'Ya look a little nervous, lad.' Dejarum combed a hand through his mess of spiky hair, sending jagged locks jutting out at random angles. He was sat at a stone table in his office with Spencer sat opposite him on a wooden stool.

Spencer bit down a grimace. The hard surface of the stool made his bottom sore, which - combined with the overwhelming heat from the bubbling and frothing potions dotted around the room and the candlelit chandelier - made him very uncomfortable.

'Ya're probably wonderin' why I brought ya in 'ere,' Dejarum continued. 'Ya see, with all the talk that's spinnin' 'round, I had to get a chance to see things for myself. As Potions Master and Deputy-Head of the Academy, it's always good if I can get a hands-on experience of things, not just relying on hearsay and rumours. My husband may the Gossip Queen, but I much prefer hard facts.'

Spencer gulped. That means another test...

'No, don't worry, it's not another test,' said Dejarum as he reached towards the cauldron on his desk, which was spewing clouds of the same noxious smoke that had greeted Spencer at the door, and stirred the contents with his finger. He murmured some unintelligible words, and the smoke dissipated. There was a quiet grumble as the white contents of the cauldron began bubbling.

'Don't look so off,' said Dejarum. He pointed at the cauldron. 'Inside this cauldron is a Farseer's potion, one from the Khai-strand of Foresight*. Specifically, it is the Potion of Luxus. a potion of world truth.'

Spencer frowned. 'World truth?'

Dejarum nodded. 'I ask questions, and it gives me "yes" and "no" answers by smoke and bubbles. Ya see, when ye came to the door, I had just asked, "Does my wife love me?" - a very obvious "no". The cauldron spewed that beautiful-smelling smoke to indicate the answer - unfortunately, a great deal more smoke than I was expecting...' His voice trailed off.

'Anyway.' He shook himself. 'I then asked, "Am I wearin' pink socks?" And if ya'd like ta confirm-'

Spencer recoiled as Dejarum raised his leg onto the table. He was hit full in the face by the stench of sweaty feet. Dejarum pulled up his trouser leg, revealing he was, indeed, wearing pink socks - neon-pink socks, so dazzling and bright Spencer didn't know how he'd missed them.

'And now the cauldron's back ta bubblin'.' Dejarum pushed down his trouser leg and pulled his leg off the table. 'The only caveat is, of course, that the Potion of Luxus is not omniscient - though it is close. So whatever we learn, we must take wi' a grain of salt. Now, ta ya feet, lad.'

Spencer nodded and got to his feet, rubbing his sore backside. He stepped towards the cauldron.

'Now,' Dejarum began, turning to stare at the cauldron as it bubbled away. 'I'm sure it should still be workin', but let's give it a last-minute test.' He cleared his throat, placing a hand on Spencer's shoulder. 'Is this lad Spencer Jackson?'

The contents in the cauldron stilled. After a few seconds, the liquid resumed its bubbling, indicating a "yes" answer.

Dejarum nodded. 'Still workin'. Now then.' He returned to staring at the cauldron. 'Did Spencer Jackson beat Sensei Akira Kiichi's Pulsar Hold?'

Again, the liquid stopped bubbling and fell still for only a brief moment, before it restarted its churning and frothing.

Dejarum paused, glancing at Spencer. 'Is it true what the other Khai sorcerers say, that Spencer Jackson is a prodigy?'

The liquid stopped bubbling. Spencer crinkled his nose as it burped a plume of smoke, then fell still. The surface of the liquid remained calm and smooth, undisturbed, then repeated the pattern: it spewed bubbles, then smoke, then fell still. After a few seconds of this pattern, Dejarum glanced at Spencer, then returned to staring at the cauldron. He tightened his white kimono around himself.

After the pattern had been repeated for a full minute, Dejarum, trying to comb his hair with his hands into an acceptable style, turned back to face Spencer. 'I don't believe it. How intriguin'. I've only ever heard about this sorta thing in books and the like, but I've never seen it first-hand. The potion is undecided.'

He frowned, looking back at the liquid, which bubbled, smoked, then fell calm. 'Interestin'...Aye, very interestin'...' He looked up at Spencer. 'Ya're an interestin' lad, Spencer, ta mix-up a Potion of Luxus.'

He sighed. 'Anyway, that leaves us with only the final question.' He gazed intently at the cauldron, which still, several minutes after he had uttered the question, remained still and silent. 'Does Spencer Jackson have a high potential as a Khai sorcerer?'

Upon hearing the question, Spencer's skin prickled. His heartbeat quickened. No, it's irrelevant, he reminded himself. No matter how great or how minimal your potential is, you will not be here to see it. Once you pass the Basic Trial and have learned enough to offer rudimentary defence to your family against the Qualms, then you must return home. Mum will be worrying, as mums always do.

