ã€ŠWings of Waxã€‹


 Arc 1: The Awakening - Eyes of the Night

    Conrad Rainier could sense death. He could smell it, taste it, feel it in the very air. Above all, he could see it. It was one of the Raven¡¯s many talents.

    Blinking, he channeled his spirit¡¯s magic to his eyes, turning them, whites and all, black as the night sky. He carefully observed the creature below, the thick shadows of Hell trailing off of its grotesque, rotting flesh. This demon was still between realms, its form mostly shadow, unable to feed as it would like and maneuvering slowly through the dark alley. It sought spirit energy, much like many of its brethren, the pure consumption of flesh just out of its reach. That was both a good and bad thing. Fortunately, it would protect most civilians from encountering the creature, but for Conrad and his companions, a demon with a greater connection to Hell would be much harder to kill.

    A shuddering gasp was audible next to Conrad, and he released his magic, peering at the teenage boy next to him, his pupils returning to their usual cloudy gray. ¡°Sorry,¡± the boy, Finn, whispered. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­your eyes. They look like theirs when you do that.¡±

    ¡°Best get used to it, Mr. Murphy,¡± Conrad murmured, shifting slightly, the dim moonlight briefly illuminating his dark, slightly wrinkled face, a soft smile beneath his gray beard. He patted the boy on the shoulder, Finn¡¯s ginger hair rustling in the wind as he nodded. ¡°Now, where is this one heading? If our analysis is correct, somewhere near Shell Street. I expect another demon may be in the vicinity as well. If we find it, then we may have our answer.¡±

    Finn observed the beast in the alley below for a moment, hesitating as it appeared to sniff the air. Then, he took a deep breath, channeling his own magic before making a few clicking sounds.

    Nothing happened for a few moments, but suddenly, Finn¡¯s eyes lit up as he turned towards Conrad. ¡°It¡¯s faint, but I think I found one near Shell Street.¡± He made a few more clicking sounds, nodding to himself as he wiggled his ears, waiting for the sound waves to bounce back to him. ¡°Smaller one, maybe, or even less physically formed here than this one. I¡¯ll send word to the others.¡±

    This was why Conrad had chosen Finn for this mission. Mythical Spirit Guides were extraordinarily powerful, but Finn¡¯s spirit was a simple bat, making him capable of exceptional echolocation. Conrad¡¯s other students had been equipped with listening devices that could respond to the sound waves, ensuring quick, easy and untraceable communication among the group.

    As Finn sent messages to the other members of their group, Conrad stepped aside, once again peering over the edge of the building they were atop of. He could no longer see the shape of the demon in the alley, so he stepped back, taking a deep breath and channeling his spirit¡¯s magic to his eyes once more. This time, he expanded his range, looking where his physical gaze could not reach. He tensed, sensing the demon¡¯s hunger as it picked up its pace, darting into the open briefly before disappearing down another alley.

    Conrad pulled his magic quickly, rubbing his eyes and taking a moment to recover. His ability was powerful, but it could wear him down, especially in his older age. He would need Finn to lead the way in keeping track of the beast.

    ¡°You all right, sir?¡± Finn asked, straightening up, his messages relayed.

    ¡°Yes, don¡¯t worry about me,¡± Conrad murmured, an ominous sense of death still percolating in the back of his mind. ¡°We¡¯d best be on high alert. I fear it¡¯s a night of feeding.¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re sure it¡¯s one of those street kids, shouldn¡¯t we extract them?¡± Finn asked.

    Conrad paused, struggling to find an answer. There was great risk in doing such a thing too early. An unawakened Spirit Guide taken to their community would very likely result in Spirit Shock, something that could be fatal not only for the user, but those around them as well. The target¡¯s spirit may very well have begun its Awakening, however, hence the demon activity. And, if that was the case, they would need to act soon.

    ¡°Stirring spirits will still attract feeding demons,¡± Conrad explained slowly. ¡°We just need to be on high alert. Should they seek more than dreams, we will extract one or both of those boys immediately.¡±

    ¡°Both?¡± Finn raised an eyebrow. ¡°We¡¯re only sensing enough spirit energy for one aren¡¯t we? Barely one, really.¡±

    Conrad didn¡¯t answer, dismissing the question with a wave. ¡°That isn¡¯t important at the moment, Mr. Murphy.¡± He inhaled slowly, channeling his spirit once more and guiding the wind currents upwards as he took hold of Finn¡¯s arm. ¡°Hold on.¡±

    Finn gulped, but Conrad ignored him as he kicked off the ground, leaping off of the building. He strained himself, flying having never been his specialty, but he was still capable of a simple nighttime glide through the streets of a small city with little activity from those who would potentially notice. Of course, it wasn¡¯t quite that he was flying, but rather guiding the wind currents around his body in order to allow him to remain airborne. Another ability granted by his Spirit Guide. His light jacket was modified to make the adjustments much simpler.

    ¡°Seek out its path, Mr. Murphy. We¡¯ll head it off before it crosses into feeding territory.¡± Conrad heard the small clicking noises in response as he aimed for the top of another building to kick off of. Doing so, he managed to increase their pace.

    Demons didn¡¯t always need to be directly near their victims in order to feed off of their spirit energy. With this one in particular, its form still between the physical realm and Hell, it would be seeking to feed from a distance. It would perhaps even be in conflict with the other demon in the area should they get too close, another thing Conrad would prefer to avoid, demon fights capable of generating a great deal of negative energy in surrounding areas.

    ¡°It¡¯s moving a little strangely, sir,¡± Finn suddenly called out. ¡°Hold on¡­¡± Conrad slowed their glide, almost hovering as they went lower to the ground. ¡°Just got word from Elsa. The other one is moving away.¡± He made further clicking sounds, cursing a moment later. ¡°They¡¯re heading towards each other!¡±

    ¡°Damn it!¡± Conrad growled, letting their momentum take them down before kicking off the ground hard and sending them back up towards the nearest rooftop. He kicked off the edge of one and sent them further ahead, speeding up. ¡°Tell Elsa to pursue! We¡¯ll take this one!¡±

    Finn relayed the message, Conrad channeling magic to his eyes once more. They were closing in on the demon. It was moving extremely quickly now, desperation in its stride. Conrad only caught a small glimpse of the other one, noticing Elsa on its heels, her black hair blowing in the wind as she darted along the alley. Her Spirit Guide, a falcon, gave her the same skills in flight as Conrad. Fortunately, she was much more adept at it.

    Blinking once more, releasing the magic from his eyes, Conrad trained his regular gaze on the alley ahead. With its form mostly shadow, it was hard to catch, but the demon was now in sight. ¡°Be ready, Murphy,¡± Conrad warned.

    Pulling his knife from its sheath at his waist, Conrad pushed them upwards and then swiftly back down with two wind currents. Keeping Finn behind him, Conrad flicked his coat off, blocking a quick strike as they landed in front of the demon, the beast responding to their arrival with stunning speed.

    ¡°Do not engage unless I say so, Murphy!¡± Conrad ordered, lowering the now torn coat. It would still function, but he¡¯d need to have it repaired once they returned home. He quickly let spirit energy flow down through his arm and into his blade, enhancing the steel so that it could cut into the demon¡¯s realm.

    Ssss tck tck tck! The demon hissed before making a clicking sound, its forked tongue poking through the shadows briefly as its lumpy throat bulged like a bullfrog¡¯s. The sound was haunting, heard not only in this realm, but through Conrad¡¯s connection to the spirit realm as well. The beast lunged forward once more, its three-clawed hand striking at Conrad¡¯s weaponless arm.

    Conrad flicked said arm, wrapping his torn coat around it before holding it up to block the attack. Using his wind currents, he pushed against the demon, slowing its strike and blocking the arm with little effort. Startled, the demon was left open, allowing Conrad to thrust his blade into its shoulder.

    Reeeet!  it screeched, almost like a squealing pig. Wisps of shadow leaked from the wound. There was no blood, but a green and yellow pus bubbled up a moment later, nearly making Conrad gag. He¡¯d felled hundreds of demons in his time, perhaps upwards of a thousand. Their grotesque forms still made him sick to his stomach.

    Conrad had little time to be worried about the demon¡¯s unsightly form, however, the creature hardly close to defeat. It snarled once more, rearing back as Conrad¡¯s blade was pulled free. It slashed once more, aiming for Conrad¡¯s head. He ducked swiftly, sending a flow of magic to his eyes, glimpsing the demon¡¯s other arm slashing from the side. He rolled quickly to avoid it, darting in behind it and stabbing into the beast¡¯s back.

    Ssss REEE! The demon hissed and screeched in fury, the hellish sound reverberating through Conrad¡¯s mind, body and soul, causing him to stagger back. The power of a demon¡¯s cry was one of its most dangerous weapons, and it created an opening for the creature.

    ¡°Gah!¡± Conrad gasped out, unable to get out of the way as the demon slashed his side, leaving a bloody gash under his shoulder.

    ¡°Sir!¡± Finn shouted in worry, starting to move forward to fight.

    ¡°Stay back, Murphy!¡± Conrad yelled, withdrawing more of his spirit¡¯s power, his eyes turning black once more and making the boy flinch. Ignoring the pain as he observed the demon, Conrad smiled. He could see where the beast was unguarded and darted forward, slicing towards its legs.

    The demon, licking hungrily at its now bloody claws to gather what little spirit residue was there, leapt back quickly, avoiding the strike. It hissed again, crouching down, before moving to attack as well. It swiped high, allowing Conrad to duck low again, but its legs were readying for a kick which the man was prepared for.

    ¡°Hyah!¡± Conrad grunted as he jumped, avoiding the demon¡¯s muscular leg, swinging his blade towards its neck.

    SKREEE!

    Conrad winced, releasing his magic quickly and falling back. It didn¡¯t matter, though, the demon¡¯s throat now gushing shadow and pus, its physical form quickly fading as Hell swallowed up its fading vapors. A moment later, all that remained was a small puddle of green and yellow foam and some faint wisps of shadow drifting into the night.

    ¡°Jesus¡­¡± Finn murmured. ¡°I¡¯m still not used to that.¡±

    Conrad rolled his shoulder, feeling it ache as blood flowed down his side. ¡°You never will be.¡± He ripped part of the inside fabric of his jacket out, tying it tightly around his wound to staunch the bleeding. The wound wasn¡¯t his biggest worry, of course. His eyes burned, and his regular vision was now slightly blurry. Glimpsing into Hell to shift the fight had weakened him greatly. ¡°How close is the other one? And Elsa?¡±

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    Finn gulped nervously, but turned and clicked a few times. He hesitated a moment, tensing. ¡°No answer, but I hear her. Hard to track the demon, but I¡¯m guessing she¡¯s engaged in combat.¡±

    Conrad inhaled deeply. Elsa was a fine warrior, having killed quite a few demons already despite her age. Nonetheless, he hated leaving combat to his students if it could be avoided. ¡°Let¡¯s move. Grab my arm.¡±

    Finn grimaced, seeing the blood already seeping into Conrad¡¯s wrapped wound. ¡°Sir, you¡¯re not carrying me like that. We can run. It¡¯s not too far.¡±

    Conrad sighed, but nodded, seeing the boy¡¯s logic. They took off quickly, Conrad keeping his blade unsheathed and Finn keeping a slingshot loaded. Finn took the lead, continuously clicking and listening carefully as they maneuvered through the alleys and darted across a dimly lit street. After a couple of minutes, they noticed a commotion up ahead.

    Behind a shabby old restaurant, Elsa was standing atop a garbage can, a demon circling her on all fours. It was different from the one Conrad had killed, this one¡¯s shadows covering its form much more. Nonetheless, with a quick glimpse from his spirit¡¯s gaze, Conrad could see this beast was more like a feral cat than the humanoid demon he¡¯d engaged with.

    Elsa seemed to notice them, her blue eyes narrowing and glinting in the moonlight, a warning for them not to get too close. Conrad hesitated, not wanting to leave the fight to her, but knowing that he couldn¡¯t interfere if she was about to strike. Finn began to move forward, but Conrad raised his better arm out in front of the boy.

    They watched nervously as the demon prepared to pounce, its yowling piercing their skulls much like the last one¡¯s screeches. Elsa was ready the moment it kicked off, though, clicking her heels together and releasing the blades in her shoes. She spun with stunning speed, her blades slicing first into the demon¡¯s outstretched front legs, cutting them right off, and then into the creature¡¯s belly. It fell limply to the ground, its shadowy form blowing away much faster than the other.

    Conrad and Finn rushed forward as Elsa landed, clicking her blades back in. She didn¡¯t appear particularly troubled, dusting off her black skirt and frowning at the ground where the barely visible remains of the demon lay. Her blue eyes were piercing when they finally met Conrad¡¯s, but they softened once she noticed his arm.

    ¡°What happened?¡± she asked.

    ¡°The demon we were tracking was a little bigger than yours,¡± Finn said, grimacing as he looked at Conrad¡¯s wound. ¡°Mr. Rainier wouldn¡¯t let me join in, though.¡±

    Elsa rolled her eyes. ¡°We¡¯re trained in combat, sir. There¡¯s no reason to hold us back.¡±

    ¡°If I can protect my students, I will,¡± Conrad said sharply. ¡°Are the others all right?¡±

    Elsa shrugged. ¡°Heidi¡¯s not cut out for this stuff quite yet, but she¡¯s fine. She was watching for civilians. Mara¡¯s on watch for the target.¡±

    ¡°Good, good,¡± Conrad said, sighing in relief. ¡°But please don¡¯t dismiss Miss Engel¡¯s talents. She¡¯s maintained a good relationship with Mr. Parker which may make our job easier.¡±

    ¡°I think David¡¯s the one we¡¯re after,¡± Elsa said. ¡°Cris is different, but¡­I just don¡¯t sense any spirit activity in him.¡±

    ¡°Speaking of those guys,¡± Finn said, ¡°what¡¯s the plan here? Extraction has gotta be on the table with two demons in one night, right?¡±

    ¡°They didn¡¯t target them, though,¡± Elsa pointed out. ¡°In fact¡­¡±

    Conrad raised an eyebrow, waiting for Elsa to continue. She seemed uneasy about something, though, hesitating. ¡°Go on, Miss Hale.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. That demon moved strangely. Yours must¡¯ve, too, right?¡± He and Finn nodded. ¡°I don¡¯t get the sense they were being territorial. It was too quick. Almost¡­coordinated?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s impossible, isn¡¯t it?¡± Finn asked. ¡°They may not fight each other, but they don¡¯t really ever work together, do they?¡±

    Both students turned their gazes to Conrad, waiting expectantly for his answer. He wasn¡¯t sure what to tell them, however. The truth was, as much as he or any of the members of Daedal Academy may know about demons, it was simply impossible to know everything about how they operated. Combat with demons was quick and bloody. Tracking them was as dangerous as it was informative, leaving little room for extensive study.

    ¡°As to your first question, Mr. Murphy,¡± Conrad began, ¡°never assume anything in the world of spirits and demons to be impossible. I learn new things about our world nearly every day. These are creatures from different realms, with rules we¡¯ve only scratched the surface of.¡± He paused, seeing Finn gulp nervously, while Elsa folded her arms, narrowing her eyes. ¡°So, when it comes to your second question, why should we say they would never work together?¡±

    ¡°Well, they¡¯re not really¡­intelligent,¡± Finn said, trailing off as though lacking confidence in his words.

    ¡°Knowing where you stand on the food chain isn¡¯t necessarily a sign of stupidity, Finn,¡± Elsa stated, biting her cheek and looking up at the moon. She tapped her foot, clearly agitated.

    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Finn asked, his tone, however, suggesting that he did, indeed, understand.

    Elsa didn¡¯t answer, instead casting a quick glance in Conrad¡¯s direction. He nodded gravely, absentmindedly staring at the spot in which Elsa had felled the demon, his vision slowly beginning to recover. ¡°Demons can feel fear as much as any living creature, Mr. Murphy. A sign of a survival instinct. In that desperation to survive, who is to say that they wouldn¡¯t seek some kind of protection? Some kind of leader?¡±

    ¡°Seems like a stretch from one strange run in with demons,¡± Finn muttered, shuffling his feet nervously.

    ¡°Perhaps,¡± Conrad agreed. ¡°This mission has been unusual, however. Strange spirit readings, an Awakening difficult to pinpoint and demons potentially maneuvering in a coordinated manner.¡±

    ¡°First rule of suspicious missions is to abort,¡± Finn pointed out. ¡°Or at least extract the target immediately.¡±

    Elsa shook her head. ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous. We need to see if it happens again. Like you said, Finn, it¡¯s a stretch to think anything¡¯s confirmed from one strange night.¡±

    ¡°Caution is wise, Miss Hale,¡± Conrad said. ¡°But I do agree that this bears further investigation. We¡¯ll have a closer watch on the area from now on, though, and we will be on very high alert come tomorrow evening.¡±

    ¡°What are we doing about David and Cris?¡± Finn asked.

    ¡°Find out which one we¡¯re bringing,¡± Conrad said. ¡°Tomorrow if you can.¡±

    ¡°And if we don¡¯t?¡± Elsa questioned further, Conrad sensing the rare uneasiness in her voice.

    ¡°Then perhaps the demons will decide for us.¡±

    A figure observed the three spirit users from the safety of Hell, the barrier between them and the physical realm cloaking them in shadow. The figure was no demon. They were a creature far more dangerous. Despite the concerns of the three they observed, this creature was well beyond their wildest nightmares.

    They were a devil. The shadows of Hell flowed through their veins.

    The devil was amused by the spirit users¡¯ concerns. They could admit that they were impressed by the humans¡¯ intuition. A simple, coordinated charge, meant to draw the three of them together in short order. Of course, they had no idea what this stunt had accomplished.

    It was only a mere test. The fools hadn¡¯t even considered this. They¡¯d been baited to follow the beasts, leaving the rest of their group in charge of protecting their Awakening child. How simple it would be to cut the boy down in short order. How satisfying it would be.

    The devil licked their lips, almost tasting the sweet spirit energy that would flow from the boy¡¯s soul. They would be generous, of course. The devil¡¯s pets would feed as well. Those that survived anyway. Two had been sacrificed on this night. The weakest. Others would surely fall the next day.

    The spirit users made to depart, and the devil watched as they left, emerging through the barrier once they were out of sight. They slowly drifted over to the spot where the girl had cut down the second of the demons. The devil tilted their head, their red eyes twitching. A bloody tear slid down their cheek.

    ¡°You will be avenged, my beast,¡± the devil murmured. ¡°May the Gates of Hell welcome you home so that you may feast on the souls of those who wronged you.¡± The devil waved their hand, the site of the demon¡¯s few remains left in this realm glowing in a dark, red light. The air around it shimmered and warped for a moment.

    Turning, the devil walked away, chuckling quietly. The spot was cursed now. Any who walked through there would feel a cold, haunting shiver down their spine and only know pain and despair for the next twenty-four hours. The demon was weak, so the curse wasn¡¯t as strong as the devil would normally prefer, but it would certainly lead to some suffering.

    Following the stench of the old man¡¯s spirit, the devil tracked his progress through the alleyways of the city, finding where he had felled the other demon. The devil placed another curse here, this one nastier with the demon being slightly stronger. It would hopefully lead to some poor fool¡¯s death, or at least life altering pain.

    Despite these curses, the devil did not hate humans. They were...unimpressed by humans, sure. But hate was not the word for it. No, humans were lovely, actually. Their pain...their suffering...their terror. Oh, their terror. Their sweet, sweet terror. The devil merely needed sustenance as any living creature did. Humans, after all, cut down lesser beings for consumption every day. This was the same. They were cattle to the devil. That did not mean the devil hated them.

    The devil slowly emerged onto one of the main streets of the city. There was little activity, but some humans were out and about. The devil was tempted...so very tempted. A feeding was coming, but a light snack could do.

    A woman was approaching. She was bundled up in a coat, despite it not being a particularly cold evening. She had a white, plastic grocery bag in one hand and she¡¯d just emerged from a fast food restaurant. The devil guessed she had just finished her work

    shift, her pants appearing to match some kind of uniform. They smiled, bowing their head slightly the closer the woman came.

    ¡°Excuse me, are you all right?¡± the woman asked, staring at the devil in concern. ¡°Are you lost?¡±

    The devil was small, the height of a child. Perhaps they had even been a child before they had been turned. They couldn¡¯t remember. ¡°N-No...¡± the devil answered weakly, ensuring their voice was as high pitched as possible. ¡°M-My d-doggy. S-Someone hurt...someone h-hurt him.¡±

    ¡°Oh dear...¡± The woman gave the devil a look of pure sympathy. ¡°Can I do something?¡±

    ¡°C-Can you ch-check on him?¡± the devil asked, pointing down the alley they had emerged from.

    The woman hesitated, looking at their watch. This interested the devil. Humans were good at this. Acting like the hero, but hesitating at the slightest hint of danger. They had to admit, though, that the woman¡¯s instincts were good in this case.

    ¡°P-Please...¡± the devil went on, quivering their lip.

    This did the trick, the woman taking a deep breath and nodding. ¡°All right, let me have a look.¡±

    The devil smiled weakly. ¡°Th-Thank you, ma¡¯am.¡±

    The devil turned, leading the way down the alley. The woman followed. This was where the fun would begin.

    Closing their eyes, the devil summoned the barrier between realms, and crossed back into Hell. The woman¡¯s poor, mortal mind wouldn¡¯t be able to comprehend what had happened, and the devil watched in amusement from behind the barrier as she tried to make sense of the would-be child disappearing into thin air.

    ¡°H-Hey,¡± the woman called out. ¡°Where did you go?¡± She paused, turning around in confusion. ¡°I can¡¯t help you if you go ahead too quickly.¡±

    It was fascinating. The devil was amazed that the woman could watch someone vanish into thin air right in front of her eyes and tell herself that it was just that the child she was following had run ahead too quickly. Humans were adorable sometimes.

    The devil moved down the alley a few feet, hovering near the location of their last curse. They briefly reached their foot into the physical realm, tapping the ground a few times before withdrawing back to Hell. The woman heard the sound, making her way further down the alley. Within moments, she was walking directly into the curse.

    ¡°Oh...¡± She placed her hand over her heart for a moment, shivering, her mind unable to comprehend it, but her body feeling the curse. Her soul feeling the curse. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry!¡± she suddenly called out. ¡°I-I think you¡¯ll n-need to find s-someone else t-to help you.¡± She shivered again, turning away. ¡°I h-hope your dog is all right.¡±

    The devil grinned, trailing after the woman as she retreated. Before too long, she had reached the street again. The only question now was how long it would take for the suffering to begin. There was a chance it could take days, but the devil felt lucky. They were having a good day despite the loss of their pets.

    Indeed, disaster came quickly. The sweet, delicious disaster.

    A car raced down the street. Now, the woman wasn¡¯t in the street. She was merely minding her own business now, bundled up in her coat as she continued on her way home after her little detour. But, hilariously enough, a dog emerged from an alley on the other side. Coincidences like this were funny. The devil watched the dog as it began to dart into the road, right in front of the car.

    Another thing about humans that greatly amused the devil, was their favoritism towards certain creatures. They would stuff some in a cage and feed them slop before brutally slaughtering them. But others, they would pamper to their heart¡¯s content. Slaughter one, and keep the other alive at all costs. It was fascinating. The devil loved their pets as well, so they supposed they could relate to some extent, but their pets did need to die sometimes, just like those they had sacrificed earlier. And another devil wouldn¡¯t hesitate to let them die if necessary. Humans, though, would take desperate measures to avoid harming even a stranger¡¯s pet.

    Ah, but a sacrifice was still necessary.

    The car swerved. The dog yelped in alarm, but it was spared. The woman, though. Oh dear, the woman. Well, if she survived, her life would never be the same. That was of no concern to the devil, though.

    There was no screaming. One surprised yell was all she mustered, before a low moan was emitted.

    The devil received a fine snack that evening. An appetizer before the next day¡¯s feast.

 Arc 1: The Awakening - Nightmares on Hell Street

    Sunlight streamed through the cracked window on the other end of the room, warming Cris¡¯ cheek as he stirred awake, his blue eyes slowly opening. He¡¯d had somewhat of a restless sleep. Not as bad as his roommate and best friend, David, who had recently been suffering from nightmares, but uncomfortable nonetheless. Frustration with school was likely the reason. Nosey people butting into his life when he was perfectly content without them.

    ¡°What¡¯s with the scowl, Parker? Rough night?¡±

    Cris sat up, stretching to ease the stiffness in his back from sleeping on his lumpy mattress. He glanced to the dark corner of the room where the voice had come from, noticing David squinting at him, heavy bags under his eyes, made worse by the matted hair draped over his face.

    ¡°Not as rough as yours, I bet,¡± Cris said, grimacing at his friend¡¯s appearance. ¡°You¡¯ve gotta do something, man. You look like shit.¡±

    David waved off Cris¡¯ concern. Cris couldn¡¯t really blame him. It was David¡¯s business after all. Cris was bothered by people saying the same crap to him, so who was he to say something like that?

    ¡°Don¡¯t mind me. What¡¯re you scowling about?¡± David asked again,

    ¡°Just school stuff, I guess,¡± Cris said. ¡°Nothing to worry about.¡±

    ¡°Not sure why you¡¯re going,¡± David muttered bitterly. ¡°What¡¯s it doing for you anyway?¡±

    Cris didn¡¯t really have an answer for that. Lately, he¡¯d been going to school a lot more than he had for the last few years. A part of him just felt like he needed to. David was convinced it was a girl, Heidi, who¡¯d been fairly friendly with Cris since they¡¯d become classmates. Cris wasn¡¯t really interested in that kind of thing, though. If anything, Heidi¡¯s interest in him had become offputting.

