“Surely, you can’t be that arrogant,” Turngood said shakily.

“Arrogance is for the weak,” Raven replied. “This is an official challenge of honor, granted to me by the guardian Panka. You are unable to refuse me without cause. And I doubt you could refuse a challenge that… favors you so greatly.”

“What are the stakes?” Cooley asked in a guarded tone.

“I have presented six-thousand crowns, thirty times normal tuition. Is money no longer acceptable collateral?” He looked at Fyre, who smirked. Raven raised a finger. “I shall control the order of the duels and they shall commence over a one-day period, but if I lose even one of the seven matches, you keep the money and I leave Nine Star without credentials, regardless of my academic marks, which I assure you will be perfect.”

“And if you win?”

“Once I defeat all seven of you, I will officially be honored by the school as the greatest student to ever grace these grounds. A monument will be built to commemorate the occasion.”

Czeslaw’s brow furrowed. “That’s it? This whole thing is just about your ego?”

“They have no idea,” Rue said. Raven could imagine her shaking her head.

Fyre held up her hands and shrugged. “I guess we have no choice then.”

“But this will reach the Titan’s ears!” Master Smith pleaded.

“Yes, it will, but it would draw his attention even more if we refused.”

Smith slumped in his seat. Several others did likewise. Fyre, however, stood and lifted her hand toward the wooden beam. One of the copper spheres in the eagles’ beaks popped out and floated toward her. She snatched it from the air before sitting back down.

“Let’s get this over with,” she said. “Write down on a slip of paper the challenge you will test Raven Whitesong with.” She looked down at him. “I’m sure you will allow us a bit of time to think about it?”

Raven folded his arms. “Proceed.”

At that moment, an idea seemed to pop into Master Czeslaw’s head, because he grinned wickedly. He turned to Master Turngood, who must have understood, because he also began to smile with delight. They each took slips of paper and pandora pens from their podiums and scribbled their challenges. They compared them to each other’s, snickered with glee, and passed them down to Fyre before looking back at Raven with levity.

Raven barely regarded them. He looked back and forth between all the masters as they considered their duels. Forir and Cooley were careful, covering their papers as if sure Raven could see what they wrote down. Smith could barely sit, let alone come up with a proper challenge, so nervous was he about the whole matter. And Bastille began to meditate, disregarding everything else around him.

Fanny Fyre, on the other hand, kept her full attention on Raven. Eyes danced with curiosity, and her smile lacked even a hint of anxiety. Raven had to admit, he had not expected her confidence. Being the youngest and least experienced of the seven masters, she was supposed to be the least of his problems.

“Don’t underestimate girls,” Rue whispered.

Raven sniffed. He didn’t need to be told that. Not after being acquainted with Noelle Rose for so many years.

Finally, the remaining masters wrote down their challenges and passed them down to Fyre. She, also, quickly wrote something down. Folding the parchment up, she stacked it with the other six. She then took the copper sphere and squeezed it between two hands. The metal split down the middle before popping open with a crackle of sparks. She placed the seven challenges inside the hollow space before squeezing the two halves together again. The metal molded together into a solid sphere, then shot out of her hands to replace itself inside the eagle’s mouth.

“Well, there you have it,” Fyre said. “One year the challenges will wait. No one will be able to open it until that time.”

“This… is a horrible day,” Smith lamented.

“Quite the contrary!” She smiled with sincere joy and looked back down at the boy who caused all their trouble. “I think this is going to be fun. On behalf of the seven masters, welcome to Nine Star Academy… Rogue Raven.”

He bowed slightly before turning and making for another set of doors. He pulled it open, and the masters all began to pack their things, unraveling themselves from their collective daze.

“Oh, by the way,” Raven said, turning back to look at them. “You still have one more student waiting to be enrolled. He’s probably freezing by now.”

And with that, Raven strolled out of the Ilias Drome.

“That went almost exactly as expected,” he said as he stepped into the cold.

“The Titan will definitely hear about it,” Rue replied.

“But not for a while. It’s time to get to work.”

