《My Best Friend is a Prince from Another World》 Pt. I, Ch. 1: “…even if it’s a hoax, it’s an interesting one.” Wed, May 6, 1992 Queens, New York City, United States, Terra ...so other worlds with magic are real, and supposedly my mom was a princess from one of them and theyre asking me to go there because Im next in line for the throne. My best friend, Joel, was out of breath having just shared the craziest story twice, since the first time around Id had the presence of mind to reply only with Huh? What? Less than an hour earlier, Id been at home trying to beat Civilization at a higher difficulty level without cheesing out by using the Earth map and starting in the Americas without much luck. The phone rang, and my younger brother Sammy yelled upstairs Hey Mark! Joel is on the phone, and all Joel had said was hed had a really weird day and that he needed to talk to someone. Could we hang out? So here we were at the BK near his house, and while the story was utterly unbelievable, there was just too much detail there. There had been three strangers sitting with his dad at home when he got home from band practice the first two introduced themselves as coming from the US state department. The third, who Joel said looked young enough to be in college or newly out of it, introduced himself as a Count Dormer and Joel hadnt been able to tell whether that was his name, or where he was Count of. After the introductions, his dad told him what hed gone on to tell me that his mom had been a princess from the same country as the Count and had somehow run away through something called the Gate Between Worlds when she was a teenager. As long as shed been a younger daughter from a large family, the guardians of the gate whoever they were had protected her privacy but something tragic had happened to the rest of her family, and the guardians had reluctantly revealed that shed gone to our world and let the royals send through the Count as their representative. From what the two State Department officials said, the US had known about the Gate for some time and guarded its own side of it. Someone well above their pay grade had some record of his mothers arrival, her family, and her passing and at least some idea that she was a VIP. So the Department of State had agreed to allow the Count to approach the family, but it was clear that there was a division of opinion between parts of the government some folks wanting to open diplomatic relations further with the nations on the far side of the gate, while others were very concerned about the possible dangers to Joel or his family. The choice, they made clear, was his. The Count, meanwhile, seemed horrified that the Prince he was refusing to refer to or address Joel by name, only as the Prince or Highness had been raised in such common surroundings, and that there was even the possibility that he wouldnt return. Joel stammered out that hed need to think about it and asked how hed find out more about the country and other worlds. We can give you a briefing about what we know, and perhaps the Count can present more about his world at that time. Dormer agreed, and the state department officials told Joel and his father to call their office when they were ready to talk further. And with that, they left. What followed was a far less calm conversation with his dad followed by Joel storming out and calling me from the Burger King on Northern Boulevard where we now sat. Thats crazy. Your dad believed them? I asked. Yeah. Hed said that hed always known that she wasnt from here. Here, he shook his head, since when do we have to qualify Earth as here? Not the princess part just that shed been getting away from her family, and that there was a there. So what are you going to do about it? He gave a frustrated sigh. I guess Im going to go to their briefing. I can only spend so much time on video games - he gave me a look here - or at band practice. This feels like way too much effort for a hoax and even if I end up saying no it does have me curious. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. Man, you, a prince? Joel laughed. Yeah, really. Or not really. Hey, do you want to come along for the briefing? If theyll let you, when this all blows over, nobody is going to believe me if I dont have a witness. Sure. I probably can - and I glared back at him - spend that long in front of my computer, but what are friends for? And like you said, even if its a hoax, its an interesting one. Interlude 22rd day of the month of Kan, Imperial Year 2379 (Saturday, May 13, 1899 in the Terran common era) 6th year of the Wizards War Blockade around the Isle of Mages Admiral Marius Nement looked on with satisfaction as a flight of bombers returned to his carrier, the flagship of a fleet that his nation had built in a few short years since the newcomers had arrived. The Admiral had started his service in the Second Slave War, almost thirty years prior. He had been a lieutenant on one of the battleships that had bombarded Pandac at the end of the war, and ships had not changed much in the first 25 years of his career. The knowledge the newcomers had brought with them had changed the world very swiftly. The blockade around the island was as tight as modern technology could make it. The prior winters bad weather had broken, and from what he could see, the Wizards stronghold was on the verge of collapse. If they had anyone left to assail the steel ships directly, they did not send them out, and the balls of fire or ice flung from the island were more sporadic while bombs fell more regularly, limited mostly by their ability to fuel the planes. One of the newcomers, an engineer named Harry Hoyle, was on board as an advisor. He knew as much about the big planes as anyone who could be spared for the fleet and had apparently made a study of what the newcomers called the Second World War. Most of all, though, he was the newcomers expert on the big bombs that the fleet held in reserve. Do you think well need to use them? Hoyle had asked at the captains dinner the prior night. I certainly hope not, replied the Admiral, but Im glad I dont have to make the choice whether to land an army if they dont surrender. The conversation moved on, but today he had called Hoyle to the flag bridge to discuss flight operations. Their conversation had wound down, and Hoyle would likely have returned to consult with the engineering staff had they not been watching the bombers return. Then, suddenly, there was a very bright flash in the eastern sky, almost blinding, and as vision returned he could see it was followed by a gigantic plume of smoke or steam past the horizon rapidly rising as high as one could see. Holy cow, said Hoyle. Theyve actually got one. Then, after a moment: Weve got minutes before a shockwave reaches us, Admiral. Possibly a tidal wave after that. Orders went out first, questions later. Mr. Hoyle, does this mean that theyve got these bombs as well? That looked too large to be anything else from my world. Given magic, I couldnt say for sure. I think it has to be something like this, not straight magic, though - if they had that much power left, rationally, theyd have used it on us. Youve seen the photos of what they left of Behele and their own people. The wizards are anything but rational. The fleet was far enough away from the island that it weathered the blast, and Hoyle was wrong - tidal waves do not form in deep water. Instead, the wave hit all along the coast of the Etciv and of Toyeri, with many lives lost, a final retribution of the guild - indiscriminate to whether it killed enemies or their former allies. The cloud had gone up into the stratosphere, but it also spread out across the fleet, terrifyingly dark but there was no obvious ill effect; Hoyle and the ships senior magician had each taken measurements, and come to the same conclusion - this was the result of some kind of magic, not the physics that Hoyles bombs would have used, and if there was any danger to it, it was deeply hidden. The cloud took hours to settle, and left a fine ash on every surface. After the decks were cleared, the fleet sent out a reconnaissance plane. As it approached where the island should have been, no anti-aircraft fire, neither magical or fired from guns, greeted it. Indeed, where the island should have been there was an open ocean and the only sign of it was scattered floating debris and odd new volcanic rocks floating on the waves. Whatever magic the Wizards had used, it was something of remarkable subtlety for the amount of power it had unleashed; destroying an island that large directly would have echoed throughout the world in ways even untrained but magically sensitive people would have felt. It was debated by the greatest magicians of the age, or at least those who had not stayed part of the guild after it broke its traditional neutrality and thus perished with the Island. The consensus they came to was that the guild had somehow tapped into the natural magic and geologic forces that had led the guild to settle its headquarters there in the first place. To the rest of the world, that the guild was gone and had blown themselves up was enough; the war was over. The newcomers bombs, useless in peacetime, were dismantled and remained a great secret of the war. Pt. I, Ch.2 : “…it still feels like it was just one of my wife’s eccentricities.” Sat, May 16th, 1992 Manhattan, New York City, United States, Terra A little more than a week later, Joel, his father Vince, and I ended up going to one of the Manhattan federal buildings. We were greeted by an older woman, who introduced herself as Special Agent Helen Delgado. Youre FBI? I asked. Diplomatic Security Service, actually. Weve got a room prepared; please follow me. The room turned out to be in the basement, a long table which had seen better days and a room-length mirror. A chalkboard sat at one end opposite the door, and a bored looking man in a suit sat at one end. My colleague from the Foreign Service, Richard Hull. Once we got settled, Delgado continued: We realize the circumstances are quite odd, and we appreciate your coming in today. Before we continue, we want to make clear that while no part of this briefing is classified, it is our strong recommendation that you do not speak to anyone else about this. Anything we say here would be officially denied by the government, and if we have to spend time debunking a hoax that really limits our ability to help you. Joel and I nodded, and Joels father replied, I understand. Whod believe us? Ive known a bit of this for nearly 20 years and it still feels like it was just one of my wifes eccentricities. If it werent for your late wife, Mr. Ross, we wouldnt know what little we do, said Delgado, and its likely we wouldnt have even our limited contact with the countries on the other side. So here is what we do know: a little less than twenty years ago, your mother showed up in the gates old location. She had the luck to be found by some good people, but without friends or identification she came to the attention of my first predecessor. Initially, nobody believed her, but she indicated that the gate would re-open periodically, and when we left a guard there sure enough, someone popped out and had a look around. The visitor was unarmed and introduced himself as one of the gates guardians we think that may be a formal title and said that hed like to speak to someone in charge. Unfortunately, the gate remains open for less than a day at a time, roughly once every two weeks, so we had to wait for that. In the meanwhile, we learned all we could from your mother about the governments on the far side. When it reopened, we received our first official envoys one from the guardians, and one from the government on the other side. They call themselves the Union of Feldaren and claim to be descended from people who came from our Earth or a very close parallel. The gate is located near their capital, but the guardians are independent of them and limit access. There are a huge number of parallel worlds, a few closely related to theirs or to our earth, and most very different. Only a few, ours included, have permanent anchors and open up on a periodic cycle the others are, in essence, a one-way trip. We cant confirm that they never sent anyone through to our side before we found it, but its been under guard since. They seemed happy to open relations and weve kept up a very limited and discreet trade. At this point Hull spoke up, We have not, however, been able to send someone through to them until now. Whatever the situation is -- he paused to check a note -- in Obdrest the leadership in Feldaren wants to keep them happy. After two decades of asking, weve been allowed to send an envoy through and will be getting some first-hand observations back when the gate next opens, and weve got more visitors on our side than weve ever had at one time. Lets not be hasty, said Delgado. Hull here sees visions of opening a market of a few hundred million consumers to American goods, ignoring that you can only put so much through a gateway the size of a large doorway in a few hours. Weve hosted their people under supervision a few times in the past, but Im already concerned about our sending professional diplomats over there. If you accept their invitation, well do what we can, but theres very little we can do on the other side if you end up in danger. What are they proposing for my son to do, Agent Delgado? I think its best they explain it themselves, but as theyve said, your son is believed to be the heir to the throne in Obdrest. Their desire is to have him complete his education there and to be ready to take the throne. Perhaps its time to introduce our other guests? She tapped on the mirror, and she and Hull both moved to our side of the table. Moments later, three very mismatched people walked into the room. The first fit Joels description of the Dormer, whod spoken to him before a blonde man in his early 20s, dressed with too much gold braid on a uniform that looked like he stepped out of a particularly Victorian PBS drama. The second was an older man in dark loose-fitting clothes that resembled a gi or pajamas; he was balding or perhaps tonsured. The last was an Asian woman, not so young as Dormer but probably still in her 20s, and the dark skirt suit she wore didnt seem like it would have been out of place in an office in our world. Delgado introduced them: Carl, Count Dormer, two of you have already met, at this he bowed slightly ...and the other two are Brother Oliver, of the Guardians of the Gate, and Ambassador Matsumoto, representative of the Union of the Etciv. Thank you, Agent Delgado, said Matsumoto in unaccented English. We appreciate your help in locating our allys lost child, and for the opportunity to speak with her family. Turning to Joel and his father, and we appreciate your being open to hearing what we had to say. As Count Dormer has already told you, your mother Christina was a princess from the royal family of Obdrest. As the child of a younger prince, and with two older brothers and one younger, it was only a minor source of diplomatic friction when she disappeared through the gate. She was not seen as critical to the succession. In the intervening decades, a series of mishaps have befallen the Imperial family, and at this point as her child, Joel is the last person in a direct line for the throne. Here Brother Oliver spoke up: I was not yet part of the brotherhood when the Princess was allowed to pass, but I am told that at the time she seemed legitimately facing what would have been a coerced marriage, and in fear for her life if she declined. She was given a humanitarian exception then; the interests of stability in both Obdrest and Feldaren compel us to make an exception now. Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Finally, Count Dormer spoke his accent was faint, and unplaceable: The age of majority in Obdrest is normally twenty, and as I understand it Prince Joel is in his sixteenth year, so even if the king passes sooner he could certainly wait to assume official duties. While it is inconceivable to me that he would not want to take his throne, both your diplomats and Legatus Matsumoto was that Latin? it seemed a bit odd to me have impressed upon me that to someone unused to the idea of our world, or of having a title, this may come as something of a shock. She made the suggestion to me that you and your family come through as a guest of the Union of Feldaren, and attend school there. Learn about our world, our nations. If you truly wish to return here, and do not wish not to take your rightful place, we are not barbarians no one will force you, you can abdicate and the guardians will see to your return here. Matsumoto spoke again. My government is prepared to guarantee your safety, and those of your governments diplomats. Even so, we know relocating your schooling is a big step; if I may suggest, the gate opens for the better part of a day Id like to invite you and your family to see our capitol on one of the upcoming openings, and we can have you back here in Manhattan in time for a late dinner. Joels father looked very skeptical. Joel has a comfortable life here, and mentions of mishaps in my late wifes family are not at all encouraging. She did speak with some fondness of her schooling there in your country, Ambassador, at least by my hazy memory of her stories. Dormer gave a proud smile. Queen Sara Memorial Academy. Im a recent graduate, and the Legatus graduated a few years before me She nodded. The crown jewel of our education system, and it was the first school in our world to exclusively use modern English. Joel and I kind of boggled at that; oddly, neither of the State Department folks nor his dad showed any surprise. Christine told me she learned English growing up, even though it wasnt her first language, said Joel. She said something about a lot of folks coming through from yet another world like ours, something like in her grandfathers childhood? The event, yes, said Matsumoto. Before it, people came through to our world in small numbers and at an unpredictable pace. Enough had come through from various Americas that we had some English-speaking population in Feldaren before the event. The event was different; some scientific experiment had gone awry on their side, in a world much more like yours. My great-grandparents came through with a group of more than a hundred thousand, mostly students and academics, and most of them Americans. Even for those who werent, English was very much their common language. She reached into her bag, and produced a hardcover textbook; it was labelled World History, 5th Edition. With your permission, and here she looked at Special Agent Delgado and Joels father, Id like to give this to Joel. I think it can answer his questions about our history in a great deal more depth than I can. In todays trade crates, weve got another copy for your government, as well as some longer works and an encyclopedia. You couldnt find something more readable than that textbook? asked Dormer. Matsumoto chuckled. We could have, but its a good textbook and most of the popular works assume a certain level of background knowledge. This one doesnt, and its what a transfer student his age would be expected to know for entrance exams. Dormer shook his head again. Surely the prince doesnt need to take exams; we would sponsor him. We didnt talk about this in advance, but think about it, Count. She looked over at Joels father, If we were to convince you to allow your son to spend a year getting to know our world, I think you would want to keep things discreet. Theres no sense in making his potential future as King of Obdrest public. The fewer people know about that, the easier it is for both our security arrangements and his potential return here. Dormer looked a bit deflated. I dont like sneaking around, but it makes sense. Im sure I can get our ministry to sponsor him as a friend of the Senate without having to say why if he doesnt pass, but I suspect hell have no trouble; its not like he needs to get a scholarship, and from what Ive heard his high school is already a very selective one. It isnt a public school? asked Joels father. The Academy is independent, but a portion of the class is there on scholarships either from its endowment or on public funds. Another portion are the children of, as youd say, VIPs, and the tuition is not significant for them. From what weve seen in trade, incomes tend to be lower on our side of the gate, but the tuition is generally within the means of our middle-class families. Not that it would be necessary; as I said, theres no expectation that Joel would need to win a scholarship, and I suspect were more likely to see some argument about whether we or the Obdresti treasury would get the honor of paying his expenses. She glanced at Dormer. Yes, he said, I think not being able to pay the Princes expenses would lead to some offense on the part of my government. The king is already asking why I havent set up arrangements for allowance for his living expenses already. Allowance? Joel perked up. Im fairly sure that he imagines you living in a crowded garret, and by tradition you should have a household and servants. Like maids and a butler? Joel asked. A bit more than that, but yes. I suppressed a chuckle. Joels family had a nicer than average house for our part of Queens, but that mostly amounted to being in a neighborhood new enough to have a one-car garage and central air. They had a spare bedroom which his dad used as a home office, but Im not sure where they could have put servants. Joels father had a lot of questions about the logistics of Joel possibly going to school there, and about his late wifes life before she came through. They had a lot of answers for him about the logistics, and very few answers about her life. None of the three had known her; Brother Oliver had been a young man and not yet one of the guardians when she passed to our world and the other two had been small children. What Brother Oliver knew was passed on through his organization; the other two mostly from legend. In the end, Joels father accepted the offer of a tour of their capitol and the school, to be arranged a few weeks later. On the way out, I asked Joel: Hey, have you told anyone at school about this? Not yet. How likely is anyone to believe me, anyway? If youre really thinking of going, you should at least tell Anne about it sooner rather than later. He grimaced a bit. You two are closer than we are, but yeah, weve known each other a long time and hang out enough. Id known Anne even longer than Id known Joel wed started in kindergarten together, and had been two of a very few smart kids at an elementary school where that stood out in a less than positive way. While we werent as close anymore, she lived a few blocks from me we took the subway home together often enough if she didnt have practice and I didnt need to ride my bike home. She had been bugging me about getting more exercise for years, and Id started bicycling to school at her suggestion around the end of the prior year, occasionally at first and pretty regularly more recently. Ive always been on the chubby side, but not as much as Id once been. Interlude Sat afternoon, May 16th, Imperial Year 2472 (Earth year 1992) Queen Sara Memorial Academy, suburbs of Feldaren Student council room, after meetings Gwen Mallory shook her head, once again. My mind is made up, Diane. I wont run to replace you. Diane Cho was the student council President, an outgoing senior. The school needs you, Gwen. I need... someone I can trust to look after things once Im off in college. The school needs a President who can give her all to the council, said Gwen. Ive had too many other obligations this year as Vice President. Youve been too polite to say it, but youve been doing more than your share because Ive been going in different directions. Diane sighed. I know youre right, but Id hoped to get you to commit here. I really cant, D, said Gwen. Acting is going to be a career for me, and I cant abandon the fencing club entirely. Speaking of acting, how did it go with that commercial you auditioned for? Pt. I, Ch. 3: “You two don’t really expect me to believe this story, do you?” Monday, May 18th Manhattan, New York City, United States, Terra William Jennings Bryan High School 3rd floor hallway by the Computer Lab You two dont really expect me to believe this story, do you? asked Anne. The textbook the Legatus had given him sat closed in front of Joel; another friend, Martin, was sitting there looking incredulous, while a couple of our other classmates sat nearby, probably pretending to do homework so it wouldnt be so obvious they were eavesdropping. I wouldnt believe it myself, said Joel, but this is way too much effort for a hoax. Besides, what would they have to gain? Doesnt your family have money? asked Anne. Not really. My dads business has been doing pretty poorly, and my stepmom has been back at work part time. Joels dad owned a catalog sales business that brought discount electronics in from Asia. Theyd hadnt had any really big hits recently, but this was the first Id heard about financial trouble. He went on, Besides, it sort of fits. My mom hardly talked about her family at all, and she always seemed kind of foreign. Anne was not satisfied with his answer. Its not like a blackmailer would know that. I dont see how it could be blackmail, I said, finally speaking up. I dont know how this can be real, either, but the government types were legit. Hull had made a point of giving me one of his business cards as well, which I showed her. She glared at me. Why am I not surprised that youve gone along with this nonsense? It beats video games. I shrugged. Its not like Ive been invited to another world, I just tagged along to the meeting so hed have a witness. To Joel, then, she said And youre seriously considering transferring schools there? If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. He nodded. At least for a year. I mean, what do I have to keep me here? Who wouldnt want to be a prince? If it sucks, I can come back. Martin spoke up, which he rarely did. I dunno, man, it sounds like a hassle. Didnt you say that the family had been dying out over there? asked Anne. Yeah, Joel nodded slowly, how vague theyve been about whats happened to that part of my family is weird worrying or something. Right now all Im going to do is tour the school and hear more. My dads supposed to be checking with the school here that I can come back for Senior year if it doesnt work out. Tour as in go through this gate thing? In the basement of the federal building? What a joke. Anne picked up her backpack, turned to me and asked, Hey, Mark, are you taking the train today? When I nodded, she tilted her head in the direction of the stairwell. See you guys, I told Joel and Martin, and I followed her out. On the train home, she grilled me about everything Joel and I had heard, her mood getting worse and worse. When we got a few blocks from our station on the #7 line and it was time to split up to head home, she finally told me, Look, I dont know how this can be real, but youre right, it would be really hard for this to be fake with everything youve seen. Just dont let Joel get you involved in anything dangerous, OK? If something happened to you, I wouldnt forgive either one of you. Friday evening, May 29th South Riverside, inner Eastern suburbs of Feldaren Dinner was over, and Violet Conniello had a question for her parents. Dad, Mom, can I ask you something? Of course, sweetie, said her mother. Would it be alright if I start riding the streetcar to school? My friend Tess lives near here so I wouldnt be alone. Whats wrong with having your mother drop you off? asked her father. Nothing, dad, said Violet, but it feels childish, and Im almost in high school. It was deeply embarrassing; dropping her off really meant a ride in one of the missions official cars, with her mother in the back with her. Weve talked about this before, Violet, said her mother. I dont mind dropping you off, and your father worries. Shes getting older, I suppose. This is the Tess we met at last years festival, yes? Violet nodded. Tess had been her best friend practically since both of them started middle school two and a half years ago, but she wasnt surprised that her father didnt remember that. Well, how about this, then, said her Father. You can start taking the streetcar for your Saturday classes until graduation as long as Tess joins you. If that goes well, you two can take it regularly when you start high school in the fall. Pt. I, Ch. 4A: “I told you we aren’t barbarians.” Saturday, May 30th Manhattan, New York City, United States, Terra and City of Feldaren, Union the Etciv Early morning So here we were, outside the Federal Building once again, with a bigger crowd this time. Joel had beaten me there on a Saturday morning, their taxi was faster than the subway and he was there with his dad, his mom Laura, and his sister April. Or as hed have put it, step-mom and half-sister. Joel and I had been friends for a couple years in elementary school, albeit not super-close I was a year ahead of him in school back then. Then his family moved a couple miles farther out in Queens and he ended up at a different elementary school. By the time we met again both in 7th grade after I ended up a year behind in school his mom had passed away, and he had a new two year old sister. She was a good kid, and going into first grade in the fall; for all that Joel seemed a bit distant from her or his step-mom, he got along with them better than I did with my folks, or my devil of a younger brother. Mark, are your parents OK with your coming along? asked Joels dad. I shrugged. They signed the waiver. I dont think they actually believe me about where it was, but when I mentioned it was to check out a school out of town, they seemed to like the idea. My folks had stopped threatening to send me to boarding school whether Id like it or not since my brother hit his teens and had his own discipline problems, but given how generic the liability release was, Im pretty sure they thought I was just taking a trip up-state for the day. After a few more minutes of small-talk, Count Dormer arrived, still early this time dressed in a contemporary outfit rather than his masterpiece theater get-up. He looked a lot younger without it; not that much older than us. Id heard from Joel that hed been out to see Joel and his parents a few times. Good morning, your highness. At 6:30 sharp, a security guard came out to get us, and escorted us inside to see Delgado and Hull. We took the elevator to the same basement conference room, and Delgado began explaining the day ahead of us. Thank you for coming. As youve probably guessed, what they call the anchor is located in a secure room in this building, so well be departing from here. Were expecting the gate to open shortly its plus or minutes about 30 minutes and could be opening right now, or as late as 8 from what they told us last week and to allow for an early closure we will have to be back no later than nine hours from when it opens. After all, with the exception of Hull here who will be staying, none of us particularly want to be cooling our heels there for a week or two. Their embassy has arranged transport from the gate to see both the capitol in downtown Feldaren and the school Joel would most likely be attending if you choose to go forward. If time permits we had a request for you to see the Obdresti embassy in the capitol, but right now the time looks unlikely to permit it. Right now we are the first civilians to be going through to their side, so and here she gave Joel and I a concerned glance I expect you to be on your best behavior. We dont have any formal customs arrangements, but anything you bring back through will be inspected. Do you have any questions for us, while we wait for the gate to open? Whats it like going through the gate? asked Joel. To this, Dormer replied: Just like stepping into the next room one moment I was there, and then I was here. While its open, you can hold a conversation between the two spaces. Really? So do radio waves pass through? I asked. Dormer shrugged in reply, but Delgado was able to answer Yes. Its been a useful source of information about their side, and before we moved the anchor to the sub-basement here, Im sure it was for them as well. You have radio? Dormer gave me a look. I told you we werent barbarians. I dont think many on our side of the gate realize how quickly were falling behind in technology, but at least in the big cities weve most of the same day to day comforts as here. His High C Joel C and he looked a bit pained not to be so formal, mentioned that you were something of a fan of computers and we do have them, some built there, and some purchased through the gate. I meant to ask him whether they had trade with other technological worlds, but I didnt have the chance the door opened, and two people came through. The first, who wed met, was Brother Oliver. The other, unfamiliar to me, looked like a fed dark suit, a short non-nonsense haircut, very upright posture, and while he wasnt a large man, he had a strength and intensity about him. Delgado introduced him as her colleague, Special Agent Thomas Morgan. Hed been there since the prior opening, looking into security arrangements both for our trip and for Hull, who would be staying behind with Morgan to begin the work on the ground for a diplomatic post. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. They escorted us down the hall to a door wed passed on the way in; for a secure, undisclosed location, it looked very innocuous. Inside was what looked like another conference room, this one empty except for stacked boxes and a large open space at one end. In that open space, on the floor, you could see a stone slab, mostly obscured by the gate itself this must have been the anchor. The opening itself had hazy boundaries. There was a clear area about 7 feet tall and equally wide looking out into a well-lit room, with tall columns and several people. It had a hard bottom edge at the floor, but the top and sides had perhaps a foot of mist, and it was not clear if there was any depth to it I wanted badly to peek around the back. I didnt get the chance; on the far side, Ambassador Legatus Matsumoto waved to us and said, You can come through. Morgan went through first, followed by Hull, and then Joels family. I was towards the end, with Delgado and Brother Oliver coming through last. It was very odd to step through to another world inconsequentially. I glanced up as I walked through, and there was just enough depth of mist above and to the sides of the opening to feel like a doorway, but the entire passage was two steps. In a couple of minutes, we had all gotten through. The room we stepped into was nothing like the federal building basement; it was a bright, long space with large windows to either side and large double doors well ahead of us. Most of the surfaces looked like marble. The gate wed just come through was set into one end of the room, with no visible empty space around it. A couple of large pillars stood ahead of us about halfway to the doors, standing up without reaching the ceiling, inscribed with some text in an alphabet I didnt recognize. Wood crates were piled on one side of the room, and there were a handful of people in loose fitting, dark-colored clothes much like Brother Olivers. They had a fair range of hairstyles, so it seemed Olivers bare crown was some combination of age or genetics. Standing directly in front of us was Legatus Matsumoto. Welcome to Feldaren, she said. Between herself and Special Agent Delgado, they made a full round of introductions. From there, we were escorted outside; it was warmer than New York had been at this hour but still Spring weather. The building wed come out of looked like a bank, or as if someone had made a modern attempt at Greek Revival. Around it were clustered a number of low one and two story buildings, none of which would have been out of place in an office park, and further out, small homes. Beyond that, though, a very solid-looking wall surrounded the place to a height of some of the second storey windows. A road, with rail tracks embedded, ran practically to the base of steps up to the building wed come out of. To the side of that, off the tracks, stood what looked like a trolley car. It was enclosed, appeared to be made of metal with large glass windows and was painted red with a golden dragon at one end. If youll follow me, Matsumoto said, and she started walking towards it. Inside were two rows of pairs of padded seats, with more rows than our group would need. Joel sat with his sister, his folks together the rest of us spread out with seats to ourselves. Two drivers sat at the front, and when we were all seated Brother Oliver stood up again and said I realize those of you from the other side wont have ridden in a flying carriage before, but I understand aircraft are fairly common on your side. Just keep calm and enjoy the ride. With that, the doors closed, and our vehicle began to float slowly skyward straight up initially, and then at a height not much above the tallest buildings here, accelerating forwards over the wall. Joels dad and mom looked more than a little scared, and Joel looked a little nervous. Id always loved flying even the loud little helicopter which had taken people up for rides to raise money for the volunteer fire department near my grandfathers cottage one summer and this was incredibly smooth and near silent. April, meanwhile, was leaning across Joel and looking out the window looking very happy I think I heard her whisper Coolest thing ever! We didn''t start off very high it was below what would have been the tallest buildings in Manhattan but we passed over the walls, and outside it, large, triangular earthworks which reminded me of pictures of old Napoleonic or Civil War era fortifications. I really wish Id brought a camera. We sped up, rising slowly, roughly following the road and railroad. Oliver told us that the trip would take about half an hour, and that hed let us know when there would be a view of downtown. How fast are we going? I asked Oliver took a moment to ask the drivers About a hundred and fifty kilometers per hour, although well slow down when we get nearer to the city. The movement is purely magical. That got a very surprised reaction from Joels parents, and the State Department folks. For me, though once you had a magic gate between worlds, this didnt seem all that odd. So about 70 kilometers to get there that was what, 40 or 50 miles? Quite a way out of the city, even with cars and trucks which we saw a few on the road, unfamiliar and blocky looking but recognizable for what they were. Below us, scattered villages gave way to what looked more like suburbs and the single tracked rail by the side of the road to double tracks with overhead wires. April spotted an airplane two propellers, not especially large and got very excited. Add another question about the technology and economics here to wonder about. Pt. I, Ch. 4B: “That’s about my mother’s family, right?” Saturday, May 30th City of Feldaren, Union of the Etciv Morning As we approached the city, Brother Oliver started pointing out the geography; we were approaching from the east, towards the Little Darien River the old city was located where the Great and Little branches of the river met. Most of the citys suburbs had grown up along the east bank of the Little Darien Great Darien having been too wide to bridge until much more recently. We would backtrack to the Queen Sara Memorial Academy, our second stop, which was located along the East bank of the combined river, a bit south of the old city. The city got much denser as we approached the river; houses gave way to low apartments, and then to taller buildings, most of them looked to be around 6-8 stories. Close to the river, the railroad line we followed disappeared into a large station building, and near it a cluster of taller still and surprisingly modern-looking buildings. A few hundred feet separated the station from the river, and across from it, a larger cluster of tall buildings, most built in an older style reminiscent of the art deco of the Chrysler and Empire State but more ornate. Just south of them, at the far end of the old city, a massive stone fortress stood, with the top level covered in grass and looking like it had been converted to a park. Several bridges were visible, and from our height we could see the curve of the wider Great Darien on the other side of the old city, and a single very tall bridge crossing it. Suburbs appeared to spread out into the distance on that side. We circled around the end of the island, and came in to land in a parking lot at a park just on the far side of the old fortress. A fenced area enclosed a few of these flying carriages; most were smaller, and some had other livery. A tour bus, familiar in all but the exact design, sat outside the fence. A pair of security guards let us out of the gate, and onto the bus we went. It was Saturday there as well calendar reforms in the generation of the event had led to synchronizing their week with the newcomers, and when trade had started with ours it had been discovered that it was the same there as well. Shops were mostly open on Saturday, but the business district was quiet - most people with office jobs had the day off. The fortress wed seen was apparently the old imperial garrison, and now as Id thought, a park on top and a museum and art space below. Oliver told us that later in the day, it would be quite busy. We spent our first hour or so on the ground viewing several civic buildings; the Legatus seemed particularly proud that they had both the Imperial and Union legislatures here. I found it very surprising when she implied the Union was the greater body, and I decided Id ask Joel to loan me the history book when he was done with it. The highlight of the morning was visiting the old train station. The Legatus told us that all the train lines into and through the old city were now underground, but the original central station had been preserved. The first two floors looked like solid, brick buildings and while the carvings on the outside were fanciful and ornate, with paired dragons around each entrance, the third floor and the roof were like nothing Id ever seen. The third-floor walls and roof appeared to be almost entirely seamless glass, with walls coming up and curving into a series of larger domes toward the center, with only a tall stone clock tower piercing them. The color of the glass seemed to change depending on what direction we looked at it from. Part of the first floor remained in use for people going to the underground lines, but the remainder of the building was now a shopping mall. Dormer told Joel and his parents, If you see something you like, the Obdresti crown would be happy to pay for it. He went on to say that if we thought of an Imperial as basically a hundred dollars, that would be close enough to give us a sense of the prices. In the end, we spent over an hour shopping, much to Olivers amusement and Legatus Matsumotos annoyance. April found a toy shop and came away with a stuffed toy dragon and a model airplane. Joels mom and dad disappeared into a fancy cookware store for some time, while Joel and I managed to find a bookstore. He discovered that they had quite a range of comics. I went first to the history section but groaned when I discovered the name of their first emperor from one of the books: The Life of Marcus the Conqueror Ive never been fond of the long form of my first name. It looked like most of the big paperback history books were marked 1/10th of an Imperial or 90 mil, which by Dormers comparison would be $9-10, so not out of line with what theyd have been back home. I ended up with two books - the biography Id picked up almost immediately, and a young adult story collection Thrilling Tales of Mages at War! - and Joel was happy to drop them into his basket with an impressively large pile of comics and paperback comic collections. After shopping, Legatus Matsumoto brought us to a crepe shop for a snack. Brother Oliver didnt eat, but most of the group got savory-filled crepes full of egg or minced meats. I got a sweet apple-filled crepe, and not to be outdone on dessert by a big kid, Joels sister got strawberry and whipped cream, with chocolate sauce. Interestingly, neither bananas nor peanut butter were on the menu. Leaving the mall, we passed a newsstand. The headlines on the daily papers were all something forgettable about transit funding, but a magazine The World Weekly caught my attention: Crisis in the Obdresti Succession. When we returned to the bus, I mentioned it to Joel, and he asked Dormer about it. Thats about my mothers family, right? Your family too, your Highness, although you didnt grow up with them. What is the crisis? As I told you, there is no other heir to the throne, and that you exist is a secret. Your family has had a long sequence of tragedies, but most significantly about three and a half years ago, rebels bombed the marriage of your cousin Christina Brissena. She, your uncle King Alexander James, and both of his children died in the blast. Several others were crippled, including your uncle Carl. He died a little over a year later. Two cousins of yours, both young children, were next in line for the throne but neither lived to their majority to be crowned. Now your great-great-uncle Philip is our king. He is an old man and has been heartbroken since his only granddaughter died, and even more so for his two cousins dying so young. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. The founder of the present House, your great-great-grandfather Alexander Marius, and his son, Alexander VIII, ruled for nearly eighty years between them. There are claimants from a prior house, but they are separated from the monarchy by over 100 years, and distant relatives at that. I dont know if the king will live long enough to see you graduate high school. Dormer shook his head. I am sure that any council of regency would delay the coronation to let you graduate high school and reach your majority, but the situation is reaching a boiling point. High school? asked Joels dad. Coronation? My son is going to attend college. They do have universities here, right? Yes, of course, said Legatus Matsumoto. Some very good ones. I believe there are a few good ones in Obdrest as well. Dormer had started shaking his head but stopped at the mention of Obdrest. Under the present circumstances, the sooner Joel could be present on his throne, the better. Id sleep much easier if he took a degree there, after being crowned, rather than here. I think that would be true for almost any of his familys loyal subjects. Joels dad looked at Matsumoto, and she replied. That matches my understanding of the domestic situation there. If youd like to know more, I can get one of our intelligence analysts to discuss it further. Speaking of the domestic situation there, Joels dad went on, if there have been so many deaths over the past few years, how would my son possibly be safe there? Matsumoto looked at Dormer, and at the US Diplomatic Security agent, Morgan. Both nodded, and then Dormer half shrugged, before Matsumoto spoke. First, Mr. Ross, let me be clear that I have great confidence in the ability of our country to keep your son safe while in high school, especially with the very able assistance of Count Dormer and Agent Morgan. It does make it easier that very few people know that a child of Princess Christina exists at all, and your sons precise circumstances and identity are known only to the group of people present here. She paused and took a breath before continuing. I also need to be clear that once your son takes the throne, or if he chooses to go to Obdrest in advance of that, we cant offer anywhere near the same degree of confidence. Obdrest is a critical ally, and we have been giving every possible security assistance to the present King and will do so for Joel if he chooses to take the throne. Part of the problem is that both recent deaths only show evidence of being a matter of natural disease and an accident respectively but coming so closely on the heels of political violence, it is difficult not to suspect some unknown form of foul play. Weve already provided intelligence files on this situation to your government. Mr. Hull, if you and Agent Delgado can provide the Ross family access to them, or if theyd prefer, give them your assessment... here Hull nodded ...we would appreciate it given how short their time is on this side of the Gate today. She looked at Joel before going on, I would also encourage you to at least look through the history textbook we provided last time, as I think it would make clear the importance of Obdrest as our ally, and the importance of your family in keeping the peace there. There was a brief silence, before Dormer spoke. Obdrest is my country, and I have sworn myself to the service of the crown. While Joel is here, my obligation is to him, and I will protect him with my life, if need be. Joels father looked glum. Were going to need to think about this. Just to be sure, if Joel attends school here but he does not choose to stay, hell be able to return? Yes, of course, said Matsumoto. Nor can he stay or take the throne without your consent, at least until he reaches legal majority. In Feldaren, thats 18, as I believe is the case in your country. Joels father nodded. OK, like I said, well think about it. Thats all we can ask, said Matsumoto, and while Dormer looked like he wanted to say something, he did not. Our next stop, and the last before heading to the high school, was a brief pass through one wing of the Imperial Museum of Natural Science. Much to the delight of April, they had an exhibit of dragon skeletons, including one giant that dwarfed any dinosaur at the Natural History Museum back home. There was an important difference, however these werent fossils. When I asked about the conversion to our calendar, the date the monster was taken down by the first emperor at that, the same Marcus the Conqueror Id bought a book about was less than 500 years ago. For all the surface similarity to our world, some things were not at all like home, and I decided to start leafing through the biography as we took the bus to see the school Joel might attend next year. Interlude Queen Sara Memorial Academy, Lunch time Elise Shevariet had hurried out of her biology lab to the student council room and hoped not to have to stay too long. Saturday trains were less predictable, and she did not have a lot of time to get to her job. Still, this was probably the last time this years and next years student councils would all be together in one place. The council room was on the top floor of the Arts Center and had been there since the school first moved to this site; dark paneling lined the walls, and a large painting of Queen Sara of Penrose overlooked a large conference table. It showed her in middle age, shortly before she died, rather than the younger woman whose statue graced the campus green. Several people were already there; the rest came in not long after her. After the elections, she knew them all at least a little although her loss for Vice President still hurt. From what she could see, the new VP, Neil Mayhan didnt seem like a bad person, and he knew the new President, Anson Gramm, quite well. It just didnt seem right to her - Neil hadnt even been involved in the Student Council here at all in the past year, while Elise had been the first-year representative and had been on the lower school council for all three years before that. Diane said a few words thanking her and the other class representatives, and Anson talked about his plans to ask the administration to soften the dress code. Elise understood the appeal but wasnt sure what to think about it; her family was perpetually short on cash and rotating the same couple of uniforms, rather than casual clothes, made things much simpler. There was a little business to discuss after, and then Diane formally passed the record books on to Anson. People were staying after, but Elise said her goodbyes and headed for the streetcar. Pt. I, Ch. 5A: “Welcome to Queen Sara.” Queen Sara Memorial Academy, Feldaren, Union of the Etciv Early afternoon I was interrupted in my reading when the bus stopped. The road we were on ran beside what looked to me more like a college campus than a high school, but the sign made clear that this was our destination. There was a low masonry fence on either side of the entrance, which consisted of a narrow driveway and wide sidewalks. A few small buildings were near the entrance, with larger ones farther off. A streetcar stop was just outside; judging by the uniforms, the handful of people waiting were students. Legatus Matsumoto got out first, entered the nearest building, and after a few moments came back and told us it was time to get off the bus. A few minutes after wed unloaded, a bearded man, possibly younger than my parents but probably not by much, came down the driveway. He greeted the Legatus, and she introduced him to the rest of our group. This is Henry Jerdew, Dean of the Upper School, she said. For the Americans, thats grades ten to twelve; the lower school is grades seven to nine. As I understand it, thats not quite how you divide Junior and Senior High School, but it may be easiest to think of it that way. She went on to introduce us all, notably introducing Joel with his family as the potential visiting student being co-sponsored by her government and the Americans, and no mention was made of Joels mother or why he was actually here. I was introduced as Joels friend, purely here to observe. She ended with ...and you may remember Carl, Count Dormer? Yes, of course, said Dean Jerdew. Does Obdrest have some interest in student exchange these days? Obdrest has the same interest in increased trade as the Union, of course, replied Dorner, but in this case Ive been borrowed to help with security arrangements. One of the Deans eyebrows went up, but he did not press further. Instead, he addressed our whole group, saying, Welcome to Queen Sara. Its an honor to host the first young people to be allowed through the Gate, and doubly so if Joel and his parents choose for him to attend next year. The academy has been here for 110 years, we were funded by a gift from Queen Sara of Penrose and Kala, to commemorate the young men from Feldaren who died fighting as her ally in the Second Slave War. We moved to this location about 20 years later; the land here was a gift from the Senate on the condition that we admit young women as well. If youll follow me, Ill show you around campus and the upper school buildings in particular. The main driveway ran a short block, ending in a small roundabout at one end of a fairly large open area; a narrower alley or driveway threaded off to one side away from the open area. Along the way, there were several small buildings which he told us were for staff use. The open area was about a short city block on each side, grass in the middle with sidewalk around it. The grass was broken by a few benches and picnic tables around the edges, and in the very center was the statue of a woman made of a smooth white stone, atop a low pedestal. When we got to the roundabout, Dean Jerdew pointed out the statue. Thats Queen Sara on the center of the green. It''s a pity you couldnt come earlier; we could have dropped by a class in session, and on a nice day like this the green is a popular lunch spot. I think I grimaced, and Joel spoke up. So, there are Saturday classes? Yes, said the Dean. Weve a five-and-a-half-day schedule. It does vary, but most Saturday morning classes are science labs and electives. A fair number of clubs use Saturday afternoon to have a longer block of time on campus for club activities. Joels dad asked the next question, What are the electives here? Ill go over a little more about our electives when we tour the academic building, said the Dean, but we have a pretty set curriculum in English, math, history, and sciences unless students place ahead in one or more of those. Second years can take one or two electives; a lot take an advanced honors follow-up to one of the first-year classes, and we offer a fair number of other subjects. Well send you back with a full curriculum. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. From there, our first stop was the high or as he said, upper school buildings, which were an L shaped pair of structures connected by open walkways at one end. Each was three stories, and when we entered the nearer one, the first sight was a large bank of lockers. From there, the first thing he pointed out was the cafeteria, which was mostly empty but there were a few students still hanging out after lunch. They had uniforms, and formal ones to my eye almost a suit, although rather than matching, the pants or skirts were grey and jackets dark blue. The Dean pointed out the hot lunch line already closed, and the menu blackboard wiped clean and a separate line for packaged snacks that remained open with a very bored student behind it. Joel and I went up to check it out; it seemed picked over, but there were several wrapped sandwiches and pastry, as well as potato chips and similar snacks. Most amusingly, the main brand of chips was Wiz with a cartoon wizard, but oddly close to a brand from our world. When we came back, the Dean was talking to Joels parents. As you can see, weve got a formal uniform. The new student council president ran on changing it. Those discussions will happen after final exams, but I expect if Joel joins us, that things will be a little more relaxed by the time he starts. I wanted to ask how much more relaxed, but I wasnt the one who might be attending, and Joel didnt bring it up. His father moved to asking about when exams were around three weeks off at the end of June and it sounded like the school year ran about the same as ours in New York, just a little longer into the very beginning of July. We went on to tour the rest of the building, which was mostly similar looking classrooms. They were very nice and modern, and well provisioned with windows. William Jennings Bryan HS, where we went, was an old and dark building and like many NY schools had bars on the first-floor windows, but it could have been worse Id visited Hunter once, and their converted armory had almost no windows at all. One thing that caught my attention was that the first two rooms we checked out had no clear specialty, so at the second I asked, What subject is taught here? Except for subjects needing special equipment, like science labs or music, students stay with the same room throughout the day, replied the Dean. That seemed odd, coming from the system in NY, but I didnt suppose it actually made much difference. After that, we took the walkway over to the second building. Apparently, the homerooms were mostly divided by a year per floor C first-year classrooms on the second floor of the building wed first entered, second-years on the top floor of that one, and third-years on the top floor of the other. The lower floors were a mix of science labs, specialty classrooms, and the school nurses infirmary. Our next stop was the central building on the river side of the green the Dean pointed out that it was the oldest academic building on campus. At one point it had been the main school building, but when the new upper school building opened it was repurposed into the arts center, with specialty classrooms and studios, and from the sound of it, club rooms used by both the upper and lower schools non-athletic clubs. Unlike the academic building, that was mostly cleared out, many of these rooms were occupied and busy, and we got to peek in at a few. The building was also home to a big auditorium at one end, called the main hall. The dean said it was big enough to hold the entire upper school or lower school student body and faculty, although not both at once. We skipped the lower school building on the far side of the arts center, which was a single structure although floor taller than the upper school buildings. We next went to the sports center, which was again shared between the upper and lower schools; it consisted of a few low, connected buildings all along one side of the green. As a gym building, it lost my interest, right up until the Dean said something that caught my attention Most students dont take physical education classes in the upper school, but instead satisfy the requirement by joining one of the athletic clubs. Are there try-outs for the teams? Joel asked. It depends on which, replied the Dean. Right now, for the boys, only baseball has a separate competitive team and open club. Some of the others like soccer have a single club, but still have try-outs within the club for a competitive team. They had a large pool, although from the look of it, it might not be usable socially; the entire thing was in use by the swimming clubs when we looked in. One other thing that caught my attention was at the stairs at the back of the main gym, a sign said Dueling Club. When I asked about that, the Dean replied The school was founded a long time ago and has some equally old traditions. Keeping that sign up is one of the odder ones that the Fencing Club has kept. Our last stop was the main administration buildings; we were all briefly introduced to Doctor Mittari, the head of school, and Joel and his parents met with him in private. During that time, the Foreign Service officer, Hull, decided to strike up a conversation with me. That book you were reading on the bus did I see right that it was a biography of their first emperor? Pt. I, Ch. 5B: “A friend of Joel’s who could remind him of home” Queen Sara Memorial Academy, Feldaren, Union of the Etciv Main Administration building Afternoon The Foreign Service officer, Hull, decided to strike up a conversation with me. That book you were reading on the bus did I see right that it was a biography of their first emperor? Yeah, I said. When I didnt say anything more, he asked, What do you think of it? Its pretty good. Im not very far along, but its an easy read. If you mean the subject, its really hard to wrap my head around the way theyre describing him. How so? Nothing about his story makes sense. If hed lived longer ago, it would be pretty easy to write him off as a legendary figure like King Arthur, but he didnt really live that long ago. Especially around here. From what I can see, they recorded history better than we did. I pointed out what appeared to be a photo in the book. They had magic that worked basically like a camera in his lifetime, so its not even like we just have a painting of the guy like we would someone who lived the same time back on Earth. Ive read his entry in the encyclopedia they provided, said Hull, and Ive read some of my predecessors notes about Joels mother and this place. Im still not sure hes any harder to believe in than anything else weve learned about this world. Does the author there take a side on one of the theories about where he came from? Yes, I said, the author thinks he must have come from a more technologically advanced world, one of those occasional arrivals that the Legatus was telling us about. It makes sense. Why do you think that it makes sense? If hed just invented gunpowder it would be one thing, but he jumped over a lot of steps, and its not like that was his only invention. Its straight out of Connecticut Yankee. Hull laughed. Thats an interesting way of putting it. Well, its the original. I read a lot of science fiction, and there are more books on that theme modern guy goes back to the past. Usually becomes crazy powerful. I liked Lest Darkness Fall better than most because the main character in that one doesnt succeed at everything he tries. It sounds like their first emperor pretty much succeeded at everything, said Hull. Yeah, pretty much, I said, or at least until he tried to fight one dragon too many. At almost 120 years old, if the stories are true. I shook my head. That would not be believable if someone put it in a novel. And yet its accepted as history here. Its an interesting place; Im looking forward to my posting. Your colleague, Agent Delgado, said your goal was to set up more trade with the US? If I can, yes, said Hull. Getting some American students over here to study and share our culture and values would be a good start. Some students? I asked. Its just going to be Joel, right? Thats the plan for now, he said. It would be good to have more. Like a friend of Joels who could remind him of home, given that hes got a career path that leads him away. Its something you could consider. The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. I shook my head. This place has been interesting to visit, but my moving here sounds like a bad idea. Hull shrugged. I dont know for certain that we could make the arrangements, but it would be a good thing for our long-term presence here, and I think it would be good for Joel. He stopped for a moment, took out a business card, and gave it to me. Just think about it. It would probably look good on college applications for you, too. Joel and his parents were in the office for a few more minutes. They didnt look unhappy when they came out, but Ive never been good at reading people. The group Legatus Matsumoto and Count Dormer especially said their goodbyes to the Dean and Head of School, and we headed out. We took the bus a few minutes away to a large parking lot, where the flying carriage or perhaps another one like it awaited us. Matsumoto let us know that this was the last stop, and that shed be staying here, as would Hull. Morgan would accompany us, and then double back once we were through the gate. The flight back was not so novel as the one out, and there was less to see from this end of the suburbs out to the Gate complex. It was still mid-afternoon, and two weeks ago the Legatus had said we might be returning after dinner time. I asked Brother Oliver about that, and he told me, The gates schedule is variable, but we can predict it in advance within an hour or two of accuracy. Today, things aligned to both open and close earlier in the day than usual. What things aligned? I asked. Some of the magical forces involved. Its not my area of specialty so my trying to explain it wouldnt do justice to the topic, even if you had the background to understand it. A big part of it, though, is literally gravitation and celestial bodies. Every habitable alternate world weve found, including yours and this one, has the same solar year. Most, but not all of them, are in sync with our seasons. The moon, or moons, vary a lot more, as does the rest of the solar system. Your world, and the one the main gate event came from, has only one moon, and a relatively large one. Our world has two. The larger is not so different from yours, but its got a smaller companion, farther out. Were not clear on why it matters, but the alignment of the two lunar schedules correlates pretty closely with the limits of how long we easily can keep the Gate open, and how often it will reopen. Interesting, I said. So, if Joel comes to school here, hed only be able to come home if he had a two-week vacation that aligned with the openings? Brother Oliver nodded. Mostly, yes. There are a few alignments every year where it will naturally open more frequently, and if there is an anchor, like with your world, we can open it out of schedule if were willing to spend enough magic on it. Theres been discussion of that as a contingency plan, if Joel comes here and ends up in danger. Thanks. Is this something I could learn more about? Unless you move here and then join the Brotherhood, probably not much more. Having people from another world here has always been a one-way trip in the past, or vice versa in very few cases like Joels mothers. Weve opened up more about the general workings of the Gate than we have in the past, just to allow the possibility of formalizing relations with your world. Weve kept most of the details about the Gate secret for as long as its existed, and I dont see us changing that any more than we have to. Ah, bummer, I said, and figured it was time to read some more of my book. Interlude June 1st Queen Sara Memorial Academy Classroom 1-D, before school Jack Allard and Kai Matsumoto were nearly inseparable friends since elementary school, and as usual before class they were discussing Jacks favorite subject girls. I hope there are some cute first years in the fall, said Jack. You do realize your sister is going to be a first-year next fall, said Kai. Maybe shell have some cute friends she can introduce me to! Maybe shell tell her friends to watch out for her older brother, said Kai. Jack rolled his eyes. That would be just like Tika, but a guy can dream, cant he? Youre taking Mia not coming back pretty well. Jack was on the soccer team, and Mia was their year and had been manager for the soccer team still would be for the next month, although the season was over now, and theyd all be busy with exams soon. Jack had an on-and-off crush on her since middle school, but never acted on it; Kai had wondered if it was mutual, and if so, if Jack had been the reason she had volunteered as the manager this year. Her family was from Obdrest, and they were moving back there over the summer. I never had a chance with her, said Jack, letting his breath out. Not too late to ask her out, said Kai. A whirlwind summer romance, before she leaves? Jack laughed. More like shot down, and too busy with exams and moving even if she wanted to. Kai shrugged. Jack went on. Hey, why dont you ask Amy out over the summer. I do NOT like Amy like that, said Kai. Pt. I, Ch 6: “That’d be nice, but computer geeks are probably just as much girl repellent there as h
