Ranvir crunched on the last slice of cucumber, the fresh taste washing over his tongue as he listened to Kasos finish his estimation. Instead of eating with the others, the teachers had retreated to the newly set up meeting room. Both for lunch and for everyone to catchup on the students.

“Since we don’t have an established scale or much of anything to weigh them against, I can only say that I am surprised by their effort and pleased by their progress,” Kasos said, after wiping his mouth.

That seemed to be the consensus of the teachers, which Ranvir was inclined to agree with. Work was progressing steadily and people were improving. The toughest part was remembering that everyone did not have the same starting point. Each student entered with a different understanding and level of power, which dramatically changed where they placed.

Only the three male students from the academy were equatable in their progress, only because they had similar talent and similar training. The worst was the Korfiyans. Even removing Morphos, their practical and theoretical knowledge was largely up to the region they grew up in, as well as self-study.

Ranvir doubted they would ever come up with a standardized system, at least as long as they took on older students. Especially while recruiting from different worlds. Though… Ranvir wasn’t even sure how long he’d continue with the school. It was just supposed to be something to do while keeping an eye on his friends.

Then again, he’d introduced Amalia and Kasos to it. And he spent hours each day ensuring that things were running smoothly. And he was still expanding the school with meeting rooms and developing new plans…

He shook his head. “Alright,” he said, noticing that everyone had finished eating. “Anyone else have something to add? Any concerns? No, we’re dismissed for now. Thank you for coming.”

While everyone got up and left, Ranvir took a moment to go over his notes. Vasso and Frija were on a trip to Legea with Elpir and Laila was visiting with her mother, showing off her new powers, so he had a little time to work on some personal theory.

If he was honest, it was mostly idle theory related to the Liminal. He’d recently noticed a bit of drift in certain pocket-spaces over extended periods of exposure. It made him think of the Liminal in general, what it was and what its purpose was.

Almost anything he knew about it came from Latresekt, who was perhaps the most knowledgeable source on mana and souls that Ranvir had ever talked to. Liminal meaning something reaching both sides of a boundary, as between two planes. It could also be a transitional stage, which also fit between two planes.

Except for one thing, Ranvir drummed his fingers on the table, half clicked, half thudded dully and gazed into empty space. Firs—

“Hello,” Estrid’s voice jarred Ranvir out of his thoughts like a splash of cold water down the neck.

He jerked, digging talons into his new table. He quickly pulled them out, cursing to himself. Four clean little divots had been hacked into the pale wood, cutting through the varnish of the annoyingly pliable wood.

Remembering himself, Ranvir swiftly rose from the table and gathered his documents. “Estrid,” he said, attempting to sound pleasant. “Do you need anything?” he reflexively flinched at the wording, but she didn’t bite.

“Um,” she said. Finally, Ranvir looked at her. She was digging at some dirt under her fingernail with one hand, while staring at the wooden floor. “I need to talk with you.” she cleared her throat again and looked vaguely toward his face.

Ranvir hesitated. He wanted to shoo her off and get out of there. Whether or not she wanted something from him was irrelevant. But her attitude made him hesitate. She did not seem to be a seductress. Awkward as she usually was in the role, this was a step too far.

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“Is there something specific you wanted to talk about?”

She shifted uncomfortably and took a hesitant step back.

Debating with himself, Ranvir squeezed his eyes shut and spoke, “Who suggested you go to me?”

That seemed like a safer topic, and she finally looked up. “A few of the students suggested I talk with Kirs. She’s been helping them with some theory and how to keep track of.” She waved vaguely in the air. “Stuff. But um, she suggested I talk with you about it?”

Ranvir took in a deep breath and reconsidered the situation once more. She was clearly nervous. It wasn’t her idea to come here, and she felt she really needed the help.

“I could use some fresh air. Why don’t you explain on the way?”

She nodded thankfully, letting her gaze fall to the ground. They walked in silence for a few minutes before Ranvir realized she would not broach the subject, not even with an invitation.

“So what brought you to me?” he asked, setting his own feelings on the subject aside.

She had a couple of false starts, her mouth opening halfway before snapping shut. Ranvir took a couple turns that wouldn’t get them closer to the entrance, but she didn’t seem to notice.

Finally, she managed a full sentence. “I guess it’s the same thing it always was. I want combat training.” She hurriedly continued to speak as if Ranvir would cut her off. “I know you’re going to say this isn’t a combat school and blah, blah, blah. But we’ve been practicing a ton of basic exercises, things I’ve been doing since I was thirteen.

“I know, I know, I understand. They are really important. I saw how much they helped Master Ayvir. He dodged that arrow despite not even holding his power, but…” she threw her hands up. “It just feels so hollow.”

Ranvir nodded and took a moment to think.

“Well?” she asked, sticking her head out. “You’re going to say anything?”

Ranvir’s brows turned down. “In a moment, I was considering what to say. What makes you think- why is fighting so important?”

Estrid’s lips thinned, turning pale from the pressure as she turned away, tossing her hair to hide from him. Yet, she continued walking at his side. “I’m not sure.”

“You can’t think of anything?”

She fell silent, a quiet pause Ranvir instinctively registered as withdrawal. Then she blew out a long breath and her shoulders slumped slightly. “I feel alive when I fight. There’s something more going on, you know? It’s beyond me, more than me.”

Ranvir nodded and almost fell silent again until he remembered her reaction the last time. “Can I take a moment?”

She glanced at him through her hair. “Sure.”

Silence passed in slow beats that seemed to fill the air with her anticipation. “So it’s the excitement? That’s what makes you want to fight?”

She nodded.

“Where does that come from? Let me change that. Where did you first feel it?”

She sniffed and pursed her lips. “It was a few years ago. I don’t remember exactly when. I’d been out with a few of my friends from the Royal School. It was right before the riots got really bad, if you were there at the time.”

Ranvir nodded, so she continued.

“We turned onto this street to find these grown men attacking a few students from the Academy,” the side of her lips drew into a smirk. “My friends ran away, but to me it looked like things were escalating, and I was already a second-stage so I charged in.”

Ranvir hesitated before forcing his mind back on track. “Ho- how did that make you feel? When you were fighting those men? Were you fighting the men or protecting the students?”

“Both,” she said with the flair of a cocky smile. “I could do both.” She sobered quickly, though, her face falling slightly. “I felt… important. I know that’s stupid. But for a moment, I understood I had these powers and I could do something with them.”

“I get it,” Ranvir said. “I felt much the same when I first figured out how to use my space-powers for something useful. Could you not find something useful in other things?”

She snorted. “Like what?”

Ranvir hesitated. “You’re an obsidian manipulator. There’s no limit to what you could do.”

“I wanna fight.”

Ranvir came to a stop, seizing her arm. “Have you ever been in an actual fight?” Ranvir realized only after he spoke how harsh. The harsh glyph light reflected off her hair and eyes as she stared into him.

She hesitated, looking down at his arm, talons wrapped around her biceps. “Maybe,” she said, a slow smile coming over her mouth. “You could show me?”

Ranvir dropped her arm and walked away. Turning the corner, he reached the entrance and stepped outside just as he heard her breaking into a run. The sun enveloped him, the brisk autumn wind an enlivening rush against his face.

“What’s wrong? Don’t you think you could?” Estrid’s voice was mocking.

Ranvir turned to look at her. She changed her stance, spreading her feet and lowering her body, as if he would attack without warning. “Fine. One lesson, we’ll add it to tomorrow’s test.”

Estrid’s smile regained her smirk. Ranvir understood it was supposed to be seductive. It was infuriating.