I pressed my forehead against the chipped paint of Hopsander’s office door for just a moment, letting the quiet hum of the corridor settle around me. The late afternoon light bled through the stained glass behind me, painting the floor in dull reds and greens. Most of the Academy rested, curled into itself after the trial. The corridors were emptier than usual—no laughter, no chatter, just the hush of old stone and distant footsteps.

—‘Are you sure this is a good idea?’ Fern asked, his voice low and unsure inside my mind.

—We’re running out of time and options. If anyone on the staff will help, it’s Hopsander.

—‘Uh, did you forget what my brother said?’

—I know what your brother said, Fern. I thought harshly. I picked my thumb. But I trust Hopsander. A spy is in the academy. We were threatened last night, and my brother may not be in control of his own body. We can’t just stroll through the school year. We need to accelerate.

—What did you expect? Instant power to rival the mages? We are already pretty strong It's not like you use it enough, though. Don’t forget about our legendary sword.

—Oh, trust me, I haven’t forgotten about the cursed thing.

—I’m just saying I haven’t seen any curses yet. Maybe Dog was lying. He’s crazy. How’d an old man even get a letter down here?

My fingers brushed the sword’s hilt. The black pulsing runes replayed in my mind. The sensation that I felt when I cut through the dense armor of the Guardian was unnatural. The blade cut too easily; I plunged it into the boy inside the Guardian too willingly. I pushed the thought aside and lifted my hand. I knocked three times and took a step back. The sound seemed unnaturally loud in the silence.

“Come in,” the frogman’s voice croaked from inside.

I slipped into the small office and shut the door quietly behind me. Stacks of training manuals and wrinkled battle charts cluttered the shelves. Dried herbs hung from the rafters, leaving a faint medicinal smell that reminded me of an incense shop. Hopsander sat at a worn wooden desk, polishing a halberd’s blade with deliberate care. He looked up when I entered, eyebrows rising slightly.

“You should be resting, Erik,” the frogman said. “The trial took a toll on everyone.”

I took a step closer, heart pounding, and forced my voice steady. “You’re investigating why the Guardian appeared on the first floor, right? I think I have a lead.”

He leaned back, resting the halberd across his knees. “Go on.”

I told him everything: about Lotrick’s letters that a spy worked within the Academy’s walls, who was tied somehow to the Royal Mages. How the Guardian appeared to have a human body beneath its transformed body when I cut it. I mentioned my Noah, how he is the Royal Magelord, and how he may also be a Twin-Soul. I left out my Earth origins, but I implied I was different from a separate world. I explained who Dog was and how I met him. I told him how Dog had given me the supposedly cursed sword. I told him what Waelid he had done. The words spilled out of me like a confession I’d been holding too long. I felt emotions well up inside me as I was finally able to let out everything. I didn’t care anymore. If I couldn’t trust Hopsander, who can I trust? I need someone older than the children to help me get to Noah. Just being able to say all this felt like taking off a heavy load. Through it all, Fern lingered silent in the back of my mind.

Hopsander’s jaw tightened. He listened without interrupting, although I saw his eyes narrow at certain names—Waelid, Royal Mages, and Twin-Souls.

When I finished, he breathed out slowly. “Erik, these are wild claims. You border on mania with the things you say. Another world? Your brother is the Magelord of Stylos? Waelid’s crimes? A cursed sword?”

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I slid the sword’s blade an inch from its scabbard, letting him see the runes that glowed black and had odd symbols different than any runic textbook we had in the public section.

He frowned, gaze sharpening. Then he held out his hand, and I withdrew the blade. “Why tell me all of this?”

“I need help. I need an ally. I am older, trapped in this body. I understand how the world works on a bigger scale. Sure, in my world, there was no magic, no internal obvious power feud in a physical way like it is here. But there was still a separation of classes and experiences in life. There were ways to propel you out of the locked system there. I know that here we have the blood infusions, the runes, the weapons, apparently,” I said, tapping my sword. “But I am worried my brother may already be lost to another soul if he is indeed a Twin-Soul.”

“So you’d want me to help you get what you need to get to him?”

“Yes.”

“Then why all the stuff about Waelid?”

“I just needed to tell you everything. I have no true confidant or partner in this world aside from Fern. But I need allies. If you help me reunite and help my brother and me, I will return the favor a thousand times over. I have a moral code, and Waelid broke it by what he did to those kids. He is stepping over his classmates to get stronger. That is something I won’t do, and I can’t let that slide without it being addressed.”