June 1st William Jennings Bryan High School Cafeteria, lunch break That was pretty crazy, I said to Joel. We hadnt had a chance to talk about the tour afterwards; Count Dormer had offered to take his family out to dinner after while Id headed home. You mean the trip on Saturday, right, not the American History class? Joel joked, and after a pause, Yeah, maybe. I mean, kind of the craziest thing was how normal everything was, right? Not for me. Flying carriages? Cool, but not normal. Dragon skeletons which looked like they could have eaten a T-Rex for dinner? Scary, and definitely not normal. Malls. Preppy kids in uniforms, Joel countered. Im not sure what I was expecting, but that wasnt it. I guess. I thought for a minute. So does that mean youre going? Im not sure, but Im leaning towards it. Being Crown Prince, and later King, I could do a lot to help my family, and it sounds more fun than getting a real job here. Youre not worried about whatever has been killing off the royal family there? Of course, Im worried, said Joel, but its not like there arent things to worry about here. Its only been about a month since they closed school early because they were worried about riots. He was talking about after the Rodney King verdict; there hadnt been riots in New York, like there had been in Los Angeles, but wed all been sent home mid-day out of concern. Yeah, its no picnic here, I replied, but that stuff isnt personal. Neither was the bomb, but Ill bet you remember drills ducking your head in the hallway of P.S.11 just as much as I do, said Joel. Ok, Ok. Besides, said Joel, I bet kings get all the girls. Wouldnt you be worried more about being stuck in an arranged marriage? They seem way too modern for that. I really need to borrow that history book from you. We saw one really big, modern city, I said, and shook my head. How do you know the whole world is like that? If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. I dont, and you can keep the history book. But this, and here he made a wide gesture with his arm, sucks. I shrugged. At least its the devil we know. You should have more of a sense of adventure. I can ask Dormer if they can sponsor you or whatever, you should come. Hull suggested the same thing, I shook my head, and its crazy. Ive got a hard enough time here, why start over? Youd be the exotic foreign student with a Prince for a best friend. Even you could get a girlfriend with that going for you. Thatd be nice, but computer geeks are probably just as much girl repellent there as here. Look, just send me a postcard when you settle in, I said, and tried to change the subject. How is your final paper for American History going? Badly, it sounded like; hes picked from a list of suggestions and didnt care much about the Constitutional convention. Id had the opposite problem; Id sold the teacher on my topic, but as usual it was turning into a long narrative without any real thesis. I had biked that day, and Anne had practice, so we didnt see each other after school; the next day, when we talked, and I told her about the trip she seemed relieved to hear that Id turned Hull down and amused that their first emperor shared the long form of my first name. She seemed a bit on edge around Joel after that, and with finals and a few papers left to do, we were all very busy. June-July The last few weeks of the school year seemed to take forever. Big papers for English and American History, finals in most of my classes, and my only two close friends avoiding each other did not make for a pleasant time. Then it was summer, and Joel had to study for the entrance exam more out of pride than necessity, since he would be sponsored if he did poorly and he disappeared into that. Anne went off to her sports camp, and I didnt really know anyone else well enough to keep in touch over the summer. A little ways into July, I left town myself - to spend three weeks at the academic camp which my folks had shipped me off to the year before. The prior year Id gotten a low-end 286 laptop to get me to agree to go, essentially a bribe to allow my parents a few kid-free weeks. My brother, being fonder of the outdoors, had been spending a big chunk of his summers at a more traditional outdoorsy camp for several years. The one I attended was at a college campus in suburban Connecticut. Much to my surprise, Id enjoyed it, and looked forward to going this year. While there was nothing computer-related, the classes were fluffy and entertaining, and Id had some luck talking to girls which Id never had at home. This year, Id asked my parents if I could do the full double session of 6 weeks, but it was important to them that I went along for the family vacation to the cabin in upstate NY, so I was there for three weeks again. Anne had sent a letter while I was at camp and I felt a little bad about just having sent a postcard back. Still, Id see her at the end of the summer, and it sounded like as usual she was having fun. Joel sent a postcard. Slightly odd-sized, it had a picture of a dragon on it and sure enough, it was one someone had brought back from the other world; his note didnt say whether his folks had bought it on the tour or if hed asked Dormer to get it for him. Pt. I, Ch 7: “There’s been an accident.” Monday, July 27th Upstate NY, my grandfathers cabin Near the end of July, my time at camp was over without the little luck talking to girls Id from the prior year, but having had a good time. Id had a couple of quiet days at my grandfathers cabin. I couldnt shake a certain unease about being on my own a lot during the coming school year with Joel away and Anne busy with college applications but it seemed like it would be a nice break for a few weeks going into August. That changed with one phone call; my dad picked up. After a moment, he said, Mark, its for you, and he looked worried. It was Annes mother on the phone. Theres been an accident, she said. Anne was out running in the morning, and she was hit by a truck. Oh no! I said, or something stronger to that effect. Is she going to be alright? Its too soon to know. Were with her at the hospital. Is there anything we can do? Shes resting now, but she was asking about you. Shes likely to be here for a while, and I know it would mean a lot if you could come visit in the next few days. Of course, Mrs. Adler. Can I put my dad back on? Hell be the one to drive me there. They talked for a little while. After the call, my dad told me, I think this sounds serious, and that we should drive down to the city tonight. With traffic, it will be too late to make visiting hours, but what do you say we spend the night at home and go visit first thing in the morning? We didnt talk much on the drive down, and when we got in, we called Annes mother at the hospital. It sounded like she was still resting, and that there was no change in her condition, so we ordered a pizza, and I went to bed worried. In the morning, my father called the hospital room to see how she was doing and whether we could come visit. There was no answer when the switchboard put him through to the room, so he called her house. I only heard his half of the conversation, but from the Im so sorry, it was very clear that things had gotten worse. It did not occur to me what he actually was hearing. When he got off the phone, my father looked tireder than I could remember seeing him. Mark, he said, Anne passed away overnight. That was her grandmother who was watching the house while her parents were at the hospital. How did that happen? I asked. It sounded like she was going to be OK yesterday; healthy people our age dont just die. I dont know, Mark. Her grandmother didnt say how. If I hadnt already been sitting down, I would have needed to. Thats just not possible. She is one of the healthiest people I know. How do you just die overnight if youre fine after the accident? I dont know exactly what happened, but her mom said shed be in the hospital for a while, right? They dont keep people in the hospital any longer than they have to without a good reason. The rest of that day and the next few were a bit of a blur; we talked to her mom later in the day, and I was asked to pass the news to her close friends at school to let them know about the memorial service. I talked to Joel, and digging up a class directory, I called one of the girls in my year who was on the softball team with Anne. Shed send word on to the rest of their team, and the softball girls in Annes year would know how to reach the rest of her friends. The memorial service was on Saturday; a lot of people from school turned out. While waiting for the service, my dad and I heard what had happened the accident had damaged the big artery leading out of her heart, which had started to rupture overnight. Theyd tried surgery, but it failed to save her. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! My dad and I sat with Joels family; it was a nice service, with a bunch of her relatives sharing memories of her, and the captain of the softball team said a few words as well. I was really surprised that her mom mentioned me in her remarks, referring to me as Annes oldest friend. Afterwards, there was a reception at their house; my dad and I went, as did a few of Annes close friends from her class and I think their parents, but Joel and his family didnt go. I didnt know anyone else there besides my dad, Annes folks, and her grandmother. Id been to funerals for a couple of really old family members I hadnt known well, but nobody Id really known had died, let alone someone my own age. It felt sad, awkward, and when Annes mother took the time to speak to me, I really did not know what to say, so I stuck with what my dad had suggested before we went in. Im so sorry for your loss, Mrs. Adler, I said. She looked sad and far away, and for someone who was younger than my folks, very old. Thank you, Mark, she said. It means a lot to have you here. She always missed you over the summers. When you were away in seventh grade, too. I never knew that, I said. Wed gone to my grandfathers cabin upstate pretty much every summer, except when my parents academic careers had taken us elsewhere - most notably when Id lost a year between sixth and seventh grade. Shed always done more to keep in touch than I had, and I suddenly felt terrible about that. I wish we could have gotten to the city sooner. Its OK, Mark. She was already resting, her voice broke up, and she took a moment before she said, the doctors tell us there is nothing more anyone could have done. Im so sorry, I said again. It was getting repetitive, but I really didnt know what else to say. She patted me on the shoulder. When we first got to the hospital to see her, she asked us to check in on you to make sure you were OK while she was there. She cared about you an awful lot, and youve been friends for such a long time. I know, Mrs. Adler, I said. Shes been like a sister to me. ...had been? That she was gone still felt very much less than real. Thats probably what it was, Mark, but Ive wondered for a long time if it was more than that for her. I did not know what to say to that, and I wasnt sure I got what she meant. Even more so, I wasnt expecting what she said next: I half expected you two would end up dating one of these days. I shook my head and kept from saying the first thing that came to mind, she really didnt see me that way! Im not sure that she was the one Id have been trying to convince. Instead, I just said I dont know, but I miss her very badly. Im so sorry. We all miss her, she said, and when she moved off to speak to someone else, I felt even more alone than I had. Interlude Sat, August 1 Lassander, Kingdom of Obdrest The Kings private study Phillip Marius, better known to his nation as Phillip V, and to the world as King of Obdrest, felt every one of his 71 years. He had never wanted the crown, and with two older brothers, two nephews, and a positive horde of his brothers grandchildren - not to mention great-grandchildren, hed never expected to be. But the past few years had seen one death after another. Today, he was sitting in his study, waiting for the phone to ring. Not literally; he had one half of a pair of magic mirrors. They couldnt be tapped, could be taken anywhere, and you could see the speaker, but it was close enough. His was face down for privacy, and soon enough, it spoke - muffled by speaking into the table: Good afternoon, your majesty! He turned the mirror over and propped it on a book. Good morning, Dormer. The gate was six hours behind Obdrest, and it was just past dawn there; the younger man looked far too cheerful for the hour. I take it you have good news about Christinas son? I do, Your Majesty. Prince Joel passed the entrance examination, said Dormer, and his father has agreed to let him come here for the year. I think that will be long enough to convince him to stay. Thank you, Dormer. I dont suppose we know for sure how a 16-year-old boy will react to all this, but youve got the best sense of him. Are the security arrangements sound? My counterpart from the Americans is an old veteran, Your Majesty. I think youd like him, and Im learning by his example. The Feldarenese security services seem solid as well, here Dormer paused a moment, Id be happier if Joel could stay at our ambassadors residence, but they make a good point about the difficulty in keeping his identity confidential there. One I agree with, and not just in case he decides to return to his world, said Philip. I cant prove that someone was behind the deaths of Louis and Brinna, and I certainly cant put a name to them, but I am firmly convinced that we have an enemy who can reach past our best security here. Let Joel enjoy his first year here in as much peace as he can. Yes, Your Majesty. Speaking of keeping him safe, keep an eye out for my sister-in-law, or someone working for her. What is your concern about the Duchess of Lassander? I hope its nothing, but Sophie is too perceptive by half. She means well, but she has a terrible blind spot for her family. Pt. I, Ch. 8: “You know, huge tracts of land.” Sun, August 2 Queens, New York City I slept very badly the night after Annes memorial. I woke up drenched in sweat even with the air conditioner having been on all night, with the sense that Id had running nightmares but no memory of what they were about. I had over a month until school started, but I was already dreading going back with no one who I knew well left there. Before, Id dismissed Mr. Hulls idea of my attending school with Joel as a bad idea out of hand, but it didnt seem that way now. Anne was gone, and just about everything at school and around the neighborhood seemed likely to remind me of her, and of the odd questions her mom had raised. A year at school away from home meant a year away from my brother, and his incessant fights with our folks. I still had Hulls business card in my desk drawer; it was early on a Sunday morning, so I doubted Id reach him directly, and for all I knew hed be on the other side of the gate. It might be too late to get in, I thought; I hadnt gotten to talk to Joel much at the memorial, but it had sounded like he was done with the exam. I figured Id leave a message, anyway, and did so. Not wanting to stay at home later in the morning, I gave Joel a call to see if he was around and wanted to get lunch. We met up, as we often did, at the BK near his house. How are you doing? he asked. I dunno. I paused for a minute. I thought I was doing OK, but Annes mom said something weird after the memorial, and I cant get it out of my head. Shoot, like weird how? Kind of like, she thought Anne and I should have been dating, I said, but she didnt like me that way. I dont think? The heck if I know, said Joel, and then he thought for a second, and then kind of grimaced. It could actually kind of make sense, looking back. How do you mean? You probably never noticed how annoyed Anne was when she found out you had asked Reina out at the end of 8th grade. I remember we werent hanging out much that summer, but that was it. More recently, she was bugging you about bicycling more, and getting into shape. I shrugged. She was at least too protective of you for just a friend. I thought you were right that it was kind of a big-sister thing, but I dunno, liking you could fit. I took a long drink of my soda before saying anything else. Ah, crud. It never crossed my mind, and I guess Ill never know now. Its kind a pity she wasnt your type, Joel said. Maybe she was hoping youd grow out of it. What do you mean my type? I remember you talking about crushes on three different girls. You asked two of them out, right? Yeah, so? I said. What did they all have in common? When I didnt answer, he went on, You know, huge tracts of land. I groaned. Hey, Reina was just really nice to me in 8th grade and I dunno, I thought she might have liked me when we had to work together in that stupid theater project in English class. And what about Holly? Joel Asked. She was the only girl who came for a while when we tried to get the D&D club together. Dont lump me into starting that. I went to a few meetings before you gave up. Also, she wasnt the only girl, remember? Oh yeah, duh, I said. Anne came to a few meetings. I think all of them, even if she was just hanging out and studying, said Joel. So fine, you had something in common with two of them, what about Lana? OK, fine, shes never said two words to me, but shes hot. Way too tall for you, and out of either of our leagues. Here, at least. So what do they have in common? If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. I glared at him. Theyre all smart. Everyone is smart at our school, test to get in and all that, said Joel. Annes at least as smart as any of those three. Was, I said, looking down. Oh, shoot, sorry. Yeah, was, Joel sighed. After a pause, he continued, and maybe Im wrong, but if I got the idea that you are a boobs guy, Ill bet she did too. He wasnt wrong about my general preferences, but I didnt think I would have been so superficial about it if a girl had actually shown any interest in me as more than a friend. Still, the thought that her mom might have been right, and Anne might have kept something like that to herself because of something that dumb depressed me further. Joel broke what was becoming an awkward silence. Sorry, Mark. I know this is all heavy, especially given how things went the last time you thought someone liked you. He was referring to Holly; when I asked Reina out, she was really nice about saying no thanks. Holly hadnt been. Joel went on. Anne was my friend, too, and at least you had the guts to ask some girls out. I guess, I said. Whatever happened to that 9th grade girl you liked, the clarinetist? Nothing, we talked after practice a few times but I never got around to asking her to hang out or something. This year in the other world is going to be different. That was the other thing I wanted to talk to you about. Remember I said Mr. Hull had suggested I go with you? Yeah. I also remember telling you that you should come along, and you said it would be a bad idea. OK, yeah. Things have changed a lot since then, I said. I decided a year to get away from things here would be good. I left a message for Hull about it. Sweet! Ill give Dormer a call and see if theres anything he can do from his side. It would be really good to have you there. He paused, and looked a little embarrassed. Im a little freaked out about going there when I dont know anybody. It really will be good to have you there. First I have to get in, I said. What can you tell me about the exam? Joel had taken the exam seriously, despite Dormers belief that he just had to do well enough not to embarrass Legatus Matsumoto to her colleagues. It had paid off, and he had done well enough not just to qualify for admission, but for a full scholarship. The Obdresti crown would still be paying for his living expenses, and it sounded like the Obrestis, the Feldaren foreign ministry, and the US government would all somehow be working together on security... but he took quite a bit of pride in saying that neither they nor his dad would be paying a dime for his tuition. The scholarship also came with free lunches, and a monthly transit pass. The exam itself didnt sound much worse than the PSATs wed taken the prior year, just a lot longer. The minimum score to get in was high, and higher for juniors - or as their system went, second years - but to get into our school in NYC you had to be in a very high percentile on city-wide tests just to qualify to sit for the schools own test, and then only about one kid in 20 who took the test got in. Ive always been good at taking tests; they often seem like a game or a fun sort of puzzle to me, and maybe for that reason, I dont get stressed with them as often as most people seem to. On the other hand, I had less than a month until school would be starting, and Joel had had half the summer to study. It wasnt clear it was even still possible for me to go, but Hull and Dormer both seemed like they could be persuasive. We walked to his house to borrow the study guides Dormer had given him, and I headed home late in the afternoon so I could get dinner with my dad; we were supposed to be driving back upstate in the morning. He was in the living room when I got home, working on some papers for the coming semester, but looked up almost immediately from them to ask me, Why was someone from the State Department calling you? It had been Agent Delgado, and after a long and less than comfortable explanation to my dad, I called her back. They had been forcing the gate to open more frequently while making arrangements for Joels move, and she said shed see what Hull could do when it next opened. Interlude Fri, August 28 Lassander, Kingdom of Obdrest The Kings private study Phillip was in his study again; this time, he was not alone. Your majesty, Ive heard some rather unbelievable rumors, said Sophie; she was the Duchess of Lassander, and his brother Carls widow. Dont your majesty me, Sophie, he said. Weve known each other more than 50 years now. Just ask what youre going to. You never were one for pleasantries, she replied, but youve gotten positively grouchy these past few years. Justifiably, he said. We all must move on, she replied, and I wanted to ask if the reason some of your senior security people had been at the Gate had to do with Princess Christinas disappearance. Why pay attention to such rumors now, Sophie? he said. Ever since she disappeared, there have been rumors that the Gatekeepers let her through. Ive heard the same rumors, but until they came up again recently, I never believed them. You should have, said Phillip. There arent many ways you can make someone disappear so completely that theres no trace of a body, nor a ghost. So, she did? The Brotherhood confirmed it? Ive been pretty certain of it since the magicians my brother hired couldnt find anything. So does that mean shes been found? asked Sophie. In a manner of speaking, said Phillip, shaking his head. She died young, on the other side of the gate. Oh, how horrible. Will the brotherhood let you bring her remains home? She had a husband there; I dont intend to have our people ask. Theres a child, then, said Sophie. Phillip didnt answer immediately. Whatever you think you know, keep to yourself. Ill let you know the rest when the time is right, but if you breathe a word of this to your nephew all bets are off. I have never understood why you dislike him so much, said Sophie. Distrust, not dislike. If I havent gotten that through to you yet, I never will. Very well, then. Ill keep this to myself, but if Ive come this close to figuring it out on my own, others will eventually. Pt. I, Ch 9A: “This isn’t an easy place for a bright but unmotivated student” Sat, August 29 Manhattan, NYC, and City of Feldaren I was starting to get used to coming into the city to the Federal Building; the exam had been here, as had a long meeting with my parents, Delgado, and Dormer. They hadnt agreed on the spot, and I think half thought this was a hoax, but after sleeping on it, theyd agreed - although they were coming with Joel and I for the weekend to help us move in, and to see the other world for themselves. So today, Joels family and mine were both here at the Federal Building; I was surprised that my brother had wanted to come, but even he was along. This was a regular opening of the gate, but theyd somehow arranged for the gate to reopen briefly on Sunday evening, so our families would be able to stay the night. Unlike the first time through, Id thought to bring a camera, a very basic autofocus SLR Id bought freshman year with birthday money and then Id kind of lost interest in. I had it, a couple of books, and my laptop in my backpack; the rest of my things, including my bike, had gone into the same moving truck that had Joels and would come through later today after us. Hull and Delgado met us in the lobby of the building and escorted us to the sub-basement level Id gotten familiar with by then. The whole thing, I think, became real for my folks when they saw the gate. Ive been wondering about this, my dad asked of Hull while we waited for Oliver to show up and give us the all-clear to enter, but how does this possibly not violate conservation of matter? Thats a good question, said Hull. Weve had physicists analyze this, and it shouldnt be possible. Weve asked the folks on the other side of the gate, and their only explanation is its magic. From what youve said, we have to accept that its real in their world, said my dad, but surely theres no such thing as magic on our side? Oliver heard the end of that exchange from the other side of the gate, and spoke before Hull could reply, Thats one of the odd things about your world; from what weve seen most habitable worlds the gate connects to have at least some magic. Yours has none, or at least undetectably little. My dad shook his head. Oliver indicated we should go through, so we did. When wed gathered on the other side, he indicated, My apologies, but with so much more traffic lately we have had to put some customs procedures in place, and it appears that someone has brought through a banned item. A man and a woman in the uniform of the brotherhood had been discreetly pointing what looked like wands at us as we came through, and the man had waved his hand to Oliver. Oliver walked over to him, spoke quietly, and then returned to us. Its not very precise with a large group, but someones brought tobacco. My mother was the first to react, saying to my dad, David, you said youd quit! I did, said my dad, its been years. I gave a nasty glance at my brother. My folks noticed. Samuel Clemens Berg, your brother had better not be right, said my mom. That was her habit when angry with one of us, and my folks had given us each a mouthful, although Id always thought Id gotten it worse - my folks had given me the middle name Aurelius. Names like that were the perils being the kids of hardcore academics, I suppose. My brother gave a hand shrug, and then to Oliver he said, OK, you caught me, officer! and produced a pack out of his pocket. The man who had been scanning us took it from him, and said, Dont worry, sir. You can have them back when you return through the gate. He most certainly can NOT, said my mom. Please destroy those C and trust me, hell be in trouble for this. Of course, Mrs. Berg, thats your privilege as his mother, said the man whod scanned him. From our side, its enough that they werent brought through. It occurred to me when wed toured previously, I hadnt noticed anyone smoking. Its a foul habit, and I made a mental note to ask one of our hosts whether this meant that somehow this world didnt have tobacco. After another brief round of introductions, we headed outside, and for a moment my heart sank - a short and very mundane looking train sat on the track just outside the Gate building. Fortunately, on the other side of it was another flying carriage, to my relief given my parents remaining skepticism, and unsurprisingly, Joels sister April was over the moon to get to fly in one again. We were met by Legatus Matsumoto from the foreign ministry, who was already on board. Everyone was there from our prior trip, and even with the addition of my parents and brother, we had plenty of room to stretch out - I took pictures this time and went back afterwards and counted nine rows besides the pilots'', for a seating capacity of 36. The flight was as smooth and quiet as I remembered, and I kept busy taking pictures. Most of our group were quiet, but April and Joels father spent a little bit of the flight up front talking to the pilot, while my dad spoke to Oliver in a long discussion of the influences of Roman culture on their world. You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. Unlike the prior trip, we did not approach downtown, instead landing south along the river near the school. This time, only the two families - Joel''s and mine - left the carriage, followed by Dormer and Morgan - the two of them would be responsible for Joels security going forward. The rest of the group remained on the carriage and being able to see one of these take off outside of it confirmed that they were just as quiet from the outside. We were supposed to wait for a bus, but my mom had asked the distance, and after hearing that it would be a ten-minute walk, put her foot down. It was still early, and the weather was mild so far, although my memory of being here in May was that it would warm up quite a bit - I was not looking forward to the days when a full uniform was called for. The school entrance was not entirely empty; it was a little before 8AM, but a few students filtered in with us, and most noticeably a group of girls in workout clothes who crossed our path just inside the main entrance. We were not greeted at the gate as before, but Dormer knew where to go, and the administration building was hard to miss on the way in. We were met there by the office assistant to the upper and lower school Deans. She let us know that we were early, and that Dean Jerdew would be with us shortly. When the Dean came out to meet us, after greetings and brief introductions with my parents, he invited Joel and Joels folks into his office. They were in for maybe half an hour, while I talked to my folks about the classes I planned to take and got chided by my mom for completely neglecting the literature of this new world, no matter that it hadnt been mandatory for the entrance exam and was perhaps my least favorite subject in school. When they were done, I was very much surprised to be called in alone. The Deans office was nicer than the NY public school principals offices Id been in, but this very much felt like being called in for having done something wrong. Good morning, Mr. Berg, he said. There was a file sitting open on his desk; I thought I spotted my test scores, a copy of my high schools transcript, and a photo theyd taken of me the day I took the exam. Good morning, Dean Jerdew, I said, hoping I had the right way to address him. He indicated to sit, and then said, Congratulations on your exam performance. We dont take many transfer students, and you and your friend both did extremely well. There were only three transfers this year who scored well enough to come in on scholarships. Having said that, I have questions for you that I thought you would answer more candidly without your parents here. He waited for me, and after I nodded, he continued. This whole situation is odd, and while Ive been given the official story of why you are here, can you tell me why you chose to attend here this year? Mr. Hull, from our government, encouraged me to apply at the same time Joel did, but at the time, I wasnt interested, I said. A close friend of mine died over the summer, and I really need to get away from things at home for a while. Joel is one of my only other friends, so Im glad it was possible to take the exam so late. Im sorry for your loss, he said, and it was possible to take the exam so late because were responsive to requests from our foreign ministry. Im certain theres more to all of this than just encouraging trade with your side of the gate, and here he paused for a moment looking at me very closely. Then he continued, but if you know about what else is going on there, I suppose you are smart enough not to say anything about it. I shrugged. Thanks. I think, I said, and when he said nothing further, I asked him You said you had more than one question? Yes. I dont know what to make of your transcript. We pride ourselves on admissions purely based on testing, and its not that unusual to get students whose prior academic records arent as strong as their test scores. It is unusual to see those students do well enough to get a scholarship. I was really surprised to see your grades. Aside from your average, the distribution is odd. Having a bimodal distribution isnt odd in itself, we see top students who excel in the humanities who have difficulties with math, or vice versa, but many of your best and worst grades are distributed among the same subjects. Some of what the counselor from your school wrote seems to be related to that, but I wanted to hear from you why you thought that your grades varied so highly. He stopped there, waiting for me. After a moment, I decided to just answer honestly, as I saw it. I think youll see that I did better overall last year, right? Anyway, Ive had a hard time getting homework and papers done on time, or sometimes at all. A lot of what you see there, I think, is how much weight that particular teacher put on other work vs. exams, and how many points I lost for handing in papers late. It probably says there that 65 is the minimum passing grade? Im fairly sure that the 68s Ive gotten are pretty much their way of saying He did well on all the exams, so I cant really fail him outright. The Dean looked disappointed. Thats a bit more specific than your counselor was, but it amounts to about the same. This isnt an easy place for a bright but unmotivated student, especially so far away from your parents and support network. I cant make you get extra support, but we want our students to be successful here, and I hope youll take advantage of resources outside of class if youve had difficulties in the past. I didnt have a good answer for that, so I just replied, Yes, sir, and waited for him. He started getting up, and when I started to stand, he waved me to sit down. Ill get your parents now. The rest of the meeting mostly discussed my electives and class placement. The class was still to be determined - although he let us know that they would do their best to place Joel and I in the same class, as wed both requested. There was also a warning that I was taking the sciences in the wrong order, if I chose to stay for my last year - the prior year at home, I had taken AP computer science as my elective. At my school in NY, most folks took chemistry as their science class in 10th grade, something that was true here for students in the science honors track as well. I could take physics with the rest of my class, but unlike my old school where only one or the other science beyond biology was required, I would need to take chemistry to graduate. I planned to go back home after this year, so it didnt worry me, but he warned me that Id be taking it as a third year in a class full of younger students if I stayed. Pt. I, Ch. 9B: “Explosion at the Obdresti Parliament.” Sat, August 29 Queen Sara Memorial Academy When the meeting was over and we went outside, Joel was talking to someone in a school uniform. Hey Mark, he said, waving me over. This is Neil Mayhan, hes the student council vice president, and going into his second year, like us. Hi, I said to Neil. Hello, its good to meet you, said Neil. Now that youre done, the Dean has asked me to conduct a tour for your families. Neil seemed nice enough in a bland, preppy sort of way, and he gave a bit more color to what was essentially the same tour the Dean had given us in the spring. The main difference was that the academic buildings were deserted, and the classrooms spotlessly clean since the semester hadnt started yet. One thing he pointed out that we hadnt seen on the prior trip was the schools computer lab - two rooms of what to my eyes looked like antiques, one-piece green screen terminals, separated by a glassed-in operators room. Were one of the few high schools with a mainframe dedicated to teaching and student use, said Neil. No personal computers? I asked. Theres no need for those toys, Neil said. There was a computer club that kept some for students to use, but I dont think theyll have enough members to keep it running this year. Besides, government and big business, the kind of leadership we prepare students for, run on mainframes. I really wanted to come up with some witty response, but all that came to mind was this place is that far behind? and even I had better sense than to say that. I suspect the ah, OK, that I did say may have sounded a bit skeptical. The clubs at the arts center seemed busier than I remembered, and he made a point of showing us the student council room. It was a far cry from the metal furniture I remembered from the G.O. office at our old school; a lot of wood, looking old and expensive. A painting of a matronly woman overlooked the room - from the textbook photos, it seemed likely to be an older Queen Sara of Penrose. She looked much better in her statue. Most of the club rooms are closed or still getting set up for the year, so I thought Id show you ours. Most are smaller, of course, but there are enough that right now every social or cultural club who wants one has one. Have either of you given thought to what you will be doing for extracurriculars? I shrugged, but Joel answered, When we were first here, the Dean mentioned that there was a soccer club as well as the team, so I thought Id try out for that. Im on the team itself, and tryouts are pretty competitive, said Neil. Were you playing competitively at your last school? No, said Joel, but I played in a weekend league and over the summer. Well, the club is open to anyone, and I suppose well see about the team, said Neil. And you - Mark, was it? - no interests outside of class youd want to pursue? I shrugged again. I just got here; Ill need to see what there is. That computer club could be interesting if theyre looking for members. You should give some thought to how things like that look on a college application, said Neil. Especially if you arent well off and will need a scholarship, youd do better to join something that shows leadership, not some hobby for nerds. I wasnt planning to continue on for senior year here, let alone college, and I suspected my grades would be more of a problem than my extracurriculars screaming nerd, as if they didnt already - my prior forays in trying to start a D&D club, for example, and I had technically been the vice president of Martins Action Movie Appreciation Society for a couple of years. It didnt seem worth arguing, though, so I just shrugged. I decided to drop back, walking closer to my folks after that. Joel seemed to be getting along well with Neil and had a bunch of questions about the soccer team. He also never asked about whether the school had a band, and I thought to myself to ask him about that later. How do you find time to do both student council and competitive Soccer? Joel asked. It isnt easy, said Neil, but its just a matter of efficiency, and my family has a full-time tutor for my sister and I, so I make the most of the remaining time to study. That sounds handy. Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. Very, said Neil. You said you were coming from America, on the other side of the gate. How did you end up coming here? Joel gave a very brief discussion of having been contacted by the State Department, leaving out the original reason why, and playing up Hulls interest in boosting trade across the gate. Interesting. What does your father do? asked Neil. He owns an import business, said Joel. Is that why you were selected? asked Neil. Could be, said Joel. Hes certainly interested in doing business through the gate if the legalities work out for it. That was the first Id heard of that; it made sense, if nothing else, as an excuse to check on Joel. The little Id heard of the legalities sounded painful, or at least they had been - it was hard to get a conversation in with Hull without hearing how much he wanted that to change. They went on as we finished with the art center and went through roughly the same walk-through of the sports center. It was quieter than it had been, like the rest of the campus; I asked Neil about it. Its the last weekend before classes start, he said, even people who were practicing over the summer are likely to take this weekend time off. Its only a few of us who are the most dedicated right now. He didnt wait for a response, and other than noticing that only a few lanes in the pool were in use, the sport center was just as boring. I thought briefly about asking Neil about the Dueling Club sign to get his take on the fencing club, but he and Joel were talking soccer practically the whole way through the center. We ended back at the administration building. On reaching there, Neil said that he was heading back to the student council office, and to Joel that he looked forward to seeing him at soccer tryouts. We went inside and were met by the same assistant and a very bored bus driver. There were also a pair of student handbooks and packets each with our student ID, which would double as a transit pass, and a whole mess of paperwork to go over with our parents tonight. The assistant also let us know that our class assignments had not been made yet, and to come by on Monday or before classes started on Tuesday morning to get our schedules. Except for Special Agent Morgan, we all went to breakfast at Rivas, a family restaurant a few blocks down the main road from the school, and according to Dormer, a favorite after-school hangout especially for its ice cream. It was our first exposure to chains in this world; my mom picked up a brochure at the front desk, which turned out to be a very long list of locations. The breakfast menu was an odd mix of many unfamiliar names and mostly familiar foods; everyone found something they could order, although April asked for ice cream all through the meal. The main topic of discussion was what to do with the day; we were to meet the diplomats again around dinner time and could occupy ourselves until then. My folks not had not been on the tour before and wanted to see the main sights; April wanted to see the dragons again, and I wanted to explore the Natural Science Museum a bit more as well. In the end, both sets of parents decided to head into the city, and possibly split up there. Wherever Morgan had gone off to while we ate, he reappeared on our way back to get the bus; after some further discussion with Dormer about traffic, we decided to have the bus drop us at the main station - Riverside Terminal - and then take a train into the city. The station building, which looked large from the air, seemed even bigger coming in from the ground. In addition to the train station, it was the largest shopping center in this part of the city and in the late mid-morning on Saturday was already quite busy. It was never clear to me why we made a stop to shop there; there had been some discussion of clothing shopping on the bus, but we ended up in two groups - Joels mom, April, my folks and Sammy heading off to Champions, the main department store leaving Joel, his dad, Dormer, and I to wait for them. While waiting, Joels dad suggested we track down electronics, and Dormer indicated that wed do better at a specialty place instead of the department store. He suggested one called New Akiba. Is that named after the district in Tokyo? Joels dad asked Dormer. I have no idea, replied Dormer. The shop was in a building to itself, across a pedestrian plaza from the station, and nearly the size of a small department store. On the walk over, wed talked with Dormer about what the apartment already had, which included a TV but not a VCR, so we decided to get a local one as the old player Id brought would not work with the local TVs. I had a monitor that it would work with, for my own room, whenever our moving boxes arrived. Inside the store, it could have been any big electronics store back in the states. The big TVs were a very visible display near the main entrance, and Joels dad decided to head that way -- guessing that VCRs would be near them, I suspect. We didnt get there; as we got to the display TVs, the blood drained out of Dormers face. A moment later, I noticed the news on the screen - the news person saying something silently in front of a screen with grainy images of the marble front of a burning building, or what was left of it, with one corner fully collapsed. The sound was off so we could not hear what was being said but the text below it was clear: Explosion at the Obdresti Parliament. Collecting himself after a moment, Dormer turned to the rest of us and said, Ive got to find a payphone. Dont move from here; Ill be back in a moment. As he started to walk off, Morgan, who had been keeping his distance enough that Id long since lost sight of him, walked up. He nodded his head to Dormer, who kept going, and then stood off just far enough from us that Im not sure whether someone would have realized he was with us. Several minutes went by; Joel tried to turn the TVs volume up and had figured out where the button was hidden to hear ...theres no word on the King when Dormer came back. Weve got to get you someplace safer, until I know more, he said to Joel. Then, to Morgan, Find the rest of both families and get them to the apartment; Ill bring Joel and his father there or send word to meet elsewhere. A moment later, he, Joel and Joels dad were off. Morgan looked at my dad and me. I guess we should find Ruth and Samuel, said my dad. Pt. I, Ch. 10: “It makes sense that you’ve never seen a magic mirror before” Interlude Hulls Office, South Riverside Joel wasnt sure what hed been expecting for someplace safer, but a long walk through the business district to an older, brownstone office building wasnt it. Hull had rented the top floor as the United States Trade Mission, which was still mostly empty. Dormer settled them in Hulls office itself, while he disappeared into a conference room. I am so NOT ready for this, Joel thought. Remind me how far off Obdrest is, asked his father. About four thousand miles east, on the other side of the ocean, said Joel. Sort of like Chicago to Europe. His dad had more questions about the geography, and some of the history; it took Joel a few minutes to realize that it wasnt about the answers but was an attempt to distract him. I mean, the King was old, and I think Dormer said he was unhealthy, but I thought Id get to meet him. Ive never even been there, how am I supposed to figure out if I want to spend the rest of my life there? Your friend Marks mom had wanted to see a movie here, and it got me thinking, said his dad. If the US trade mission here works, theres going to be a huge opportunity for films and videos from each side to be sold on the other. Dad, if I decide to go back to New York and business here doesnt work out, are we going to be OK? Joel, his dad said, were going to be fine. There are opportunities here, sure, and if you stick with it, I want an excuse to spend time over here. My business will be fine, though, so please dont worry about that if you decide not to stay. What about my step-, um, Laura, going back to work? asked Joel. Joels dad shook his head. She was always going to go back to work when April got old enough to be in school. He looked at Joel. Like I said, dont worry about us. I know this is a way to be closer to your mom, learn more about her life. I miss her, too, you know. After a moment, his dad continued, Look, Joel, Im very proud of how seriously youve taken this, and Ill back you up on whatever decision you think is right. If this all is too much for you, we can all go back to New York tomorrow. Thanks, dad, said Joel. He and his dad started talking about his mom for a little while, when Dormer returned, looking a little less pale than he had. The King, your great-uncle, survived the explosion, thank the Gods, said Dormer. Hed like to speak to you. You can come in, too, Mr. Ross, if youd like to speak to him. The conference room looked like any other, but instead of a speakerphone, there was what looked like a small screen sitting on the table; he could see something moving on it but from this angle it was unclear what. Some kind of video phone? asked Joel. This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. The voice from the other side was old, and out of breath, but it was as loud as if in the same room and sounded like it was here far too clearly for a long-distance phone call. Thats one way to describe it, said the voice in a distinct but unplaceable accent, and Joel figured that must be the King. Sit down so that I can see you, said the King, and Joel stepped closer and then sat down. There was a faint shimmer to the screen, but otherwise it was perfectly clear. The man on the other side of the screen was sitting half-reclined in a hospital gown, with a couple of tubes attached to his arm. His short white hair was badly scorched on one side, but otherwise he looked uninjured. It makes sense that youve never seen a magic mirror before, said the King. Yes, Your Majesty, said Joel. You can drop the honorifics, Joel, were all family here. Just call me uncle until you learn enough Obdresti to converse. You too, Mr. Ross. OK, said Joel. I take it, thats my cue to leave, Your Majesty? asked Dormer. Thats up to Joel, said the King. Joel shrugged. I cant see any reason he should leave? Neither can I, said the King, so lets move on. I hadnt expected wed get to talk so soon, but the news from over here must have been a shock, and I wanted you to be able to put a face to your family over here. Thank you, said Joel. It was. Im glad to finally meet you, and that youre OK. The news said there was no word when we saw the broadcast. Our country got lucky, and not just on my account, said the King. If theyd had a decent mage on their side, it would have been much worse. Some guards died in the blast, but it was all conventional. It takes more than that to kill an old soldier like me, and I think with healing magic and doctors we wont have lost any of the lords or delegates. I dont know how much you understand about the situation here, said the King, but I know Dormer has told you some. Even if you knew nothing about it, after today Id imagine youd have some reservations about staying. I cant blame you if you do; I grew up knowing that even with two older brothers there was an outside chance Id end up on the throne, where youve had less than half a year to come to terms with that. Its a lot to worry about, said Joel. Yes, said the King, and I wouldnt wish that on a sixteen-year-old. You and I are the last living descendants of my father, Alexander Marius, and there is simply no one else who can hope to hold the Kingdom together. How do you know for sure that I am who you think I am? Except for darker hair, you are the spitting image of your grandfather, my nephew. There is no question of who your mother was, thanks to your government and the Brotherhood. If there is any further question when it comes time to acknowledge you publicly, it is a very simple matter to test descent with magic, but I have zero doubt. How do you know Id be ready to be a good King? No one is ever ready to be King, at least in a system like ours. As for being a good one, worrying about that is a better first step than some members of our family ever managed. A system like yours? Im supposedly an absolute monarch, but in practice There was a distant, unintelligible voice from the Kings side; he turned his head, and his voice could no longer be heard, but it looked like he was yelling. Turning back to the mirror, he said, Im afraid my doctors need to check me again. Well find a time to talk again when youre settled in. The King continued, Dormer, make sure you are clear with him about the full situation. Ill be in touch. Yes, Your Majesty, said Dormer, and the screen turned into a very ordinary looking mirror. Pt. I, Ch. 11: “Just to let us know if there is anything of note at the school” Saturday, early afternoon The townhouse where wed be staying The next little while after Dormer and Joel left was confused; we doubled back to the plaza outside Champions expecting to have to go in to find the rest of our families, but the moms, plus April and Sammy were waiting outside. Where are Joel and Vince? asked Joels stepmom. Ill explain everything when we get there, said Morgan, but right now we need to get back to the boys apartment to wait for them. As it turned out, none of us had thought to get any local currency from Dormer, nor had any of us thought about exchanging dollars at the gate - I wondered whether they would have done so. Joels mom had her group return to the plaza on realizing there was no way to pay for anything. The apartment would have been in a far walking distance - not too much more than a mile - had the weather been nicer, and if we hadnt had a six-year-old along. As it stood, we took the streetcar - according to Morgan there was a line which went directly from the terminal to past our school. The apartment building theyd found was just a couple of blocks off Surrat-Efrel Boulevard, of the main avenue it ran along. I recognized the name as one of the early elected Emperors after Marcus the Conqueror; hed been in some questions on the entrance exam, among other things for having established the precedent of retiring after twenty years. My student ID wouldnt start getting me free rides until Tuesday, which was the first day of school. Fortunately, Morgan had been staying here for some time and had local change. The fare was 5 mil, or roughly 50c; a silver coin called a half wheel. For something worth that, it was quite a small coin - around the same size as a nickel. April was young enough to ride for half-fare. More people got off the streetcar than got on with us, and the ride was quiet and uncrowded. The neighborhood where we got off had some shops along Surrat-Efrel but compared to my part of Queens it felt very suburban. Id wanted to check the shops out, but Morgan was insistent we go straight to the apartment. Our apartment was two short blocks from the main street, going away from the river. It was a brick building, essentially two townhouses next to each other - our apartment was on the left, split across both floors, while the other half was a separate unit on each floor. Morgan had the ground floor to himself, and Dormer the upper. There were covered parking spots along one side, one of them occupied; a brick-and-iron fence separated the small front yard from the street. Morgan had a set of keys and let us in; the first floor was mostly a combined living room and kitchen, reasonably spacious by New York standards, although it would be crowded if we all stayed in for the afternoon. Stairs led up, and there was a door next to the kitchen leading back - as it turns out, to a very small laundry room and half bath, as well as the back door. Overall, it was nice enough, although it wasnt remotely home-y in its current state - the furniture was new and still in plastic or paper wrappings, and Joels and my boxes were stacked up next to the stairs, as was my bicycle; I stuck it for now in the laundry room to keep it out of the way. Joels mom took it upon herself to start unwrapping the furniture; my dad decided to task Sammy with helping her. I spent a while hauling boxes upstairs, or for a few of the heavy boxes of my books, unpacking them here and bringing their contents up piecemeal. A couple of Joels boxes were too heavy to carry, probably also full of books, and I figured he could deal with those himself. The two bedrooms had the bathroom between them; the back one was smaller, and as the freeloader here I figured I should take that one -- although it also occurred to me that it would be quieter of street noise and was facing west and thus better for sleeping late, so it wasnt entirely unselfish of me. One very pleasant surprise is that the whole place was air conditioned; it wasnt central air, but the permanently mounted wall units were much quieter than the window ones my folks would grudgingly bring out in the worst of summer, and they had the benefit that each room could have its own temperature. Hauling boxes proved to be a pretty good distraction, and by the time I was done the living room looked much better. My folks had also started putting together a list of things wed need; while the place was furnished, it was empty of anything like cups, plates, cleaning supplies, or even toilet paper. Breakfast had been on the late side, but it was a bit past 1 and everyone was starting to get hungry again; with no food in the house, and no cash, my mom was going to walk over to check on Morgan next door, when Joel, his dad, and Dormer arrived. This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. Dormer gave us the update on what had happened; the Obdresti King was alive and mostly recovered via magical healing; overall casualties were significant but mostly non-fatal. Someone had sent a truck filled with explosives into the parliament building. They suspected the same rebels who had been responsible for a similar incident four years ago, but no one had claimed credit yet. There had been reports of seeing a driver bailing out of the truck shortly before it struck, but if so, they were lost in the ensuing confusion. Joel seemed relatively calm, which seemed out of place to me; they hadnt used the word terrorist here, but it seemed very much like the sort of thing that qualified. If someone had it in for his great-uncle, or the whole government, surely that meant he was at a great risk himself. I figured Id better talk to him privately. We had a little over 24 hours to decide whether to stay, and while my own worries were mostly over whether I was better off being lonely and homesick here vs. lonely, grieving and depressed at home, I realized that he had a lot more to worry about. We were still set to meet up with the diplomats for dinner, and we needed lunch, and if we were staying, we had to figure out how to get other household things. It seemed like the right kind of distraction for a weird day, and in the end, rather than tourist things we returned to near the station to get lunch and shop. Interlude Jordis Market, main concourse, Riverside terminal Mid-afternoon Elise had the front of the shop to herself for a while; the coworker who had come in for the morning had gone home, and the manager was in the back, doing paperwork. She wasnt especially fond of having to handle customers on her own, but shed been working there a while and it was about as good a job as you could get in high school - the hours were flexible, the customers mostly undemanding, and the location was bright, safe, and conveniently on the way between school and home. The man who came in was hardly worth noticing at first; other than a face that looked a little too young for all the gray in his hair, a thoroughly average adult in a suit. Probably coming back to the station to head home after working the morning - many office workers had to come in on Saturday, and it wasnt that unusual for them to start filtering out early. Elise figured she could guess what he would buy - coffee or a bottled tea, as he looked too old for soda or juice, and probably a newspaper or magazine to read on the train. Maybe a pre-packed dinner, or some beer to bring home. She hoped he wouldnt ask for some of the wine or liquor they had on shelves behind the counter - at her age, Elise was not supposed to sell them, and yet the manager hated being disturbed for small things. The man did none of those, instead walking straight up to the counter. She hoped it was a question, and not a request for the liquor or for lottery tickets - with a sports betting shop elsewhere in the station, the manager here didnt bother to stock them. Hello, sir, can I help you? she said. I think so, the man said, smiling slightly. He had a distinct accent but hadnt said enough for her to place it. Ive seen you coming here before, you go to the Queen Sara Academy, yes? Im sorry, sir, I dont think I know you, said Elise; her hand was below the counter just over a pair of buttons, one of which could summon the manager from the back, the other of which was a silent alarm. Being in one of the biggest and busiest stations in the world, police were never very far away, and this location had literally never been successfully robbed. Im sorry, miss, truly! I mean you no harm. I should have introduced myself first. My name is Paul Jekanis, here is my card. He placed a business card on the counter, facing her. She read it without picking it up - it said he was an investigator for a company called Magnus Trading. Thank you, but what business do you have with me? she asked. My employer does a lot of business abroad, especially in Obdrest. Your school is known for having the children of many important families. Elise said nothing, and he continued. It can often be worth knowing about their coming and going before their parents make the news. We have found commercial advantage in that in the past, but our contacts departed. Im sure youve heard that some of the Obdresti students returned to their country? Yes, she said, One of my close friends did. So, when we hear about things like that, we are able to figure out that there may be turmoil in Obdrest, just as we now hear in the news. It lets the principals of my firm make better choices about where to send ships or invest in cargo. Isnt that insider trading? Im not a lawyer, Miss, but as I understand it such things are for public markets, not for the private purchase or consignment of cargo. The accent, she thought, sounded a bit like Old Imperial, as was his last name. Shed grown up knowing just enough to get by with older members of her family; three of her grandparents had been native speakers, and her father had been functionally bilingual. I see, she said. What is it that youre asking me, exactly? Just to let us know if there is anything of note at the school - new transfer students, people leaving to go abroad, any sons or daughters of VIPs making a name for themselves whether good or bad, he said. Well reward you generously for your time in letting us know whatever you find out. Ill think about it, she said. Please keep the card and leave a message with the receptionist if youd like to do business. Pt. I, Ch. 12: “Whatever she thought was waiting for her here, it was worse than dying to her.” Saturday evening Brasserie ? Light of the Future ?, Old Feldaren We were in a restaurants private room that Matsumoto had reserved for us; it was a fusion place, Terran European - Japanese - Feldarenese, and whatever Light of the Future meant (also written in Japanese and the local Old Imperial characters), the name literally was printed in angled quotes. Dinner was over, and we were taking a break before dessert. So, what did you think of His Majesty? asked Legatus Matsumoto. He seemed very informal for royalty, said Joel. At least he didnt seem badly hurt. Have you met him before? Not in person, she replied. Ive spoken to him using the same mirror you have, and over a secure phone line. He wasnt informal with me, of course, but he was still very open and plain-spoken. We dont see that very often in my line of work. Joels father asked her a question, Have you ever had to deal with something like this before? Like this, in what way? Any of it, really. Ive been the trade representative to the US, essentially Mr. Hulls counterpart, for a few years, she said. I havent personally worked with any other worlds through the Gate, but there are a handful of others with anchors where we trade openly. She stopped to think for a moment. Ive got two other colleagues that handle them, with more than one each. It was all routine, before the King asked us to inquire with the brotherhood. He wanted to know if there was any truth to the rumors that theyd helped Princess Christina go to what turned out to be to your world. What about something like the present situation in Obdrest? asked Joels father. Not personally, no. The Alliance has been formally at peace since its founding. Toyeri - thats the continent across the ocean to the East - has not had an easy time the past 50 years, and some of my older colleagues have dealt with similar things, but never in an ally as critical as Obdrest. Why is Obdrest so important? From what Joel has said, its a small country, and an ocean away, he asked. Its a very strategic one, said Matsumoto, and she was about to say more when Dormer interrupted. Maybe Joel can explain it. He should understand this from the exam if nothing else, he said. Ummm said Joel. A lot of trade? And right off the coast of Shirek? Or is it Zirek? The bad guys, from the Slave Wars. I cringed a little, and fortunately Dormer corrected him. Those are the capitals; the countries are Zir and Shir, but thats basically correct. Our navy, and naval bases in our country we let the Union use, are a big part of making sure they dont trouble the world again. Were also a big part of keeping the Human Sea navigable and free of pirates and sea monsters. My dads jaw just about dropped to the table. Did you just say sea monsters? I remembered that I had really wanted to get back to the Natural Science Museum; or better yet, take my folks to a zoo before they went home tomorrow. Then again, maybe seeing live dragons -- well, the lesser drakes that had been bred from them -- at the zoo was a terrible idea. I did, said Dormer. I realize your world is different, but in ours, only these two continents belong to humans, and only the nearer half of Toyeri and the flat parts of the Etciv, really. Fascinating, said my father. Some of what Oliver and I were talking about on the flight over makes more sense now. It seemed like the adults were going to be talking for a while. I really wanted to get a chance to talk to Joel, and make sure he was really on board with staying with what wed seen today. Getting up from my seat, I said to Joel, I want to get some fresh air. You want to go for a walk? Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Yeah, definitely, he said. He cocked his head to Dormer, who nodded back. Morgan hadnt joined us at dinner, and I suspected hed end up following from a safe distance, but we didnt spot him while leaving. Old Feldaren was a neighborhood just to the far side (relative to where we were staying) of the capitol district, which was where wed seen a bunch of tourist spots on our prior trip. It was also just south of the big bridge across the Great Darien. It seemed safe and Matsumoto had said it was a somewhat fashionable area. The streets were narrow, and the main shopping area was closed to car traffic for the evening; this restaurant was in what appeared to have once been a small apartment building, split across several floors. It had been a short walk from the nearest subway station. I figured wed head for the main shopping street. Coming from New York, it felt safely anonymous to talk in a crowd, but Joel indicated we should walk away the opposite way, toward the river instead. I want to see the bridge, he said, and its too busy over there. Compared to the main drag, the residential part was quiet; a few folks were around, mostly older ones on their stoops, although we passed one person closer to our age out walking a dog. The buildings were narrow, stone or brick, mostly three or four floors; I could tell if they were big townhouses or small apartments. Dormer and Morgan have been telling me about security, he continued, and I cant be too cautious right now. Got it, I said. That was what I was going to ask you about. Are you still OK staying here? Shoot, man, I wish I knew, he said, and he let out a long breath. I dont know if I have a choice, really. How can you not have a choice? If I head home, this basically all disappears. Im safe, but I go back to just being some guy at school. I never get to find out what my moms life was like, or if my life could have been different. He shook his head. My dad told me not to worry about him, and that things are going well with his business, but its like this could change our lives, you know? That sounds like youve decided. I wish. I mean, I had. You know how excited I was. That whole thing today made the danger a lot more real, and how weird this place is. We walked for a bit before he went on; we were getting close to the river. My great uncle was OK, but I dont think in our world he would have been. You dont burn that much hair off and look OK, even if that wasnt like the war movie face blown off thing. You think they healed him with magic? I asked. Joel nodded. I had encountered the idea of magical healing in the history textbook - not that they explained much about magic, I guess assuming whatever part of it was general knowledge, was general knowledge - but it only registered now. Oh, crud, I said, - well, something saltier to that effect - if Anne had been over here, shed probably be OK. You dont know that, Mark. Maybe she would have, or maybe theyd have missed it, too. We walked a bit longer, reaching the river. There was a clear view up to the bridge. It looked impressive from the air, but it was crazy large from here. The river on this side was wide enough that the far side was faint glimmers, and the suspension bridge looked impossible - just a pair of huge silvery-metal arches over the river from each side that joined in the center, and the roadway crossing below it, whatever cables it had invisible in the darkness. I had the same thought about my mom, said Joel, a while back when I was talking to Dormer about magic here. I asked him about what they could have done for her here, and what he said made a lot of sense, but it still bugs me. He went on. Magic can cure cancer here, at least the normal kinds and just like at home, it sounds like breast cancer is a real common one. It wasnt all that sudden for her or anything, and she knew what they could do here. So, whatever she thought was waiting for her here, it was worse than dying to her. Im sorry, Joel, thats rough. I guess thats what I really mean by I dont have a choice, Joel said. Somebody as good as killed her, right? Ive always known Joel to be an easy-going guy; he could be enthusiastic at times, sometimes about dumb stuff, but I dont think I had ever seen the expression or tone of voice he had now very serious, very resolved. Dormer was telling me after we talked to my great-uncle about some of the things they knew. For my mother, its not much, but they think all the stuff going on - her being driven away, all the deaths in the family, even the bombing today - that its all part of the same thing. I dont know that I can do much, he said, but I owe it to her to try to do something. So, youre staying? Yeah, he said. How about you? I nodded. Well, for the year I signed up for. NY is home, and whether Im here or there as you said, Im just some guy, or more like just some weirdo. Well, Im glad to have you here for the year, and dont put yourself down. Youre annoyingly smart and if you ever apply yourself, youre going to do a lot more with your life than I ever would have back at home. Thanks. I dont know about that, I said. We should get back before our folks start to worry. We should, he said, and he looked around to make sure no one was nearby. Besides, over here youre the best friend of a future King. If nothing else, mark my words - no pun intended - before the year is over, were both going to have girlfriends. No pun intended, my ass. What are you going to do, knight me? He laughed, I laughed, and we headed back to the restaurant in better spirits than wed left it. Pt. I, Ch. 13: The last day of the Wizards’ War, revisited Interlude 22rd day of the month of Kan, Imperial Year 2379 (Saturday, May 13, 1899 in the Terran common era) 6th year of the Wizards War Hall of the Ancients, Isle of Mages Archmage Irziben, 65th Guildmaster of the Isle of Mages and through it the head of the Wizards Guild worldwide, was a tired and worried woman. She knew she didnt look her 117 years - at her level of skill and power keeping your physical body in a youthful state was a triviality - but it seemed to her that she now felt every one of those years every bit as much as someone with the trivial magic of common folk. She sat alone with her thoughts, joined only by one of her apprentices, who remained silent; the ancients had always come and gone as they pleased except when they sat in council, and nearly all of them had abandoned the Island and the Guild. It was one reason she never wanted to take the Spell of Undying and join them - rejuvenation was an inconvenience, but the ancients all seemed to lack urgency or ambition. To her, that was something essential to humanity. Not that all of them had ever been human... She has done so much to break the guild out of its pretense of neutrality, taking the role in the open as a leader among nations that the guild had always deserved. It had come so close! and yet she was likely the last leader of the Wizards Guild. Damned Feldaren and its economy and its machines; by the time the guild had realized the threat they posed, a little less than two centuries ago, they were already a continent-striding power. The Guilds past techniques of suppressing innovation and co-opting the most intelligent could at most slow them down. Irzibens old master, Alrik, had seen that - and working through proxies, had set about to make sure that the two Slave Wars would lead to Feldarens defeat. Instead, by the end of the second they had seen the humiliation of all of the Guilds allies and proxies. She had been a grown woman then, and beginning to be a powerful mage. For almost thirty years she, Alrik, and a few others had labored to prepare the Guild to fight them without relying on others. To take its rightful place in the world. As the time approached, he seemed to lose his nerve. When he refused to start taking the steps they had prepared for, a group of younger mages asked him to step down and allow them to lead - with the implied threat of a battle, which they were sure hed lose. She had been one leader among them, and as his former apprentice, she had been the one to let him know. Looking back, she still thought he would have lost that battle. Instead of either openly stepping down in their favor or fighting, he had simply told her he was leaving and then walked off a moment later through a door in space-time that they, at the time, could not replicate. His caution had seemed wrong at first - while the war was never as easy as some had expected, they had always had a path to victory in sight. Then the cruel Gods and crueler chance conspired to destroy everything she had worked for. These dashed newcomers, with even better machines, and knowledge of scientific arts far beyond even Feldaren''s, had appeared where they could do the most harm. Now bombs rained down on the Island night and day, aircraft had driven her dragon-riders from the sky, and while the supply of magical ore beneath the Island remained inexhaustible, it did them little good - it took slaves to mine it and wizards with the ability to attune it - and she had too few left of either. Ironically, in the midst of the war, the incident through which the newcomers arrived was the key to figuring out what Alrik had done. Two young wizards had, separately, come up with the separate pieces of her final plan. One was very bright; she had figured out how to go one better on Alrik, and open a gate between worlds rather than just to plane-walk. It was small, opened briefly, and where it went was entirely unpredictable until it was opened If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. The other was not especially bright, just very persistent, and very fond of old papers; his years in the archives had let him find an old report on how to explode unattuned magical ore. It was not the sort of thing that was useful under normal circumstances, and difficult enough that the guild had never taken steps to prevent it - but now it proved valuable in the process of retreating elsewhere and had stymied the armies of their enemies. Opening the gate used a terrible amount of magic, but it was worth it - they had only to keep trying and she was certain it would open to someplace with enough magic, and a non-hostile environment. Then they would evacuate as much of the guild as could pass through the gate and then detonate the remaining seam of magical ore under the island. With the ability to keep the gate stable for at most an hour or two, a huge number of younger wizards would be left to die, but the enemy fleet would go with them. It was unknown just how much ore was under the island; she worried a little it would be so much as to split the world in half. Shed prefer there to be a world to return to someday - for the guild to rule - but the important thing is that she and the senior leadership would survive somewhere in the universe. Guildmaster? a voice said. Irziben was interrupted from her reminiscence, and realized that it was Kallen, the young wizard who had invented the gate. She was standing there with Roberto - the wizard who had rediscovered what could be done with unattuned ore. He was atypical, having kept the name his parents had given him after joining the guild; it spoke to his lack of imagination, although she could mostly forgive that given his diligence. Yes, Irziben said, trying to keep the annoyance out of her voice. The two hadnt been working together until recently, and she was curious what they could have come up with. Roberto and I had an idea, Kallen said, for how to save the guild. I have a plan for that, said Irziben. She means the entire guild, said Roberto. I found a report from one of the ancients, who had been plane-walking, from a world a bit like ours, you see, where and hed have likely gone on if Kallen hadnt interrupted him. We can make a bigger gate, Kallen said. We can use the gate to absorb the energy of exploding ore. It doesnt even take that much of it to enlarge the gate; if Im right about what youve been planning to do, we can easily just send the whole island through instead. Youre sure? Were sure. Weve already tried it at a small scale, said Kallen. How quickly can we do this? How quickly can you get Kallen took a moment to remove a scrap of paper from her robe and read it, according to our calculations, we need about a little less than a ton and a half of unattuned ore, so however quickly you can get that moved next to the gate. We have enough for that, right? A ton and a half of ore sounded like a lot, but it was terribly heavy stuff, and that was only 150 ten kilo bars, which were each the size of a large brick. Theyd been stockpiling it ever since Roberto had made his discovery, and they had several times that accumulated in the dungeons beneath them. It was simply a matter of moving it, and between apprentices and slaves, it would not be hard. Under an hour, said Irziben. Ill order that much ore to be moved. What happens to the enemy fleet when we go? Thats the best part, said Kallen. Roberto, you tell her. We cant be sure, but were expecting a big bang. The expanded gate is always a sphere, and our calculations were for a sphere that can hold the whole island, centered here. Thats about a 25km radius. That makes for long ways down. Roberto went on, I cant guarantee it, but theres good reason to think that this seam of ore comes from volcanic activity under the island, and that the crust isnt anywhere near that thick. I wish I could stick around and survive seeing it. That much water encountering that much magma is going to be glorious. I see, said Irziben, truly smiling for the first time in a long time. She sent her apprentice to get the remaining Archmages. They still had to wait for a reasonable world to appear on the far side of the gate, but when it did they would be leaving with the full resources and manpower of the Island behind them. For now, this was a one-way trip, but with her leadership and a new world friendly to their magic, they would rule the new world, and someday, they would be back to reclaim their place in this one. End of Part I [Bonus] World Map and Pt. I Character Profiles World Map (Full resolution map)
Empire of Feldaren
The largest nation in western continent of the Etciv, consisting of almost all human-occupied lands west of the Urbesi mountains. Founded around 1500 (Earth Calendar) by Marcus I "The Conqueror" having led the Apprentice''s Revolt and taking over the City and Duchy of Feldaren. Located in the relatively lower-mana central plains of the continent, Feldaren has lead the world in technical development since even before the Newcomers arrived.
Union of the Etciv Founded immediately after the Wizards War, the Union of the Etciv is a semi-sovereign, federated group of nations comprising the Empire of Feldaren, as well as several smaller nations, mostly along the Eastern and Southeastern coasts (notably Celanon, Allowyr, Behele and Pandac) as well as the island nation of Wu and Chu. Notable Western nations not part of the union are the Kingdom of Fenrik, and the Eastern and Western Urbesi mountains, all three of which enjoy observer status in the Union Senate.
The Etciv The western continent, somewhat analogous in geographic position to North America although shorelines and climate differ substantially. Home to the Union of the Etciv, as well the mountains inhabited by the Urbesi, as well as off the coast the unaffiliated island Kingdom of Fenrik. Obdrest Obdrest is a large island nation off the southwest coast of Toyeri. A nominal absolute monarchy, Its present king is Philip V. In practice, the major noble families have significant power.
Toyeri The human-occupied part of the Eastern continent; the name translates roughly to "Place of Men" in Old Imperial. Home to the the Great Kingdom of Kala and Penrose, and the slave-holding Priest-Kings'' nations of Shir and Zir, and a number of smaller nations. Obdrest is a large island nation off the Southwest coast. The two main languages are Old Imperial (unrelated to any Earth language) and New Imperial, which is closely related to Latin and presumed to have been brought from an alternate Earth The Gate Between Worlds This can refer to either: The Gate itself - a magical portal which cycles between an apparently-infinite number of alternative Earths; it can be manipulated (somewhat) and can reconnect with worlds when a magical anchor has been detected. Where the Gate is located - operated by the Brotherhood of the Gate, a small fortified town is built around the Gate to conduct research on its phenomenon and to keep it safe. The land around it was ceded to the Brotherhood by the Empire of Feldaren, and the town is nominally an independent territory.
Character Profiles (more later)
Marcus Aurelius (Mark) Berg Grade: 10th (pt.I), 11th/2nd-year (pt. II) Birthday: Nov 11th, 1975 Relatives: Sammy Berg (brother), David and Ruth Berg (parents) Hair style: Dark brown, short and somewhat messy Eye Color: Hazel Height: 5''8"/173cm Build: slightly heavy Notable features: wears glasses Likes: Video games, fantasy/SF novels, D&D, computers, bicycling Strong subjects: Computer Science, History Weak Subjects: English, Math (find it easy but forgets to do the homework) Joel Leonard Ross Grade: 10th (pt. I), 11th/2nd year (pt. II) Birthday: May 4th, 1976 Relatives: Vince Ross (father), Christine Ross (aka Princess Christina, mother, deceased), Laura Ross (step-mother), April Ross (Half-sister) Hair style: Light brown, medium-length, wavy Eye Color: Blue Height: 5''11"/181cm Build: Athletic Likes: Music, soccer, girls, Dislikes: Hard work Strong subjects: Science Weak Subjects: none especially weak 10th grade elective: Chemistry 11th grade electives: Physics, Obdresti Literature
Elise Enta Shevariet (Pronunciation note: [ipa] sh?v?i.??t; rhymes with "net") Grade: 1st year (pt. I), 2nd year (pt. II) Class (pt. II): 2-C Relatives: 2nd oldest of 5 siblings, both parents living Hair style: Black, wavy to mid-back Eye Color: Dark Blue Height: 5''7"/170cm Build: Slender Dream for the future: to get a government job and support her family 11th grade electives: Chemistry, Advanced Honors English Clubs: Student Council (2nd year class representative) Part-time job: Convenience store clerk at Jordi''s Violet Coniello Grade: Middle-school 3rd year (pt. I), 1st-year (pt. II) Class (pt. II): 1-B Relatives: Parents, older brother Hair style: Blonde, curly, below her shoulders Eye Color: Hazel Height: 5''3"/160cm Build: Petite Likes: Baking, Sweets, Dance Music 9th grade electives: Biology, Obdresti Literature Clubs: Tennis club for PE
Gwendolyn (Gwen) Mallory If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.Grade: 2nd year (pt. I), 3rd year (pt. II) Class (pt. II): 3-A Hair style: Dark red (magically enhanced), wavy to upper back Eye Color: Green Height: 5''5"/165cm Build: Athletic Distinguishing features: freckles Dream for the future: to become a great actress Clubs: Student council (3rd year class representative) Fencing club (Captain) The Troupers (student theater group Cory Nement Grade: 2nd year (pt. II) Class: 2-A Hair style: Dark brown Eye Color: Dark brown Height: 5''7"/172cm Notable features: wears glasses Electives: Physics, Advance Honors Chemistry Clubs and out-of-school activities:
  • Fencing club (Vice-captain)
  • Nationally-ranked with pe and dueling sword, former Juniors champion
More characters without profile yet:
Amy Lee Amy is a second year student, and a close friend of Kai Matsumoto and Jack Allard. She is a member of the girls'' track club, but does not run competitively. Anne Adler 11th grade student at William Jennings Bryan High School, honor student, and member of the girls softball team. Attends sports camp over the summer. Childhood friend of Mark''s, and knew Joel in elementary school before his family moved. Now a year ahead of Mark. Deceased after [Ch.7], as she had an aortic dissection in the hospital, after being hit by a truck while out running.
Diane Cho In Pt. I, Diane was a third-year student at Queen Sara, and the outgoing student council president. In Pt. II, Diane is a first-year college student. Jack Allard Jack Allard is a second-year student at Queen Sara Memorial Academy, and Kai Matsumoto''s best friend. He is on soccer team, and has a younger sister named Tika who is a new first-year student.
Kai Matsumoto Kai is a second-year student at Queen Sara Memorial Academy, and Jack Allard''s best friend, as well as a close friend of Amy Lee. He is Legatus Hina Matsumoto''s nephew, and a member of the Fencing club.
Martin Greenbaum 10th grade (in Pt. 1) student at William Jennings Bryan High School. Possibly an even bigger nerd than Mark, but more comfortable about it. President of the "Action Movie Appreciation Society."
Mina Fremis Mina Fremis is a 2nd year student; she is an international transfer from the Great Kingdom, and on a scholarship.
Theresa (Tess) Hahn Tess is a first-year student and Violet''s classmate and best friend; they both are members of the tennis club. She is the acting first year class representative and running to take the position for the full year.
Anson Gramm A third-year student, Anson is the student council president. Ran on a platform of relaxing the dress code, which has been adopted.
Neil Hayward He is also the vice-captain of the soccer club/team, and comes from a wealthy family.
Special Agent Helen Delgado Special Agent Helen Delgado is an officer in the US Department of State''s Diplomatic Security Service; she has chief responsibility for the security of the US side of the Gate and the anchor which allows it to open.
Richard Hull Richard Hull is a foreign service officer in the US Department of State who was tasked with increasing trade relations with the Empire of Feldaren/Union of the Etciv when the opportunity presented itself because of the mission to retrieve Joel. He was the second American through the Gate in 1992, setting up the trade mission in Feldaren. He is effectively a charge d''affaires rather than an ambassador, as the US government as a whole does not officially recognize the Gate, or the world on the other side of it, as physically existing.
Special Agent Thomas Morgan Special Agent Thomas Morgan is an officer in the US Department of State''s Diplomatic Security Service with extensive experience with personal protective duty. He was the first American through the Gate in 1992, to set up security arrangements for the trade mission.
Tika Allard Jack Allard''s younger sister, a new 1st year student as of Part II. New friend of Violet and Tess; she did not attend the lower school.
Galen Alcorn A first-year student at Queen Sara.
More Places
Queen Sara Memorial Academy A coeducational, selective independent school (partially-state-funded) in the suburbs of the City of Feldaren, roughly 10km south of Riverside Station. Serves grades 7-9 in the Lower School and 10-12 in the upper school. Admission is by competitive examination, or sponsorship by certain affiliated entities including the Imperial Ministry of Education. Named for Queen Sara of Penrose, who led the Great Kingdom during the second Slave War, and who donated the initial endowment in thanks for the young men from Feldaren who died in the war. Moved to its present location, started receiving some state funding (primarily for scholarships) and became co-educational, after the Wizards'' War. Total enrollment of about 1600 (650 in the lower school, 950 in the upper.) Head of School: Dr. James Mittari Dean of the Upper School: Henry Jerdew William Jennings Bryan High School A (fictitious) highly-selective, co-educational 7th-12th grade high school located in Manhattan, NY, with students commuting in from all 5 boroughs. Named after William Jennings Bryan, a progressive 19th and early 20th Century US politician from the US great plains. Inspired by real highly-selective public schools in NYC.
Pt. II, Ch. 1A: A new bed, in a new house, a new city, in a new world. Tues, Sept 1, 1992 (Terran common era) 2472 (Old Imperial year) Feldaren, Union of the Etciv Eastern suburb of South Riverside A townhouse, my bedroom, 6:30 AM My alarm went off at an uncomfortably early hour, and I woke to light already coming in through insufficiently dark curtains. I still wasnt used to a new bed, in a new house, a new city, in a new world. With a roommate, rather than my family -- who were two train rides and a universe hop away. My things were still in boxes, but Id set out the school uniform the night before, and my laptop and textbooks sat out on the otherwise bare desk. A bellow came from the hall. Yo, Mark! Are you up? Yeah, Im up. Then shut off your alarm, already. I did and pulled a bathrobe over my pajamas. I stuck my head out -- Joel was already dressed except for the tie and jacket and was heading downstairs. A short shower later, and I was doing the same, except with my tie on. There was breakfast on the table. Dormer must have sent his housekeeper in to cook. The eggs and pancakes could have been from home; the meat they called bacon here seemed more like a pale, under-cured slice of ham to me, but it was tasty enough. When do we have to leave to be on time? I asked Joel; wed both been down there over the weekend, but I was nervous that even with more frequent streetcars, the heavier traffic would delay us. The opening assembly is 8AM, things will usually be 8:15. Probably should give it 45 minutes, to be on the safe side, so soon? I looked at the clock on the wall, having never gotten in the habit of wearing a watch. 5 minutes to 7. I ate a little more but didn''t have much of an appetite. As I was getting up to stick my dishes in the sink, Dormer came in through the front door. Id gotten used to him in an American style suit on his visits back to NY over the summer, and it was strange to see him in his local uniform, gold braid and all. As Joels guardian in this world, he had been around a lot in helping us settle in, and in guiding us in what to do here. He was still a little put out that Joel didnt want a household -- if hed had his way, theyd have been living in a mansion, with a valet, butlers, maids, a full-time cook, drivers, and guards. As a middle-class kid from Queens, the semi-regular cleaning and meals from Dormers housekeeper seemed like the height of luxury to me. Having a two-bedroom apartment between just Joel and I seemed like a lot of privacy for a pair of teenagers, even with Dormer and Agent Morgan each having apartments in the other half of the building. Dormer and Morgan had divided up the duties of shadowing Joel from a safe distance; for our first day of school, unless I missed my guess, it would be both. Without talking to Morgan, it would be hard to be sure -- he could be very inconspicuous, while Dormer clearly wasnt trying to be today. Dormer gave Joel a brief once over, and then helped him straighten his necktie. I remember my first time in that uniform. Its a pity youll only get two years there. This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. He went on. I know why were not being public about your title yet but do remember that you carry the honor of our nation with you. You did very well on the entrance exam -- keep that up with your classes and youll do fine. To me he said, And thank you, Mark, for coming along to keep an eye on him. No problem, I shrugged. Joels been watching my back for years. Then he asked Joel one last time, You really wont let me drive you? Joel shook his head. Even if its not a limo, its still going to stand out. Well take the streetcar. I was eager to try bicycling the route; it was farther than home had been from our school in Manhattan, but much flatter without a bridge to go over and with lighter traffic. Today, though, Id be joining Joel on the streetcar. Dormer saw us to the end of the block, and if he followed us in his car after that, he kept a discreet distance. Coming from New York, the streetcars were a pleasant novelty, but they felt much slower than the subway; the crowding was nothing new. The light traffic turned out to be just in the relatively well-off neighborhood we lived in. Our trip to shop downtown over the weekend showed us that traffic jams were just as much a thing here as at home. Normally, Id have had a book in hand the whole way, whether some sci-fi novel or something about computers -- or lately, history. For all that their world had been peaceful for longer than ours had, the prior century here could easily have rivaled ours for bloodshed and they had a fascinating richness of political and military history that Id only scratched the surface of while preparing for the entrance exam. Today, though, I just listened to Joels excited chatter, which wasnt like him. My own nerves must have been at least as bad as his, but I wasnt excited, just relieved to be getting a fresh start. For Joel, this was a grand adventure. He was probably right -- if things went well, hed be making the jump from kid from Queens to a head of a state, and fabulously wealthy besides. Potential downsides were lost on him, mostly lost on both of us, and my more mundane worries were around what to write up for Hull and Delgado for my stipend and getting good enough grades not to have to make up any classes in my senior year back at home. The biggest thing on Joels mind seemed to be girls. Neither of us had ever had much luck, or even been on a proper date. Not for lack of trying a few years back, but Id given up. Very few of the girls in my old class would even talk to me, and while Anne had stuck by me as a friend, shed shown every sign of seeing me as something of a troubled sibling -- whatever her mom had thought. So -- uniforms. Not all bad, eh Mark? Id tuned him out, but an elbow brought my attention back. He nodded his head towards the front entrance. A pair of girls had come onto the streetcar, wearing the formal-days uniform of our new school. Both blonde, both a little on the short side, but not much of a resemblance beyond that. Joel was right, though -- the uniforms looked nice compared to the near-uniform of jeans and t-shirts at home or even worse the plaid flannel that was coming in. You think theyre our year? I asked. Maybe. More likely first years. The car was crowded enough that even if wed been inclined to say hi, it might have been difficult. As we approached the school, people going to work and shopping thinned out, and a lot more students came on. Not surprising; this was the nearest north-south line to the school. A few stops before we got there, a crush of students came on, changing from the line leading from the outer eastern suburbs. Then we were there. While not the end of the line, it might as well have been for the number of us students shuffling off the emptying car. The streetcar stop was directly outside the school, just to one side of the gates. I asked Joel if he thought there would be time to drop by the upper school Deans office to get our final schedules before the assembly; he looked down at his watch and shook his head, so straight to the main hall we went. Pt. II, Ch. 1B: “She’s cute, right?” Queen Sara Memorial Academy, Arts Center Main Hall 8:00 AM The main hall was practically a building in itself, at one end of the Arts Center that the upper and lower schools shared. We were on time with the main group of students from the train but hadnt come early enough to get prime seats. The seats normally might have bothered Joel; my own habit was always to take an aisle as far back as possible, and with all the close seats taken he didnt object. A few minutes later, there was a quick audio check by a couple of students. A group of eight people followed them onto the stage. The first two we recognized -- the tall, balding Doctor Mittari, who was head of school and who wed met briefly when we first toured it in the spring -- followed by the short, bearded Dean Jerdew, who had been our first contact with the school and our counselor prior to starting classes. The other two adults we didnt recognize -- both women, and while a little younger than the first two, clearly faculty or staff. The four students followed -- a boy, and three girls. The last to enter, a shorter blonde, looked like shed rushed there. Is she one of the girls we saw on the train? I asked Joel. I think so, said Joel. Doctor Mittari was the first to speak: Students, faculty, staff, and friends of the school -- I am very pleased to welcome you to our ninety-first opening ceremony. To those of you continuing your studies here, or graduated from the lower division, welcome back. To those of you who are new to the Queen Sara family, simply welcome. I dont use the term family lightly. The head of our trustees would have me tell you about our success in one part of our mission -- graduating future leaders of the old Alliance, and he would prefer I talk in terms of Senators, Consuls, and Princes. He would, I think, want you to be proudest of the moments you will have later in life when you see a classmate on the front page of a newspaper. For me, though, leadership comes in many forms, and our mission is not just to graduate future leaders, but to raise the next generation of teachers, engineers, and most of all, citizens. Thirty-five years ago, in my first year here, I sat where you did. Your classmates come from every nation of the Etciv, and a dozen other nations throughout the world. Your classmates come from every walk of life. Nearly every one of you has joined us by excelling on the entrance exams or an academic recommendation. I have never since enjoyed the day-to-day company of such a diverse and talented group of people, and unless you are extraordinarily lucky, the same is likely to be true for each of you. I would tell you to do your best with your studies, but very few of you need that advice; most of you would not be here if you were not already very able in that respect. Instead, I urge you to make the most of your time here with one another. Make friends you would not have otherwise made. Learn from your peers, not just your textbooks. Teach one another from your own unique experiences. My own proudest moments coming from graduating this school are not the newspaper moments, but rather the fact that I can run into someone who graduated from Queen Sara years apart from my time there, and be greeted as a friend, or as I said at the start, like part of the family. I dont have any announcements to make at this time, so I will now turn over the podium to your class advisors and representatives. The next to speak was the third-year class advisor, one of the women, who introduced herself as Mrs. Franks; I later found out she was the chair of the literature department. She mostly talked about getting ready for college entrance exams, and the importance of not neglecting your other studies while preparing. Dean Jerdew was the class advisor for the second year, and it was in that capacity that wed met with him to discuss our plans a few days before. He emphasized the importance of figuring out plans for our futures, and not leaving that for senior year. He also had some minor announcements; a popular teacher who had taught physics had decided not to come back over the summer, and some of the students who were looking forward to his class booed at this. While Joel and I were to be in a physics class, we didnt know the old teacher at all. Last came Ms. Cabral, the first-year advisor. She emphasized that continuing students from the lower school should keep an open mind, and to avoid cliques -- I remembered that the upper school was a good bit larger and about a third of the class was newly admitted. New students in our second year would be much fewer and far between. And that was that for the faculty; next came the student council president, a senior who had a bit of a cheering section of young ladies in the audience. Hi everyone, he said. Im Anson Gramm -- and here he had to pause because of shouts of Anson! from the same group of young ladies. --and I wanted to thank you again for electing me to be your student council President. Weve got a lot of good things planned for this year. The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. First, if youll remember, I ran on modernizing our dress code and if you havent already seen it in this years student handbook, Im really pleased to say that we were able to come to an agreement with the administration to loosen things up a bit. Quite a bit of applause for that. Second, many of you have asked me already about club budgets, and Ill remind you that we dont finish those until we have membership counts for the term. For the first years, or any of you who dont know what Im talking about, I hope youll join us for club presentations after classes end on Saturday afternoon, and there are open houses after that. Last, were all hard at work putting together great festivals for you this year. Were only a few weeks away from the festival of nations, and I know there are some great booths planned. I hope we get close to 100% participation this year. Student council meetings are, as always, after school on Wednesday and remember you dont need to be an elected officer to join. Now, lets hear from each of our class representatives, and then lets all get out there and do our best. The class representatives started with the seniors as well. Their representative was a young woman with very red hair C and quite popular, with more applause than for any of the teachers or the President. Hey third-year class! she started, when someone yelled out Hey Gwen, that should have been you! She stood still for a moment, hushing the audience. I didnt run, remember? Ansons got my full support. Weve got big things planned for this year. Weve got our last class trip and a ball to plan and she went on with a discussion of the upcoming year. College admissions sounded every bit as big a hassle here as theyd have been at home, although it seemed to rest even more heavily on exams. I was pretty sure it wasnt going to matter for me. I was going home next year, so as long as I found a way to get my SATs done on time, Id be fine. Doing a year abroad and having a recommendation from the state department folks couldnt hurt. Gwen spoke for a few more minutes with announcements, and ended with and for all of you, from every class, Ill put on my actress hat and remind you that our theater clubs have some great shows planned this year. The Troupers -- having not yet seen it written the pun went over my head at the time -- will be doing the fall performance and I hope you all will come out to see us. With a round of applause to that, she sat back down. Ms. Cabral came up again. Normally, wed go straight to the second-year class, but we have an announcement that affects both classes. Here is our interim first year representative, Tess Hahn. I still couldnt see well enough to be sure, but she looked a lot like one of the two girls who got on the train not long after us -- theyd both been short, Tess having straight dark-blonde hair where her friend had lighter curly blonde hair. While it was hard to be sure at the distance, Tess was probably quite pleasantly curvy. Thanks for the introduction, Ms. Cabral! As most of you will remember, forest fires last year damaged the campground we usually go to for the first-year class trip. We found out over the summer that repairs wont finish in time for the class trip this Spring. Boos interrupted her from the audience. After talking it over with Elise -- and here she gave a nod to the last class representative -- and the rest of the student council, weve decided that our class will join the second years in the cultural trip this year, and that next year well have a combined trip with the new first years to the campground. This got a very mixed reaction. As it died down, she ducked back to ask the advisor a question, and then continued, with the rest of the announcements for her class. It sounded like a lot of the school traditions repeated in each of the terms, with one of the classes taking the lead, so there were a lot of echoes of things that Gwen had said. Finally, Tess finished -- and last, I should remind you that well be having elections for a permanent class representative and an alternate this time next week. She traded positions at the podium with our class representative. Hello fellow second years! Im Elise Shevariet. As Tess just said, were going to be going together with the first years for the class trip this year. We are still planning things, but weve got some exciting ideas. It will be a challenge since its a bigger group than usual, and Im really looking forward to it. Were also the class taking the lead for the Festival of Nations, and weve got our semi-formal in the winter. Were looking for volunteers from each homeroom for each of the organizing committees. She was going on with announcements, but Joel gave me a nudge. Shes cute, right? Sure, I said, not really having taken much notice. I could see why he thought so. She was taller either Gwen or Tess, quite slender with long dark hair. Anyone popular enough to have won an election was going to be way out of my league, but I figured Id play along anyway. Although I think Id pick the redhead. He snorted. Really? I was sure you were eyeing the blonde even back on the train. To make sure I knew what he meant, he made a hefting gesture in front of his chest. Crud. And, OK, maybe. Not like wed have a shot with any of them. Theres no we there, he said, to which I gave him a skeptical look. Really! Im going to get a girlfriend this year. There didnt seem to be a good response to that, and the announcements were wrapping up. Doctor Mittari returned to the podium, said a few more words of encouragement and ended with Now all of you head to your homerooms, and have a wonderful year. Joel and I headed off to find the upper school deans office to get our schedules; as it turned out, we ended up in class 2-C. Pt. II, Ch. 2: [Interlude: Amy] “I hear we’re getting a couple of new students” Interlude Upper School Main Building, Classroom 2-C The first day of the new year; most of the class had arrived already and were around their seats talking about their summer break. Jack and Kai were discussing the latest rumor. I hear we''re getting a couple of new students, said Jack. Girls? asked Kai. With our luck, not just guys but ones who are going to get all the girls. Just then Amy Lee startled Jack with a pat on both shoulders. After he settled down, she borrowed the desk next to him and told them "Neither girls nor any particular risk of getting all of them from what I hear." "How do you know?" asked Jack. "One of the seniors on track told me what she saw on Saturday, said Amy. Two guys about our age and their families went into the admin building and afterwards got a tour. She said they seemed pretty normal." The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. Oh well, said Kai. "You two can''t get any of the girls here, why would transfer students be any different? Their curiosity was short-lived, as two young men came in, escorted by one of the assistant deans, and instead of finding free desks looked a bit confused. Amy looked at both; other than being white guys with dark hair, they were a mismatched pair. One was close to six feet tall and athletic, with a well-fitting uniform. The other was middling in height -- looking short next to the other -- and with a uniform that looked a bit oversized on him and so there wasnt much sign of his build. Where the first had an open smile and was blandly handsome, the second had more of a nervous look about him, and unusually, wore glasses. Both had silver pins, so they must have scored very well on the entrance exams and earned a full scholarship that way. Not that surprising; the school only admitted a few new students in their second year, and neither one looked like the child of a VIP who would get in through their parents connections. However, she did not recognize the pattern -- most students entitled to a pin wore a symbol of their nationality. Most, of course, wore the dragon of Feldaren, and she thought she''d seen them for all the old alliance countries. This flattened bird was new to her. Pt. II, Ch. 3: “We’ve kind of got ‘new here’ written all over us, huh?” Upper School Main Building, Classroom 2-C It had been a bit of a rush to get our schedules and get to our homeroom; Dean Jerdew sent one of his assistants with us to show us the way. Confusingly, the room numbers in the main building werent by floor, but by class year; I dont think either of us would have remembered without help that the second-year floor was the top floor of one of the two high school buildings. Wed seen the classrooms empty in the spring. Now there were students going into all of them; ours looked a little more than half full when we arrived. After looking around, Joel eventually moved to a desk near the back where wed come in, and I figured Id take the desk between his and the inside wall. There was no one sitting in front of me; the guy at the desk in front of Joel had been talking to his neighbor and a girl who was standing between their desks and Joels. Hey, are these going to be assigned seating? Joel asked. When the guy in front shook his head, Joel set his bag down and said Hi, Im Joel. I sat down, and added, Im Mark. Joel went on: Weve kind of got new here written all over us, huh? Jack shrugged. Everybodys new once. Im Jack Allard. After Kai and Amy introduced themselves, Jack went on, How did you like the opening ceremony? A lot more formal than our last school, said Joel. Same for the uniforms. The head of school, Mittari, had some nice things to say. So, the uniforms where you used to go were casual? Nice, said Jack. I thought these are pretty standard. They explained that the full blazer and everything is only mandatory for assembly days, right? Yeah, they did. There were no uniforms at all, where we last went. Not much of a dress code, even. Amy had a question, I see the pin, but I dont recognize it. Where are you from? Oh, the eagle, said Joel. That was our ambassadors idea; were visiting students from the U.S., New York in particular. The you-ess?" Amy paused. Wait... New York? Like in America, from the other side of the gate? If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. I snorted. U.S. as in the United States... of America. Yeah. So, the gate is no longer secret? Amy asked, Theres an ambassador, and were getting exchange students now? I guess, said Joel. I dont think Hull technically ranks as an ambassador, I said, but yes, pretty much. Oh, said Kai. That makes some sense of something my aunt said having to do with the gate. Shes in the Senate Diplomatic Service and was recently promoted. I wonder if that was related. We met a Legatus Matsumoto, I replied. Thats her. My dads sister. "Cool. She was very helpful in getting this all set up, said Joel. How did you end up as exchange students? asked Jack. Its a long story, but basically... Joel gave a very brief summary completely leaving out the initial introduction or his being a prince, and after I got invited, this guy, he pointed to me, decided it sounded like a good idea to try to come along too, and he bugged the people at the State Department -- like your diplomatic service -- until they let him take the exam with me. The conversation turned to living arrangements and their impressions of the city. They weren''t surprised that we were living away from home. The academy had an international reach. The location of our apartment on the other hand... South Riverside is a pretty fancy area, said Amy. Your government is paying for a whole townhouse just for the two of you? Joel shrugged and looked over at me. I think they bought the whole building? I shrugged back. I think so. Our neighbors are mostly the first few US diplomats. Joel gestured at the head of the room. Looks like the teachers here. Its good to meet you three. Yeah, for me too, I said. We can talk more over lunch or something, Jack replied. The teacher introduced himself as Mr. Kirill; after taking attendance, he continued: I will be your homeroom teacher, as well as for English Literature. I recognize a fair number of you from English last year. Im fine with your settling at whichever desks youd like but if you start chatting with neighbors too much, I will make you pick at random instead. Before we start in on lessons, weve got one administrative thing to take care of. As Ms. Shevariet said earlier, the student council needs volunteers from each home room, so who wants to be on the organizing committees? It looks like we need two people each for the Festival of Nations and for the class trip. Do you have anything to add? He was looking over at Elise who was sitting in front of the room, near the window. She shook her head, Thats fine, Mr. Kirill. OK, volunteers? Three girls from near the front of the room raised their hands. When Mr. Kirrill called on them, all three wanted to volunteer for the festival, and none for the class trip. He looked at Elise, who told him that a third volunteer would be fine. So, anybody for the class trip? Still no more hands. He looked to Elise again, who this time stood up and spoke directly to the class. Do you really want all the other homerooms to get to decide where we go, and what we do? Then Joel raised his hand. Kirrill looked down at the roster, You wanted to volunteer, Mr. Ross? Thats right, said Joel, looking straight at Elise as he said it. Pt. II, Ch. 4: “He’s one of the two reasons the team is going to be less fun than it used to be” Upper school main building, cafeteria Lunch break It had been a good morning so far; only two classes before lunch because of the assembly, Kirills English literature class and then math. Of the people who had introduced themselves during homeroom, Amy had gone off to some track team thing, but Jack and Kai had joined us in the cafeteria. Both were very skeptical of our choice to get the hot lunch, and I could see why; the stewed beefs merits began and ended with being cheap and a generous serving. Even better, it was free for scholarship students. Joel had finished his, but Id picked at just enough to keep from being hungry. Their boxed lunches looked better, and I said as much. You should learn to cook, said Jack. Kais mom is an amazing cook. I make lunch for myself and my sister. Its not hard. Joel replied. We just got here a few days ago and havent even figured out where its good to shop for food. Besides, this isnt nearly as bad as the cafeteria food back home. It was true enough -- although it ignored that hed turned down Dormers offer to have his housekeeper make boxed lunches for us. Id figured that the food couldnt possibly be as bad as NYC Board of Ed catering, and that much was true, but that was a very low bar. It cant really have been that bad, said Jack. Joel gave an example I also remembered from elementary school - Imagine a grilled cheese sandwich reheated in a plastic bag, where you cant tell where the cheese ends and the bag begins. That was typical? asked Jack. It was one of the worse ones, Joel said, but they were usually pretty bad. This is pretty typical here, said Jack. Not bad, just bland, and as the term gets busier and more people start forgetting to bring lunch the lines will get worse. Joel shrugged. Makes sense. Back at home we were right in the city, so it was easy to just go out for a slice of pizza or a bagel. So are the classes here like the ones at your school? asked Kai. Pretty much, said Joel. We switch between classrooms instead of the teachers switching, and the furniture is different, but so far it seems pretty much the same. He looked at me. I shrugged. Joel went on, Thats just based on two classes, though, and the first day is always kind of always setting expectations, right? The rest of today will probably all be like that, said Kai. Which electives are you taking? It came out that all of us were in physics, and otherwise none of us were in the same electives. They were surprised by Joels choice of Obdresti literature -- when he said, it sounded interesting they were less than convinced. Kai was in advanced honors biology, which sounded like their equivalent of an AP class; Jack was taking computer programming. I was taking the advanced honors world history class, which would be mostly first years who had placed out of the regular world history class. The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Now that you mention it, said Jack, how did you do well enough on the history part of the exam to get a scholarship when youd only heard of our world a few months ago? That depends, said Joel. For me, they let me take a history exam from our world instead. Kai and Jack looked at me. After a moment, I shrugged. Im just good at taking tests. They looked at Joel. Hes telling the truth, said Joel, and its annoying. Mark also read the world history textbook they gave me, for fun, before hed even decided to take the exam. So, historys your favorite subject? Kai asked me. I always liked it, but mainly I like reading science fiction and fantasy stories, I said, and this worlds history is straight out of one. Jack and Kai both laughed. Classroom 2-C End of the first day of classes Classes were over for the day, and everyone was starting to pack up. Amy came over to check on the four of us, including Jack and Kai. I hope these two jokers didnt fill your heads with bad ideas, she said. Not at all, said Joel. A better question is, which two are the jokers? I asked. Jack laughed, and I think I got a hint of a smile from both Kai and Amy. What is there to do after school here? asked Joel. Most clubs wont be doing anything today, but they usually meet after school, said Jack. Most people go at least two days a week to an athletic club to get out of taking PE. Most of the cultural and social clubs skip Tuesdays and Thursdays to let people do that. Are all three of you in athletic clubs? Joel asked. I run track, said Amy. Not competitively, but the girls in the team are a fun bunch. I do kendo outside of school, said Kai, and since theres no kendo team here, Im in the fencing club for my PE credit. I was on the soccer team last year, said Jack. Im not sure if Im going to stay on the team this year, but Ill be doing it for PE at least. Oh, nice! said Joel, I was going to try out. Why were you thinking of just doing PE? Jack shrugged. Not sure its going to be that much fun, and I need to get serious about my studies if I am going to get into a good college. This guy who gave us a tour on Saturday was on the team, I said. He said it was good for college applications. What was his name, Joel? Neil not Hayward, but something like that? Oh, him, said Jack, with something of a sour look. Neil Mayhan. Its different if youre an officer or something, or a star player - not that our school has any of those right now. Neil got himself made Vice-Captain. Not a fan of his? Joel asked. Hes one of the two reasons the team is going to be less fun than it used to be, said Jack. You should still try out. Really, if youre any good you should make the team; most people are just doing it for phys-ed, and at least last year it was hard to find people who would take it seriously. Joel nodded. When are try-outs? Jack shrugged. The first club meeting is on Thursday after school. I think we officially start try-outs after the open house this weekend, but Ill introduce you to the captain. If youre going to take it seriously, I think youll be in. Thanks! Joel said. How about you, Mark? asked Jack. Not having to take PE sounds good, but Im terrible at sports, I said. There isnt a cycling club, is there? Jack shook his head, then looked at Amy. Do you think the boys track club would let him follow along on a bike when they practice? Amy laughed. I think a bike goes too fast. Plus, they have a lot of members, so they probably wont make exceptions. That gives me an idea, said Kai. What about fencing? Were short on people after last years third years graduated. Fencing? I could check it out at least. When would I have to join by to get out of PE? Next week, said Kai. Everybody has to go to PE this first week, added Jack. Fitness tests and stuff. I must have grimaced. Its not that bad, said Amy. Does fencing have an open house, like soccer does? I asked Kai. Sure do! he said. A couple of us are going to have a demonstration at the clubs assembly, too. OK, I said. Ill check out the demonstration, and Ill probably come by the open house. Pt. II, Ch. 5: “I’m a mage with the Foreign Ministry" Our apartment Before dinner We talked with Jack and Kai and Amy for a while, then headed out; most people had already headed for the streetcar except for a few die-hards who already had club activities. Wed hadnt gotten any written homework yet, but both English and our main Social Studies course had assigned reading. I wasnt sure if it was a good thing, but the English text we started with was a thick compilation of short stories. Mr. Kirill had given us two to read and said to be ready to talk about them. For the social studies, I was going to just skim for tonight; this year was going to be mostly Feldaren history and starting with the early local history. Id read an awful lot of that between the biography of the first emperor and preparing for the exam. There was an unfamiliar car parked behind Dormers when we got back to the apartment, and it turned out that Dormer and an unfamiliar woman in a dark suit were waiting for us. Joel, Mark, this is Ms. Yali. Legatus Matsumoto asked her to stop by. Good to meet you both, she said. Im a mage with the Foreign Ministry; the Legatus told me where you were from, and that neither of you had any prior exposure to magic. Im here to evaluate Joel, to see if he can learn any. Mark, Id be happy to include you in the evaluation if youd like. Joel shrugged and looked at me. Im sure I must have been grinning like an idiot, as Joel gave me an eyeroll, and Yali asked, Ill guess thats a yes? Yes, please, I said. I knew from my reading that an awful lot of people in this world could do at least a little magic, but there was never any mention about whether the newcomers had been able to learn it. She needed a little while to set up; in the meanwhile, Dormer asked what we wanted for dinner; I suggested pizza, Joel said burgers. Dormer knew a place that did both well. He was buying dinner tonight, and if we were hungry, we could head out whenever the evaluation finished. The evaluation required four objects - they were on a wood tray on the dining table. Two glass spheres, around the size of a grapefruit or a softball - one was translucent, the other clear. The other two items were smaller; there was a piece of jewelry, made of silvery metal with a small, clear crystal attached, and a dull-colored metal bar about the size of a deck of cards. She asked us to move chairs a few feet away from the dining table; then to sit down. She had Dormer close the blinds and turn off the light. The room still wasnt dark exactly; the blinds werent great as Id discovered over the past few mornings, to my annoyance, but it seemed that not well lit was fine for her needs. OK, she said. For simplicity, were going to have Joel do each test first, and Mark can repeat it right after. To me, she said, The accuracy wont be as good for you, because youll have seen Joels responses, but it will save a lot of time. The first test was holding the metal bar for a moment. After Joel held it, I did. Nothing about it felt unusual; the surface reminded me a lot of D&D figures, or like the musket ball I had as a souvenir from visiting a historic fort with my parents a few years ago. Once I returned it, she asked us, Did either of you feel anything when you held it? It felt cold, Joel said. When she didnt ask me anything right away, I said, It felt like a regular piece of metal. She checked off boxes on a sheet of paper. OK, are you both ready for the next test? Was that lead? I asked in response. In part, yes. Theres a small percentage of magical ore alloyed in. Magical ore? Joel asked, while I got up and washed my hands. Its a rare kind of metal, she said. Its not very useful in a raw state, but it can be attuned and used as a power source for magic, or to keep magical devices operating. I remembered reading about it in the textbook - the Wizards guild had settled their headquarters where they did, on an island over what was this worlds equivalent of the mid-Atlantic ridge, because it was sitting on a huge seam of the stuff. When they decided theyd lost the war, they blew it all up. When I finished washing my hands and sat down, she told us, Someone with a very high magical sensitivity would have felt it as warm or vibrating. For the next test, she said to Joel, pick up the crystal. He did, and I thought for the briefest second that I saw a flicker of light in it. Joel clearly felt something, as his eyes went wide with surprise for a moment. It feels warm, he said. Interesting, she said, and checked off some boxes. Please pass it to Mark. As he handed it to me, I thought I saw another bare flicker of light. As I held it, it seemed like nothing more than a piece of jewelry; it was no warmer than any other small object someone had held in their hand for a few moments. I still, somehow, kept seeing small flickers of light inside it. I put it back on the table. The flickers died out. I dont feel anything, but I keep seeing very dim flickers of light inside it. Only flickers? Joel asked. Its been glowing since I picked it up; I thought that was visible to everyone here. Very interesting, she said, and checked off some more boxes. Thats excellent news. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. This means that each of you has at least some basic level of magical sensitivity, maybe more than basic. The light you each saw in the jewel wasnt visible light; normally you must call out the power when casting, but Joel managed to activate it accidentally. What you saw was radiation of magical energy itself; the power stored in the stone leaked quite a bit when Joel handled it. What I dont know is whether either of you would have seen anything if Joel hadnt activated it. Her next test required her to tap both spheres with the jewel; as she tapped each, she muttered something under her breath. The translucent sphere, to her left, glowed with a clear white light. The transparent one to her right didnt change at all. Do you see a light on the left? she asked us. When we both said yes, she went on. Good. Thats visible light, at a standard brightness. Do either of you see anything in the clear one? she asked. I shook my head and looked at Joel. Hed done the same, and then said. No, but I did see a flash when you tapped each of them with the jewel. Very interesting. She wrote something down on her sheet, then tapped the clear sphere with the jewel again, holding it for a moment. Do you see anything in it now? A faint light, said Joel. Same here, I said. Is it solid, or flickering? she asked. Solid, said Joel. Flickering a little, I said. She tapped it again, briefly. Is it solid now? she asked me. Yes. A little brighter for both of you? she asked. It was. The test went on, with various taps, and questions about the brightness. Joel saw it a little more easily than I did, but it wasnt until we started another section that our responses differed a lot. This section consisted of changing the colors of both spheres, and then asking if the brightness in the translucent one matched what we saw in the clear one. She told us to let her know if the hues didnt match, and otherwise, to let her know how bright they seemed - like the first part, she would adjust trying to match the brightness of the translucent one. Joel saw the orange and red much more easily than I did, and two others in blue and white less easily; the other odd finding was that the hues did not match for me several times, most strongly on a couple of green ones, while they always matched for Joel. Then, we were done. Thats it, she said. Ive got a few notes, but this was very clear-cut. I dont think Ill need them. Really? asked Dormer, getting up. Hed been sitting on the couch, and Id forgotten that he was still here. He turned the lights on, and then came over to the table. Yes. Lets go over your results first, Joel. You have an average sensitivity for magic overall, but a very high sensitivity to solar magic, and probably an attunement to it. That carried over in the tests to sensitivity with related elements like fire. Youve got, exactly as one would expect for a solar attunement, a poor sensitivity to lunar magic and related elements like water. Im not set up to test for it today, but Id be interested in seeing if you had some level of resistance there. Given the results of the test with the power stone, I would expect you learn to use solar magic quite easily. Youre a little old to learn a lot of magic, but I think that day to day spells should be very manageable. Im not sure what that means, said Joel, but it sounds good. Dormer told me while ago there were some I should learn if Im able. Now, for you, Mark. You also have an average sensitivity overall. I cant say whether its slightly weaker or stronger than Joels, because of how we did the tests all together. Now, as for sensitivities, I have to ask you a question - have you ever been told you may be red-green colorblind? No, I said, and I can see red and green, but I just dont always see color very well. Mark, the milder form of red-green colorblindness doesnt mean you cant see the colors, just that they show up a little differently from how they should. Its quite common, and mostly harmless. You should get an eye doctor check for you - Im surprised since you have glasses that you werent screened for it, and if it bothers you, there are spells to cure it either temporarily or permanently. Without knowing that, though, the best I can say is that either you have the mild form of red-green color blindness, or you may have a few mildly reduced sensitivities - especially to life magic. Unlike the lunar magic, its very easy to check if youre resistant - would you mind if I did a brief test to see? What would that involve? I asked. Ill cast a spell that gives you clearer vision temporarily. If it works, youre not resistant. So, I wont need my glasses? Yes, for several hours, she said. OK, lets try it. Id always been curious about contacts. She held the jewel for a moment; she muttered something, it flickered, and after she put it down, she walked over and touched the side of my head. The world got oddly blurry, and I realized Id better take my glasses off; I did. Can you see well now? she asked. Yes, I said. Excellent, youre not resistant to life magic, she said. She looked at her watch, and then went on, Its just before 5. It shouldnt wear off until youre asleep overnight, but you should bring your glasses with you if you leave the house, just in case. She started packing her things up, and Dormer had a last question for her. Id planned to ask Legatus Matsumoto to arrange for someone to teach Joel, since hes turned out to be capable. Are you likely to be the one shell ask? She expects you to ask, and already spoke with me about it. If you formally request the ministrys help with this, yes, Id be the one teaching him. Ill tell you the same thing I told her - hed be better off with someone with more teaching experience. Since you know her, Ill bet you can guess what she told me. Something on the order of it being a politically sensitive matter, he said. If so, yes, it is. Yes, thats almost exactly what she said, said Ms. Yali, and if discretion is whats needed, then please confirm with the Legatus. I''ll have no problem starting lessons next week sometime once she signs off. Thats excellent news, Ill do that, said Dormer. After shed packed and gone, Dormer drove us to dinner. The place we went was called The Haven; it wasnt far, just a bit north of the main station. While we were waiting for my pizza, Joels hamburger, and Dormers half roast chicken, Dormer asked us how our day at school went. Pretty well, I think, said Joel. We only had about half of our classes today. I shrugged. The people in our homeroom seem nice. Did you get to know anyone yet? asked Dormer. There are a couple of guys who we sat down behind who were friendly; Jack and Kai, said Joel. Kai said he was Ambassador Matsumotos nephew. Joel also volunteered for the class trip committee, I said, and I think it was mainly to get to know the second-year representative. Joel turned a bit red. Oh? said Dormer. A girl, I take it? Shes cute, said Joel. Besides, she had a point about making sure people from the other classes dont make all the choices about the trip. Sounds like a good day, said Dormer, giving Joel a grin. He didnt ask anything more about our class representative, and the conversation moved on to lunches. Dormer did not remember the food there fondly at all, and Joel again declined to have Dormers housekeeper prepare lunches. It also turned out that Dormer remembered quite a few of the teachers wed have, including Mr. Kirill; Id known he was young, but it came as a bit of a shock to realize hed only graduated five years ago. Pt. II, Ch. 6: [Interlude: Elise] “Have you noticed anyone unusual this year?" Interlude Jordis Market, Riverside terminal Just after 7pm Elise was ready to leave work and still in her work clothes. At this hour, it was better to take the train home in the casual and unflattering uniform of a convenience store employee than a girls school uniform. As she left the shop, a woman walked up to her; she was an adult, but not a whole lot older. She was wearing office clothes, like a great many of the commuters who had come into the store during her evening shift. Miss Shevariet? asked the woman. Elise had been expecting someone from Paul Jekaniss firm to contact her, but just walking up on her way out of work was unexpected and not particularly welcome. Do you work for Magnus Trading? she asked in reply. Yes, Miss, said the woman. Im Brinna Jekanis. My uncle Paul told me to get some papers from you. The woman had an accent that reminded her of Paul Jekanis, but stronger. It wasnt quite what shed have expected from someone older members of her family, but she couldnt place it beyond that. Yes, said Elise. She started getting into her school bag when Brinna waved her off. Perhaps I can buy you a cup of coffee and ask you a few questions about them, said Brinna. Elise paused for a moment, and then nodded. There was a lunch counter a few doors down from Jordis that served decent coffee, and they took a booth there. Once seated, Elise gave her the packet shes copied from the student council office. It had photocopies of all the upper-school class rosters, as of the first day of school, and the contact information for those second years whose families had agreed to include them in the class directory C about three-fourths of the class. Brinna, before opening it, handed her a small brown envelope, which Elise put away. This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. After looking through the photocopies, Brinna asked, No contact information for the other two class years? Elise shook her head. Ive got the list for my year as the second-year representative to the student council, but I didnt have a good reason to explain wanting it for the other classes. When they print the directory in a couple of weeks, I can get you a copy. Wed appreciate that, Jekanis said. Wed show our appreciation even more generously if you can get us one before its available to the rest of the student body. Ill try, Miss Jekanis, said Elise. She might be able to do that; the Deans office handled printing them, but often looked for volunteers. You said you had questions? Yes, said Brinna. Have you noticed anyone unusual this year? New students, foreigners, anything like that? We took more transfer students than usual, said Elise. Fifteen, I think, in my year. Any foreigners among them? I havent gotten to know any of them yet, and not all of them are in the directory, said Elise, but you can find them because the roster wont list a homeroom teacher for the prior year. If youd like, we can run through the directory together if any of them supplied their information. They did so; of the fifteen, eleven had given contact information for the directory. Seven were clearly local; two more probably were. Two stood out C a girl, Mina Fremis, whose parents address was in the city of Kala in the Great Kingdom, and a boy, Alvar Leto, whose address was at the embassy of Fenrik. Of the remaining four with no directory information, none stood out by name, and according to the roster, two of them were scholarship students, which made it likely they were local. Brinna had been taking notes; her list had the two foreign transfer students, and the six not in the directory, and pointing to it, she asked Can you find out more about these students? Anything out of the ordinary from other years would be very welcome, of course. Elise nodded. Brinna kept the packet and her notes, except for the scrap with eight names. The two went their own way, and when Elise got home, she opened the envelope shed received. Inside were two one-Imperial notes. That was more than she could make in a week even if she worked up to the 20-hour legal limit for folks her age; with classes and family commitments, it was a little more than twice what she made in a typical week. She would share most of it with her parents, but she intended to keep a little for herself. Maybe I wont mind the softer dress code, she thought. Pt. II, Ch. 7: “OK, maybe there would be a bright side to it.” Weds, Sept 2 Upper School Main Building I was wearing my glasses again and had decided to learn more about side effects before letting someone else use magic on me. I had woken up in the middle of the night, mostly with just the usual need to go to the bathroom, but also with a headache. When I came back to bed, I wanted to read a little before going back to sleep, but the spell must have been in a halfway state of wearing off - my eyes were too blurry to read, but not yet back to a normal level where my glasses were comfortable. The headache was gone in the morning, but the missed sleep had me grumpy, as did the prospect of my first PE class. Dormer had sent his housekeeper over again, and after breakfast, the streetcar was the same. The main difference was that instead of the opening assembly, we had to go straight to our homeroom. On the way, we stopped by our mailboxes - a crate of folders at one end of the floor where the second-year homerooms were. Joel checked his first; it had a bunch of fliers for clubs, and for class events. Mine had the same, which I stuffed in my backpack, but there was also a card, which said Please come by to see me in my office any time after the 6th period. - Ms. G. Calliot It was dated the day before. Crud. Nothing to do about it now; this was the teacher for my advanced World History course. I had yet to meet her, as Id have the first class in the afternoon. Homeroom was quick; our class had a special double period of PE to get to, and we were dismissed to go change. Joel and I followed the rest of the class, as beyond somewhere in the Sports Center building I had no idea where we were supposed to go, and I dont think Joel did either. As it turns out, there were four homerooms out of the ten in the 2nd-year class all set to do the annual fitness testing and gym orientation, and we were supposed to meet at the main field behind the building. Our class got split between boys and girls, and the boys from our group got to run through something annoyingly like the Presidential physical fitness tests we were subjected to in elementary school. Not everything was the same - there were no weight sets involved in elementary school - but I still couldnt do a pull-up. The least annoying part was the longer run, or jog in my case - and until I looked up the conversion of miles to meters, Id felt good about my time. In gym class the prior year Id never been able to get more than a few seconds under 10 minutes a mile. Had a little less than a year more bicycling over a bridge helped? I was at 9:15, which sounded good until later when I checked the conversion to miles - 1500 meters are just enough short of a mile that I was basically where Id been a year before. We were about to be dismissed to go to our third period classes with a fair bit of time to spare, and I was dreading having to use the shower around other people, when the gym teacher called out Mark Berg and Joel Ross, I need to talk to you before you go. So, we did. You two are transfers? he asked. When we nodded, he continued. Thatd be why we dont have a record of you passing a swim test last year. After you change, drop by the PE department office. Well have to schedule you for one. We changed, and we went by the office and signed up to take our swim test with a bunch of first years the following week. On the way out, Joel was concerned. Im not sure Ill be able to pass that, he said. Why not? We both had swimming in 8th grade, you passed that. We werent in the same gym classes that year, remember? I passed the class, but I think it was mostly the teacher taking pity. I havent tried swimming since. Urk, I grunted. They said its not timed, you just swim to the other end, no particular way. Just kick your way down on your back, thats what Im going to do. Says the guy who has floated around in a pond nearly every summer. I shook my head. Fine, fine. Why didnt you ask what happens if you dont pass? I didnt think it applied to us, but it was in the student handbook. I get to take swim lessons as my PE. That doesnt sound bad, I said. It would be a lot of extra time on top of soccer. Maybe the swim classes are co-ed? If so, youd meet some first-year girls. We were almost to our classroom, but he laughed. OK, he said, maybe there would be a bright side to it. Up until the afternoon, the day went pretty much like the day before. Mr. Kirills English class and then social studies, before lunch. Today there was a choice of hot lunches - slices of something called sibbat breast, a white meat that looked a bit like chicken or turkey, in a creamy sauce, or a baked macaroni-and-tomato sauce. Joel tried the sibbat, but I figured Id best be cautious about meats Id never heard of and got the macaroni. Jack and Kai had brought lunch as usual; today Amy joined the four of us and had brought her own lunch as well. This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Joel liked the sibbat, although he said it tasted a little fishy. From what Kai and Amy said, they were a distant relative of dragons, but domesticated and not much bigger than a turkey. Having a backbone plus four legs and wings pretty much precluded being related to anything we have on earth. I was curious to see them but eating one not so much. After lunch, we had math, and then we split up; Joel had a free period, while the rest of our group had electives. My own, advanced world history was over in the other classroom building, a floor down from the third-year classrooms, and it was the first classroom I saw that looked a little different. Most of the classrooms were a regular grid of desks set apart from each other, with a few more in each room than there were students. This one was set up with the kind of one-piece chair-and-writing table a lot of our classrooms at home had. They were arranged in a circle, and while there was a big desk at the head of the room, the teacher was sitting in one of the same chairs. I wasnt the first to arrive but there werent many students yet. Dean Jerdew had told me the class was going to be mostly first years, who had either placed out of the regular world history class with their exam scores or had done the honors history course at the lower school. Since the seating was a circle, there wasnt any way to hide in the back like I usually would have. A large group of students came in just after me; judging by the conversations, they must have all known each other. While we werent required to wear the uniform jacket and tie on a non-assembly day, most people had ditched only the jacket; some of the girls had switched to a bow of the same blue instead of the tie. It still seemed very formal compared to school at home and looking out at everyone rather that at their backs I felt a little conscious of having skipped the tie myself. It was not long before maybe three quarters of the seats were filled, and the teacher called roll. I hadnt expected to recognize any of the names in the class, and we must have been about half-way through when I caught a name that sounded familiar. Tess Hahn? The Yes, maam came back from a short blonde girl, seated in the group near the teacher. It took me a minute, but I realized where Id seen her - she was one of the two wed seen on the streetcar yesterday, and who had been the 1st year class rep at the opening assembly. The first class was typical - we got a syllabus, our textbook, and a pile of photocopied readings. It sounded like we were going to be writing a lot for the class; that worried me. Like I told the dean, Ive never been good at finishing papers on time. Then it was over, and I figured this was a good time to check in with the teacher. Walking up to the front as others filed out, I asked Ms. Calliot? You left a card in my mailbox, saying I should stop by your office. Yes. Thank you for checking in, Mark, she said. I left it yesterday, but I suppose you didnt see it until this morning. I gave an embarrassed shrug, Sorry about that. No problem, she said. Dean Jerdew explained your situation to me. Do you have a free period now? When I nodded, she went on. Then please follow along to the faculty office, and we can talk now rather than after the end of the day. When we got there, and shed set things down, she asked me, Do you know why I asked to speak to you? I dont, I said, but to guess, its about my placement into your class? She thought for a moment. Thats a decent guess, and its indirectly the case. Its more about making sure youre able to succeed at this school overall. I must have looked confused. She went on, Im sure the dean mentioned that its unusual to have students with your mixed academic background, especially on scholarship. When I needed, she went on, when thats happened, or when weve for other reasons taken students whove had academic challenges, the school usually assigns a teacher as an extra academic counselor of sorts. Because of your interest in this class, and because I am not responsible for a homeroom this year, the dean asked me to do that for you. I see. Well meet, once a week to start, probably less later in the year. Well go over how youre doing in your other classes, and if needed, I can connect you to other resources, like tutoring or extra credit work. OK. I must have looked or sounded nervous, This really isnt a bad thing, Mark. For some students, they just need the extra help learning the material. In your case, from what the Dean said, you mostly have trouble with due dates and staying motivated. The motivation must come from you, but I can at least help you keep schedules on track. Normally this isnt mandatory, just highly encouraged, but from what Ive heard about your record, I do have to ask you to either take this seriously if youd like to remain in my class as an advanced-honors elective. We do a lot of writing in this class, and you wont have multiple-choice tests to fall back on. What do you need me to do? I asked. In general, Id like you to keep a log of all your homework for these first two weeks of school. For my class, I want you to get started on the first paper immediately, and Id like you to get back to me with a couple of possible topics related to our first terms material as soon as you can. Did you read the syllabus during class? Id scanned it. Kind of? Please have a longer look. Lets check in briefly after the class on Saturday, she said, and if you can, Id like you to propose the topics then in case they wont work, or one of them needs refining. OK, I said. No questions for me? she asked. I shook my head. This is all really new for me. If youve got a few minutes on Saturday, maybe Ill have some then? I met up with Joel back at our homeroom. What was that card about? he asked. The dean asked the history teacher to keep an eye on my keeping up with the work, I said. Joel shrugged. Doesnt sound too bad. I guess not, I said. Im going to have to start on a paper really early, though. Youre the one who wanted to take the equivalent of AP Euro. Dont remind me. After we got home, Dormer dropped by to let us know that the foreign ministry had approved his request, and that Ms. Yali would start on magic lessons for Joel soon. I was welcome to join. For tomorrow, it seemed like a good day to try biking; Joel had his first Obdresti Literature class and had to be there one period before I did, and then he would be going to meet soccer club people after classes got out. Pt. II, Ch. 8: [Interlude: Violet] “Are you two giving her a hard time?” Interlude Thursday, Sept 3rd Surrat-Efrel Boulevard streetcar About 6:30 Violet was nervous. OK, very nervous. She had gotten out of tennis practice and changed, but Tess turned out to be stuck with student council work until late, and Violet had felt brave enough to try coming home alone. There had been a fair number of Queen Sara students who got on with her, but as the streetcar had gone along most of them filtered out, the car was now mostly adults and a few students from other schools. Two boys whod come on recently kept staring at her. They were in a uniform she didnt recognize, with grey collarless jackets. Shed be glad to be off, and her stop was coming up. It was a little bit of a push to get from her seat to the door, and as she got off her nerves got worse. When she and Tess normally got off, no one else was leaving, but she heard people moving to get off after she did. She didnt look back and just started walking for home. Someone behind her called out Etay tesaya, or something like that; she recognized that it was Old Imperial but had never learned it. The voice was louder, and getting closer, Jessit tesaya. Then one of the boys from train stepped around her, blocking her way. He said something else in old imperial. It was too quick to follow; then from behind her she heard, in strongly accented English, Whats the matter, rich girl? Dont understand us? Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. She tried to step to the side, not liking being stuck between two strangers. No, I dont speak Old Imperial. She doesnt speak Old Imperial, said the one whod been behind her. My friend thinks your very pretty. She did not like the way either of the boys were looking at her. She was about to run, when another person stepped up C and in unaccented English, said Are you two giving her a hard time? She looked up C he was taller than the two boys, and around thirty centimeters taller than she was C and thought he looked familiar, as did the blue track suit. The one of the boys whod spoke English said, its none of your business, and tried pushing him. It didnt work. Im making it my business, said man in the blue track suit, and he pushed back, hard enough to knock the boy down. The other boy, whod been the first to talk to her, said kayjet, then grabbed her bag out of her hands and ran. The one whod fallen followed. The man whod stopped to help said watch this for me, leaving something at her feet, and ran after. She looked down; it was a backpack. A moment later, she realized why the track suit looked familiar; it was out-of-season gym clothes from her own school. She couldnt quite see what happened about a block away when the man C taller boy, given that he went to her school C caught up to the two boys in grey, but there was some shouting, and then the third boy walked back holding her bag. Are you alright, miss? he asked, giving her the bag. She nodded, not looking up at him. You go to Queen Sara too, right? he asked. She nodded again. Im Joel, he said. I think were actually in one class together. She looked up at him. Oh! Yes, I think so. Youre also in Obdresti Literature? Yeah, he said. Thats it. Thank you for getting my bag back, she said. Im Violet Conniello. Good to meet you, he said. Are you going to be OK getting home from here? Pt. II, Ch. 9: “Never mind that. I just rescued a girl.” Thursday, Sept 3rd School and then our apartment The bike ride to school in the morning had gone well; it was a long but straight shot on the boulevard to school, and unlike my ride into the city back home, I didnt have to go over any bridges. There was a covered bike rack next to the sports center; it was almost full since I arrived late during my free period. Amazingly, many of the bikes werent locked up at all, and those that were had locks that wouldnt have lasted long in New York C there wasnt a U-lock among them. I wondered whether this was just that safe, or if you could get some a spell that would protect your bike from thieves. Classes were still just starting today, so there wasnt much new, and it was nice to have found a small crew to hang out with C Jack and Kai, plus Amy came along for lunch today. We had another mandatory PE orientation for the last two periods of the day, and then Joel headed off to the soccer team meeting with Jack, while I biked home. It was still during work hours, so traffic was lighter than in the morning, and I worked up a good sweat biking back in the heat. Once at the apartment, I brought my bike around the back bring it straight into the laundry room and was just going to go in when I heard a cat meowing. There was a gray and white cat, peeking out of the bushes behind the house. It looked at me, meowed again, and ducked back into the bushes. I showered and thought about what to do with the rest of my afternoon. I hadnt really had any time at home to myself outside of the late evenings; at home, my brother kept to himself and my folks, if they were home at all in the early evenings, were usually busy grading papers or working on some publication or other. I decided I was going to make something to bring in for my lunch tomorrow; I looked in the refrigerator and didnt see anything Id like. When wed been moving in, there hadnt been time to go ourselves, so Joels mom had given Dormers housekeeper a shopping list. There were no cold cuts, nor any cheese I knew Id like - although there was an unlabeled brick of soft white cheese that I tried and rewrapped. It might have been the local version of jack; creamy enough, but quite bland; better to cook with than for sandwiches. What we had were too many vegetables which were going to go uneaten unless Dormer sent his housekeeper over to cook them. The pantry was mostly full of unfamiliar stuff, although the local Crispy-Squares cereal was decent. There was pasta, at least, and sliced bread but nothing like a bag of sandwich roll. I decided to go to the nearest market and see what I could get. My dad had left me with a full semesters worth of lunch money and allowance, the lunch money particularly generous since I was getting free lunch on the scholarship. At home, it would have been a little over $300; at the exchange rate here, it has made for 3 and a quarter Imperials 250 mil, as theyd have said here. It felt like a lot of money for someone my age, but it had to cover me until winter break. I walked up to the boulevard, and a couple of blocks down found the place Dormer had sent his housekeeper C called Super Jordis. It was small for a supermarket, but clearly more than a convenience store. They also had a meat and deli counter, and all I was able to get enough lunch meat and bread for a weeks worth of sandwiches, as well as some more familiar cheese and some canned foods. Not bad at all for a weeks lunch money! On the way back into the house, I got meowed at again. There was the same cat, in the bushes near the front of the house. It looked at me expectantly and meowed again. I decided to offer it a slice of ham out of my shopping bag. It wouldnt approach me, but when I put it on the ground about halfway towards it and walked back to the door, it dashed out and took it. As I went into the house, I was almost sure I heard it say, thank you! but must have been reading too much into another meow. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. Math homework awaited me, and I lost track of time. Joel came back quite a bit later, practically bursting in. You wouldnt believe what just happened to me! he said. Im guessing this isnt about the cat in our yard?. Theres a cat in our yard? He shook his head. Never mind that. I just rescued a girl. You what? Rescued a girl. You remember the girls we saw on our first ride to school on Tuesday, right? I nodded. One of them was on the streetcar coming home, and there were a couple of shady looking guys who followed her off, so I followed them off. Sure enough, they were hassling her and when I told them not to, one of them grabbed her bag so I chased after them and got it back. Dormer is not going to like that at all. The door opened just as I said that, and both Count Dormer and Special Agent Morgan walked in. What is it that Im not going to like? said Dormer. After Joel had finished his story C and in greater detail C Dormer was, as expected, not happy. Joel, while you said you were bigger than they were, they outnumbered you, and one of them could have had a knife or worse. You dont have any magical wards, which they could have had, or bigger friends nearby. I can take care of myself, he said. Have you ever been in a real fight? asked Dormer. Not really, no, said Joel. You need to be more careful. Especially if you dont want either Agent Morgan or me to be shadowing you closely. I understand, said Joel. Dormer told us a little more about what to expect; it sounded like Ms. Yali would be back to start teaching us (well, mostly Joel) some magic next week, and that at some point theyd be doing some self-defense classes as well. After Morgan left, Dormer had some more questions. So, was this the girl from your class that you were talking about from the trip committee? No, said Joel. Violets a first year. I didnt realize it until after I got her bag back, but shes in my Obdresti literature class. Was she the one you were pointing out to me at the opening assembly? I asked. No, that wasnt Violet. She said they usually took the streetcar together, though. Maybe I can get her to introduce you. I shook my head. I think thatd be a bad idea if you want to keep a good impression with Violet. Dont sell yourself so short, Mark, said Dormer. Dormer had a few more questions about Violet; Joel had walked her to near her house, and it sounded like her parents were rich. When they were done talking, Dormer said, I dont want to be too negative; you know. It was not smart, but it was a very gallant thing you did for her. Your instincts did you credit. I had one question for him before he left. In this world, can cats talk? House cats? he asked, and I nodded. Not normally, he said. Why? I told him about the gray and white cat outside. He explained a bit more about the houses magic wards, and finished saying, I dont think theres any chance a magical creature could have gotten in. You must have been imagining things, and its not a good idea to feed strays. Friday, Sept 4th School We had our first physics class the day before, and it seemed harmless enough. The class had its labs on Saturday mornings, and things took a turn for the weird part way through class on Friday when the teacher, Dr. Amril, started talking about lab partner assignments. I noticed that we have exactly the same number of girls and boys in the class, he said, with a smile that was a little creepy coming from a teacher. I know you all probably have friends that youd like to work with but trust me at your age you should consider this an opportunity. He then ran through the class roster, in order of the girls last names. A girl from another homeroom named Mina Fremis got paired with Kai. Amy got paired with Joel. Then, when he got to N, the teacher called for someone named Cory Nement who was paired with me. There was a bit of a buzz in the room, and it didnt sound encouraging. I meant to ask Kai about it, but by the time the teacher got through the rest of the class, and we went off to homeroom, I had forgotten. Pt. II, Ch. 10: “How do you not know to be prepared in advance for a lab?” Saturday, Sept 5th School Having to get up for our first day of Saturday classes had me grumpy, although yes, Im often grumpy in the morning. When Joel and I got to the lab room, most people had already paired up and picked lab stations. Jack and his partner were off on their own, while Kai, Amy and two other girls had staked out three stations between them. The two other girls were quite different; one was quite ordinary in a school where ordinary tended to clean up better than at home, and she had the silver pin of a scholarship student, hers in the form of a rose. The second stood out, and I wasnt sure if it was in a good way. She was around my height, taller than many of the girls here. Except for some bangs, her brown hair was pulled back into a simple ponytail, and rather than the regular uniform she was wearing a baggy sweatshirt and track pants - our colder-weather gym uniform, sized up. She had a silver dragon pin, so she was a local, and I realized that she was the first person Id seen up close in this world who also wore glasses. Im close to blind to fashion, but while she wasnt unattractive, she was a girl who either was consciously choosing comfort over appearances, or who was even blinder to appearances than I am. Kai introduced us. Mark, Joel, this is Mina, indicating the girl standing with him at his station. Shes also new here, and then indicating the girl a few steps away, and this is Cory. Mina curtsied; I dont think Id ever seen someone do that in real life. Its a pleasure to meet you both, she said. Hi, said Cory. Then, to me directly, I guess were lab partners. I guess so. Its good to meet you. The teacher was already there, and not long after he took attendance and let us know to start the lab without further instructions. I started looking through the lab manual for setup instructions, which seemed like the right thing to do. From a quick look around, a lot of people were doing the same, although both of our immediate neighbors had started getting pieces together. Cory was doing the same, and started to say, Can you hand me and then noticed I was reading the lab manual. What are you doing? she asked. Reading the instructions. You didnt read them in advance. That was not a happy look she gave me. How do you not know to be prepared in advance for a lab? OK, scratch unhappy. Furious? I wondered for a moment if I was about to get punched. Sorry, I said, stepping back. I never had a problem with this at my old school. How the heck did I get paired with someone like you? she asked, and then continued, Never mind. Just stay out of my way and take notes. You can do that much, right? She then added, more to herself, This isnt the first time Ive had to do one of these by myself. Cory powered through the entire lab, and two extra credit problems, in sixty of the ninety-five minutes we had, all without a word to me except figures to write down. She stopped a few times to make sure what I was writing down was correct. At the end, she went up to the teacher, and while I couldnt make out everything, she seemed to be asking if she could get started on the next lab or more extra credit. The answer appeared to be a no. She came back to the lab station, took the lab notebook I had been writing in, and said, Ill put it in your mailbox once I make a copy. You get to clean up. Then she walked out of the room. Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. Everybody else was still working, so I went to the teacher to ask what I should be doing. He said to clean up our station, and then I was free to go as well. I cleaned up the materials, and then figured Id get ahead on my history reading while I waited for Kai, Amy, and Joel to be ready to head back to our homeroom. At homeroom, the girls whod volunteered for the festival committee had a handout, which I figured Id look at later. Before we headed off to our next classes, Kai took a moment to speak to me. That was classic Cory. Im sorry I didnt warn you. Shes always like that? I asked. She used to be worse, said Kai. Ive known her since the second year at the lower school, and Amy was in her homeroom in the first year there. Back then, shed have been a lot louder in telling you off. How bad was it to try to read out of the lab manual, anyway? For most people, it wouldnt be a problem, he said. I mean its always a good idea to read through it in advance, but its only a big deal for someone really serious about taking honors in the science track. If you want to get all the extra credit in, you need to avoid wasting time. If shes that serious, how did I get paired with her? We were talking about that before you got to class. Cory looked at last years rankings. Except for transfers, it looks like the teacher just paired people up in rank order. You must not have been kidding when you said you are good at taking tests, because whatever unofficial rankings he used put you and Joel both at the top of the class. Could that have been just because we are transfers? Cory didnt think so, said Kai. Otherwise, one of you two would have been paired with Mina, but she apparently ranked behind both Cory and Amy. Interesting. Really, said Kai. I think shed actually been looking forward to working with you. Damn. Well, that didnt last long. Dont worry about it. He gave me a pat on the shoulder. Most of the class is going to want to switch to lab partners they know better, so you probably wont have to pair with her again. Saturday, after class My meeting after class with Ms. Calliot had gone only slightly better than physics lab. Id thrown together a couple of topics I might be interested in. Shed rejected all of them. Mark, I can see part of your problem with papers. You arent trying to make and support a thesis. Every one of these topics is an open-ended prompt for a narrative. How do you mean? I asked. Lets take one of these as an example C you have How did Zagras liberate the Kingdom of Kala? I nodded. There are a couple of good works on the subject, and while its well into antiquity there might be enough primary sources to write a good paper, there isnt any thesis as a part of it. Do you have a sense what specifically you wanted to write about it? Id planned to read through a more detailed history than the textbook, sum up the arguments for it, and go over the basic timeline. Was that kind of survey paper adequate at your last school? she asked. I didnt get a lot of As, but it was always better than just passing. I see, she said. It may be good enough in your regular history class, at that, although I dont recommend it. Its usually a lot more work to do that well than a more focused paper. How should I have approached it, then? You want not just to have a general idea, but a specific proposition that you can support with evidence. I dont recommend this as a paper at your level, but the classic argument is whether Zagrass marriage to the goddess Mina was literally the case in life or a metaphor for after his death and deification. As a paper topic, youd take one side or the other. OK, I said. How do you recommend I narrow these down? I dont recommend you do, at least for this first paper. Unless you feel very strongly about it, Im going to give you a topic. Id like you to write an outline, or at least two pages, by next Fridays class. If it looks OK, you can expand it to the full first paper. She took out a sheet of paper, and at the top wrote, Between the fall of the second Empire and the rise of the Great Kingdom, warfare was the first business of the state. Is that clear enough? she asked. Is that specific to the nations that are now part of the Great Kingdom? I asked. You can limit it to those, she said, or try to make a case for or against it for all human nations during that time. Which do you think is easier? To be more specific rather than more general? Thats usually the case, yes. Joel and I had planned to eat lunch during our free period, before the clubs assembly, so I headed off to the lunchroom to meet him. Pt. II, Ch. 11: “Last, and I suppose not least, we have the Dueling Club.” Saturday, Sept 5th, 12:15pm (after 4th period) Arts Center Main Hall The main hall wasnt crowded C it seemed like it was mostly first-years who had chosen to attend. Our former tour guide C and the student council vice president C had ended up as the presenter, and they were going through sports clubs first. It was mostly some very bland introductions C typically, someone coming up in gym clothes or a team uniform, and a lot like the one person we knew- Hi, Im Amy, and Im here to tell you about the girls Track and Field club. If you like to run, come join us in the warm-up area outside the swimming pool gate, and a few sports clubs or teams that had put on demonstrations. Joel made an appreciative comment about the uniforms of the girls tennis club, and the captain of the basketball club spent a minute or so doing some ball tricks C probably not up to globetrotters standards, but it got some applause from the audience. The fencing club was last, which Id been curious about since Kai had said he was part of their demonstration. The VP was unhappy to introduce them C Last, and I suppose not least, we have the Dueling Club. The representative for the club was the red-haired third-year representative Id pointed out to Joel at the opening ceremony. She wore a costume straight out of Peter Pan, or maybe Robin Hood C green peaked hat, with a feather, and a blouse and skirt to match. She bypassed the podium, drew what I thought was a fencing foil, and yelled En garde! From the other side of the stage, someone entered in partial armor C a chest plate and a helmet with bars covering their face. Except for the face guard, it was a very conquistador sort of look. This opponent was holding another foil and wore a larger sword on their hip. They did several passes, looking for all the world like something out of a 1930s movie, not at all like the little bit of athletic fencing Id seen. Then, after a short while and a few passes across the stage, the armored person withdrew to one side. The redhead went up to the podium and said Hi! Im Gwen, and this was a little demonstration of why I joined the fencing club. We are the Academys oldest athletic club, and we are lucky to have a two-time junior national epee champion, as well as the youngest person ever to go to nationals in dueling sword. At this, the armored student saluted Gwen with the larger blade now out of the scabbard. It was a very serious looking sword. We also have a lot of fun. While the social clubs get ready for their presentations, Im going to leave you with two of our members answering the age-old question: who would win, a knight, or a samurai? And with that, there was a loud yell from behind the stage, and someone ran out holding what I thought was a katana and like what the armored student carried, it was metal one. Like the other, they were partially armored, and I realized after a moment this must have been Kai, whod said hed be part of the presentation. Hed said he did kendo, which Id thought used wooden swords, or something similarly non-lethal. The two came together with a crash, Kai chopping downward, which the original armored student parried with ease. The two circled each other, approaching briefly, briefly clashing, and stepping back. They appeared equally matched at first, but after a few cycles, the first one C with the western sword C sped up a lot. Beating back another swing, their sword struck out at Kais armored chest and landed with a loud clang. He stepped back and saluted the other, who bowed, and did the same. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Looks like the knight wins, said Gwen. She waved her hat at the audience as she left the stage. Joel had decided to leave at that point; he wanted to help set up the soccer club open house. I stuck around on my own to see if anything looked interesting. A couple did; there was a board game club, two different magic clubs (the Mages Club and the Magical Research Club, whatever the difference was) but and while I had and have never had any interest in acting, there were three separate theater clubs and each of them had a mini performance. Towards the end, there was another club that seemed to annoy Neil, And now well hear from the personal computer club. The student presenting waved. Hey folks. Some of you who were at the lower school already know this, but we have a student-run computer lab. Its a good place to write your papers, and if were not too busy you can use them to play games, too. These guys C and he gestured back towards Neil C changed the rules this year so it can only be open if theres a club member supervising, so we could really use a few more members. You dont need to know anything about computers although if you do it couldnt hurt. Oh, and if you used it last year and think the new rule is stupid, please tell the student council that. Neil looked like he was about to rush the computer club guy off the stage, but he wandered off on his own, without ever having either introduced himself or saying where the lab was. Sports Center, Dueling Club room Id remembered roughly where wed seen the sign on our first tour; it was downstairs below the main gym. The room itself was locked when I got there, and there were three of us whod had an interest coming out of the presentations C a first year boy, plus Mina Fremis, who Id met briefly at physics, and myself. The first year introduced himself as Galen Alcorn. Wed barely had a chance to do a round of introductions when the doors finally opened. Gwen opened the door; she was in the regular warm weather gym uniform. Welcome! said Gwen. The fencing room was long, and somewhat narrow - otherwise like any other room in the gym except for the lack of windows; there were two doors at the far end, and a few people were already there C I recognized Kai, but no one else. They were mostly stretching, but on spotting us Kai came over. So, you three wanted to learn about the club? asked Gwen. I nodded, as did Galen. Mina, however, simply said, I was planning to join. Youve fenced before? asked Gwen. At my old school, yes. How about you two? asked Gwen. I shook my head, and Galen said, No. Dont worry, said Gwen. Most of us wont bite. Kai added. Mark is the transfer student from my homeroom that I was telling you about, Gwen. Mina is also a second-year transfer and in our physics class. I see. Gwen raised an eyebrow, and then to Galen, How about you? Your presentation made this look like a lot of fun, he said. Gwen smiled. Good! That was what we were going for. Its cool if were just here for PE credit? I asked. Of course. We have practice Tuesday and Thursday in the PE periods. After school and Saturday practices arent mandatory, but if youd like to check our practice out today it will give you a good sense of things. If so, you should probably start getting warmed up. Mina, I can show you the stretches we use. Kai, can you show Galen and Mark? I am not particularly flexible, but the stretches they were doing to start werent particularly tough. As we worked through them, I asked Kai, That was you up on the stage, right? He nodded. You looked cool. Do you practice with a real sword? Not usually, no. That whole thing was Gwens idea. It was pretty crazy. Who was it you were fighting? He grimaced and nodded over at one of the back doors which had just opened. There was Cory. Are you sure Im actually going to be welcome here? I asked. Pt. II, Ch 12: [Interlude: Alvar] “I did not like how he was looking at me.” Interlude North of the Bridge, City of Feldaren Saturday Evening Alvar Leto had been in Feldaren for three weeks and was nothing but disappointed. Hed heard great things about the city from older friends in his fathers court, and over the time hed been here, had discovered that he was too young for every one of them. At home, gambling and other entertainments were illegal, but if your silver or your banknotes were good, nobody cared if you were 15, or for that matter whether you were a barons son or a cobblers. One could drink legally at 16, and if you stuck to the rowdier places in the port, nobody cared if you were a little younger, either. Here in Feldaren, everything was backwards. Gambling was legal, but hard to find and strictly for those over 18, the local definition of adults. The skin trade was supposedly legal, but highly regulated and equally out of bounds until he was 18. Rumors of how much fun the place was could hang - hed been sent away several times, however politely, and the drinking age was 18 as well. School was much more serious than hed had at home, and with Saturday classes of all things! The Feldarenese girls his own age hed met were utterly unimpressed by his family name, and all told, he was getting fed up. He would have been ready to just head back to Fenrik, but he didnt want to give his shrew of a stepmother the satisfaction. Fortunately, the one place where his name did carry some weight was at the embassy; his father was not just a baron, but part of the junta whod been running the country since the last king fled. The ambassador had been happy to share rum from his own supply, and while he didnt have enough of a sense of any of the staffs loyalty or interest in gambling with him directly, they had been able to find the address of a card room which would likely take him without questioning his age. The neighborhood North of the Bridge had an unimaginative name, but it was easy to find. It wasnt supposed to be a nice neighborhood, but it reminded him of the port areas in his hometown of Hertsag. There were times when he couldnt stand the locals insistence on cleanliness! The place was upstairs, with its own entrance but above a bar. Surprisingly small; it must have originally been an apartment. Only one person was there, a woman only slightly older than he was. She wasnt really his type, fair almost to the point of paleness, and slender with mousy brown hair and likely rather plain below a little too much makeup. The dress she wore did not suit her, although he wasnt sure what would have. His disappointment must have shown on his face, as she said, Nobodys here yet, but youre welcome to wait. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. Alvar was never happy to wait, but he had to smile that she wasnt rushing him out or asking him for an adult identity card. She spoke English but with an accent that sounded like she grew up speaking Old Imperial, his own native tongue, and he replied in it, I understand. There will be cards here soon, yes? Later, yes, she said, replying in the same language. We just provide the tables and a dealer, to which she gave a slight curtsy. Ill wait, thanks. She gestured to the sofa. Do you want a drink? she asked. When he nodded assent, she stepped out. She came back in with a glass of red wine. It was fortified and very sweet, and he wondered for a moment if she knew that it was generally the style preferred in his home country. He sipped it and grabbed a news magazine from the end table. He hadnt read more than a few lines before he passed out. Consciousness came back slowly When he got his wits about him, he was not in the card room hed left. Wherever he was, the floor was cold, his hands and feet were bound, and someone was shining a bright light on him. Where am I? he croaked; his voice weaker than he expected. Youre up quicker than we expected, said a male voice from behind the light. Well be asking the questions. Youre brave for kidnappers, he said. Do you know who my father is? Granted, he was a legitimized bastard, and his stepmother was none too fond of him, but he didnt think shed have him kidnapped. Not a clue, said another voice; this was much rougher than the last. Should we care? My fathers part of the junta in Fenrik. If you harm me, hell and a large arm reached past the light to belt him. Got it. We dont care, then, said the rough voice. Who is your mother? asked a womans voice. He thought it might be the one from the card room. One of the old Baron Torens younger daughters, said Alvar. Damn it, said the smoother mans voice. Hes telling the truth, or thinks he is. With this many wards, how are you so sure? asked the womans voice. I suppose well have to test his blood, said the smoother mans voice. The same large arm reached out with a blade and scratched his cheek. It wasnt deep, but he could feel a dribble of blood running down his face. The man scraped it up using the same blade, and he could feel the warmth of an attempt to heal the wound. He hadnt heard any of the three voices casting, so their healer must have been very good indeed. Unfortunately, instead of healing him, it sparked. Someone very distrusting must have cast his wards, said the womans voice again. So, they did, said the smoother mans voice. Then, away from Alvar, he said is the blood a match? Its not, said the rougher mans voice. What a waste, said the smoother mans voice. I guess well need to be rid of him. Do you want to do the honors? Gladly, said the womans voice. I did not like how he was looking at me. Alvar started to struggle, but it did no good. The woman stepped into the light holding a thin blade, and sure enough she was the same woman hed met at the card room. That was clearly a trap, and not for me! His last thoughts swirled between anger and thinking without her makeup, shes prettier than I thought, and ended with a searing pain on the side of his head followed by darkness. Pt. II, Ch. 13: “You aren’t the only politically sensitive student at Queen Sara” Sun, Sept 6th, a little after 10am Our apartment. It was my first morning to sleep in since coming to a new world, and Id taken advantage of it. I was stepping out of my room and was going to see if there was any leftover breakfast, when I heard voices downstairs. I stuck my head downstairs and saw that it was Dormer and the mage from the foreign ministry, Ms. Yali, both talking to Joel. He, in turn, had a lot of small pieces of paper, small amulets, and glowing balls over his clothes. The first thing I thought to say was, You look like a Christmas tree! Theyre putting magical wards on me, said Joel. Wards? Like protection from something? I asked. Yes, theyre protective, said Yali. Theyll help against attack spells, scrying, and other things. Were also using a basic physical ward to toughen up his skin, although that one will be much better when he learns to keep it up himself. Were starting lessons today, said Joel. She said earlier you were welcome to join us. Do I have time to change and eat some breakfast? Finishing the wards was going to take a while, and I was happy to kill some time after getting ready for the day. When they were done, Yali took some books out of her bagC a shiny new textbook entitled Teaching Magic, an Introduction for Elementary Educators and two smaller and well-worn copies of On the Foundations of Magical Theory. Youll have to excuse this, she said to Joel, but well be starting at a level most people learn when theyre much younger, so the best thing for exercises is the teachers manual. I hope well have you past that and working from Kelders soon. We took the next couple of hours going through exercises, starting with ones that were like what wed done to test for magical sensitivity. The basic idea was that we had to get used to sensing magic in our environment as well as the energy within ourselves. It is very important, she said, to be aware of both, and of other sources at hand like a power stone. Other kinds of energy can be used to power magic, and your own bodys own health and energy is one of the more dangerous. If you try to use more power than you have and tap into your body itself, you can injure yourself or even die. While we were practicing, Dormer had apparently found food; we ate lunch while working, and by the middle of the afternoon Yali was convinced we could continue practicing on our own. Before she left for the day, she figured it was time to teach us one little bit of magic. The first thing most people learn is to produce a dim light; it doesnt use much magic, and its useful for kids who are afraid of the dark, and back in the day it was much more efficient than candles. At your stage, you wont want to keep it going for a long time, but with practice and a strong pool of energy you can keep it going indefinitely. To learn it, the easiest way was to fix an image from the book in our minds, and to gesture C it didnt matter how, just something to indicate where the light was to appear. Joel tried it, and after staring at the book for a while and making a grabbing gesture, a glowing ball C bright golden orange like the sun just starting to set, and about as bright as a Christmas tree lightC appeared on his hand. It clung to it, but he was able to set it down on the table. It seemed like it should be hot, but it was cool to the touch, and it had the barest weight and solidity. Yali told Joel to concentrate on it, and to will it away; when it didnt, she told him to add a horizontal motion of his hand. The light disappeared. With enough practice, said Yali, you can recall the images without seeing them. It was my turn I focused on the image and tried to make gesture like Joel did. Nothing happened; Ive never had an easy time remembering pictures, and it just wouldnt settle in my mind. After a minute, and finding the silence weird, I started letting my eyes trace the lines inside the image. Around the edge, there was lettering. At first it seemed like nonsense, but after looking longer, it seemed like it might be the Old Imperial alphabet in a very highly stylized form. Id seen the modern printed form while studying for the exam and in our advanced history text, and with a guide couple probably have transliterated something. I certainly didnt expect to remember it, but the memory just clicked. The lines traced between 7 letters in English it would have been more. It looked like it should say briss-et-ay, and as I sounded it out a light appeared. If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Much less impressive than Joels ball of sunlight, mine was a cold flickering white, shaped like a candle flame and about as bright. When I tried to set it down, it went out. Did you just read that? she asked. I nodded, and asked, did I do something wrong? No, she said, and if youve never trained on reading these its very unusual. You seemed to be straining to find the image at first, too. What does that mean? I asked. Maybe nothing, well see. She shrugged. It may help you learn faster C Joel, youll want to start learning the lettering eventually, and if Mark is already getting it the two of you can practice together. Also, she said to Joel, be careful with solar-attuned spells. The size of Marks light was more like what Id have expected, and while this was harmless, with other spells it could be dangerous or draw more power than you intended. Yali gave us a couple of chapters in the teachers book to go through and said to try any of the exercises in those that we felt comfortable with. She also recommended that since I could read the ancient Imperial script, that I help Joel learn that from the appendix in Kelders. As she packed up, Joel asked her, Is there a reason we started today? She looked over at Dormer, who said, A student has gone missing. We thought it would be important to get you wards, and once she was going to be here anyway, it was convenient for Ms. Yali to start your lessons. What does a student going missing have to do with me? asked Joel. You arent the only politically sensitive student at Queen Sara, said Dormer. I hope this doesnt have anything to do with you, but it pays to be cautious. On that note, Yali left, and Joel decided it was time to study, so I figured Id do the same. When I was going through my bag, I ran into the handouts for the upcoming festival. I owed Hull a write-up of my first weeks experience C the state department folks had offered to pay me for them, with the amount somewhat up in the air C and one of the things about the festival stood out to me as possibly of interest to him. It was called the Festival of Nations, and in addition to being a fundraising opportunity for the regular clubs, classrooms, and the student council, in keeping with the theme students were encouraged to create booths corresponding to their varied cultural or national heritage. Visiting international students were especially encouraged and coming from a whole parallel universe Joel and I really could not have been more international than that. Hull had said he was here to increase trade with the US, and part of that was looking for help spreading American culture and values. This seemed like a perfect opportunity; I figured rather than just dropping a couple of pages in the mail, Id also give him a call. It was Sunday, so I figured Id just get his answering machine. Instead, a woman picked up. United States trade mission, may I help you? she asked. Hi, I said. After a moment, my names Mark Berg. Can I leave a message for Richard Hull? Go ahead. Thanks! Let him that theres an opportunity at my school to put up a festival booth for the US, and that it could be a good way to represent the US. Ill send the flyer over with my notes on the past week. Ive got that down, Mr. Berg, and will pass that on to him. I thanked her, hung up, and figured Id better start actually studying, although the back of my mind was still a little occupied by how one would represent America at a festival booth. It was almost dinner time when the phone rang. Since I was still sitting next to it, I picked up. Hi, this is Mark. I wasnt that familiar with the voice on the other end of the line, but I did recognize Hull. Hi Mark, I hope Im not calling at a bad time. I think youve got a good eye for an opportunity there. Do you mind if I send someone over for your notes and the flyer tonight? Uh, actually, I said, I havent had a chance to write up the notes. Youre welcome to the flyer, though or I can get you both tomorrow. He chuckled. Its probably better in the future to write things up as you go, but that would be fine. Or if youve got a few minutes now and dont mind me recording you, we can just take your report over the phone for this week. If you dont mind, lets do that. Sorry about it, I said. Its no trouble. From there, I walked him through the past week of school; he asked a lot of detailed questions and was especially curious about Joels interaction with the girl he rescued and the local guys who were bothering her. Joel was around, and I ended up putting him onto the phone briefly to answer more about that part. When they were done, we got around to talking about today and the festival. Thanks, Mark. I dont know if well always need this much detail, but this is helpful. I agree that we should do something for the festival. Ill work on some ideas from here and in the meanwhile, please do start whatever formalities the school needs. Do you still want to send someone for the flyer? I asked. Theres no rush, I think youve told me what we need. If you can send me a copy later, that would still be good. For anything like that, if you want to photocopy it at school, we can reimburse you. OK, thanks! I said. It occurred to me I hadnt even made it to the library to see if they had a photocopier or how much it cost. Our call had wrapped up, Dormer had already set his housekeeper to work on dinner, and I didnt feel like studying more. Before heading up to my room to play some video games, I stepped outside to check the dish of food Id left out. I hadnt seen the cat since Thursday evening, but the dish kept being emptied so either it was still around or something else was eating it. Sure enough, it was empty. I put a new dish of cat food down, and the leftover ham that was getting a little dry for my taste. As I was closing the door behind me, I heard a happy meow and I could have sworn I heard, Thanks for the food! Pt. II, Ch. 14: “She’s in your history class, right?” Tuesday, Sept 8th, just before first period The pool On Monday, when I checked my folder, there was a note from the PE Department. Joel had one, too. They both said the same thing C our swim tests had were rescheduled for Tuesday morning, and that a note had already been sent to the teachers where we would be missing class. The rest of the school day was uneventful. Looking in the student handbook, I was pleased to see there was no longer a requirement to wear uniform swimsuits. There was a uniform swimsuit in the package of uniform bits that Dormer had helped us order, but it had much shorter legs than mine from home and the fabric seemed uncomfortable. Joel was fine with the uniform one. Id planned to bike to and from school every Tuesday and Thursday when Joel would have soccer. Even with my trying out fencing, because he was going for the competitive team and I was going for the bare minimum for PE credit, hed be at it much later in the evening than I would. Today, though, wed caught an early streetcar C Dormer had explained that a 1st period swimming meant we had to be changed, ready and at the pool when the bell rang. Having arrived early and changed, we had found ourselves at the side of the pool with a lot of first year students, boys gathered on one side, girls on the other. Most people were in their uniform swimsuits, and most who werent were wearing similar-enough, non-flashy swimsuits. There were a few exceptions, but sadly, not a single bikini among the girls. Joel recognized one of them. Hey Mark, he said, nudging me, theres Violet. Who? The girl I rescued last week. You saw her on the train on the first day. I tried to follow where he was glancing, and sure enough, there she was. She looked young compared to most of her classmates and she looked happy to be there. Chatting with her were two other girls C Tess, who was in my history class, and another girl. She looked quite tall compared to the other two C she was almost 20cm taller than Violet, and while it was hard to tell from the distance, I was pretty sure shed about split the difference in height between Joel and myself. Like Violet, she looked happy to be there. Tess really didnt; I couldnt hear them from across the pool, but shed smile at things that her friends said, and then go right back to a worried frown. Stop staring, dude, said Joel. What? I said, looking away. I mean, I cant blame you, said Joel, and then he dropped to a near-whisper. Im not really a boob man, and even Im impressed. Shut up, Joel. I mean, its not like I didnt notice these things, but I really was mostly trying to figure out their social interaction. I looked over again, briefly, and really did have to stop myself from staring this time. Tess had looked well-endowed in her regular uniform, but in a swimsuit, to borrow what Joel said, she was impressive. Joel laughed and poked my shoulder. Shes in your class, right? Yeah, so? Maybe you should try to get to know her. Must be smart to be taking advanced honors history as a first year. Most of the class is first years. They placed out of the regular world history class or took it in the last year at the lower school. Oh, said Joel, well, still. I shrugged and changed the subject. Does their taller friend look at all familiar to you? Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. He looked over again. Now that you mention it, yeah, but I cant place her. Me neither. Around that time, a gym teacher came out, and started explaining the swim test. OK, kids, settle down. For a lot of you, you already did this in the lower school, but for everyone new or who has forgotten, its simple. Swim to the far end of the pool, whatever stroke you like, without standing up and touching the bottom. Any questions? One of the boys raised his hand, and after being pointed to, asked, Is there a time limit? No, said the teacher. Well, we only have the pool until the end of 2nd period. He paused, possibly expecting a laugh, but nobody responded. OK, anything else? Nobody had any questions, so he went on. Were going to call you up in order. There are a lot of you to get through today, so go to the lane I indicate quickly, and when you get to the end, just check your name off with my assistant. Weve got two lifeguards here if you have trouble, and if any of you are too afraid of the water to try, just head down and let my assistant know, well start you on lessons. A few took him up on it and started walking over to the assistant. After that, they started calling students up, in what sounded like last name alphabetical order. I didnt recognize any of the names until they called Tika Allard early on. Wait, isnt that Jacks sisters name? asked Joel. The tall girl whod been talking to Violet and Tess walked up to the pool. So thats why she looked familiar, I said. The first few students ahead of her had done what I planned to do C lowered themselves in to hold onto the edge, and then started swimming. Tika, on the other hand, dove. And then took off -- the first students ahead of her were still in the water, and she handily beat them to the end. She must be good enough to be on the swim team, said Joel. I wonder why they made her take the test. Rules are rules, I guess. It didnt take long to get to Berg, and I headed in. Theyd said any stroke, and it looked like a long pool. I figured Id conserve my energy, and after kicking off from the wall to get a start went into floating on my back and kicking gently. I was glad the pool was indoors. Id probably be sunburned by now outside, and be staring right into the sun too, with my luck. Not long after, someone in the next lane over went past me, pretty quickly. A while later, I heard someone coming up on the prior lane. I looked over, and I was maybe at the halfway point. Oy. Id never been much good at side-breathing, but I worried I was going to get stared at for being too slow and turned over to try to swim normally. That lasted well, a few moments, before I realized I was going to tire myself out and went back to floating on my back and kicking. Staring at the ceiling in the warm water was relaxing, and I kind of got lost in thoughts about nothing in particular until thump I swam head-first into the back wall of the pool. Fortunately, I wasnt going fast enough that anything was hurt except my dignity. I got out of the pool, feeling very embarrassed, and glanced around. Nobody seemed to be looking at me, so it could have been worse. After checking names off with the other PE teacher, most people were leaving to go get changed. A few hung around, probably waiting for their friends. Joel had been nervous about going in the water, so I figured Id stick around to make sure Joel was going to be OK. I looked around and heard they were up to the Fs. I glanced over at the folks waiting to go, and spotted Tess on her own, frowning again. A couple of other folks looked vaguely familiar from my history class, but nobody I could remember the name of. The teacher soon got to the H-es and called for Tess Hahn; she seemed fine in the water, so whatever had her frowning didnt seem to be a lack of ability to swim. When she got out, I noticed that she met Violet and Tika at the entrance to the girls locker room and all three disappeared inside together. It was a bit of a wait until they got to the Rs, and they called for Joel Ross. At first, he seemed fine; he kicked off the wall and was doing a normal stroke, and then, a short way into it he seemed to miss a breath, or something, and pretty soon he was sputtering and standing up a little less than half-way through the pool. The nearer lifeguard called out to him to ask if he was OK, and when he nodded, asked Do you want to go back and try again? Joel did, sort of walk-bouncing when he got to the deep end. Starting over, he kept up a proper stroke for a while, and partway through must have gotten nervous. This time, he tried to roll over, but rather than getting into a back float, he ended up with his head under water. He stood up again, spitting out water. This time the lifeguard waved him out, and with nobody nearby in the lane next to him, he walked over to the side and got out. The assistant PE teacher asked him his name and marked him down as a didnt pass. I met up with him after that. This sucks, he said. I hope they have a swim class that doesnt conflict with soccer practice. Pt. II, Ch. 15 [Pt 1 of 2]: “This isn’t funny, and you’re wasting my time.” Classroom 2-C, End of classes As it turned out, the swimming classes offered for PE C mostly for lower schoolers and first-years C did not fit his class schedule at all, soccer aside. The department assistant said theyd get back to him. In the meanwhile, hed been telling Jack and Kai about it. It doesnt sound so bad, said Jack. We didnt get a lot of new members. It shouldnt hurt your place on the team if you are still serious about it. Joel shrugged. How about you, Mark? Kai was saying you checked out fencing with him. I think Im going to try it for PE credit, I said. Are you really sure Cory isnt going have a problem with my being involved? Before Kai answered, Jack had a question. How did you manage to get on her bad side this fast? Unlike the others, Jack wasnt in physics, and Kai ended up explaining the situation in physics class. and no, Mark, shes not going to make a big deal about it. I talked to her afterwards. We pretty much need all three of you who showed up to stick with it, were risking being short when the third years all graduate. Is that because Gwen was the face of the third year, and Cory scared off the other folks in our year? I wouldnt let her hear you say it, said Kai, but and he let that trail off with a smirk. Oh, hey, I said. Do you know how wed sign up for a festival booth? Do you mean for the club? Gwen will be handling that, said Kai. No, for a national booth, I said. I dont think anyone else will be doing an American one, and the guy from our State Department was interested in sponsoring one. I think either someone from the student council, or our volunteers from the festival committee would know. I remembered that some girls had volunteered for it but not who they were any longer. Do you remember who our representatives were? Kai did and went to check with the one who was still in the classroom. She said she couldnt help, but either Elise, who was the representative for the whole second year class, or someone else on student council could. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Elise was in our homeroom, and after Joels interest in her last week I remembered who she was. She was, however, nowhere to be seen. Elise always leaves right after the day ends, said Jack. It was the same last year. I think she has a job on days she isnt doing student council stuff. Could you two help us find the student council room? Joel asked. Sure, said Jack. Since hes got you covered, Im going to head to my test prep class, said Kai. Kai went to get Amy, and the two departed together. While we walked over with Jack, I couldnt resist asking, Is there something going on with those two? Joel asked me the same thing at soccer, Jack said, and like I said then, there isnt. Im pretty sure there should be, but whatever. He shrugged. The student council room was on the top floor of the arts center, where wed had the opening ceremony; once we were there, Id realized wed seen it on our tour. It was unlocked, so we headed in. Two people were seated on opposite sides of a big conference table. Neil, who I remembered from our tour, appeared to be studying from one of the same textbooks we used. The other, Elise, from our homeroom, had a stack of papers in front of her and seemed intent on them. Can I help you? asked Neil. Elise didnt look up. Oh, hey Neil, said Joel. Can you help us register a booth for the festival? The soccer team is already registered, and your classroom reps will handle it for that, said Neil. When Joel didnt respond, he went on, So who are you trying to register it for? The flyer said something about national and cultural booths, said Joel. Were from America and wanted to register one. Oh, said Neil, looking over at me. Its just the two of you, right? We dont usually register clubs for just two people. The flyer made it sound like we didnt need a full cultural club to have a booth at the festival. Thats for students directly from another country recognized by the Union. A lot of students at this school have ancestors who were Americans among the newcomers. Joel shook his head. Didnt we tell you where we were from when you gave us the tour? Were not locals, were visiting students from America, on the other side of the gate. Neil looked like he was stifling a laugh, or ready to vomit. It was hard to tell. Do you expect me to believe that somehow the Brotherhood broke secrecy in your world, just to let a couple of high school students through the gate? Not just us. The main trade mission has a diplomat here from the U.S., and his security, said Joel. Im pretty sure we were an afterthought. Just stop. This isnt funny, and youre wasting my time. I could report this as an honor code violation. I butted in. Go ahead and report it. Are you daft or something? asked Neil. Cmon, Mark, said Joel. This isnt worth the trouble. Hull will understand. No, I said. Report us. The deans office has all the paperwork and can confirm where were from. Right, said Neil. Quit wasting my time, listen to your friend, and leave. Ill be back with proof. Sure you will. Joel and I left. A safe distance away, I said to Joel, What an asshole! Keep it down, said Joel. Why? Isnt he also on the soccer team? Yeah, one of the officers. I dont want to get on his bad side this soon. Besides, would you believe us if you heard it? Why does he even care? Its just a booth. Pt. II, Ch. 15 [Pt 2 of 2, Interlude: Elise]: “Do you expect me to have believed their story?" Interlude The student council room. Elise had been trying to study and hadnt wanted to get involved when Neil had clearly made up his mind about the two students. After they left, though, she was curious about his reasoning. While theyd been working together the past few weeks, she hadnt known him the prior year and wasnt sure what to make of him. What was the big deal with letting them have a booth? she asked. Theyre probably just doing it to get out of doing something with their classroom, said Neil. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. So? Weve always had national booths. There were only two of them, he said. At the last two years festivals we had one girl from Wu with her own booth, said Elise. Thats a real place. Do you expect me to have believed their story? Elise shrugged. I have no idea. I do. They wont be back. Elise was sure there was more to it, but she hadnt wanted to make a scene then, and had even less desire to get into more of an argument now. She decided to head out for the day and started packing up as she could finish studying at home. You shouldnt go, said Neil. Ive got my job this evening, said Elise. It was a lie, but everyone on student council knew that she worked a lot. As she left, she heard Neil talking to himself; he must have thought she was out of earshot. She isnt nearly dedicated enough, said Neil, and if anything followed, she was too far away to hear it. Pt. II, Ch. 16: [Pt 1 of 3] “I know that this must come as a shock to many" Thursday, Sept 10th, during 2nd period Physics room Thursday had started well. Joel had soccer, and Id wanted to bike, so we made our way to school separately. I had a free first period, so Id come in a little late. Going by my mailbox before physics, there was a mostly completed form for our booth. Id called to tell Hull about the problem on Tuesday night, and whoever hed gone on to get in touch with had taken care of it quickly. In physics, as Kai had expected the prior week, Dr. Amril let us know that we could switch to our own lab partners. Id felt embarrassed working with Cory the prior week and had figured Joel and I would do much better pairing up. As it happened, though, we did not make it to the end of class. I hadnt up to then heard the PA system, but today it crackled to life. I didnt recognize the voice coming from it, but it was a mans: All school classes are suspended for the rest of the day. Upper-school students must come to the main hall in the arts center; all lower-school students must remain in your homerooms or return there and wait for instructions about dismissal. After a few moments, the message repeated. It wasnt a recording, but whoever was reading it repeated it word for word. OK, said Dr. Amril to the class, Gather your things, and Ill walk the class over. Most of the class started pulling their things together, but Cory raised her hand. Once recognized, she asked, Do you know what this is all about? Not at all, he said. Thursday, Sept 10th, during 2nd period The main hall of the arts center There was a lot of buzz leaving the room, and it only got louder as other classes funneled down the same stairways and walked across the quad. People seemed nervous; it reminded me of the prior school year back in New York when wed been sent home early, because someone in the school administration or board of education had worried that the protests after the Rodney King verdict would become violent like they had out in California. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. Teachers and some security guards were at the entrances and directed us in and to take seats. Up on the stage, I recognized Dean Jerdew and saw another person wearing a uniform that could have been military or police. After people stopped filtering in, the Dean stepped up to the podium, and started to speak. I couldnt see his face well enough at the distance to tell his mood, but his voice was grave. Students and faculty members, it is with deep regret that I must inform you that we have lost a member of the Queen Sara family. As some of you may know, one of your classmates from class 2-D, Alvar Leto, was reported missing by his guardians this past weekend. Unfortunately, he was found today; Chief Detective Arantis will tell you more about the circumstances. After hes done speaking, Ill have more to say. Thank you, Dean Jerdew, said the uniformed man, who must have been Arantis. I am the chief detective for the Imperial Guard in this district. Mr. Leto was found dead this morning under circumstances that cannot be anything other than foul play. Because of the nature of the crime, and this schools student body, we must treat this as a threat to all of you until we find out otherwise. At the schools request, we will be invoking various security protocols to ensure your safety, but we cannot guard all of you on your way to and from school. We ask that you stay alert, avoid unfamiliar situations, and if you know anything about Mr. Leto or why someone would have wanted to do him harm, to make yourself available for interview. With that, he stepped away from the microphone, and Dean Jerdew came back. Thank you, Chief Detective, and after a moment, I know that this must come as a shock to many, whether you knew Alvar or not. Classes are over for the day; we need to clear the campus to put new security measures in place. This will be done by tonight, and we expect tomorrows classes to go on as normal. If any of you do not feel safe getting home on your own, we have some support from the Imperial Guard and city police, as well as faculty members who might live in the same direction. Please let your homeroom teacher know if you need assistance today or returning tomorrow. Starting on Monday there will be additional counseling staff available. I would appreciate your patience as we wait for the lower school classrooms to be dismissed. With that, he stepped away from the microphone. You think that he was the student who Dormer mentioned? I asked Joel. I dunno for sure, but Id take that bet, he said. If this Alvar guy was how did Dormer put it? Politically sensitive, it would explain a lot. Pt. II, Ch. 16: [Pt 2 of 3][Interlude: Violet] Daddy is not going to take this well. Interlude Violet and Tess were sitting together, and Violet found herself gripping her friends hand tightly. A murder? Her father had taken the posting here in part to get away from violence back home; she was small enough when theyd come that that she had only distant memories. Daddy is not going to take this well. Itll be OK, said Tess. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! I hope so, said Violet. This feels like a lot all for one student. There are the kids of some real big shots here, right? said Tess. I guess, said Violet. Do I count as one of those? she wondered. Her family wasnt especially wealthy or important by local standards, but her father held a senior diplomatic post, and back at home they were part of a very old noble family. Tess and Violet talked about their classes for what seemed like a long while, when the Dean came back to the microphone. Thank you for your patience, he said. Please return to your homerooms for an attendance check, and to be dismissed. Pt. II, Ch. 16: [Pt 3 of 3] “Since when is being dead reversible?” Thursday, Sept 10th, after school Campus outdoors and our apartment As Joel and I left the main classroom building, Agent Morgan stepped over next to Joel and started walking with us. I hadnt seen where he came from. He said something quietly to Joel. Joel then said to me, They want to drive me home. Do you want to come along? Sure, why not? I said. A moment later I realized it meant my bike would be on campus overnight, which I didnt love, but the odds of either someone stealing it or there being rain overnight seemed low. The car was parked in the faculty lot; Dormer was waiting in drivers seat. His car, like most here, looked boxy and old fashioned C kind of like the 70s had never ended. Inside, though, it was spacious and comfortable. Once we were inside, Joel asked, Whats going on? Not here, replied Dormer. I can say more when we get back home. We were after the morning rush and even with the long wait at the main hall, it still somewhat before noon. The trip was quick. Once we were at the apartment, Dormer seemed more relaxed. Im sure you have questions. Ill answer if I can, or if youd prefer, I can just brief you on what I know. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. Just tell me what you know, said Joel. Alvar Leto was the missing student I mentioned over the weekend. I dont have the full details, but its clear that his death was intentional, and someone went to a lot of trouble to make sure it was untraceable and irreversible. Wait, said Joel. Since when is being dead reversible? Under normal circumstances, like if this had been a robbery gone bad, its not hard to get a resurrection spell. Its just extremely expensive, and his family would not have had any trouble paying. As I said last weekend, youre not the only politically sensitive student at Queen Sara. He was another; his father is part of the ruling junta in Fenrik, and he was living in quarters at their embassy. This is a going to be a big problem for them, and for the local security services. What does this mean for me? Joel asked. Youre going to need to be more careful. Some of the foreign ministry folks seem to think this internal matter from Fenrik that spilled over, in which case this is probably over. At the same time, if thats not it, you could be at risk. At my most paranoid, I cant fully rule out that this is somehow a way to get at you. Our information security on your real identity has been very good, but the king is concerned that your existence could have leaked. Why would they target him to find me? You and he fit a similar profile. At first with this conversation going on, my thought was that I was glad to be a nobody. Being exactly what Joel had thought hed been C just another kid from Queens C I was safe, right? But as Dormer talked about Alvars profile, and the similarity to Joels, it sent a chill down my spine. Maybe I wasnt that safe after all. Pt. II, Ch. 17: “…it’s not like you’re the first student from another world who’s been here.” Friday, Sept 11th, 6th period Honors world history classroom. The next day, Dormer drove us back to the school. There were now ID checks getting onto campus, and a few more security guards around, but nothing else seemed to have changed. My bike was right where Id left it. At physics, everyone was able to switch lab partners without problems. Things started to go back to normal. After the world history class, I went up to talk to Ms. Calliot. Do you have an outline for your paper, Mark? Kind of. I grimaced and handed her the page and a half of notes I had. I never made it by the library to start actually looking at primary sources, and She raised a hand, and I stopped there. A couple of other students were waiting to talk to her. Ill look over these and well discuss next steps tomorrow after class. When she gave them back to me the next day, there were a lot of comments on them. They werent all bad, but I felt bad reading them all together. The final one read simply, Youve picked out a lot of details and if you can find sources to support them, thats a good start. At the same time, I dont see any thought on how the details fit together to make a cohesive argument for or against the thesis. I dont even see which side you intend to support. Saturday, Sept 12th, after classes Dueling club room and Rivas. Having missed Thursday, it was the second fencing practice for those of us doing it for PE credit. It was turning out to be fun; I was still completely clueless what to do with a foil, but Gwen and Kai leading warmups beat gym class hands down, and it was at least interesting practicing the numbered parries. In addition to Galen and I, two first year girls had joined for PE credit; there were a couple of seniors who were here for PE credit as well, but both were already familiar enough to do practice bouts with the folks who were competitive members of the club. Watching the practice bouts was also interesting; the competitive members, even Mina who had just joined, all seemed so fast and fluid C it was hard to imagine ever having that kind of reflexes. When things were wrapping up, Kai came over to Galen and me. Hey guys, some of us are going to Rivas after we clean up. Do either of you want to come along? Sure, said Galen. I nodded. In that case, do you mind helping clean up? Why not? I said. Cleaning up primarily involved putting the equipment back in the storage room and looking over things as we did so to see if anything needed repair or washing. When we were finished, I asked if there was more storage behind the other door. No, said Kai. Thats actually a shooting range. No way, really? Ive never seen someone use it, but yes, really, he said. Overhearing this, Gwen stopped to ask, Never seen someone use what? The shooting range. Oh, ok. I have, said Gwen. There was someone back when I was in the lower school who shot targets competitively and whod borrow it. I think he graduated from the upper school after my second year, so 4 years ago? I thought about asking to see inside, but I was feeling kind of ripe and wanted to get a shower in before getting ice cream. Other people were going to do so as well; we agreed to meet up in the sports center lobby before heading over. In the end, there were six of us; Galen, Cory, Kai, Mina and Gwen, and me. Id been to Rivas with Joels family after we initially toured the school, but I couldnt remember exactly where it was, just that it was nearby and after Dormer talking up the ice cream, I had gotten an actual breakfast instead. The walk was short enough, and there wasnt a wait. We ended up in a large booth, with the three girls on one side and the three of us guys on the other. The waitress had just left water and food menus in case we wanted them C the dessert menu was already at the end of the table, one for all six of us C when Galen said, Hey, this is funny C almost like were three couples. Thats not funny, said Cory. Awkward, I said under my breath just after, and at that, Gwen just cracked up. After a remark like Galens, it was hard not to take a longer glance at the girls, who were quite different. I was seated across from Mina, who was the least interesting to my eye C middling height, with an athletic figure that I bet many guys would have liked, but Joel was not completely wrong about my tastes. She had short, sandy brown hair, and was the only one wearing the uniform blazer. Cory was interesting, but I wasnt sure if it was in a good way. She was taller than the other two and a bit tan; her dark brown hair was tied back in the same no-frills pony tail Id first seen it in in science lab, in the same cooler-weather gym uniform a size or two too large, baggy enough that obscured whether she had any figure or not. She had dark brown eyes behind her glasses; I didnt think Id ever seen her with a real smile, but she might have been quite pretty if she did. This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. Gwen caught my attention most of all. I had up until then only seen at a distance or dressed down for gym and with her hair tied back. I''d thought she was cute at both assemblies, but I was surprised by how striking she was when I saw her up close. Her hair stood out, dark red, long and slightly curly. She also had green eyes and a light dusting of freckles that matched her hair. She was wearing the blouse of our girls uniform without a jacket, and with green scarf rather than the regulation tie or the bow many of the girls favored. Although she was quite petite, she was Galen, who was sitting in the middle, elbowed me lightly. It was enough that I kind of jerked in response. I guess Id been staring a little. Uh, sorry guys, said Gwen. I guess it wasnt that funny. Its alright, said Kai. Youll get used to her sense of humor, said Cory. I hadnt been meaning to look too long, but I guess it was interpreted as a reaction to her laughing so hard. We were saved from further awkwardness by the waitress coming back to take our orders. I hadnt had a chance to look at the dessert menu, but you can never go wrong with chocolate. The waitress took the girls orders first C sundaes for Mina and Gwen, and when she got to Cory, she asked the usual? I went for a sundae myself; Galen and Kai both went for scoops, and the waitress was off again. How is everybodys semester starting off? asked Gwen. Pretty good, said Kai. Cory shrugged. Taking some getting used to, said Mina. Much less structured, and everything in English, but I have enjoyed it so far. Your old school was in Kala, right? asked Gwen. Thats right. My mom got a temporary assignment for work here, and I was able to do well enough on the exam to transfer in. How about you, Galen? asked Gwen. Good, mostly. Im still disappointed about the election, though. I hope youll keep coming to student council meetings, said Gwen. Theres always more to do than we have officers for. Definitely, said Galen. Mark, that leaves you. Kai was saying you were transferred in from even farther away than Mina? I guess the other side of the gate qualifies, I said. Its not actually that far on the train, though. How did you end up here? asked Galen. I gave the same shortened version of how we ended up here that Joel had on our first day of classes C basically, diplomats on our side, more trade, Joel got selected, and I ended up tagging along. I left out Annes death, and of course, the real reason Joel was here. Do people usually believe you? asked Cory. We havent told a lot of people, but the folks we met in our homeroom did, I said. We talked to Neil about a national booth, and he basically called us liars. Neil Mayhan? asked Kai. Yes, him, I said. Somehow Im not surprised, said Kai. I dont know him, but Jack really hates him. Hes not that bad, said Gwen. I dont know why he wouldnt take your word for it. I mean, its a difficult story to believe, but its not like youre the first student from another world whos been here. Im not? I asked. Hes not? asked both Kai and Cory around the table at the same time. Yeesh, I know you and Cory have better grades than I do, said Gwen, but I guess Ive spent more time learning about the schools own history. Theres got to be a story behind that, said Kai. Maybe not a very good one, Gwen said, Ill tell you another time. Do you want to hear about the prior students from other worlds? Everyone nodded. Gwen went on. You all know the official reasons they created the Gate, right? To control the phenomenon that the newcomers came in on, make the world safe, trade for resources we cant get here, and all that. But theres another big reason C some of the newcomers really, really wanted to find their way back to their own world. Probably still do. OK, said Kai. I didnt know this was public knowledge, but Ive heard my some of my grandparents friends talk about it. Yup, said Gwen. So, for about 60 years since they finished the gate, its been opening to a ton of different worlds. A lot of those are parallels of the world the newcomers came from. I know there are a few a few they have figured out how to repeat. Mark, you must be from one of those. Most of those parallel worlds werent very nice, especially as time went on. The first batch of refugees they brought through were people fleeing the original Nazis in that big war their world had, and then they kept finding parallels which were pretty much wrecked. Nazis won, or there was a nuclear war, or horrible famine wiped out civilization. Sometime during this story our ice cream arrived. Whatever Corys usual was, it didnt arrive at the same time. It sounds like a lot of the worlds that arent parallels of the newcomers world arent very nice either. The gate opens briefly so its never many people from any given world, but over a lot of years the brotherhood has been able to resettle a lot of people who needed help. It sounded to me like Joels mom had almost been a reverse case of that, but of course I couldnt share that with them. So how did some of those people end up at our school? asked Kai. Well, if youre rescuing people, some of them are going to be kids, right? I dont know for sure, but Id think sometimes people on the other side of the gate might want to protect their kids first. This school got a lot of funding from the government courtesy of the newcomers, so when they or the brotherhood have someone theyve resettled who needs a high school, some of them end up here. I dont know if there are any more recent ones but there is a book of oral history in the school library that I found while researching a part for a play were doing. A couple of high school aged kids came through about 20 years ago and got interviewed. There may be more recent ones, I dont think most of the folks who come here that way really want it to be known that they are refugees. Gwen took a break after this; her ice cream was melting. Corys plate came while Gwen was still talking. It was an open face sandwich, with a piece of grilled chicken and fried egg on top of it. Kai looked at Corys sandwich and asked, Have you ever tried oyakodon? Cory shook her head. You might try it; your sandwich always reminds me of it. Chicken and egg over rice. Its good protein, said Cory. Our apartment Late afternoon I biked home, and when I got there, both Dormers car and Joel were out. I decided to head back to the supermarket to get stuff for a few lunches that week, as the cafeteria ones remained underwhelming. Having done well with sandwiches the prior week, I got basically the same things. On my way back into the house with my grocery bag, the cat walked up about halfway across the yard and looked at me expectantly. I looked back at it. Can you smell the ham or something? The cat meowed at me. Let me unpack the bags, Ill leave you some in back. The cat meowed again, and then ran back to the bushes. After unpacking things into the fridge, I brought out another dish of cat food for him, with a couple of slices of ham on top. I set it where I usually did, just past the back patio, and stepped back to the door to see if it would come out. Sure enough, it came out, and devoured the ham before sniffing at the kibble under it. You cant really talk, can you? I asked the cat. The cat just meowed at me and wandered off. Pt. II, Ch. 18: [Part 1 of 2, Interlude: Elise] “My uncle saw a very interesting news report” Interlude Saturday, Sept 12th, early evening Shopping gallery, Riverside terminal On Friday, the student council received the printed copies of this years school directory and were going to be distributing them through homerooms on Monday. Elise had helped herself to an extra and then left a message with Magnus Trading to let them know she had it. She was not surprised on Saturday when Brinna Jekanis caught up to her as she left work, just as shed done a couple of weeks prior. Brinna, once again, suggested going into the lunch counter. After they sat down, and Brinna ordered coffee for them both, Elise handed her the directory. Brinna took it and passed an envelope back to her. My uncle saw a very interesting news report, said Brinna. Do you know what Im talking about? Elise nodded. Have you heard anything about it at school? Yes, said Elise. It sounded horrible. They cancelled classes on Thursday when he was found. Is there anything you can tell me about that student? This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. Not much, said Elise. She was suddenly uncomfortable and wasnt sure why. They said it was an intentional killing, and what his name was. Alvar Leto. I hadnt known him. Nothing else? Im afraid not. Thats alright, miss, said Brinna. Im sure my uncle explained it, but we just keep an eye out for things that could affect the shipping business. If he had been the child of someone important, it could mean there is instability on the horizon, and we can get ahead of higher costs before the insurance rates go up. I see. Along with your pay, there is a list of students we would appreciate more information on. I know it may not be possible to find anything, or there may not be anything interesting to find, but if you find anything our company is prepared to be especially generous. And youre looking for anything that could impact foreign trade? Yes, she said. Especially among the newer students. We had someone helping us, but they left at the end of last year. Ill do what I can, said Elise. Brinna smiled. Im glad to hear that. They say time is money, and if you find anything, the sooner we know the more generously the company could reward you. The two said their goodbyes, and Elise left for the long train ride home. When she got there, she found her original copy of the second-year classes roster. She wanted to see if it had any reminder of who Alvar Leto was, and when she saw his entry, she realized why shed been so uncomfortable earlier. Leto had been one of the two foreign transfers she had pointed out to Brinna when theyd spoken previously. His address was at the embassy, so he must have been the child of someone important. What a horrible coincidence! she thought. The envelope shed received today had the same amount as last time C two imperials C as well as the list of names. She found herself torn on whether to try to find more information on them. Pt. II, Ch. 18: [Part 2 of 2] “Of course, magic shops are a thing.” Sun, Sept 13th, just before 8 AM Our apartment A knock on my bedroom door woke me up. I looked at my alarm clock, and yelled out Cmon, let me sleep! I was about to try to get back to sleep when Joel said from outside the door, Ms. Yalis here, they want to start lessons early. Do you want in or not? Fine, fine, I said. Do I have time to shower at least? Probably, Joel said. Then he yelled downstairs does Mark have time to shower? I couldnt hear the response through the door, but Joel passed it on. If youre quick about it. I rushed through my morning routine, a little annoyed to be up early on my one day to sleep in, but the chance to learn some magic was too good to pass up. When I finally made it downstairs, Yali was already talking Joel through something. and you should keep it on you whenever you go out. You can draw on it for spells, and it will help keep up ongoing ones like your wards. I grabbed one of the not-quite-English-muffins that Dormers housekeeper had toasted up, and a couple of slices of fruit while they were talking. Theyd given him a power stone C essentially, a magical battery C to help him along while he was learning to concentrate power in himself. Kelders had mentioned them, but theyd sounded exotic and expensive. When they finished discussing it, Yali had a question for both of us. Have you been practicing? Joel shook his head. Just the light spell, I said, and I thought brissetay and concentrated on my right index finger. There was a flickering silver light shaped like a candle flame, slightly bigger and brighter than it had been last week. I had found it interesting enough to repeat it in my down time at home, and found that as I repeated it, just saying the word became enough, and with further repetition had been able to just concentrate on the word without even saying it. Very good, Mark. You should really help Joel practice, it will help. Sure, I said, and then to Joel, Just get me after soccer practice, I guess? This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it Both of you really need to work on the exercises in the teachers manual, too, she said. Do you remember what I said about power sources last week, Joel? That we could accidentally use our own life force rather than magical energy? Close enough. Your bodys own energy is magical energy, she said, but you really dont want to use it except as a last resort. Before you can do anything more useful with magic, you need to get a feel for where the power comes from. One sign of a strong mage is to have a constant sense of the power around them and what they could draw on. With that, she opened the teachers manual, and we started on exercises, much like last week. The exercises were a little more complicated, and she said the goal was to be able to draw in magic from your surroundings or something like the power stone, and then keep it until needed. Its a bit like breathing in, she said, but instead of a physical diaphragm, you are exercising part of your spirit. Because neither of us were any good yet at sensing the ambient energy, trying to draw from it was pointless. Instead, she had us use easier power sources C in Joels case the power stone C and she let me use the block of lead with magical ore in it wed used for the sensitivity test. Once we could sense the power there reliably, and she had us use clear globes C they looked the same as the ones from our initial tests C and has us try to get a feel for releasing power into them. When we did, they glowed, and she wasnt happy. Mark, do you see color in yours? she asked. No, I said. His is light green. This can be one of the nuisances of colorblindness for teaching this, she said. What colors do you see, Joel? Marks is a very pale green, a lot lighter than mine, he said. Thats what I see, as well. The good part is neither is solidly green, which would be coming entirely from your own body. The globe reads attunement, and by convention green is for life magic. You both need to practice until you can make that fully clear. Mark, youll need to get Joel to help you practice this for now. If you ever decide to learn advanced magic, youll want to get a non-color-based tool to test for attunement. What kind of tool, and where would I get it? I asked. One of these days you should check out a magic shop, she said. Its a niche need, and a good shop could recommend options better than I could. Until then, have a look in Kelders, theres an appendix on magical and alchemical tools. Of course, magic shops are a thing, I said. Where else would we get our tools? She asked. If thats settled, lets go ahead and have both of you practice until C she stopped to look at her watch C lets say 11. After that, weve got something else for today. We practiced until then, each of us alternating between trying to gather magic from the items, and then channeling it out. By the end, I could no longer see the green in Joels although he could still, and he said mine was almost clear. When we finished, Yali said that she would leave the two globes to practice with, but that she couldnt leave the magical ore. Its potentially dangerous unsupervised, she said. Joel, its fine to let Mark borrow the power stone when youre in the house here, but please keep it with you the rest of the time. Ok, he said. You said there was something else for today? Yes, she said. Were going to visit a temple. Pt. II, Ch. 19: “Since neither of us has a patron deity, it would be good to introduce ourselves" Sun, Sept 13th, a little before noon The Imperial Pantheon This must have been built after the newcomers arrived, I said. Yes, it was built to celebrate victory in the Wizards War, said Yali. The architect was one of the newcomers, Stuart Dowd. He also designed the Union Senate building, and the glass upper levels of the old Central Station. Theyre considered masterpieces of the era. He seems to have liked borrowing from the classics of our world, I said. We were standing in front of a huge and oddly familiar building; Id seen the original during the year Id taken seventh grade for the first time. My father had been on sabbatical, and we did a lot of traveling that year. Among other trips, my father had taken our family to a conference in Rome. The Imperial Pantheon here closely matched my memory of our worlds Pantheon in Rome C a rectangular columned entrance in front of a much larger domed circle. Unlike the original, it was clean and without any visible weathering or age. When we went inside, the resemblance remained, albeit less so; unlike the one in Rome, instead of the narrow oculus open to the sky, there was a broad glass dome, and all around the room there were massive statues. The largest ones were directly across from the entrance, in unpainted white stone and in the shape of a bearded man in a tunic, a sword at his belt and his right arm around the shoulders of woman of similar height with flowing hair and a long dress. She held a sheaf of grain cradled her arms. I asked Dormer and Yali, Are those the citys patron gods? One of them is, said Yali. That is Zagras, but the one with him is his wife, Mina. I looked around; the next on my left, standing on its own was a statue of a woman in the same smooth white stone. The statue was close in size to the first two, and the woman portrayed was almost implausibly curvy. Unlike the modest long dress that Mina wore, the one this goddess was wearing left little of what it did cover to the imagination. That one must be Jaklamina? I asked. Yes, Minas sister, said Yali, and our citys other patron. Who are the rest? The patron deities of all of the alliance countries from the Wizards War, said Yali. Normally, you wouldnt see some of them combined, but a whole lot of priests were consulted and judged it auspicious after the war. If youre interested, well be making a circle and there are plaques at each one. Dormer was telling me about this, said Joel. Since neither of us has a patron deity, it would be good to um, introduce ourselves? It helps with some varieties of magic. Dormer handed each of us a pile of small silver coins; they were wheels, worth ten mil Imperial or about the equivalent of a dollar back home. So we went in a circle, clockwise from the entrance. First, flanking the entrance were the primal Gods of creation and destruction - Lerza and Ainros C each an amorphous vaguely-humanoid form carved into the wall itself, each trimmed with an inverted pattern of gold and silver. I remembered these two from a passing mention of this worlds creation myth in the history textbook. Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. They must have been above the need for human worship, as beyond the labels on the wall there neither one had a plaque or offering box. Our first stop was a huge statue of woman, slightly less large than the three across from the entrance, and unlike those the statue was painted. She wore bright gold armor of an antique sort, resembling a legionnaire, and had her hair painted in shade of bright blonde. The plaque read Tennia C Goddess of Fire among the new gods. As patron of Obdrest, when the Priest Kings invaded, she brought her fire to them and drove them from Obdresti shores. Below that was the same thing in several other languages. I had no idea what one was supposed to do at one of these, so I looked around. There werent many folks around, but Dormer had his head bent down and eyes closed. Joel was next to Dormer and doing the same; Yali was farther back standing quietly. I wondered how Joel was doing with this; my family was about as secular as they come back home, but Joels dad was Catholic, and hed told me his family sometimes went to mass on the big holidays. I dropped a coin in the box, and then realized I had no idea how one was supposed to pray. It reminded me of visiting my grandparents on my moms side for holidays, and Id get to stand around while someone read something I couldnt understand in Hebrew. Eventually, I decided Id just bow my head like they did and put a good word in for Joel without saying it aloud. Since youre the patron of the country my friends family is from, thank you for looking after Joel and his great-uncle the King. If you dont mind my asking, please continue doing so. I stepped back to where Yali was standing and waited for Joel and Dormer to finish. For each of the next four along the left wall, I dropped a coin in each box, bowed my head, and reflected that I had no idea what I was doing here. After a brief stop at another pair of Gods, we got to Jaklamina C Imperial Goddess of Love and Prosperity, who watches over the unfortunate, patron of Feldaren. The statue was even bigger up close, and it was easy to appreciate how artist captured the female form. A little too easy, actually; I caught myself staring. Sorry for ogling, really! My friend Joel really wants a girlfriend, can you do something for him? Oh, and the whole watching over the unfortunate I dont know if you can do anything for dead people back in my world but if you can I hope you can look after Anne. Anyway, thanks in advance! Joel and Dormer remained taking these quite seriously, so I waited for them. Next came Zagras and Mina, who wed seen as we entered directly across from the entrance, and another three along the right side of the room. The last spot along the wall lacked a statue; instead, it was an alcove set with dozens of smaller shelves, each one with a small offering box and an artefact. Among them, I spotted more than one form of Christian cross, an unlit menorah, and two different Buddha figures that could have been from my world. Among the others, there was a lit oil lamp, many figures of animals or what might be people in stone or metal, and even a few abstract symbols. Besides the recognizable ones from our world, one stood out C a creepy squid-headed humanoid who looked suspiciously like something out of Lovecraft. There was no plaque. I recognize some of the symbols from our world, I said to Yali. What is this section for? Its sometimes called the foreigners corner. Some of the newcomers kept to the worship of the deities of their world, but there was no agreement on which ones, or in a couple of cases what to use to stand for the same one. Some groups who worshipped other deities from this world wanted to have representation here, and a few belong refugees that came through the gate from other worlds wanted to leave a figure or idol. Joel stopped at the last one for a long while, this time without Dormer. I could hear him praying very quietly, although I couldnt make out the words. For my part, Id never had much use for religion back home, but I figured it couldnt hurt to put a coin in the box by the menorah. If you really are there back in our world, thanks in advance for looking after my folks. It took a while for Joel to finish, and we headed back home in Dormers car. On the way, Yali told us, Dont worry if that seemed a little awkward. The important thing is that you each made some small offering at each. As you learn more magic, youll find a few classes of spells that call on divine beings. Few mages go deep with those, unless theyre also priests, but the basic ones are particularly useful. Pt. II, Ch. 20: “I can always tell when I’ve got a fan.” Sun, Sept 13th, late at night My room? I didnt do much for the rest of the day; I caught up on my homework and wrote notes on the past week for Hull, which kept me busy into the evening. Joel was quiet and kept to himself, and I decided not to bug him. I tried blowing off some steam before bed playing video games, but I hadnt gotten anything new in a while C Id been too busy with exam prep in the second half of the summer C and none of my existing ones grabbed me. I went to bed early, for once. Instead of waking up in the morning, or in the middle of the night needing a bathroom, I found myself either awake or in an entirely-too-vivid dream, and there were people in my room. OK, this has to be a dream, otherwise Id be freaking out. I found myself reaching for my glasses next to the bed, and then I was certain it was a dream, because I could see fine without them. Hello, Mark, said a deep voice. Take your time, if you havent been contacted like this before, I hear its disorienting. The voice came from a bearded man in a tunic standing back from foot of my bed; I recognized him at once, as Id gotten a good look at his statue earlier. He looked older than his statue, though C somewhere between my dad and my grandfather in age. The statute did not capture the darkly tanned and weathered skin, nor the mixture of gray and brown in his hair and beard. Yup, definitely dreaming. Ill run with it. I guess you must be Zagras? The man C or deity C or whatever my imagination had produced, nodded. I told you he was a sharp one, came a womans voice from my side. The woman there, sitting backwards and astride the chair at my desk, was equally easy to recognize. Unlike Zagras, she showed no visible signs of age, with impossibly smooth olive skin, and waves of brown hair so shiny it sparkled. Just like her statue, the dress she was wearing here left little to the imagination, although the back of my chair and her crossed arms made up for that somewhat. I think hes embarrassed, said Jaklamina. I can blush in a dream. Who knew? So, am I dreaming, or are you two actually here? I asked. Yes, said Jaklamina. Zagras rolled his eyes, and when she didnt go on, he explained, Its both. Its much more convenient and more private to visit a human this way, rather than having to manifest ourselves physically. Its not a typical dream, since youll remember it clearly when you wake up. OK, I said. I think I get it. So why me? Straight to the point. Its refreshing when humans dont try to brown-nose. And to answer your question, we were nearby because the Obdresti Goddess, Tennia, decided to pay a visit to your friend. Once we had to be nearby to keep an eye on her, it seemed like it would be an interesting diversion to drop in. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Really? I asked. Im just some guy. Right, right, said Zagras. Indeed, you are, and your friend there is a King and is headed for either a very bright destiny or a dark fate, without much in between. After a pause, he went on, The interesting thing about you is that most people who are just some guy dont have much of a fate or destiny at all. Maybe theyve got the potential for a crime of passion or for jumping in front of a car to save a kid, but nothing that changes the world. You, by contrast, are a blank slate. As for me, I can always tell when Ive got a fan, said Jaklamina, leaning forward on my chair a bit. You caught my attention C an agnostic trying to pray, and then never asking for anything for yourself. So awkward it was cute. Thanks, I said. You really do enjoy embarrassing them, said Zagras. Jaklamina responded by stretching, which unblocked my view of her chest for a moment. My face felt bright red. I decided to change the subject. I feel like it would be rude to ask, but I understood very little of what you said about fate and destiny. Arent those the same thing? Its fine. Not rude at all. Time doesnt mean much here, so Im happy to answer, said Zagras. In your language, I suppose they are about the same, but the terms are clearer in Old Imperial. Ones destiny is the greatest thing their future might hold for them, and their fate the worst thing they might do. I suppose it makes sense that gods can see the future, I said, but how can someone have both? Theres no one future to see, said Zagras. There are an immense number of possible futures C possibly infinite C and we get a sense of their range. Especially when it comes to our domain. She, for example, would be much more likely to have a sense of your future love life than I would. What does it mean to be a blank slate? It means we cant see a thing beyond later this year for you. Before you ask, that doesn''t mean you die C its easy for almost any of us to spot when humans are likely to, and while there are some paths where you do, none of them are likely. Almost all of the paths lead to a point where you will have to choose to stay here or go back to your world for good. After that, we truly cant see whats going to happen. Isnt that a bad thing? Theres no way of knowing except to let things play out, said Zagras, but when youre closing in on three thousand years old, and subjectively much older, its not a bad thing for us to have humans around who can still surprise you. Can you tell me anything more about that point? Its not always the same, and for most of them I am quite certain you will know it when you get there. I think Ill leave it at that. Do you have anything to add, dear sister-in-law? Not really, said Jaklamina. Just that in many of them, youll have to make the choice just as your love life might start to get interesting. How does my love life possibly get interesting? I could tell you, but wheres the fun in that. Then, she winked at me. I shook my head, trying to get my burning cheeks to go away. How do I know any of this was real? You cant, said Jaklamina. You have to take it on faith or it isnt proper faith, right? I looked at her skeptically. Hes not falling for it, said Zagras after a moment. She was trying to mess with you again. We heard by way of the newcomers thats what some of the faiths back in your world believe, and then to Jaklamina, do you mind doing the honors? I dont mind, she said. Young men this innocent are too much fun, and then with another wink, who knows, if youre around in a few centuries, perhaps well have a laugh about it! Centuries? What the heck is that about? Have a look on your desk when you wake up, she said. I think youve embarrassed Mark enough, said Zagras, and then to me, Given your friend there, I expect well look in on you again one of these days. And then I woke up; someone was a knocking on my door. Pt. II, Ch. 21: “Dude, you left a dirty magazine sitting out.” Mon, Sept 14th, around 1AM My room There was someone knocking on my door. Hey Mark, wake up. It was Joel. Im awake, give me a minute. Once Id put my glasses on and turned on a light, I opened the door. Whats up, Joel? Either I had the weirdest dream, or something even weirder happened to me. Wait, I said, putting up my hand. Let me guess, the Obdresti patron deity just visited you? He looked at me wide-eyed. How did you know? I either had the weirdest dream, or the local patron deities just visited me. They told me about it. Crud, he said, or a much stronger word to that effect. That cant be a coincidence. Mind if I sit down? Sure, why not? I stepped back and set down on the bed. He was about to sit down when he said, Dude, you left a dirty magazine sitting out. What? I didnt even bring any. I might have brought a few videotapes, but that was none of his business. Its right here, he said, picking up a magazine and showing it to me. It had not been on my desk when I went to sleep. The title was Jackies and I at once knew why that was. Jacklamina had said to look on my desk when I woke up, and Joel had gotten to it first. The cover lacked any text but the title and featured her leaning part way over a desk wearing sort of a sexy-librarian outfit, with one hand raised over her mouth in an oops gesture. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. That isnt mine, and thats the goddess Jaklamina on the cover. He turned it around and looked at the cover. It does kind of look like her statue. Whats it doing on your desk? I asked them to leave some proof that it wasnt all a dream, and I guess shes got a weird sense of humor. Thats a very weird sense of humor. Take a closer look at the desk. It looked an awful lot like my desk. No, scratch that C it was my desk, right down to where the computer and textbooks had been sitting there since last night. I shook my head, and then said, Im not sure I want to see whats inside there. Of course, you do C but save it for when Im not here, he said. After sitting down, he went on, So the two who visited you told you about Tennia coming to visit me? Yes. They said their main reason for being nearby was to keep an eye on her. I went on to tell him, as best I could, what theyd talked to me about. When I finished, he said, They sounds oddly casual for a couple of gods, but more fun than the one who came to see to me. How did that go? It was kind of heavy. She had a long list of things she was annoyed with me for, starting with not knowing her role in Obdresti history, and ending with my taking so long to pay my respects. He sighed and gritted his teeth before going on. I was half convinced she was going to tell me to buzz off back to America by the end of it. She didnt? No, thats the funny part, he said. After all that, she had a bunch of questions for me about my moms life in our world. At the end, she said she was glad to have part of her family back, and that she hoped Id make a good king. That was it? That was it. It was a pretty long talk, although time seemed weird there. Sounds like it. I think I was only talking to the other two for a few minutes, I said. So nothing at all about fate or destiny? Not at all, Joel said, and I dont much like what they seemed to be saying about great or horrible with nothing in between. Assuming Im not losing something while passing it on, I cant blame you. Are you going to talk to Dormer about this tomorrow? About what Tennia told me, yes. Do you want me to get get his take on the two who visited you? Nah, Im good. Im just going to chalk this up to weird stuff happens here. He shrugged. Im going to try to get back to sleep. I said good night, and when he was gone, curiosity got the better of me, so I checked out the magazine. Despite the cover, there was nothing salacious inside, which was completely unrelated C what appeared to be a travel magazine. Obscuring part the first inside page was a note, in a clear, rounded handwriting: Naughty boy! You couldnt wait to see more, could you? C Jackie Pt. II, Ch. 22: [Interlude/History] “Your people brought me to this world and then forgot me.” Old Imperial Year 804 (324 Terran common era) Island of Obdrest No one could remember when the first people came to Obdrest, but their descendants knew that they had been survivors who had escaped the from Priest-Kings of Zir and Shir. The crossing was perilous, and many more had died than had made it through, but it was better than being treated as little better than cattle or sacrificed to their dark gods. The island was heavily forested, with mountains at the center, swampy in the south, with little flat land for agriculture. The people there didnt mind; there werent many of them and when theyd gotten there or new ones arrived, they mostly associated growing crops with forced labor at the Priest-Kings hands. So long as they stayed out of the high mountains C where dragons sometimes visited C the island was very safe, free of large predators and of other sentients. The hunting was good; fishing was even better. Once in a great while, the tall volcano at the center of the island would erupt, but it was deeply inland and far from the people. Life on Obdrest stayed the same for centuries, until the first Human Empire became strong enough to force the Priest-Kings to release many of their brethren. Then the Priest-Kings, out of desperation, did something they had never done before. It was a mass summoning, which brought whole cities over together. Unlike prior summons, who arrived one at a time or in small groups, the new cities kept their own language, governments, and even armies. They went to war with the Priest-Kings, and the Empire got involved on the side of the summoned cities. In the end, most of the people from the summoned cities escaped to freedom with Imperial help, but the Priest-Kings defended their territory, took the possession of the cities and enslaved enough of the summoned population to keep their economy running and their dark gods fed. In time, they would breed many more, as they had in the past. Of those who avoided enslavement, most migrated north, naming their first city Penrose after their goddess Pennyr. They would one day establish the second Empire. Another, smaller group took ships across the sea to Obdrest. Although there were not quite as many as the people who were already there, they were a lot of people to arrive all at once. Unlike the locals, they founded towns and started clearing the forest for crop land. Both populations intermarried, and within a few generations, the summoned peoples language C the shared root of modern Obdresti and New Imperial C had become the norm. At the same time, both the old and new Obdrestis valued their freedom. They had no Kings, nor any nobility. Each town had its own council of elders, and periodically elders from all the towns would come together to debate. If someone did not like how the elders of their town led it, the land and sea remained rich enough that a person could support themself away from the towns. Under the protection of the old Empire, Obdrest enjoyed centuries of peace. There was no one moment when the Empire fell; instead, its sphere of influence just shrank and shrank, until eventually the last old Emperor in Kala died, and his son went back to calling himself a King. Eventually, the Priest-Kings noticed that there were no longer Imperial ships patrolling the seas nearby, and that no armies reinforced their neighbors. They began to raid their neighbors for slaves, including Obdrest C first a few at a time, and then growing bolder. Among the Obdrestis, there were only a few strong magic users, but in that generation there was one who excelled at divination. She was a priestess to the nature spirits, and worried by the raids, she looked through space at the Priest-Kings Harbors. She saw that they were building a large fleet. Afraid, she then looked through time, and saw two fleets C one from Zir and one from Shir C coming to Obdrests shores, to conquer them and make every man, woman, and child on the island a slave. Obdrest had no army, although each town had a small guard to protect them from pirates and slavers. The priestess went to the elders of the largest town, Tramagel, to tell them what she saw. They, in turn, calle on the elders of all the larger towns. They met, but there was no agreement on how to respond C some folks wanted to fight, others to flee north across the sea to Penrose where their ancestors distant relatives had settled. One of the youngest elders was a man from the wild East side of the island, from the town of Lassander. He asked the Priestess what to do to protect their people, and when she did not know either, he begged her. Seeing the mans desperation, she called on all the nature spirits of the island to ask their wisdom. Go to the volcano at the center of the island, they said through her, there is a powerful god there who can help you, if you can pay the price. The youngest elder went to the volcano and finding a winding path down into the dormant caldera, stood upon the ash and rock and called out for the god who lived there. And then she came; not an inhuman spirit like most of small gods of the island, but a goddess of humankind C a tall, beautiful woman with golden blonde hair, and sharp eyes that shone with a light so bright one could not meet her gaze. The man prostrated himself, and said to the Goddess, I beg you, please take mercy on our people and save us from the Priest-Kings. I will pay any price you ask. I can do this, said the Goddess, but why should I? Your people brought me to this world and then forgot me. Here, close to the element of fire, I am still powerful but without worship I am cut off from the world of the gods where I belong. What is your name, Goddess? he asked. My name is Tennia, and my spheres are fire and wisdom, she said. I swear, if you save us, I will devote the rest of my life to bringing praise to your name, and I am sure the other elders will do the same. Very well, she said, but I have one other price. You have but to name it. You have a son. Bring him here and give him to me as sacrifice. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. The elder had a son, not quite a year old. He wanted to ask the goddess what she would do with the child but knowing stories of the Priest-Kings magic, it could be nothing good. I will do as you ask. It was a long road home, and over his wifes tearful objections, he took his son, returned to the volcano on his sons first birthday. He called to Tennia, I have brought my son, Alexander, to you. Please save our people. The Goddess appeared, and the boy, fearful of the strange woman, cowered in his fathers arms. Alexander is a good name. Bring him to me, Tennia said. The elder did so and set the struggling boy in front of the Goddess. Before he could crawl back to his father, the Goddess froze him in place. Then, with a burst of light, the boy was gone, as if he had never been there. The pact is sealed. I make you my first priest in this world. You will know what to do, and you must teach others. So long as you spread my name among your people, and they in turn worship me, I will save them from the Priest-Kings. He returned home, knowledge of what he was to do came to him. In his town, he had the elders build a shrine on a tall hill just outside of town; they would keep a fire burning there through every night, and at every new moon the town would build a bonfire. The elders did as he asked, and the promise of protection convinced many to join in worshipping Tennia. Over the next months, he travelled to every large town. Almost every town agreed to build a shrine, and the number of worshippers grew. Finally, when the next Spring came, and each town sent an elder to Tramagel, the Priestess told them: The Priest-Kings of Zir well send a fleet in the next few weeks. The once-elder, now-priest begged his peers from the last few towns who had not built shrines to send word home to do so. Without any other way to protect the island, they agreed. Finally, the entire congress of elders let him lead them all in a prayer to Tennia, and they erected a great bonfire at the shrine outside Tramagel. As that bonfire started to burn steadily, the great volcano started to smoke. A few weeks later, as a great fleet of ships appeared over the horizon, the volcano began to emit huge billowing clouds of smoke and ash. After the first ships anchored in sight of land, when the first longboats of the Priest-Kings soldiers reached land, a miracle happened. The volcano erupted catastrophically, with huge plumes of magma and flaming boulders. Not a one of them landed on an Obdresti town, on an Obdresti boat, or an Obdresti person. Most fell harmlessly into the sea, or on the still-broad forests. Just enough landed, as if guided, on the soldiers and their longboats, and many of the ships at sea were set ablaze. More of the Priest-Kings ships moved in, and more longboats rowed to land. Magma or flaming rocks struck every one of them; no soldier from the boats made it more than a few years up the beach, After their third attempt, and with a large part of their fleet shattered, the ships from ZIr withdrew. The elders sent word to their towns, and there were many feasts of thanksgiving. The eruption subsided, although the volcano still smoked. That summer, a fleet from Shir attempted to land. Powerful mages guarded the fleet, and soldiers managed to land for a little longer, but in the eruption drove them away. Finally, the next spring, the Priestess let the elders know a combined fleet from both nations was coming, and with them a terrible horde of demons the Priest-Kings of both nations had received from their dark gods. Once again, the Priest went to Tennias volcano. This time, smoke and ash blocked the way into the caldera. He called to Tennia from as close as he could, and she greeted him in a shimmering vision that floated in the smoke. You have done as I asked, and I now have returned to the world of the gods. I see your peoples plight, and I will do what I can to protect them. It would be helpful to have the assistance of the other gods of your people. If you can raise more shrines to them, they will assist me. When the Priest returned to Tramagel, he was greeted by strangers. A ship had come from Penrose, bearing a priest for each of the main gods they worshippedC chief among them Zefrin, the Sun God, and Pennyr, the Moon Goddess. They built shrines there, and taught others to take their names to the many towns around Obdrest. When that summer the fleet arrived, it appeared just over the horizon from Tramagel. Once again, Tennia sent flaming rocks and lava. The rock and lave destroyed many ships, but some boats made it to shore. Of those, some were full of demons and the townspeople had to flee. The Priest himself took up arms, as he had once done against pirates, and he cut a path through the cluster of demons, with a flaming sword in his hands. Finally, at the cost of many lives, the priest and the town guard destroyed the demons and drove the few human soldiers who had landed back into their boats. The ships, most of them far enough at sea to be safe, did not leave this time. Instead, a great and inhuman creature with many mouths and even more tentacles, more than fifty meters tall, rose out of the sea, and started to float towards the town. Three huge human figures, each as tall as the creature, appeared standing on top of the sea outside of the town. They were a woman and a man with golden-blonde hair and another woman with silver hair, and the Priest knew them to be Tennia, Zefrin, and Pennyr. For a few tense moments, the creature stopped. Then, slowly, it sunk below the waves. With the creature gone, the ships fled. Zefrin and Pennyr left at once. Tennia grew much larger and less solid, until she stood as a flickering vision as high as the mountain. Only when the last ships had disappeared from her sight did she leave. The Priest-Kings never returned in force, and the island of Obdresti returned to its peaceful existence. The priest mourned his son for 19 years, and he and his wife never had another child. He dutifully tended the shrine outside Lassander for all those years. Then, one day, the Tennia sent him a vision in his dreams. He was to go to the shrine outside Tramagel and then await further instructions. He arrived there and was amazed at what he saw: the town had grown, with new stone buildings, and the shrine he had helped build had grown C the local priests called it a temple now. A few days later, on the night of the new moon and what would have been Alexanders 20th birthday, the Priest was helping set up the bonfire as they did every new moon. The moment it was burning solidly, out of the flames stepped Tennia, along with a young man. The Priest and his colleagues all prostrated themselves. Stand up, father, said the young man. The Priest did. The young mans hair did not match his childhood color C it was now blonde, matching Tennias, but otherwise the Priest could see his son in the man before him. Alexander? This is your son. I have raised him in the world of the gods as if he were my own. I return him to you, and your people, for your faithfulness. Now that he is of age, I give your island a King. The old priest wept, and his son embraced him. Alexander was a strong and wise king and committed to make the island into a great kingdom worthy of its patron goddess. His advisors encouraged him to take several wives, as was the custom of the Kings of Penrose, but he had watched his father and mother for many years from the heavens and refused, forbidding the practice entirely in his island. Instead, he married Claudia, the granddaughter of the diviner-Priestess who had originally seen the coming invasion. As he aged, his advisors urged Alexander to preserve his life and youth with magic, as had the Kings of Penrose. He refused, saying that Tennia wished him to live his ordained span on earth and then return to her. When his wife died, he never remarried, and on his 81st birthday, he gave his eldest son the crown, and made pilgrimage to the volcano where his father had given him to goddess so many years before. There she took him once again to the heavens. Three sons and two daughters survived him; the royal family of Obdrest descends to this day from his eldest son, Alexander Brissan. Many of the other noble houses of the island descend from his younger children, most notable among them the Duchess of Lassander and the Duke of Tramagel. Pt. II, Ch. 23: “If I see that thing with all the eyes again, even in a dream, it will be too soon" Monday, Sept 14th, before school Our apartment I didnt feel ready to go back to sleep and ended up reading the magic textbook C Kelders as Yali had called it, after the author. I didnt get far into it before getting drowsy, but the introduction talked about the distinctions between traditional magic and modern. The former came out of a number of different traditions, each with their own view of power sources and limits of magic. They could do a vast number of different things, but there was no way except dangerous trial and error to expand what it could do. Modern magic was an attempt to synthesize all those traditions into common principles. As far as power sources went, it had succeeded. Magical energy was mostly fungible and even to some extent quantifiable. The main exception, sorcery C relied on calling on extraplanar beings, whether malevolent or benign, and their effects were direct, not a flow of power through the caster. In terms of what it could do, though, modern magic was much more limited: it required understanding the effects desired. For effects that could not be extended from traditional spells, the amount of power used was directly proportional to the effect, where with traditional magic there was no such limitation. Kelders gave the example of levitation: modern magic could lift an object by applying a force, just as a machine would, and required the constant application of energy to hold an object in place against the downward pull of gravity. Traditional magic could neutralize or even reverse gravity, with a tiny fraction of the energy used, or even set something floating permanently. The author finished that section suggesting that the principles of gravity would someday be understood enough to deconstruct those traditional spells. It went on to give the basic light spell which Joel and I had learned as an example of deconstructed traditional magic: in this case, it magic didnt create light directly but rather summoned it from elsewhere. The author went on to say that there were half a dozen methods to create or summon light, and I was getting drowsy enough to stop there before he could go through them. I woke to my alarm and went downstairs. Dormer and Joel were having a tense conversation which stopped when I started coming down the stairs. It was about the visit Joel had last night CDont sweat it, Mark already knows, said Joel. Still, the royal familys relationship with their goddess is a private matter. Ive told you what I know. If youve got other questions, we will need to find a time for you to talk to your great-uncle. Joel shrugged, then asked me, Did anything else weird come to you after you went back to sleep? I shook my head. Lucky you, he said. I got treated to what felt like a multi-hour movie version of Obdresti history. So, like the Priest-Kings invading and stuff? That was a big part of it, yeah. Wait, how do you remember that? If I read something interesting, I rarely forget it. A lot of what I remember is useless, like the demi-human level limits, or the tech tree in Civ. OK, that wasnt fully useless, since it was the copy protection, but still And I mean, that story was cool. Demons, giant sea monster. Its the founding myth of the country, kind of like Romulus and Remus being raised by the she-wolf. Not a myth, from what Tennia showed me. If I ever see that thing with all the eyes again, even in a dream, it will be too soon. Hey, look on the bright side, I said, You wont have to study those sections. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. Wasnt world history a first-year class? Joel asked. You didnt read your student handbook? I skimmed it, why? The core subjects get comprehensive exams, including all the past material. Joel groaned and went back to eating his breakfast. After eating, he said, You look tired, you should catch a ride with us instead of biking. I felt tired, and I took them up on it. Upper school room 2-C End of the school day At homeroom in the morning, the girls from the festival committee talked to the class. The festival was coming up the weekend after next, and while it was unclear how the new security arrangements would affect it, each of the classrooms had to run some kind of fundraising event. There were three girls whod volunteered for the festival committee; one of them, Zaya, who Id been remembering as the the tall one. She us know that we should all stay after the last class to discuss the festival. At the end of the day, most of the class stuck around. Zaya seemed to be their spokesperson, and ended up asking us, How many of you are also taking part in club activities for the festival? I put my hand up. I looked like about ten people did as well, so a little more than a third of the class. How many of you have to do a lot of setup work for your club? I thought for a minute and put my hand down. Joel looked over at me and did the same. After that, there were only three hands up. One of them was Elise, who was on student council. OK, said Zaya, if youre not going to help on the day of, and not going to help set up, you can get going if you want. Elise left; the other two, both guys, stayed. So does anyone have suggestions for an activity? Nobody raised any hands. Zaya looked over at the other two. One of them said, If everyone is going to be shy about it, how about we all write ideas down, and then well put them up to vote anonymously. They handed out small pieces of paper, and it seemed like most people wrote something down before they collected it. In my case, I had no idea what one normally did as a classroom for one of these, but the usual fundraiser for clubs at my old school was a bake sale, so I wrote that down. When theyd collected all the suggestions, they started putting them on the board. They combined a lot of them which were variations on a similar them C for example, several variations caf, snack bar, and after I explained it, the bake sale. Similarly, there were several versions of a raffle or silent auction, which sounded interesting but would require us to hunt around for businesses or parents who would donate things to raffle off. Zaya rejected two of the ideas C the backrub station which was just Eww, no! and then she also rejected Fortune teller after asking if anyone in the class could use divination magic. Nobody could. The last couple of unique ones were Temporary hair color salon which got some more consideration C there were two girls in the class who knew magic to do that and thought they could teach it to others in time for the festival, and Movie theater. There was some indistinct agreement when that one was read out, but Zaya was skeptical. Whoever suggested this one, how do you think wed do that? It turned out to have been Joel. We could borrow a TV and VCR from the school and rent some videotapes to play in the classroom, he said. Would people want to pay to sit down to watch a whole movie at the festival? asked Zaya. I dont know, said Joel. One of the guys up in the front of the room said, We could make the movies free and just sell snacks that went with the movie theme. Then people could stop in for a break and go back out without feeling like they were wasting money. There was a lot of agreement around the room. Zaya said, OK, so that comes back to the snack bar idea again. Lets vote on whether people are OK with that part first. The class voted by raised hands, and enough over half were OK with some kind of snack bar. So do we want to do more of a caf style or go with the movies idea? There was some discussion, and once it became clear that the caf would be a lot more work, there was nearly unanimous agreement on the movies plus snack bar, where wed only need one or two people at a time to sell snacks and occasionally change a videotape. There was a lot of discussion of organizing it afterwards, and of what kind of movies to put on since people wouldnt be sitting through a whole movie. It didnt sound like we would have a lot of the decisions made today, but they asked for volunteers for groups to handle different pieces C I volunteered for the group which would buy or make the snacks to sell. When not enough people volunteered, they started assigning people; Joel was on the group whod pick out and rent movies because the whole movie thing had been his idea. I didnt have my bike today, and Joel had soccer practice, so I caught the streetcar home. When I got there, there were large boxes piled two deep in the laundry room, with a letter taped to them addressed to me. Pt. II, Ch. 24: “If you have a problem with that, take it up with the administration.” Monday, Sept 14th, late afternoon Our apartment The letter was from Hull, and had been typed:
Mark C Thanks for bringing the festival to my attention. I asked some colleagues back in New York to put together material for your booth. They had to get everything while the Gate was open, so this all was in a bit of a rush and may have gone a bit overboard. Please use whatever you can for the booth C I would also appreciate your aid in passing on anything left unused. I am also enclosing a partial payment for the past two weeks reports. Regards, Richard Hull
Aside from the letter were three 200-mil bills, each the equivalent of a US$20 bills: not bad for a phone call and two hours of writing notes. I had no idea whether wed have any way to cook the hot dogs one more thing to figure out, including what the booth would consist of. Having read the letter, I moved on to the boxes. There were multiple boxes of books, photos, some posters, and tourist souvenirs most of which were more NYC than USA C some miniature Statue of Liberty and Empire State Building figures, some refrigerator magnets, and even a lone central park snow globe. Some of them would be good to decorate the booth with, but there were way too many C we could give away, or maybe sell the rest. Maybe the library would take the books if nobody wanted them? Some of the posters and photos were promotional ones from NASA. It also included a plastic model of the space shuttle launch stack (orbiter, solid boosters, and external tank.) I found another box filled with candy C M&Ms, Skittles and some other fruit flavored things, as well as regular chocolate bars. Those we could sell, for sure. The last box had three ten-pound packages of hot dogs C 240 in all, a lot of cold packs, and giant bottles of ketchup and mustard. I moved the hot dogs to the fridge, and figured Id better leave a message with Hull that Id gotten the packages. I was working half-heartedly on my math homework when the phone rang; I expected it to be Hull, and it was. Hi Mark, is this a good time? Sure, Im just doing homework. Thanks, he said. I wanted to talk to you about the festival. I was thinking that it might be good ot come by on Saturday and Sunday to do meet and greets at your booth. Can you ask the school if thats OK, and if so, publicize it in advance? Sure, no problem, I said. Was there anything else you wanted to talk about? Just to ask if there was anything else youd need for the festival. I did have two questions. The first one is, do you want me to sell these or give them away? Thats up to you; Uncle Sam doesnt need to be paid back. If its conventional to sell things, you can donate the proceeds to one of the clubs youre in or to the school. Thanks. In that case, can I donate some of the candy to my homeroom? Theyre doing a movie caf and wanted to sell appropriate snacks. That would be fine, Mark. Is there something else? Oh, yes. Sorry, I said. You mentioned getting reimbursed a while ago, and I just wanted to check if its OK to do that to buy buns. Yes, of course. If you need to rent a grill or anything like that, its fine as well. Just get receipts, please. Thanks, Mr. Hull. Ill get in touch once I hear from the school about your coming in for the meet and greets. The call closed out there, and I got back to homework. Joel got back, along with Dormer, around 7, and I updated them on the delivery and Hulls plans. Wednesday, Sept 16th, morning free periods Library Id been in a decent groove with homework for my other classes, but I had really been lagging on finding sources for my world history paper, and I was overdue to try to collect some primary sources. I had a double period free before homeroom on Wednesdays, since I was going to the fencing club instead of PE, and it seemed like a good opportunity to go to the library on campus. The schools library was on the near end of the Arts Center, split between the second and third floors and overlooking the green. An open study area nearest the windows was open between the floors, leaving it very well let and airy, while the library stacks behind it extended well into the building. It was quiet at this hour of the morning C Im sure most people with the same free period used it as I would normally have, to sleep in or at least come in late. I dropped my backpack off at one of the big tables, and set off with a list of sources that had been mentioned in the textbook. I quickly realized that I hadnt seen a card catalog, and while they used some kind of numeric catalog system, vague memories of where history fell in the Dewey Decimal system were of no help C the numbering system was completely different, and even if it had been based on it, I wasnt there to browse for interesting texts on a general area. They had an electronic catalog, running on green-screen terminals C not too different from the Queens borough public libraries C and I was able to find most of the books I was looking for. Two, unfortunately, were marked as non-circulating, so Id have to read through them here. When Id found the books, and checked out the ones I could bring home, I settled in with the one of the other two. I kind of wished Id brought my laptop to be able to type my notes directly into the outline. It was a little after 9, so I had around 45 minutes before homeroom, and I was caught in my reading until a someone interrupted me in a voice louder than Id have expected at the library. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Skipping class? I looked up; it was Neil. I suppressed the temptation to say something salty, and instead just replied, Excuse me? What are you doing here instead of being in class? he asked, again too loud for the library. Whats your beef, man? Ive got a free period, not that its any business of yours. You should show more respect. "Respect? For what?" I asked, genuinely confused. "For the rules," Neil said. "And for authority." "What does that have to do with my studying here?" "You think you can just go around getting a booth approved after I declined it? You made me look foolish." Ah, it was about that. "I didn''t make anyone look foolish," I said, keeping my voice even. "I wasn''t even the one who got the approval. I told you before, there''s a trade mission here from the US, and they got in touch with the school. If you have a problem with that, take it up with the administration." "You''ve made me look bad," Neil sneered. "Well, I''m not going to let you get away with it. I''m going to figure out what your angle is and then make sure everyone knows what kind of people you ''Americans'' really are." "My angle?" I rolled my eyes. "Whatever, man. I''ve got work to do." Neil huffed and stood there, muttering something under his breath. I tried to go back to my reading, and he interrupted again, "I''m not done talking to you." Unless you want to talk about post-second-empire politics, Im done here. I closed the book I was reading, started packing up, and worked hard to ignore my rising anger. As I stood up and started to leave, he said, "Don''t walk away from me, you damn coward." I walked out of the library without looking back. Luckily, he didn''t follow. Joel was already hanging out in our classroom, waiting for homeroom to start and chatting with Kai and Jack; I warned him about Neils weird confrontation, and spent the rest of the day in a pissed-off mood. Wednesday, Sept 16th, fencing practice Sports center fencing room When I got to the end of the day, I was still in a bad mood, and I didnt feel like biking home on my own since Joel had soccer practice. For lack of anything else, I thought Id see what fencing was like on a non-PE day. Fewer people were there, but most of the ones there were the folks I knew C Cory, Mina, Kai, and Galen, plus a few others who I didnt. I was a little surprised to see Galen there, since I thought he was also doing it for PE. Im glad to see someone here to practice with who isnt competing, he said to me. I am going to miss practice tomorrow so I had to make the day up. What brought you in? I had bad day and wanted to work off some steam before going home, I said. Take it easy on me, then, he said. The warning was unnecessary; we were still drilling moves on our own and not sparring. After, both Galen and I helped with the cleanup. I didnt bother to change back to my regular clothes, since I was going to bike home. Up at the bike racks, as I was unlocking my bike someone else came up and started removing theirs from the rack. Then, they stopped. Hi Mark, a familiar girls voice said. I was wondering whose bike that was! I looked over; it was Gwen. Hi Gwen. Yeah, this is mine. It makes sense that you brought it from America, Ive never seen that brand or one quite like that. I shrugged, and then said, I brought it with me. It was a nice bike back at home, but not an expensive one C Id been all set to replace my worn-out cheapo ten-speed mountain bike with a similar one, but Anne had convinced me to get something a little better since I was riding over the bridge to school, and Id ended up with a hybrid - upright frame with road wheels. Do you ride every day? she asked. The year just started, but Im trying to most days, I said. Nice, nice. I try to on days Im not going to be here too late, although with three clubs I cant as often as Id like. We ended up chatting briefly about her clubs C student council, the theater group, and fencing C and then I wished her a safe trip home and started heading for the main road circling the green. As I started to turn left towards the main entrance, Gwen called out, Hold on a minute. So I did. When she caught up to me, she asked, Were you going to ride along Surrat-Efrel? I nodded. Its a pretty direct shot home, and when she gave me a puzzled look, I added, its faster than side streets would be. She stuck with the puzzled look for a moment longer, and then said, I guess you must not know about the trail that runs along the river? I shook my head. I didnt know there was one. How far north does it go? To the city limits, I think, she said. I live up near the university, and it runs well past there. Oh, nice, I said. That would take me all the way home. Youre welcome to follow me this time so I can show you the route, said Gwen. Sounds good, I said. The back exit from campus had a pedestrian gate, open with a couple of security guards. There was a park a couple of blocks long between campus and the river, with a residential neighborhood just north of both. Behind the park was the trail, running high up over the river where we started. It looked like it sloped down gently northward. When we got to the trail, Gwen said, Every fourth or fifth block cuts through to the trail. Just keep an eye for the cutoff for your neighborhood, and let me know if you need me to slow down. I nodded, and we set off. She set a good pace; without traffic lights, and with only a few other people out jogging or bicycling, the distance went by in no time C a good ten minutes quicker than on the main Boulevard. I called out to Gwen, who was still ahead of me, that we were coming up on the turn for my stop. She slowed down for a moment, and when I caught up, said, You kept up a good pace. I dont usually go that fast the whole way. I guess it pays to ride with someone else. Thanks, this was really helpful, I said. Have a safe trip home. You too, she said, and she headed north along the trail while I cut over east away from the trail. When I got home, I was surprised to see Dormers car in the driveway, and Joel was already home. Youre back late, he said. I went to fencing practice today. Were you still steamed about this morning with Neil? You know it. Was he at soccer today? Joel shook his head. Wednesdays are student council days, so hes never around, and then after a moment, since you rode home after fencing practice, Im surprised we didnt see you while we were driving, we only got in a few minutes ago. I got shown a new route home, I said. Theres a trail that runs along the river. Explains why we didnt see you. Must be good to be out of traffic. I shrugged. Certainly faster. Compared to traffic at home, the boulevard here isnt much. Fair enough, said Joel. You said you got shown, who did you hear about it from? Thats the funny part, I said, and I explained about running into Gwen and her surprise that I was riding along the boulevard. So you rode home with a girl? Um, yeah, so? With the senior from fencing, the one you said you liked when we saw her at the opening assembly? I said of the three, I thought she was the most attractive, I didnt say I liked her. Joel grinned at me. Sure, sure, but thats how these things can start. Youve got girls on the brain, Joel. Shes so far out of my league that its not a funny joke. Were in a different league altogether here, Mark, so you never know. Im still willing to bet were going to have girlfriends by the end of the year. I rolled my eyes, What do I get if I take that bet? Youre supposed to be rooting for it to happen. Ill happily root for you from the sidelines. Besides, Im going back to NY when the school year is over, remember? He shrugged. No sense worrying about that until you have to. Youve got to live in the moment more. Pt. II, Ch. 25: “Her name’s Tika, right?” Saturday, September 19th, before classes Homeroom 2-C Wed had consistent clear weather since wed come to this world a few weeks ago, although it had cooled down from hot to warm during that time. However, starting on Friday the blue skies turned to grey and kept getting darker. I left school straight after my classes, and pedaling my bike home as quickly as I could. By the time I got home, the sky was downright gloomy out. It wasnt long before it was raining, and Joel came back from soccer practice which had ended early due to the weather. The sound of rain on the roof and windows made it easy for me to fall asleep that night. It was still heavily pouring the next morning. I thought about riding anyway, and then changing clothes at school, but figured Id easily end up late. It would be better to try on a day I that started with a free period. Instead, I caught a ride with Joel since he was still getting driven to school. I took advantage of the ride to bring the boxes from Hull along. We dropped them off at our homeroom before heading to physics lab. After lab, during the homeroom period, Mr. Kirill asked whose they were. Joel looked at me, so I raised my hand. Theyre for the American culture booth for the festival, I said. And part of one of the boxes is candy to donate to the classs movie caf, and then after a moment when he didnt say anything, Im sorry for bringing them in without asking. Is it all right to keep them here until next Friday? Ah, I suppose. Especially since some of that is for the class. Zaya expressed an interest in checking out the candy, and there were plenty of murmured agreements with her. Mr. Kirill gave his permission, so I opened one of the boxes and passed some of each kind of candy around the room. It was fascinating to see the reaction; there was a local candy that had copied the chocolate in a shell formula, but only with dark chocolate. The very sweet milk chocolate we were used to from home was uncommon here and seemed popular. However, the artificially fruit flavored candies had a more mixed reaction. I made a mental note to mention that to Hull, as he was looking for things US companies can export. After homeroom, I had advanced honors world history, and luckily was not taken aside by Ms. Calliot today. I had a fair number of notes from primary sources, but not as many as Id hoped, and I really did not want to update her on my progress with the paper. I had a free period and figured it would be a good time to follow up on Hulls request to come do meet and greet sessions at our booth over the weekend. I wasnt sure who to ask, but the student council seemed like a bad place to start given that there might be trouble if I ran into Neil again. Instead, I went to the upper-school Deans office. Dean Jerdews secretary gave me kind of a what are you asking me for? look when I asked, but she took down a note and said theyd get back to me. There was supposed to be a discussion after classes ended for the day about the classs movie and snacks for the festival, so I headed back to my homeroom to wait for it. When I got back tour homeroom, Kai and Amy were out C after the homeroom period they had Advanced Honors Biology lab. Two labs almost back-to-back sounds like way too much work for me! Joel and Jack, however, were both around and were talking. Hey Mark, said Joel. Jack is offering to help with the booth. Nice! I said. Any particular reason? I was asking Joel how you two were going to get any time to check out the festival, if you have to run the booth the whole time. Does it really take two of us? I figured wed just take turns. Jack thought for a moment. They usually have two, one to prep food or do whatever theyre doing, and one to collect tickets and manage the line. If theres a line. Tickets? I asked. Thats how they want people to pay for things. Ah. I dont know if weve figured out if were going to charge for anything, but if we got a good turnout I guess a second person would be helpful. Anyway, thanks, wed be happy for the help. Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. Youre welcome, said Jack. It seemed like it would be a cool experience. At least half the kids in this class have at least one newcomer among their great grandparents, and more than half of the newcomers were Americans. I think youll be busy once people discover the booth. Do you think anyone else would want to help with the booth? I can ask my sister, he said. Thatd be cool, said Joel. Her names Tika, right? Jack nodded. As conversation went on, I realized that I hadnt given nearly enough thought to what the booth would do besides sell (or give away) hot dogs and souvenirs. With less than a week before the festival, I knew I needed to come up with more of a plan soon. After fourth period, and Zaya and the other festival committee members called on the class to discuss the progress made on the three streams of work for the festival C snacks, movies, and decorations. It sounded like there was a plan in motion for each of them, but not much had been accomplished. For snacks, everyone thought we should have popcorn in addition to sweets, and we needed a VCR and TV C preferably a big one. Joel and I were got asked to check with the student council if we could borrow a video cart, and to check if they even had a popcorn maker we could borrow. While there, I could check in on a grill as well C assuming Neil didnt derail things. When we reached the student council room, it was busier than the prior week. Elise was there, and I recognized the President, Anson, from the opening assembly. Sadly, Neil was there, too, and there were a couple of other unfamiliar people at the table with them. As we waited, I couldnt help but overhear the request from the two groups ahead of us. One was a class who hadnt even gotten their idea approved yet, and the next was a club who wanted to move their assigned booth. When it got to our turn, Anson asked, How can we help you? Two things for class 2-C, said Joel, and one for the American cultural booth. Okay, what can we do for your classroom? We wanted to borrow one of the AV carts with a TV and VCR, and we wanted to see if there was a popcorn maker we could borrow. Oh, you were the ones with the movie caf, he said, making a note. Its no problem on the AV cart, Ill have the custodians bring one up to your classroom. For the popcorn maker, let me check. He turned to one of the unfamiliar faces, Ray, do we have a popcorn maker? Ray looked through a pile of papers before responding, We dont, but Ive seen one at events before. It probably belongs to the cafeteria. Anson jotted something else down and handed it to Joel. Bring this approval to the administration building and ask for the head of food service. Shell be able to tell you if they could spare one. He went on to ask, You said you also had a request from the American cultural club? Before either Joel or I could reply, Neil interrupted, Surely, you dont mean to support that charade any farther than we were forced to? Anson looked at Neil, his smile fading, then back to us, You really should have come to me directly, rather than going around us to the administration, but whats done is done. But what do you need? I replied, I was hoping we could borrow a grill. Someone back home in the government sent over a lot of hot dogs for us to cook. Ray spoke up without even looking at the papers, Youll need to get those from the cafeteria. Youre not the first group to ask, but I think they have several. Anson nodded and wrote another note for us. As he handed it to me, he sighed, Next time, please try to go through proper channels. Uh, about that, I said. I left a request with the Deans office asking if we could bring the representative of the US State Department onto campus to do a meet and greet at our booth on the weekend days. You were anticipating trouble with Neil? asked Anson. I nodded and noticed that Neil was both clenching his jaw in anger and glaring daggers at me. Anson sighed. Im not getting in the middle of this one. If the administration approves it, Im not going to argue with them. I imagine it will come down to the security arrangements. Next time, though? Next time well go through proper channels, said Joel. Good, said Anson. Neil looked like he wanted to say something, but didnt, and we left C there was a small line of other clubs and classrooms behind us. Joel was already a little late for soccer practice, so I decided to go to the administration building alone. I found the head of food service was unavailable, but the departments secretary was able to help. He accepted the two notes from the student council and took down my requests. As I left the building, the rain was lighter but still going; I thought briefly about hanging out at the library to continue researching my paper until Joel finished or practice was cancelled, but I decided against it. Instead, I decided to head home and spend a quiet afternoon by myself. The streetcar was mostly empty in the early afternoon. As I got home, I thought about the cat who had been hanging out near our apartment. I hadnt seen it recently, the food I left out was being eaten, so I thought it was still around. Because of the rain, I put the food closer to the back door, just under the awning. I hoped it wouldnt get wet before the cat could eat it. I had a novel from home that I hadnt started yet, but I realized that Yali was coming over the next day and I had barely practiced at all this week. So, I took out one of the globes, and the textbooks, and decided to figure out how to practice channeling power without an external source like the power-stone or brick of ore. Pt. II, Ch. 26: “Are you actually going to talk to her?” Friday, September 25th [First day of the Festival of Nations], mid-afternoon Our booth on the green I wasnt sure what to make of the start of the festival, but I was not a fan of wearing our full uniform again. I hadnt had to since the first day of school, and it had gotten hot again since the rain had ended. It also remained wickedly humid; the jacket and tie felt stifling inside even with air conditioning C outside running the booth, it was worse. The opening ceremony had been interesting. After some short statements by Dr. Mittari, the main speaker was a former senator and alumnus of the school. He regaled us with the story of the founding of the Union of the Etciv in the wake of the Wizards War, and the festival''s origins celebrating that. Yet another thing to write up for Hull, I suppose. With the assembly over, Dr. Mittari dismissed us to tend to our booths and classrooms. Our booth looked a bit thrown together, with mismatched posters hung from the back C NASA poster of the earth from space, one I??NY, and Visit Americas national parks. We had a table with an array of candy and souvenirs out at the front, with the model space shuttle as something of a centerpiece. For simplicity, everything on the table was one ticket C 10 mil, or about a dollar, for students who bought them today, twice that for anyone who bought them tomorrow when the festival was open to the public. For the early part of the afternoon, I was on my own; Joel had gone to get some tickets for us, and then was going to check on the shift assignments in our classroom. I was happy to pass on that, but hed had the idea that he might be able to be on the same shift as Elise at some point in the weekend. Our booths location was in the corner of the green between the arts center and the lower school building C out of the way for upper-school students, but in a way a good spot. Our neighbors were clubs from the lower school. It was quiet, and a little lonely. Eventually, some lower school students wandered over from the large group at their literature club booth. I was mentally prepared to repeat the conversation about coming through the Gate, but they surprised me. Hi, said one of them, were here to buy some candy. I smiled. Sure, what kind do you want? Im not sure. she said looking at candies spread. Are these imported? They are, from America, I said. And you can really sell them for one ticket? They got donated. I shrugged. Were not really trying for a profit here, just to get American culture out there. Nice! she said, Ill take one of each, then. Each of her friends did the same except for one boy who only wanted one chocolate bar. As they wandered away, I felt a little better. There was a slow trickle of students C mostly from the lower school, given the uniforms C and I even sold a few souvenirs. Around the time I started seeing some upper school students come by, I spotted Joel walking back over. When he got to the booth, he looked over at the pile of tickets Ive collected and said, I guess the candy was a hit? I nodded. Everybody likes chocolate. Joel chuckled, and then asked, Want me to take care of the booth for a bit so you can look around? Maybe in a couple minutes, I said. How were things up in the classroom? Going OK, I think. I didnt stay long enough to see if people were sticking around to watch the movie. Did you sign up for a shift where Elise was working? He grinned. Sure did, on Sunday. Are you actually going to talk to her? Of course, I will! Heh, well see. I pointed to the grill. Can you help me figure out this thing? We spent a few minutes figuring out how to light the grill, and once it was warming up, I put up a sign advertising the hot dogs. That attracted some attention, and we were busy enough selling hot dogs and candy that I did not get to look around until Jack came by to see if he could help. When he did, I showed him how to run the grill, and asked Joel if he wanted to come along to check out the festival. Not yet, he said. Ill hang with Jack for a bit, but I may come find you later. No problemo! Ill probably be back before too long, I said, and then waved as I headed off. Our closest neighbors, the lower-school literature club was running a book sale, including a few novels I thought I might want to check out later. Most of the other clubs nearby were lower-school athletic clubs, either just trying to recruit members or selling things as a fundraiser. Wandering out of our corner, I noted that there were students assembling a stage in front of the arts centers main entrance. I had read that there would be some performances tomorrow, and I guessed thats where those would be. For now, it was still construction. Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. Moving past the stage there was a long row of booths starting at the corner between the arts center and the Upper School Building; all kinds of clubs had set up, with everything from food stalls to souvenirs. The largest was run by a group of sports teams working together, selling T-shirts and taking orders for customized school jerseys. There were some generic Queen Sara Memorial Academy shirts not advertising a specific team, and I picked a two of them up C souvenirs for my brother and for Martin, when I got back to New York over winter break. The row turned along the open side of the green between the administration buildings and the upper school buildings, but I headed into the nearer of the two upper school buildings as I wanted to see what how our class was doing. Most of the first floor was taken up by the cafeteria, which was open but not serving food. It wasnt crowded, but some students were sitting at the tables and eating. The food must have been from the booths outside, and given the air conditioning, it seemed like a nice way to do it. Without the full uniform requirement today, more of them would have been eating on the green instead. I headed up to the second floor, where all the first-year classrooms were. It was busy in the halls, and I didnt stop to check out every classroom, but there was something different in each. Not all of them were fundraising C one had diorama the class had built, showing our campus, plus the parks and a little of the neighborhood around it. For a little less than a month since classes started, it had an incredible amount of detail. Surprisingly, there wasnt anyone in the room; had this been at home, Id have worried about it someone trashing it just to be a dick. One other classroom caught my eye on the first-year floor, class 1-B, which was a portrait studio. From the sample photos they had up, it seemed like they were mostly expecting couples to come in, but they were quiet right then and I was curious to see local camera gear. The two bored-looking students tending to the room perked up when I came in, and one asked, Would you like to see the photo packages? I actually wanted to check out your camera gear, but my folks might like a picture of me, so sure lets look. She brought over a folder, and inside was a price list. Theyd take 4 pictures and you could either get one print of each or they would pick the best. At the basic price of 5 tickets C basically $5 for students and $10 for anyone else C you could get 4 snapshot sized prints, or for six tickets, one slightly bigger print and 4 wallet-sized one. I went with the second. They gave me a little assistance in posing C and 4 shots went quickly. You can pick them up tomorrow after 5PM, or any time on Sunday, the student told me. Once that was done, I talked to them a little about the camera gear C it was local, so the brand was new to me, but otherwise it looked like a 35mm camera with manual focus from the prior generation back home. When I asked more about it, the girl whod been helping me said, Im sorry, I dont know a lot about cameras. This was all one of our classmates idea, and its his camera. We borrowed the lights and backdrop from the arts center, and he showed us how to try to get a good portrait. No problem, I said. As I started to go, the other student from the classroom said, If you want to talk about camera stuff, Galen will probably be around later or tomorrow. It was a very uncommon name back home, so I figured it wouldnt hurt to ask, Is that Galen Alcorn? Oh, yes, said the girl. Do you know him? Were in the same club for PE. I had no idea he was into cameras. If you remember, please tell him Mark from fencing stopped by. Sure! I climbed the stairs to the floor with the second-year classrooms. I went to our homeroom first and saw that the movie caf was busy. Many of the seats were taken, and the movie they were watching was a local action movie. Back home, Id have said It looked like it someones D&D game. There were four main characters, two of them in armor and dressed as a mage and a priest, and they were fighting their way through a dungeon full of undead. The special effects were impressive, and after a minute I realized that the skeletons they were fighting could well have been animated magically rather than via film effects. I wasnt going to stick around for the credits, but it would have been very funny to see a line there for necromancer. Probably not? At least, I hope those arent actual dead bodies theyre using. Zaya was the only one tending to the snack bar, which was holding up well with drinks and popcorn. However, almost all the imported candy and local treats were sold out. Zaya thanked me for suggesting that we only put out a portion of the snacks for each day. Its not quite 5 oclock yet, I said. I thought it might be an issue for the imported stuff, but I guess a lot of people had a sweet tooth today. Maybe, Zaya agreed. I looked down at the schedule. It looked like Zaya was the only one watching the room until 7PM when we had to shut down for the night. I cant be up here too long, but do you want me to watch the table for half an hour or something so you can take a break? I asked. That got a big smile out of her. Yes, please! That would be fantastic. When she got back, I headed back to our booth C I wanted to see more of the festival, but worried that I was putting too much of a burden on my friends. I found both Joel and Jack were still there. Everything go OK here? I asked. So far so, so good, said Jack. Do you mind if I head out? Ill be back for a while tomorrow. Sure, of course. Joel decided to stick around, and I was glad for the company. Youll never guess who stopped by, he said. Since youre asking, should I guess Elise? No such luck. It was Cory from our physics class, said Joel, with a hint of disappointment in his voice. What did she want? Shed seen one of the posters and was asking some questions about Hull coming to talk tomorrow. Also, she asked if we were selling the space shuttle model. I told her what I could remember about Hull, and that shed have to ask you about the model. Do you want to keep it for next years festival? I asked. This whole American booth is kind of your thing and Hulls. If youre back home next year, Ill probably just do something with my classroom or maybe the soccer team. In that case, when we break down the booth, shes welcome to it. I made a mental note to make sure we didnt pack it away or give it to someone else. Do I remember right that you said she and Gwen are pretty close? Joel asked. I nodded. Well, I think so. Maybe you should try to get on her good side. Friend of the girl you like and all that, he said with a grin. Dude. That is so not a thing except in your head, I said. Well, think about it, he said. What about you? Zaya seems to talk to Elise a fair bit, did you think of doing the same thing? Zaya and I get along fine, said Joel. I dont think they''re that close, they just talk a lot lately because of festival committee business. Everybody seems to know Elise, but I havent found anyone who is close friends with her. Maybe some of the student council members? I guess. Shes good looking, but you hardly know her. Why is she so interesting? "I don''t think it''s just about her looks," Joel said, shrugging. "Sure, she''s my type, but when she was talking at the opening assembly there was this energy about her. I felt like she was talking directly to me rather than the whole audience. Well, good luck with her on Sunday. We hung out chatting and occasionally selling some candy until at 7PM, the voice on the PA system announced that wed be shutting down for the night. By then, it was getting dark, and I took Joel up on catching a ride with him and Dormer. I hadnt been sure that the festival would be an enjoyable experience, but so far it had been, and I was looking forward to the next two days. Pt. II, Ch. 27: [Interlude – Violet] “How did you get interested in Obdresti literature?” Saturday, September 26th [Second day of the Festival of Nations], mid-morning Second classroom building, Literature department elective classroom Violet was a little lonely. Last year, the clubs room had been bustling with activity, and today it was very quiet with no one she knew. Last year, as a third-year student at the lower school, shed helped with a few shifts greeting people and serving food, and a lot of people had stopped by, not just parents and family members of students in the club. Things this year were much quieter. Because of everything going on in their home country, most of the other Obdresti students had returned home for this year rather than continuing to go to school in Feldaren. She wasnt sure if there were a few others who hadnt volunteered to help, but there were only a few Obdresti students left to take shifts in the room, so she would miss a lot of the festival. This morning, there were three of them including her C and a parent who was helping. The parent had brought in in an urn of iced coffee and a tradition Obdresti white cake with caramel filling. The urn itself was a common bit of magic back home; it could boil water and then chill the coffee once made, but they were uncommon with the weaker magic they had on this continent. Her own parents were going to stop by later and had promised to bring roast lamb. A few curious students had stopped by, and she and the other two students had taken turns greeting them. It wasn''t her turn when Joel arrived, but she recognized him at once and was the one to greet him. She was happy to see someone she knew, even a little, from class. There had also been an incident a few weeks back when he''d come to her rescue. Some local boys had been bullying her, and he had driven them off, recovered her backpack, and walked her home. She wasn''t sure if he''d remember her, and she approached him cautiously. "Hi Joel, welcome to the Obdresti Club," she said trying to hide her nervousness. "Hi! Youre Violet, right?" Joel said, smiling as she approached him. "Yes, right," Violet replied, relieved that he remembered her name. He looked happy to see her, and Violet felt her cheeks flush a little. She knew she had to say something more, so she mustered up the courage to thank him properly. "I''m sorry I never got to thank you properly for stepping in back then," she said, her voice a bit shaky. Joel''s smile grew wider, and Violet felt a flutter in her chest. "It''s no problem," he said. "I meant to ask how you were doing the next time we had class and never got to." Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. Can I get you a piece of cake and some coffee? Or we have punch if youd prefer it. Cake and coffee would be great, he said. Violet went to get them, and after Joel had tried them, he said, This is great. Is this typical Obdresti coffee? Yes, she said, its usually served chilled and very sweet. I put in a little more cream than we usually would have at home because that seems to be the usual preference around here. It tasted good to me, but Ive only been here a few weeks, so I wouldnt know how most people around here take it. Really? You seem like you grew up around here. Where are you from? she asked. America, he said. America? Wheres that? she asked. Before Joel could answer, something from history class dawned on her and a surprised look crossed her face. Wait, do you mean on the other side of the Gate? Joel gave an embarrassed grin. It was cute on him. I get that a lot, he said. Yes, Im a visiting student this year, and its a long story how that came about. Violet''s eyes widened in amazement as she looked at Joel, and she took a moment to gather herself after hearing such a surprise. She wanted to ask him to tell her the long story, and about what another world was like, but she dismissed the thought as too nosy. It was safer to ask about class, so she asked, How did you get interested in Obdresti literature? English has always been one of my best subjects, and I needed another elective. I didnt want to take the Advanced Honors English, so the two other choices were both foreign literature this year. The other was literature from the Great Kingdom, I think. Why Obdrest? she asked. I chose Obdresti literature because one of the diplomats who were involved in setting up this exchange was from Obdrest, and I heard stories about the country from him. I hope only good ones, she said. Mostly good ones, but also a bit about the countrys current troubles. She couldn''t help but feel a bit disappointed as she looked around the almost empty classroom. Last year''s festival had been so lively and colorful, with music and a much broader menu. Now, there were only a few people, and the only sounds were a few conversations. This was so much livelier last year, Im sorry you didnt get to see the festival then. There was even a group of girls who did a traditional dance out on the stage. My mother ordered a dress in the hope that Id join in this year. She gave a sad smile. Joel shrugged and then smiled. Your club did a nice job setting this up. Its a lot nicer than what my friend put together for the American booth. Thanks, said Violet, Id like to see it when I take a break from helping out here. Will you be at the booth later? Some of the time, yes. Im helping out in my classroom, too. Would you like another piece of cake? Joel shook his head. I dont want to eat too much this early. Theres a meat-skewers booth I really want to try. Thank you again for helping out that day, said Violet in a quiet voice. I really was glad to. Before I go, have you been getting home OK since then? Yes, she said. My mother has been driving me on days when my friend Tess cant come with me. Im glad! It was nice to talk a little, said Joel. Maybe Ill see you at the booth? Sure, see you then, said Violet, and with that he gave her a little bit of a wave and she watched him walk out the door. She hoped that shed get a chance to talk to him again soon. Pt. II, Ch. 28: “The Lost Princess” Saturday, September 26th [Second day of the Festival of Nations], a few minutes before noon Our booth on the green Hull arrived a little early for his meet-and-greet at our booth and had given it a look over. He didnt look especially enthusiastic, but his words were kind enough. I think this turned out well, given the rush we were in. I looked around before I got here, and we will have to up our game next year! I can get some designers involved and we should be able to have a very professional-looking booth next year. Uh, Im going to be back in New York next year, I said. Yes, I know thats your plan, Mark. I wouldnt be at all unhappy if you end up changing your mind. You are a real asset to have here. Thanks, I think, I said, shaking my head. I decided to change the subject. Whats with the big pile of college brochures you brought? One of my goals here is to increase understanding and trade between our world and theirs well, for now, between the US and Feldaren. Having you and Joel here is a great start, but its much easier for college students to study abroad than it is for kids your age study abroad. Students who come for college and then return home bring ties to the US and to American values with them. Or they stay in the US, and weve got one more well-educated future citizen. Either way, it works out well. Joel had been handling the trickle of candy and souvenir sales while we talked, and chimed in to ask, How would that work when the US government doesnt even officially admit the Gate exists? The way things are right now, it would only work unofficially and at a very small scale. I have a hunch thats going to change at some point, and theres a good chance that point sooner rather than later. How do you mean? asked Joel. Im mostly reading hints from my superiors, so I cant be more specific. Its also a Presidential election year, so things could be very different come January. Why would a new administration make a difference? asked Joel. Hull just shrugged. I havent thought about the election coming up since I got here, I said, but I just realized we wont hear who won for almost a week afterwards. Probably, said Hull, Ill mention the election when Im next in touch about the gate, just in case the Brotherhood wants to take the opportunity to keep up to date. You really think they might open out of cycle for that? Hull gave a big grin and said, I think theyre more interested in our side of the gate than theyll admit publicly. Thats all I can say right now. I thought about asking what he meant, but before I could, the booth got busier. Unlike students, who mostly took our booth with enthusiasm for the candy and otherwise in stride, the adults had a lot more questions. Fortunately, Hull was there with us, and instead of having to give the visitors a capsule of how we got here, I could pass them on to him. We did solid business as the lunch hour was approaching, and at noon we started hearing a PA system from the stage. There was a speaker welcoming everyone to the festival, and then they introduced a series of clubs presentations. Our booth was around a corner and facing away from the stage, but we were near enough to hear them clearly. Traditional dance from the Great Kingdom didnt interest me, but the music was pleasant enough. Im hungry, said Joel. You want me to put a hot dog on the grill for you? I asked. Nah, thanks though. I want to try something new today. Like what? One of the booths over by the entrance had meat skewers. I nodded my head. Nice, that sounds good. If you two want to get some food, I can watch the booth for you, said Hull. Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. We werent sure if it was OK to have an adult running the booth, but we didnt expect to take long and some kebabs sounded very good. The booth was at the corner almost opposite ours, at the corner of the green nearest the administration buildings. When we got there, it clearly wasnt kebabs, but it turned out to be more interesting. Even from a distance walking up we could see their grill was large, with a vertical rack over it, and the skewers were as long as swords. Each carried a couple of big cuts of meat, which they would take thick slices off of as people ordered. One of the meats they were serving was clearly beef. The other two were lighter-colored and looked different enough from one another that I didnt think they could both be pork. As we approached, we saw that the booth belonged to a third-year homeroom C 3-K and was Barbecue meat in the style of Teupla. My sense of geography in this world wasnt great for countries that hadnt been part of one of the big wars of the last century; all I could remember was that it was a country in Toyeri, well east of the Great Kingdom. There was a short line, and when we got to the head of it, the menu was short C the three kinds of meat were beef, pork, and lesser drake C and you could get whatever combination you wanted on a plate. I tried all three; Joel skipped the lesser drake. There was another booth nearby selling drinks, and with some of the local Wiz-brand cola we settled on an open spot on the green to eat. Hows the dragon meat? asked Joel. I think Im supposed to say, it tastes like chicken. Seriously? No, actually. Its not bad, kind of like the sibbat they had at lunch a while ago, but stronger flavored. You want to try a piece? Thanks, Im good. I shrugged. One of the music-and-dance groups finished while we were eating, and the same person wed been hearing between groups came over the PA and said, Next up, we have the Troupers, with a preview of their Fall performance. Hey, thats Gwens group, I told Joel. A group of girls came up on stage wearing identical dresses in the same blue and grey color pattern of our uniform, and as they walked towards center stage, Gwen stepped out from the group and then started opening a letter. Over the PA, a boys voice came on to narrate: A young woman caught in a world of duty and expectation, Isabellas life is turned upside down. Looking down at the letter, Gwen C in character as Isabella C said, I will never accept this, and crumpled the letter. She threw it to the ground. One of the other girls, a blonde, stepped towards her and reached out as if to ask, are you OK? and then Gwen shrugged and the group hurrying off the other side of side of the stage. They exited and two actors came on; both were dressed in what looked like old fashioned military uniforms, much like Dormers masterpiece theater outfits although in darker colors rather than his bright red. One of the two was a bit taller, and his uniform more ornate. As they reached center stage, the same voice came on to narrate: Shell face danger at every turn. The shorter one stopped, picked up the crumpled paper, and handed it to the taller one, who in turn went on to say, Is that how it is, Princess? There is nothing you can cherish that I cannot take away, and they marched back off the stage the way they came. The narrator continued: Shell find unexpected allies, as she fights for her freedom and her family. Gwen, the blonde actress, and a boy wearing a school uniform not matching our colors came back on stage, as if he were leading them away from something. Two actors dressed as thugs followed them, and when the first group reached center stage, the boy turned to fight them. Run, both of you! he shouted, as he faced down the two thugs. Both girls hurried off stage to one side, while the boy and the thugs fought their way off the other. A few moments later, Gwen, no longer wearing the uniform dress but instead a loose blouse and pants, pulled the boy C doing a less-than-great job of playing unconscious C onto center stage from the back, and then knelt by him sobbing quietly. The taller of the two men in uniform from earlier approached from the side of the stage, and Gwen on seeing him pulled a sword from the boys side and stood up. The man in uniform drew a sword, as well, and as the two approached each other, the narrator came back on the PA, and said, The Troupers present their performance of The Lost Princess. Come see the classic tale of love and sacrifice, playing October 28th through November 1st and then in a much more casual tone, For you first-years out there, thats the week after midterms. The boy who had been playing unconscious stood up, and all three of the folks on stage bowed and left the stage. The regular announcer came back on and introduced some folks from the orchestral music club, who started in on a pleasant, fast-paced piece of music. Do you miss being in band? I asked Joel. He didnt respond, and I finished up the last of my plate of food. When I finished, he was still just sitting there lost in thought. I asked him, You OK, Joel? Eh, actually Im a little creeped out, he said. I think that might have been about my mom. Really? They changed her name and never mentioned where she was from but Ill bet she disappears in the end, and that what shell never accept is a forced marriage. Was that last part public knowledge? Joel shrugged. I didnt think so, but I dont have much to go on. If it is about your mom, thats a pretty weird coincidence. I hope it is a coincidence. Im going to ask Dormer if he knows about the play, said Joel. Even if it is a coincidence, the last thing we need is people making a random connection between it and a certain transfer student. I hear you. If he doesnt know anything, maybe I can ask Gwen about it after our next practice? Couldnt hurt, he said. We took care of our trash and then headed back to the booth. Pt. II, Ch. 29: [Interlude – Elise] “What do you know about these Americans?” Saturday, September 26th [Second day of the Festival of Nations], around noon Walking along the green Elise had just finished a shift at the student council booth and was going to get some lunch when she heard her last name called. Miss Shevariet! The voice was familiar, but not quite so familiar to place it. She turned to see where she where the voice came from, and a middle-aged man and younger woman were walking up to her. As she approached, she recognized them as the two people shed met from Magnus Trading. The older one was Paul Jekanis. Ah, excellent! It is good to see you again, Miss Shevariet. You have already met my niece, Brinna, yes? Yes. Elise nodded. Its good to see you both again. Thank you, he said, its good to be back for this years festival. Your students have done a very nice job with it this year. Thank you, said Elise. Have you found anything of particular interest today? She had gotten them information in the past; the trading firm they worked for kept an eye on the school because so many VIPs children went there. Paul shook his head. Were just here to enjoy the festival. Although Brinna did have a very interesting conversation. What do you know about these Americans? The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Americans? You mean the cultural club some students revived? asked Elise. Yes, that one, said Brinna. Theres not much to know, said Elise. Something like half the students here are descended from Newcomers, and an awful lot of them were Americans. I dont think thats all it is. I talked briefly with a diplomat the club had brought in, said Brinna, and he was from the other side of the gate. He implied that there were students who had come from there, as well. Oddly, there were no students at the booth when I visited. Interesting! I guess thats why they were so insistent on setting the club up, said Elise. You know them, then? Ive seen two of them. I dont know them personally, said Elise. Its an interesting thing, said Paul. Ive heard that the amount of trade through the Gate was insignificant, and weve never given it much thought, but what Brinna heard from the diplomat C Mr. Hull, I believe his name was? C made it sound like that may be changing. Then Brinna said, If you find anything out, we would appreciate it. About the students? asked Elise. I cant find much about trade through the gate. The students, yes, said Brinna. Ill see what I can find out, said Elise. Shed had misgivings when she had learned about Alvar Letos disappearance but seeing the two of them at the festival with all the security around left her a little more at ease. She couldnt see them being so comfortable here if theyd had anything to do with it. Thank you, Miss, said Paul. Weve appreciated your past help. I hope youll enjoy the rest of the festival. And with a slightly awkward wave, he and Brinna left. Elise thought for a minute; she could remember roughly what the two boys had looked like but she had been so distracted by Neils objections that she had no memory of their names. She shrugged to herself. It couldnt be that hard to find them again. Pt. II, Ch. 30: “You try to do something nice for someone, and they make it harder” Saturday, September 26th [Second day of the Festival of Nations], early afternoon Our booth on the green When I came back to the booth, Hull was still there, and hed been joined by Jack and Tika C Jacks sister. I hadnt met her, but Joel and I had seen her at the swimming test. She seemed even taller up-close. When I joined them behind the table, Jack said, We had a real run on the candy during lunch C we pulled a lot of the extras out, but I think youre going to sell out. Ive got an idea for something to keep people interested tomorrow if we run out, I said. If we can get an electric cord, I could bring my TV and video tape player in from home and put on some American movies. What do you think? Isnt that basically what our classroom is doing? Also, theres no place for people to sit. Those are movies people will have seen before, I said. I dont think they import movies through the gate, so anything would be brand new. I guess its worth a try. I can go check about the cord if that would help. Thatd be great, thanks Jack, I said. Sure, I dont mind. Before I go, have you met Tika? I hadnt and after making our introductions, we chatted briefly about classes and our clubs. She was, as Id guessed, on the swimming team. When she heard which club I was in, she asked, Since youre in fencing, you must know Galen. My first thought was, does everyone at this school know each other? I know him a little from the club, yeah. Hes in my homeroom. One of my friends from class does not get along with him at all, she said. He seems like a nice guy at fencing, I said, and then I thought of his this is like three couples line when we all got ice cream. Maybe a little immature, but there are worse things than that. Maybe thats what bothers my friend. Shes quite serious at times. I shrugged, and before we could continue, Jack came back. He had a big thumbs up for me: the custodians would set up the cord for us that night. He and Tika headed out after that, and it was just Hull left with me at the booth. His meet and greet ran until two oclock, and at the end of it he left. I was expecting it to be quiet for a while C the lunch rush was over, and with Hull gone, the slow stream of adults wanting to talk to him wouldnt be stopping by. Only a few minutes after he left, though, three girls stopped by. Gwen and Cory were accompanied by a third girl who I didnt know. Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. She was about the same height as Gwen, with short black hair cut to frame her face. She had on a fitted vest and matching skirt that with a jacket could have straight from a bank or law office. She had a calm, confident air about her that complemented Gwen''s bold, artistic style. Gwen made the introductions. "Mark, this is our friend Diane Cho. She was student council president last year." Diane gave me a polite smile. "It''s nice to meet you. Gwen was saying you were from America?" "Nice to meet you, too, and yes," I said, gesturing back at the booth. "Were trying to represent the US here. Are you a college student now?" Diane nodded. "Yes, I''m in my first year of law school." It surprised me that law school here wasnt a graduate program like it is in the US. We ended up chatting briefly about her studies, and then she had some questions about my world and how the US was getting involved here. The general ones I could answer, but plenty of them would have been better directed at Hull. Hell be back for a couple of hours again tomorrow, if youd like to speak to him, I said. She declined, as she had a school event tomorrow. Before they left, Gwen and Diane bought candy and some souvenirs. I was surprised that Cory did not follow them. Hey, Mark, she said. Then, after a pause, I guess you said Mr. Hull wont be back until tomorrow? Sorry, yeah. You only missed him by a few minutes. I think he was going to the administration building if you want to catch him. No, thats all right, Ill come by tomorrow, she said, and then she paused for a moment. Umm, did Joel mention that I was interested in buying the spacecraft model there? He did, I said. It makes a nice decoration for the booth, but we didnt have any plan for it after the festival. Youre welcome to it afterwards. How much did you want for it? I shook my head, Thats not necessary. Hull said I should try to pass on what we cant use, and it feels weird to both charge you and ask you to wait until after the festival. Youre sure? I nodded, and then said, Why not? Call it free to a good home. She frowned and thought for a short while. It still doesnt seem right. Youre sure you wont take anything for it? You try to do something nice for someone, and they make it harder, I thought, and after a moment, a better idea came to me. This all came from the American government. If you want to pay somebody back for it, I know Hull is looking to know more about this world. You were going to talk to him tomorrow anyway, right? She nodded. Im pretty sure what hed want in return is information. Hell probably ask you to write something, or maybe interview you. Does that sound OK? I was going to talk to him anyway, she said, followed by a faint sigh. Fine. Nice. Im just glad someone thought it was cool. If you like space weve got some other posters from NASA, like that one, I pointed my thumb back at the one of the Earth from space. Want to have a look? NASA? National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and when she gave me a puzzled look, I went on, The part of our government that runs the space program. Ah, interesting. I need to catch up to Gwen, but Ill look at the posters tomorrow when I talk to Mr. Hull. The next few hours were uneventful. [Bonus] Character Portraits
Violet Conniello Elise Shevariet
Gwen Mallory Tess Hahn
Joel Ross Mark Berg If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.
Cory Nement Diane Cho
Carl, Count Dormer Neil Hayward
Pt. II, Ch. 31: “This is really going to be my life if I stay, isnt it?” Saturday, September 26th [Second day of the Festival of Nations], around 7PM Our booth, and the Obdresti temple Things were pretty dead right up until around 5:30, when I guess the dinner rush hit C suddenly everyone wanted a hot dog. They sold as fast as I could grill them. The candy sold nearly as fast, and by the end of the evening all we had left was the batch of hot dogs Id set aside for tomorrow back at our apartment. Id had the booth to myself throughout that time, so I missed out on getting my prints from Galens class booth, or able to check anything else out at the festival. Joel came back a little before seven, and as he helped pack up the booth, I mentioned, Elise stopped by this afternoon. His eyes brightened, remembering her from the assembly. I wasnt sure how interested in her he was, but hed signed up for a shift in our classroom the next day overlapping with her. Did you talk to her at all? asked Joel. You know me C not much. I sold her some candy, and she had some questions about trade through the gate. I suggested that she could talk to Hull tomorrow, since hes the expert on that stuff. Joel smirked, Didnt even introduce yourself? I shrugged. Was I supposed to? Youre generally the social one. Joel gave me a shrug right back, along with a disappointed look. We chatted a bit more about what hed seen as the festival and were just about done packing when Dormer came by. I thought it would just be to drive Joel home, but instead he was going to take Joel to an Obdresti shine. He went on to explain to Joel, Tonight is a new moon, which means an important observance to Tennia. I think you should come with me to services. Thats the bonfire ceremony, right? asked Joel. When Dormer nodded, Joel went on to ask. Its already getting dark, though. Isnt the bonfire supposed to be lit at sundown? Will we be too late? Dormer nodded. The ceremony has already started, but it runs all night. There will be periodic opportunities to give offerings, and youll get to see some prayers from home. This is the sort of thing Ill be doing every month if I stick around? asked Joel. It would be a good idea to attend while youre in school, but you arent required to. However, if you decide to stay like were asking, it becomes part of your responsibility. Joel hesitated, then said, Im not entirely sure how I feel about it, but I am curious. Turning to me, he asked, Want to tag along? I thought for a moment; I hadnt much interest in religion in general or Tennias in particular, but I didnt particularly relish the streetcar ride home in the dark. Sure, why not, I said. The temple was around a ten-minute drive. Nestled in a residential neighborhood, the temple grounds were like a park, centered around a short hill. The temple itself stood at the top C a ring of white stone held up by columns with a small building at one end. The bonfire itself was a massive pillar of burning wood that gave off an intense glare even in the parking lot. This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. Before we walked up, Dormer gave Joel a box from the grocery store to carry. Your offering, he explained. Joel peeked inside. A roast chicken and potatoes? Dormer smiles. In the old days, Im told it would have been a live one. Joel shrugged and carried the box. As we walked up the hill to the temple, I glanced over at Joel. His eyes kept darting around the grounds, and he rubbed his hands together nervously. As for me, an uneasy feeling was settling in my stomach. Unlike at home where I was a skeptic, Joel and I had seen that the gods here were real and took an interest in the world. I was still not sure what to make of that, and unlike the cribbed-from-Rome Pantheon wed seen, this lacked that bit of familiarity to hold on to. Grand and imposing, the stone columns and the ring above them were intricately carved. At the back, the statue of Tennia loomed large, cast in wild, dancing shadows by the towering bonfire at the center. People sat on the ground around the fire, and Dormer found us a spot not too near anyone else. After we were seated, an elderly priestess greeted Dormer in the Obdresti. She then turned to us with a warm smile, welcoming us in English. She seemed genuinely pleased to have exchange students at the ceremony. Joel gave her a tense smile and handed her the meal. When I noted she set it aside rather than putting it in the fire, Dormer clarified, Its symbolic. It either feeds the priests or goes to those in need. On returning, the priestess offered us a bowl of charcoal chips and dried herbs. Demonstrating what to do, Dormer took a generous pinch from the bowl and threw it towards the fire. As if carried by the wind, the material was sucked up into the fire and the flames responded with a flash of color and a puff of fragrant smoke. "This is when we offer our thanks to Tennia, he explained. The fire delivers our thanks straight to her." Joel took a pinch and threw it, his motions rigid. After this, Dormer bowed his head to pray and Joel did so as well, but I noticed his eyes occasionally flickering around at the other worshipers instead of remaining closed. After this, we returned the bowl to the priestess. For the next little while, we saw many people come and give offerings. Some prayed silently, while others did so out loud C one so loudly and abruptly that Joel flinched slightly. His jaw clenched and he stared straight ahead into the fire rather than watching the others like I did. I wondered if he felt like a fraud here compared to these people who had grown up with this faith. After the offerings, the priestess said a long prayer in Obdresti. At the end she summarized it in English: "Tonight we pray in thanks to Tennia''s purifying fire that drove invaders from our shores long ago. May she continue to protect our people and lead us to prosperity." I noticed Joels eyes widen at those words, and he then said quietly to me, "This is really going to be my life if I stay, isn''t it?" Next, a group of children came forward; each carried an unlit golden lantern. Pla2cing them around the fire, each was lit by sparks from the bonfire. Their soft glow contrasted with the fire''s fierce brilliance, and the Priestess gave another blessing. More prayers followed, as well as another priest leading many of those in attendance in song. Joel seemed increasingly uncomfortable. Every so often, he''d glance my way as if to say so. I tried to offer reassuring nods. I felt oddly comfortable as an observer; my main thought was how fascinated my father would be to see this living ceremony straight from the ancient world he studied. When round of worshipers giving offerings to the priests, Dormer signaled that it was time to leave. On the drive home, Joel stayed silent, while I asked Dormer to explain more of what wed seen. I wanted to write it up for Hull while it was fresh in my memory. When we got to the apartments, before heading to his own, Dormer asked Joel, What did you think? Joel hesitated, and his eyes clouded with doubt. Then he shook his head slightly. Im not sure. I could not shake the feeling of being watched the entire time. As heir, Tennia has a special interest in you. You have a great destiny ahead of you here. Joel responded to this with a worried expression. I wondered if destiny was what he wanted, or he''d rather remain just another kid from Queens. Either way, the look on his face made it clear tonight had not made the decision any easier. Pt. II, Ch. 32: [Interlude/Elise]“It’s really cool how dedicated you are to do that for your family" Sunday, September 27th [Last day of the Festival of Nations], around 10AM Classroom 2C It had been a busy couple of days for Elise; the student council had the festival committee to help, but in the end a lot of the work fell on the core and class officers. She had wanted more time to check things out, especially this year when she finally had a little spending money, but she was enjoying herself, nonetheless. She had not yet had a chance to check out the classs movie caf, and had volunteered for a shift to have an excuse to see it, and to help out at least a little C given her student council responsibilities, she hadnt done anything to help set up. Arriving a little before ten, there were a few students lazing around watching a film; Elise didnt recognize it, but it was a period piece and looked like a romance. The only one tending to the booth was Zaya, who gave her a friendly smile, and said, Hi Elise! Hi Zaya! Youve had the place to yourself this morning? Zaya nodded. Its pretty easy. Zaya went on to show her the price list, and the instruction sheets for the coffee maker and the popcorn machine. There was also a box of rented movies C This one has about 45 minutes to go so one of you will need to put on the next one. Someone else is going to be here? Yes, we had two signups for this shift. You, and Joel. Hes one of the new transfer students, right? Before Zaya could respond, a male voice came from behind Elise. Yeah, thats me. Once she turned, she recognized him; he was the taller of the two who were new this year, and often hanging out with Jack and Kai. Shed met the other, Mark, very briefly, at the American booth yesterday. She figured that meant Joel was also American C up until yesterday shed assumed both been local and had just transferred in from other schools. Joel did a shift yesterday, said Zaya, so if you need anything he should know where things are. Thanks, said Elise, and Zaya said her goodbyes for the next couple of hours. Joel sat down on one of the chairs at the sales table, and Elise took the other. A slightly awkward silence settled in Elise tried to figure out what was going on in the movie C no one was buying anything, so there wasnt really anything else to do. Do you know what this film is? asked Joel. Elise looked down at the box of tapes; the box on top looked like it could be a match for the lead actress maybe? She picked the box up, and it was empty C I guess that was it? The Duchesss Choice, said Elise. Looking at the back of the box, she signed, and offered the box to Joel. It seems like a very predictable romance. Want to have a look? Sure, he said, accepting the box. After reading a bit, he handed it back. A young officer and the heiress to a duchy, defying her family and the forces of convention? Sounds like something straight out of Jane Austen, and then after a moment, umm do they have her books here? I havent a heard of her, she replied. Then after a moment, she asked, What do you mean by here? She was pretty sure she knew the answer but figured it would be better to ask. Joel gave an embarrassed grin. Sorry I forgot to introduce myself. Im from America. Jane Austen was a classic author over there. We had to read one of her books in English class, it was kind of like this. Elise tried to avoid looking smug about having made the right assumption. So, both you and Mark really are from the other side of the gate? Yeah, he said. I guess you met him yesterday at the booth? I saw him there. Im not sure I really met him. She shrugged. Hes pretty quiet. At least until he gets to know people. It looked like he wanted to say more but didnt continue. How did you end up coming to school here? Its kind of a long story, and he paused for a moment. Elise didnt reply, and he went on, My school got approached by our State Department C kind of like the Foreign Ministry here, and I got offered the chance to come. Mark heard about it, and decided he wanted to come along, and he nagged the state department folks to let him take the test. Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. That seems a bit odd, thought Elise. Id like to ask how he was selected individually, but would that be too nosy? Instead, she replied, Its pretty unusual to have foreign students come in on scholarship. Id though the two of you were local until yesterday. This is my first time going to a private school, so I wouldnt know. How do you like it here so far? Joel and Elise talked for a little while about the school; it sounded like he was enjoying it here, and school back in America sounded quite different. A lull in the conversation followed, and both watched the movie quietly. Elise thought she should ask more about America but was unsure how to do so without coming across as nosy. After a particularly melodramatic scene where the romantic rival tried to blackmail the protagonist into marrying an elderly relative, Joel said quietly, OK, not that much like Jane Austen. Im not sure what you mean, but this is pretty terrible, isnt it? replied Else. Joel laughed. Yeah, its bad. Those girls seem really into it, though. I think theyre going to sit through to the end. Elise smiled at his reaction. Probably! I wish theyd buy something. Still, this was a good idea for our class, its easy to run and it seems like people are having fun. Do you know who suggested it? Joel gulped. I suggested a movie theater, and then someone suggested combining it with the caf. Joel went on to explain the reasoning C that with just the theater, people wouldnt be likely to pay to sit through a whole movie, but it was a draw when combined with the snack bar. Did they have anything like this at your old school? Kind of. One of my friends started a club where they borrow a VCR and just watch part of a movie once a week during the lunch break. Else had meant like the festival, but it didnt seem right to bring it up. Do the clubs at your old school not meet after school? Except for the sports teams, I think they all meet at lunch time. Are you in any clubs, other than the student council? No, I work after school, its hard enough to make time for student council. That sounds like a lot of responsibility for someone our age, said Joel. Elise sighed. It is, but I have to help my family out. Its really cool how dedicated you are to do that for your family, said Joel. Elise looked down with a bit of embarrassment. Joel seems really thoughtful, so many of the better off students look down on my working. Thanks, she said quietly. No worries. An awkward silence followed, and they both watched the last few minutes of the movie. The hero and heroine eloped and were implausibly forgiven by her father. Surprisingly, the romantic rival was left as a loose end C after the blackmail plot, Elise had fully expected her to get some kind of comeuppance. The girls who had been watching looked disappointed, and one of them came up to ask if they had the sequel. After looking in the box of rentals, Elise shook her head. She didnt see much that she recognized C not that she had a lot of time to watch movies C and asked Joel, Do you know what were supposed to put on next? Joel found a list on the box of movies, but it wasnt a schedule C just the list of movies, with the ones having been put on already crossed off. Theres an interesting title C Wings of Freedom C I dont remember this from when we picked out films, he said, pulling out the box. Looks like a war film, what do you think? Thats a classic, said Elise. Back in the lower school, we had to watch it for class C its about the Wizards War. Theres a bit of a tragic romance, so the girls might like it. She brought the box over to them, and sure enough, they wanted to see it, so she put it on C and suggested they should buy some popcorn or coffee. One of the girls followed her up and bought some imported candy to share with her friends. This is the same candy your booth was selling? asked Elise. Yes, said Joel. Well, one of them, it looks like the rest sold out. I bought some at the booth yesterday, these are delicious. How did our class end up selling these? Our state department sent a bunch of candy C and a bunch of other junk C to Mark, and he donated some of the candy to the class. This, she thought, is a good opportunity to learn more. They used the gate to send candy through? It seems to use transportation between worlds to bring something so trivial through. Mr. Hull C the representative our government sent here C wants us to share out American culture and it didnt seem like a big deal. Interesting, said Elise, and then after a moment, Your friend Mark also said yesterday I should ask Mr. Hull if I had questions about trade through the gate. You really should. About all the guy talks about is wanting to improve ties between Feldaren and our country. Thats odd C didnt Brinna say theyd talked to him already? I dont know what I could ask him that they couldnt, but it cant hurt to talk to him, He was going to be back this afternoon? I think so. Joel paused a moment, and then smiled. Hey, when we get out of the shift here, do you want to come along with me to the booth to check if Hull is there? I guess so, said Elise. I could find the way myself, she thought, but it is sweet of him to offer. The movie was less than halfway through at noon when another girl from their class came to take her shift at the classroom both, and Elise and Joel walked down to the green together to find Hull. As they approached the corner where the American booth was, however, they were stopped as a loud crowd was packed around the booth. What the heck is going on here? asked Joel, his eyes gone very wide. Looking at the crowd, Elise was just as surprised. What had they done at the booth that morning? Pt. II, Ch. 33: “Since when was Star Wars a black and white film?” Sunday, September 27th [Last day of the Festival of Nations], morning Our booth on the green The booth was quiet for most of morning; Id brought along som-e bootleg VHS tapes and a couple of originals Id brought from home, my video tape player and the old monitor I used instead of a TV. I first put on Ghostbusters, which failed to attract any attention, and after that, The Terminator, which started off with equally little interest. I didnt expect anyone would want hot dogs for breakfast, so the grill was off, and basically, I got to relax at the booth and watch some familiar films from home. I also brought my camera, and got a few pictures, although being stuck at the booth, none were especially interesting. A few people came by to buy candy; I had to apologize to them that we were sold out, but that class 2-C might still have some. I did sell a few more souvenirs than I had during slow hours yesterday C maybe once people were over here, they felt like they should buy something. Or not. I shrugged to myself. As the second movie went on, Galen came by. Hi Mark, he said. Some of the folks from my class said you were asking about my camera? I nodded. I was curious what cameras are like here. That was yours up at the booth? Yeah, my dad gave me his older one. Are you also into photography? A little. I actually brought my camera today to get a few pictures of the festival. I picked it up to show him, and his eyes lit up. What is that? he asked, and when I offered it to him to take a look. Whoa, this is way different. Wheres the F-stop ring? Whys it all plastic? Wait, is this autofocus? He looked at me like Id just handed him something precious, and then back to the camera. Yes, its autofocus, I said. Thats not exactly unusual in my world. This is a pretty basic one. He kept looking at the camera. I know you were talking about coming from the other side of the gate, but you never really seemed different, I guess. The only ones we have here are really expensive, and I cant imagine someone calling them pretty basic. Youre welcome to try it out, I said. It look him a little while to get the handle of doing a half-press of the shutter to get it to focus, so Hull was going to have a couple of blurry shots of the literature club, but by the time he handed it back, he was happy with it. Thats really nice! Was that a gift, or do you know what they cost over there? I went with my dad to buy it using some money my grandfather gave me for my birthday and Christmas. It was a little less than three hundred dollars with the sales tax, if I remember right, and that felt expensive to me. They told us one hundred dollars and an Imperial were close to the same, so I guess about three Imperials? I guess that is expensive for someone our age, he said, but you could easily pay that for a new manual-focus one like mine around here. We chatted about cameras a bit more, and Galen mentioned that he sometimes used a darkroom in the basement of the arts center. It was shared by art classes, the school newspaper, and the yearbook, so it was hard to get free time in there, but it sounded like fun. Wed likely have kept chatting about cameras when the movie interrupted C theres a scene where the robot assassin selects from a menu of insults, followed by the actor dropping a heavily accented F-bomb and then another strong word in the same sentence. It got Galens attention. I havent really been watching, said Galen, but are you sure that movie is appropriate for school? I noticed that some girl from over at the literature club booth was giving us a nasty look; I didnt think she could hear the dialogue from over there, but I wondered if it was the movie. Galen and I watched for a couple more minutes, both of us having been distracted from our conversation, and it went straight into a love scene. Nothing explicit, but I got embarrassed, and when I looked over at the girl over at the literature club booth she looked really unhappy. Maybe I should turn it off? I said, and pressed stop on the VCR. How did you end up putting movies on? asked Galen. I explained that wed run out of candy, and that this had been a last-minute idea to have something to do for today. It was getting on late enough in the morning at this point that I thought we might start getting people asking for hot dogs, so I took a minute to light the grill before figuring out the next movie to put on. Do you want to look through the other movies I brought? I asked Galen, hoping that hed save me the trouble of picking the next one. Sure, he said. I dont know if Ill recognize any of them, though. I handed him the box, and while he was looking at them, a girl came up to the booth, who asked very quietly if this was the American booth. When I said yes, she then asked if Joel was around. On taking a look at her, she was familiar C Violet, one of the girls wed seen on the train a couple of times, and that hed helped out with bullies. Uh, no, actually, hes taking a shift in our classroom. Its 2-C if you want to go look for him. Had she and Joel kept in touch? I realized only after that was coming out of my mouth that Id failed to introduce myself, and I wasnt sure if I should admit to recognizing her since wed never been introduced. Joel said you had some American candy here for sale? I shook my head, and started to say, Its all sold uh, wait a second. The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. I checked in my backpack; there were a pair of packs of candy Id been saving for myself. I gave one to Violet, and one to Galen. Galen, whod been busily looking through the tapes, looked up at Violet and blushed; I dont think Violet noticed. There you go, I told her. She tried to give me a ticket, and I waved her off, since youre a friend of Joels, please, just take it. She blushed, and mumbled something I couldnt follow, and then wandered off. Do you know her? I asked Galen. Yeah, weve been in the same classes most years, he said. He still looked embarrassed, so I didnt press further. This chocolate is really good, thanks. After this, he left; a couple of people wanted hot dogs, and I made a few souvenir sales, and then Hull arrived before I could put another movie on. I gave him a brief update on the prior days events and told him to keep an eye for Cory whod been willing to be interviewed in exchange for the orbiter model. Once he was settled in, I took another look through the box; I had brought a fair number of other fairly violent action movies and fairly raunchy comedies C if Terminator had been inappropriate, Im not sure most of the others would have been a good idea. Then I spotted my boxed set of the three Star Wars films. I didnt think they could offend anyone, although I wasnt sure the whole space thing would have much traction here. I put the first one on, and within a couple of minutes it had attracted attention. A couple of kids had come over from the literature club booth, and one boy asked, Is this a remake? Huh C what do you mean? I asked. This looks like Star Wars, but thats a classic film it should be in black and white, he said. What? I asked. Since when was Star Wars a black and white film? Of course it was! Im surprised you dont know the story, if youve got a copy of this version. The newcomers would always talk about the story from their world, and after the war some of them recreated it here. It one of the first successful movies. I hadnt heard theyd done a remake, but this looks really good. Wait, you said the newcomers made a version here? He nodded. I pointed at the sign for the American booth. I dont know if the newcomers world was exactly the same as ours, but on ours this is the original. Your world? Wait, this film came through the gate? I nodded. No way! he said. Ive always wanted to see the original, Ive got to go tell my friends. Soon, there was a large crowd around the booth, and people were not exactly being orderly about trying to find a position to watch. I noticed a couple of younger kids pushing to get closer, while some of the older ones called for them to stop. A 13 computer monitor wasnt very big compared to a TV, so I couldnt blame them for wanting a decent view but I was concerned the people pushing might get out of hand. I went to Hull, who had been trying to avoid the crowd and asked him, What should we do? Im surprised this was so popular! I caught what the other student was saying, and it confirms that intellectual property rights are going to be a sticking point if we can on an eventual trade treaty. Still, the popularity of this is interesting. The pause before interesting was a little villainous. It took a little while for the crowd to get bigger, and as it did people got louder and more boisterous, and pushing gave way to shoving. One of the younger boys shoved someone larger and in response they got knocked over right onto my table full of souvenirs. I paused the movie, which elicited groans and angry muttering from the crowd. Holding up my hands to plead for calm, I said, Hey, careful please. The commotion, however, must have drawn the attention of the student council, because the next moment I heard a voice yelling, Break up this rabble at once! and I knew at once that it was that annoyance, Neil. He came pushing through the crowd, followed by a security guard. "Cease this disruption of the festival at once!" Neil bellowed, glaring about at the crowd. The security guard gave an apologetic shrug, looking more embarrassed than anything else at having been dragged into this. The crowd ignored him but did reluctantly give way. Once Neil pushed closer first he strode up to the desk and snapped at me, Why am I not surprised that the center of this mob is one of our so-called American guests. Before I could respond, he went on, "As vice president of the student council, it is my duty to put an end to this disorder." Neil''s tone only made the crowd angrier. People yelled at Neil to be quiet and resume the movie. He scowled, but even the guard seemed to realize Neil''s attitude was making things worse. Before things could escalate further, a man in a tweed jacket approached briskly from the direction of the lower school. I didnt know his name, but I recognized him as Dean Jerdews counterpart for the lower school. The dean stepped forward before Neil could continue, giving him an unhappy look. "That''s quite enough. I will take charge here." Neil''s eye twitched, but he managed a stiff nod. "Of course, Dean Bravak. I defer to your authority in calming this...situation. The tone of his voice made it clear that he was reluctant to back down. The dean took over calmly, asking me to explain the situation, and when Id done so, he said, I see, there must be a classroom you can use, then to Neil - youre from the upper school student council, right? Can you find him something? While Neil thought for a minute, I replied, Im not sure that would work; the video system is different here. Neil barely managed to avoid interrupting me, and said to the Dean, Surely youre not going to encourage this. The Dean gave him a frustrated look. This isnt for me to encourage or not. We do need to get this crowd under control though and clear some of the walkway. The crowd made some room for the walkway, but few if any left. Hull took the Dean aside for a few moments and then came back and addressed the crowd, Folks, Im really gratified that theres so much interest in a film from our country. Im sorry the club wasnt better prepared for this, but heres what were going to do: the United States trade mission is going to arrange for a proper screening of this film C of the whole trilogy. We cant do it today, though! Well work with the school so you can all see it. The crowd took the news with some excitement and started to disperse. I asked Hull, What now? "I think it''s best we close up the booth for today," Hull said evenly. I hesitated, thinking of the pile of remaining souvenirs and all the uncooked hot dogs. But the morning''s excitement had sucked the fun out of it, and I really did want a chance to check out the rest of the festival myself. Neil overheard us and jumped in immediately. "Yes, shut this down at once! The festival cannot have disruptions from...questionable influences." He gave a meaningful glare in my direction. I gritted my teeth and decided to avoid an argument. I didn''t have energy for it, anyway - arguing with Neil would just frustrate me more. And I knew he was itching for any excuse to escalate the situation. "Fine," I muttered. Neil appeared taken aback that I didn''t object. I looked over at Hull and asked, youre supposed to be here until 2PM, do you want to stay here to do the rest of the meet-and-greet? Hull nodded. Neil looked at me, and at Hull, and gave an unhappy look. Fine, he said, and left. Once Neil finally left, Joel and Elise came over. I hadnt seen them but was relieved to have friendly faces now that the situation had wound down. Joel introduced Hull to her, and told him, Shes our class representative to the student council, and had some questions about trade through the gate. Thank you for bringing her by, Joel, he said in reply. While Elise and Hull stepped away to talk, Joel asked, What now, man? "Hey, can you give me a hand packing up?" I asked Joel, eager to get it over with. Between the two of us, we had the booth cleared quickly. Pt. II, Ch. 34: “She also told me to tell you not to forget to feed the cat.” Sunday, September 27th [Last day of the Festival of Nations], afternoon Queen Sara Memorial Academy What happened here? asked Kai. He and Amy showed up just as Joel and I finished packing up the booth. I gave him a quick run-down on what had happened. When we finished, he was shaking his head and almost looked ready to laugh. I dont know Neil very well, but that sounds just like Jacks complaints about him. I guess you wouldnt have known about there being a version of the film here, but I can see why it drew a crowd. The remake is that popular? Kai nodded. Yeah, I mean, its old but it was this big shared cultural thing for the newcomers. Anyone with exposure to them through their family will have seen it. Hull says hes going to get a real showing of the trilogy together, sounds like its going to be a big deal? It was weird to think about seeing them here, but I was looking forward to it. Yeah, I think so. Kai said, cracking a big smile. Actually, I hope I can bring my grandfather to that! Check with Hull, I said, pointing him out C he was still over at his corner of the booth talking to Elise. Hell be the one to make arrangements with the school. Ill do that, he said. What are you and Joel going to do from here? I need to get some lunch, and I havent seen that much of the rest of the festival, I said. Anything you recommend checking out? What have you seen already? asked Kai. Just this end of the green, and some of the first- and second-year classrooms. You should check out the arts center, then, he said. A lot of the clubs have their exhibits there. Ah, nice. Joel, you want to come get something to eat? I asked. I was hoping to wait for Elise, he said, glancing over at her. She and Hull remained deep in conversation. It looks like shes going to be a while, so sure, I guess. We went to get some food with Amy, who suggested we check out a cluster of booths serving by the sports center. One of them was serving some kind of stir-fry, which Amy got a plate from and another to bring back for Kai. Another had fish and chips - Joel got an order of those, and when it turned out they had fried chicken as well, I decided to get their chicken and chips. We brought the plates back to our now-closed booth to eat; by the time we were back, to Joels disappointment, Elise was gone. Once we were done eating, Kai and Amy headed out, and Joel ended up coming with me to check out the Arts Center booths. The lobby of the arts center has a couple of tables for the Library Club, as well as a table taking orders for the yearbook. I figured it would be easiest to just start at the top and work our way down. On the fourth floor, there were bunch of exhibitions by arts clubs C and at one end of the floor there was the student council room which wed seen on our prior tour. There was no booth there, just people there doing administrative work. At the other end of the floor was a bank of offices used as club rooms. Two were for the newspaper and yearbook, both closed; a third appeared to be unassigned. The last had a sign for the Mages Club and the door was open. From the doorway, I looked inside C a couple of boys were huddled around a table reading a large book. Hello? I asked from the door, and they looked up. Can I help you? one of them asked. Sorry, I just saw that the door was open and was wondering whether your club had something for the festival. Weve got an exhibition later this afternoon out on the stage, if youre interested, said one of them. Thanks, I said. Do you mind if I ask what this club is about? The same boy looked at me like I should have already known, but replied anyway, This is the Mages club, its for students who are initiates of at least the second circle. If you dont mind, can you shut the door? We really need to finish preparing for the exhibition. Sure, no problem. I had a guess what was meant by the second circle but Id have to wait to ask Yali to see if I was right. We worked our way down two floors checking out the exhibits, and when we got back to the lobby, Joel noticed that there was a basement level, so we headed down. Unlike the fairly bright and elegant construction of the upper levels, the club rooms down here had only small windows mounted high on the concrete walls and seemed to have been converted from maintenance space. Most of the rooms were closed, but one seemed quite busy C a small line of students, mostly girls, was waiting outside one room. The clubs title was covered by a sign which read, Fortune teller! Genuine divination magic. We should check that out, said Joel. When we got near the head of the line, there was a price list: Luck reading C 1 ticket, Love reading C 3 tickets, Detailed questions answered C 5 tickets. Joel, unsurprisingly, wanted to try the love reading, and nagged me into trying the same. When we got all the way to the front of the line, a girl took our tickets and walked us into the club room. The edges of the room were crowded with shelves absolutely packed with books and with junk. In the center of the room, a table was covered with a thick black cloth, and just above the center of the table was a floating iridescent ball of light. It cast flickering patterns of light all through the room. The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. The girl who walked us in said, Im Livia, from the magical research club, and then pointing out the floating ball, This is Vanth, a spirit in the service of the goddess Nezca. He volunteers every year to help with our booth. After doing so, she took a long look at Joel and held her hand up to near Vanth. After a moment, she looked frustrated and then said, Hes not usually this vague, but Vanth says your future is very cloudy, and that you should focus on other things than romance. Joel sighed. Nothing about the girl I like? Livia looked down at Vanth again. He says, Good luck, youll need it. Joel shook his head. Is he always like this? Livia sighed loudly. I''m so sorry about this. He''s normally much more specific. She leaned down toward the glowing orb, frowning, and then said to the ball, What''s going on? The ball spun lazily and changed colors, but gave no other reply. Livia shook her head angrily, but after a moment she seemed to regain her composure. Then she looked at me, and down at the ball again. Then her eyes widened in surprise, and said to the ball, Theres no way Im repeating that. You want to tell him directly? The ball showed an abstract face on its surface C almost like one of those have a nice day logos C which turned into a grimace and looked at Livia saying, Oh, fine. Then the face turned directly to me with a weird grin, and said I dont know what you did to get the attention of a major goddess, but Jaklamina ordered me directly to tell you no spoilers, and then after a moment, it went on to say, She also told me to tell you not to forget to feed the cat. The face disappeared. Livia was shaking her head again. Sorry, guys. From super-vague, to completely implausible. She bit her lip, seeming torn between embarrassment and annoyance at her spirit companions antics. Joel nudged me, and I said, Maybe not that implausible. Were from the other side of the gate, and the local deities seem to have decided we were interesting. Livia gave me a very incredulous look. I shrugged, and then asked her, Can you tell me a little about this club? Sure, she said. Basically the club is for anyone with an interest in magic who isnt ranked or who doesnt want to deal with how stuffy the Mages club can be. Theres usually somebody here after school, so just drop by if youre interested. Thanks, I said. Ill probably do that. Joel and I left, and on the way out of the basement, I noticed a room marked for the Computer Club. Unfortunately, it was closed. We checked out a few more booths on the green, and then ended up splitting up. I picked up the pictures from Galens classroom, checked out a few of the classrooms on the third-year floor, and then ended up lounging out on the green watching the various groups performing on the main stage. Mid-afternoon, that included the Mages club C including the two boys wed met briefly C who put on an impressive display of illusion magic, including some that could have passed for fireworks overhead. At five, Anson, the student council president, came up on stage C echoed by the PA system C to announce that the public part of the festival was ending, and that visitors, parents and friends of the school should depart. As a security measure, students were asked to go back to their homerooms to take attendance and be dismissed, while the campus was checked over. In our homeroom, I asked Jack and Kai whether this was how it had been in prior years. This is new, said Jack. Usually we can just go straight to the closing ceremony. After a little while, Mr. Kirill dismissed us, and all four of us C Jack, Kai, Joel and I C headed to the green for the closing ceremony. On the way, I stopped by the booth C Hull was gone as expected, and both the grill and the extension cord had already been taken by custodial staff. There was also a note for me from Hull: Mark, Ive taken the liberty of dropping the booths tickets off with the student council; the earnings were deposited to the clubs account. Feel free to donate them to another student organization, if youd like, as the state department will be happy to sponsor the booth next year. Thanks for connecting me with some of your classmates, and I look forward to reading your write-up when you get the chance. With both the lower and upper school student bodies present, the green was quite full C both schools together would not fit in the great hall of the arts center. Once the green had filled in, Anson came back on stage and gave a short speech thanking students at both schools for their hard work in making the festival a success. The festival had raised a large amount of money for both the two schools student councils, and for individual classes and student organizations, as well as representing the school to the broader community. He also thanked the faculty for their help, and the two deans and head of school for their help with security arrangements. And now, he concluded, for what you have all been waiting for C the awards for best booths. Neil, and a young woman who I guessed might be his counterpart at the lower school, both came up to the microphone. They introduced themselves, and then she said, For our first category, we have the best food stalls. As usual, we will have the top-earning booth and the judges award. For the top earner, we have class 3-K, barbeque meat in the style of Teupla. Neil continued, And for the judges award, we have the Boys and Girls Track Club with their stir fry station. They went on C best exhibition, best other booth which went to booths selling souvenirs or services, and then Neil concluded with something that rankled, and last, Id like to add a special dishonorable mention to the so-called American Cultural Club for almost starting a riot. I could see Anson on stage giving Neil an unhappy look, and there were a lot of puzzled grumbles from the audience. The heck? said Joel, sounding and looking steamed. I started off equally unhappy, but then I smiled. What an ass, I said, and then after a moment, I think Neil has never heard that theres no such thing as bad publicity. There were similar awards for the best classroom exhibit for each class-year, presented by the class officers C in our case, that was Elise, which captured Joels rapt attention, but my mind was wandering at that point. After that, Anson gave the stage to Doctor Mittari for a closing speech. I was tired and paid his remarks little attention. As the closing ceremony wrapped up, I found myself torn between exhaustion and amusement. The long weekend had left me ready to collapse, but the reality of living in a fantasy world brought a smile to my face. What sort of deity says No spoilers...? And how weird is it to mention the cat in our yard? The gods visit and their discussion of unclear destinies and pivotal decisions lingered in my mind, but there was nothing I could do about that right now. As other students began leaving the green, I stretched and stifled a yawn, my mind drifting ahead to the coming week. Forget destiny! I had much more immediate worries - midterm exams were only a few weeks away, and my history paper also loomed large in my mind; Ms. Callliot was still after me for changes to the outline, and the final paper was due right before midterms. Life would only get more hectic, and I wondered if it would also keep getting stranger. I hoped that a good night''s sleep would make tackling all of these things seem less daunting. Whatever challenges it held though, at least I wouldn''t have to face them alone. And yes, on getting home, I made sure to put out food for the cat. Pt. II, Ch. 35: “Joel is going to have field day teasing me about her again” Tues, Sep 29th after school Fencing club room After the school festival, I was glad to have things back to their regular pace. On Tuesday, I had fencing club after school for PE, and I realized as we practiced that I was supposed to ask Gwen about the play. In the hope of getting a few minutes of her time after, I stuck around after practice to help clean up. Unfortunately, the group conversation for the more serious members was on an upcoming tournament involving a couple of the other high schools on this side of the river, and I was not able to ask her. As cleanup finished, Kai asked, Does anyone want to get some food? I was about to say I was in when Gwen said, That sounds nice, but Ive got to do some student council work after this. Cory and Mina decided to join Kai, and all three looked at me. It sounded like Gwen was busy, so I answered, Sure, why not. We went to Rivas again C this time I was hungry enough to order a meal rather than ice cream. Are you not going to eat at home? asked Kai. Nah, I said. Ive been too busy to get groceries, and I already brought a sandwich from home for lunch. Oh, yeah, you and Joel are living on your own, he said. We ended up discussing the neighborhoods we all lived in. Kais family lived in a high-rise apartment just across the river from the main station. Cory mostly stayed at her mothers townhouse in Old Feldaren, but when her father was in town stayed with him. His apartment was north of the station, near the university C that was also the area where Gwen lived. Mina lived near the school; there werent any school-owned dorms, but there were privately-run rooming houses which served the same purpose and catered to out of town students, including in her case foreign ones. The food arrived and the conversation died down while Mina and Kai had their ice cream and Cory and I our entrees. The dish I ordered was pretty good, spaghetti with a sauce nicely heavy on the ground beef. When we were done eating, I said good evening to them as Id biked in - I was the only one heading back to campus. I was unlocking my bike when I noticed someone coming up C it was Gwen. Hi Mark! What funny timing. How was Rivas? she asked. Good, I said. My first time getting a real dinner there. How was student council? She shrugged. Busy. Theres a lot of followup from the festival, as well as club budgets. Interesting, I said. Do you have a minute before you go? I wanted to ask about the play your club is doing. Her eyes lit up. Id love to tell you about it, but I have to get going. How about after practice on Thursday? Sure, I said. If youre riding home now, mind if I join you? No problem, she replied. I hadnt been observant enough to spot her bike, but it was parked a few down from mine. After unlocking it, she seemed to concentrate briefly and what had looked like a headlight lit up C much brighter than the battery powered bike light I had. I had just enough sensitivity to magic at this point to tell that a trickle of magical energy was flowing into it. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. We made fast progress until, not that long before my own turnoff, Gwen stopped. This is my stop today, she said. I waved and continued on, as she turned off the trail onto one of the side streets. When I got home and was bringing my bike inside, I saw the cat lurking outside in the bushes. Its plate on the back porch was, as usual, licked clean. When I brought out some more food for it, it wandered up much less cautiously than it had in the past, and on reaching the plate of cat food looked up at me and meowed. It looked down at the cat food again, up at me, and meowed again. You want ham, dont you? The cat gave a loud, happy meow, and when I came back with a couple of slices of ham It didnt back away when I set them down on its plate. Instead, it bumped my hand gently with its head, meowed loudly one more time, and started eating. Youve gotten friendlier, I said. It just kept eating. Thursday, October 1st during mid-morning homeroom Homeroom 2-C On my way into school, I stopped by the folders we used as mailboxes, as I did most days. Inside, as Id been expecting, was a printout. More specifically, it was my latest outline for the first term paper for Advanced Honors History C although it was getting long, as Id got in the habit of inlining blocks from the sources I was using. As expected, there was plenty of commentary from Ms. Calliot, even on the first page. I didnt have time to look at it again until we were waiting for homeroom to start. I was taking it out of my bag to read through her notes, when a small envelope fell out of the pages onto the floor. Jack, whose seat was in front of Joels, spotted it as I was picking it up and asked, Whats that? I dont know, I said. The envelope was a plain white one, and smaller than a greeting card. It had my first and last name on it, in clear cursive handwriting. Looks like a love letter! said Jack, which got Joel and Kais attention. I really doubt it, I replied. None of the girls I knew here could possibly think of me as more than an acquaintance. It would have to be a total stranger. Girls dont just do that. Its been known to happen, said Kai, at least for very popular guys. Theres no risk of my being confused with one of those, I said. I dont suppose theyre going to let me open this in private, I thought, so I opened the letter. It was glued only at a small in the center and opened easily. Inside was a folded piece of off-white notepaper, rather than a card. I opened it, and read:
Mark, We havent spoken outside of class, but I have a request to make of you. If you are open to hearing me out, I would greatly appreciate the chance to discuss this in some privacy after classes today. Please stop by the Adv. Hon. History classroom after last period so we can talk. If you are not free today, please let me know another more convenient time. I understand if you may prefer not to get involved, and if so, please forgive this intrusion. Respectfully, - Tess Hahn.
