No one ever traveled outside the island, least of all the students.

Flipping through her magazine, Sasha saw all sorts of strange contraptions. A robot that could talk to fish. A dragon that danced across the sky. A telescope said to show off the realm of the dead. It was all fantasy. She knew that. But something about it always made her giddy. Placing a dollar on the counter, the panther let her mind wander on the possibilities, only glancing up when the cashier placed a receipt down in front of her.

He never once looked her way. The adults rarely did.

“I don’t see how you can keep reading that stuff, Sasha. Just makes me feel bad.”

She looked up to find a red-gray fox standing by the store’s entrance. Her black hair streaked with blue was the complete opposite of Sasha’s blue streaked with black.

“That's because you’re always looking at it wrong,” Sasha retorted. “You gotta take it as is, Cici. If you never get your hopes, you never get disappointed.”

The fox rolled her eyes. “That’s depressing.”

Sasha shrugged. If it kept her sane, what did it matter? Shoving the magazine in her backpack, she followed her slightly taller friend as the two set off from the comic shop. It was always the same route for them. Walking through a brightly lit street paved with gravel and palm trees. Letting the echo of their footsteps blend in with the constant back-and-forth of their conversations. Occasionally bumping into another student, but almost never seeing an adult outside a building.

The boys liked to joke the grown-ups were robots in disguise. Considering how her guardians acted, Sasha couldn't see the lie.

"Pff, swords are overrated," Cici said. "Everyone gets a stupid sword. I want me a big screw-off warhammer."

“You know those things weigh a ton, right?” Sasha pointed out.

“I’ll grow into it!”

“Naw, your noodle arms would break too fast."

The fox gave her a playful shove. "Eat a grub, ya' feline. You're worse than the boys."

Sasha smiled back, her gaze rising as they reached their destination. It was a steep climb. A few stories up, at least. But with enough patience and practice, even a child could make the journey. In fact, Sasha had taught the youngest of the boys how to dig their claws in. And she had yet to see anyone fall too far. It was safe enough the adults didn't mind.

"I'm telling you," Cici kept going. "I'm gonna walk across that stage with a warhammer, and you guys are gonna look really stupid with your swords."

"And what happens when someone else gets a warhammer, genius?" Sasha retorted.

"Then we fight to the death. Obviously. There can be only one warhammer master, Sash."

The panther rolled her eyes. If only her friend had the skills to match the attitude.

How many times did she have to bail Cici out in a fight? All those sparring matches with the boys. Those tournaments the academy liked to throw every now and again. Even when they were training as kids, the girl could barely lift a wooden sword, let alone a giant metal hammer. Fortunately, she wasn't the only one that had to look out for Cici.

“Hey, Iris!” the fox called when they both reached the top of the cliff.

A white face peeked out from the curtain, amber eyes narrowing at the both of them. She disappeared back inside the hunk of metal. And sulky’s sulking. Sasha shrugged. At the top of the hill, there sat a large skeletal piece of machinery. The frame was dented and chipped with holes that Sasha always assumed were meant for windows. From the outside, the thing had the appearance of metallic bones. But once you entered, the change was night and day.

A spacious room decorated with curtains, books, and blankets spread out before Sasha's eyes. Large planks of wood were scattered about to create their makeshift walls. Three bedrolls lay in different sections, one for each of the girls. Cici fell upon hers, her area mired with old toys and notebooks. Sasha pulled out her magazine, adding it to one of the many stacks in her section.

“You know those things weigh a ton, right?” Iris pointed out without looking up from her notes.

“That’s what I said,” Sasha chimed.

“Oh, you can both kick rocks!" Cici retorted. "You guys are just mad I’m gonna have the best Spirit Tool of them all.”

The fox waved her fist in the air, fire burning in her eyes. With such determination, surely even the gods would reconsider. Maybe she'd get a dagger.

“What about you, sulky?" Sasha asked. "We'll need a big one to make up for Warhammer.”

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A paper flew past her head. It missed by a long shot, but it wasn't difficult to find the culprit. She stuck her tongue out. That only seemed to make Cici more determined. The ensuing paper fight was the most brutal the two had engaged with in quite a few months. By the end of it, they were both buried in sheets and laughing their heads off.

As usual, Iris refused to participate.

In their rundown hideaway, the wolf had a section dedicated to her miscellaneous projects. There was always something. This month she had become obsessed with tracking changes in the weather. She had a whole catalog of books splayed around her, the walls covered in diagrams she either made herself or found through research.

