Alistair explained what he had learned over breakfast with Finnian, Juno, and Zola.

“So let me get this straight,” Juno said after taking another bite of a breakfast sandwich, his second for the morning. “Yuber told you that the reason he’s always talking to himself is because he nearly died while binded and that his summon freaking stayed with him, or kept him alive, or some shit?”

“Yes, Perseus. An Oni-Djinn. The professor’s two-headed form. Perseus would be the head that was sticking out of his chest, if you remember.”

“Holy hairy and extra sweaty monster balls,” Juno said as a bit of sandwich flew out of his mouth. “So that’s what that was that one time he binded and that head, like, pressed out of his chest. An Oni-Djinn is a crazy-ass demonic summon.”

“How do you know that?” Zola asked. “And is there a difference between crazy and crazy ass?”

“Crazy ass is crazier than normal crazy. And how do I know this kind of shit? Easy. I eat and I know things.” Juno took another bite of his sandwich. “See? But seriously, Zoly Poly, I saw someone use one in a fight maybe two summers ago at one of the tournaments they had in Solaria. Shit was so sweet. That tournament, not the demon. Demon was fucked. My dad had box seats so we were up close and personal.”

“I’m sure you were,” Zola said as she picked up a boiled eggs with her fork.

“I might have been at that one,” Finnian said. “Did the Oni-Djinn fight against an enormous turtle that had spikes all down its back?”

“Hell yeah, it did.” Juno smacked his lips. “We have got to hit up a tournament next summer and see how the big dogs do it.”

“Big dogs?” Zola asked him.

“Yeah. It’s something I like to say,” he winked at her and started laughing.

Zola’s skeptical look broke into a smile. “Anyway…”

“And there’s more,” Alistair said. “Yuber is going to fight us today.”

“Us as in the four of us?” Juno asked. “That’s not good.”

“He said he’s going to fight teams of Fledglings, that we need to be grouped in six or seven people. We’ll take Yuber on, and I guess all his binded summons.”

“He’s going to kick our asses,” Finnian said.

“What?” Juno flexed what little muscle he had. “Come on, Finn, I can take Yuber.”

Ghost: Zola could easily beat Juno in an arm-wrestling match. Easily. Tell them that.

“I’ve seen him battle before,” Finnian said. “Yuber is intense.”

“I’ve seen him too,” Juno told them as he deflated to some degree. “I don’t want to say you’re right, but you’re right, we might be fucked.”

“We just need to be smart about this,” Zola said. “There will be six of us.”

“I only see four right now.” Juno pointed at each of them. “Zoltoid, Finnian, Alistair, aka Ghost, and me, Wraith. That means we need two or three more.”

“Who?” Finnian asked them.

Alistair glanced over to the breakfast buffet to see Dawn and Lauren heading in his direction, their trays filled with fruits and small pastries. Lauren locked eyes with Alistair and smiled in a way that was also asking permission if they could join him.

“I have an idea,” Alistair said as he waved the two girls over.

****

After breakfast, and a quick trip to the Wraithen Archives for Juno, Zola, and Alistair, the entire Fledgling class gathered on a field that looked like it was somewhere in the sky. They had all portaled there after meeting with Professor Yuber, who had already explained who Perseus was.

“So,” the professor reiterated, “if you see me speaking to myself, or if a different voice speaks to you, it is Perseus, and let this be both a warning and a good lesson to those who become Invokers. Being bound to a summon this way has its ups and downs—mostly ups.” A frown formed on Yuber’s face as he stared out at the students. “Please, do not interrupt me, Perseus. Am I not allowed to contest your disdain for our unique bond? I never said I had any disdain. It’s in your voice. Ahem. As I was saying, being bound to a summon has its ups and downs, but I do have my life to show for it, and if you like living, which many of us seem to do, that in itself is worth it.”

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Chane Brashlung raised a finger.

“Yes, Mr. Brashlung?” Yuber asked the strange, white-haired boy who had caused trouble for Alistair a handful of times.

Chane wiped his nose. “Why are you wearing armor?”

“Ah, this?” Yuber spread his arms out wide to showcase the plated armor beneath his scholarly overcoat. He did a slow turn and a few of the students, mainly the girls, laughed. “I thought it would be fitting to wear armor today on account of what is set to happen.”

“Which is?” Chane asked.

“This one certainly is a little bas—ahem, Perseus!” Yuber smiled. “What have I told you about speaking harshly to the students? You’ve told me I could say what I want within reason.”

Laertes and his friends snickered. “He was totally going to call you a little cockshit,” Laertes told Chane.

Chane turned to Laertes, his voice quivering as he spoke: “No, he wasn’t. He didn’t say anything like that.”

Juno exchanged quick glances with Alistair.

Alistair: Not worth it. Chane is a dick, anyway, and Laertes is—

Juno: An infected gorilla chode.