But still, even as these thoughts ran through his mind, he found himself watching the liquid in the cauldron intently, keen eyes searching for even the barest shiver or ripple on the liquid's surface. His mouth felt dry, like sandpaper. His heart pounded.

The liquid remained still.

Spencer and Dejarum exchanged a quizzical glance, then returned their eyes to the cauldron. Still the liquid remained still.

Dejarum frowned. 'Luxus should never remain still for this long. Unless...' He turned to Spencer and a look of realisation crossed his face. 'Unless we have found one of the world truths which Luxus does not know...' He shook his head. 'This happens very rarely - only two world truths haven't been answered by the Potion of Luxus this century.' He sighed, shoulders slumping. 'Well, that's a shame, lad. I was eager ta know what ya potential was. Akira is a strong sensei, a strong practitioner of Khai sorcery, yet you were able to break free of his Pulsar Hold. Yet, I wonder-'

He was interrupted by a knock on the door.

Dejarum gestured at Spencer. 'Open it for me, would ya, lad?'

Spencer nodded and pulled open the door to reveal a hard-faced man in a yellow kimono. Emblazoned on the yellow fabric were purple flowers. Spencer noticed with a slight frown he wasn't carrying his signature cane with him - the cane he had found himself on the wrong side of repeatedly the last three months.

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

'Speak of the devil!' Dejarum clasped his hands together in front of him. 'Sensei Akira, why're ya 'ere? Come in.'

Akira eyed Spencer warily, then stepped into the office. Approaching Dejarum, he bowed his head. 'Master Dejarum.' He paused at the sight of the Potion of Luxus - which remained still in the cauldron. He returned his gaze to Dejarum. 'I have come to see the boy. I haven't seen him since he fought me - since he beat me.' Spencer would have been a fool to miss the sudden stiffening of Akira's back as he murmured the last sentence.

Dejarum nodded. 'Very well. What do ya want ta say? Be warned that I am short on time; I had to squeeze this meeting between a potions class and knitting time.' He looked Akira up and down. 'I think I'll make a nice scarf ta go wi that kimono of yars, Akira.' He smiled.

Akira didn't smile back, though Spencer swore he saw the man's face twist slightly, as if he was holding back a smile. Spencer frowned. He'd never seen Akira smile - no less restrain himself from smiling.

'And, Master Dejarum, do you mind if we borrow the office for a private chat?'

'Of course,' said Dejarum, striding out of the room, humming. The door shut with a soft thud behind him.

Akira turned sharply to face Spencer. 'Are you alright, boy?' he asked gruffly.

Spencer nodded. 'Yes, Sensei.'

Akira's face softened and split into a smile. If Spencer wasn't uneased before, he was now. He shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot, looking uneasily at the sensei.

'What did you want with me?' Spencer asked.

'I promised my master - Master Dejarum - that I would take care of you.'

'With all due respect,' Spencer began. 'There's no need, Sensei. Master Dejarum has assigned Ms. Lois Vixen to look after me.'

Akira's eyes narrowed and he shook his head, his broad smile splitting his formerly-hard-faced persona like an axe driving through wood. 'I never said I was looking after you.' Akira laughed, and a demonic tint came to his eyes, and soon his whites were drowned in shadow.

Akira's voice took on a deep tone, echoing through the room. 'I said "take care of you", and that is what I shall do.'

He raised his hand, and where Spencer expected there to be a tanned-skin hand, there was only purple mottle and claws, shining like knifeblades in the candlelight. At once, an icy chill bolted down Spencer's spine. He shivered, returning his gaze to Akira's face, where instead of a hard-faced Japanese warrior, he saw purple skin on a diamond-shaped head, three eyes, glinting red like rubies, and a huge mouth of jagged teeth.

The rest of the being's body was thin - disproportionate to its head - and it suddenly rose itself to its full height, nearly twice as tall as Spencer was. It raised four clawed hands into the air and hissed. Its slender tail flickered amongst its stick-thin legs, like a snake slinking amidst the trunks of two purple trees.

Spencer gasped and stepped back, eyes widening, heart pounding. His throat felt as dry as a desert, as dry as dry ice. 'I know what you are - you're a Manifestation!'

The creature smiled and cackled, 'Yes. I am. My master - my Qualm master - ordered me to finish what he could not do before: kill the Jackson family! I know not my master's motives, only his bidding, which I will exact to its fullest!'

It swiped for him, its gangly fingers reaching out towards him. Spencer tried to dodge, but the claws caught his midsection. Blood poured from the wound. Spencer collapsed to the floor, gasping for breath. He glared up at the Manifestation as it bore down on him, grinning madly.

'My master killed your father,' the Manifestation crooned. 'He will soon kill your mother and your siblings too - and I will kill you!'

