The announcement crackled to life through the crystals embedded in the walls of the mess hall, their glow pulsing faintly with each word, just as the first light of dawn broke the horizon.
“The Inken Trials are over.”
The voice sounded as grumpy as someone who’d been awoken too early and had every reason to be displeased. Jace was already with his friends in the mess hall, picking at the remains of an early breakfast. A handful of other students had gathered, bleary-eyed, across the scattered wooden benches.
Dex, Ell, and Alice sat with Jace, the three of them close enough to hear the amused mutterings of the few other students. Molly and Marcus had promised they’d meet the group at the portal. Jace noted that they had been spending an odd amount of time together.
The voice—undoubtedly Brutus’—crackled again, dripping with sarcasm. “For whoever rigged my toilet with the ink bomb... I’d like to commend you for your cleverness and attention to detail. You’ve clearly been paying close attention in Artifice and Artifications class.”
Jace shot Dex a sidelong glance, catching the flash of his friend’s devilish grin and the sly wink that followed. Across the table, Ell merely shook her head, her lips quirking in a faint smile as she sipped her tea.
The voice over the aether-enhanced crystals continued, now with a distinct edge. “Additionally, when I find you—and I will find you—you’ll wish you weren’t born.” The silence that followed hung heavy, stretching across the mess hall like an uneasy mist. Dex’s gulp was unmistakable in the stillness.
The announcement concluded with all the joy of a death sentence. “All remaining students, gather at the Hermes District gates for transport. We leave for the Southeastern Stronghold in one hour. If you don’t make it, you will be left behind.”
The announcement rippled through the small morning crowd, murmurs growing into cheers, as if the very air held their collective relief. Of the thousand students who had entered, only 489 remained.
Jace and the rest of the Scooby-Gang had dragged themselves out of bed before dawn, the kind of early that made their eyes sting and their tempers short. Rumor had it that Brutus would offer only a narrow window and try to weed out a few late waking students. He seemed eager to wash his hands of this year’s Games, and a part of Jace couldn’t help but think he might have the right idea. With everything spiraling out of control lately, the prospect of the Games felt more like a curse than an event. But it was a curse that Jace had no intention of avoiding.
The students were directed to Hermes District, a place that hummed with life and magic. Jace and his friends moved as a group, the energy of the district around them almost infectious. Dex swaggered ahead, his grin widening every time Ell rolled her eyes in response to his antics. He looked back at her, his eyes sparkling with mischief.
Stolen story; please report.
“C’mon, Ell, admit it. You’re impressed,” Dex said, his voice laced with faux charm.
Ell gave him another dramatic eye roll, her tone dry as she shot back, “The only thing I’m impressed by is your ability to beat expectations. Just when I think you’ve done the dumbest thing you could, you go ahead and surprise me.” Despite her words, there was no venom in her tone—just the usual exasperation Dex seemed to inspire.
“You do realize that the Inken Trials were technically over at dawn today,” Alice said. “We could have just waited.”
“And let Brutus think he bested us? I don’t think so,” Dex countered.
Ell huffed, but a small, reluctant smile finally broke through her feigned irritation. She gave Dex a light bump with her elbow as they walked, her voice softening. “You’re impossible, you know that?”
“It’s part of my charm,” Dex replied, winking. He swaggered a little further ahead, and Ell just sighed, shaking her head, though her smile lingered.
Marcus and Molly appeared, cheeks flushed, walking beside the group as they made their way.
“Where have you two been?” Ell asked, her tone playful, masking a hint of faux sternness.
Marcus opened his mouth, “Uh—“ but Ell cut him off with a small laugh.
“I see,” she said, with a knowing grin. “Well, heads in the game, we are almost there.”
“It’s not like that,” Marcus protested. Molly just smiled.
A row of grand pillars flanked the path, standing sentinel at the entrance to Hermes District. These ancient, towering structures were carved from obsidian-hued stone, so dark it seemed to swallow the dawn light entirely. Their surfaces shimmered with intricate runes, glowing faintly like captured moonlight, each rune a testament to the centuries of protective enchantments etched into their being. The carvings seemed almost alive, the light flowing in delicate pulses, hinting at layers of magic woven deeply into the pillars’ foundations, as if Hermes himself had whispered secrets into the stone.
Molly eyed the runes. “You know,” she said, her voice low with intrigue, “I heard these were designed during the War of the Fates. Supposedly, they can seal off the entire district if something dark tries to slip through one of its many portal arches.”
Beyond the entrance, Hermes District unfurled before them like a living tapestry, a kaleidoscope of magic and motion. The scent of parchment mingled with citrus and the metallic tang of active enchantments, energy pulsing in the very air around them.
Streets of polished lapis stone shifted subtly beneath their feet, each step awakening a soft, glowing trail that spread across the ground like ripples of light. Ripples transformed into sprawling waves, illuminating wherever they stepped, as if the District itself remembered and guided each traveler with a gentle, shimmering embrace.
Above, enchanted courier birds—small constructs of brass and feathers—darted between floating lanterns glowing in hues of amber and emerald. Their wings were a blur of grace and precision, delivering scrolls and parcels to their rightful owners.
Dex dodged as a bird swooped particularly close, almost grazing his head. “These fancy feather dusters have it out for me, I swear.”