    David seemed to take Cris¡¯ silence the wrong way, sighing and looking away uneasily. ¡°Eh, if it¡¯s something you wanna do, you should do it. Just don¡¯t get me involved. And make sure they don¡¯t go after you about your foster family.¡±

    Cris laughed at that. ¡°Haven¡¯t seen ¡®em in weeks. Pretty sure the school doesn¡¯t really care as long as I don¡¯t end up dead.¡±

    He looked around their little beat up apartment. It was better than any home the government had stuck him in over the course of his life. By now, Cris had lost count of the foster families he¡¯d been placed with. Ever since his parents had abandoned him as a newborn baby, he¡¯d bounced around different places. The only person who¡¯d treated Cris as more than a monthly stipend was David. He¡¯d welcomed Cris into his ¡°home¡± with no questions asked.

    ¡°Guess that¡¯s better than your foster family,¡± David pointed out. ¡°Wonder what mine¡¯s up to. Now if I ended up dead, those assholes would probably be upset, only because it would cut into their bank account.¡±

    ¡°Maybe you should get those nightmares checked out just to make ¡®em pay for something,¡± Cris quipped.

    David rubbed his eyes, looking as though he was actually considering the idea. ¡°Now that¡¯s an idea, Parker. Too bad I¡¯m not gonna use it.¡±

    Cris laughed as he slipped on his jeans and pulled on his red shirt, getting ready to leave. ¡°Didn¡¯t think you would.¡± He paused a moment later as he noticed David appearing somewhat uneasy, though. Those nightmares really had been bothering him. ¡°You are gonna be okay, right, man?¡±

    David forced a smile. ¡°I¡¯m the toughest sonofabitch you know, Parker. It¡¯d take something real messed up to take me down.¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Cris frowned, slipping his black coat on and shouldering his backpack. He noticed David staring at the backpack with distrust.

    ¡°That girl gave that to you, didn¡¯t she?¡± he asked, pointing to the one thing Cris owned that was in good condition.

    ¡°Heidi? Yeah.¡± Cris glanced at it. Heidi had seen the old, tattered bag Cris had been using before and had brought this to school the very next day. Even Cris couldn¡¯t help but be grateful at the time and he¡¯d thanked her profusely.

    ¡°Weird.¡± David looked up, his exhausted eyes meeting Cris¡¯. ¡°Introduce me sometime, kay?¡±

    This may have been one of their most uncomfortable interactions since they¡¯d known each other, but Cris managed a smile. ¡°Y-Yeah,¡± he said. ¡°Sometime.¡± He turned towards the door. ¡°See ya later.¡±

    David gave Cris a silent wave, and a moment later, he was out on the street, sidling past the piled up garbage cans overflowing with trash to make it to the main road. It was a pretty grimey area, and fairly dangerous at night, but their abandoned apartment was out of the way enough that they avoided authorities and it was close enough to a main road to make moving around convenient. For Cris, they were right on the main road to school, so it was just a few blocks straight to his destination.

    The street was a bit crowded, a little more traffic on the road and people moving a little slower on the sidewalks. Supposedly there¡¯d been some kind of accident in the night, so there was a big slow down further up the road. Fortunately for Cris, he was going the opposite direction, so he wasn¡¯t slowed down too much. People moved out of his way anyway, his sullen, dirty appearance causing them to give him a wide berth.

    It wasn¡¯t a particularly long walk down the few blocks to the school, and before long, Cris could see his destination up ahead. The closer he got, the more students appeared on the sidewalk, crowding the area. There was a great deal of discussion about the accident, with one student claiming that a person had been hit by a car in the middle of the night. Cris wasn¡¯t particularly surprised, having seen the way many people drove in this city. He¡¯d had a few close calls himself.

    ¡°Hey! Cris!¡±

    Sighing, he turned at the familiar voice of Heidi, noticing her pink shirt in the crowd behind him as she hurried towards him. Her smile was as bright as ever, her brown eyes shining as she fell into step beside Cris. She adjusted the brown beret atop her head as she studied Cris.

    ¡°How¡¯re you today?¡± she asked, unbothered by Cris greeting her with a simple grunt and nod.

    ¡°Same as always,¡± Cris muttered. He looked at her suspiciously. ¡°You seem different, though.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± Heidi blinked in surprise, her smile fading.

    It was true. Cris had a healthy distrust of people, and could often pick up on changes in a person¡¯s expression. Heidi¡¯s smile wasn¡¯t so natural today. It seemed forced. For someone who liked to get into his business, she was trying to hide her own. Not that he particularly cared.

    ¡°Whatever,¡± Cris said, rolling his eyes. ¡°Not my problem.¡±

    ¡°S-Sorry,¡± Heidi murmured uneasily. ¡°Just heard about that accident, that¡¯s all. Just kind of upsetting.¡±

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t have anything to do with us,¡± Cris said. ¡°Just ignore it.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to be like that,¡± Heidi argued, pouting slightly. ¡°Imagine if it was someone you cared about.¡±

    Cris stopped walking, turning to her, a dark expression crossing over his face. ¡°I don¡¯t think I need to worry about something like that.¡± Heidi swallowed nervously, but he continued nonetheless. ¡°What do you know about people I might care about anyway?¡±

    ¡°Everyone has someone¡­¡± Heidi hesitated a moment. ¡°A-Anyway, I just hope that person can recover. Their family must be worried sick.¡±

    Cris sighed, shaking his head as he continued walking. ¡°You¡¯re always so concerned about others. Always getting into their business.¡±

    Heidi followed after him, making a noise of frustration of her own. ¡°Is this about me talking to Mr. Rainier? I just thought it would be good for you to talk to him.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t need to talk to anyone,¡± Cris snapped. ¡°Just butt out.¡±

    Cris picked up his pace, leaving Heidi behind him. She didn¡¯t try to keep up, and he continued on his way towards the school entrance by himself. He wasn¡¯t sure why he¡¯d done that. Heidi was nice. Cris just couldn¡¯t bring himself to trust it, especially when she¡¯d done things like get the guidance counselor interested in him. The last thing he needed while David was dealing with his nightmare problem was to get Mr. Rainier on his case.

    Maybe it was his own fault. Since he¡¯d recently been coming to school more often, all these people had been noticing him more. First it was Heidi, but others had joined in, too. Now the guidance counselor was checking in on him, and even asking questions about David, almost as if knowing about their living situation. Cris wasn¡¯t sure if Heidi had told people about him or not, but all he knew was that since talking to her more, people had been in his business more often than not, and few things bothered him more than that.

    Shaking his head in an attempt to clear his head, Cris entered the school, stepping around a group of little kids that were visiting for the day for some kind of program. Things were already crowded enough, so Cris could barely hide his frustration as he barely avoided a little girl seemingly appearing in front of him out of nowhere from the crowd. Why they couldn¡¯t have these little kids programs after school hours he didn¡¯t know, but hopefully they wouldn¡¯t be in his way too much the rest of the day.

    Feeling his stomach rumbling and realizing he¡¯d forgotten to grab something to eat, Cris headed for his locker, remembering he had some leftover food in there. It had likely gone bad, but with the way he ate, that meant very little. He quickly maneuvered through the halls, reaching his locker fairly quickly. As he opened it up and began rifling through it, though, he felt a light tap on his shoulder, followed by warm breath on his ear.

    ¡°Back again, Cris?¡± the soft voice whispered, sending a shiver down Cris¡¯ spine. ¡°You¡¯ve been coming to school an awful lot lately.¡±

    Cris pulled what he needed from his locker, including his spoiled sandwich from the day before, and turned to face the girl that had snuck up behind him. Her name was Mara, and she smiled radiantly as she swished her glossy brown hair back and blinked at him with her bright green eyes. She was likely the most popular girl at school, although it seemed she¡¯d risen to the peak of her popularity only recently.

    ¡°What do you want?¡± Cris asked her, narrowing his eyes as Mara continued to smile. He noticed the group of little kids making their way down the hall, and hoped she wasn¡¯t going to hold him back and get him stuck behind them. Her gaze briefly slid towards his sandwich for a moment, giving Cris the satisfaction of seeing her mouth twitch in disgust, but otherwise she kept her confident smirk.

    ¡°Just checking in. You know how I care about my fellow students.¡± She leaned in, the movement causing Cris to take a step back. ¡°You can trust me, Cris. Just tell me how you are.¡±

    Cris wasn¡¯t one to let girls get in his head like many other high school boys, but Mara did have her ways. Although for him, it was merely a discomfort with how close she got, and the way her voice seemed to creep into the back of his mind. He wanted to punch himself as he began to stammer out an answer. ¡°I¡¯m-¡±

    ¡°Oh!¡± Mara staggered in surprise as a little boy bumped into her from the group of kids. He didn¡¯t apologize, immediately jumping back towards his group, seemingly mad about being pushed. ¡°Little brats¡­¡± Mara muttered.

    ¡°Not such a lovely queen after all, huh?¡± Cris noted, unable to hide his grin as Mara looked back at him in surprise. He couldn¡¯t blame her for the reaction, though. He wasn¡¯t much of a fan of little kids either.

    ¡°I just appreciate manners,¡± Mara said, gathering her composure once more. She narrowed her eyes as she studied Cris. ¡°Something you could do with improving.¡±

    Cris raised an eyebrow, beginning to walk away. ¡°I don¡¯t think I want to be appreciated by you.¡±

    ¡°You may need me on your side one day, Cris. Don¡¯t forget that.¡±

    Cris merely rolled his eyes, ignoring her bizarre threat. Why he¡¯d need some pompous high school girl on his side was beyond him. He just needed to get through his days and keep the authorities off of his back. As long as he kept things simple, he would be perfectly fine.

    Unfortunately, thanks to Mara, Cris did get stuck behind a crowd of people on his way to his first class. He managed to push his way through eventually, but he was very nearly late as he scrambled into his class. The teacher eyed him as he shuffled over to his desk, but didn¡¯t say anything, with the bell ringing as he sat down.

    ¡°Late night?¡±

    Cris glanced to the seat next to him, the girl who had asked the question not even looking at him as she absentmindedly turned the page of her textbook. She had a pencil in her hand, twirling it around lightly as she played with her black hair. Despite the appearance of being uninterested, however, she eventually turned her sharp, blue eyes on Cris when he didn¡¯t answer.

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    ¡°Just got slowed down by Mara Keres,¡± Cris finally answered, grabbing his own textbook out of his bag.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t think she was your type.¡±

    Cris rolled his eyes. ¡°Apparently I¡¯m hers, the way she follows me around.¡±

    That earned a surprising laugh, and Cris couldn¡¯t help but smirk slightly. Elsa Hale was a bit rough around the edges at times, but Cris could respect that. They¡¯d had some amusing banter since they¡¯d recently been placed in seats next to one another in this class. Someone like Mara and her fake charm was a lot harder to take than Elsa¡¯s more genuine snark.

    ¡°Maybe you should just humor her,¡± Elsa suggested after a moment, the teacher at the front of the room still getting things prepared.

    ¡°As if,¡± Cris snorted, leaning back in his seat. ¡°Pretty sure everyone would know my life story by then. Not interested in being hauled down to Rainier¡¯s office.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not the worst thing to talk to someone,¡± Elsa said quietly.

    Cris eyed her suspiciously. ¡°Not you, too.¡±

    She merely shrugged. ¡°Didn¡¯t say anything. Just¡­you do look a bit tired.¡±

    ¡°Restless night,¡± Cris said, giving the issue a dismissive wave. ¡°Got too many people on my case. It¡¯s my friend, David who can¡¯t sleep with his¡­¡± Cris shook his head, cursing himself for saying too much. ¡°Never mind.¡±

    Elsa didn¡¯t say anything, but Cris couldn¡¯t help but notice the flash of interest in her eyes as he¡¯d spoken. Fortunately, at that moment the teacher began speaking, the class finally beginning. It was as boring as usual, but Cris was glad for the distraction, and when the period finally came to an end, he exited the class quickly, avoiding Elsa¡¯s gaze as he made his way to the next one.

    It wasn¡¯t really much better the rest of the day and Cris felt somewhat miserable as the final period approached. He was contemplating just skipping the class and leaving, but the more he thought about doing so, the more uncomfortable he felt. Something in the back of his mind made him want to tough it out. Maybe he was just stubborn about not letting these nosey people keep him away, or maybe he really did want to make an effort and work at school. Whatever it was, he found himself sitting down in his usual spot for history class, Heidi plopping down next to him moments later.

    ¡°H-Hi, Cris,¡± she greeted awkwardly. He¡¯d barely looked her way when she¡¯d arrived, and she seemed nervous about speaking to him.

    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Cris muttered, not particularly bothered about Heidi¡¯s anxieties regarding their earlier interaction.

    ¡°Er¡­nothing,¡± she said. ¡°How has your day been?¡±

    Cris sighed, but decided it was a harmless enough question. ¡°Boring. I shouldn¡¯t even be bothering with this class.¡±

    Heidi smiled slightly at that response, nodding in agreement. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s a slow day.¡± She hesitated, glancing towards the front of the room. Noticing that the teacher hadn¡¯t arrived yet, however, she continued. ¡°Maybe we can do something fun after school?¡±

    Cris was a little caught off guard by that suggestion, glancing at Heidi in confusion. She¡¯d been friendly enough with him since they¡¯d met, but he wouldn¡¯t consider them friends. Obviously David had wondered if there was something deeper in their relationship based on some things Cris had mentioned, but there wasn¡¯t really anything to it. To have her suggest hanging out after school was bizarre.

    ¡°Do what, exactly?¡± he asked, narrowing his eyes suspiciously.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she said, looking away awkwardly. ¡°Anything, I guess. J-Just an idea.¡±

    Cris was silent a moment, ignoring the sound of the door to the class opening behind him. ¡°Well, I guess I owe you for the backpack you gave me.¡± Even he wasn¡¯t immune to the smile Heidi gave him when he said that, rubbing his nose in discomfort and looking away.

    The moment didn¡¯t last very long, however, a tap on Cris¡¯ shoulder getting his attention. He looked behind him and immediately felt a sense of dread, looking into the gray eyes of Mr. Rainier.

    ¡°Good afternoon, Mr. Parker,¡± the guidance counselor greeted, scratching lightly at his gray beard. ¡°I was hoping we could have a word?¡±

    Cris sighed in frustration, casting a glare Heidi¡¯s way. She looked uneasy, watching Rainier carefully, although he didn¡¯t seem to notice, his gaze remaining on Cris. ¡°What do you need to see me again for?¡± Cris asked.

    ¡°Please come with me,¡± Rainier murmured, ignoring the question and turning around. Apparently the invitation wasn¡¯t optional.

    ¡°Thanks a lot,¡± Cris muttered to Heidi, who opened her mouth in protest, but couldn¡¯t get the words out. ¡°You can forget about hanging out later.¡±

    Not bothering to look back, Cris made his way out of the class, following after Rainier. Maybe it wasn¡¯t fair to blame Heidi for the guidance counselor showing up out of the blue like this, but Cris was on the man¡¯s radar thanks to her in the first place. Besides, maybe her little idea about hanging out after school was because she was feeling guilty about this very thing.

    It wasn¡¯t too long to Rainier¡¯s office, and when they reached the door, he opened it quickly and the two headed inside. Once they were seated, though, it was at least a minute before the man spoke, Cris merely stewing in silence while Rainier observed him with undisguised interest.

    ¡°Doing all right, today, Mr. Parker?¡± Rainier finally asked, just as Cris was considering turning around and walking out.

    ¡°I seem to be getting asked that a lot,¡± Cris muttered angrily. ¡°The answer is the same. I¡¯m fine.¡±

    ¡°Are you?¡±

    Cris gaped at him, baffled as to why he was dealing with this. ¡°Yeah, pretty sure I know how I¡¯m feeling.¡±

    Rainier nodded slowly, smiling and closing his eyes. ¡°And your friend? Mr. Frater?¡±

    Cris shook his head. ¡°Why are you so bothered about us? We¡¯re fine. We don¡¯t need you up our asses.¡±

    Rainier opened his eyes at that, giving Cris a stern look for his choice of words. ¡°It is my job to be concerned about my students, Mr. Parker.¡±

    ¡°Focus on some others that need your help then,¡± Cris said. ¡°We don¡¯t need it. I don¡¯t care what Heidi¡¯s said to you-¡±

    ¡°Miss Engel is not the only classmate of yours who is concerned for you,¡± Rainier interrupted. ¡°And that is a good thing, Mr. Parker. Friends who want the best for you is something everyone should desire.¡±

    Cris sighed, leaning back in his chair. He ignored Rainier¡¯s second statement, focusing on the first. ¡°So who was it? Elsa?¡± Rainier didn¡¯t answer, but kept his gaze on Cris. Frustration creeping in, Cris continued. ¡°What the hell is this, man? People have been really damn nosey about my life lately. You heard about my foster family or something?¡±

    Rainier smiled kindly, taking a deep breath before speaking. ¡°I am well aware of your situation, Mr. Parker. I¡¯m not here to judge you or Mr. Frater on that.¡± He leaned forward, a serious tone creeping into his voice. ¡°That does not mean I won¡¯t interfere if necessary. Your health, and that of your friend¡¯s, matters a great deal to me. I need to know if there¡¯s anything troubling either of you.¡±

    Cris hesitated, sensing something different in the way Rainier was speaking. It wasn¡¯t like most authority figures who would talk down to him like he was some stupid kid. It was almost as though Rainier was begging for something. Of course, Cris wasn¡¯t just going to hand over information about him or his best friend.

    ¡°Like I said, we¡¯re fine.¡±

    Rainier narrowed his eyes. ¡°Are you certain?¡±

    For a moment, Cris almost felt as though the room had gone a few degrees colder. He looked around for a moment, wondering if a window was open, before glancing directly into Rainier¡¯s eyes. They seemed¡­darker. For some reason, he felt like Rainier was seeing him more clearly. He didn¡¯t like that feeling, and he narrowed his own eyes, his frustration bubbling up within him as he glared right back at the man. A warmth entered his body in that moment, and he felt satisfied as Rainier blinked and turned away for a moment.

    ¡°Can I go now?¡± Cris asked, standing up.

    Rainier sighed, rubbing his eyes slightly. ¡°Very well, Mr. Parker.¡± He seemed a little more distant, as if his mind was wandering elsewhere. ¡°I¡¯ll see you¡­another time.¡± He drummed his fingers on the table, turning towards some papers on his desk.

    Cris nodded, satisfied and feeling as though he¡¯d gotten the better of their exchange. As he exited the office, he wondered if perhaps Rainier would understand that he should leave Cris and David alone from now on. Hopefully all these busybodies would understand.

    Not seeing the point in returning to class, Cris made his way back to his locker to get his things. He didn¡¯t want to see Heidi again, and he figured he could avoid seeing anyone else who seemed to be so interested in him, whether it was Elsa or Mara or whoever. He was beginning to get really sick of this place, and he wondered if this was the last day he¡¯d come to school for the foreseeable future.

    Once he¡¯d collected his things and made his way to the front entrance, he rolled his eyes as he realized one last annoying encounter was in his way. He tried to avoid it, but the boy hanging around the front zeroed in on him as though he¡¯d heard Cris coming from a mile away.

    ¡°Cris, my man! How¡¯s it going, brother?¡±

    Cris didn¡¯t react, simply staring at the boy with disinterest. ¡°What do you want, Finn? Are you always lurking around here at the end of the day?¡±

    ¡°Just need to keep my eyes and ears open for any trouble, buddy,¡± Finn answered, grinning as he ran a hand through his ginger hair. ¡°I¡¯m your friendly neighborhood Batman after all.¡±

    ¡°I think you¡¯re getting your heroes mixed up,¡± Cris noted.

    ¡°It works well enough.¡± Finn smirked and leaned against a wall. ¡°So, heading anywhere in particular?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± Cris said. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be telling you if I was, though.¡±

    Finn held a hand to his chest. ¡°Oof, that one hurt, buddy. Shouldn¡¯t say stuff like that to your good pal.¡±

    Cris rolled his eyes. ¡°See you around, Finn.¡±

    Fortunately, Finn didn¡¯t continue to pester him, leaving Cris be as he continued on out the door. It wasn¡¯t really that Cris didn¡¯t like Finn. He was just an oddball, and he seemed to run into Cris at weird times. With Rainier and Heidi being overly concerned about him, Cris just didn¡¯t want a weirdo like Finn around. Really anyone for that matter.

    Once he was out of the school and on the street, Cris did begin to feel better. Something about today had felt stifling, and he was glad to be rid of those who seemed to be causing it. It helped that the traffic from the previous night¡¯s accident seemed to have settled down as well. Had he kept his plans with Heidi, it would¡¯ve been a nice walk downtown.

    Thinking of that, and feeling like he had some steam to burn off, Cris decided he¡¯d spend some time out rather than head home right away. He figured David would¡¯ve stayed home until the afternoon and then gone out himself, so he wouldn¡¯t be back till later anyway. Besides, Cris¡¯ mind was buzzing somewhat, and he felt he needed to roam a bit. If David was home, he didn¡¯t really feel like talking about Rainier and Heidi.

    Having stopped at the edge of the school¡¯s property, Cris began to walk again, only briefly turning back when he noticed the kids from the group he¡¯d seen in the morning emerging from the school. They all looked much more subdued after the day and Cris couldn¡¯t blame them. He remembered school outings like that from when he was younger and they¡¯d been miserable experiences.

    With the traffic from earlier having let up, Cris¡¯ walk down the street was fairly laid back. As usual, passerby gave him a wide berth, but he was glad for that, enjoying the additional space. The only time the public¡¯s suspicion of him was a problem was when he briefly went into a bookstore and the clerk inside followed him around, although they also kept a fair distance.

    For almost two hours, Cris¡¯ meandering through the streets was fairly relaxing. Irritation still bubbled up within him when he thought of Rainier¡¯s meeting, but he managed to push that out of his mind for the most part, simply wandering where his feet took him. It only became a little frustrating when students from his school were finished with their last classes and began filling the streets.

    At one point Cris even noticed Heidi, seeing that she had apparently decided to head out despite his rejecting her proposal to hang out when Rainier had showed up. She wasn¡¯t with any of her friends, simply walking along silently and peering into the windows of a few shops or cafes. It almost made Cris feel guilty. Almost.

    To avoid Heidi, Cris was quick to cut across the street and make his way further along. Once she was out of sight, he relaxed a little. As he walked, he realized he was nearing one of his preferred fast food restaurants and decided he might as well pick up a snack with the little money he had on him. Unfortunately, as he approached the front of it, he realized it was closed.

    ¡°What the hell?¡± he muttered, stopping in front of the door and looking around. It didn¡¯t make much sense for it to be closed. It was just his luck, this being one of the few places he could afford.

    Turning, Cris stuffed his money back in his pocket and continued on his way, noticing a police car up ahead. He was surprised to see the familiar face of one of the employees at the fast food place speaking to a cop just next to the car. He decided to slow down as he walked by, catching just a brief snippet of what they were saying.

    ¡°...walked home this way every day. Terrible accident.¡±

    ¡°The time of the accident doesn¡¯t seem to match your account of when she left. Any idea why that may be?¡±

    ¡°Probably got distracted by something. Maybe¡­¡±

    Cris raised an eyebrow in surprise as he walked out of earshot. So that¡¯s it, he realized, glancing around and seeing a few pylons around one part of the street near where the police car was parked, just in front of a grimey looking alley. This is where that accident was.

    This kind of thing didn¡¯t usually bother Cris. Living on the streets, he¡¯d seen a lot of nasty things. He had to admit, though, that as he stared at the spot that had been cordoned off, he felt an ominous chill run down his spine. It was as though death itself was whispering from that alley.

    Feeling much less hungry now, Cris continued to wander aimlessly as the afternoon wore on and evening approached. As the sun began to dip, however, he decided it was finally time to head home. As tough as Cris might¡¯ve considered himself after his time on the streets, he wasn¡¯t stupid enough to stay out after dark. There were a couple of gangs that hung around this area, and there were a lot of dark alleys one could be trapped in.

    It was dangerous enough at night where he and David lived. Their abandoned little apartment was under a building on Shell Street, which was safe enough during the day, but still in a fairly dangerous area. It was very poorly lit, leading to quite a few nighttime muggings. David had taken to calling it ¡°Hell Street¡±, and had even gone to the trouble of scratching out the ¡°S¡± on a couple of street signs.

    With these thoughts in his head, and the ominous view of the location of the accident still on his mind, Cris couldn¡¯t help but pick up his pace as he headed home. The sun almost seemed to dip faster as he walked, and he cursed himself for wandering around so carelessly earlier. He hadn¡¯t needed to go so far downtown. Fortunately, though, it wasn¡¯t too long before he rounded a corner and saw one of David¡¯s scratched out signs for ¡°Hell Street¡±.

    Cris noticed the building up ahead and picked up his pace as he walked through a particularly dark stretch of the street. It was a difficult balance walking out there at night. One needed to look confident enough to ward off would-be attackers, but also needed to move quick enough to avoid them.

    Breathing a sigh of relief, he finally reached the door to the apartment, though, glancing around and noticing that no one was around. It was important not to be seen heading in, since he and David were just squatting there. He was a little surprised, though, as usually he had to wait for at least a couple of people nearby to leave the area before heading in. This time, the dark street remained quiet, other than an odd clicking sound near some bushes which were probably just some animals.

    Cris was glad to head inside quickly, though, and knocked before turning the handle and opening the door. He stepped inside, still glancing behind him to make sure no one was watching. When he turned, he tossed his backpack inside, adjusting to the increased darkness. There was a soft grunt from the opposite end of the room, and Cris supposed David was already sleeping.

    ¡°Hey man, I¡¯m back!¡± Cris called out, beginning to close the door, but pausing as he nearly slipped on something. ¡°What the hell, did you spill something here?¡±

    Tck tck tck tck tck.

    Cris felt a shiver pass down his spine as a sound unlike any he¡¯d ever heard was emitted from¡­everywhere. He blinked slowly, his eyes drifting down to the ground. Just then, a car passed by, its light illuminating the doorway just for a moment, revealing the red liquid pooling around it.

