Crow and Astra had barely left Gem when the staff approached them. Even the unmovable attendants seemed shaken.

It surprised neither to hear of the orientation, yet they listened carefully all the same. Missing such an event was unthinkable, and the details took little time to convey.

They were to attend the very next day at noon, as with the last. A reminder would be sent before their presence was needed, and Gem’s wouldn’t be expected in light of her injuries.

Reasonable requests, in all. Yet Crow still found himself chafing at them.

Surely the Sieve could have waited a day before moving back on to matters of its running. Surely the incident in the last task entitled them to some reprieve, if only a small one. Surely there were more important things than the lubrication of a contest’s gears.

Of course there aren’t, Crow, you’re being stared at by half a continent.

The thought sobered him in the walk to his room, making him feel small. Standing in Gem’s shadow was one thing, it was quite another to find even that eclipsed by others.

Sleep seized him quickly, bringing with it dreams of puppeting demons and hiding goddesses. Day had already come when he woke, dawn leaving his room tinged orange. Air made tepid by the cooling night and warming morn.

He lay still for nearly half an hour. Bed so soft, world so peaceful, that he couldn’t bring himself to interrupt either. When he left it was already near noon. He found his team waiting for him in the hall.

“I told you he’d be last.” Astra had remarked.

They’d left then, all of them writ Gem. Walked through the labrynthine Crux, found a carriage waiting for them outside its main entrance besides several of identical bodies. For the other teams, Crow imagined.

The ride was as comfortable as any the Sieve had provided. Conversation filled the space left by time, kept mostly on strategy by Astra. It lasted no more than ten minutes before Unity’s boredom, evident the entire time across his face, grew too much for the boy to bear in silence.

“Perhaps we should wait until we actually know what the rules of our next task will be, before planning?” He’d asked. Sarcasm had dripped from his voice.

“There are things we can talk about regardless of the specifics.” Countered Astra, defensive. “And I’d rather answer them sooner than later.”

“Like what?” Unity pressed, fully on the attack. “Give me two examples of things that are completely, or even substantially, removed from influence by the next task’s rules.”

Astra had given none, simply grumbled into silence. Xenus’s mouth had opened, eyes alight with answers, yet withered at a glare from Unity. She spoke little for the rest of the journey.

The artificial seemed no less talkative than ever.

“There’s fierce competition this year.” He’d mused, surprising Crow with the sound of worry.

“You really think so?”

The boy had eyed him skeptically, as though suspecting sarcasm.

“Yes, Crow. Believe it or not it’s actually rare for a Sieve to feature the students or children of multiple Immortals.”

“Oh don’t be such an arsehole.” Astra cut in. “You know full well neither of us has your experience.”

“Common sense, though?” Unity asked. “Come now, surely you’ve read a few books.”

Crow felt his face burn, but Astra didn’t back down.

“I’ve read plenty of books, and thousands of pages later I’ve still not found a reliable figure for exactly how rare Immortals even are. Let alone how often they take students.”

Unity opened his mouth, preparing his tongue for another duellist’s flurry. Then paused. After a moment, his lips closed once more. Shoulders raised into a shrug.

“Fair enough. I’m not sure if anyone knows for certain.”

“Don’t you?” Astra frowned. “Not even an estimate?”

“Oh I have an estimate. Everyone has an estimate. That’s the issue, estimates tend to differ. Immortals have a habit of obfuscating who and what they are, acting through puppets, faking deaths. Even going to sleep for decades or centuries at a time in some hidden fortress.”

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

“Why?” Crow cut in. “Sleep, I mean. Why do they lose years like that?”

Unity shrugged.

“A variety of reasons. Arcane poisoning is one, sometimes it’s sheer boredom. Truth be told Immortals are a varied lot. Plenty of them go mad, and the rest are far from normal.”

The carriage began to shake before Crow could ask anything more, smoothed wheels jittering as it slowed.

“We’re here.” Astra noted.

Staff were present outside to guide them to the stadium.

“Active contestants often have a difficult time moving through crowds.” One of them had said, when questioned. “Please follow us, we shall take you through an alternate path.”

