Trey shuffled into his History of Magic class and found his seat next to Skye. Nora followed in after, and he was pleased that she took the open spot next to him.

“How was training with Braun?” Trey asked with a hint of a tease.

Nora scoffed. “He was too busy ogling me to fight. I kicked his ass. How was lunch with the broody mage?”

“I thought we were well hidden in that corner,” Trey replied. “Were you looking for me?”

“I was just looking out for my roommate's safety,” the blonde responded with a wink. “She looked like she was about to kill you.”

“Roommate?” Skye chirped in from the other side of Trey. “What do you mean roommate?”

“Me and Nora have been assigned the same living quarters,” he explained casually to Skye, as if it were perfectly normal. Then he turned back to Nora. “And Dana is really nice… probably. She’s very misunderstood.”

“Hey,” Nora said, throwing up her hands. “I won’t judge. I bet she’s a freak in bed.”

“Assigned the same living quarters?!” came the exasperated reply from the black-haired sorceress. “You can’t be roommates!”

Trey cleared his throat. “I think class is starting.”

Indeed, Professor Huul picked a very opportune time to announce the start of his lecture – at least for Trey.

In a significant improvement from the previous history class, Nora made it about halfway through the lesson before taking her usual place next to Trey’s ear. “Would you rather eat the shoes you have on now or never be able to wear shoes again?”

Trey grimaced. “I don’t think I could finish my shoes in one sitting. My feet would toughen up eventually. Would you rather be a magic history teacher or Karl’s assistant?”

“I bet I could convince Jeffers to fire Karl, and then I’d be the weapons instructor.”

“That’s cheating,” Trey protested quietly.

Nora only shrugged. “Would you rather be covered in scales or covered in fur?”

“I think girls might still want to cuddle me if I had fur,” Trey said. “Scales are gross.”

“You better keep that fur cleaned and well brushed,” Nora said.

“Would you rather be a sorcerer or an artificer?” he asked.

“That’s a boring one. I don’t think I would have the patience for either.”

“Fine,” Trey conceded. “Would you rather be a mind mage or a divination mage?”

Nora paused. “I think mind mages have better control over their immediate circumstances. Why would you need to know the future if you can just influence the present?”

“Interesting,” Trey said.

“You guys are totally going to fail the exam,” Skye hissed over at them.

Nora blinked. “What exam?”

***

Trey decided to visit Marvin’s advanced dark magic class rather than the artificing class. The latter would involve making muffling candles – a task he could only observe – and he doubted Braun would follow him into a dark magic classroom.

Marvin frowned when he saw the young guardian walk in, but kept quiet. Trey settled into a quiet corner, letting his mind wander back to his conversation with Nora as the dark magic teacher began the lesson, his words drifting past the unnoticed.

“What are you doing here, Mr. Philosopher?” he heard, the sudden voice snapping him out of his trance. He jumped slightly in his seat, startled by the presence right next to him.

“Where did you come from?” Trey asked the presence, who he finally identified as Dana.

“I thought maybe you were stalking me,” she said, “but clearly you had no idea I was even here. At least I get to return the favor and ruin your private corner.”

“You did owe me,” Trey said.

“Hush,” Dana replied. “I’m trying to learn.”

Trey’s lips curled into a brief smile before he turned to focus on the professor. Marvin was finishing up his verbal presentation and was preparing the class to practice the spell he had just taught. “Each of you will come up here and attempt to cast a Darkveil on my Night Shield. The goal is to produce a tear that you could slip another spell into – or perhaps a dagger.”

A couple of students laughed at the suggestion.

Marvin gestured to the front row of the class. One by one, each student faced off against the experienced dark mage. Marvin summoned a Night Shield – a ghostly barrier of darkness – and the students took turns trying to pierce it with their own Darkveil spells. Occasionally, someone managed to leave a faint mark on the shield, but none demonstrated enough mastery to truly threaten the professor. Even after most of the class had gone, the Night Shield remained stalwart and steady.

“His dark magic is incredible,” Dana said to no one in particular, though Trey was the only one close enough to hear. “I can only hope that my Night Shield is that strong someday.”

Trey leaned over. “Send your first Darkveil spell at the top of the shield, and then immediately follow it up with one aimed at his legs. Unleash a third at the same spot as the first. He might overcorrect. There’s a good chance you could break through.”

Dana turned to him, her expression a combination of disbelief and intrigue. She stared at him for a moment until Marvin called up the final round of students from the back of the classroom. Trey watched more Darkveils fail to significantly affect the dark magic shield, and then finally, the last student stepped up to take on the professor.