    ¡°D-David?¡± Cris croaked, staring at the ground, even as it was once again hidden in the dark. ¡°What¡­¡±

    Grrr tck tck tck.

    Cris couldn¡¯t explain it. He felt a terror welling up within him at that sound. It was everywhere. In the room, in his head, in his body¡­in his mind. He slowly looked up, his eyes trying their best to adjust to the darkness. Someone was at the other end of the room. A large, hulking shape, hunched over something else.

    There was a heavy breathing, and Cris wasn¡¯t sure if it was his own, or whoever was in the room with him. But slowly, he was starting to see something. The smallest details taking shape. The matted hair. The outstretched, bloody arms. The tired, baggy eyes, now completely lifeless.

    ¡°David¡­¡±

    Another growl was emitted, and Cris looked up from the dead body of his one and only friend. What he saw, he couldn¡¯t explain. All he knew was that it was a monster. No human looked like that. No animal.

    And it had killed David.

    Skreee!

    The creature from Hell leapt at Cris.

 Arc 1: The Awakening - The Friendly Neighborhood Bat-Boy

    Nightmare.

    That was the only thing Cris could think of. David had been having them, so it only made sense. Cris'' brain had just been influenced by his friend''s complaints and he was getting a nasty taste of what David had been going through.

    Nonetheless, Cris didn''t want to be ripped to shreds, even in a nightmare. So as the monster leapt at him, he dove to the side, hearing a crash like nothing he''d heard before as the creature struck the door.

    Wake up, Cris told himself, squinting as he tried to see what was attacking him. It wasn''t just that the room was dark. This monster seemed to be partly made of shadow. Cris could see what must''ve been a body, but it was wispy in areas. Nonetheless, the growling noise he heard, along with the sound of what must''ve been claws lightly scraping the floor, were certainly enough to make it clear some kind of physical presence was there.

    Tck tck tck skreeeeee!

    Cris winced at the screech. It was haunting. If death had a particular sound associated with it, it would sound like that. He leapt to the side again, seeing the shadowy creature preparing to attack once more. Yet again, there was another crash, a pile of David''s few belongings being scattered across the floor, including an old cellphone of his that no longer worked, which slid to Cris'' feet.

    He grabbed it, holding it up as though it was something he could throw at the monster. Whether this was a nightmare or not, Cris knew he wasn''t going to last much longer if he stayed in this room. He needed to get back to the door.

    There was a soft thud behind him, and Cris whipped around, wondering if another monster was there. Instead, he found himself nearly throwing up, seeing David''s body sliding somewhat from where he''d been dropped by the creature.

    "David¡­"

    For some reason, seeing his friend like that confirmed it for Cris. This was no nightmare. It was real. Even his twisted mind couldn''t manufacture something so dark. Those lifeless eyes, limp arms, the pool of blood and the gaping mouth from what was likely David''s final gasp or scream of terror.

    Cris pocketed the phone and clenched his fists, turning and glaring at the shadowy being across from him, blinking tears from his eyes. The beast clicked and growled at him, the sound as haunting and terrifying as before. Nonetheless, Cris held his ground this time, even as he noticed the creature preparing to leap again. He didn''t care if he ended up dead, too. He was going to get his pound of flesh.

    Grrr skreeee!

    "Bring it on, motherfu-"

    CRASH!

    Cris had often wondered when the small cracked window at the front of the room would break. It had never looked particularly sturdy, even ignoring the crack. Sometimes he''d thought the grime all over it was the only thing keeping it together. Regardless, it wasn''t held together anymore, and Cris and the monster were both distracted as glass shattered across the floor.

    Fortunately, Cris was used to things breaking, and he quickly recovered, diving for the largest piece of glass he could find. The monster leapt at him as he did so, narrowly missing him. This time, however, Cris was able to go on the offensive himself, and he sliced outwards with the piece of glass, striking the monster''s body underneath the shadowy substance that covered it.

    Little seemed to happen from the attack, but the monster screeched in frustration nonetheless. Cris used the opportunity to run for the door, whipping it open and slamming it shut just as he emerged outside. About a second later, a shadowy claw exploded through the top, missing Cris'' head by inches and he quickly backed away, gasping and holding his shard of glass up, ready to fight with more open space.

    Before the monster could emerge from the apartment, though, Cris was grabbed by something else, immediately feeling himself getting pulled away. He yelled in surprise, swinging his arm around and thrusting the shard of glass towards what was holding him. He only just barely stopped himself as he noticed it was no monster.

    "Finn? What the-"

    Finn Murphy looked a little startled, eyes on the shard of glass held to his throat. Cris also realized he''d managed to twist Finn''s arm around, locking him in place. Cris had no intention of releasing the boy, though, still sensing danger.

    "W-We''ve gotta¡­g-get out of¡­here," Finn managed to gasp out, eyes wide as another thud was heard, the creature slamming at the door once again.

    Cris glanced behind him, dropping his arm and releasing Finn. "What the hell are you talking about? Do you know what''s going on?"

    Finn gulped, lightly rubbing his throat and wincing as he glanced at his arm. "Yeah," he said weakly. "I-I''m sorry. I''ll explain, but-"

    SKREEEE!

    Cris nodded, gesturing for Finn to get moving. As soon as they took off, another crash was heard, and Cris glanced back to see various pieces of the door flying out onto the street. There was another loud screech as the shadowy creature leapt out, turning in their direction. Without hesitation, it took off after them. Cris couldn''t help but notice the already weak street lights going out as the monster passed them.

    "You''ve got¡­to tell me¡­what that thing¡­is," Cris yelled out to Finn as they ran, Finn rounding a corner as he noticed the monster following them.

    "It''s a demon," Finn answered as they turned another corner. Cris figured he was trying to shake the monster off their trail. "A creature from Hell."

    Cris wasn''t sure how to respond to that. He''d obviously heard about demons and Hell before, but the way Finn said those words made it clear he wasn''t talking about a horror movie or some biblical story. There was no reason not to believe him, though. Demons were essentially monsters, so that tracked with whatever this thing was.

    "I''m sorry," Finn then added, glancing back at Cris briefly. It was somewhat alarming seeing the often mischievous boy looking so¡­defeated. "Your friend¡­I¡­I was on duty. It''s my¡­.it''s my fault."

    Cris felt a stinging in his eyes, but pushed his grief away as much as he could for the time being. He and Finn were further from the main streets now, rows of houses up ahead. Still running, Finn pointed towards a road that led towards a convenience store that Cris sometimes went to. It wasn''t usually very busy, but Cris supposed Finn was trying to keep regular people out of the demon''s path.

    "Explain that to me," Cris demanded as they continued. The demon was no longer visible behind them, but the screeches could still be heard in Cris'' head. "You were lurking around the apartment. What''s up with that?"

    Finn didn''t answer for a moment, his pace slowing as he grew tired. "It''s hard to explain. You aren''t even the one we wanted. I don''t think so anyway."

    Cris narrowed his eyes, reaching out and grabbing Finn to pull him to a stop. The other boy yelped in surprise from the forceful yank, before looking at Cris with widened eyes. "What the hell are you talking about?" Cris growled. "What is it you wanted?"

    Finn swallowed nervously at the look in Cris'' eyes. "Look, you must be able to see I can''t get into all of this right now. I''m guessing you''ve never seen a demon - agh!"

    Cris shoved Finn, knocking him backwards. There was another screech from the demon a moment later, though, and Cris immediately pulled the other boy up. He didn''t let go, however, twisting Finn''s arm once more. "My best friend is lying dead back there, you little shit. I want some kind of answer now." His words came out almost like the demon''s low growl.

    Finn swallowed nervously. "I-I understand. But-"

    Skreeee!

    Finn made to move, but Cris held him there. There was a crash behind him, and he glanced back, seeing the demon on their trail again. "Maybe I''ll give that thing a snack."

    Finn''s eyes widened. "You sick son of a-"

    "Run!"

    Despite his frustration, Cris shoved Finn and the two of them took off once more. With the demon close again, there was no chance for talking. There was barely a chance for breathing. Cris knew he''d been stupid holding them back, especially since he hadn''t gotten an answer. Still, he was pretty sure Finn had gotten the idea that he was serious about getting one at their nearest opportunity.

    Cris did learn something as they neared the convenience store, however. Demons were fast. At least, this one was. But, it wasn''t agile. Finn''s changes in direction shook it off fairly quickly once again, and before too long, they had a straight route to the store with nothing directly behind them. Of course, the demon could still sense them somehow, its screeches echoing in the air as it tracked them.

    "Can it smell us or something?" Cris asked, their sprinting now turning to a jog.

    Finn glanced back, biting his lip nervously as he slowed a bit. "Something¡­"

    Cris narrowed his eyes. "Meaning?"

    "Dude, you''re not going to understand any of what I tell you. If you can just-"

    "That demon might not kill you, Finn, but I sure will." Cris started to reach out to grab Finn, but the ginger-haired boy ducked quickly, darting out of the way. "Just tell me something!" Cris yelled. "Why the hell am I running from a goddamn demon?!"

    Finn clenched his fists, and for a moment, Cris thought the other boy was getting ready to fight him. A moment later, though, he sighed, the two of them continuing down the road. "It''s spirit energy," Finn then said.

    "What?"

    "The demon. It senses spirit energy. It¡­feeds on it. Sort of." Finn shook his head. "It''s hard to explain. Mr. Rainier will be able to tell you more."

    "Spirit what now?" Cris glanced behind them as another screech pierced the air. "And wait a minute¡­Mr. Rainier? The guidance counselor?"

    "Like I said, man, this is not the time for the rundown on all this crap!" Finn said pleadingly. "Just-"

    Skreeee! Grrrr!

    "Oomph!"

    Cris fell back as a dark shape slammed into Finn right before his eyes, the boy flying through the air as shadows seemed to grab hold of him and slam him into a tree. Despite his fear for himself, his grief for David and his frustration with Finn, Cris didn''t want to see the guy get shredded to death. His eyes widened as he stepped forward, calling out in concern.

    "Finn!"

    "Agh! D-Don''t worry¡­about¡­run!" Finn weakly tried to call out, appearing as though he was rolling around, fending off the creature. This one was smaller than the one that was in the apartment, meaning there were more than one of these monsters after them.

    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

    Cris liked to think of himself as tough, but he had to admit, when Finn told him to run, he was extremely tempted to take off. It wasn''t like Finn was his friend, and if the demon was dealing with him, Cris might have the opportunity he needed to get away. And with the other demon still after them, he couldn''t really afford to wait around or get into a fight with a different creature.

    He raised the shard of glass he still had and ran forward, feeling a heat well up within him as he set his sights on the creature clawing at Finn. It was hard to focus on it, Cris'' vision almost rolling off of the creature, the shadows difficult to focus on. Channeling his anger and grief, however, Cris was able to keep his focus for just enough time, leaping forward and slamming down on the demon''s back.

    SKREEEE!

    Unlike with the other demon, the glass cut into this one, and for a moment, Cris was sure he saw a white glow near where he stabbed the creature. The screech was almost dizzying, but fortunately, the demon wasn''t able to act as Cris and Finn clutched their ears and rolled away. Instead, it writhed around, almost appearing to be reaching around for the wound Cris had inflicted. Apparently it was a great deal more damaging than Cris had thought, and a moment later, the beast seemed to explode into dust and a wispy smoke.

    As Cris stared blankly at the spot where the creature exploded, Finn managed to recover a little faster, standing and pulling out what appeared to be a slingshot. He ran towards the spot and picked up the glass Cris had stabbed the creature with, testing it out with the slingshot for a moment, before turning to Cris. His eyes were wide, almost like he was more scared of Cris than what the demon had been trying to do to him.

    "Dude, how did you¡­this is just a regular piece of glass!" Finn scratched his head, appearing quite perplexed.

    "I''ll stab you with it, too," Cris snapped. "Don''t think it matters what kind of glass it is when you get something sharp jabbed into you like that. Guess I got it in a good spot."

    "No, you didn''t kill it. Just scared it enough for it to cross back to Hell."

    Cris didn''t even bother trying to get confirmation on what that meant. He heard the first demon screeching again and looked back, seeing it emerging from further down the street. "Can you hit that thing with your slingshot?"

    "I don''t think I can channel enough spirit energy into it for enough damage," Finn muttered. He pulled a metal ball from his pocket and then tossed the shard towards Cris, who scrambled to catch it, noticing there was no blood on it. "We can''t keep running. We''ll fight," Finn said darkly, aiming the ball with his slingshot.

    Skreeee!

    Cris winced at the sound, seeing the demon closing the distance on them. He knew Finn was right. They couldn''t keep running. His legs burned, and every breath was painful. Nonetheless, he looked at the other boy like he was crazy. How they can go from thinking even being in the vicinity of this demon was a sure death to thinking they could fight it was completely insane.

    "Just do what you can," Finn said, narrowing his eyes as he watched the demon. He was making a bunch of clicking sounds as he aimed. "We''ll get out of here."

    Cris swallowed nervously, but nodded, readying himself as the demon closed in on them. And a moment later, Finn fired the first shot, the metal ball whipping through the air, seemingly glowing for a moment, before slamming into the shadowy beast''s head.

    Grrraaaarrrr!

    The cry was higher pitched, the creature falling immediately and rolling across the ground. Unfortunately, it didn''t explode like the last one, immediately getting back to its feet and screeching once more. Cris could see that Finn was still preparing another shot with his slingshot, so ignoring the insanity of it all, he ran forward, swinging out with his piece of glass, aiming for the shadowy area that must''ve been the demon''s neck.

    "Agh!"

    It did nothing, bouncing off the demon and causing Cris'' arm to slip to the side, leaving him completely open as the monster kicked out. He felt a pain like nothing he''d felt before as he was struck in the stomach, and he felt his body lifting high into the air. About a second later, he felt another pain in his back as he slammed into a tree, sliding down to the ground after another moment and hitting it with a hard thud.

    "Cris!" Finn yelled in a panic. Cris couldn''t quite see straight, his vision blurry and pain searing across his back and his head and stomach throbbing. Fortunately he didn''t seem to be bleeding, the demon''s claws not out during the strike, but regardless, he didn''t think he was going to survive as he noticed a shadowy shape emerge in front of him. The demon appeared to be preparing to finish the job.

    "Hyah!"

    But the blurry, dark shape in front of Cris wasn''t attacking him. Instead, it moved away from him, and a second later, Cris could see what appeared to be yellow. The shape darted forward, jumping up and spinning, and Cris heard the demon screech as a slicing sound was heard.

    "Yeah! Nice one, Elsa!" Finn then yelled, his voice full of relief. Cris blinked again, looking in Finn''s direction, seeing him release another one of his attacks with his slingshot.

    Skreeee! the demon screeched again, as a thud was heard upon impact. Cris blinked again, vision clearing up a little more as he noticed the shape from before, now realizing it was a dark-haired girl in a yellow shirt and black skirt. A familiar looking girl at that. One who sat next to him in math class.

    "Hyah!" Elsa Hale shouted once more, kicking off the ground hard and whipping through the air. She spun as she approached the demon, blades on her shoes glistening in the limited moonlight. Cris'' eyes widened as he saw the creature''s head fly off, Elsa giving the demon one last kick as she spun and landed behind its now prone body.

    "What the¡­" Cris slowly struggled to his feet, watching as the demon''s body smoked, bubbled and crumbled. It was different from the other one that he''d stabbed with the glass. There was what appeared to be a finality to it. This demon was now dead.

    "Holy shit, Elsa!" Finn called out, walking up to the remains of the demon and observing as the smoke drifted away and the foamy substance bubbled into nothingness. "Thanks for the save."

    Elsa nodded, turning her gaze to Cris. He was still trying to get his bearings, and this wasn''t making anything easier. "Is it him, then?"

    Finn glanced at Cris, biting his lip nervously. "I¡­er¡­maybe? But David¡­he¡­er¡­"

    "David''s¡­dead," Cris said shakily. "Th-That demon¡­it¡­"

    Elsa''s eyes widened, her sharp gaze suddenly much gentler. "What?"

    "It was there already when Cris got back," Finn said. "It attacked during the day, Elsa. He wasn''t even fully Awakened and it attacked him in the day."

    Elsa appeared quite shaken, but she still kept her gaze on Cris. He was trying not to show it, but hearing Finn talk about David hurt. His best friend was gone. They would never eat chocolate bars for lunch after skipping school again. They would never sneak over to their foster families'' homes and steal cash again. They would never curse the world and their enemies together again.

    "Cris¡­I¡­" Elsa clenched her fists. "There''s a lot to tell you, but now''s not the time, okay? There are probably more of these things around, and we need to get to the rest of the group. And something''s going on that we don''t understand."

    Cris nodded. He wasn''t going to bother fighting for answers. He knew these two weren''t his enemy. Finn had fought for him. Elsa had saved him. That was enough evidence for now. They just had to get out of here and then he could get his answers.

    "Fair enough," Cris muttered, wincing as he felt his back throbbing from striking the tree. "Where are we going?"

    "Mara and Heidi are close, keeping civilians away," Elsa said. "Mr. Rainier was tracking two demons near the school."

    Cris gaped at her. "Mara Keres and Heidi Engel? They''re involved in this stuff?!"

    Elsa nodded. "Yeah."

    "You''ve gotta be fu-"

    "Let''s go, Parker!" Finn snapped. "We''d better find them."

    Cris was still fairly woozy, and Finn wasn''t a hundred percent either. Regardless, without a demon directly on their tail, they didn''t need to run quite like they did before. They reached the convenience store before too long, and as they did, Cris was surprised to see the lights off. Other than a couple of dim streetlights, it was quite dark in the area. Those lights were the only thing that kept Cris from slashing out with his shard of glass when Heidi emerged from the shadows, eyes almost appearing to glow for a moment.

    "Cris! Ohmygosh! I''m so glad you''re okay!" she cried out, running towards him and hugging him tightly.

    Cris didn''t push her away, despite the fact he normally would have. Rather, he closed his eyes for a moment, letting himself forget the horror that had been inflicted upon him that night, even if just for a moment. Still, he stepped back once Heidi was done, making sure to maintain his standard scowl.

    "Guess this is what you''ve had Rainier on to me about, huh?" Cris guessed. He hated the fact his voice shook with the question.

    "I¡­" Heidi''s eyes glistened, tearing up slightly. She shook her head. "I''m sorry about David. We¡­we failed you. Especially me."

    "How do you know about him?" Cris asked.

    Finn stepped forward at that, making the clicking sound he''d been doing earlier. As he did so, Heidi winced, pulling what looked like some kind of styrofoam ball out of her ear. "Ouch! Finn!"

    "Echolocation," Finn explained quickly, ignoring Heidi''s complaint. "I can send messages and these devices will pick up the sound waves I send out. They''re set up to¡­er¡­translate."

    Cris raised an eyebrow. "I guess you''re not going to explain that any further?"

    Finn nodded, holding his hand up for silence. "Just helps you understand what I''m doing here." Once again, he began making clicking sounds, manipulating his mouth so the clicks appeared to be aimed in different directions. "Mara''s okay, I think," he said after a moment. "Keeping people away. Rainer¡­is on his way. We just need to hold out until¡­oh shit!"

    Elsa immediately stood up straighter, eyes darting around, while Heidi held Cris'' shoulder, pulling him back towards the wall of the convenience store. Apparently she wasn''t a fighter, and she seemed to think Cris wasn''t either.

    "What is it?" Cris asked, pushing away from Heidi slightly.

    "Two of them!" Finn said, readying his slingshot, while Elsa clicked her heels together, releasing the blades from her shoes. "Out of nowhere!"

    "What do you mean out of-"

    Skreeee!

    Cris couldn''t finish his question, stumbling back against the wall as another shadowy creature appeared before their group, striking from the air. This demon was winged, and despite the shadows around it, Cris was sure he could see a beak full of fangs and dark orbs where its eyes should''ve been, full of rage and hunger.

    Thump!

    Skreeee!

    Finn''s ball struck the beast in the side of the head, knocking it off course and sending it crashing into the wall of the convenience store. It was nowhere near close enough to killing it, but it was enough for Elsa to charge forward and leap into action, spinning and slicing into the creature''s neck.

    Cris almost gagged as he heard the gurgling from the demon, the shadowy, blood-like substance spurting from its neck as it tried to take flight once more. It lashed out once with its talons, though, striking Elsa along the chest before it fell to the ground, crumbling away like the last one Elsa had killed.

    "Elsa!" Finn shouted, running forward as she fell to the ground, clutching her chest.

    "Agh! I''m¡­I''m all right!" she shouted. "Get ready for the other one."

    Finn hesitated, eyes widening as he turned, trying to pinpoint where the other one was. Then, in that moment, something seemed to warp in the air next to him, and a large, clawed hand lashed out, slicing along his side.

    "Ahhh!" Finn screamed, collapsing immediately as blood sprayed around him, the demon emerging as though from thin air. There was a clattering sound as a metal ball fell from Finn''s grasp, rolling back towards Cris and Heidi.

    "No! Finn!" Heidi screamed, terror in her eyes.

    Cris felt her grip on his shoulder, hurting him somewhat. He couldn''t believe what was happening. Elsa had dispatched the demon that had killed David in seconds. Finn had fought it off well enough as well, along with the one Cris had stabbed. They''d each been wounded in a flash.

    Elsa wasn''t down for the count yet, though, struggling to her feet, appearing woozy as she did so. She pulled out a dagger and staggered forward, positioning herself between the newest demon and Heidi and Cris. Heidi also moved, trying to get in front of Cris, despite her shaking in terror.

    "R-Run¡­" Elsa muttered. "I''ll¡­hold it¡­off¡­"

    Heidi glanced back at Cris, appearing torn on what to do. "I¡­but¡­"

    Grrr reeeet!

    The demon growled and squealed like some kind of haunted pig. It slashed down towards Elsa, her dagger weakly coming up to meet it. She held strong for a moment, but the beast''s power was too much, forcing its strike through and slashing her in the stomach and tossing her aside like a rag doll. She hit the ground with a low moan and lay still.

    As the demon turned to Cris and Heidi, there was one last stirring from Finn, his arm weakly raising up and grabbing at the beast. Cris felt a lump in his throat as the boy was kicked away, crashing through the window of the store. It was just Cris and Heidi now, and it didn''t seem like Heidi was much of a fighter.

    "Cris¡­I''ll¡­I''ll hold it off. Just run." Heidi shook as she stepped forward. "Mr. Rainier is near the school. Mara will be nearby." She clenched her fists and held them up, the demon growling and licking the blood on its claws. "P-Please. If we get you out of here¡­it won''t be for nothing."

    Cris was tempted. He was very tempted. He''d seen David''s ruined body, felt the strength of these demons and seen two fighters taken down within seconds. Of course it made sense to run. If he could reach Mr. Rainier, maybe he would survive this night. Maybe he could get away if he let Heidi sacrifice herself like the others had done. These people had lied to him anyway. He owed them nothing.

    Cris bent a knee, preparing to run, and Heidi smiled in relief.

    "AHHHH!"

    Cris plucked the metal ball from the ground that Finn had dropped and kicked off, running past a stunned Heidi, straight towards the demon. The monster roared triumphantly, slicing upwards with its razor sharp claws. Cris ignored the searing pain in his gut as he was impaled, feeling the claws pierce through him and exit his back.

    Gritting his teeth he held the metal ball tight, remembering David''s lifeless body, Elsa''s weak block with her dagger and Finn crashing through the window. He thought of Heidi, shaking and telling him to run.

    "GAAAHHH!"

    He punched forward with everything he had, heat pooling in his impaled gut and spreading throughout his body. The metal ball glowed within his fist and it burned like the sun. He sank his fist into the demon''s head with all his might, shattering its skull or whatever it was demons had. He felt the shadows burn away as light radiated from the punch and saw steam billowing from the wound as the demon''s head bubbled and foamed.

    SKREEEE!

    "GO TO HELL!"

    Cris kicked out, an unknown strength sending the creature''s dissipating remains staggering backwards, its claws exiting from his gut. He hit the ground with a thud, vision immediately going foggy. Nonetheless, he smiled, hearing the hiss as the demon''s body withered away.

    "CRIS!"

    He blinked, barely feeling it as something touched him, shook him. He was drifting away. Falling asleep. His body was going numb and his vision was fading. He wasn''t stupid. He knew this was it.

    "Miss Engel, out of the way!"

    "Sir! Two of them¡­out of nowhere¡­appeared¡­Cris¡­jumped in front¡­killed¡­"

    "Just stay back! There''s still¡­just need¡­"

    "Cris! Cris!"

    Cris fell into darkness.

 Arc 1: The Awakening - The City of Spirits

    Cris gasped as he emerged from an ocean, the water glistening in the sun, the blue sky reflected on its surface. It was cool near the water, but a shiver passed through him as he found himself flying at an unexpected speed. Unclear as to how he managed it, Cris willed himself higher, embracing the feeling of the sun warming his back.

    For a while, he maintained an equal distance from the ocean and the clear sky above, noticing a burning sensation whenever he soared too high. There was a frustration, however. The sensation of flight was so great a feeling, that Cris desired more. He wished to reach greater heights. He felt a hunger well up within him to reach the potential his new power provided him. But the heat was a great as his desire, if not more. He burned the further he pushed, and went lower as he failed.

    The ocean was just as much a nemesis in his enjoyment. The cold water raged, crashing and reaching out towards him, shaking his concentration and getting him off balance. The waves tickled him as he struggled to keep his distance, each attempt at taking him making his flight all the more difficult. A furious strength of will was all that allowed him to regain a comfortable height.

    Once he had managed a comfortable flying height, Cris embraced the rush of the wind as he soared. The warmth from the sun was comforting, the cooling breeze from the water refreshing. The balance of his flight was both peaceful and invigorating. He could burn in the heat above, be lost in the cool darkness of the ocean below, but rather he flew forward.