He found himself in the massive pool courtyard. The sprawling grounds of the academy consumed the southeast corner of Roespeye. A city in its own right, Nine Star was most noted for containing Roespeye’s pool. Panka’s Well sat in the middle of the open court, a rounded repository surrounded by a short stone wall three spans high. A tapered shelter of wood covered the pool. The appearance of it was modest, especially by the standards of the other pools in the realm of Fallowreyk. But Panka’s Well possessed special draw, too. For Roespeye’s great spring didn’t emerge from the earth. Rather, its mighty waters returned to the earth.

Raven had noticed there was no snow. He looked up into the drab sky to witness the city’s never-ending cocoon of white. By the force of great Hydra, all the snowfall was consumed in a drift of quiet wind that gathered and drove toward the pool, forming a cone of hurtling snow so wide, it eclipsed half the city. As a result, no snow coated the paths or structures of the institute. It never did.

The gentle snow drifts were sucked into the tip of the pool’s pointed roof. And beneath the roof, the snow became water that poured like rain into what appeared to be an empty well. A long line of people stood in the cold, waiting for their turn to drink. A priest of the Holy One stood on the short stone staircase, holding his arm under the waterfall. A ladle in his hand collected enough of the water, then he would hold it out for the next person in line to drink or to sprinkle on a baby. Raven knew this would go on all day, with the priest relieved by others throughout the afternoon. Only those born to Roespeye could drink from the well. It was plain water to anyone else, but to those granted Panka’s gift, it provided the power of Hydra, and with it, the ability to change the world.

Nine clock towers surrounded the courtyard, immense in structure and design. Each clock featured a golden pendulum bob that chimed pleasantly, loud enough to be heard deep into the city, but not so thunderous as to bombard those in the courtyard. Eight of the towers worked in sync so that each pendulum chimed every few seconds, creating a never-ending round designed to instill focus in the students.

But Tower Nine, called Funny Tower, did away with such devices. The tricks of Roespeye’s guardian were everywhere, and this tower proved to be no different. While the other clocks worked in harmony, Panka’s chime worked against them, random in its timing. Of course, Raven didn’t like the word “random.” Just listening to the clock tower’s chaotic chime, he could hear the intelligent playfulness. The gong would sound off at the most opportune times to disrupt the harmony of the other eight. Sometimes, chiming a hundred times in a round, and other times, none. It would mirror some chimes, making them noisy, and for others, Panka’s chime would toll right before the next in line.

Raven liked this mischievous attribute of Nine Star Academy. But in a year’s time, he would end Panka’s trick for good. In fact, his entire scheme depended on it.

“What’s the first step?” Rue whispered.

Raven looked around, sifting through the many locals and students milling about the courtyard. “First, I need to find our Hydra supply. Then, we’ll find our room.”

“You’re actually going to stay in the dormitories?”

“I think not. I have a special room in mind. A place even the teachers won’t be able to find me. But it’s a treacherous place, and I’ll need to have a source handy before I attempt to find it.”

“I feel someone close by. I think he was on our list.”

Glancing aside, he spotted what she noticed. At the north end of the courtyard, three older students surrounded a fourth, a boy Raven recognized. An obvious and unhindered bout of bullying was taking place that everyone in the vicinity expertly ignored. The largest of the trio finally shoved their quarry to the ground.

“Hey, hey, hey.” The lanky victim slowly got up. He winced and rubbed his butt. “I gave you what I have, didn’t I?”

The boy didn’t appear threatened, despite being surrounded. In fact, his lack of concern was nearly palpable. A wave of golden brown hair cascaded over his forehead. He wore beige and black attire that must have been customized, for his jacket and pants featured strange pockets and metallic clasps. A raggedy piece of canvas served as a makeshift cloak, and a brown scarf wound around his neck.

“Shut it, Van,” the lead bully growled with a satisfied grin. He held a pandora in his hand. “I haven’t shaken you loose yet.”

“I swear that’s all I’ve got on me,” Van replied with a casual shake of his hand. “You’ve taken the only ‘dora I have claim to in this world, Khern.”

“Yeah right. You have a Class Two, and I’m expected to believe that? Grab him.”

The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

His two lackeys seized Van’s arms.

“You there!”