Dana stood poised and ready. With the flash of her wand, she launched a spell high at the shield, then rapidly sent one low. Trey smiled as the third Darkveil spell hit the top of the Night Shield, tearing a sizable crack into it. The audience gasped as they witnessed their peer best the challenge. Marvin, meanwhile, shot a death glare up to Trey.

“Well done, Dana,” he said, turning back to her. “What a unique and completely original strategy you used.”

Dana’s eyes were fixed on a spot on the floor as she reddened slightly.

“I want everyone to practice both their Night Shield and Darkveil during the dueling period,” Marvin announced. “Class is dismissed.”

Dana raced up to grab her bag. She shot Trey a dirty look. “I think you got me in trouble.”

Trey chuckled. “Don’t worry about it. He was impressed – even if he looked like a sourpuss. If anyone is in trouble, it’s me.”

“Hopefully,” she said. “I’m fine with you taking the fall.”

“See you later,” he said as the petite mage moved to leave.

“See ya,” she replied quickly, and then grimaced, as if the words had mistakenly left her mouth.

Once the students emptied out of the classroom, Marvin marched over to Trey. “Is there any particular reason you are in a dark magic class and not an artificing class, and spilling my secrets to my students on top of that?”

“There’s actually two reasons,” Trey said. “Would you like an update on the student that you orphaned?”

The dark mage pursed his lips. “Fine.”

“Ironically, you’re concerned that she harbors resentment toward you. In reality, she’s worried that you resent her. She fears that at any moment, you might deem her too dangerous to teach and decide that she should be locked up instead.”

“That doesn’t make any sense!” the old man exclaimed.

“It would make sense if you’ve seen what she’s dealt with so far, and I only caught a glimpse of that. Many people would prefer to see her imprisoned, unable to use magic, and have made that known to her.”

Marvin shook his head. “Poor girl.”

“The dark mage does have a conscience!” Trey exclaimed in jest.

“Maybe I should’ve raised her instead of your ungrateful ass.”

“She’s a fairly blunt person,” Trey continued. “I think a straightforward and candid conversation about that ‘master of your own fate’ philosophy you always drone on about could help her feel more at ease.”

“You think?” Marvin questioned. “Is that the best you’ve got?”

“I’m not a divination mage,” Trey shot back. “I can’t predict exactly how she’ll react. Speaking of divination magic, I wasn’t wrong about Nora.”

“What?”

“She does think you are her father’s murderer,” Trey replied, “but the murder hasn’t happened yet. She believes you will kill him – in the future.”

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

Marvin’s face paled. “Are you saying what I think you are saying?”

Trey nodded deliberately. “Nora is a divination mage.”

Fear flickered across Marvin’s face. “This situation is far more precarious than I initially realized.”

“She’s not a dangerous person,” Trey reassured him, trying to diffuse Marvin’s anxiety.

“A divination mage is anything but ‘not dangerous,’” Marvin countered. “She could already know we’re working together. She could even know how we intend to kill her, and we don’t even have a plan in place yet.”

“We are not going to kill her,” Trey declared firmly. “She’s young, and lacks control of her magic—”

A flash of realization flared in Marvin’s eyes. “Trey! Do you know what this means?”

“That Nora can become our ally?” Trey asked hopefully.

“No! Think about it. I have never met her father, but supposedly, I have reason to kill him in the future. He’s an artifacts dealer.”

“You don’t think—”

“It has to be!” Marvin was practically jumping with excitement. “We must find out more about this Darius Schallevon. I will make arrangements to travel to Goltenberg.” Completely forgetting about the clairvoyant would-be assassin on campus, Marvin headed toward the exit of his classroom.

“I was hoping to ask about my fire magic lessons,” Trey called out.

The dark mage paused, turning to look at the boy. After a moment, a smile cracked on his face. “Tomorrow, after sundown. You’ll meet Bree at the Riv. Remember, no magic.” With that, he disappeared into the hallway.

***

Trey's cheerful spirit was unshakable the following day. His usual morning routine – the rigorous physical training and intense martial arts instruction – flew by in a blur. The chance to explore his full potential in fire magic, particularly under the tutelage of the youngest prodigy on Windrake’s staff, filled him with an exhilarating sense of anticipation.

For a moment, he considered skipping lunch to brush up on fire magic theory in the library, but his hunger convinced him to join his fellow guardians for the mid-day meal instead.

Upon entering the cafeteria, Trey noticed a group of initiates huddled together, their animated chatter creating a lively commotion in spite of their attempt to be clandestine. Curiosity piqued, he leaned in to see what the fuss was about and quickly spotted Braun at the center of the group’s attention. One side of his face was much redder than the other.

“What’s going on?” Trey asked. His question was met with several outbursts of laughter.