    But temptation loomed in both directions. A gentle song joined the warmth from above, calling him to the heavens. It encouraged him, drawing on his desire for strength and his determined personality. But below, a more ominous tune played. It was like a cry for help, chilling his Cris'' heart and urging him to come to the aid of some unknown figure.

    Cris was unsure of which way to go. The further forward he flew, each song would echo louder in his ears. He found that if he fell back and began to fly in the reverse direction, the songs grew quieter, but his motivation would falter and he would lose the invigorating rush of the flight. It seemed to leave him with a choice.

    To fly high was to burn, to fly low was to drown, to fly back was to lose his future and to fly forward was to torment himself with the same choice again and again.

    Cris looked in all directions. High in the sky, the sun seemed to burn hotter, making him sweat without even approaching it. Behind him, the path he''d taken seemed to become shrouded in fog, making him wonder how he could even return and wonder what that would even be back there by the time he did so. Ahead, it was similar, only instead of fog, it was like seeing many versions of the same path ahead, filling him only with confusion. And, below, a dark pit seemed to expand, shadow replacing the ocean. A haunting feeling welled up within Cris, and he knew great danger resided there. Even more haunting to him, however, was how it still drew him towards it. Did a part of him wish to be enveloped in darkness and simply disappear?

    Cris.

    He blinked, managing to maintain his position. He could not remain where he was, and he knew danger, or at least uncertainty, awaited him no matter where he went. A decision was necessary and he feared the way behind, and the realms above and below. Uncertainty was ahead, but perhaps he needed to embrace it.

    Cris.

    The voice was with him, but it spoke from each direction as well. It sounded familiar, but distant behind him. It sounded warm, but overbearing above. It sounded cold, but seductive below. Ahead, it was muffled. Was it the same voice? He did not know. There was a gentleness that he felt with him, however, and he used it to propel himself forward.

    Cris.

    "Cris."

    He opened his eyes, feeling a dull pain throughout his body, but a sluggish warmth as well. His mind was foggy and his vision blurry. Everything felt unfamiliar. The noises around him, the light upon him, the feeling of the bed he lay in. He was in a place he did not recognize with people he did not know.

    Cris tried to sit up, but immediately felt faint, falling back into the too comfortable bed. It frustrated him how nice it felt. The pillows gently cushioned his head, the mattress doing the same for his body. Even the warm sunlight from a large window nearby was an eerie comfort, Cris being used to being woken up by a small, cracked window providing his morning sunlight.

    He groaned, feeling a dull ache in his stomach. He had no idea where he was and how he''d gotten there. His mind seemed to be foggier the more he tried to remember. His body felt tense, almost as though he''d been worried about something, or perhaps having nightmares. He couldn''t remember having a nightmare, though.

    Wait...nightmares...

    Cris shot up again, and once more, he nearly passed out, falling back into the comfortable bed. He felt nauseous, trying to reach out in all directions, wanting to grab onto something to better orient himself. He needed to get out of here. David was in trouble. David had been having nightmares. And David...

    "Cris..."

    The voice was warm, gentle and familiar. It calmed Cris for a moment, and he tried to look in the direction it had come from. He felt something take hold of his outstretched hand. It was soft, but firm, and above it, through his blurry vision, Cris could see brown eyes looking back at him.

    He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. He blinked once, twice and a third time, his focus increasing each time. He slowly turned his head, the bed and room around him coming into focus. The sounds in the room grew clearer as well.

    Cris was in a hospital room, although it wasn''t quite like hospitals he knew of. This one wasn''t all white with cold, bright lights and a sickly smell. It was almost like a log cabin, the smell of pine in the air and the sun providing most of the light. Painted pictures were on the walls, such as a raven, some kind of serpentine creature and a majestic looking bird. The bed was large for a hospital bed, the blankets thick and warm. The chairs around it appeared comfortable, too, Cris'' unexpected visitors having sunk into them. There was another bed in the room as well, also occupied, its occupant appearing just as snug as Cris. And, in the chair between the beds, sat a girl Cris recognized quickly.

    "Heidi?"

    She smiled, nodding as she squeezed his hand. He glared at the hand, but he felt too weak to pull away, and instead turned his gaze back to her. She didn''t seem to get what his look meant, or at least decided to ignore it.

    "You''ve been asleep for almost a week," she said. "It''s a miracle you survived."

    "Survived?" Cris tilted his head in confusion. "Survived what? I was just..."

    Cris hesitated, turning away and looking out the window. Something outside was strange, and he couldn''t quite place it. But his focus wasn''t on that. Instead, he tried to remember what had happened. David''s nightmares. That was the last thing he remembered. But no...there was more. David...he''d been sitting in the dark when Cris had arrived home. David had...

    Cris felt bile rise in his throat and he turned his head over the side of the bed, gagging. Almost nothing came up. Heidi had said he''d been out for almost a week, so perhaps there was nothing to come up. Nonetheless, he tried to force it, coughing and spitting up what little he could. He heard one of the other people in the room groan in disgust, but he ignored it. He felt sick. Worse than he''d ever felt in his life.

    His best friend was dead.

    "There was...there was a monster," Cris finally said, his voice hoarse. "It...it attacked me after...after it killed David."

    "A demon," another voice said, this one coming from a chair in front of Cris. Another familiar voice.

    "Finn."

    Finn smiled awkwardly. "At your service."

    Cris narrowed his eyes, but didn''t respond to that, his mind still trying to piece together the fragmented memories. "Demon...no, it wasn''t just one."

    "No, it sure as hell wasn''t," came another voice, this one from the bed. Cris managed to painfully sit up a little, getting a better look. He recognized Elsa, sitting there with bandages along her neck that likely extended across her chest. She looked awful, but grinned regardless. "Beat you by two days, Parker. Guess you enjoy your beauty sleep."

    "I...what?"

    "Elsa was hurt pretty bad, too," Heidi explained. "Finn got pretty lucky, but you and Elsa easily could''ve died. The demons that attacked us at the convenience store-"

    "The convenience store..." Cris finally managed to pull his hand away from Heidi, reaching it under his covers and pulling up his shirt. He felt at his stomach, noticing a bandage. It was quite tender and the dull ache remained. His back was similar.

    "Gross, Parker," Finn said, grinning as he watched Cris feel his wounds. "Not in front of everyone, kay?"

    Cris glanced down, realizing how he looked and quickly stopped. "These wounds don''t seem so bad. I thought I''d been..."

    "You were run through."

    Another voice. Also familiar, but one not from the night with the demons. Less friendly than the others, too. Cris glanced over to a chair that was closer to Elsa''s bed, seeing green eyes staring back at him. She swished her glossy brown hair back and smirked.

    "Mara."

    "Good to see you, too, Cristopher."

    "That''s not my name."

    Mara simply smirked, getting up from her seat and making her way over. The others watched her distrustfully, and Cris was glad his natural distrust of people wasn''t misplaced here. Clearly he had hit the mark with his analysis of this girl.

    "Spirit energy can do wonders," she said, reaching out and tracing her fingers over the covers, just where Cris'' stomach was. He shuffled away, wincing in discomfort. He noticed Heidi making a noise of alarm as well.

    "What''s spirit energy?" Cris asked, hoping to get Mara talking instead of focusing on his stomach.

    "That''s a question with a lifetime of answers," Elsa muttered, sighing as she glared at Mara. "Just give him the rundown."

    Mara smirked, sitting down at the edge of the bed. Cris was tempted to kick her off, but decided he probably didn''t have the strength. Fortunately, Mara seemed to lose her teasing demeanor and she grew more serious as she looked at Cris.

    "Spirit energy is what started this. It''s the reason demons were after David...and I guess you as well." Mara looked unsure of that last part, but continued nonetheless. "It''s also what brought us to your school."

    Cris raised an eyebrow. "What, you came to my school because of me and David? Why wait all this time to say anything?"

    "We haven''t been there that long." Mara''s eyes focused on Cris''. "We''ve only known you a few days, Cris."

    Cris blinked, almost wanting to laugh. He wasn''t exactly friends with these people, but he certainly knew them. They''d been around for...long enough. He shook his head, trying to remember when he''d first started talking to Heidi. She''d been talking to him for...how long? Elsa had been in his math class for...a while.

    Wait...Elsa...

    Cris turned his gaze to the black-haired girl, seeing her appearing somewhat uncomfortable. "You started sitting next to me only a few days ago." Elsa nodded. Cris glanced at Mara again. "And you became popular only recently...it felt like longer, but...it''s only been..."

    "A few days, yeah." Mara leaned forward, her lips twitching into a smile. "You did have me worried a few times."

    Cris ignored that statement, and glanced at Finn, and then Heidi. "And the backpack. When did you give that to me?"

    Heidi stared down at her lap, shame in her eyes. "The first day. It had listening devices in it. It was..."

    "So you could listen in on me," Cris said, turning to Finn. "With that echolocation thing you were doing."

    Finn nodded slowly, swallowing nervously. "Look, we don''t like manipulating people like that. It''s just necessary sometimes."

    Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

    Cris held up a hand, turning his attention back on Mara. "So hold on...how the hell were you able to make me think it''d been so long. Did you guys drug me or something?"

    Mara smirked, shuffling forward to get closer to Cris, before leaning forward. She whispered in a low, almost musical voice. "I would never hurt you, Cris. I just want you to like me."

    Cris felt a shiver run down his spine and he gaped at Mara for a moment. "I know you wouldn''t...I do like..." He paused, shaking his head somewhat. His mind had been clearing up, but it had started to fog up again. A warmth was felt in his chest, and it seemed to travel to his brain, and he narrowed his eyes, leaning away from Mara.

    She smiled again, but pulled away herself. "Mmm, you do seem to be Stirring. If you''re not actually Awakened."

    "Not bad," Finn murmured with a chuckle. "Even B-Ranks struggle with Mara''s Siren Song."

    "Siren Song?" Cris glanced between the two, trying to piece things together. "Wait a minute...Finn can do some kind of echolocation thing. And you said...Siren Song? So...you can manipulate people? With your voice?"

    Mara looked impressed. "Exactly. So day one at school, after getting the staff to bring us all in no problem, all I needed to do was get on the announcements. Before anyone knew it, they were all at the feet of Mara Keres."

    "That''s a nasty ability," Cris muttered. He paused, taking in the group around him, remembering Elsa''s fighting with the demon and her quick movements. "So you all have some kind of...ability?"

    "It''s a little more complicated than that," Finn explained. "But pretty much."

    "And it has something to do with this...spirit energy stuff? Is that like martial arts?"

    "It''s magic."

    Cris frowned, turning to Heidi, who had just spoken. "Magic? Like...real magic?" He shook his head. He supposed there wasn''t any reason to doubt it. Demons had just attacked him. Monsters from another world. If that wasn''t some kind of magic, even if dark, then what was? "Okay...so how does it work?"

    "We have different types," Elsa said. "It depends on your Spirit Guide. An animal, or creature of some kind, that lives within your soul. Some just say they''re spirit animals."

    "Depending on your Spirit Guide, you have powers or abilities relating to it. We can channel its power and use it." Heidi''s eyes, usually brown, took on a yellowish glow for a moment, causing Cris to shuffle back slightly. She merely smiled, though, ending the glow quickly. "My Spirit Guide is a cat. I can use it to increase vision in the night or improve my balance. Things a cat can do. It''s...not that strong. That''s why I wasn''t much help against the demons." She looked away uneasily.

    "You were very useful," Elsa argued, glancing between Heidi and Cris. "She had your back from day one. Noticed demons even Finn couldn''t spot."

    Finn nodded. "Echolocation is hard to control. Always good to have a good set of eyes." He smirked as he received Cris'' attention. "My Spirit Guide-"

    "It''s a bat."

    "Huh?" Finn looked disappointed. "How did you..."

    "Well echolocation isn''t hard to figure out for one," Cris muttered. "But you also called yourself the neighborhood-"

    "Okay! Okay!" Finn looked alarmed. "Yeah yeah, you got it."

    Elsa chuckled at the interaction. "Don''t tell me he was doing his Bat-Boy routine again!"

    Finn narrowed his eyes at her. "Can it, birdie."

    Elsa maintained her smirk, but turned her gaze to Cris as he looked at her next. "Mine is a falcon. I can manipulate wind currents to fly, and I can increase my speed. Pretty agile, too, and increased vision."

    "Seemed pretty useful," Cris noted. He glanced uneasily in the direction of her feet. "You weren''t using...talons were you?"

    Mara laughed at that. Rather, she cackled. "It doesn''t change our bodies like that. We design special items sometimes to combine with our abilities."

    "Like my listening devices," Finn explained, holding up the little microphone-like item Heidi had used on the night of the attack. "They''re specially designed to work with spirit energy. Elsa has blades in her shoes."

    Cris'' head was beginning to spin. Whether that was because of his injuries or the new information, he wasn''t sure. Nonetheless, he was still curious to learn more. "So what''s your spirit animal?" he asked Mara.

    "Mine is special." She leaned forward and whispered in her eerily song-like voice. "A Siren."

    Cris stared at her, perplexed. "That''s not an animal. That''s...isn''t that a Greek monster? A myth?"

    The others had grown quiet, apparently rather uncomfortable about this stage of the conversation. Mara continued, however, maintaining her smile. "Yes, I have a special creature for a Spirit Guide. I''m what is known as a Mythical."

    "And?" Cris wasn''t sure what she was getting at, sensing that Mara was quite pleased about this explanation.

    "Well," she said, leaning back, looking more pleased as she noticed the others'' uneasy looks, "I''m special. My Spirit Guide is much more powerful than a basic animal spirit."

    Cris raised an eyebrow. "I don''t know. You don''t seem that special to me. I mean...you didn''t even fight. I saw Elsa take a demon''s head clean off."

    "Pfft!"

    Mara''s eyes flashed angrily, and she glanced at Finn, who appeared to be holding back a laugh. Elsa as well appeared amused, while Heidi was looking away uncomfortably, but hiding her face. "You should be a little more grateful, Cristopher. I-"

    "Not my name."

    "I''m a dangerous enemy to have," Mara continued, ignoring the interruption with a twitch in her eye. "Mythicals are the lifeblood of this city."

    "Of the city?" Cris sat up a little more. "There are more of you around here?"

    "Er...Cris," Finn said uncertainly. "You''re not at home, anymore."

    Before he could answer, there was a knock at the door and Cris looked up as it began to open, seeing a familiar face as someone entered. He was used to seeing those grey eyes peering at him across the school hall, or across a desk. "Mr. Rainier?" he said, surprised. He did remember Finn mentioning Mr. Rainier''s involvement the other night.

    The man smiled, slowly walking forward and pausing behind Mara''s chair. "Good to see you up, Mr. Parker. I take it you''ve been...briefed on some of what has happened."

    "We''ve told him about Spirit Guides," Finn said. "A little bit anyway."

    Rainier nodded, appearing somewhat troubled. "I''m sure you have many more questions, Mr. Parker. In time, I hope to answer as many as I can. But first, I wish to offer you my greatest condolences. We failed in our duty to you and Mr. Frater. I failed most of all."

    Cris was surprised to feel tears begin stinging his eyes and he looked away immediately. He felt the tension in the room rising considerably. He was curious what Rainier meant about their failure, though. "How did you fail?"

    Rainier sighed, eyes drifting towards the window. "I''m not sure what these four have told you of Spirit Guides. Perhaps their abilities and what they offer?" He nodded, seeing the others appearing somewhat bashful. "The world of spirits and demons is much more complicated than that. They are deeply intertwined."

    Cris hesitated, a memory of the night of the attack coming to him. He glanced at Finn. "You mentioned something about the demons being attracted to spirit energy."

    Finn shifted uncomfortably, but nodded. "They feed off of it."

    Rainier coughed slightly, regaining Cris'' attention. "Demons reside in two worlds. Here...and Hell. When they begin to cross into our realm, they often still remain in Hell as well. You may have noticed their forms being shrouded in shadow." He paused, ensuring Cris continued to follow. "That connection to Hell drives their hunger. Hell itself seeks to absorb that energy, extract its power, corrupt it, and make it its own."

    "So the demons that killed David and attacked us...they were seeking spirit energy. Were they seeking all of yours?" Cris clenched his fists. He tried to keep his voice calm, but anger was creeping in.

    "Not quite." Cris looked up, narrowing his eyes as he and Rainier eyed one another. "Mr. Parker...they were seeking yours."

    Cris gaped at him. "Mine?"

    "I believe so. And Mr. Frater''s." Rainier rubbed his eyes, appearing quite tired in the moment. "It''s called a Stirring. Every person has a Spirit Guide. Most will never know, however. It often takes some kind of special event in someone''s life to bring about the connection. That connection begins as a Stirring, which involves the Spirit Guide...reaching out to its host, slowly and gradually connecting spirit energy with the individual''s soul. When the process is completing, it is known as an Awakening. We were at your school after having sensed a Stirring in your city. We were aiming to extract the one we believed to be Stirring and bring them to our community for training."

    "So why didn''t you bring us?" Cris'' head was spinning even more than before. All these terms were hard to keep track of. "You knew it was us. I know you did. You were all around me all the time."

    "We weren''t sure which of you it was."

    That was Heidi, and Cris glared in her direction. He could see the uneasiness in her eyes, but it didn''t stop him from turning his frustration on her. "Why does it matter? You could''ve got us both and waited." His voice grew louder. "You guys let this happen!"

    "That''s not it," Elsa said quietly. "It''s more complicated than that."

    "Spirit Shock."

    Cris looked back towards Rainier, frustrated by the pitying look the man gave him. "What? Another one of these stupid terms?"

    "It''s an important one, Mr. Parker." Rainier sighed again. "Spirit Shock is when someone is exposed to too much spirit energy before they are ready. An individual who is in the early stages of Stirring may suffer Spirit Shock if taken to a community such as ours. It will kill them if they are lucky. Shatter their soul if they are not."

    "But you were planning to take us anyway, weren''t you?"

    "We were waiting for the Awakening. At least...for one of you to be closer to the Awakening." Rainier frowned, looking confused despite his explanation. "The problem, Mr. Parker, is that Mr. Frater was likely our correct target, but you began Stirring as well unexpectedly."

    Cris'' eyes widened, even more frustration welling up within him. "You''re saying it''s my fault? You guys knew these monsters were after David, but it''s my fault? You could''ve warned us! Anything!"

    "It''s not that at all, Mr. Parker." Rainier looked around the room. Everyone was quiet. Even Mara. "Something unusual happened. Something we can''t explain. The demons were coordinated. They attacked Mr. Frater during the day. They crossed between realms out of sight of our scouting. This combined with your own Stirring was all unforeseen. This is no excuse. I failed in my leadership of this mission. But Mr. Parker...your circumstances were very strange. They will need investigating."

    Cris suddenly felt somewhat nervous. "What''s that supposed to mean?" He noticed the others watching him curiously. "I think I''d rather get the hell out of here."

    Rainier made his way past Mara and Finn, coming to a stop by the window and looking out. Cris glanced out as well, trying better to take in what was out there. He noticed something strange. There were a couple of buildings in the distance. One was fairly standard, but the other...looked old. White stone and less even around the edges.

    "We need to keep you here for now, Mr. Parker. You''re safer in this city. At least until you''ve Awakened. And, ideally, until you''ve been trained."

    "What city is this...?"

    Rainier turned towards Cris, smiling kindly. "This is Babylon. The city of spirits."

    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">

    The activity around the school was particularly vibrant when classes ended. It wasn''t uncommon for the students of Daedal Academy to enjoy the end of a long week of classes and look forward to the weekend, but there certainly was an extra buzz to the air. The reason for that was obvious. Because although it was a secret, everyone knew.

    A new student had arrived. And he had arrived in extraordinary fashion.

    "I heard he fought a demon!"

    "Apparently the mission was a total failure."

    "Rainier''s probably gonna get fired!"

    "Maybe Hale and Keres are going to get demoted!"

    Perhaps it was silly to say everyone knew. The rumors were just that. Rumors. Nonetheless, everyone had a general idea of what had happened. Rainier''s most recent mission to collect a potential spirit user had gone very wrong. Unexpected demon activity had met the squad that had accompanied him, and two targets were discovered instead of one. Unfortunately, one of them had been killed. And the other one, Cris Parker, had ended up fighting.

    "They just can''t wait to get official confirmation of what happened. Always gotta spread their rumors¡­"

    "Hm? You say something, Hikari?"

    Hikari Kita shook her head, pausing as she turned towards the boy who had just spoken to her. She had the bad habit of blurting out her thoughts like this. Fortunately, her best friend at this school, Oliver, was so quiet and reserved that he would never share what she said. And sometimes what she said was very unflattering.

    "Nothing," she murmured. "Just a weird day, huh?"

    Oliver nodded, running his hand through his bushy hair. "Wouldn''t have ever thought Mr. Rainier would fail a mission."

    "That just tells me it was really bad," Hikari said. "No way Rainier fails a mission without good reason."

    Oliver simply shrugged, staying silent as they made their way outside, catching a glimpse of Babylon down the hill and before them. The city was bustling as usual, its strange blend of cultures and time periods visible in the many streets ahead. It was a warm day, but there was a soft, cool breeze blowing as well, causing Hikari to tuck her light blue hair behind her ear.

    "Wanna head to the Acropolis?" Hikari asked, glancing down the hill towards the popular marketplace modeled after the ancient Athenian one. It appeared ancient from a distance with its cobbled streets and Greek architecture, but once there, many modern entertainment options and shops were available.

    "It''ll be kind of crowded¡­" Oliver muttered, clearly not too thrilled with the idea.

    Hikari grinned. "We can get there a little early."

    He cracked a smile at that and nodded, the two of them stepping aside as their fellow students continued making their way down the Academy steps. Once they were huddled away from the crowd, Hikari tried to pinpoint a spot where there was a good amount of sunlight, managing to find a good spot fairly quickly and grinning as she reached out to her Spirit Guide.

    "Let''s see¡­don''t need too much¡­" she whispered, raising a hand and focusing. A moment later, a chill passed through her fingers and a light mist sprayed out before them, the sunlight passing through it and creating a mini rainbow. "You''re up," Hikari then said to Oliver.

    "You know I don''t like showing this off too much. If someone sees us¡­" Hikari merely gestured for him to hurry up, though, and he sighed and stepped forward. A moment later, a glow spread from his hands, the rainbow shimmering in front of them and becoming a bright, white hole in the air. He stepped forward and disappeared into it. Hikari waited a moment, and then followed him through.

    By now, Hikari was so used to stepping through Oliver''s portals that it didn''t feel strange anymore, but she could still remember the bizarre sensation the first time. It had felt like going down a steep roller coaster, but instant. Like being plucked from one spot and quickly dropped in another. Of course, that is essentially what it was. A moment earlier she had been at the entrance to Daedal Academy, but suddenly, she was finding herself at the center of the Acropolis about a mile and a half away.

    No one seemed to notice their arrival, and Oliver quickly released the portal, glancing around nervously. Although most of the students from the school had yet to arrive, it was still fairly busy. A couple of older and more experienced students were checking out a weapons shop nearby, while a group of younger students who had probably gotten off school early were heading towards an arcade. Strangely, they seemed to be in a somber mood, with the exception of one child who smiled and waved as she noticed Hikari glancing over. Other than that, there were many common city folk around, merely going about their business.

    "Need to check out any place in particular?" Hikari asked Oliver, eyeing the weapons shop she''d seen the older students at. She did need a new dagger. One of her abilities was using electricity and she''d fried her last one somehow.

    Oliver didn''t answer, simply looking up into the sky, frowning. "You didn''t cause a rain cloud when we made the portal, did you?"

    "No, I just made some mist," Hikari said, glancing upwards. She could see what Oliver was referring to, a dark cloud hovering over the city, almost right above them. It was quickly fading, though, as often happened in Babylon. The spirit energy did give them fairly good weather most of the time.

    "Hm¡­guess it''s no big deal," Oliver murmured, turning away. He hesitated a moment later, though, his eyes passing over some of the shops, and then the arcade. Hikari followed his gaze, feeling a sense of unease as she noticed the people around them appearing to almost¡­freeze up.

    "What the heck¡­"

    Again, though, the moment passed, the people returning to their business, the Acropolis beginning to buzz with its usual activity. But as the two friends began making their way through the shops, Hikari couldn''t help but notice some of the strange behavior cropping up again from time to time. It was mostly children, such as a boy''s hands twitching as he tried to pick up a toy in one store, or a girl staring blankly at a doll in another. Even adults were having odd moments, though, such as the man at the weapons shop whispering to himself as Hikari perused the shop in search of her dagger.

    Of course, perhaps it was all nothing. This was, after all, a city of spirits. What were some strange looks and whispering but the eccentricities of those surrounded by magic. It wasn''t as though a demon was roaming the streets. Nothing of the sort could enter the city.

    Babylon was always safe.

 Arc 1: The Awakening - The Council of Babylon

    It was a calm night.

    That wasn''t often the case in Babylon, even if it was a safe haven for spirit users. There was often a great deal of activity, whether from the students of Daedal Academy, or the various bustling marketplaces. The people here were a lively bunch. Perhaps they had simply been too lively the past few days, excited over the arrival of the Parker boy.

    Garret Stone didn''t really see what there was to be excited about. Sure, the mission had gone poorly, but in a world of spirits and demons it was bound to happen the odd time. The way he saw it, the fact that there was an unexpected second Awakening was the reason it went wrong. Even the great Conrad Rainier couldn''t be perfect all the time.

    The city guardsman fidgeted with his uncomfortable armor as he slowly walked the dirt roads of the small medieval subsection of his patrol route. He always felt it silly he needed to wear armor. He was essentially a police officer. Yes, Babylon had its traditions, but why he couldn''t wear a simple officer''s uniform was beyond him. And what was he going to do with a sword. He wasn''t strong enough to channel his spirit energy into it. Although, he supposed his gun wouldn''t do any good against a demon.