The four boys looked in Raven’s direction. He had swiftly approached and now stood just paces away. Raven looked directly at Van. “Follow me. I have need of your services.”

He then turned and began making his way to the pool without another word. Khern and his lackeys stood with stupefied expressions. Van, likewise, was surprised.

Khern recovered in time to grunt back, “Hey!”

Raven did not stop, forcing Khern to run after him.

“Hey, you! I’m talking to you. Don’t walk away from me.”

He grabbed Raven by the shoulder and swung it back, forcing him to face him. An electric surge ran up his arm. Raven looked up at Khern, eyes alight with sudden clout, vivid as the Lamgard sun.

“What the…?”

Before Khern could utter another word, his body slammed into the ground by an invisible force. Twelve pairs of black, feathery wings emerged behind Raven, collecting into an even larger pair that stretched high above him. Pressure built higher and higher, and Khern screamed as his body was bombarded by the weight, driving him into the stone. The ground cracked and fissured. A crater formed, digging deeper into the earth. Blood pooled from Khern’s mouth as his bones were slowly crushed. He gasped, fading into unconsciousness.

Raven raised his arm, eyes glowing white hot.

“Don’t… touch… me.”

And then it was over. The sounds of pounding earth and snapping bones ended, and the wings disappeared. Raven’s eyes turned lifeless gray, and Khern lay in a span-deep crater, half-way to dead. Nearly everyone in the courtyard was frozen in horror. A few ran off to find help.

“You overdid it, Raven!” Rue whispered fearfully.

“Actually, I did just enough,” he replied.

He looked straight ahead. Standing near the door to the Ilias Drome was Master Forir, gazing back at him with hard eyes. Bushy eyebrows furrowed with anger and disbelief.

“You,” Raven said, not taking his eyes off Forir.

There was silence before Van, who stood nearby, replied hesitantly. “Are… are you talking to me?”

“Yes.”

Van approached, looking at Khern with wide eyes. “Is he dead?”

“He’ll be fine… probably. I’m sure there’s a Saphian nearby.”

“You’re just going to leave him?”

“Yes. Now, follow me.” Raven turned, making for the now deserted pool.

Van made a quick decision. He jumped into the crater and took back his stolen pandora from Khern Davies. “Sorry, pal. Wrong place, wrong time.” Jumping back out, he took off after Raven, falling in line behind him.

“So, Raven, was it?”

Raven stopped. “How do you know my name?”

“I know a lot of things.” Van put an arm around Raven’s shoulder. “I’m a guy who knows stuff.”

Raven looked at Van’s arm. His eyes narrowed.

“Ah,” Van said, slowly taking it off. “That was a really dumb thing I just did there, wasn’t it? I mean… you just destroyed that guy back there not five ticks ago for touching you, and here I am, doing the exact same thing.” He slowly backed away, looking truly fearful for the first time. “I’d appreciate if you wouldn’t kill me.”

“And you are Vanyard.”

Relieved, he bowed with emphasis and a wave of his hand. “Vanyard von Sephim. People call me Van. Brand new student. Long-time resident.”

“As I said,” Raven continued, ignoring his antics. “I have need of your service.”

Van backed away, clasping his hands together as if praying. “I can’t say I’m interested in following you anywhere after the display you just put on. So, I’ll just be on my way.”

“You’re a coward.”

He frowned. “That’s a bit much to say to a fellow you just met.”

“Very well. You’re probably a coward.”

“That’s… better? Anyway, I’m sorry you had to make a scene on my behalf. Wasn’t really necessary. But this whole place is about to be swarming with the law, so I’m going to leave now. Catch you later, shorty.”

He began scurrying away.

Raven called out, “It wasn’t necessary because you were putting on an act, right?”

Van froze.

Tilting his head, Raven smirked. “By the way, the item you think you stole from me just now won’t get you much in trade.”

Van whirled and reached inside his jacket, producing the sack he pick-pocketed from Raven’s robes. A few dozen pebbles lay inside. He looked up to find Raven holding three pandora.

“It was an act so you could steal these from Khern, right?” he finished.