Hopsander rubbed his forehead and looked at me. “While yes, what he did, if he did it, is wrong and punishable by our rules, the matter is, Waelid’s strength and determination runs deep. The rules for mercenaries do not.”

“I understand, but-”

“But,” He clapped his hands. “That does not mean you can’t challenge him to a duel for justice. Should you still deem it? Although, I would say, given what you told me, you should focus on getting to your brother…yes?”

I bit the inside of my cheek. “You’re right, Captain. Does this mean you will help me?”

“What do you need from me."

I took a step forward and grabbed a seat. “Power, as much of it as possible. I need to be able to match the strongest of the Royal Magebloods Officers at least enough to make it to my brother.” I folded my arms. “The cinders that went on an expedition with him. Who were they? How do I fast-track my way onto a group? Being a Twin-Soul is taboo, right? Let’s use that to our advantage. I am yours to command after I do this.”

“My lad. If I do what you ask, I could be making the single most horrible decision to ever affect this planet. The powers of true Twin-Souls, as proven by your brother, are near limitless. To cultivate the power of a Twin Soul willingly is to cultivate death. Millions could die by your hands, and you wouldn’t even know it.”

I gulped. “I will agree to a new blood oath to you. Please, Captain Hopsander. Isn’t there anything you want?”

He glared at me, “Lad, you are teetering near the edge of self-destruction with those kinds of words.”

—I know that. I know I sound more psychopathic than ever. A student comes in talking about powers and fighting against mages to rescue his little brother, who is now older than him somehow. It all sounds insane. I thought.

“Captain Hopsander,” I stood up and saluted him before bowing. “Please, I don’t ask for world-dominating power, I only wish to get strong enough to make it to my brother and speak with him. I need to confirm he is alive still, that he remembers me. I need to know his soul still lives. I know that if his soul is still there, he can help your cause. Maybe he can get the Magebloods to rewrite the laws around Voidbloods.”

The Frogman sat back and looked at me. I felt his eyes as my head was bowed. “Alright,” He grumbled. “I’ll help ya out, lad.” I looked up at him to see him smiling large, pulling out a small pipe.

“Really?” I smiled back. Hopsander nodded, and I reached out and shook his hands. “Thank you! So what do we address first, the Spy? Any thoughts?”

“Easy there, lad, we just established this partnership. Is the little one alright with this agreement?” He nodded towards me, and then I knew he was talking about Fern.

—Fern, are you ok with this? I asked him.

—‘I still want Waelid to pay. But…I guess focusing on getting stronger and finding Noah is more urgent to do. Just don’t forget our deal, ok? Rescue me from this body after. And get justice on Waelid. That’s two promises now, ok?’ Fern said, insisting on my agreement.

—Ok, ok. I promise. I will find a way to get our bodies back, and I will get justice on Waelid.

“He agrees,” I said to Hopsander.

“Great, we will get this in writing too, you know, for clerical sakes. But first, you asked what we need to do. The spy seems the most urgent. If they do work here or live in the town of Ash, they have direct access to infiltrate us and could cause chaos. It is a miracle that so many of you survived the Guardian attack, but then again, you were there, and Twin-Souls seem to carry a double amount of luck with them.” Hopsander stood up and walked around his desk, grabbed a heavy brown cloak, and slung it over his arms. “I will do a little investigation myself among the teachers. We will start our private training next week. What do you need from me now?”

I thought for a moment and then decided. “I need access to the restricted archives in the library.” I know what I need to look up to help me. I can’t let a single moment go to waste. Let the other kids stay and relax on their days off, but time was pressing against me. How long until the spy strikes again?

Hopsander cocked his head and smiled. “The restricted archives…” He paused. “I can let you in. It will have to be late after the other teachers have gone to bed. Meet me at midnight behind the library’s east wing. There’s an entrance beneath an old tapestry that has a code for us with access. If we do this, we move in silence, and we do not get caught. The Head Master will throw a fit. Who knows, maybe he is the spy and will use it to throw both of us out. Do you understand?”

I nodded, relief clawing up my throat. “I do.”

I slipped out of the office with him. Hopsander gave me a nod and headed up some stairs to the left, going further into the Academy. I went the opposite way, stepping into a small courtyard with a leafless tree in the center. Fading sunlight cast a warm glow on the dry grass. It was quiet, and there was no one around, but I felt a little bit less lonely. I carried a tiny spark of hope with me now. I had an ally—at least, I hoped so. I preferred to think that.