    Babylon was safe, though. Demons couldn''t get in. If anything, the only problem Garret would run into on a patrol was a group of rowdy teenagers who had too much pent up energy from the Academy. They often listened when the city guards asked them to disperse, though.

    Kshh. "¡­Stone. Report in. Over." Kshh.

    Garret stopped for a moment, reaching down and pulling out his radio transceiver. The spirit energy in the air caused most of them to go haywire, but the Magical Supports teacher at Daedal Academy had built some better ones. There was the occasional static sound, but other than that, communication was clear enough.

    "This is Stone. All clear here. Over." Garret responded.

    "We need a check on the blacksmith in Little London." Kssh. "Report of a lost kid. Over." Kssh.

    Garret frowned, staring down at the tranceiver. "Missing person''s report? Over."

    "Not yet." Kssh. "Parents probably don''t know yet." Kssh. "Just check the area in case. Over."

    "Will do. Over and out."

    Garret sighed as he turned, making his way towards the small blacksmith''s forge down the road. This was almost surely nothing. Some people reported the smallest things in this city. It was too peaceful for them, and they would become somewhat squirrelly, thinking it was all too good to be true. Sure, there was crime and things went wrong, but it was dealt with so quickly and it was so rare that it was forgotten by the time anything else happened.

    As he neared the forge, Garret pulled out a flashlight and channeled his Spirit Guide, allowing the breeze to lift him into the air. His spirit was a sparrow. Nothing strong, but useful in situations such as this to allow an aerial view of the area. Within moments, he was above the building, aiming down with his light to try and catch a glimpse of any movements.

    It seemed that no one was in the forge, so if there was someone around, it wouldn''t be the owner. The nearest houses were a ways down the road, too, so Garret wasn''t sure who may have been reporting any sightings. Part of him wondered if this was simply a prank from the other guards. So bored in their daily routines they wanted to mess with him.

    He pulled the tranceiver back out. "No sign of any movement. Over."

    There was no response, and Garret tapped the device against his armor and tried again. Kssh. The static came out, but nothing else. He groaned, wondering if these new updated radios were no good after all. He gave it another tap and tried one more time.

    "This is Stone. No sign of movement around the blacksmith forge. Over."

    Kssh.

    "Bloody useless thing." Garret placed the tranceiver back on his hip and began to glide back down towards the ground.

    "Help." Kssh.

    The unfamiliar voice coming from the radio stunned him, and Garret landed roughly, falling against the wall of the forge. He quickly plucked the device back from his hip and spoke into it. "Hello? Who is this?"

    Kssh.

    "Hello? State your name! This is Officer Stone. Over!"

    Kssh.

    Shaking his head, he snapped the tranceiver back on his hip and stepped away from the building, making his way back to the road. The voice had sounded almost like a child''s, but perhaps he was just hearing things. It was probably just the device malfunctioning. That teacher would need to get back to work on fixing the damn things.

    "Birrrdieee."

    Garret froze. It was like a soft, melodic whisper. Almost like the breeze itself was saying it into his ear. He turned around, staring first back towards the building, then towards the road, and then towards some nearby bushes. He aimed his flashlight towards the bushes, but nothing was there.

    He supposed it was him going squirrelly now. He didn''t usually let things get to him like this, but perhaps with all the talk about the Parker boy''s strange arrival, something had lodged itself into Garret''s mind. And with the tranceiver malfunctioning, it only added to it. He would just finish his patrol and head home. There was nothing to worry about.

    "Fly¡­fly¡­away¡­"

    Garret felt a shiver down his spine. He closed his fist around the hilt of his sword. For some reason, that felt better than pulling out his gun. Perhaps that was why they carried them. Much less awkward than clutching at the holster of a gun.

    "Is there anyone out there?" Garret called out, raising his voice and trying to add a commanding edge to it.

    Kssh.

    He eyed the radio at his hip, daring it to emit another sound of static. He would smash it to bits the next time it did. He didn''t care if he got in trouble for it. The thing was getting on his nerves at this point.

    "Stone!''

    He jumped about a foot in the air before spinning around and drawing his sword. He raised it up, eyes wide with rage, prepared to take on whatever was in front of him. He was ready.

    "Officer! Stand down!"

    "Wha-"

    Garret dropped his arm immediately, seeing his commanding officer approaching him, holding up his own tranceiver, shaking it. He seemed angry, and Garret was quick to sheathe his sword so as to not anger him further.

    "These damn things seem to be out again!" the older man said. "Useless! Anyway, seems like nothing''s going on around here. Finish up the patrol and then report in. I''ll have another quick look and tell the civilians to shut the hell up."

    "R-Right, sir," Garret said, saluting. "Thank you, sir."

    "Get going!"

    Garret nodded and quickly set off back towards the road he''d been on before. He couldn''t help but sigh in relief as he made it back. He wasn''t sure why. There was no reason to be worried. Just as his commanding officer had said, nothing was going on. Nothing ever seemed to be going on.

    Nothing but that voice.

    <hr style="border-style: none; color: rgba(169, 169, 169, 1); cursor: default; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif" noshade="noshade" size="1">

    Cris groaned as Heidi and Finn helped him to his feet. He still felt weak, and from what the doctors said, he would still feel that way for a few days until he was used to moving around again. Nonetheless, he was finally being released from the infirmary. Somehow, he''d survived being impaled from a demon''s claw, and even more miraculously, he''d recovered enough to walk again within two weeks.

    One of the doctors supposedly had a mythical salamander of some sort as their Spirit Guide which aided the healing process. And spirit users themselves tended to heal faster due to spirit energy, suggesting that Cris was, indeed, becoming one himself. Regardless, Cris marveled at what had been done. It didn''t seem right that he was on his feet again so soon. Not when David was¡­

    "Hey...just one step at a time, okay?"

    Cris looked up, noticing Heidi''s gentle gaze upon him. He looked away quickly, though, not wanting to show another sign of weakness to these people. Regardless of what they''d done to help him recover, itwastheir fault he''d ended up in this situation. Itwastheir fault that David wasn''t here. They''d screwed up whatever their mission was. They''d just...screwed up.

    Taking a deep breath, Cris shrugged off Finn and Heidi, doing his best to maintain his footing on his own. He wasn''t as surefooted as usual, but hecouldwalk. He''d been forced to get up and move around a little bit each day. The first time had been horrible, but by now he was ready. Hopefully.

    "Where are we going? Rainier wanted me to go to his office, right?" Cris muttered, glancing at the others.

    "Yeah," Heidi said hesitantly. "It''s about our school. The Academy."

    "He said it was called...Daedal Academy?"

    Heidi nodded.

    Cris wasn''t sure what exactly he thought of this. Rainier had come to the infirmary a few times since his first visit. Sometimes it was a short visit, Cris not wanting to hear from him. When Cris was tired, however, Rainier stayed longer. On one such visit, he''d discussed the school for spirit magic users. A place to learn how to channel the power of Spirit Guides. A place to learn how to fight demons.

    "I thought he said I hadn''t...Awakened or whatever."

    "It''s not exactly that simple," Finn said slowly. "You''re...unusual. You seem to be Stirring, and you haven''t succumbed to Spirit Shock. At least...it doesn''t look like you will. And you seem to have some kind of access to your powers. Your healing alone suggests that. And also..."

    "Because I punched a demon in the head?" Cris rolled his eyes. "Don''t think there''s much to it, myself."

    Heidi shook her head. "I saw it, Cris. You were able to channel spirit energy into that ball. And then you were able to use that to...fight."

    Finn nodded in agreement. "Same thing with that glass with the other demon. You''ve definitely got some kind of power. The academy will help you learn to control it. You''ll even figure out your spirit eventually. Then you''ll gain access to some more specific abilities."

    "Maybe I don''t want that." Cris sighed, making his way to the door and slowly stepping out. The others followed in silence, none of them saying anything as they headed down the halls and towards the lobby of the infirmary. Nobody else was there, other than a secretary, which Cris was relieved about, so they weren''t bothered as they stepped out the door and into the sunlight, gaining a better view of the strange city before them.

    Cris had gone outside and seen the bizarre city a few times now. Nonetheless, it still baffled him as he looked upon it. It wasn''t that it was beautiful, although he could not deny that it was. No, it was simply that it was strange. An amalgamation of the eras of civilization. In some parts were Greek columns or Roman arches. In others, Asian pagodas. The odd skyscraper, tall as any in the United States could be seen, along with sprawling, tightly packed stone houses mimicking the streets of European cities. On the outskirts there were even simple stone and wooden huts. In the center of the city, atop a hill, a palace where supposedly a king resided, a stone building known as "the Sanctuary", a collection of towers where the academy was located. And, at the base of the hill, a large coliseum.

    "Honestly, I don''t think I''ll ever get used to it," Finn said, staring out at the city with an awed expression himself. "It kind of trips you out, doesn''t it? The other spirit communities keep it much simpler and stick with one style."

    "There are others?" Cris asked, his curiosity outweighing his distrust.

    "Three that we know of," Heidi explained. "Asgard, Camelot and Alexandria. I''ve never met anyone from those communities. Not that Babylon is on great terms with them all the time."

    "Things get complicated," Finn added, nodding sagely. "Very complicated."

    Cris was curious about these other communities, but he figured he would learn more about them eventually. For now, he wanted to figure out what the heck was going on with Babylon. He may have seen the city from the infirmary grounds a few times, but this would be the first time he walked its streets. He didn''t want to admit it, but he was a little nervous.

    "So what''s this place all about?" he asked. "Why is it so...all over the place?"

    They began walking. Heidi and Finn moved slowly so that Cris could go at a reasonable pace. He was grateful, despite his slight twinge of irritation at being pitied. Heidi answered once they were approaching the first street, this resembling a Greek marketplace, many people dressed in old clothing, such as a chiton.

    "Babylon was founded by some of the first spirit users. First, within theactualcity of Babylon you would have heard about in history." Cris shrugged. He had, obviously, heard about a Babylon. He hadn''t particularly cared that it had the same name as this place, though. Heidi continued. "As time went on, the users would naturally migrate to the more populated and wealthy areas of the world. The ''center of civilization'' you could say."

    "So people have rebuilt the city every time?" Cris asked. "And how do they hide it? Pretty sure the folks in Washington would be all over this place if they knew about it."

    Finn snorted at that. "It''s hidden by barriers. There are all kinds of spirits, mythical and even non-mythical, that are capable of fortifying the place and hiding it. We''re in the middle of the Rocky Mountains and someone could walk right up to this place and see nothing, and they''ll immediately turn around and go in the opposite direction."

    Heidi nodded when Cris looked at her in disbelief. "It''s true. It''s not that different from when Mara used her Siren Song. Other abilities can manipulate people into seeing things...differently as well. As for how the city moves...well...it really does move. It can teleport actually."

    Cris was silent for some time after that, taking in the new information as they reached another road. This was more like a medieval village, with dirt roads and wooden homes. People were dressed in different clothing here as well. Still, signs of modern life were present. One boy, an old cloak around his shoulders and a wooden sword at his hip, was holding up a cell phone, texting, while a girl next to him in an old-fashioned gown, took selfies of herself with her own phone.

    If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    "This is so weird," Cris muttered.

    "It''s just tradition," Heidi said with a laugh, noticing what Cris was staring at. "People here accept modern life, but Babylon is special. They stick to their roots by maintaining the old homes and streets and holding on to old culture. They still have things like TVs and internet, though."

    "Is everyone here a spirit user?" Cris asked, watching someone in a yard up ahead lifting a boulder up with strength that very clearly no regular human could possess.

    "Some," Finn said. "Definitely not all. It would be pretty chaotic if everyone was."

    Cris frowned at that as they approached another new part of the city. This one was more Asian-inspired, the walls around some of the street actually appearing to mimic the Great Wall of China. "I thought Rainier said there was something called Spirit Shock."

    "Well...yeah. But if you''re born in the boundaries of this city, it''s kind of like you''re immune." Finn shrugged. "Just the way it is."

    "Are people born here stronger because of that?"

    "Not at all," Heidi said. "Just regular people. They just know about our world and are happy enough to live within it. And those who want to leave are free to do so."

    Cris was impressed, despite everything else. The further they walked within the city, seeing the various cultures represented, the more incredible it seemed. It was an entirely new world to him, not only in terms of it being one of magic, but also in terms of the history represented before him. He only wished David could have seen this place.

    The group was much quieter the rest of the way, Finn and Heidi only giving minor notes on certain areas they passed. It was a slow walk, the three of them taking many breaks to give Cris a chance to rest, but time seemed to pass fairly quickly. Eventually they reached the center of the city, the area more mixed, but still with a Roman flavor to it with the coliseum nearby.

    As they approached the path leading towards the Academy, they were met by a pair who seemed to be waiting for them. One was unfamiliar, a tall boy with blond hair and dark sunglasses over his eyes, despite the area being somewhat shady. With him, was Mara, her characteristic smirk present as she noticed Cris and the others.

    "Cris...good to see you up and about," she said, the boy next to her eyeing him like a piece of meat.

    "I like to get on my feet as soon as possible, no matter what," Cris said, glaring back at Mara''s companion. "Who''s this?"

    The boy smirked, holding out his hand. "The name''s Levi. Levi Ofkus."

    Cris shook his hand, but maintained his distance, not trusting the guy. "Cris Parker," he said back.

    "Yes, I''ve heard. Sounds like you had a hell of a time." Levi''s hand went to his sunglasses and Cris noticed Heidi and Finn squirming uncomfortably as he adjusted them slightly. "I''m looking forward to seeing what you''ve got to offer around here."

    "I''ll see if you guys are worth offering anything to first," Cris said darkly. "Don''t hold your breath."

    Levi chuckled lightly at that. "You''re an interesting guy."

    "You do need to work on your manners, though," Mara added.

    "Nah, he''s fine," Levi said. "As long as he knows his place." He shrugged a moment later. "Well, see you guys around." With that, he and Mara headed off in the opposite direction, leaving Cris and his companions behind.

    Finn took a deep breath once they were out of sight, almost as though he hadn''t been breathing during the interaction. "Jesus, Parker...don''t go antagonizing Levi Ofkus, man."

    "Didn''t antagonize him. I was nice, actually."

    Heidi bit her lip nervously. "Cris...what is...nice to you?"

    "I shook his hand. Told him my name." Cris nodded. "I was quite friendly."

    Finn groaned. "You''ve got no idea, dude. No idea."

    "That guy''s not scary. Sunglasses don''t make you cool." Cris rolled his eyes. "Seems kind of lame to me."

    Heidi sighed, placing her hand on Cris'' shoulder. "You''ve got a lot to learn, Cris. Alotto learn. Levi''s an S-Rank. And he''s aMythical.He could kill you in an instant. I mean...he wouldn''t do that. I don''t think. But...he could."

    "He killed a civilian once." Finn said. "It was a whole thing."

    Cris eyed the two of them, unimpressed. "I punched a demon''s head clean off. I can handle myself. I''m sure loads of people here have killed-"

    "Cris Parker?"

    "Huh?" Cris turned, looking up the steps towards the Academy towers, seeing a girl with bright, ginger hair and glasses. It was a fairly warm day, but despite that, she wore a beige sweater and appeared to be hugging herself tightly. She almost looked like a librarian in her getup. "What do you want?"

    "My name is Rosalyn. Rosalyn Leroux. I''m here to bring you to Mr. Rainier''s office." She was fairly stern-looking, but she attempted a small smile. It was a somewhat nervous one, however. "The...council will be there as well."

    Heidi stepped forward, eyes wide. "Why is the council there?"

    Rosalyn shrugged. "I''m not too sure. But Mr. Rainier did want to warn you, Cris. There''s...some concern."

    Cris rolled his eyes. "One problem after another. All right, let''s get this done."

    Their group headed up the steps, falling in behind Rosalyn as she began to lead the way up. As they walked, she glanced back curiously at Cris a few times. Eventually, after he started to anticipate her glances with a hostile glare, she finally spoke up.

    "I''m sorry I haven''t introduced myself until now. I should''ve come to visit you in the infirmary. I''ve just been busy." She attempted another smile, this one somehow more awkward than the last.

    Cris raised an eyebrow. "I don''t understand. Was I supposed to be expecting you?"

    "Rosie''s Rainier''s assistant," Heidi explained, smiling. Apparently she was comfortable enough with this girl to be on nickname terms. "And the only S-Rank other than Levi. Even though she''s a non-mythical."

    Cris shrugged. "Okay, but why would you need to have visited me?"

    "Well¡­" Rosalyn hesitated, but continued a moment later. "I helped plan your mission. I was the one to pick up on spirit energy in your area. I arranged the team with Rainier and¡­"

    Cris sighed, noticing how beat up the girl seemed to be about it. She hadn''t been there, though. Despite everything, he didn''t think she deserved the blame. If anything, why had Rainier allowed a student to plan something like that mission. "You don''t owe me anything." The others were silent upon hearing that, and Cris decided it was too awkward as they neared the towers, so he asked another question. "By the way...what''s this S-Rank and A-Rank thing you keep mentioning?"

    "Oh, that''s our ranking system for proficiency with our abilities and our powers," Finn said, seeming happy to answer. "S-Rank is the highest, followed by A-Rank, then B, C and D. Most students are C or D, a few more are B and then a rare few are A. Only Rose and Levi are S-Rank. Elsa''s an A. So is Mara..."

    That didn''t surprise Cris. Elsa had certainly been a pretty capable fighter against the demons. And Mara''s ability was eerily powerful. "So what are you?" he asked Finn.

    "I''m a C. I was hoping to get promoted after the mission, but¡­" Finn looked away uncomfortably.

    "Right." Cris turned to Heidi. "And you?"

    "I got promoted to C before the mission," she said. "I might get demoted back to D, though."

    "Nah, you did what you needed to do. You kept a lot of people safe," Finn argued. "I''d like Mara demoted, though¡­"

    "And how did you get all the way to S-Rank?" Cris asked Rosalyn, ignoring Finn and Heidi for the moment.

    Rosalyn shrugged. "Just hard work, I guess. My Spirit Guide is an owl, so I...learn quickly. I''m a little ahead on things others may be slower with."

    "So you''re smarter than everyone else," Cris said, actually laughing somewhat at Rosalyn''s modesty. "You outsmarted everyone on your way to the top."

    "I...suppose that is one way of looking at it," she murmured. She glanced at Cris as they reached the doors to the nearest tower, her green eyes turning much more serious. "Considering that, please listen to me when I tell you this. The council may seem inconsequential to you, but they hold a great deal of power. Even one councilor against you is enough to make your life miserable. The king is essentially a non-factor, but still try to have him on your side. His vote will break any ties. Be careful, Cris. Something...unusual is happening here."

    Cris swallowed nervously, hesitating despite himself. "What is this place? Maybe I shouldn''t even be doing this if it''s so...messed up."

    "We''ll be with you," Heidi said encouragingly.

    "And Mr. Rainier is on your side," Rosalyn noted. "Just be smart."

    "We''ve got your back, man," Finn added, slapping Cris on the back.

    Cris sighed and then nodded, gesturing for Rosalyn to lead the way. They entered the tower and Cris immediately noticed the blend of ancient and modern once again. There were classrooms nearby, one appearing like one from his high school, and the other like some kind of ancient Greek scholar''s den. He might''ve been tempted to glance at the other rooms nearby, but Rosalyn called the group to the elevator, which took them near the top, towards Rainier''s office.

    Once the ride was over, they stepped out and made their way down a small hallway, where Rosalyn paused and looked to Cris once again. "Ready?" she asked, raising a fist to knock. He nodded, hearing the voices inside come to a stop as Rosalyn''s knuckles rapped on the door.

    "Please come in," the familiar voice of Rainier spoke, and the group began to shuffle inside.

    The office was fairly large, and like much of the city, blended old and new elements. It was not as disorienting as some parts of the city, though, and Cris was able to quickly turn his focus to the large, round table in the center of the office, where seven strangers sat with Rainier. One had a crown and an elaborate cloak, while the others were dressed in matching robes of a much duller variety. Presumably they were the king and the council.

    "Council of Babylon and your highness," Rainier said, smiling at those around the table, "please allow me to introduce you to Icarus Parker."

    Cris winced at the mention of his full name. How Rainier knew it was beyond him. He thought he''d managed to ditch it a long time ago. It was a weird name, and one he had no interest in keeping. The last, cruel, parting gift his parents had left him with upon abandoning him.

    "Just call me Cris," he muttered, bowing towards the king and nodding to the council members. He hated doing it, but he noticed Rosalyn smiling slightly, clearly thinking it wise.

    "I hear you''ve been through quite the ordeal, son," one councilor said, smiling kindly in Cris'' direction. "Allow me to offer my condolences on the loss of Mr. Frater."

    "We all regret his loss," another councilor said, bowing her head. They all followed suit. The king as well, who had appeared to be sleeping, nodding slightly and murmuring his own condolences.

    "Thank you," Cris said awkwardly. He wasn''t sure what else to do. "So...er¡­"

    "I believe this meeting is about your future," the first councilor said, smiling kindly. "Despite the tragic circumstances of your arrival...you appear to be one of us." He stood, bowing his head. "Apologies. My name is Theron Voss. The senior of the council."

    Despite his statement, he didn''t seem all that old. Middle aged, sure, but Cris wouldn''t have thought him to be "senior". Although as he took in the rest of the council, he noticed that they weren''t particularly old-looking either. The youngest among them was a woman who seemed only a few years older than himself.

    "Your circumstances do bring...trouble," another councilor spoke, introducing himself as Lucian Thorne. "Some among us have presented concerns about you."

    "Concerns I hope shall be alleviated today," another man said quietly.

    "I agree with Cecil," the young woman said, smiling in Cris'' direction. "I see no reason to be too worried about adding to our ranks. This should be no different than any other student."

    "You are quick to agree with Councilman Bennet on many matters, Councilwoman Frost," the other woman on the council said, eyeing Cris suspiciously. Despite her appearance, Cris had the odd feeling shewasquite old.

    "No need to be so formal, Isabella. Just call me Eleanor."

    "Oh what has come of this council! Professionalism matters, Councilwoman Frost. I am Councilwoman Drake to you!"

    Eleanor rolled her eyes at that, while the last man besides the king, who appeared to have fallen asleep again, sat in silence next to her. Rainier''s eyes fell on the man as well. "Councilman Blackwood," Rainier said, "I believe you have yet to speak on this matter. Perhaps you could get us started."

    "Al never speaks till the vote," Eleanor said in exasperation.

    "The boy is...dangerous."

    Cris swallowed nervously. That didn''t seem to be a good start. "Sorry, but I don''t even know how to use magic so...I''m not really that dangerous." He felt Rosalyn nudge him, urging him to be quiet.

    "Different is not dangerous," the councilor named Cecil said. "I understand your concern Alaric, but let''s not presume the boy a threat just yet."

    The senior councilor, Theron, chuckled heartily. "The boy said it himself. He can''t even channel his spirit energy. And I see no sign of him wanting to harm us or the city. I don''t see why there is even a debate about this."

    "The circumstances are far too unusual to dismiss the matter!" Isabella snapped. Cris thought she was an old witch with the scowl on her face.

    Cecil sighed. "Councilwoman, please. It was a demon attack gone wrong. It''s happened before."

    "I believe you were one of the more concerned among us by their reported coordination." Isabella slammed the table. "Something else is happening here."

    "The boy is not involved!" Eleanor shouted. "What are you so worried about?"

    "I''ve been around long enough to know that a change in the status quo with demons is a sign of very dangerous times ahead, young lady." Isabella did take a deep breath, however, calming herself somewhat. "I apologize for the outburst."

    "The boy used magic." That was the quiet councilor, Alaric. Cris was a little creeped out by him.

    The eyes of the council turned to Cris at that, and he realized he was supposed to address this. "I don''t really know what I did. Mr. Rainier doesn''t seem too worried about it, though."

    "It may just be a quirk of his Stirring," Rainier agreed with a nod. "Given the stress of the situation and his friend''s...passing. While it isn''t something we hear of often, it does not mean it can''t occur. We usually avoid civilian conflict in these matters."

    "My only concern," Isabella said slowly, "is that the boy has some...power we can''t predict. If it...changes something in the demons. Or if...they''re after something and think he may know¡­"

    "I don''t know anything, lady," Cris said. Rosalyn kicked him in the shin. "Er...Councilwoman."

    Eleanor stifled a giggle. "He seems fairly harmless. We''ve had kids come here capable of killing with a twitch of an eye. This boy is harmless. He needs us to learn and we need him if there is, in fact, something going on with the demons."

    "Test." Cris couldn''t contain his eye roll at Alaric''s blunt remark.

    "A test, Councilman?" Theron frowned. "To rank the boy?"

    "Trigger."

    The council went silent at that, and Cris looked to his companions curiously. "What''s Trigger?" he asked.

    "It''s cruelty," Heidi said, surprisingly leveling a glare at Alaric.

    "Outlawed," Finn said. "Almost like torture."

    Cris gulped. That didn''t sound pleasant. "Okay, look," he said, getting the council''s attention. "I don''t know what the big deal is, but all I did was see my friend''s dead body, run from some demons and punch one in the head. Why am I scary to you?"

    "It''s not that exactly, Mr. Parker," Cecil said softly, appearing somewhat intrigued by Alaric''s suggestion. "The circumstances are simply so unusual that there is concern about what magic is at play here. A magic...other than spirit magic. If you''ve been...affected by it in some way¡­"

    "I am certain he is not tainted by such a thing," Rainier said darkly.

    Cecil nodded. "Likely not, but Councilwoman Drake and Councilman Blackwood have reasonable concerns. I must admit that." He paused, sighing. "Still, this is largely a matter of a mission gone tragically wrong. We can investigate demons, but the boy¡­"

    "The test...is not a terrible idea," Theron then spoke.

    "I have misgivings regardless, but depending on what is proposed I could support it," Lucian added.

    "A Triggering is illegal!" Eleanor said. "How could you consider that?"

