Cooler heads prevailed, a feat considering the general mindset of the four Fledglings and their fiery volcanic location.

“We’ll come back when we’re at higher levels,” Zola said, “and face Bolrag the fire spirit. Besides, I’m sick of this mistsuit.”

“You’re aren’t only one,” Juno told her. “No sense in getting our asses burned to a crisp today.”

“Maybe next weekend, then?”

“I’ve got plans then,” Alistair said.

“What are you doing?” Finnian asked. “Actually, can we talk about this back at the Academy, just in case we win the challenge?”

“Good call. Through the portal we go.” Zola was the first to step in, followed by Finnian, Juno, and Alistair. Professor Vale had already told them they wouldn’t have a ceremony for the survival challenge; rather, they were to return to the academy and find out from there.

The four appeared on the other side, where Alistair spotted Professor Vale’s hazegeist hovering in a courtyard near the Wraithen Archives.

“We’re the first, right?” Juno asked as he approached the hazegeist.

“Unfortunately, Stonewind, you are the second. One of the groups in my coterie was the first. There have been several others as well. I will now remove your watercoats.”

“Were they called watercoats or mistsuits?”

The cloud, which had the face of an old man, turned to Juno. “What did I just say?”

Juno: Do you think we can take a hazegeist down?

Zola: What? Are you serious?

Juno: Just kidding. Ha! You should have seen the look on your face.

Alistair felt the humidity in the air change around him, as if he’d just stepped out of a sauna into a room with an open window. He was still sweaty, but within moments he could tell things would dry up and he would likely start to feel cold.

Juno shook his head at the Hazegeist. “You gave the other coteries easier tasks, didn’t you?”

“Does that sound like something I would do? Your pressing your luck with me, Stonewind.”

Juno eyed the hazegeist suspiciously, shrugged, and joined the others. “Well, looks like we’re fucked. At least we didn’t have to fight a fire spirit.”

“But we will soon,” Finnian reminded them. “Anyway, unless we have more plans, and I hope we don’t, I’ll see you all tomorrow.”

He was soon gone after a few goodbyes.

Alistair and Juno turned to Zola. “What about you?” Juno asked her.

“It’s still not too late. I’ll probably go to the Wraithen Archives and then the Resonant Rooms.”

“Booo… take the night off, Zola. What is there to study anyway? This is experimental education, or experiential, I can’t remember what they say. Point is, we’re supposed to be able to take it easy every now and then. Let’s go to the Quill and Tankard instead.” Juno nodded, as if he had just decided his own suggestion was indeed worthy. “That would be awesome.”

“And what will we do there?”

“Have a few drinks,” he told her.

“It’s for Skywards.”

“But we can go too. Alistair has already been there.”

“I just checked it out once,” Alistair said. “I was restless that night.”

“And are you restless tonight?” Juno asked. “Of course, you are. We all are. A bunch of restless battledeck mages. One night, Zola. One freaking night. You can spare that.”

She sighed. “Fine. Fine. But I still feel gross on account of our mistsuits.”

“Wetcoats? Sweatsuits? Heh. We’ll walk it off.” Juno turned in the direction of the tavern. “Come on, just one drink, and we can return. It’ll be nice to unwind.”

Ghost: You should be training tonight.

Alistair: You would say that.

Ghost: Because it’s true.

Alistair: How do you know I won’t get some super top secret intel at the tavern? Someone may be there, perhaps Kang…

Ghost: That wouldn’t be good for either of us. I know you are joking, but you should be very careful of what you joke about.

Alistair would have responded had it not been for Juno, who had already launched into an explanation of one of the fights they’d had back at the volcano against lava golems and how he had exploded its head and nearly caught a stone in the eye through the process. “That would have sucked. But at least Alistair and I would match, two guys with weird eyes.”

“Ha,” Alistair said.

“I keep forgetting about your eye, then I look at you and I am reminded of it,” Zola told Alistair, which sounded like it was supposed to be her version of a snarky comment. “I still think it’s a possible demonic possession, not stress-related.”

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“And everyone else thinks it has something to do with a manapool,” Alistair said.

“Fuck everyone, that’s my motto.”

“No, it isn’t,” Zola told Juno. “Wait.” She stopped in front of Alistair. “Yes or no? Did you actually encounter a manapool?”

“Ummm…” Alistair tried to move around her but Zola prevented him from continuing.

“I’m not going to the tavern if you don’t come clean, Alistair. Of the two following options, which is more likely: have you been possessed by some sort of demonic creature; or, does it have something to do with a manapool?”

“I think it’s a demonic possession personally,” Juno said with a chuckle. “That voice. Do the voice, Alistair. Please. Pretty please.”

“I can’t just do it. The voice only comes to me when I’m annoyed or stressed.”

“See?” Juno asked. “A stress-related demonic possession then. Makes sense.”

