ILIAS PAYNE
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This made much more sense. When put into teams, it was usually in increments of three. The proctor said our groups were in fours but in reality, it was supposed to be three.
We had to smoke out the impostor.
“I don’t get it.” 456 scratched his head. “Can any of you elaborate?”
“One of us isn’t who they say they are,” I explained. “All of us are here to take the exam and become a State Jyxnist. I’m guessing one of us is a plant from the proctors and we have to figure out who. Phase one started the moment we found each other.”
“That does make sense,” 67 stated. “The proctor said that the first phase needed everyone to be in teams. I think they’re testing how well we can figure things out with nothing but our intuition.”
“In that case…” 456 threw a finger at the girl. “It’s gotta be you. You’re the impostor! I’m voting you out.”
“Huh?!” the girl’s eyebrows pulled together. “Why me?”
“I tapped you on the shoulder to let you know that we’re teammates and you accuse me of being a pervert? What type of logic is that? You’re clearly sabotaging to make me look bad. You have to be the impostor!”
“Listen here, I did not come all the way to the capital to fail just because of a pervert. For all we know you’re the impostor!”
“So we’re just throwing accusations now without proof?” 456 shot a finger at the elf. “For all we know he’s the impostor.”
99 scratched his head. “Why am I being dragged into this?”
We’re never going to get anywhere like this. The paper doesn’t mention a time limit but I’d rather not take my time.
“This is clearly not working out,” I said, making my way between everyone. “Also, can we do introductions? Calling you by your badge numbers is a bit difficult.”
The sudden change in topic brought about a calm aura to the featureless room.
“I’ll start. My name is Ilias Payne and I come from a village in the Western Region called Gilead.”
99 stepped up. “I’m Leroy Bauman and I’m from Bel Tine. I came with two others, but sadly we were placed in different groups and I’m stuck here with you lot.”
So he’s the reason why I got pressured into a terrible hangover.
67 went next. “I’m Erina Tinsel. I won’t tell you where I’m from as I have no obligation to. I’m here for personal reasons.”
456 was last. “I’m also here for personal reasons and I don’t mind sharing it. But only to my real team members.” He turned to Erina. “My name is Thaddeus Mobley and I am not a pervert!”
Mobley? Like Minerva? The Minerva Mobley I grew up with?
I knew 456 looked familiar. He resembled a young Minerva. House Mobley fled after Minerva and I died. Since then, they had disappeared from the history books.
This kid is living proof of the survival of House Mobley. I was glad another loose end from Decan’s life was tied up.
I pointed at one of the walls. “Thaddeus and Erina, please go there.”
They did, though Erina was side-eyeing Thaddeus the entire time.
“Leroy, come by my side.”
“What’s this for?” the elf asked as he came to me.
“I trust you and feel like you’re not the impostor. So you’re going to stick with me.”
“Why do you get to play leader?” Erina questioned.
I sighed. “You and Thaddeus are at each other’s throats and both are in no position to take charge. You’ll just abuse your power and accuse each other of being the impostor.”
“And why do you trust Leroy all of a sudden, but not us?”
“I come from Gilead. I took the Greenway Road, a road that went through a town called Bel Tine. It just so happens that when I was there, a tavern was throwing a party because one of its residents decided to take the exam. Leroy mentioned he was from Bel Tine and I put two and two together. At least I know that there’s some truth in his story.”
“But how do you know it’s his truth?” Thaddeus questioned. “How do you know that he’s the resident you’re talking about? He could’ve just gotten lucky by saying a random town or overheard someone’s story back at the main hall.”
Holding out a palm, I summoned a Water Ball and splashed it onto my face. The cold water cooled my reddening head. “I don’t. But what I do know is that I’m not an impostor. And since I can vouch for Leroy’s story, I’m fairly certain he’s also not the impostor. The only bizarre thing I can think of is why an elf is living in a terran town. Especially since the only elf present during my stay at Bel Tine was my teacher.”
Leroy leaned against the wall. “I’m originally from the city of Elron in the north. My companions and I left to take the exam last year but we were an hour late. Instead of going back to Elron, we decided to settle at Bel Tine until we passed.”
“So I take it that you don’t know the doctor?”
“I do. We visited Dr Brown a couple of times. He’s still amateurish, but he’s got a good heart.”
That’s right. They would still be newcomers so Bel Tine’s citizens wouldn’t have trusted them with the secret of Dr Creed yet. Everything Leroy has said so far has lined up.
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“Leroy, which one of these two do you trust?”
The elf stared at the duo intently. “Thaddeus. He brought up good points on why Erina might be the impostor. She tried to wedge tension between us earlier over something so ridiculous that I see it as suspicious. I’m more inclined to pick Thaddeus over her.”
I stepped forward. “Thaddeus, you mentioned that your last name is Mobley. Do you know Decan’s Rebellion?”
“N-no… What is that?”
I stared at the ceiling for a bit before letting out an irritated sigh. “Look, everyone knows Decan’s Rebellion. Lying is just making you look bad. Are you a descendant of Minerva Mobley?”
“W-who is that?” he chuckled nervously. “I don’t know who he is.”
Leroy snapped. “We just said that lying makes you look bad!”
“Fine! I’m one of his descendants. There.”
“Were you trying to hide it? Because no one’s cared about House Mobley since the Nelbrandts claimed the throne. I wouldn’t worry about hiding my identity if I were you. I’m an elf and I was alive back then. You and your family are no longer in danger.”
“That’s easy for you to say. You weren’t hunted like we were. You didn’t have to go into hiding and hide your true identity like we had to.”
“That’s enough,” I said. “Thaddeus come to our side.”
He shot a chaffed look at Erina, taunting her before joining our side.