It was an easy matter to find seats, and they were comfortable well in time for Karma Alabaster’s emergence. Crow thought the woman seemed unbalanced somehow, wondering whether he merely imagined it. The sight of her beside Gem swam before him without end.

The next task, Alabaster declared, would be a competition over but a single target. A relic enchanted to flee from its pursuers. Seizing it for longer than the other team could would result in victory. Refreshingly simple.

Crow was so relieved to be presented with rules he could grasp, it almost slipped his attention as Alabaster continued to reveal that the task would pit two teams against one another at a time, drawing three contestants from each.

He glanced at Astra, saw his sister undaunted. Drew steel from her confidence before looking back to the Princess of Taiklos. Just in time for the woman to move on.

Alabaster had surprised Crow, then, by declaring that matters of yet greater import would be discussed. He realised what they were only when she made mention of the last task’s winner.

“It has been decided that Simona Saigargha earned her victory through guile and skill, with Gemini Menza coming in second place. Followed by Tenzo, whose unerring determination pushed the Gemini to the very brink. Ajoke Balogun is in last place. With the original team rankings considered, the new placements are as follows.”

Crow found it difficult to listen, anger threatening to scatter his thoughts. Astra’s hand came down on his like an anvil as it held him in his seat.

“In first place is team Rajah. Behind them, team Gemini. Team Balogun remains in third, and team Tenzo is last.”

A pause from Alabaster, followed by an elaboration.

“As I’m sure many of you have intuited already, all four teams will henceforth take the name of the first contestant they sent out into the Sieve. The only exception to this is team Rajah, named differently due to actions taken by one of its members.”

There was little more to be heard. A time for the next task, noon once more. A date, two days ahead. A location more predictable than anything else; the stadium.

Crow found his response muted. The previous day’s events left him ill equipped for the fear or trepidation that had struck him before. His only thought was calm, empty acceptance.

The world’s mad. He mused. And I’ve gone mad to match it.

“We need to strategise this time.” Astra said, not wasting a moment as they entered their room. Crow listened intently. Xenus, warring with her fatigue, less so. Unity seemed content to leave the world dead in his ears.

“Not like before.” Continued Astra. “I mean really, properly strategise.”

“I assume you have somewhere to start?” Crow asked.

“Of course I do.” She smiled. “Firstly, our team composition. I’m going to be one of the three we send out to compete this time, and I will not be accepting dissent.”

Crow noticed she’d taken on the cadence of Jenovah Menza herself. He wasn’t sure whether the change was intentional or instinctive.

Jenovah Menza. The Deity, and a Menza. Pit.

He found himself suddenly aware of just how many great mystics had shared a name with Gem. Jenovah, Gilgasev, Gorghasai. Gilasev Menza above all. And that was only those in the highest tier of mysticism, those who’d lived in recent centuries.

She has the most remarkable blood in Mirandis, exceeding even among those who share it. And still she lies battered and ruined in the next room.

“That’s fine by me.” He barked, fleeing from his grim observation. “But I’m competing alongside you.”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way.” Astra said, smiling. “We’ve more experience working together than anyone else in the team.”

He nodded, smiled as if at the novelty of being read so well. Hid the worry that had truly motivated him, the urge to protect his sister personally. It would only spark her temper.

“Then who’s our third member?” She continued.

Unity’s voice rang out, stiffening her like a lashing crop.

“Have we already agreed on you and Crow taking part?”

Worry festered quickly, twisting her face in moments. Then melted as Unity revealed his jest with a grin.

“I don’t really care.” He answered. “Unless miss Xenus does. If she says no then so do I.”

Just to tie the votes. Just to be an arsehole.

Unity, he realised, was in a particularly troublesome mood. Or else Crow had been particularly tolerant of him earlier.

“I agree that you and Crow are the best choice.” Deka Xenus cut in.

“Excellent.” Breathed Astra. “Then we’re left to choose our third member.”

Her eyes flickered to Unity in an instant. Crow wasn’t surprised.

“I’m your first choice?” The artificial asked, not sounding even remotely surprised. “Why I’m honoured. Humbled, even. One might even say-”

“An arsehole?” Astra suggested. It earned a smirk from him, then his face straightened to seriousness.

“It’s the best choice.” The boy said. “And I’m not particularly adverse to the idea, so I accept. What next?”