Van quickly patted his pocket and found it empty of the cards Raven stole. He smiled, running a hand through his hair. “Okay, now you’ve got my attention. But if you’re a better pick than I am, what do you need me for?”

“Let’s leave this place first. As you said, the courtyard is about to be occupied by undesirables.”

Van nodded aside. “Funny Tower.”

They quickly exited the square, hurrying to the brick tower closest to the pool. The guardian’s clock tower was a wonder to behold. Devoid of any sort of doors, the wide, open hall had been crafted by the finest builders. The clock’s chaotic chime echoed divinely in the open hall, where students loitered without a care in the world.

And in the center of the tower, the great puzzle was found. As Raven and Van entered the main pavilion, they looked up at Panka’s Riddle in awe. A mighty slab of gold-plated steel, forty spans high and thirty spans wide, stood erect in the center of the hall. Protruding from the face of it were various golden statues of warriors and other figurines on metal beams that ran along grooves, like tracks. The nine pieces were currently situated in a random formation. Some of the tracks glowed with soft light, while others did not. An etched phrase in ancient dialect ran across the top of the slab.

Before the puzzle, a podium was erected that featured a similar setup: a miniature copy of the slab with models corresponding to the statues on the tracks. A golden lever was positioned beside the map. The whole of Panka’s Riddle and the podium was surrounded by a blue seal of sorcery. Other students occupied the sanctuary, studying Panka’s Riddle from a distance and quietly working out ways to solve it, but no one dared to cross the blue line.

Raven stared intently at the immense rectangular slab of gold. He produced a small box from his robes and reached inside the package, taking a piece of chocolate, which he ate with zeal.

“Erelticus zentor su vinus,” he said, reading the script on the slab. “At the beginning, find the end.”

“Everyone knows that,” Van replied. “Not much of a clue to the puzzle, though.”

Raven smiled, but didn’t reply.

“So now…” Van said, turning to him. “What do you want from me? And what are you offering in return?”

He didn’t answer. He continued to eat his candy while staring up at the puzzle. At that moment, a student nervously approached the blue border. Those close enough to see him realized what was happening and became excited, and a whispering torrent soon filled the hall. The boy stepped over the seal, which abruptly turned red. He stepped up onto the podium, and shouted in a shaky voice: “I will solve Panka’s Riddle!”

The boy commenced to work on the podium map, taking hold of the miniatures and moving them along the tracks. As he did, the corresponding statues on the gold slab moved as well. With riotous clacks, they slid along the grooves, leaving tracks of light in their wake. When statues crossed another path of light, it cut off that source, darkening the track.

He worked for over twenty minutes, sweat dripping from his brow. But no matter what he seemed to do, the statues and tracks of light remained in chaos. The other students waited with bated breath. Some even cheered him on, but it soon became obvious he did not know how to solve the puzzle. Eventually his shoulders slumped, and he backed away from the podium. Taking a deep breath, he stepped back over the red line, which turned back to blue. The moment he did, a blaring gong filled Raven’s hearing, and a magnified voice spoke from some unknown source, as if it was directly in his ear.

“Stephon Salinode, please report to Master Czeslaw’s quarters immediately!”

Stephon’s shoulders slumped further, and he trudged out of the puzzle room to face his punishment.

Raven snickered, shaking his head before popping another chocolate in his mouth.

“Don’t tell me you plan on trying to solve the puzzle,” Van said. “The kid had good sense to give up and accept punishment from the school instead of Panka. Pulling that lever is suicide. I don’t care who you are.”

“I need a partner,” Raven replied. “Someone who can aid me in my various endeavors for the year.”

“‘Various endeavors,’ huh? Sounds a bit sketchy. Want to fill me in on a few more details?”

“Not yet, but at the moment, I only have you in mind for two specific tasks. The others will present themselves as the days progress.”

“You’re going to have to do a little better than that. I don’t even know you, and you’ve already shown you’re more capable than I will ever be.”

“Sometimes schemes require partners. You sell yourself far too short. I have seen your skill, and I know your reputation in the city by name alone. It will more than serve my purpose.”

“Ah, so we’re partners now.” Van chuckled. “And if I agree to help you, what do I get in return?”