Spencer gritted his teeth and kept his gaze fixed on the Manifestation as it readied itself to swipe at him. He would not die a coward, that he refused to let happen. He roared at the top of his lungs, raising his hands to shield himself, no matter how futile such an action would be.

As the claws neared, a fire lit in his eyes and a voice inside his head boomed, I will not die today!

A bang came from the door, and it was flung open. Out sped a yellow blur. Spencer's eyes had barely registered the blur before it rushed at the Manifestation. There was a dull clank as the blur's cane struck the Manifestation's clawed hand as the hand reached for Spencer, burying the clawed hand in the floor. Claws caught fast in the stone, the Manifestation shrieked.

Raising his cane, Sensei Akira cast Spencer a quick glance and nodded. His eyes fixed back on the Manifestation with a hard glare. He held his cane afore him like a katana and fixed himself into a defensive stance.

'Calm doon,' said Dejarum as he walked into the room, not even glancing at the Manifestation caught in his floor. He was bouncing a glass bottle in his hand, filled with a pale-blue liquid. His trousers wafted about his ankles, his neon-pink socks shining bright from his feet. 'It's only an F-Class Stalker Manifestation***, nothin' ta get worked up about.'

He took a position like that of a baseballer preparing a throw, and flung the the glass bottle at the Manifestation. The glass smashed against the spindly figure. As glassy shards showered down upon the stone floor, pitter-pattering like rain, the blue liquid splashed the Manifestation. Bolts of electricity sparked across the Manifestation's body. It squealed, raising its head to the ceiling as if expecting some divine intervention to come and save it.

Then it collapsed, thudding against the stone.

Akira, his face still hard as steel, lowered his cane back to his side, eying the Manifestation warily. Dejarum stepped towards it, raising his hands over its head. He crossed his index fingers and muttered some words in Khailas**. The Manifestation screamed as orange lines of fire appeared across its body, criss-crossing it like rivers and borders on a map. Slowly but surely, the Manifestation's body was burned away, leaving only a small pile of soot and a hole where its claws had pierced the stone floor.

Dejarum pointed at the hole and the pile of soot and muttered some more words of Khailas. The bottom of the hole rose like the water level of a bowl of water underneath a running tap, until the hole was filled in. A sudden gust of wind blew through the room, blowing the soot through the window.

Akira turned to Spencer, and without saying anything, placed a hand on his wound. Spencer immediately felt a warm sensation on his stomach, not unlike the sensation he'd felt when the old man, Vesner Yorgbraag, had touched his shoulder earlier in the hall of the Academy. The wound stopped bleeding and hurting, but there still remained a thick gash in his skin.

'That'll definitely scar,' Akira murmured, pulling him roughly to his feet. 'I'm sorry you had to see that. The Manifestation snuck up on me, took me by surprise-'

'If an F-Class Manifestation was able ta take ya out, then I'm worried,' Dejarum chimed in, stepping towards them and ruffling his hair to create a new alpine range atop his head. He cracked a grin. 'Especially as ya lost in a Pulsar Hold battle ta a rookie.'

'I didn't expect to be ambushed and impersonated while I was in the bath,' Akira replied dully. He turned to Spencer. 'Your win against me was well-deserved. It was a valiant effort, an example of excellence. However, the Pulsar strain is not where my best talents lie. No, in the arts of the Inferno strain are where I am at my peak, and if we had fought with Inferno abilities, no doubt the battle would have been my victory. Now, are you okay?' Even as Akira asked the question, his face remained hard and cold, betraying no emotion.

Spencer shrugged. 'I'm alright. Just a bit shaken. The Manifestation was sent by the same Qualm that killed my father.'

Akira nodded. 'Yes. I know all about that. Unfortunate incident. Your grandfather was here at the Academy when I started, and we kept in touch years after,' he added. 'I knew that Qualm. I knew him well. He was in my class for all three of my years training here.' He sighed, creasing his forehead and bowing his head.

'Who was he?' Spencer asked.

Akira picked up his gaze and looked sternly at them both - Spencer and Dejarum. 'His name is Oshiro Kiichi.' He paused. 'He's my twin brother.'

Spencer's eyes widened at the revelation, but he said nothing.

Akira sighed and faced his stony gaze towards Spencer. 'He's coming for you.'

'Indeed.' Dejarum stepped forward. 'We need ta get ya trained up quick so ya can protect yarself against him.'

And my family too, Spencer thought. 'The Manifestation said the Qualm was going to attack my family. We need to protect them!'

'Your grandfather is capable enough. He was my best student, after all,' said Dejarum as he turned and leapt towards the cauldron of Luxus sat on the stone table. Spencer's and Akira's eyes followed him.

The liquid remained still.