“Tell him what happened, Braun,” shouted Gerald, eagerly expanding the circle.

“That fucking bitch!” Braun yelled.

“He decided to try his luck with the ice queen,” Gerald explained gleefully, covering for Braun’s lack of desire to recount the experience. “His face became intimately familiar with the palm of her hand. Some of us were watching from a distance. I think the whole campus heard the smack.”

“I don’t know what the fuck her problem is,” Braun protested. “All I did was ask her on a date.”

"That's all you said?" Trey asked, not bothering to hide his skepticism. “You just asked her on a date?”

Braun averted his eyes. “Pretty much.”

“I’m glad you’re the one that tried,” Gerald consoled the injured romantic. “I would never have had the guts to approach her. She’s got that cold elven face that makes you forget how to shit.”

“She’s just a bitch with no friends,” Braun spat out. “I’m not scared of her.” Despite his declaration of bravery, he still flinched when the guardian next to him, Nico, moved his hand slightly.

“I heard that she has her own suite in the Elspy next to the headmaster’s office,” Nico said, though he stated it almost as a question.

"Yeah, she gets spoiled with all kinds of perks," Braun replied bitterly. "I heard she enrolled at Windrake when she was just sixteen.”

“It’s true,” Damien chimed in. “She’s our age, but already an acolyte."

"How did she manage to get in early?" Nico asked.

"I bet she flaunted her body in front of the headmaster," Braun speculated with a dubious smirk. "Probably had the old man drooling."

"Do not disrespect the Grand Oracle," an older squire interjected from further down the table, reprimanding them with a shake of his head. "That’s a line you do not cross."

Braun gulped and mumbled an apology before moving on. “Eh, I bet she likes the bearded clam if you know what I mean. Nora, you should give it a try.”

“Give what a try?” she replied. “Turning the other side of your face the right shade of red? I’m not known for my finesse, but I’ll give it a shot.”

“No,” he clarified. “I was talking about the ice queen.”

Trey couldn’t help but smirk at Braun’s cluelessness. As lunch went on, the table buzzed with rumors about the impossibly bratty ice queen, many of which Trey suspected were being made up on the spot. Soon enough, though, everyone finished eating and dispersed for afternoon classes.

Trey, Skye, and Nora found their usual seats in their Introduction to Magic class.

Skye brushed some crumbs off of Trey’s shoulder. “Do you want to visit Greshelm with me after classes today?” She glanced over to the blonde sitting on the other side of Trey. “Nora can come too,” she said, extending a peace offering.

“We can leave campus?” Trey asked.

“Yes,” Skye answered. “We can leave campus. How did you not know that?”

“Did Jeffers cover that in our orientation?” he asked Nora.

“I don’t think so,” Nora replied, “but I might have missed it. There was a guy who was flirting with me the entire time.”

“You just need a city pass,” Skye explained, “and they're really easy to get. Just about any teacher will give you one.”

“That sounds fun, Skye,” Trey said. The black-haired sorceress offered only a smile, as the lesson had begun.

“Today, we are learning about streaming theory,” Professor Mavery announced. “Who can tell me what a streamer is?”

Skye’s hand shot up, but another classmate beat her. “A streamer is an artifact that helps enrich and concentrate your mana flow,” a mage in the front answered, “allowing for better-formed and more focused spells.”

“Correct,” the teacher replied. “What is your name?”

“Arthur Minas.”

“And your affinity?”

“I’m a fire mage,” the student answered proudly.

“Wonderful place to start,” the professor noted. “Each of the primary affinities has its own unique streamers, as identified by magical scholars with significantly more expertise in the field than I possess. Although mages and sorcerers may occasionally deviate from convention, many adhere closely to the traditional wisdom that has been handed down through generations. Fire magic streams best through wands crafted from the emberwood tree. Dark magic uses wands as well, though its streamers are crafted from bones from the draconic family – mainly wyverns and drakes, as they are not impossible to hunt.”

Professor Mavery scanned the class, looking for something specific. “Are there any air magic users that have brought their streamer today?”

A girl on the other side of the class raised her staff.

“Ah, there it is.” The teacher pointed to the long, wooden implement. “A staff made from the enchanted willow tree serves as the best streamer for air magic. Water mages and sorcerers equip bracers on their forearms, forged from either sterling silver or rose gold. Magical gems can be embedded in the bracers, which can enhance certain classes of spells. Earth magic users wear magical boots made from the hide of an eldertusk.”

The professor spotted a student with her hand up and called on her.

“My dark magic teacher advises that I practice my spells both with and without a streamer. However, wouldn’t it make more sense to focus on mastering the use of a streamer to enhance my abilities?”