    "A monitored Triggering," Isabella suggested. "If the boy is Stirring, he may be gaining access to some of his power by the end of the month¡­"

    "And if we know he is Awakened and he is guided by a spirit¡­" Cecil nodded. "The Academy Games?"

    Rainier looked incredulous. "You want an untrained boy in the Academy games?"

    Cris bit his lip. "Er...what''s the Academy Games?"

    No one answered him. Instead, Theron spoke up. "This may be the logical path. The boy can attend Daedal Academy and learn what he may in the meantime. He will be monitored. If he is indeed Stirring, his Awakening may be approaching by the end of the month in time for the games. And the games themselves may provide enough of a Triggering to finish the Awakening. We would then know he is guided by a spirit, untainted by dark magic."

    "I don''t love it," Cecil said, "but it may be the way. I vote in favor."

    "We tow the line on our own laws," Lucian added, "but I vote in favor."

    "In favor."

    "Me as well."

    "And me."

    Eleanor was the lone dissenting voice, while the king didn''t move. Rainier merely shook his head in disgust. "Cruel and paranoid," was all he said.

    Cris, meanwhile, was nothing but confused. For some reason, he was seen as a potential threat. And for some reason, he was being subjected to some kind of...test. Did he have to be part of this? Did he want to be part of this?

    He shoved his hands in his pockets, beginning to turn away. As he did so, he noticed his hand touching something. He''d forgotten it, but David''s old cellphone was still in his pocket. He hadn''t worn these jeans since that night so he''d forgotten.

    David.

    Cris clenched his fists, his gaze passing over the members of the council, Rainier, and finally the others. Heidi and Rosalyn looked confused, while Finn looked angry. Nonetheless, Cris couldn''t help but smile, surprising them all as he spoke.

    "Ah, what the hell. I''m in."

 Arc 1: The Awakening - Daedal Academy

    Cris opened his eyes slowly, gazing out the window of his new dorm room towards the dull, gray clouds above Babylon. It would clear up soon. Cris had noticed in the short time he¡¯d been here that the weather was almost always ideal for the season. Another advantage of spirit magic being thick in the air of course. The city still contended with elements he¡¯d been told, but nothing severe.

    He rolled out of his bed. It was comfortable, just as the hospital bed had been. The first night he¡¯d used it, he¡¯d sunk into it and slept straight through until morning despite the stress of meeting the council. And every night since he¡¯d slept almost just as well. It was unnerving.

    Cris¡¯ eyes went to the bedside table, landing on the sole possession he had remaining from his old life. Not even something of his own, really. David¡¯s old and unusable cellphone sat there accusingly. A painful reminder that while Cris was alive and well, comfortably sleeping in his own room after three square meals a day, David would never do such a thing. David was supposed to be the one living this life. Cris was just a pretender. Even the council could see it.

    His feelings about all this were complicated. He still grieved for David. He bottled it up around the others and then allowed tears to come in his alone time. But he couldn¡¯t deny he was enjoying the comforts here. No rotting takeout food for breakfast, chocolate cake for dessert instead of a chocolate bar for lunch, a bed with no lumps and fresh clothes every day.

    Trust didn¡¯t come easy to Cris, however, and he wasn¡¯t sure how he could trust the people here. Maybe those like Heidi, Finn and Elsa truly were trying to help. Although with Mara around, could Cris really be sure of what he knew and believed in? If anything, the one thing he thought he could trust in were his own instincts, and supposedly those had been dulled since their group had come to his school.

    And then there was Mr. Rainier and the council. The only council member that had fought against the idea of Cris being in these¡­Academy Games was Eleanor. And while Rainier had opposed it, he wasn¡¯t doing much to stop it. In fact, Cris had a sneaking suspicion Rainier was interested in seeing how it played out.

    Although Cris couldn¡¯t deny that a part of him wanted to do it, too. A part of him was motivated. He had fought those demons the night David had been killed. His pretty miraculous recovery also suggested he was a part of this bizarre world. And he was beginning to feel¡­different. And perhaps¡­perhaps learning to fight these demons was in his interest. Perhaps it was one small way to get justice for David.

    Cris sighed, standing up and looking around the room. It wasn¡¯t big. It didn¡¯t need to be. And it wasn¡¯t decorated. It didn¡¯t need to be. Aside from the bed and bedside table near the window, there was a small desk on the other side, a bookshelf and chair and table. There was also a small fridge, and in the small hallway leading out, there was a bathroom. There was no kitchen. Meals were held in a hall with all the students.

    Cris headed over to the chair where he¡¯d draped his new school uniform over. He wasn¡¯t thrilled about wearing it. It was a dull brown vest with a white undershirt, red tie and black pants. He felt ridiculous just looking at it. But he supposed he would play along. It was his first day of classes after all. Maybe he would figure out something.

    As he was finished getting into his clothes, he heard a knock at the door, followed by a light cough. ¡°You can come in, Heidi,¡± he called out, easily recognizing the hesitance.

    The door opened, and Heidi stepped in slowly and uncomfortably. She was in her own uniform, similar, but she¡¯d opted for a skirt instead of pants and a ribbon instead of a tie. She still wore her beret atop her head.

    ¡°G-Good morning, Cris,¡± she said awkwardly. ¡°Are you¡­ready for today? The uniform looks like it fits okay.¡±

    ¡°If I¡¯m not ready, I guess it doesn¡¯t matter, huh?¡± Cris said, rolling his eyes. He noticed Heidi glance away as he said that, though, and felt strangely bad about it. ¡°Er¡­yeah, the uniform fits. Thanks for getting it ready.¡±

    That seemed to brighten her up, and Heidi smiled excitedly. ¡°Great! I know it¡¯s kind of weird wearing them, but it makes it more like you''re one of us. That¡¯ll show the council!¡±

    ¡°Right.¡± Cris gestured to the door once he¡¯d slipped his shoes on and the two of them stepped out. There were quite a few other students in the hall. Cris supposed this was the busiest time. There was an entire tower devoted to dorms for the students. Not all rooms were occupied, but there were definitely enough students to consistently be running into them. Up until now, though, Cris had been moving around during less crowded times.

    ¡°Do you want to go down for breakfast?¡± Heidi asked as they headed towards the stairs. ¡°Finn and Elsa were going to meet us there.

    ¡°Sure.¡± Cris tried to hide his eagerness for food. Meal time was probably his favorite thing about this place so far.

    There seemed to be an excited skip in Heidi¡¯s step as they made their way down. Cris supposed she was feeling like she was making a breakthrough with him or something. He was being quite pleasant so far this morning. Maybe this place was softening him up too much.

    When they reached the dining hall, it was more crowded than Cris had seen it so far. Nonetheless, there were still plenty of seats, and he and Heidi noticed Finn and Elsa right away. They sat down, the other two greeting them happily. Cris once again fumbled, greeting them in kind, his mind too focused on the large plates of bacon, sausages and eggs on the table as he started scooping some onto a plate.

    ¡°So, Cris, feeling up for your first day?¡± Elsa asked, absentmindedly rubbing her shoulder. She was probably still feeling tender from the demon attack. Cris still felt some soreness in his gut as well.

    He swallowed a mouthful of his food before answering. ¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯ll be any problem. What am I supposed to do? Be nervous?¡±

    ¡°Er¡­yes?¡± Finn looked stunned. ¡°Isn¡¯t that like¡­a normal thing?¡±

    Cris shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know a bunch of stuff, so people will tell me what I don¡¯t know. Or is this school stupid enough to expect me to know it already?¡±

    ¡°No, they¡¯ll tell you¡­it¡¯s just¡­you¡¯re really not nervous? You¡¯re the new kid. So like¡­what about that?¡± Finn looked like he was the nervous one.

    ¡°What¡¯s that gonna do for me?¡± Cris swallowed another mouthful of food. ¡°I¡¯m guessing I¡¯m not the first new guy you¡¯ve ever had here.¡±

    Heidi seemed quite pleased by Cris¡¯ attitude towards the situation. ¡°Cris is right. It won¡¯t be so bad. Besides, Daedal Academy is a lot more casual than a normal school. Difficult topics are repeated regularly with new students in mind. And since students go on missions sometimes, plenty of things need to be reviewed for them as well. And if you get to A Rank, most classes are optional.¡±

    ¡°What classes do you have for today?¡± Elsa asked, appearing a little uncomfortable as attention turned to her with the mention of A Rank.

    ¡°Spirit Magic Basics and Magical Supports,¡± Cris answered. Glancing at the piece of paper with the class names and locations. There were just two classes a day, although they were two and a half hours each.

    ¡°Basics is for C and D rank students,¡± Finn pointed out. ¡°So you¡¯ll be with us.¡± He gestured to himself and Heidi. ¡°And I¡¯ll be in the Supports class, too.¡±

    ¡°Supports is actually optional once you¡¯re used to things around here,¡± Elsa explained. ¡°Regardless of rank. Not every spirit is suited to using supports so some people opt to spend their time training in something else.

    ¡°What are the other classes?¡± Cris asked, looking at his schedule for the rest of the week. Some were basic classes taught at any old school, but there were other unfamiliar ones specific to here. ¡°Two different kinds of training?¡±

    ¡°Close Range Training,¡± Finn began to answer, ¡°is pretty straight forward. First you¡¯ll learn basic close range fighting. Hand to hand combat, self defense, martial arts¡­whatever you want to call it. As you get better, you start integrating your spirit magic into it.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s Elsa¡¯s specialty,¡± Heidi pointed out.

    ¡°My Spirit Guide is suited to it,¡± Elsa muttered. ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s a good class even if you don¡¯t use your Spirit Guide much for combat. It¡¯s still good to know how to fight¡­as you¡¯ve seen.¡±

    ¡°And Long Range Training uses Spirit Guides a bit more. We train for situations where we need to keep a distance. Not just in combat, but also reconnaissance.¡± Finn grinned. ¡°My specialty.¡±

    ¡°We also study a lot of mythology in our history classes,¡± Heidi explained. ¡°Not just for mythical spirit guides, but learning about past conflicts resulting from spirits and demons.¡±

    Cris frowned. ¡°Past conflicts?¡±

    Heidi shrugged, appearing unsure. ¡°Just things like old wars where it¡¯s believed spirits and demons were involved. Many of the old Greek myths for example involved spirit users fighting demons.¡±

    ¡°Even more modern wars,¡± Finn said. ¡°Supposedly World War Two had a major battle scrubbed from the records that was solely between spirit users and demons.¡±

    Cris tilted his head in confusion. ¡°How does that make sense in a war between humans?¡±

    Heidi looked away uncomfortably. ¡°Well¡­it can be a little more complicated than what you¡¯ve seen so far.¡±

    That was an unsettling thought, and Cris didn¡¯t ask anything more about it, instead opting to finish his breakfast in silence. And before too long, mealtime was over, and the students around them began to shuffle off to their various classes. Heidi and Finn led the way towards a nearby tower which would hold their first class.

    Cris was somewhat relieved to walk into the classroom and see that it was relatively normal. It was a little old fashioned with the stone walls of the tower and the mahogany desks. Other than that, however, students seemed equipped with regular notebooks and pens and the teacher even walked in with a laptop.

    If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    Cris was also surprised to find that he was being greeted quite warmly. Heidi and Finn didn¡¯t seem that well known around most of the school, but in this class, they seemed to be quite popular, and thus, he was noticed as well. Maybe it was the mission that had made them popular, or perhaps among the C and D Rank students they were simply the ones with most potential. He had no idea. Regardless, they attracted attention, and brought it to him as well.

    ¡°Nice to meet ya, man,¡± one boy greeted, introducing himself as Sam Dayal. He exuded cheer and joy, immediately making Cris uncomfortable. ¡°No offense, dude, but I¡¯m glad not to be the new guy anymore. I mean, no one was mean about it-¡±

    ¡°Other than Levi and Mara,¡± Finn pointed out.

    ¡°Yeah other than Levi and Mara,¡± Sam continued. ¡°Other than that, though, no one was mean about it. But still, it¡¯s weird being the new guy.¡±

    ¡°How long have you been here?¡± Cris asked, curious what the rate of recruitment was like around here.

    Sam tapped his chin in thought. ¡°Well, I got on the radar about three months ago. Then I was visiting family in India when shit started hitting the fan and that was a bit complicated so¡­guess I¡¯ve been a student for two months.¡±

    Cris¡¯ eyes widened and he looked at Heidi in alarm. ¡°Took two months for you guys to get a new student.¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s unusual to go that long,¡± she said. ¡°And between Sam joining and finding out about you and David it was more like a month¡­¡±

    ¡°Seems like I¡¯m hearing things are unusual a lot lately,¡± Cris muttered. ¡°Do people here actually know what they¡¯re doing or not?¡±

    ¡°You know¡­maybe they don¡¯t,¡± Sam said, not looking particularly bothered. ¡°But what the heck, right? The food is great. And the girls. And the city is pretty badass.¡±

    ¡°The city is, indeed, badass,¡± Finn agreed, nodding sagely. ¡°As are the g-g-g¡­¡± He paled as Heidi glared at him. ¡°Gates. The g-gates are cool, too. The coolest gates I¡¯ve ever seen.¡±

    Even Cris couldn¡¯t hold back a smirk at that, shaking his head as Sam headed off to his seat. Meanwhile, the teacher seemed to be getting ready, standing up behind his desk and gaining the class¡¯ attention as he raised his hand for silence. As everyone quieted down, he immediately looked towards Cris, nodding in silent greeting

    ¡°Good morning, class. I hope everyone had a good weekend.¡± He was a fairly average looking man, but Cris noticed the same strange quality he¡¯d seen in Rainier and a couple of the councilors. The almost¡­ageless quality in his face. Like he was old and had seen a great deal, but didn¡¯t show it. At least not in the same way a regular human might.

    ¡°It¡¯s the spirit magic,¡± Finn whispered, apparently figuring out what Cris was noticing. Cris blinked, looking away in case it appeared like he was staring too much. Finn continued nonetheless. ¡°It¡¯s so pure that it slows the aging process. Well¡­maybe it doesn¡¯t slow it exactly. Changes it, anyway.¡±

    The teacher had been talking as Finn was whispering. And apparently he was aware of it. ¡°Anything you¡¯d like to share Mr. Murphy?¡± he asked, smiling towards the ginger-haired boy.

    ¡°No, sir, Mr. Flint!¡± Finn said, saluting quickly.

    The teacher, Mr. Flint, gave a short laugh. ¡°Would you care to introduce us to our new classmate, Mr. Murphy?¡±

    Cris wanted to roll his eyes. This really was like an ordinary classroom now. Regardless, Finn hopped to his feet and did as asked. ¡°Hi guys,¡± he said happily, gesturing to Cris in the seat next to him. ¡°This is Cris Parker. He¡¯s¡­er¡­a boxer? And¡­er¡­a track guy? Much better at it than me. And¡­he hates music.¡±

    Cris had no idea where the hell Finn had gotten all that from. He¡¯d never boxed or done track in his life. And while he wasn¡¯t one to listen to much music, he didn¡¯t hate it. However, he had the strange impression the class understood something else in what Finn was saying. Many of them nodding respectfully at him as he glanced around, and some laughing at the remark about music. Sam in particular seemed to go into a fit.

    ¡°Everyone knows your story by now,¡± Heidi whispered. ¡°Finn just means¡­¡±

    ¡°The demon punch and the running¡­right.¡± Cris sighed. What a weird group of people. He wasn¡¯t sure what the music thing was about, though.

    ¡°Well, Mr. Parker,¡± Mr. Flint said, ¡°would you care to tell us anything about yourself?¡±

    Cris sighed, not actually interested in doing such a thing. Of course, as he opened his mouth to say so, Heidi nudged him, obviously trying to encourage him to do so. So, he sighed again, trying to make it clear what a bother it all was, and he stood.

    ¡°Hi,¡± he said quietly, although it was loud enough for the now quiet room. ¡°I¡¯m Cris. I¡¯m gonna be here till the Academy Games, I guess. Maybe more if whatever those are don¡¯t kill me or out me as some demon in hiding or whatever it is the council is freaked out about. I don¡¯t really have anything to say, but good to meet you, I guess.¡±

    That wasn¡¯t so bad, Cris thought proudly as he sat down. He nodded at Sam, seeing the boy giving him a thumbs up. Most of the others were quiet, though.

    ¡°Er¡­Mr. Parker, best to leave council matters private in the future,¡± Mr. Flint said awkwardly. ¡°A-Anyway, I suppose we should get to today¡¯s lesson. Since we have a new student, I think it probably best to go over some of the basics surrounding the processes of Stirring and Awakening.¡±

    ¡°I thought you said they knew my story,¡± Cris muttered, turning to Heidi as Mr. Flint began scrawling some things on a blackboard.

    Heidi glanced around uncomfortably, seeing the many eyes now on them. ¡°Well¡­I thought given what the council said¡­it was kind of obvious that wouldn¡¯t be shared.¡±

    ¡°Right¡­right¡­because it¡¯s unusual,¡± Cris said, rolling his eyes. ¡°Boy, everything sure is unusual. Somehow it¡¯s the fault of the guy whose best friend just got ripped apart. I wonder if maybe this unusual stuff might be more related to the things that do the ripping apart rather than the one they tried to rip apart.¡±

    ¡°Mr. Parker.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± Cris looked up, seeing Mr. Flint glancing at him uneasily. ¡°What?¡±

    Mr. Flint sighed. ¡°I¡¯m wondering what you know of the Stirring and Awakening process. What could you share with the class?¡±

    ¡°Just that it¡¯s the beginning of people connecting with their Spirit Guides. And it has something to do with an event in someone¡¯s life.¡± Cris shrugged. ¡°And Spirit Shock or something¡­that¡¯s pretty¡­bad, I guess. It wrecks your soul or something.¡±

    ¡°It certainly does,¡± Mr. Flint said, nodding. ¡°Or it can. Not every case is the same.¡± He pointed to his blackboard, where he had the key phrases noted down. ¡°Spirit Shock is just that. Shock. Think of it like a jolt of electricity. But this jolt doesn¡¯t travel through anything physical. It passes through your very soul. And thus, it can kill the very thing we¡¯re all aiming to, first, awaken and connect with, and second, work with and channel power from. Even now, spirit energy in this city is buzzing through the air. It¡¯s why we¡¯re protected from demons. We essentially have a large bubble of it around us. Someone who isn¡¯t Awakened or, at the very least, Stirring and reasonably on their way to Awakening, could walk into this city and it could essentially be like hugging a lightning rod during ten of the worst lightning storms you¡¯ve ever seen combined into one.¡±

    Cris got the point, and he was fairly sure that was said for his benefit. He had still wondered, even after Rainier had explained it, why he and David couldn¡¯t have been brought earlier. Supposedly it had still been risky to bring him when they did. Although the demon punch seemed to suggest he had enough power to survive the shock. Plus he¡¯d been about to die anyway. He was confused about one thing, however, and he was surprised to find himself raising his hand like a normal student.

    ¡°Yes?¡± Mr. Flint said, nodding encouragingly.

    ¡°You said something about spirit energy surrounding this city and protecting it from demons. I thought they fed on the stuff?¡± Cris was pretty sure Rainier and the others had mentioned plenty of things about demons feeding off of potential spirit users and this causing the nightmares.

    ¡°That¡¯s an excellent point, Mr. Parker.¡± Mr. Flint pointed outside, and Cris noticed the sun poking out of the clouds now, the weather clearing up as quickly as it usually seemed to in this city. ¡°Plants need sunlight, do they not?¡± Cris nodded. ¡°And what happens when they receive too much?¡±

    ¡°They burn or dry up¡­¡± Cris laughed shortly. ¡°Wow¡­¡±

    Mr. Flint nodded. ¡°Essentially it¡¯s overwhelming. Just the same as it can be for us with Spirit Shock. It¡¯s why it¡¯s so necessary to keep others out of this city as well. Your companion from your extraction. Miss Keres? She will have ensured that none in your old school remember you. You¡¯ll be, at most, considered a runaway. None can be on the lookout for you. They likely would turn back due to other protections in place, but a determined enough person could potentially get too close for their own good.¡±

    Cris could see the logic in that, but something in what Mr. Flint had said made him clench his fists. He could hear Heidi groan upon seeing it, but he didn¡¯t care. He stood up, breathing somewhat heavily. ¡°What did you say Mara did?¡±

    Mr. Flint looked a little surprised. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I thought you would be aware. Mr. Rainier would have assisted as well of course. Any trace of you will have either been scrubbed from the record or at least altered.¡±

    ¡°And my friend? David?¡± Cris narrowed his eyes. ¡°He got killed because of¡­¡± Cris shook his head. ¡°He¡¯s not even worth remembering?¡±

    ¡°Cris, that¡¯s not it at all,¡± Heidi said pleadingly, lightly touching his arm. ¡°No one is forgetting David. It¡¯s just¡­¡±

    ¡°Just what? Can¡¯t have his foster family looking for him?¡± Cris laughed darkly. ¡°They didn¡¯t care. No one did, but me and a couple others. You guys said you did. You let him down, but the least you could¡¯ve done was cared. Remembering would be a good start.¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t forget, Cris¡­¡±

    Cris turned on her, eyes widening angrily. ¡°Really?! It sure as hell seems like-¡±

    ¡°We remember them all!¡±

    Cris blinked in surprise, stepping back slightly at Heidi¡¯s yell. ¡°What?¡± He didn¡¯t ask with anger. Just curiosity. Because he was curious. What was Heidi so upset about? And who was she referring to when she said ¡°all¡±?

    It was Mr. Flint who answered, however, pointing to his blackboard. And there, Cris saw two words he hadn¡¯t noticed yet. ¡°Traumatic Event.¡± Mr. Flint gestured for Cris to sit, and he did so, Heidi settling down as well.

    ¡°I understand your loss, Mr. Parker. Believe me, many of us do.¡± Cris waited, starting to see where things were going, and feeling a pit in his stomach as it was dawning on him. ¡°The event that can create a Stirring, and ultimately an Awakening, is often a very powerful one. An event that shakes a person. Shakes them to their very¡­¡±

    ¡°Soul.¡± Cris closed his eyes, shaking his head. ¡°So you¡¯re saying¡­¡±

    ¡°Not in every case,¡± Mr. Flint said, ¡°but in many cases. Yes, many of your fellow classmates have suffered loss of friends or family. Many have been harmed themselves.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t¡­¡± Cris felt like the biggest idiot in the world. He glanced at Heidi. ¡°Who¡­who did you¡­?¡±

    ¡°My mom¡­¡± Heidi smiled weakly. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Cris. Just¡­you¡¯re not alone, here. And we¡¯ll never forget them. Never. We¡¯re on your side.¡±

    Cris nodded, his head swimming with the new information and his chest tightening with shame and embarrassment. ¡°So there are people out there having nightmares because of demons eating away at their spirit energy or whatever. And they think it¡¯s because they¡¯re traumatized from a death or something else, but really it¡¯s because they¡¯re about to die?¡±

    ¡°Well, people do have nightmares due to trauma, and the Stirring may not be occurring in all cases,¡± Mr. Flint said. ¡°There are, however, cases such as that occurring, yes. And the way demons feed during their kill makes it appear as though the individual does it themself.¡± Cris remembered David¡¯s bloody arms. ¡°It¡¯s almost¡­intelligent. They manage to hide their presence when they haunt so many. That¡¯s the reason why there are so many theories about¡­well¡­that¡¯s a topic for another day.¡±

    Cris was curious about that, but he had another question that was beginning to stir in his mind. He wasn¡¯t sure if he should bring it up considering what Heidi had said about the council, but since he¡¯d already embarrassed himself, he decided to just spit it out. ¡°So how does Triggering fit into all of this? The council said my participation was in the Academy Games was something like a monitored Triggering.¡±

    The class began murmuring in surprise at that, causing Finn and Heidi to look around nervously. Cris didn¡¯t care, though, focusing on Mr. Flint, who seemed just as surprised, but managed to maintain some level of composure.

    ¡°Er¡­I¡¯m sure they don¡¯t mean it in that way,¡± he said, coughing slightly.

    ¡°They said it, not me,¡± Cris pointed out.

    ¡°Right¡­¡± Mr. Flint sighed and wrote the word on his blackboard. ¡°Well, Mr. Parker,¡± he said, ¡°Triggering is a nasty piece of business. In your case, you can¡¯t be fully Triggered, as you¡¯ve already escaped Spirit Shock and appear to be at least well enough along in the process of Stirring. But in any case¡­Triggering is essentially a forced Awakening. And, given what we¡¯ve discussed on what tends to lead to such a thing¡­¡±

    Cris¡¯ eyes widened. ¡°You can¡¯t be serious.¡±

    ¡°It is outlawed,¡± Mr. Flint pointed out. ¡°And I¡¯m sure the council doesn¡¯t intend to even have a minimal one. But yes, a Triggering is, for lack of a better term, torture.

    ¡°A forced traumatic event.¡±

 Arc 1: The Awakening - Fists to a Magic Fight

    Cris wasn¡¯t sure when exactly he began to feel like the world was against him. He would have liked to say it was the moment his parents abandoned him as a baby, although he¡¯d had the blissful ignorance of a newborn at the time. Perhaps it was the first time being left in a hot car by a foster parent. Maybe it was when another had given him nothing but a single slice of burnt toast for an entire week¡¯s worth of food. It could have been the first beating he¡¯d received from bullies at school, or better yet, the first beating from adults at his so-called home. Regardless, he supposed it was fair enough to say he¡¯d felt it for as long as he could remember.

    That was why it was so easy for him to remember the few times the world had given him something good. Of course, the memories he considered good would likely seem unusual to most people. Probably even bad to the most sheltered ones. One such memory was the day he¡¯d had his nose broken. The day he¡¯d decided to start mostly wearing red shirts.