My first thought was that it sounded unnecessarily formal. It certainly wasnt any sort of love note, and while I was initially a little uncertain that I recognized the name, the fact that she wanted to meet in that classroom confirmed that it was the first-year representative. What would Tess want? Were in a class together, but the closest weve come to speaking was her answering a question I posed initially to Ms. Calliot. Also, Joel is going to have field day teasing me about her again! This looks weird, I said. She did say wanted to meet privately, but frankly, I wanted my friends thoughts on it, so I handed the note to Joel and asked, What do you think? Joel read it, as did Kai and Jack over his shoulder. After he read it, Joel asked Is that C and Joel ended the sentence with a hefting gesture in front of his chest. Thats crude of you, said Kai. I just rolled my eyes in response. Sorry, said Joel, and then to me, Maybe shes going to ask you to stop ogling her? I dont well, I try not to, I said. So, are you going to go? asked Jack. It sounds awkward, I replied. But I am curious, so uh, I guess I will. Good luck! said Joel, slapping me on the back. Pt. II, Ch. 36: “I couldnt possibly ask you to do that” Thursday, October 1st, afternoon At school If wed had the history class today, Id have just asked Tess what this was about after class, and likely been much more comfortable than this cloak-and-dagger meeting. I put it mostly out of my mind as I went through the school day, but after our regular history class I had two free periods C reserved for PE, but it was rarely mandatory to attend since I was attending fencing practice after school. Most of the class tended to stay in the classroom to study, although some people more serious about sports used it to work out, and others would head early to club rooms. Joel, Kai and Amy were staying in the classroom; Jack had one of his electives during this period. I tried to study with them but was too tense and decided to take a walk. I went by the classroom where we were supposed to meet, and on other days we would have had the advanced honors history - it was in use by another class, with Ms. Calliot also teaching. It looked like mostly 3rd year students, and she had some battlefield maps taped up on part of the chalkboard. If Id been in time for the start of class, Id have been tempted to ask to sit in. Since there was nothing to do there now, I decided to head to the library to try to find a few last sources for my paper. One document discussed the need for martial virtue to be a proper king. Something clicked C this paralleled something my dad had explained, about the Roman notion of virtus and how it applied to medieval feudalism in our world. That couldnt be a coincidence, given the linguistic origins of the New Imperial from a world like ours. It was a small point, but it gave a motive rather than just circumstance. Id been trying to argue the yes side of warfare was the first business of the state mostly because at least some of the kingdoms were at war at any given point throughout the period. This, in turn, led to some other points I wanted to read up on and the remaining time before afternoon homeroom flew by. I got back to the classroom a little late, but in time to get dismissed. Afterwards, Joel asked. Are you still going to see what she wants? I nodded. Do you need me to come along? Nah, Im good. I headed over to the room, taking the walkway over to the second classroom building. On the top floor, I passed by the 3rd-year classrooms. The second floor had only elective classrooms; some were in use for club activities, but it was very quiet right now. The door to classroom where we had our history elective was closed, but the light was on inside, so I slid open the door and stepped in. At the front of the room, near the head of the circle of seats C roughly where she usually sat C was Tess, with another girl seated next to her. As I approached, I recognized Violet. Id seen them together on the streetcar a few times, and shed visited our booth. While at first glance, I would have simply described them both as short blonde girls, the resemblance ended there C where Tess was very pleasantly curvy, Violet was tiny, and not just in the sense Joel had teased me about with Tess. Tesss hair was a darker shade of blonde, and she has a very neat and tidy hairstyle, cut a little above her shoulders, which gave her a serious look, as did her sharp eyes and their icy grey color. Violets hair was lighter, wildly curly and spilled down her back, with big hazel eyes. If I hadnt already known they were both first-years, I would have assumed Violet to be at least a couple of years younger than Tess. Hi Mark, thanks for coming, said Tess, while I pulled up a chair. No problem, I replied, and then to Violet, and your name is, Violet, right? Violets eyes went a bit wide, and she said, l didnt know you knew who I am. My friend Joel told me about meeting you a while ago, and that you were in the same literature class. Really? He mentioned me? Violet said, her voice happy and high, and her eyes widened again. She was also a bit red, blushing strongly just as she had when I referred to her as Joels friend back at the booth. I nodded. I had a pretty good guess at what this was about by then, but I didnt want to say it outright in case my guess was wrong. Still, if I ever had to doubt that Joel was the protagonist of this story, and that Im the sidekick, I think this is about to prove it. Tess then said, Let me get straight to the point of why I asked you here. I shrugged, and after a moment she went on, Joel Ross is a friend of yours, right? Violet said you were both from America and knew each other. Thats right, I said. OK, that about confirms it. Joel, buddy, if this is going the way I think it is you are so going to owe me one. Tess nodded, her eyes straight on me with a serious look. Im curious, did Joel ever mention what happened to Violet when they first met? Yes, I think his exact words that evening were I just rescued a girl. That sounded a bit dramatic C if I understood right, he stepped in when some guys were hassling her? I wasnt there, said Tess, but the way Violet told me about it I dont think rescued was overstating it. She looked over at Violet, who nodded. I see, I said, not sure how to respond. I never got to thank him properly then, said Violet. I got to talk to him again at my clubs booth. She looked down again. That must have been when he told you about our booth? I asked. She nodded. Thank you again for the chocolate. No problem, I said. An awkward silence followed. OK, Im still pretty sure where this is going, but I really dont want to assume in case Im wrong. After a long moment, Tess broke the silence, and said, OK, good. To get back to why I asked you here, Violet asked me if I had ideas for how to get to know Joel better. She wasnt comfortable approaching him directly, so my next idea was to talk to one of his friends. You and I are in the same history class, so I thought you might not mind if we asked you about him. And its confirmed. I wonder, do I look as smug as I feel? I dont mind, I said, and then after a moment, How can I help? Thanks, said Violet quietly, with a shy smile. Tess, meanwhile, was looking at me expectantly. Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. I can tell you about Joel, I said, within reason going through my mind but remaining unsaid. Weve been friends for a long time, so Im not sure where to start. What specifically would you like to know about him? What kind of things does he like? asked Tess. I thought for a moment. The main thing hes been into recently is soccer. Hes busy with the club and I think hes serious about trying to play for the team. He was in the school band at our old school, and hes still into music I guess. Should I mention comic books? Its kind of the main interest he and I had bonded over years ago, but I dont want to make him out to seem like a big nerd. I decided to play it safe, skipping the details of what, and ended with and he reads a lot. Oh, that last must be why he took a literature elective, observed Tess. I think so, I said, trying to sound a little confident C Im pretty sure this is more about learning about his moms homeland, but I cant say that. English is one of his favorite subjects. See, thats something you two have in common, Tess said to Violet. Violet smiled in response. Then back to me, Tess said, Joel said something to Violet about it being a long story how you two came to attend school here. Could you share a bit more? I gave them the standard version of why were here C folks in both governments wanted to encourage trade, Joel got selected, I decided to tag along. I omitted any mention of Joels family here, of course, as well as my reason for changing my mind C Annes death. So, youre just here for the year? Tess asked. I am, yes. Joel is planning to stay until graduation, I said. Right after I said it, I realized that might have been saying too much. I wasnt sure why she wanted to know. Unless, um, its somehow a way of seeing is Joel someone who could be serious about a relationship? and if so, wow, thats getting a bit ahead of itself. Do you know why that is? Joels planning to stay for next year? I asked, and when she nodded, I was glad this was something Joel and Dormer had already come up with an answer for. Joels father runs an import-export business back in our world. Joel thought it might be a good opportunity for his dads business if he could learn more about this world. OK, that didnt really answer the question. He hasnt told me anything more specific, but my guess is he and his dad see a long term opportunity here. Thats fascinating, said Tess, now sounding a lot more like Id caught her interest than just helping out her friend. Im surprised the Brotherhood is entertaining that, but once we have visiting students through the gate, I suppose increasing trade isnt any weirder. Do you know much about the Brotherhood? I asked. A fair amount, I think, said Tess. I dont want to change the subject too much, but another time, can I ask you some more about it? She shrugged. I guess so. So, what else can I tell you about Joel? I asked. Violet gave Tess an expectant look. Tess responded with, Go on, Violet. You can ask him. Violet looked down for a moment and then back at me, asking, I hope this isnt too forward, but does Joel have a girlfriend? Oh my god, this is such a stereotype. I had to work a bit not to smile too much, but I made my mouth stay neutral. After a moment to get my composure back, I said, No, he really doesnt. After I said it, I realized that kind of didnt make sense. really doesnt? Oh well. I am so sick of hearing him say how much he wants one! I wanted to tell them what he often said, but it felt like it might reflect badly on him to repeat it outright. Thats good, said Tess, giving her friend a look. Is there someone he likes? asked Violet. I thought about what to say before answering. I think Elise is just someone hes interested in, not a full-on crush yet, but Im not sure. I really dont know that its appropriate for me say anything about that, but I dont want to give her false hope if Im wrong. Im not sure, I said, settling on the course of being vague. Definitely not anyone who hes serious about. Weve only been here a month. I thought it would sound reassuring, but Violet looked if not disappointed, then at least dubious. OK, I guess that didnt come out quite right. We really appreciate you taking the time to tell us about Joel, Tess said. I know Violet is hoping she''ll get another chance to talk with him again soon. Violet nodded eagerly at this. I wasn''t sure if there was an implied request there or just how interested Violet was, but she seemed sincere. "Would it help if I tell Joel about you wanting to talk more?" As I made the offer to mention it to Joel, her eyes went wide, and she vehemently shook her head. "Oh no, I couldn''t possibly ask you to do that," she said, looking mortified at the thought. "Please dont say anything to him." Its OK, I said. I should have realized that since you approached me rather than approaching him in the first place, right? Is there something else I can do to help? Thanks, Mark, Violet said. She gave a soft shrug and then looked between me and Tess. Perhaps one of you two can think of something that wouldnt be so direct? We have midterms coming up, I said. Could we find an excuse for him to help you study? Violet shook her head gently. Were not in the same year, so it would be a big imposition on him. Tess was grinning. I think we could make it work, she said to Violet. Not studying for midterms exactly, but you two are in the same literature elective. Youve got that big paper coming up. After that, she asked me, Do you think Joel would respond well if she asked him for help on the paper? Im sure hed be happy to help if she asked, I said. Violet looked uncertain. Im not sure I can. I could ask him for you, I said. I looked at Tess, sheepishly. He saw your letter, so Ill probably have to tell him something about what we talked about, anyway. Tess rolled her eyes at me as she thought for a moment. Its fine, she said and then she grinned. I think it would sound strange for you to ask it for her, but I see a way that this can work out to help Violet. You do? Violet and I asked at the same time. Yes, I do, Tess said. Her expression went mostly back to normal, but a bit of the grin and a glint in her eye remained. You are going to have to approach him directly, Violet, but what Mark can say about this meeting should help you out. We can safely assume Joel is going to ask you what this was about, and if not, Id appreciate it if you do mention it. Tell him that I was asking for help with the upcoming paper for our history class. After I nodded, she went on. If he knows I already asked you for help, it will make it more natural when a different first-year asks him for help. That should make him more receptive, right? If hes got a little bit of a competitive streak, it might even make him a lot more receptive. Would that count as psychological priming? I asked. Now that you mention it, I think so, said Tess. Interesting, I said, and that makes sense. I can talk to him this evening after he gets out of soccer practice. Good, she said. Although in case you dont get to talk then, their class is first period tomorrow, it might be too early. Joel has a free period after homeroom on Saturday, maybe Violet can come by right after homeroom to ask him? I couldnt on my own, and Tess has history class then! protested Violet. Got it, I said. So, I guess after class on Monday? Thats a long time to wait, said Violet, sounding disappointed. Wouldnt that also give him too long to put you and Mark working together out of mind? Tess patted Violet on the shoulder I know its hard to wait, but you dont and she stopped there, clearly thinking about something, and then she said, if what were worried about is Mark not getting to talk to Joel this evening, maybe I should just call to check on that for you? So, this is what really outgoing people are like! Id have found it a little intimidating to call someone I barely knew, but if she was comfortable with it, I wasnt going to say anything. She must have noticed my hesitation, though, as she then asked, unless it will be a problem with your parents? Its fine. Theyre back in New York, theres nobody youd bother by your calling. I tore a scrap of paper out of my notebook and gave the apartments phone number to Tess. Thanks, Mark, said Tess. I really appreciate your being willing to help us. Me too, said Violet. No problem, or I guess, youre welcome. Youre trying to do something nice for a friend of mine, after all. Tess and Violet headed out first; I stuck around a little lost in thought. This all seems like a lot of effort on Tesss part, she must really care about her friend a lot. I wondered if I was ever going to be able to explain this to Joel, or if it would remain a secret. Violet seemed like a nice person, but terribly shy and maybe a little immature. I also wasnt sure how much Joel had already built up his idea of things going with Elise. I remember how easy it used to be to do that with a crush, Joel might be the same way. I shrugged to myself. Even if it goes nowhere, Im pretty sure Joel will appreciate the attention. I was already late for fencing, so I headed over to the sports center. Pt. II, Ch. 37: [Interlude: Tess] “Arranged by your government - how interesting” Thursday, October 1st, evening Tesss Home Tess had decided to check in with Mark before it got too late in the evening. Despite having suggested checking in like it was a perfectly natural thing, she found herself oddly uncomfortable calling the home of a boy she did not know well. The phone rang a few times before someone picked it up. "Hello!" came a boy''s voice, without further greeting. She didn''t know Mark''s voice that well, but it didn''t sound the same. "Hi, I''m trying to reach Mark Berg, is this the right number?" said Tess. "Oh, yeah, he''s here," said the voice. "Hold on." She heard a soft thump as whoever it was set the handset down, and she heard the same voice at a distance say "Mark, it''s for you." Mark''s response was inaudible, but his... roommate? ...picked up again and said, "Hold on, he''s going to pick up in his room." After about a minute, she heard another extension pick up, and then a voice that must have been Mark''s said, "OK, I''m on," followed by the sound of an extension hanging up. After it had, he went on. "Hi Tess - that is you calling, right?" "Yes," she said. "So, you have roommates? You said I wouldn''t bother anyone by calling, so I may have jumped to the conclusion that you lived in one of the dorms near school." "Nope, it''s an apartment, and I''ve got a roommate," said Mark. "That was Joel." Joel and Mark are roommates? Tess paused, considering how to delicately get more information. I guess it makes sense, they are the first American students Ive heard of coming here. "Did the school set up private housing arrangements for you two?" She hoped redirecting with a question tying it back to the school might elicit more details without seeming nosy. When Mark didn''t respond at once, she went on, "Anyway, I''m sorry if I seem caught off guard. I was just calling to check if you''d had a chance to talk to Joel yet. You know, about that study help I might need?" Tess wanted to roll her eyes at the excuse, even if it had been her idea. "Oh, yeah, I told him about it when he got back from soccer practice." Tess breathed an inward sigh of relief that things were on track for Violet. She scrambled to think of what to say next. Should she drop the pretense and directly ask Mark more about his living situation? That seemed too blunt. Better to ease into it. If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. "Good, I''m glad you were able to mention it," she said, buying herself more time. She tapped her fingers absently against her notebook as she considered the right approach. Maybe it would feel most natural to express polite interest first? "So if you don''t mind me asking..." Tess continued, "how did you and Joel end up where you are? I didn''t realize international students could arrange their own housing." She kept her tone casual. That seemed reasonable enough. "Oh, I guess didn''t answer when you asked about whether the school arranged it. Sorry, said Mark, and after a pause, This was all set up by the American trade mission for us. I didn''t even know the school had their own housing until after we got here." Tess''s curiosity was piqued even more by this new information. Their government set this up for them? He did say they were involved in selecting Joel, so this must come out of that... it added a whole extra layer of questions in her mind. However, she hesitated to bombard Mark with too many prying questions all at once. "Arranged by your government - how interesting," Tess responded, hoping to subtly encourage Mark to elaborate. When he didn''t immediately volunteer more, she debated asking another follow up question. She didn''t want to come across as nosy, but the mystery was killing her! Deciding against it, Tess continued, "Well anyway, I do appreciate you talking to Joel already. So Violet should be good to ask him tomorrow morning?" "For sure," said Mark, and then after a moment''s hesitation, "actually, before you go, I don''t suppose you''d mind talking a little bit about the paper for our class? I told Joel you''d asked for my help, like you suggested, but it think might actually be helpful for me to be able to talk about it with you about the paper. Ummm, if you don''t mind? Tess''s eyes lit up at the request. While she still had questions about Joel and Mark''s situation, she was unsure whether this was an opportunity to follow through on the pretense, or if Mark was genuinely interested. She thought of herself as a good judge of people, and quickly decided that he really was interested in talking about the class. "Of course I don''t mind," she said. "How did you put it before, ''you''re trying to do something nice for one of my friends?''" That got a chuckle out of Mark, who then asked, "What did you end up picking for a subject?" Tess explained that her paper was focused on the rise of the First Empire. As they discussed the assignment, she found it surprisingly engaging to dig into ideas with Mark. History was a clear interest of his, even if he sounded a bit anxious about writing. Worrying a little that she might lose track of time, before long she had to interrupt the conversation. "I''m sorry to cut this short, Mark, but I need to call Violet before it gets too late for her parents." "No problem," he said, "and thanks! It was really good to get an idea of how someone else is approaching this. Wish Violet good luck for me." "Of course," said Tess, and you''re welcome. Have a good night! Tess ended the call so she could let Violet know that she could approach Joel tomorrow as planned. Pt. II, Ch. 38: “It’s like... I’m honoring that legacy” Friday, October 2nd, mid-morning homeroom Classroom 2-C The next morning while waiting for homeroom to start, Joel strode into the classroom and sat down at his desk with a grin that showed he was extremely pleased with himself. Youll never guess what happened before literature class! I knew what was coming next and Jack saved me from having to pretend to be surprised, by saying, You look happy, it must have been good! What happened? This girl in my class asked me to help with her term paper, said Joel. Anyone Id know? asked Jack. Joel shook his head. I dont think so. If you remember me telling you about chasing off some guys who were bothering a first-year girl, that was her, Violet. Nice. Are you going to help her? said Jack. Sure, why not? asked Joel. So, Ive got to ask, said Jack, is she cute? Joel hesitated just a little before answering, Yeah, shes cute. Jack grinned, and then shook his head a little. Id wish you good luck with her, but I think youve got more than your share already. The conversation turned to Jacks lack of luck with girls, at which point Kai joined in - teasing Jack about a girl hed had a clear crush on last year but had never approached. Our homeroom teachers arrival to take roll ended the conversation, and I realized with some relief that the mystery of Tesss letter had been forgotten. The rest of the day went by quickly, and after Calliotts history class, I had a few quick questions for her about her latest notes on my outline. When we finished, I noticed Tess was waiting, and Ms. Calliott asked her if she needed something. I was waiting to speak to Mark, said Tess, and after a skeptical look at the two of us, Ms. Calliott left, leaving Tess and I alone standing in front of the empty classroom. Tess looked at the printout in my hand. Thats the outline you were telling me about? she asked. When I nodded, she went on to ask, Do you always get this much done in advance? I thought for a second; I wasnt given a choice would be a bad answer here. Instead, I shrugged and said, Not usually, but I didnt want to get off on the wrong foot at a new school. Its a good reminder to take mine seriously, said Tess. If you dont mind my changing the subject, did Joel say anything about Violet to you yet? I tried not to smirk; Im not sure I succeeded. You should have seen him when he came into homeroom. He seemed stoked about her asking him and wanted to tell me and another friend of ours about it right away. Stoked? Tess looked skeptical. Sorry, excited. No reason to be sorry C I know the term, its just thats something my grandfather would say. I shook my head, embarrassed. I guess some slang has aged on this side of the gate! Tess shrugged, and asked, Did Joel say anything else about Violet? Was some of that shes cute just for Jacks benefit? Not really. Another classmate kind of hijacked the discussion. OK, said Tess. It sounds like things are going well. I guess we should just let them get to know each other. I nodded. Thanks again, she said, and before leaving, Good luck on the paper. Since it was Friday the other PE folks wouldnt be at fencing practice, and I figured that Saturday would be better to try to ask Gwen about the play. After dismissal, I biked home - trying to keep the pace I managed on days when I was following Gwen. It was harder to keep to it on my own. Joel was still at soccer practice, so after catching an early shower I decided to try eating my dinner out on the back porch. I put a bowl of cat food out C with a slice of ham on top C and the cat came up and started eating its dinner a little way away. Saturday, Oct. 3rd, after classes Fencing club room As I entered the fencing club room, I was glad to see that even though this wasnt a regular PE day, I wasn''t the only one there beyond the core members. Galen was suiting up near the lockers, and a few other PE students milled around, chatting and helping each other with their gear. As people finished preparing, Cory told us, "Listen up, everyone. Since we''ve got a smaller group today, it''s a perfect time for our new members to start sparring." My stomach churned a little when she said that. We''d been practicing basic techniques for weeks, but the idea of facing off against someone made me nervous. Kai nodded in agreement. "Pair up, and we''ll come around to observe and offer feedback." The only one of the other new folks I knew was Galen, and he must have been thinking something similar. "Hey Mark, want to be my partner?" he asked, his voice friendly but with a hint of challenge. "Sure," I said, hoping I sounded more confident than I felt. We claimed an open spot at the end of one of the strips and began our final preparations. After saluting, we put on our masks, and as I adjusted my grip on the hilt of my foil, I mentally ran through everything I''d learned so far. Footwork, posture, grip. I knew I still had a lot to improve, but I was determined to give it a real shot or at least not look like a total idiot. Galen and I took our positions, foils at the ready. I took a deep breath, trying to calm down. Kai''s voice rang out, signaling for us to start, and we began to tentatively step towards one other. Possibly a little too tentatively; I attempted to lunge, and found Id misjudged the distance. Galen beat my foil away with his, but even if he hadnt, mine would not have connected. No riposte followed, and we each stepped forward again. This time, Galen made the first move, and his lunge was fast enough I could barely block it, and then he blocked my own riposte with seeming ease. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it This repeated a few times with neither of us scoring a touch, but Galen clearly being the quicker of the two of us, especially to respond and block. It went downhill for me after that; by the time hed scored five touches on me, I had only scored one in return. Kai, mercifully, suggested we take a break. I shook Galens hand and said, Good match. Kai came over to debrief with us and gave us each some advice. Both of us needed to practice the fundamentals, but beyond that in Galens case it was mostly to be more aggressive. In mine, he asked if I was thinking about which block to use. I was, and he told me the main thing to work on was to recognize the line of attack and train my body to use the appropriate block; if I had to think about it consciously, I was always going to be slow to react. Sadly, while I have an easy time at some academic skills, being able to get out of my head and learn physical skills is not something natural for me. This made gym class sports torture since the early days of elementary school. Im not even particularly good at arcade-style video games. Still, I wanted to make the most of this, and if I could manage bicycling in Manhattan traffic without getting killed, I couldnt be completely devoid of reflexes, right? After a break, at Kai had us go back to practicing our basic moves. We also got to watch some of the other pairs sparring. The competitive fencers were incredible fast and precise, and I realized just how far the gap in ability was. At the end, we got to see Cory and Gwen do a match that was quite different - unlike the foil fencing we had been doing, which was purely thrusting and took place on a straight strip or lane, their bout took place in a marked circle and seemed to involve both cuts and thrusts. The match ended with Gwen landing a cut to Corys shoulder. It must have been legal hit in that form because Cory tapped her shoulder to acknowledge the hit, and the two of them shook hands. As I helped with cleanup, I asked Kai, What style were Cory and Gwen using? Dueling sword, although they were using sabers to practice it. Corys specialty C I think shes helping Gwen practice looking good for the play, since theres no way Gwen would have normally gotten a hit on her. Shes that good? Shes off the charts. She got invited to compete in the Union Games two years ago. The Union Games were the closest thing this world had to the Olympics; just like at home, multinational sporting events were a big deal. Did she go? No, and it surprised all of us in the club C she said it would interfere with her studies too much. Which hasnt stopped her from going to nationals every year. Once all of the gear was packed away, Kai asked the group who remained, Anyone up for grabbing a bite at Rivas? I think we earned it after todays practice. Cory and Galen both nodded in agreement, and I found myself doing the same. Cory shot a glance over to Gwen, who shrugged. After that, Gwen said, Why not? I have to be back for rehearsals later. After everyone changed, we walked to Riva''s, the conversation flowing easily among the group. The four competitive members discussed an upcoming tournament, while Galen and I chatted about our respective classes. We were coming In a little later than usual, and the restaurant was crowded with students compared to how Id seen it before. Despite that, we were seated quickly. After we settled into our booth and ordered, I couldn''t shake the question that had been nagging at me since the festival. I decided to try asking again about the play. "Hey Gwen," I said, trying to sound casual, "I''ve been meaning to ask you about the play your club is putting on. Its called ''The Lost Princess,'' right?" Gwen''s eyes lit up at the mention of the production. "Yeah, that''s it! Sorry that I had to run last time you asked. It''s going to be quite the show. We''ve been working hard on it." I nodded, taking a sip of my soda to buy myself a moment. So, uh, I was wondering... I hesitated, unsure of how to phrase my next question without seeming weird. Gwen raised an eyebrow, encouraging me to continue. "Can you tell me more about where the story came from? And, um, was there a specific reason your group picked this play? Cory laughed, patting Gwen on the back. Her laugh was a sharp contrast with Gwens, more of a soft chuckle that made her eyes sparkle rather than a boisterous sound. She covered her mouth briefly with her hand, a gesture that seemed at odds with her usual serious style. Before I could ask what brought that on, Gwen gave an apologetic shrug. Sorry, Cory. I know youve heard this a million times. Cory gave an amused shake of her head, Its fine, really, she told Gwen, and then to me, Shes been talking about putting on a production of this play for as long as Ive known her. Guilty, Gwen said with a smile. You didnt know me in grade school, but I probably talked about it even more then. Its been a big inspiration to me. When I saw the play as a little girl, I knew I wanted to be an actress. Plus, Isabellas story is so empowering C after Jack dies, she picks up his sword and goes on to protect herself and her best friend. After a pause, she went on, Wanting to play Isabella is at least in part why I got into fencing and part of why I ended up coming to this school. I still didnt really know what the play was about, but something about that last statement demanded a follow-up for Joels sake. What was the connection to our school? Gwen smiled. I guess you probably wouldnt have heard about it, but there was a big scandal here, a little less than twenty years ago. This school has always got its share of big shots, and sometimes that includes royalty. There was an Obdresti princess who went here, and who disappeared right after graduating and disappeared really thoroughly. She raised an eyebrow. To this day, its still a mystery. So, the author of The Lost Princess decided to write a story inspired by the event. Its not set in our real school, and Isabella isnt the princess of any real country, but the connection is obvious if you know about what happened. I was too young to know any of this when the book came out, but when it became a stage play my parents took me I must have been nine at the time, and its stuck with me ever since. I nodded, thinking about what shed said C it was clear that this play held a special place in Gwen''s heart. The timing of this to Joel''s return was all a coincidence, but the parallel to what Joel knew of his mom''s situation was a little creepy. Gwen paused, glancing around the bustling restaurant before continuing. I guess thats why its such a big deal for me to play Isabella. Its like... Im honoring that legacy in a way, even if its just a story. I nodded, trying to think of a way to keep the conversation going without stumbling over my words. That''s really cool that it inspired you like that. It must be exciting after working towards it for so long." She smiled, though with a bit of tension, It is, but its also a lot of pressure. If I can pull it off, maybe I can show that Ive got what it takes to be a real actress. Cory nudged her friend. You are a real actress, Gwen. Remember those commercials you shot last summer? Gwen''s smile relaxed. Thanks, Cory. That means a lot coming from you. I wanted to ask more, to dig deeper into Gwen''s connection to the play, but I was all too aware of how awkward I can be at times. I''d made friends since coming to Queen Sara, and the last thing I wanted to do was be seen as the weird guy like I had been at home. Especially by Gwen! So, I simply smiled and said, Thanks, Gwen. I''m really looking forward to seeing it. I wanted to add ...I''m sure you''ll be amazing! Why was it so hard to give a compliment? Gwen returned my smile, and just said, Thanks, Mark! As our food arrived, the conversation shifted to other topics. Galen entertained us with a story about a mishap he''d had in the darkroom during the festival, and Mina asked about our upcoming exams, which Kai and Cory were happy to explain in a lot of detail. Throughout it all, I couldn''t shake the feeling that there was more to Gwen''s story, and to the connection between the play and Joels mother. After the meal, Gwen was also walking back towards campus and asked, I guess you must have biked today? Sure did. Gwen had to get to her rehearsal in the Arts Center, so we parted ways at the bike racks alongside the gym. Gwen gave me a friendly wave. See you at practice, and ride safe! I waved back, feeling a sense of warmth despite the chilly autumn air. With a final glance at Gwen''s retreating figure, I mounted my bike and headed back towards the apartment. There was a lot still to figure out - we''d have exams soon, and Joel''s family remained a mystery, but for the first time in a long time, I felt like I was somewhere I belonged. End of Part II [Pt. III, Ch.1 ] [Interlude/????] “By Any Means Necessary” Sunday, Oct. 4th, early AM An undisclosed location within the City of Feldaren The man on this side of the magic mirror was nondescript C his features were neither particularly old nor young, and otherwise thoroughly ordinary. At 174cm, he was a bit below average height for someone of the younger generation, but it matched the gray which was creeping into his brown hair. He could have been any of millions of men within the Empire of Feldaren, which was exactly how he wanted to appear. In his line of work, it paid to be as forgettable as possible, and with magic he had easily crafted his image to match. If he were working in another place, he could easily have looked like the locals there, at least if they were human. The same for the name he used here - Paul Jekanis C a common enough English first name and an extremely common Old Imperial last name would blend in anywhere on this continent, especially in Feldaren, without sounding like a placeholder name. The man he was speaking to on the other side of the magic mirror was his client, and he was anything but non-descript. His client was wearing a very formal and old-fashioned suit with an almost military cut and had shock of unfashionably-long blonde hair, which stood out for a man his age. Through the mirror, one couldnt tell his height, but Paul knew from when theyd met - a long while ago, now - that the man stood half a head taller than he did. Im disappointed to hear youve made no progress in your mission, said his client, his lips curling into a sneer. We must be patient, said Paul. Patience is necessary. The number of individuals under nineteen in this city is... considerable. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. The client''s eyes flashed with irritation, his nostrils flaring slightly. Patience be damned. Surely there aren''t many who fit the profile. If my country falls to civil war, our plans will be left to the fortuna da guerra. Your concern is noted, and my master has ordered us to serve you, said Paul, although he left unsaid within reason, and so long as our interest align, went unsaid. Understanding my concern hasnt gotten you any closer to clearing up that loose end! The client''s voice rose, his face reddening. We have eliminated several leads already. One at great cost indeed. Is your intelligence reliable? The client drew himself up, his posture rigid, and nearly bringing his face out of the frame. Weve gone over this before. After a long sigh, the client settled himself down and continued, Ive told you what we confirmed that much before they closed off my other source, and what is supposition. As for the other details, Ive been watching our royal family for decades; they are highly predictable. If you want us to act more openly, its your risk and not ours, said Paul. Frustration etched deep lines into the client''s features. Hang the risk; the odds for my neck in a civil war are no better than if this affair becomes public. Fulfill your contract, by any means necessary. That will be done. May your goddesss fortune smile upon us. His client gave him a last, withering look, his eyes brimming with contempt, before abruptly severing the connection. Paul stared at the now-blank mirror, his ordinarily impassive features creased with a frown. The pressure was mounting, and with it, the risk of exposure. He''d have to move quickly now, but hastiness could lead to mistakes C mistakes that could jeopardize his client, and Pauls position with his master. Hed been the one to suggest working with this client in the first place. With a quiet sigh, he turned away from the mirror. It was time to brief Brinna and Sten on their new priorities. Pt. III, Ch.2: "You really need to practice more" Sunday, Oct. 4th, morning Our apartment I went to bed on Saturday night in a good mood and hoping to sleep in the next morning. I awoke to Joel knocking on my door. Hey Mark, Ms. Yali is here. Do you want to join the lesson? It was 8:30; so much for sleeping in. When I agreed in a still-sleepy voice, he added, Be quick if youre going to shower first. Ten or so minutes later when I got downstairs, Ms. Yali was working with Joel with the globes to check his ability to pull from the power stone without using his own energy. As I arrived, she chided him, You really need to practice more. She asked me to do the same test. It looked clear to me, and she confirmed it. Have youve been practicing borrowing Joels power stone? A few times, but mostly just power from the environment. And Ive been practicing the candlelight spell when Im bored. Very good. When you can, please help Joel practice, and to learn the ancient script. I shrugged. If Joel wants to, sure. This is fun stuff. After that, Yali walked Joel through some exercises in the teachers book, to help him work on the transfer of power. Once he started working on that, she explained to me that we would be working on a separate exercise. Being able to channel a tiny amount of power cleanly to something like the candlelight spell or the globe was one thing, but it wouldnt let you use a significant amount of power. The goal was to be able to feel when I started pulling on my own energy without the aid of the globe. To do this, she taught me a new spell. It was modern magic to lift things vertically - and conventionally useless from what she said, as there were traditional forms of levitation that were far more efficient. Unlike the candlelight spell, there was no graphical version C just a short incantation to read out of Kelders, printed in the same ancient style of Old Imperial script. Just as with the text around the prior spell, I could read it phonetically although I had no idea what it meant. Before she had me do it out loud, she took out a 10 mil coin C roughly the size of a quarter, but thicker, and set it on the table. One of the things about modern magic is that the effect is always directly proportional to the amount of energy put in, just like in your physics class. So, by using a known weight and this otherwise inefficient spell, we can approximate how much magic youre using if we know how heavy the object youre lifting. Very much like your physics class. I nodded. "Okay, Mark, ready to try? Read the incantation and focus on lifting the coin." I nodded, eyeing the coin nervously. "Don''t worry if you can''t get it on the first try," Ms. Yali added. "Oh, and you can point at it if you want C it''s not required, but it might help you focus." "How high should I lift it?" I asked. "Let''s say... about half a meter. Once it''s there, try to keep it steady. Remember how you concentrated with the candlelight spell? Same idea here." She paused, her expression growing serious. "One more thing C if you feel any discomfort at all, stop immediately. Got it?" "Got it," I said, and took a deep breath. I read the incantation and was amazed to see the coin lift rapidly. I stopped it when it reached my best guess of a half meter and held it there for a few seconds. I could just barely sense the lines of magic flowing from me to it, and as I held it, I started to feel an ache someplace I couldnt place C like the start of an upset stomach but not so clearly localized. Shed said to stop if there was any discomfort, so I did, and the coin fell to the table with a rather satisfying clink. You felt something? she asked, and when I nodded, she went on. Good. I was visualizing the flow of energy there, and you dropped it just as it started to use some life-attuned energy. Youre quite sensitive for someone whos just starting off. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. She had me repeat the test while holding and drawing power from the block of magical ore. I was able to hold it up a lot longer before the same feeling crept up on me. This time the falling coin landed edge on, slid off the table, and was headed for the couch before Dormer stopped it with his boot. When Joel isnt using the globes, said Yali, you can do the same thing by trying to get a brighter light from the globe and holding over time. To be reasonably safe with spells beyond the easiest, you need to be able to pick up the signal from your body before Joel can see any color different in the globe. Yali suggested I take a break while she checked on Joels progress, and after that called me back over. "Alright, you two," Ms. Yali said, flipping through the teacher''s manual. "We need to keep working on your channeling." She showed us a page with various exercises. "These will help build your magical muscles, so to speak." Joel leaned in, squinting at the diagrams. "Why is this so important?" "Well," Ms. Yali explained, "how much magic you can channel is crucial. It''s one of the two main factors that determine the power of your spells." "What''s the other factor?" I asked, curiosity piqued. "We''ll get to that in a moment," she said with a slight smile. "For now, Joel, our main goal is to get you to the point where you can maintain your protective spells using just the power stone." Now, Mark C you asked about the other factor, and thats the available sources of power. For Joel, were skipping a lot of steps by giving him the power stone, but that could be ambient magic or magical ore. Ambient magic is pretty weak, isnt it? I asked. Its enough for the sort of day-to-day magic everyone learns. For someone serious about magic, it is more limited. One can learn to pull in magic from another source and hold it, separate from their life energy, but that takes a lot of sensitivity and practice. My eyes lit up at the idea, since it would let me do things straight out of D&D. Is that something I could learn? Yali started to shake her head and then stopped halfway through. Its not something Ill have time to teach you, but you could try if you found another teacher. Its not impossible to learn on your own, but there are dangers to it. That sounds like a challenge to me. I decided that after exams, I was going to dig around in the library or see what the magical research club could tell me. Yali kept working with us on drills until the early afternoon, when Dormer suggested that we end the days class and get some lunch, so that we could start studying for exams in the afternoon. At that mention of exams, Yali decided to teach us both a spell that shed found helpful as a student. It would bring down ones heart and breathing rate to normal, to help with nerves. Id never had a problem with that during exams, but it seemed worth learning. Joel got it on his first try from the graphic; just like the candlelight spell I could not fix the image in my mind, and without text, I had no way to get it to work. Joel seemed pleased with that, probably because of how much easier the energy manipulation had been for me. Is there a spoken version of this? I asked. There isnt, but its adapted from an old military spell called The Archers Prayer. Its not in Kelders, but it shouldnt be hard to find. After she left, Dormer offered to pay for lunch, and with no better ideas, the three of us found ourselves back at the Haven. Monday, Oct. 5th, morning homeroom Classroom 2-C I got into school early again on Monday to go by the library, as time was running short to have my papers finished C the big one for advanced honors world history, but smaller ones would be due for both our regular history of Feldaren class and our English class with Mr. Kirill. I was not especially happy about the latter C the books wed read in the last month had been, to put it mildly, a snooze, and several of the topics involved comparing them to works we hadnt read from the prior year. The one wed just started seemed a bit better C it was a farcical look at life in the post-Slave-War army and reminded me a bit of some old TV shows with their dark humor. The one suggested topic mentioning it required contrasting it to a book from the prior year, which sounded like it might be another war story at least. After finding that book, I set about digging for primary sources for my Feldaren history paper, and almost made myself late for physics class. On the way to homeroom, Joel and I stopped by our folders. Each of us had a note in it. When we got to homeroom, I read it, and after a moment, confirmed that Joels was similar except addressed to him. Mine read, Mark - Please see me at the faculty office after dismissal today and bring Joel along with you. The Dean asked me to give you both an orientation on our exam structure. C G. Calliot Oh, good, were not in trouble, I said. Hmm, are the exams really going to be that different from our prior school? asked Joel. Jack, whod been talking to Kai about something else up until then, turned back around to Joel and said, Ugh, why did you have to bring up exams? Kai, shaking his head, turned towards us as well and said, Dont listen to Jack, weve only got two weeks left to study, and then after looking at the letters we were holding, we ended hearing from him just how hard the comprehensive exams were going to be.