“A bit beyond the scope of this class, my dear,” the professor replied, “but even a comfortable hen like me can imagine more than one situation where a caster and her streamer might get separated. Many powerful mages, your dark magic professor included, strongly recommend practicing spells without streamers.”

The student appeared sufficiently humbled, allowing Professor Mavery to return to her lesson. “I’ve saved my favorite for last,” she admitted with a sparkle in her eye. “Light magic users equip weapons forged out of celestial steel. Common streamers for light mages have long blades; you’ll see them wield all manner of swords and a few spears.”

Trey raised his hand. “If light mages are carrying weapons anyway, why don’t they learn the techniques of the null guardian to become an even more formidable fighting force?”

The teacher hesitated, pondering the question. She hid a smirk as she answered carefully. “If one possesses the affinity, becoming a powerful light mage is a lot easier and more prestigious than the brutal and bloody path to becoming a guardian. Light mages will occasionally participate in weapons training with the null guardians, but they generally don’t engage further. Perhaps if someone had the proper motivation, it could be done, but mages tend to focus on… magic.”

“What about specters?” another student asked.

“Another good question,” the teacher said excitedly. “Some specters have it easy – for example, a water and earth specter can just wear both streamers – while others may have to make some sacrifices. A dark and fire specter could try to dual-wield wands, which has been reported to be very awkward, or just pick one and deal with it. We have an air and light specter in this class, do we not? Jeremiah?”

“Yes,” a boy spoke up.

“What do you use for your streamer?” Professor Mavery asked.

“I have a spear with a celestial steel tip and a shaft made from the enchanted willow,” he replied.

“Yes, that would make sense,” she said, nodding slightly. “You might find that specters have to be more creative with their streamers.”

“What about mind magic and divination magic?” The question came from yet another student whom Trey hadn’t yet met.

“Ah, mind mages and divination mages are so rare that the streaming theory for those affinities is still uncharted. I do know that the Grand Oracle uses a celestial steel saber as his primary streamer, obviously benefitting his light magic.”

The professor scanned the class for more questions, then began wrapping up her lesson, much to her students’ surprise. “I have an engagement that I need to attend to, so I will have to end class early. Enjoy your weekend, and remember, the capture-the-flag kickoff is tomorrow. It will be fun!” The cheerful teacher waved farewell to her students and exited the room.

“What should we do with our extra time?” Nora asked.

“We should go ask Papa for a city pass,” Skye suggested, looking at Trey.

“Wait, you guys aren’t blood-related, are you?” Nora inquired.

“No—” Skye started.

“We just grew up in the same home,” Trey quickly interjected.

“Who’s Papa then?” the blonde asked.

“Just a friendly old mage who took us in,” Trey answered.

“He actually teaches here,” Skye added, causing Trey’s stomach to drop.

“Come on, Skye,” he said, standing up in a rush. “Let’s go ask him.”

“Hold on a second,” Nora said, yanking Trey back into his seat. “You didn’t mention you were a teacher’s kid. Were you worried I was going to make fun of you? Because I totally am.”

“Very funny,” Trey retorted. “Skye, what do you want to do in Greshelm?”

“Nope!” Nora teased him with a poke on his shoulder. “You’re not escaping. Which teacher?”

“Marvin Kalo,” Skye responded before Trey could open his mouth. “He’s the new dark magic teacher, so you probably haven’t heard of him.”

Trey held his breath as he watched the color drain from Nora’s face. He felt gripped by a deathly quiet stillness, making him wonder if the rest of the class had ceased their chattering or if his ears had just stopped working.

After a moment of shock, Nora finally cleared her throat. “Marvin Kalo is ‘Papa?’” Her blue eyes bore into Trey’s.

“Yeah,” Skye replied with innocent enthusiasm. “He can be grumpy sometimes, but he’s funny when you get to know him. He’ll probably give us a city pass.”

“Excuse me,” Nora said, standing abruptly from her seat. “I need to—” She never finished her sentence, opting to storm out of the classroom instead.

“Did I say something wrong?” Skye asked. “I’m sorry, Trey; I was trying to be nice. I thought she might like being invited to come to Greshelm with us.”

Trey glanced over at the sorceress with a weak smile. “No, Skye. You did great. How about you and me go to Greshelm together? I’ll get a pass from Jeffers.”

Skye smiled at his suggestion, nodding eagerly.

Trey slowly made his way over to Guardian’s Keep, searching for Nora – and Jeffers. His blonde roommate was nowhere to be found, however, so he settled for obtaining a city pass from the head guardian.

Not bothering to attend his artificing class or any other, he found Skye after her water magic class concluded. The two of them navigated their way to the front gates of the academy. As they left, Trey glanced over his shoulder, wondering what he would be returning to.