    It had only been about a year and half since then. Cris had been dumped in a new foster home and it had quickly become clear he wasn¡¯t welcome except for when it came time for payments to come through. At that point, he¡¯d come to expect it, and he didn¡¯t really mind for the most part. In fact, he appreciated the honesty of just letting him go out on his own rather than putting on a performance the first few days.

    So, mere hours after ¡°moving in¡±, he was out on the street. He¡¯d decided to figure out where he¡¯d be going to school, even if he didn¡¯t plan to go much, and then find a place to hole up nearby. In hindsight, he couldn¡¯t help but laugh at how difficult he¡¯d found the area to navigate. He¡¯d found himself lost in minutes, and even after stumbling across the school eventually, he still wasn¡¯t able to orient himself properly.

    That was how he ended up strolling through the neighborhood around Shell Street late at night. Fighting demons in that area was a nasty bit of business, but Cris was still fairly sure that on that first night, he¡¯d felt a different and almost worse kind of fear. Being hunted by creatures from another realm was one thing, but being hunted by humans was an entirely different matter.

    It started with the sun slowly setting and the street lights turning on. Cris hadn¡¯t noticed how dim the street lights on Shell Street were, however, until the sun had completely gone down. It was a fairly cloudy night with not a star in sight, either, so the darkness came quickly.

    Then came the quiet. Of course, Cris liked the quiet for the most part, but not in a situation like this. It was eerie to hear nothing but the sound of one¡¯s own footsteps. With surroundings so quiet, the slightest change can grab a person¡¯s attention and have their mind playing tricks. A change such as¡­another set of footsteps. Another set of footsteps that quickly sounds like two¡­or three¡­or four. Footsteps that stop when the originals do and continue in kind.

    Cris figured out he was being followed fairly quickly. He wasn¡¯t sure what to do and tried to make himself appear tough. It didn¡¯t work. He was, at best, an average height. He wasn¡¯t particularly muscular and he definitely wasn¡¯t well nurtured. His only deterrent for situations such as this was usually his sullen, grimey appearance, but he¡¯d been cleaned up for his brief meeting with his new foster family.

    He never got a good look at his attackers. He wasn¡¯t even sure what they attacked him with or what they were looking for from him. The most likely thing was obviously money, and Cris figured that once it became clear he didn¡¯t have any, his nose became the payment they would extract. He was left in a crumpled heap in the middle of the street, bruised and bloodied all over and clutching his nose.

    The first thing Cris had tried to do once he had managed to get to his feet again was hobble over to a better lit street. Naturally, however, these safer streets had a different kind of populace. One not so thrilled with a bloodied street kid, even if they weren¡¯t going to be the ones causing such a scene. A lady walking her dog even chased him away as he weakly began to ask for help.

    So, before long, Cris was back on Shell Street. It was now the only street he could somewhat orient himself with, and he¡¯d figured he¡¯d been beaten up enough that maybe he¡¯d be ignored for other prey at this point. Fortunately, he didn¡¯t run into any other groups to test that theory. No, he only ran into one other person that night.

    David.

    It was as Cris was approaching the main street that led to the school. He¡¯d begun to plan out a way to sleep somewhere on the school grounds and then try to find his way in early in the morning to steal supplies to clean himself up. Maybe he¡¯d lost too much blood or he was just too stupid at the time, but he was pretty sure looking back that he would¡¯ve ended up in a police station by the end of the night if he¡¯d managed to get even remotely close to trying anything of the sort.

    Instead, as he was stumbling along the street, he paused by a garbage can near some bushes and tried to catch his breath and wipe some more blood from his face. Even in the bad lighting he was able to see that his once white shirt was completely unrecognizable. It only made him wonder just how bad his face looked.

    He was bumped into moments after stopping as someone seemed to rush out from an apartment nearby, grabbing onto the garbage can and throwing up inside it. Cris was assuming the person was some old drunk, seeing their tattered clothes and matted hair. But a moment later, as the person shook their head, coughing, Cris suddenly noticed that they were not, in fact, old, and their eyes were much too bright to be drunk.

    ¡°Whoa¡­¡± the person said, as he stared at Cris and coughed. ¡°You look worse than I feel. And I feel like shit.¡±

    Cris didn¡¯t answer right away. For some bizarre reason, he stared into the garbage can, the contents of it making him gag. He held his hand up to his mouth as he did so, but managed to hold it together, apart from the blood that continued to drip down.

    Suddenly, the guy in front of Cris began to take his shirt off. It made Cris want to run away, but whatever attempt he began to make at that failed miserably as he fell against the garbage can. He felt something grab onto him and hold him up, and he woozily glanced at the now shirtless guy in front of him.

    ¡°Here, press this up to it,¡± the guy said, holding up his shirt to Cris. Cris might¡¯ve denied the offer, but he was too out of sorts to do so, instead accepting the offer and immediately pressing the shirt to his nose. ¡°It¡¯s red,¡± the guy said with a smirk. ¡°Won¡¯t even show up.¡±

    Managing to right himself somewhat as he began to slow the bleeding, Cris looked at the guy with him more closely, seeing that he was surprisingly young, and likely close to Cris¡¯ age. He was probably, at most, a couple years older. If his hair wasn¡¯t so matted and if he wasn¡¯t throwing up in a garbage can, he probably could¡¯ve easily fit in on those well lit streets that had been so unwelcoming to Cris.

    ¡°You¡­live around here?¡± Cris managed to mutter, suspicious of the stranger helping him.

    ¡°Right bloody there, dude,¡± the guy said, pointing to a fairly well hidden door nearby. There was a cracked window just next to it as well. If it was an apartment of some kind, it was a small, cramped one.

    ¡°What¡¯s the rent like for something like that?¡± Cris asked, looking around, wondering just how much someone could get ripped off for around such a bad neighborhood.

    ¡°Who knows¡­I¡¯m not paying whatever it is,¡± the guy answered with a bitter laugh. ¡°Screw that. I go where I please until I can¡¯t be pleased.¡± Cris simply stared at him after that answer, so he followed up fairly quickly. ¡°I¡¯m squatting. I ditched a foster home a while back. Been here ever since. Little old David ain¡¯t getting saddled with people like them.¡±

    Cris couldn¡¯t contain a laugh at that remark, earning a questioning glance from the guy. David. ¡°I¡¯m the same. Just stepped out today,¡± Cris told him. ¡°Doubt they¡¯ll come looking any time soon. Might have to pop in to get ¡®em a payday.¡±

    David grinned at that. Cris could still remember the gleeful way he¡¯d done so and felt he¡¯d probably been grinning the same way. The two of them had finally found a like minded spirit.

    ¡°The monthly stipend! They can¡¯t go without!¡±

    ¡°Exactly!¡± Cris coughed, some blood coming out as he did so, which caught David¡¯s attention quickly.

    ¡°Well, my fellow street urchin, why don¡¯t you settle down for the night in my fine establishment? You look like you shouldn¡¯t be on your feet.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a really sketchy offer, dude,¡± Cris couldn¡¯t help but say, narrowing his eyes. Strangely, though, it was a rare moment where he felt he could trust another person. David seemed screwed up. He didn¡¯t hide it, though. It wasn¡¯t that Cris didn¡¯t like people in general. He just hated all their ulterior motives. All their deception.

    ¡°I¡¯m a sketchy guy,¡± David admitted with a smirk. ¡°But so are you. Let¡¯s be real here. One of us is ending up dead after this.¡±

    Cris ended up accepting the offer without much more discussion. The offer extended for a few more days. Then a few more weeks. Then months. Eventually, without anything being said, it was just the way things were.

    Cris could admit to some distrust of David lingering for a while. Despite it all working out fairly well from the beginning, he¡¯d still found it weird in the early days that David had taken him in. There were moments every day that broke him down, though. Little things like David snatching him some food from a grocery store, or helping him find an old mattress to sleep on. Without fully realizing it, the distrust became genuine friendship.

    Looking back on it, Cris still wasn¡¯t sure what to think about the lessons he could take from that first meeting with David. Some might¡¯ve taken the experience and decided they should become more trusting. Cris had wondered about it once he¡¯d started calling David a friend. He¡¯d wondered if he¡¯d perhaps been too harsh on people who tried to talk to him or help him.

    Somehow, though, it became the opposite. The genuine friendship he and David had forged was just that. Genuine. It wasn¡¯t like the fake smiles of a fake family either of them had been forced to endure before. It wasn¡¯t like the teacher who wanted to ¡°help¡± as they searched for a reason to report their situation and have them shipped off to yet another ungodly mess of a place. It wasn¡¯t like a kid at school asking to play, only to turn on them because they wore the same clothes three days in a row.

    Cris and David earned their friendship with one another. They¡¯d sensed a kindred spirit that first night, sure, and it opened the door a little quicker for both of them, but their distrust in others was not unwarranted. Their distrust of each other was simply tested a little more and in a different manner, and eventually allowed to dissipate as they trekked the strange mountain of friendship together.

    What made a friendship genuine? Cris didn¡¯t know. He would have simply liked to say it was whatever he had with David. He knew he couldn¡¯t do that, though. They were screwed up kids in a screwed up world. Maybe their friendship was one of a kind. Maybe all friendships were different. Maybe relationships in general just simply couldn¡¯t be described.

    What Cris did know, and what he knew he struggled with, despite what he often told himself, was that he wanted people to earn friendships. Earn relationships. Again, he didn¡¯t really know what that meant. Was it earning his friendship to give him a backpack with mics in it to listen to him without his knowing?

    Maybe it was. After all, it meant Cris¡¯ initial encounter with a demon was easily heard, offering him a chance to escape. So then, did that make deception in the early stages of a relationship okay? Or did that deception ultimately lead to harm? David had died. It could have been Cris instead. Perhaps it should have been.

    Were new relationships even justified after the only positive one he¡¯d known had ended in such gruesome fashion? Could Cris befriend a silly kid who fancied himself a hero from a comic book with his chittering and special listening skills? Could he befriend a girl who kicked a demon¡¯s head off after chatting with him at the back of a math class? Could he befriend a girl who ratted him out to the school guidance counselor who was also a secret magic teacher?

    Ratted him out? For what? Having spirit energy? Although even then it wasn¡¯t clear whether David or Cris was the target. In that case, what was he being ratted out for? Was that what it was?

    Or was it genuine concern? Concern like a homeless teenager could show on a dark street as a bloodied mess of a kid stumbled into his garbage can. Concern from someone who knows what it¡¯s like to struggle. Knows what it¡¯s like to feel pain.

    It was a pain still visible in her eyes. It had been this whole time.

    Cris wasn¡¯t sure what to say. He was still angry. Still upset. His emotions were still all over the place. Even aside from that, he was a screwed up kid. He knew that. Social interactions were not his strong suit and they never would be. Even without magic and demons and the bizarre secret city, Cris wasn¡¯t sure how he¡¯d handle the people he now found himself surrounded by.

    He was quiet as he left Mr. Flint¡¯s class, ignoring the stares of the other students. Even ignoring Finn and Heidi. He found himself wandering off, the temptation of the dining hall¡¯s lunch not enough to contend with his buzzing mind.

    The aimless wandering through the academy¡¯s towers was somewhat calming. Although, after what Cris had learned, it was also somewhat haunting. While there weren¡¯t the numbers of students of a regular school here, there were still a few hundred. Most were around high school age. Some a little younger, likely middle school age. There was even the odd student even younger than that.

    What horrors had brought them all here?

    As lunchtime ended and Cris was finding his way towards the workshop where his second class of the day would be, he passed a group of smaller kids, stunned by how¡­together they appeared. One of them, a little girl trailing from the back, even smiled at him. He felt almost sick. Angry, sad, embarrassed. He had no idea what he was. He just didn¡¯t feel right.

    Somehow, through a combination of a poorly designed map and some awkward directions from a few students, Cris found his way to the location of his next class. As he walked in, he noticed Finn and Elsa in a corner.

    The room was full of benches and workstations with devices of all kinds spread out all over the place. Cris would¡¯ve thought of it as old fashioned if it wasn¡¯t for the various electronic devices and digital screens all around. There seemed to be everything, though, from medieval weapons and tools to mini robotic figurines. Supposedly the room was based off of Daedalus¡¯ workshop from the Greek myths, but Cris was pretty sure Daedalus didn¡¯t have computers at his workstation.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

    ¡°Yo! Cris, over here!¡±

    Cris was surprised to see Finn looking at him and waving him over. Heidi wasn¡¯t in this class, however, so some of the uneasiness from earlier left as he headed over. It did seem as though Elsa had heard about the class¡¯ discussion, though, and she appeared somewhat uneasy herself as she greeted Cris. Fortunately, though, the teacher stepped into the room as Cris sat down, quickly calling for attention.

    It seemed that this class was much more casual and didn¡¯t involve much in the way of lecturing. Cris supposed that made sense, given that students had varying talents and abilities with spirit magic and would be making different things. Teaching would need to be more specialized and specific, and it appeared that was the approach with this teacher. He merely gave a quick rundown of some safety rules and where certain equipment was stored before he began approaching different workstations. Cris quite liked his style, and appreciated not having to be introduced again.

    ¡°Mr. Blackwell is pretty chill,¡± Finn said, pulling out a few tools and laying out a few of his listening devices on the table. ¡°Really knows his stuff, but doesn¡¯t just blab it out and scrawl it on a blackboard. Gets us building stuff right away.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a nice way to quickly get into using a bit of magic, even if you don¡¯t have much to use,¡± Elsa added, her set of knife-shoes on the table. ¡°Even you should be able to start building something small, Cris.¡±

    ¡°You think so?¡± Cris wasn¡¯t so sure. He hadn¡¯t felt a speck of magic since that night with the demons. And if the council wasn¡¯t too interested in him sticking around, he wasn¡¯t sure exactly what he was expected to be able to do.

    He decided he would look around the room and see if he could get any ideas from some of the other students. It seemed like most were working on basic things like weapons or pieces of armor or other accessories. Nothing really seemed to jump out at him. The most interesting thing he noticed was the famed Levi, tinkering with a pair of sunglasses.

    ¡°So that¡¯s why he wears sunglasses, huh?¡± Cris asked, nodding to the boy as he got the attention of Finn and Elsa.

    Finn nodded. ¡°It¡¯s a good thing, to be honest. Look him in the eyes when he¡¯s channeling spirit energy and you¡¯re as good as dead.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Cris asked, perplexed. He supposed it had something to do with Levi¡¯s Spirit Guide, but he couldn¡¯t think of anything that could kill with a look.

    Finn answered that quickly, though. ¡°His spirit¡¯s a basilisk. You know, like that thing in Harry Potter?¡±

    ¡°Damn¡­¡± Cris was actually impressed. He¡¯d always liked a good glare. Giving it real power would be pretty cool.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if he¡¯s actually proud of it,¡± Elsa noted quietly, fidgeting uncomfortably as Levi appeared to glance over briefly. They all turned away, and Elsa whispered her next words. ¡°I mean¡­think about it. He can kill someone with one slip up. He¡­has killed someone.¡±

    Finn rolled his eyes. ¡°Elsa, he¡¯s a mean dude. He definitely killed that civilian on purpose. Besides, he can look people in the eyes if he isn¡¯t channeling spirit energy. He just wears the glasses for appearances.¡±

    Elsa simply shrugged. ¡°I just know I wouldn¡¯t want that spirit. Too much responsibility.¡±

    ¡°I hope mine¡¯s something powerful like that,¡± Cris said, surprising himself with the statement. He glanced up sheepishly as Finn and Elsa looked at him. ¡°Just don¡¯t want to be messed with, that¡¯s all.¡±

    ¡°Whatever it is you¡¯ve got, it¡¯s sure to be good,¡± Finn said with a smirk. ¡°If it¡¯s something that can power up your punches like before, you¡¯re golden.¡±

    ¡°Still not sure how I did that,¡± Cris said. ¡°And I had your ammo in my hand for that.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s still a sign you can channel your energy into a weapon,¡± Elsa pointed out. ¡°If anything, that¡¯s a good place for you to start while you¡¯re here.¡±

    ¡°An excellent point, Miss Hale.¡±

    The three of them looked up in surprise as the teacher, Mr. Blackwell, appeared at their workstation. He was a fairly jovial looking man, and definitely looked like a person used to working with their hands. He smiled as he leaned over to quickly examine Elsa¡¯s shoes, and then nodded as he did the same with Finn¡¯s listening devices.

    ¡°Looking like excellent work as always with you two. I hear your supports were of excellent use on your latest mission.¡± The two of them nodded, although they glanced awkwardly at Cris. He didn¡¯t bother reacting, instead looking Mr. Blackwell in the eyes as he turned to him. ¡°And you, Mr. Parker. Very nice to meet you. I assume you¡¯ve got some questions for what to get started with here.¡±

    Cris decided he may as well take the man up on the offer. ¡°Yeah, actually. I don¡¯t really feel like I¡¯m connected to any spirit energy at the moment. So got anything for that? You must have some potions or something, right?¡±

    ¡°Er¡­that¡¯s not quite how this works,¡± Blackwell said with a light chuckle. He paused for a moment, though, studying Cris closely, his gaze straying briefly to Finn and Elsa. ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­I hear you used ammo from Finn¡¯s slingshot the night you escaped from the demons, correct? You were able to fight with it?¡±

    Cris nodded. ¡°Had it in my fist and punched the demon in the head.¡±

    ¡°Interesting¡­interesting¡­¡± Blackwell walked away for a moment to a nearby cupboard, fiddling around with some objects inside, before pulling out a pair of fingerless gloves. Blackwell returned to the table and set them before Cris.

    They weren¡¯t quite boxing gloves, but they did seem to be for some kind of martial arts type fighting. They were red, much like Cris¡¯ hair, and looked fairly worn in, as though used well in the past. It didn¡¯t seem like there was anything particularly special about them, although after a moment, Cris could see something poking through near where the knuckles would be. It seemed to be some kind of metal surface. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± he finally asked.

    Blackwell looked excited to be asked. ¡°A concoction developed over the years. We call it Spirit Steel. An alloy of titanium, steel and trace amounts of gold. The titanium and steel give it the core strength and durability, but the gold is what is truly necessary. We¡¯ve found gold is most effective as a conduit for spirit energy. But it must be a very fine and precise amount. These gloves were fitted for a student many years ago who had a gorilla as a Spirit Guide, giving them incredible physical strength. Perhaps that is similar to your guide, or perhaps you simply have a knack for using your fists. Regardless, considering your first use of spirit magic, this may be a place to start.¡±

    Cris picked up the gloves, feeling them in his hands. They were light enough that they wouldn¡¯t weigh down his hands, and the metal didn¡¯t interfere with comfort as he slipped them on. He grinned as he opened and closed his fists. ¡°Not bad. I thought I was supposed to develop my own things here, though.¡±

    ¡°You are,¡± Blackwell said with a grin. ¡°However, Mr. Parker, this will get you started. Study these gloves. See how your magic connects with them. Study Spirit Steel! See what else you can design. As your connection to your Spirit Guide grows, you¡¯ll perhaps discover another method of support that suits you.¡±

    ¡°Guess that makes sense,¡± Cris said. ¡°Er¡­but how can I test these out?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s really only one way, Parker.¡±

    Cris turned towards the source of the voice, unable to hide a smirk as he noticed Levi standing there, a smirk of his own present. ¡°You interested in being a punching bag?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m interested in seeing what you¡¯ve got.¡± Levi tapped his sunglasses. ¡°I can see a lot.¡±

    Blackwell was surprisingly not against the idea of a sparring match. Cris supposed people often needed to test supports in this class, and he was probably as eager as all of them to see how they did. So, he was quick to have some tables pushed away and an area set aside for a sparring match.

    ¡°Usually we do leave this to your training classes, but we do need to see how our items are working!¡± Blackwell said, justifying the move.

    As the area was being set up, Finn and Elsa pulled Cris aside. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?!¡± they both said at once.

    ¡°Testing out these gloves?¡± Cris said, raising an eyebrow.

    ¡°Against Levi?!¡± Finn looked terrified. ¡°Cris, buddy, I know you feel weird about earlier, but that doesn¡¯t mean you need to get yourself killed.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think Levi will kill him,¡± Elsa said. ¡°Just put him in the infirmary again¡­¡±

    ¡°I just won¡¯t look him in the eyes,¡± Cris said with a shrug. ¡°Might as well see what I can do.¡±

    As he headed to the sparring area, Cris could tell that Finn and Elsa believed he was as good as gone. In fact, most of the surrounding students were looking at him as though he were crazy. A couple seemed to be curious, however, perhaps thinking the new kid in class had something up his sleeve.

    ¡°He did kill a demon with no training,¡± a blue-haired girl nearby whispered as Cris and Levi faced one another. ¡°No one¡¯s done that in decades.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, but no one¡¯s had to fight one like he did. I¡¯m sure Levi would¡¯ve just looked at it and killed it,¡± another said in response.

    ¡°All the more reason it¡¯s impressive,¡± the girl said. ¡°Everything went wrong and he still did it.¡±

    Cris decided to ignore the whispering, instead focusing on his opponent. Levi sure looked confident, a smirk still present on his face. His sunglasses reflected Cris¡¯ gaze right back at him. It would be difficult to fight without knowing where Levi was looking, although Cris did know now that he needed to be careful in case Levi did remove the glasses.

    Blackwell was apparently going to act as some kind of referee, coming up to the two of them and standing between them. ¡°We¡¯ll keep this nice and simple to avoid any damage in the room,¡± he said. ¡°This will be a sparring match to test out your support items. First fighter to land three hits wins. Are you both agreeable to that?¡±

    Cris nodded, but Levi just laughed. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll need any supports,¡± he whispered.

    ¡°Suit yourself,¡± Cris muttered, moving back a few steps as Levi did the same. A moment later, Blackwell waved an arm and called for the match to begin.

    Having spent so much time on the streets, Cris had, of course, been in many fights. He wouldn¡¯t call himself a particularly good fighter, but he did know some things. He also knew that despite how strong normal kids could be, and how well trained some of them could be in self defense, a street kid always had a different set of skills that were unpredictable. And being unpredictable was the best way to beat someone trained in predictable responses.

    He rushed forward quickly, lashing out with a fist. There was no magic in the punch. He wasn¡¯t sure if he would be able to summon any during this fight regardless. At best, he figured he could at least get used to the feel of the gloves.

    Levi ducked quickly, easily avoiding the punch. Laughing, he spun away as Cris aimed another punch to his side and a kick to the leg. ¡°You¡¯re aggressive, huh?¡± he said, smirking.

    ¡°No need to wait around,¡± Cris answered, keeping on the offensive. He punched towards Levi¡¯s face again, his opponent ducking once more. As he did so, Cris kicked out, aiming for Levi¡¯s shin, connecting with a satisfying thud of his shoe on bone.

    ¡°Agh!¡± Levi staggered back, wincing as the students around them gasped. It hadn¡¯t been much, but supposedly even that was a surprise against Levi.

    ¡°A point for Mr. Parker,¡± Blackwell then called out, although he sounded disappointed. ¡°Perhaps we need some shoes to go with those gloves¡­¡±

    Levi frowned as he looked at Cris, the smirk having disappeared in a flash. ¡°Nasty little move, Parker.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not exactly known as a friendly guy,¡± Cris said, raising his fists. He felt oddly relaxed. A warmth began to well within his chest. He supposed he needed to let some aggression out, and this was a perfect way to do it.

    Levi nodded, smiling once again. ¡°I¡¯m not, either.¡±

    This time, he was the one on the offensive, lashing out with his right fist and barely missing Cris¡¯ left ear. He followed that up with a punch from the other direction, Cris managing to block it with an arm, before countering with a punch of his own that Levi spun away from. A moment later, Levi kicked out, causing Cris to hop back, avoiding a similar blow to the shin that he¡¯d delivered.

    He couldn¡¯t help but grin. He¡¯d never enjoyed fighting whenever he¡¯d been stuck in one. He¡¯d had his nose broken after all. There was something to be said for showing up a big shot when given the opportunity, though, and Levi wasn¡¯t exactly seeming too tough to handle. He probably didn¡¯t even really have to fight much, given his ability. A simple look was all he needed, so if he was stuck in a situation with just his fists, it was over for him.

    ¡°I think you¡¯ve gotta use your magic, man,¡± Cris said, narrowing his eyes. ¡°This isn¡¯t going to end well otherwise.¡±

    Levi laughed. ¡°Go ahead and talk tough, Parker. You¡¯ve got no idea what you¡¯re asking for.¡±

    ¡°Just want a bit of a challenge,¡± Cris said, suddenly darting in. He couldn¡¯t help but grin at the surprise on Levi¡¯s face as he did so, his fist just barely failing to make contact.

    ¡°If you can land another hit, maybe I¡¯ll give you a chance at it,¡± Levi said, clenching his fists tighter.

    It seemed he didn¡¯t want it to go there, though, and he quickly rushed in himself, lashing out with both fists quickly and attempting to sweep out Cris¡¯ legs from underneath him. Cris managed to avoid the attacks, but found himself stepping back a little too much, nearing the wall of their makeshift sparring area. This left him a little too vulnerable as Levi kicked again, forcing Cris to jump to the side, just as a fist came towards him.

    He hit the ground a moment later, seeing stars and hearing the concerned shouts of Elsa and Finn. He managed to right himself fairly quickly, though, standing as Blackwell awarded Levi the next point. Once again, their teacher sounded fairly disappointed, clearly hoping for the supports to be put to use.

    Cris was, naturally, frustrated, but he was also glad there was a little more to Levi than just his powers. It was no fun beating him without a challenge. So, as their fight resumed, he tried to find another gear himself, his chest growing warmer as he aimed his next punch.

    Levi seemed a little more into the fight as well, smirking as he dodged Cris¡¯ punch and swinging around with another kick in response which barely missed. The two of them exchanged another couple of blows, dodging or blocking each, before stepping back briefly, beginning to breathe more heavily. The surrounding students were murmuring excitedly as well, surprised to see Cris matching up with their powerful S-Ranked fellow student.