“I think I might be on to something,” Iris started saying. “Hey Sasha, you said your denmate was near Likus Street when the comet fell, right?”

“Huh?" She unburied herself. "Um….I don’t know. I think so.”

“I’ll take that as a yes. Good.” Iris pulled a marker from behind her red hair, drawing a quick circle on one of the wall diagrams. “It’s gonna open up there, then. Oh, right. I’ll take a shield, I guess. You guys were talking about God Tools before, right?”

“Spirit Tools,” Cici was quick to correct.

Sasha groaned.

It was true they didn’t know per se whether their weapons came from spirits or from gods. In fact, they didn’t even know why they got the weapons in the first place. But what did any of that matter? A specialized tool that only you could use? Why would she ever want to deny something like that? You'd have to be stupid.

“Right,” Iris said, “God Tools. To be honest, I'm more curious as to what happens after we get them.”

“You mean when we graduate?” Sasha asked. “Pretty sure we just go off to wherever all the grads go.”

“Which is?”

“I don’t know. I’m not a grad.”

“My point exactly." Iris sat back against the wall.

“What if it's all just a smokescreen?” Cici sat up, the many paper balls falling away from her. “What if we get weapons just to work at a factory or some crap? What if we’re wage slaves?”

“Why would we need weapons for that?” Sasha asked. "Oh! What if we’re gonna be assassins?”

She squirmed at the idea despite the doubting gazes she got from both her friends. They could eat rocks for all she cared.

“I guess if you wanna believe that, I won’t stop you,” Iris said.

Sasha shot the nonbeliever a glare. The wolf smirked back. She was lucky. The Great War of South Island Hill had depleted all of Sasha's paper reserves. Her righteous fury would have to wait another day.

“That said..." Iris began to gather up her things. "I think I'm all studied out for the day. I'm gonna head home. I gotta be ready for tomorrow.”

“Oh?” Cici asked. “What, you finally letting Kenu take you out?”

Iris’s white fur turned a few shades redder. “That’s not what I’m talking about. Besides, I told you he’s not my type.”

“So you keep saying.”

Iris didn't respond. She gave a parting wave, and then she was out the curtain. Not even a full second passed before Cici turned Sasha's way, the panther trying to stifle her snicker. Iris always was a bad liar. At least they were nice enough to wait until after she was out of earshot. They weren't that bad.

***

By the time night rolled around, Sasha had long since returned home, reclining against the cushions of her designated bedroll. The snoring of her nine or so denmates drifted into white noise, her gaze fixated on the window. The stars dotting the sky were always a constant reminder. There was more out there than just the island. More than her home.

If only this graduation could hurry up. She sighed.

A streak of white flew across the sky. Another comet. Sasha sat up to watch the space debris continue onward. It was rare to see two in one week. She must have been lucky. Wonder if that translates? Bet I'll get a sword for sure now! The smile brought to her face was quick to fade.

Wonder if we’ll miss this place when it’s all over.

She looked to her sleeping denmates. When they graduated, she'd be taken out of the system. She wouldn't see them again until they were old enough to graduate as well. At the same time, she'd finally know where all the denmates she'd grown up with had gone. What was beyond Olive Branch Academy. What it meant to have a God Tool.

Her stomach churned.

Somewhere out there, some grad could see the same comet she could see. They'd slept in a bedroll not dissimilar to hers. Perhaps they'd even colonized a portion of the island to use as their personal hideaway spot, too. And that life would be hers. Just a few more weeks and she'd finally be a free panther.

I might miss the boys. And cousin Mil. Maybe a few kids. Definitely none of the grown-ups.

She glanced in the corner, the poorly hidden camera in the stuffed salmon toy staring back.

I know one thing. Wherever I end up, I better not have to deal with guys like this everywhere. You hear me gods or spirits or whatever? This all better be worth it. And you better give me a strong sword, too. If Cici gets a warhammer, I-

A stream of light erupted in the distance. Sasha jerked up, gaze trained on a spot that had since exploded into flame, pieces of metal tearing and melting into the ground. Holy- A hand came over her mouth. In the far-off distance, visible from her window, she could see the metallic skeleton she and her friends had cultivated over the past several years. The home she'd made to weather the storm that was surviving until graduation.

When the comet landed, it struck the hill directly.

No. No no no.

As she stared, something else about the fire caught her attention. Her brow furrowed. She looked away to be on the safe side. Nothing changed. She grabbed the edges of her covers, heart beating faster as she stared at the scene. Something she knew was impossible, but that she saw all the same.

Her hideaway was on fire. And there was someone walking through the flames.