Alistair: A what?

Juno: Ask Zola.

Alistair: Why do I feel like that will turn out poorly?

Juno started to laugh, which caught Professor Yuber’s attention. “You find this funny, Mr. Stonewind? He certainly is laughing at us. Mocking, even.”

“Um, no, sir. No, Perseus, no mocking from me. I swear. I don’t even know how to mock! Nothing funny about wearing armor, either,” Juno said. “That’s what you were talking about, right?”

Yuber showed the armor once again. “Yes, I’m wearing armor today because you, the dear Fledgling class of the Lumina Battledeck Academy, are going to fight me today.”

The students murmured.

“Let me explain further,” Yuber said as he began pacing. “You will divide up into teams of six or seven. You will do so quickly. Yes, you will do so quickly, otherwise I will assign the teams for you. Once you’re ready, we will have at it right here in front of your peers. Representatives from Seraph’s Rest will be here at any moment, so rest assured that you will be healed and taken care of if you come down with an injury. Your goal, then, will be to break my armor.”

Zola shot her hand up.

“Yes, Ms. Landvik?”

“Can you explain what you mean by breaking your armor?”

“I was about to do just that,” Yuber said as he removed his overcoat. He let it fall to the ground and turned again. Several of the plates glowed yellow. “There are five what we will call ‘break points’ on my armor. Hit all five and your team will win the fight. You should know, however, because you asked, that this isn’t normal armor. It’s actually armor spawned from a Resonant Enchantment card, meaning it will morph as I change forms. The zones you must strike won’t always be available.”

“Is all Resonant Mana-based armor like that?” Zola asked. “I haven’t come across this before.”

“That’s a good question, Ms. Landvik. Yes, all resonant-enchanted armor is like this, but normally, the zones that you must strike are not visible. I’e had this modified for these very types of demonstrations, but even the most powerful card-based armor has its weak points. Find those, and your opponent—who if we’re being honest likely won’t have something like this—will lose their armor. Something good to know, yes? But enough discussion.” Yuber rubbed his hands together. “This is experimental, or experiential, education. I always get that mixed up. Me too, Perseus. And since Mr. Stonewind laughed earlier, it’s clear that he takes this seriously enough to be part of the first team to challenge me. So choose your teammates, Mr. Stonewind, and let’s begin.”

Juno turned his hand around and counted out names. “Alistair, Zola, Finnian, Dawn, and Lauren. Six. That’s the team, sir.”

“Good, all of you may come forward,” Yuber said as he made brief eye contact with Alistair. “The rest of you should gather in the stands. You’ll be better protected there.”

As the students that Juno named took the field, the others in the Fledgling class moved to the stone seats that surrounded the battlegrounds. At about this time, a portal opened up and two Skywards from Seraph’s Rest stepped out, both in white robes.

“Good, good, great.” Professor Yuber brought his overcoat and took it to one of the Skywards. The girl gave him a strange look as he handed it over. “I meant to throw off my shoulders in a dramatic way to reveal my armor, which I sort of did, but then I realized that we can’t have my coat just lying in the middle of the battleground. Thank you.”

Ghost: Your best bet is to end this as quickly as possible.

Alistair blinked a few times upon hearing the voice suddenly appear in his head. It took him a moment to respond, but he did so with his normal annoyance for the assassin’s often grim recommendations.

Alistair: We are not bringing your swords into this. If that’s what you are suggesting.

Ghost: A pity, really. Yuber might be an odd one, but a blade doesn’t discriminate. I’m fairly certain I could reach him before he bonded. Or we could. Always an option. There is Lionel, but I suppose we shouldn’t bring Lionel out here.

Professor Yuber returned to his original position. “A few more things. You may come at me with all you have, so do not feel as if you are holding back. I will say this again to those who might not be listening: hit the five break points on my armor and your team wins. There are other ways to lose as well. The first is by knockout or injury. The second would be by forfeit. We will move on to the next team when every member of your team has either been knocked out, given up, or injured to the point that they need to give up. You can decide what that point is. Simply fire your wand into the air, or, better, just play dead. I’m not here to hurt you, I’m here to challenge you. Now, if you will…”

“Fuck, here we go,” Juno said as Professor Yuber hunched forward, his back morphing as a crab carapace formed. “Shit’s about to get wild. Crazy-ass wild, Zola.”

“Just get your wand out and be ready!” she hissed at him.

As Yuber had explained, the armor he wore shifted around him as it formed into a deep crimson marked by the jagged pattern of a crab’s exoskeleton, the break point portions of it glowing. Yuber’s hands, which had been balled at his sides, hardened into an epic pair of claws, ones that looked as if they were made of bone.

Well?” he asked, the professor’s voice different now. Yuber snapped his claws as his eyes sprouted out of his head and appeared on the end of two thick antennae. “What are you waiting for, lads, ladies? Come at me!”