she bought were quite pricey, costing nearly half a gold mark per set. But they were worth it when she tried them on. It was made of forceweave, had runescript that regulated fit, support, and was quite breathable. It was so comfortable that it was easy to forget that she was wearing one.

That purchase drained her savings though.

“Er, I should hunt more Wyldlings, I suppose.”

Once her duffle was filled with her clothes, she filled her backpack with other necessities. She would leave tomorrow for Fort Aegermonth, and it would be a six-day trip.

“Ah, I have to tell Kato,” she muttered. “Well, let’s write to Senior Kale first.”

She quickly penned an inquiry then sent the messenger crane off. Then she wrote another one to Kato, asking if he could come to the Willow and help her pack.

About half an hour later, she received a messenger crane.

“Yuriko Mishala Davar

2nd Floor Suite One

The Golden Willow

Dear Miss Davar,

You can use whatever protective gear you want to use during internships. Though I’d suggest you order an extra set from student affairs to avoid this kind of issue next time. I’ll see you tomorrow at the dispatch and hope we have a fruitful internship.

Yours,

Kale Oona Kinnock”

“Well, that’s a relief,” Yuriko sighed.

A few minutes later, another crane came in through the crane window and alighted on top of her clothes pile. Hunter Kitty’s tail and whiskers twitched when he saw it. Yuriko raised a finger and glared at him, so he quickly settled back down and pretended that he hadn’t been planning mischief.

When she tapped the crane’s head, the letter was from Kato, who said he’d be around in an hour. Useless, actually, since she’d be done packing by then. She quickly penned a note saying so.

The crane came back to her fifteen minutes later with a note that only had a crude drawing of a face with the tongue sticking out. Yuriko rolled her eyes and tossed the unfolded crane on her desk and finished her packing.

“Hunter Kitty…” Yuriko said as she grabbed the lounging cat off her bed. He meowed in surprise but otherwise melted in her arms. “I’ll be gone for a while, alright? You be a good boy and I’ll see you in a few weeks!”

She squeezed the tomcat, though taking care not to crush him in her embrace. She’d miss the cuddly creature, and from his squeak of protest, he did so too. Or she squeezed too hard since he started flailing around.

“Ehehehe.”

Well, there weren’t any other things she needed other than to retrieve her Plasma Caster, which she should actually do now. The transport would leave early tomorrow and she had to report at Vinze Hall an hour before dawn. She released the cat from her grip and hurried on with the rest of her preparations.

_____

“You wish to apply as a volunteer to Fort Aegermonth?” The woman eyed Lukas doubtfully. “As what?”

“Er, menial labour, as a messenger or whatever is needed, ma’am.”

“Mister, er…” she glanced down at his forms, “...Nadir, was it. It says here that you aren’t a student at the academies but you’re…oh!” Her eyes widened then softened. “I see, your sister needs treatment, huh.” She sighed. “Oh, very well, but I hope you understand that Aegermonth is not a safe posting.”

“I do, ma’am, but I need about eight hundred more merits for my sister’s treatment.”

“I see. Well, Aegermonth would be a good place to do that but only if you can defend yourself.” Her eyes narrowed. “Aren’t you still a Novice?”

“No, ma’am, I progressed to Apprentice late last season.”

“Oh, your records aren’t updated.” She stared down at the crystal screen. “Here, fill out this form and submit it to update. As for your application, I guess I’ll grant it. But do take care, young man.”

“Thank you for the concern,” Lukas said with a small smile while internally, he held back curses. His sister’s fate had been impacted by the Chaos Storm and his own carelessness but the way to cure her didn’t really cost more than some time for a healer.

He found that out from Master Mazer when he brought up the need to earn merits and the man casually mentioned it. All the while, Lukas had thought that helping Kiruna would have needed rare materials, maybe rarefied jade or other things from the Chaos, but no, a skilled healer was enough. A Knight with the appropriate knowledge or Facet. There was no shortage of such people in Lunette Academy.

The merits would even go to the healer to spend as they wish. In essence, they were forcing Lukas to work his life away.

“I could ask a healer to do it,” Mazer had said, “but it will cost gold.”

Gold coins when he struggled to earn silvers. No, at least earning merits was easier mainly because he had access to jobs that paid more than anything he could earn from Mazer’s Emporium. Well, he actually had the man’s, and by extension, the Council’s approval to do this.

Part of his duty was to infiltrate the enemy’s workings and gather information. Now that he’d advanced and unlocked another aspect of his Heritage, he was far more useful.

Lukas left the hall and hurried back to their home. He hadn’t told Kiruna that he was going away yet. And he wasn’t looking forward to facing reproachful looks and almost tears. Master Mazer agreed to provide for her, and Aengus would look in every day. She would be safe.

At least, he hoped she would be. He wasn’t sure of his own safety but if he wanted the chance to see her cured before her Atavism Ritual, he needed to take risker jobs. He only hoped he was up to it.