“How come I’m getting interrogated while all it took for Thaddeus to convince you was his last name?” Erina questioned. “For all we know, his last name isn’t even Mobley.”
“I know it’s not a good idea to use your gut feeling and instincts in a situation like this,” I explained. “But I feel like I can trust Thaddeus.”
Thaddeus wrapped his arm around Leroy and me. “I feel like the three of us will get along great.”
The elf unwrapped himself and threw Thaddeus at the wall. “Get your hands off me!”
Thaddeus, though a bit more lively than Minerva, reminded me of him deeply.
There was no way I could explain why I trusted Thaddeus so much, but I know for a fact that he’s not the impostor. Which means…
“Erina, what about you?” I asked. “It’s your turn to tell us your story.”
The girl glared at me with hostile eyes, slumping to the ground. “Why should I? You three are already insistent that I’m the impostor. Why would I plead my case when you’re already deadset on voting me out?”
Her voice sounded like it was about to break. It was reminiscent of a defeated child who gave up pleading their case.
“So, you’re admitting that you’re the impostor?” Thaddeus questioned. “I knew it! I’m so smart! Drinks on me tonight. Actually, I’m almost broke. Forget what I just offered.”
“I’m not the impostor,” she said. “It’s one of you three. Maybe try something other than a background check. This is the State Jynxist Exam, remember? At least use jynx.”
“That’s true,” Thaddeus agreed. “If we vote out the wrong person then all of us fail. To be truthful, Ilias, I don’t really trust you.”
“Why are you turning against me all of a sudden? I vouched for you!”
“You took charge of the conversation, so you can easily manipulate us. For all we know you could be the impostor.”
“Are you saying I’m as suspicious as Erina or more than?”
Thaddeus raised his hands in defence. “I’m just saying that maybe Erina is right and we need something other than background checks to determine who the impostor is. I mean, trusting me because of my last name is a little bit weak on the evidence side.”
Leroy looked around. “Do any of you know of a truth spell?”
“I don’t think there’s such thing as a truth spell. We can torture the information out of someone.”
“That’s even more ineffective. Torture someone long enough and they’ll admit to anything. And we’d be torturing our teammates. Even if we figure out who the impostor is, there will be tension between us later.”
Later?
“I think I might have something,” I said. “Book.”
I flipped through Talking Book’s pages and found a contract spell. I made the book levitate to Leroy. “You read it.”
The elf read aloud. “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap. A contract spell that’s made between two parties to ensure both hold up their end of the bargain. If either fails to hold their end, they will die. Saying the spell’s name and stating the terms of the contract will activate it. During this period, your hand will light on fire, but you will feel no pain. Shaking hands determines the second party and activates the contract.”
“How does that help us exactly?” Thaddeus asked. “We’re not bargaining a deal.”
“But we can bargain for the truth, can we not? Book!” Talking Book poofed away. Leroy coughed at the smoke. “The terms of the contract can be as simple as—answer my questions truthfully. If you don’t, then you’re dead.”
“Yeah, that sounds good,” Thaddeus said. “Do me first. I want to prove that I’m not the impostor.”
“Hold on, don’t you think a spell like this is too dangerous?” Leroy asked, scratching behind his pointed ears. “What if you forget to answer something truthfully? There are so many things that can go wrong.”
“That’s why I’ll go first.” Thaddeus hopped in front of me. “Let’s do it.”
“Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap!” I extended a hand that was on fire. “Answer all of my questions truthfully and I won’t suspect you of being the impostor. Do you agree to these terms?”
“Yes.” He shook my hand before pulling away and blowing on it. “Ah! The fire is hot. The book said it would be painless!”
“Ignore that and let’s get started. State your name and tell us if you are the impostor.”
“I’m Thaddeus Mobley and I am not the impostor.”
“Do you find Erina attractive?” I snickered.
“What type of question is that? That has nothing to do with anything!”
“Just answer truthfully.”
“I mean, she’s kinda cute. I guess.”
Erina continued to glare at him, though her cheeks blushed a meek red. Thaddeus waited for something to happen, but nothing did.
“That settles it then. Thaddeus, I can fully trust you now.”
He threw a fist in the air and ran a circle around me in victory.
“You’re up next,” I told Leroy.
He raised his hands in protest. “Thaddeus confirmed that it works, but I still don’t trust myself with that spell. Use it on Erina right away. It saves time and you already trust me, don’t you?”
“That’s true.” I leered at him. “I guess we can skip right to Erina and end this once and for all.”
Erina walked past Thaddeus, who was healing his arm. She never took his eyes off him until she got to me.
“Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap!” I extended a hand that was on fire, grimacing through the pain. “Answer all of my questions truthfully and I won’t suspect you of being the impostor. Do you agree to these terms?”
She shook my hand without flinching.
“State your name and tell me if you’re the impostor.”
“Erina Tinsel and I am not the impostor.”
She waited for something to happen and went to Thaddeus’ side when nothing did. She didn’t shoot a dirty look at him—her eyes were deadset on the only person that hasn’t proven their innocence.
This means…
I turned to Leroy. “Something you said earlier bothers me, but I thought nothing about it until now. When Thaddeus suggested torture, you said that it would be bad if we tortured our teammates as there could be tension later. However, isn’t this phase one? Phase one is the only phase where teams are needed. But the way you phrased it seemed like there was more to it. Like you were a proctor that slipped up.” I extended a burning hand, gritting through the pain. “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap! Answer all of my questions truthfully and I won’t suspect you of being the impostor. Do you agree to these terms?”
Leroy glared at each of us before suddenly relaxing his entire face and bursting into laughter. He leaned against the wall, raising his hands to show that he was no threat. “You got me.”