Alvis fit in all too well and did paperwork better and faster than I did. It was to the point I had to move to a different room to handle the other parts of territory management. I was not looking forward to looking over all of those papers later.

After the last person I needed to speak to left, I called for Alois. 

“What is it?” Alois asked. 

“I want to go to the Pavilion and try summoning Michelle.”

“The headmaster’s summon?” Alois asked, “Okay. I can take you there but afterward, you are going to have to explain what this is about.”

I had clearly failed at sounding casual, but Alois did deserve to know. “I will,” I promised him.

“Good,” Alois said and started leading the way, “You aren’t the kind of person who would waste time on halfhearted whims. You know how busy I am too.”

I followed, feeling a bit proud that Alois was able to understand me so well. The path to the pavilion was the same this time, but without the others, it was oddly quiet and eerie. The maze especially had a strong feeling of wrongness to it. Had the headmasters created this as well to protect their magic source?

Perhaps it was just my nervousness but even the doors leading into the Pavilion seemed large and ominous. 

Alois put his hand on the door. “Are you okay?” he asked.

“Yes, sorry,” I told him, “The nerves are getting to me.”

“Just what are you planning on doing in there?” Alois asked, shaking his head as he pulled the doors open. 

The perfect mirror-like surface that rippled when touched, and the beautiful sky frozen at dusk were the same as before, but the orb floating in the center was not familiar to me.

“Has that always been here?” I asked Alois.

“Looks like the Headmaster hasn’t collected it yet,” he mused, “That is pure magic that naturally gathers in this room. It has to be taken out regularly or it would be dangerous.”

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“I… see,” I managed. That was one thing that Alvis had claimed proved correct, or mostly correct.

The doors closed us in with a soft thud that echoed through the room. “Here goes,” I whispered and concentrated. I was never particularly good at summoning magic, but this truly was a perfect place for it. Even I could summon who I desired. I needed answers from Michelle. About the Headmaster, about the Heroes, and about the trial Tethia would face.

Light shone brightly before me as Michelle materialized in front of me. She was older this time, grayish-white hairs mixed in with the brown. Her clothing was more mature as well and her overall appearance was professional. 

“Ah, Cassandra,” she said with a smile, “It has been a while for me, but I never can tell how long it has been for you.”

“Michelle I-”

“Didn’t I tell you to call me Mickey?” she interrupted, “We’re friends right? Should anything happen and you need to summon me again, it will be like a sign.”

“I… Alright,” I promised, “I am not sure how much you remember about our talk from before, but I need more answers. Do you know what is going to happen to Tethia?”

“I do,” she answered, a sad smile on her face, “Listen closely. The only war you will face is from the inside. You need powerful allies to take him down.”

“Him?” I asked, both anticipation and dread filling me to the brim.

“Yes, Os-” Mickey suddenly cut off as she coughed up blood. 

The summon collapsed to the floor of the Pavilion, her blood dying the perfect mirror surface. Behind her was the Headmaster who leaned over to take his knife from her back. “Alois, take this as another lesson. You should never trust a summon, and you must always be prepared to turn on your friends.”

“What?!” Alois asked in shock.

The Headmaster’s eyes locked onto me, but just as he was about to take a step forward he disappeared.

My fingers were trembling as I fell to my knees. “Mickey?” I whispered.

The dying woman struggled to give a smile. “Cassandra, it’s alright. Just like I told you, all you need to do is summon me again. And when you do, tell me a good story.”

Her voice was raspy and soft, but Cassandra heard every word. Had Mickey known she was going to die? Why had the Headmaster vanished? Was he waiting to kill me the moment I left?

I turned to Alois warily and he raised his hands in the air with fingers spread wide.

“I promise I had no idea, and I am not planning on killing you,” Alois assured me, “In fact, I am confident I know the real cause behind the war from my memories.”

I noticed something. Alois was trying to hide it, but his fingertips were also trembling and his usual dynamic personality had been crushed into something dull from shock. 

“Alois, can you save her?” I asked.

“Sorry, I don’t have those kinds of talents,” Alois replied bitterly, “Besides, the knife the headmaster used was cursed. I have seen it before. At the time he claimed it was an item he confiscated and was trying to destroy because it was too dangerous.”

Mickey’s body began to sink into the floor of the pavilion. “No,” I gasped and tried to reach for her but Alois dragged me back. 

“We need to get out of here,” he prompted, “If we don’t move now it might be too late.”

My body felt like jelly as I allowed Alois to pull me through the doorway, but we did not come out in the maze. We appeared in what appeared to be a bedroom.

“Guests? Here? How unusual,” a voice said, “That must mean that three days from now someone will murder in my beloved Pavilion.”

I turned my head to see Alvis pouring himself a cup of… definitely not tea. “Three days?” I asked, “Where are we, Alvis?”

He paused to take a sip of his mysterious drink and sat down. “This is my house and my room. As for the rest, the explanation might take longer. Please, have a seat.”