Ghost: Do I need to take over and silence the two of them?

Alistair: You need to stay the hell out of this.

Ghost: And you need to focus. Going drinking with Juno and Zola, even if it does give us intel, likely won’t better you in any way.

Alistair: I’m going to ignore you for the rest of the night.

His hand trembled.

“What was that?” Juno asked.

Alistair struggled as Ghost took possession of his body. His voice alternated between his own and Ghost’s gritty voice as the two fought to maintain control: “I… listen here, we have… stop, I’m in… we need to leave. She’s— … I don’t want to leave! Here is the voice. Are you happy, Juno? Now, we are done. We have to go. I’m… going with them. No, we are not. We need to go now!”

Juno took a step back, the boy with a nervous look on his face. “If you want to get some sleep at the dorm, maybe you really should do that. Zola and I can go to the tavern. It’s cool.”

Zola observed Alistair carefully. She spoke again, her voice firm this time: “Am I speaking to Alistair or someone else?”

“What?” Juno asked her.

“Someone else. No, it’s me!”

“What is your name?” Zola asked.

“Alistair. I’m Alistair, you know that. He’s not…”

Ghost: Senka is near. Cast Mistmeld now!

“I’m me. Fuck. I’ve got to go. Sorry about this.” Alistair managed to take control of his hand. He grabbed his wand and cast Mistmeld. Ghost took over, and used the smoke to run from Alistair’s friends.

Alistair: You are a fucking asshole.

Ghost: It’s better this way. We don’t need friends.

Alistair: I like my friends.

Ghost: You don’t understand, Alistair. We don’t need friends because of the threat we will bring to their lives. Like right now. Senka. Prepare!

Alistair noticed a sudden presence in the mist. It was as if someone was standing right next to him. He pushed forward and tried to flee, only for the person to catch up right as he reached a small court at the side of his dorm. The mist was still thick, but Alistair could see the woman now, her aggressive form, her piercing gaze cutting through it all.

He kept his wand at the ready, anger swelling in his chest at Ghost for not telling him the reason why he did what he did back there until the very end.

Alistair: You fucking knew, didn’t you?

Ghost: I told you I did.

Alistair: Why didn’t you tell me to begin with? Why did you try to fight me over my body?

Ghost: Our body. At the start, I only sensed her. I thought that we should get away for the safety of all that may be involved. We are one at times, Alistair. While you blather with your friends, I do my best to extend my influence everywhere around you and monitor things. How do you think it is that I have saved you so many times? I’m trying to keep you safe. But that’s not important at the moment. Do not be afraid. If Senka wanted to strike you, she would have done so.

Senka reached her hand into a pocket on her belt. She returned with a folded message.

“Who is it from?” Alistair asked her, his voice trembling as he kept his wand pointed at the woman.

Senka didn’t say. She merely gestured at him with the letter.

Ghost: Take it. And put your wand down. By now, she could have cut off your hand.

Alistair took the letter. To do so, he had to step closer to Senka, the woman maintaining eye contact with him as he slowly took the folded letter.

The parchment had an orange seal on it, one stamped with a cursive letter F and B.

Ghost: It’s from Felix. Ask if she wants you to read it now.

“Do you want me to read it now?”

Senka nodded.

Alistair: How did you have a relationship with her if she never talks? Just through gestures? Does she use sign language?

Ghost: Gestures only. It was quite cozy, that part of it. It was nice not having to have extended conversations like we are now. Stop being distracted. Read the damn letter.

Alistair unfolded the letter.

Alistair Blackstar,

Your presence is requested in Solaria. Come at the end of the school week. I will arrange passage for you. Come alone, and wear the clothing I gave you. Do not inform Kanda of my request.

Felix Bancroft IV

Ghost: This is our chance.

Alistair: What the fuck? Our chance? What this is a creepy message? Should I tell Kanda?

Ghost: Did you read the message? Of course, you shouldn’t.

Alistair: But what if—

Ghost: We will be prepared to deal with Felix. If not, we’ll get more information. That’s all that matters here, not Kanda. Later, we use Felix’s request for us to come visit him against Kanda. Do you see how this works? One betrayal leads to another. I will help you mastermind all of this. Tell Senka you understand.

“I understand,” Alistair told her through gritted teeth.

Senka started to turn away.

“Wait.”

Ghost: What are you doing?

Alister couldn’t help himself. He cleared his throat and spoke: “I saw, ahem, I heard, what you did to Chane Brashlung. Did you get the information you need about this assassin?”

Senka stepped closer to him.

Ghost: What are you doing!?

“I mean, did you find the assassin?”

She slowly shook her head, but she never dropped her gaze, her eyes tense to the point that Alistair felt like they would bore a hole through the center of his forehead.

He finally looked away. “Maybe the assassin is with someone else then.”

Senka nodded and vanished.