For just one second, life had made sense, and Garin had seen the rays of light. Then his soul cracked, and only he could hear it.

Hobb was already on the hunt, giving him no time to collect himself even though he'd cried out loud. He could only grit his teeth and step fully into his induction, focusing on the blurry rays of light.

Fortunately they were already within sight of the town when Hob caught up with him at last, otherwise the plan would have been doomed. Because in that moment, as he sensed his enemy's presence inch ever closer to him, he couldn't have cared less about the plan. Survival instinct kicked in and he let out a tiny growl.

Garin stopped short, and not only because the pain had spiked again, but because that growl was not normal. Not at all. And he was once again confused, an instinct to stay on the earth, and an instinct to hug the light, disappear between the rays and rain destruction on his enemies when they couldn't see him.

Hob kicked him from the back, and Garin offered no resistance this time, flying through the air like he weighed nothing.

Hob smiled, like the world finally made sense. And Garin was of the same mind. Someone that small should weigh that much at most.

He wanted to step out of the light state, but once he tried he felt like his body would break. There was a lot of residual energy he had to dispense. He'd never understood how to use the stationary rays of light before, but in that moment, even with his body on the verge of collapse he moved.

And Hob staggered back in shock. There was some kind of unified gasp from viewers he hadn't noticed before, but Garin only cared about capitalising on Hob's moment of hesitation.

His punch landed unhindered, and nothing happened. At the lower levels, the dances were no more than external tricks that aided one in addition to their own strength. Just then though, Garin had no more strength to give.

***

When he came back to, he was in a place he remembered for nothing good. It was here that his dreams had been crushed by a man who'd been the closest thing to a parent he'd ever had.

And he could hear his voice this time too. It was just his second time here, that he could remember, but Garin knew well the healer's voice. The third voice he knew all to well too.

"I told you, arch masters, I just want to ensure the boy is alright," Fedrahn argued.

"And I told you your presence is not required here. The boy will be removed from your—"

"That is not happening! I will speak to the friar if I have to. I've unknowingly caused the boy to be alienated from his peers. If I were to abandon him now, I would feel responsible. Besides, he is a child. Think about how he will feel."

"But all dancers are given lodgings inside the town. I'm sure—"

"I think these are extenuating circumstances, don't you? Let's allow the boy to choo..."

The rest of what he was about to say trailed off as the three men came into view, and realised their patient was awake.

Garin had stopped paying attention when they'd said something about a new dancer, though. Somehow the plan had worked. He didn't know what he'd done in those last moments, but it had been enough.

Arch master Daye sighed, but not in disappointment like Garin expected. He just seemed defeated, tired even.

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"So you've heard it all? Despite my best efforts, the friar managed to catch wind of the little incident at the edge of the woods today. You shall be allowed to attend training with your cohort. They've been training for a few weeks now, but according to rumours you're not too far behind, if not ahead of the pack already."

There was an inscrutable look on the man's face. A look that honestly scared Garin a little. He looked like he was trying to dissect Garin with his eyes.

Then he breathed deep and the look passed.

"So, will you stay in the dormitories with the other apprentices, or would you rather commute all the way from the beach? It is quite the distance."

He thought about it for a time, but really there was no question in his mind.

"I guess I'd rather commute. I want to stay with Fedrahn."

Fedrahn levied a satisfied smirk toward the arch masters as they winced.

"It's fine," Daye said. "Now that you have what you wanted scribe, care to let me talk to the child alone? You too Modin."

Fedrahn hesitated, looking to Garin with a vaguely calculating look. Garin for some reason knew he was looking for an excuse to deny the arch master's request. There was none however, so he reluctantly acquiesced.

Garin watched him leave, a frown taking shape on his face. There was something about Fedrahn...

"You like the man, don't you?" Daye asked, staring at Fedrahn too.

"Yes," Garin never even once thought of lying to the arch master.

"I guess that's good. But you should know, love sometimes acts to blind us."

"What do you mean?" Garin asked.

"Listen child, I'm a historian, and I know things. No one on this island has ever not learnt at least the induction to the dance, and I wanted to prevent you from learning even that much. I had a few suspicions, that your actions may have yet proven. I never intended to keep you ignorant. I just wanted you out of sight and out of mind for a while."

"What...do you mean?" Garin hated how feeble his voice sounded.

He'd felt like how garbage should feel when his hero had told he couldn't dance, but could there have been a reason? Was it perhaps for his own good.

The arch master rubbed his face in frustration.

"I saw you growing as a child. You didn't just grow physically, but mentally too. I'm sure you see the world differently from the rest of us. That at just six, you may carry the mental capacity of one three times your age. But you've been sheltered on this island.

"I wanted to train you in the dance when my turn at the dormitories was done. I would take you with me, and show you the world. Now that you've been exposed, I will have to dispense a lot of my resources to protect you. Please, Garin, I beg you. Try to hold back as much as possible."

Garin was even more confused now, but he supposed two of the people he trusted the most telling him to do something meant it was most likely the right thing to do.

****************

A few hours earlier, in a room on a dark corner of the island. Three arch masters had a great big row.

Daye was trying to defend his earlier decision, Goesh was crying foul, and the friar was just sitting there, lost in thought.

"He managed to vanish a whole half of his body, Daye! You can't honestly expect me to believe such a thing is considered normal—"

"Quiet!" the friar roared.

It was his first contribution to this particular meeting, and his words set the stage for the true discussion to begin, as they were supposed to.

"The only thing that concerns me is the report about the fight in the woods. Honestly, what this apprentice described sounded like..."

"The fabled earth dance," Daye snorted in derision. "The boy was clearly making excuses for his loss. He will be suspended from the advanced group."

"Still, those eyes of his. They are peculiar. Just like the stories about daemons and the like."

This time it was Goesch to snort. "Daemons! They had many coloured eyes, not just pale like those."

"And they were rumoured to grow tall, a lot taller than that runt will ever be," Daye added.

"Yes, but don't forget this second apprentice said something about his eyes glowing oddly once he finished the induction. ‘Not like ours glow, it was different’ he said."

Daye had nothing to say to that but Goesch had something. Only one thing that expressed what all three men knew must happen, but only one would oppose.

"Should we kill him?"

"What?!" Daye asked in outrage, even though he'd expected it, "he is just a boy!"

"A boy who is a threat to the balance of power on this island, perhaps the world at large."

Daye had been prepared for this outcome though. He shrugged, feigning nonchalance

"Maybe he is. But think about it for a second. What if he has daemon blood? We have never with our own eyes seen a daemon dancer before. What if he is something else entirely. We can...just push his execution until he is at the advanced level. We might learn something from studying him."

The two arch masters froze, their brows creasing in thought. They stared at each other in realisation.

"Is that why you tried to hide him from us in the beginning?" the friar asked.

Daye swallowed, and lied to the head of the island yet again.

In truth, he had no intention of letting them kill the boy. He couldn't warn Garin directly, but he could just stop him from progressing as fast as he knew he could.

Garin could cost through the ranks from beginner to advanced in a year. That was unprecedented, but so would be going from level to level every other year.

He just had to slow the boy down, buy some time for them both, and then he'd be ready for whatever the other arch masters would throw at them.