Raven finished the chocolate and stashed the empty box away. “Whatever you wish.”

“Anything?”

He nodded.

Van issued a rascally grin and rubbed his hands together. “Well, let’s see then. If you’re going to give me anything.” He began to pace, and Raven could almost see the various possibilities running through his head. Finally, he stopped and faced Raven with an imperious smile.

“I want four things. Three I want now. The fourth is a service I request over the course of our… partnership, as you have taken to calling it.”

Raven barely reacted. “Name your requests.”

“First, as a sign of good faith, I’ll get back my ‘dora now.”

He held out his hand, and Raven obliged, taking out the three pandora he pick-pocketed and returning them. Van looked them over with content before stashing them away.

“Mind you, I’m not really a thief,” he said, sweeping a hand through his hair. “I just take my revenge in special ways. Khern is a notorious bully, so taking his ‘dora will ruin him and send him packing from the academy… if he survives.”

“I know.”

Van frowned. “It’s unsettling that I believe you.”

“What else?”

“Second, I want to know what that power was that you used on Khern. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

“You value knowledge,” Raven replied with interest. “Excellent. Very well, I will show you.” He held up his arm, and a pandora floated out of his sleeve. Snatching it with two fingers, Raven held up the card with black wings and a twisted halo.

“Class Eight pandora, Rue the Day.”

His eyes widened. “Class Eight? Holy wild! I’ve never even seen a Class Six!” He came closer, inspecting it. “Wow. I can feel the clout coming from it. What does it do?”

“Rue emits extraordinary gravitational pulses. She can create short-term offensive bursts or defensive barriers. A magnificent soul.”

“Incredible. Not a great name though.”

Rue harrumphed in Raven’s ears. “How rude!”

Raven tucked away the card. “What else?”

Van stood up straight again. “My third request is more of a stipulation: I’m not a slave, Whitesong, and I won’t be doing your laundry or homework or any other menial tasks. If that’s what you’ve had in mind, then you can forget it. And if we’re partners, that means if I scratch your back, you scratch mine. I’m not the smartest guy in the world, but I know a powerful ally when I see one. It’s the only real reason I’m even considering this. This school is more dangerous than people are willing to admit. You’re the walking definition of a deterrent.”

“Very well. What else?”

“Fourth…” Van stepped back, wandering closer to the seal and looking uncertain for the first time. “My last request will seem odd, but I find myself in a bit of a quandary and needing help.”

Raven raised a hand. “You would be surprised what I am capable of achieving. My knowledge exceeds that of any of the masters. Tell me.”

Van rubbed his face. “What do you know about women?”

Raven blanched. Rue giggled in his ears.

“You can’t be serious,” he said.

“Hey, I didn’t ask for commentary. Do you know how to win the heart of a woman or not?”

“I have a working knowledge of the way women generally think and behave. I am betrothed, after all. To someone I have known since I was young.”

Van frowned. “I guess that’s the best I can expect. My fourth request is that you help me win the affections of a certain girl. I won’t demand success, but I’ll expect full effort.”

Raven’s eyes narrowed. “This is a stupid request. Why are you asking for this? It’s certainly not normal.”

His shoulders slumped. “You’re right about that. You said I was a coward. Well, truth is, you’re right. I may look confident on the outside, but I just don’t like confrontations. It’s just not me, my man. I really like this girl, but I’ll never be able to simply walk up, introduce myself, and ask her, well… anything. Especially considering she’s something really special. I need a scheme. And like you said, sometimes schemes require partners.”

Raven sniffed in amusement. “Well stated.” He sighed in resignation. “Very well, we have an agreement, Vanyard von Sephim. I will help you win this girl’s affections.”

He held out his hand. Van looked at it a moment before smiling and shaking.

“It’s a deal, short stuff.”

“No more short jokes.”

Van cleared his throat, tugging at his scarf. “Got it. So… what do we do now?”

“First, we need a base of operations. Meet me tonight in the courtyard by the pool.”

“Your room in the dormitories will have already been allotted to you. If you haven’t already been expelled, that is.”

Raven smirked. “I have no intention of living there. I have some place else in mind. A room that’s just a little more… special.”