    ¡°You learn to fight on the streets, Parker?¡± Levi asked.

    ¡°I learned when I had to,¡± Cris said, glaring at the boy. ¡°Haven¡¯t been nice and cozy behind a wall of spirit energy like you.¡±

    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t want me beyond that wall,¡± Levi said darkly. He then quickly rushed forward punching twice quickly, Cris dodging one and blocking the other, before kicking out and forcing Cris back once again.

    ¡°No, don¡¯t want you blowing away,¡± Cris quipped, punching out himself, before ducking and aiming a kick towards Levi¡¯s shin again.

    ¡°Like your pal back home, huh?¡± Levi snapped back, grinning as he dodged. Cris froze for a moment, rage bubbling up within him, making his chest burn. Levi took advantage, swinging out with a fist quickly and striking Cris hard in the chest.

    Cris fell back, hitting the ground with a thud. Blackwell awarded Levi the point. But Cris stood, not worrying about being on the verge of losing. He leveled a glare at Levi, making it clear that the next punch wasn¡¯t going to be for a measly point in their sparring match. It was going to be a message. A message felt within his burning chest.

    The students around them began murmuring as Cris clenched his fists in front of him. He wasn¡¯t sure why, but he didn¡¯t care. He took off for Levi, surprised to see the boy appearing startled. He kicked out, Levi jumping back to avoid it, before pulling back a fist, ready to slam it forward. Cris leveled another glare his opponent¡¯s way and lashed out. Levi managed to dodge it.

    But he still felt it.

    ¡°Whoa!¡±

    Cris felt heat searing through his fist as Levi was sent flying back, slamming hard against the wall. He slid down, groaning slightly and feeling his chest. He didn¡¯t seem too badly hurt, slowly getting to his feet after a moment, but he had certainly felt something. Something fairly strong.

    ¡°HAHA! It worked! Point for Parker!¡± Blackwell exclaimed as the students around them cheered.

    Cris looked down at his new glove, seeing a fading glow from the Spirit Steel. He was confused about what had happened, though. He hadn¡¯t made contact, but he¡¯d still been able to strike Levi. And there was a warmth in the air around where he¡¯d struck. What could that have been? Did he somehow strike¡­the air?

    He wasn¡¯t going to have much time to figure it out, though, as Levi was now moving forward, grimacing, but appearing pleased about something. ¡°Well, I guess you¡¯ll get what you want, Parker. You¡¯ll regret bringing fists to a magic fight, though.¡± He tapped something on the side of his sunglasses, and Cris noticed the lenses changing, Levi¡¯s eyes beginning to show through. Cris quickly averted his eyes, not wanting to lose from something so stupid as making eye contact.

    ¡°So you know about my ability, huh?¡± Levi asked. ¡°Well don¡¯t worry, these lenses won¡¯t release enough power to kill you. Just freeze you up for a while.¡± He then pulled something from his pocket. It looked almost like a tiny mirror. ¡°You can try to hide from my gaze, but I¡¯ll find you eventually.¡±

    Cris had no idea what that meant, but suddenly, this time from a distance, Levi lashed out. However, it wasn¡¯t with a punch. Instead, the mirror he¡¯d pulled out flew forward, attached to something that looked almost like a fishing line. And all along it were more mirrors.

    And then Cris realized just what Levi had meant. The mirrors were reflecting the gaze of the class, but Levi was shifting his positioning and changing his stance as he moved the line. He was planning to reflect his gaze along the mirrors and catch Cris no matter where he looked.

    Deciding he needed to move quickly, Cris pulled back his fist again, wondering if he could pull off what he¡¯d done before. He punched out, trying to focus on putting all the power he could into it, but not feeling anything within himself. Nothing happened, and he only barely avoided it as Levi rushed in and attempted to strike while he was distracted.

    Unsure what else he could do, Cris closed his eyes, trying to listen for sounds of Levi as he moved forward. He had no idea what he was doing, though, and knew he probably looked like an idiot. He weakly opened an eye, seeing Levi moving away and preparing to swing his line of mirrors out again. Deciding it was all he could do, Cris ran forward.

    Unfortunately, Levi had another trick up his sleeve. He swung out once more, revealing another line of mirrors while simultaneously flicking up the first line. Before Cris knew it, he was surrounded, forced to dodge a mirror coming at his face and then finding himself staring directly into another.

    And in that mirror, were a pair of green eyes.

    Cris froze. He couldn¡¯t move an inch, and he could hear the students murmuring in anticipation of Levi¡¯s next move. And as he noticed his opponent walking forward, Cris could see that Levi was relishing it.

    ¡°And that¡¯s just a taste, Parker,¡± he whispered, grinning. He pulled back a fist. ¡°Now you can get nice and cozy in the infirmary.¡±

    Cris didn¡¯t even feel the fist that knocked him out.

 Arc 1: The Awakening - Curiosity and the Cat

    Despite the decently sized welt on the side of his head, Cris made it through his first week of classes at Daedal Academy reasonably okay. He¡¯d obviously never been the studious type, but part of him did feel a certain eagerness to make these lessons stick. Even the regular classes had his attention. Of course, the magic and training classes were obviously the highlight.

    Cris had been forced to remain out of sparring sessions in close combat training, given his head injury, but in long range training he was allowed to work on attempting the punch he¡¯d delivered against Levi. It still wasn¡¯t clear what had happened there, but the teacher had been curious enough to at least try and see what Cris could do.

    Unfortunately, no magic had come since then. A couple of times Cris had felt that warm sensation in his chest, and he¡¯d learned that sensations of that sort were fairly common when using magic early on. That gave him some hope that he could eventually figure it out. At the very least, he knew it wasn¡¯t a fluke. Something was within him. He just needed to figure out what unleashed it.

    Finn and Elsa were full of tips and suggestions. And, despite the failed mission, there was a reason they¡¯d been selected to join Rainier in tracking down David¡­and Cris. Finn had an incredible sense of his connection with his Spirit Guide, able to use echolocation in a variety of ways. His ability to connect it with support items was impressive as well. Elsa on the other hand was simply great at maximizing the raw powers her Spirit Guide provided. Quick and precise movements, along with incredible vision made her a force to be reckoned with.

    ¡°You¡¯ve just gotta think about what you¡¯ve been able to do so far,¡± Finn pointed out during the close combat training while Cris was sidelined. ¡°You punched the demon in the head by channeling power into that ball, and then you also hit Levi with the gloves, but it came out more like a shock wave. It might not be raw physical strength in that case. It could just be a lot of magical power. Maybe you¡¯re a Mythical. Or you might have some Spirit Guide that can do something with the air and you managed to compress it in some way.¡±

    The explanation made sense to Elsa, who could use air currents with her Spirit Guide. ¡°When I channel spirit energy, I can just sense the currents around me,¡± she said. ¡°You never notice when you¡¯re just standing there and it¡¯s not a windy day, but they¡¯re always around you.¡± She demonstrated by using her ability to fly up a few inches. ¡°I haven¡¯t really been able to use them in combat, though. So once you figure it out, you need to show me how to do it.¡±

    Cris wasn¡¯t sure how long it would take for him to do so, but he could tell it wasn¡¯t going to be easy. It almost seemed like the more he consciously thought about using magic, the harder it was to feel any kind of sense of it. Everything that had happened to this point had required a more spontaneous use of it.

    Still, even without magic, Cris wanted to be able to improve on whatever he could to increase his chances of making sense of this new world. Whether that was with fighting skills that didn¡¯t use magic, or just improving his general knowledge about things. That was where the mythology class became his topic of interest. He was stunned at how long the demon and spirit conflict had gone on, and how it had leaked into various myths and real history. Supposedly the entire legend of King Arthur had revolved around demons, which actually made him somewhat excited about the possibility of a real life Excalibur being out there somewhere. Even Cris liked his stories of swords and sorcery.

    But while Finn and Elsa were the most capable of helping him out with magic and combat, Heidi was the one most capable in the classes requiring more traditional study. And, unfortunately, while she was willing to help, there was a certain distance growing between them since that first class. Whether it was because she was mad at Cris, or he was still distrustful of her, or just the whole sad situation of their histories, he didn¡¯t know. They still spoke, but it was awkward. And while he would never admit it, and while he didn¡¯t think of any of them as friends, it did bother him somewhat.

    What was worse, was that Mara had picked up on it, and after Cris¡¯ match with Levi, she was apparently very eager to slip into his orbit. Finn and Elsa suggested that because Cris had managed to push away her Siren Song more effectively than most, she would be interested in the kind of magic he used. And considering that she was friends with Levi, she was also probably keeping tabs on Cris for him.

    Nonetheless, the week ended with Cris learning a great deal, and he was eager to continue that learning into the weekend. His plan was to get up early and begin exploring the city. He hadn¡¯t really been too interested in heading out during the week after classes ended, many of the students crowding the streets in one go. Not to mention he¡¯d been recovering from being knocked out. He was sure the streets would be crowded again on the weekend, but at least it would be more spaced out.

    So, when Saturday morning finally came, Cris was out of his bed bright and early, slipping on some casual clothes rather than his school uniform, and rushing to the dining hall for a quick breakfast. None of Finn, Elsa or Heidi were around, which relieved him somewhat. He was looking forward to having some time to himself. In fact, only a few students seemed to have gotten up as early as him. About half a dozen older students and a few younger ones as well. One of the younger ones was staring over at Cris curiously, likely wondering what the new kid was up to.

    Cris ate quickly, although he once again enjoyed the nutritious meal he was becoming accustomed to. He could tell he was putting on a few pounds, but not in a bad way. He¡¯d been malnourished for who knew how long, so he needed to pack on a few. In fact, he was feeling much healthier lately. Even his head injury didn¡¯t matter much. Was this really how he could¡¯ve lived had his parents not abandoned him? Aside from the demon attacks and school of traumatized kids of course.

    It was a bright, sunny day as he stepped out of the tower. There was a little more commotion from the stairs to the dorms as he was leaving, so Cris figured he¡¯d timed things reasonably well to get a good head start on the day. He set his eyes on the Athenian styled Acropolis ahead for his first stop and set off, figuring it would be the most likely to be crowded once those behind him had finished eating.

    It wasn¡¯t the easiest of walks as Cris headed down the steps lower into the city, and the Acropolis was quite a few blocks away once he¡¯d made it down. Still, he managed to get there eventually, and he was surprised to find himself grinning as he stared around the area, taking in the strange sights. He was already getting used to the blend of modern and ancient in this city, but it was still bizarre to see an arcade built into a white stone building with Greek arches over the entrance or a movie theater down the road with a statue of Apollo out front.

    Cris stuffed his hands in his pocket and pulled out a small bag of coins as he turned and took in some of the shops. The school provided students a weekly allowance to spend in the city. Because of all the magic here, and some of the unique things built in the different sections of the city, the wealth of Babylon was extraordinary, and thus, the school. Keeping a bunch of teenage magic users happy and well occupied was also in their best interest, too, so they were quite generous. Cris supposed it also had something to do with the fact most of the kids didn¡¯t have families to give them spending money.

    The only thing Cris could complain about was the strange currency system. It was like the money system in a fantasy novel, with gold, silver and copper coins, but there were also wooden and glass coins that functioned in a way similar to regular paper money in the regular world, representing some other source of value. Supposedly wooden coins were kind of like dollar bills, the exchange rate even being similar, and the glass coins were equal to about ten of them. The copper coins were worth about five, while silver was like twenty, and a gold coin was about fifty.

    Cris had been given the equivalent of one hundred and fifty dollars. One gold coin, two silver coins, three glass coins, four copper coins and ten wooden coins. Supposedly each student received this amount weekly, and with dorms, uniforms, healthcare and food already being provided, this was truly all for them. He couldn¡¯t remember the last time he¡¯d held this much money in his hand. He¡¯d stolen a hundred dollars from someone before, but it had subsequently been stolen from him, so he couldn¡¯t even think of a time he¡¯d spent this much money.

    As excited as he was to have this money, though, he did want to be cautious. The council didn¡¯t seem thrilled about having him stick around, so what would happen then? Would he be kicked out? If he had spirit energy, didn¡¯t that mean he had to stay close by? In that case, maybe he would still be in Babylon, but simply not be at the school. That meant he probably wouldn¡¯t be getting a weekly allowance, and that meant he needed to save up. He would be getting two more allowances before the Academy Games. That meant a total of the rough equivalent of four hundred and fifty dollars.

    He decided to check out the cost of food first. If he was out on the streets here, he would need to figure out how many meals he could get himself. There was a small grocery store nearby, and Cris decided to check it out first.

    ¡°What the hell?!¡± he almost shouted when he stepped in and looked at the prices for some of the basics. ¡°One wooden coin for a loaf of bread?!¡± This was madness! Didn¡¯t people here know how bad inflation was? He was a street kid and even he knew it.

    ¡°Yeah, sorry kid,¡± a clerk nearby said. ¡°Economy¡¯s in bad shape. Used to be we could get two loaves a chip.¡± A chip was the common term for a wooden coin. A shard was what the glass coins were called.

    Cris gaped at him. ¡°Two?¡±

    ¡°Oh, you must be new, huh?¡± The clerk laughed. ¡°Yeah, don¡¯t worry. Doubt we ever end up like outsiders with our costs. Although like I said, back in the day, those loaves were half the price. Granted, the loaves are bigger and the bread is healthier. Actually, now that I think about it¡­probably works out to be similar value...¡±

    Cris walked out of the store with his head spinning, and one of his copper coins gone. A box of chocolates, fancier than any kind outside Babylon, and an elaborate soda now in his bag. He would be careful, but he figured now that he had some room to splurge on some items.

    Next up, he went to a weapons shop. Considering he was in a city of spirit users, he figured if he was on the street, he could potentially end up needing something to fight back. The prices were actually a little higher there, but nonetheless, Cris did find a decent little dagger with a cool looking sheathe. He walked out of that shop down one silver coin, but was pleased to have a weapon beyond martial arts gloves. Supposedly it was seventy-five percent Spirit Steel, too. Most were in the sixty percent range. His gloves were ninety percent, but the amount of Spirit Steel was very minimal.

    By the time Cris was approaching a clothing store, he noticed the crowds were increasing, many students having finally finished their own breakfasts and enjoying their Saturday. At this point, though, Cris didn¡¯t mind. He was actually enjoying himself.

    There was a slight threat to that enjoyment, however, as he noticed a familiar face down the road. She had a smirk on her face and her green eyes sparkled with menace. Cris quickly darted into the clothing store, even though he was currently near the girls¡¯ section. He had no interest in running into Mara again.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°Huh? Cris?¡±

    He turned in surprise at the voice, noticing Heidi staring over at him. She was holding up a dress in front of herself, standing in front of a mirror. Glancing down and seeing what she was doing, though, she suddenly yelped and threw it on a rack. Her cheeks went pink immediately as she fidgeted with her beret.

    Cris peeked behind him quickly, noticing Mara passing by the store and sighed in relief, ignoring Heidi¡¯s awkward mumbling. ¡°Good, she¡¯s going¡­¡± he said quietly.

    ¡°Hm?¡± Heidi moved forward, coming up beside Cris and following his gaze. ¡°Mara? What, was she trying to talk to you?¡±

    ¡°No, just¡­don¡¯t feel like getting into an interaction with her,¡± Cris muttered.

    ¡°Guess I can¡¯t blame you,¡± Heidi said. ¡°Especially since she¡¯s friends with Levi.¡±

    ¡°Couple of real gems.¡±

    ¡°Haha, yeah.¡± Cris glanced at Heidi, surprised to hear her sounding so¡­casual. She seemed to notice as well, though, immediately blushing again. ¡°So¡­er¡­you¡¯re shopping?¡± she asked, pointing at Cris¡¯ bag.

    He nodded, suddenly feeling a little embarrassed himself. ¡°Yeah, I¡­got some chocolate and a dagger.¡±

    He locked eyes with Heidi, and for a moment they were both completely silent. But then, suddenly, they both laughed. Why that of all things caused Cris to join Heidi of all people in a laugh, he didn¡¯t know, but it took a few moments for the two of them to gather themselves.

    When they stopped, Heidi helped herself and picked up Cris¡¯ bag, peeking inside. ¡°Oh wow, those daggers used to go for a gold coin not too long ago. Before they managed to get more blades that were eighty-percent or more Spirit Steel.¡± She then showed off the sheathe at her waist, a slightly more ornate dagger hilt seen there. ¡°I got this one last week before you got out of the infirmary. Eighty-five percent Spirit Steel. Cost me two gold coins, though.¡±

    ¡°Why¡¯d you get a new one?¡± Cris asked.

    Heidi glanced away uncertainly. ¡°I¡­wasn¡¯t much use¡­during¡­you know.¡±

    Cris wasn¡¯t sure what to say. Maybe he would¡¯ve made some kind of comment about it before. Maybe he wouldn¡¯t have. He didn¡¯t feel right about it now, though, that was for sure. In fact, he didn¡¯t feel right about more than just that. Despite the moment of laughter, he could see it in Heidi¡¯s eyes. The uncertainty. The guilt. And he felt in himself, too.

    ¡°Hey, er¡­do you¡­¡± He felt his eyes beginning to pop out of his head. What on earth was he doing? Was he doing what he thought he was doing? It didn¡¯t have anything to do with that, of course, but still, it very much looked like it did.

    Heidi¡¯s eyes had brightened, though, and she looked somewhat hopeful. ¡°What is it?¡± she asked, almost looking like she was fighting back a smile.

    Cris narrowed his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m not¡­you know¡­asking you¡­¡± He scratched his head and looked around awkwardly, feeling further embarrassed as he noticed a pair of girls nearby smirking at him and Heidi. He¡¯d forgotten he¡¯d walked into the girls¡¯ section and noticed his back was up against a stack of things he shouldn¡¯t have been nearby.

    Apparently Heidi was thoroughly enjoying this, though. For a girl who was often timid, even if cheerful and outgoing, she seemed to have a mischievous side. ¡°Asking what?¡± Where was the awkwardness she¡¯d had moments before?

    ¡°I¡¯m still a little lost around here, so¡­can you show me around a bit more?¡± Cris asked. ¡°Just like¡­normal.¡±

    Heidi nodded happily, gently pushing Cris back out towards the exit of the store. ¡°Sure thing! Just like normal.¡±

    That had been perhaps the strangest and most embarrassing interaction of Cris¡¯ life. And demons aside, he¡¯d had a lot of weird stuff happen in his life. Fortunately, though, it seemed to have eased the tension between him and Heidi. And for whatever reason, he was happy about that. Even if she wasn¡¯t his friend, Cris supposed he was going to be spending a lot of time with Heidi. It was better to not be so awkward with her.

    ¡°So, anything you want to see in particular?¡± Heidi asked once they were out on the street. They were beginning to approach a more French inspired section of the city.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. My plan was to kind of just see what things cost around here.¡± Cris shrugged, peeking into his bag. ¡°In case I end up on the streets I want to be able to stretch my cash as long as -¡±

    ¡°Why would you end up on the streets?!¡± Heidi suddenly cried out, grabbing his arm. ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°Oh, well, you know¡­with the council and everything.¡± Cris shrugged again. ¡°I mean, they didn¡¯t make it much of a secret that they¡¯re not big fans of me.¡±

    Heidi narrowed her eyes. ¡°You¡¯re not ending up on the streets, Cris.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s up to you.¡±

    ¡°You can stay with¡­¡± She shook her head. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. We¡¯ll beat whatever they throw at us in the Academy Games. Usually it¡¯s some kind of quest or war game. And we get to be in teams. You, me, Elsa and Finn. We¡¯ll win the whole thing!¡±

    ¡°Have you competed in them before?¡± Cris asked. He supposed she probably had, but now that he thought of it, he didn¡¯t really know much about the Academy Games.

    They continued walking again before Heidi answered. ¡°They¡¯re usually optional, so I¡¯ve only competed a couple times. Elsa competes fairly regularly. They¡¯re held monthly, but bigger competitions are held twice throughout the year. This one is just a smaller one, though, so don¡¯t worry about that.¡±

    ¡°How dangerous is it if¡­you know¡­it¡¯s like a Triggering?¡± Cris remembered the look on Mr. Flint¡¯s face when he¡¯d mentioned the council referring to his participation as such.

    Heidi swallowed nervously. ¡°There¡¯s usually something to fight. If it¡¯s war games, we fight other students mostly. If it¡¯s a quest, we still fight students, but some teachers or city guards might be involved to block access to things we have to find. Sometimes we even have to fight Echoes.¡±

    ¡°Echoes?¡± Cris chuckled lightly. ¡°Haven¡¯t heard that one yet.¡± He had to admit, finding out about these various terms was beginning to amuse him.

    ¡°Really powerful spirit users are able to create a temporary physical form of their Spirit Guide,¡± Heidi explained. ¡°It¡¯s stronger if they maintain some kind of connection to it, but if it¡¯s defeated or wounded, the user will get hurt as well. So usually what happens in the Academy Games is they¡¯ll sever the connection and set the Echoes loose. Then we fight them almost like demon substitutes. Except, instead of being shrouded in shadow, they¡¯re shrouded in a kind of blue aura.¡±

    ¡°Sounds kind of cool, actually,¡± Cris said, imagining the sight.

    ¡°Not when you¡¯re fighting them,¡± Heidi said. ¡°I stopped competing after I fought one my last attempt. If you get stuck fighting a councilor¡¯s Echo, it¡¯s like fighting a really strong demon. Other than Levi and Rosie, only Elsa and a couple other A-Ranks are capable of beating them.¡±

    ¡°But you want to compete in this thing with me?¡± Cris asked, noticing Heidi¡¯s voice shake as she mentioned her fight.

    Heidi took a deep breath, nodding as she smiled in Cris¡¯ direction. ¡°I¡¯m on your side. If you¡¯ll have me¡­¡±

    Cris opened his mouth to answer, but just then, he glanced up and saw Mara again. She seemed to be conversing with a little girl. Cris figured she was probably manipulating the kid into doing something nasty. Regardless, he pulled Heidi away so that they could get out of view. He just so happened to pull them towards a cafe, though.

    ¡°Oh, you want a coffee or something?¡± Heidi asked, grinning as she looked at the cafe. It was French, given the area of the city they were in, and Cris noticed a certain kind of clientele that was there. Most tables were occupied by two people. He sighed in resignation, though, and joined Heidi as she sat down.

    Trying to avoid the glances of the other customers, Cris looked across the table at Heidi, surprised at how happy she looked. ¡°Do you like places like this or something?¡±

    ¡°I guess so,¡± she said, peering at the menu. ¡°Two chips for a regular coffee. Must be fancy. And wow! A shard for that one! Never even heard of it before. Babylonian Special, huh? Looks good, but that¡¯s expensive. Even for here. Does come with a cake, though¡­¡±

    Cris waved for a waitress as Heidi continued to peruse the menu. Before she could say anything, he dropped a silver coin in the waitress¡¯ hand. ¡°A couple of Babylonian Specials, please.¡±

    ¡°Huh?! Cris!¡± Heidi gaped at him and watched the waitress disappear behind the counter. ¡°What are you¡­?¡±

    Cris was a little flabbergasted himself, staring blankly at his bag of coins. ¡°That¡¯s weirdly invigorating¡­¡± Was he a high roller now that he had cash? He¡¯d figured he¡¯d splurged on the chocolates before, but this was extreme. He noticed Heidi¡¯s stare and shrugged. ¡°Pay me back if I end up on the streets.¡±

    She narrowed her eyes for a moment, but finally nodded. ¡°Fine.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t too long before their expensive specials arrived. They didn¡¯t appear very large, and looked somewhat plain except for the fancy topping of whipped cream, and the cakes were nice looking, too. However, when Cris took his first sip of the drink, he felt as though he could¡¯ve spent a gold coin on them and been perfectly content with the price.

    ¡°Incredible!¡± he and Heidi exclaimed.

    ¡°Have you had anything like this before?¡± Cris asked, setting the drink down, not wanting to have it all in one go.

    ¡°No, but I do like fancy coffees,¡± Heidi said, using a straw to stir the whipped cream into the coffee. ¡°I used to get them with my mom all the time.¡±

    Cris looked away awkwardly, his guilt creeping up on him again. He decided not to let it fester, though. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about being a jerk with¡­all of this. I had no idea most people here had been through hell. Not that that¡¯s an excuse.¡±

    Heidi didn¡¯t look up, continuing to stare at her drink. She smiled softly, though. ¡°No one else had their mission screwed up like yours was, Cris. You should¡¯ve been one of the lucky ones. You have good reason to be upset.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m starting to wonder if it wasn¡¯t so screwed up,¡± Cris said, surprising even himself with the statement. ¡°Maybe more¡­screwed with.¡±

    ¡°By demons, you mean?¡± Heidi asked, looking up in surprise. ¡°They¡¯re not that smart.¡±

    ¡°Maybe they aren¡¯t,¡± Cris said, ¡°but a person controlling them could be.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s impossible,¡± Heidi said, laughing nervously. ¡°Even Mara can¡¯t do that, and her ability would be the most likely one capable of it. Monstrous Spirit Guides are still Spirit Guides. Demons hate them.¡±

    Cris still wasn¡¯t so sure. He¡¯d wondered about this since learning about some of the myths and some of the hidden histories. There was always some kind of excuse for enhanced demon activity. One side¡¯s Spirit Guide created more fear in demons, which left them naturally drawn to another. Or someone¡¯s Spirit Guide was so drained that a demon failed to notice them, only appearing to kill their enemy for them. It was always too coincidental. But the histories were adamant. Demons couldn¡¯t be controlled by Spirit Guides.

    ¡°Just seems strange,¡± Cris finally said, deciding not to press the issue further.

    ¡°It was,¡± Heidi admitted, nodding sadly. ¡°Still¡­we shouldn¡¯t have let you and David down. We could¡¯ve done¡­more.¡±

    Cris felt his fist clench, but he tried to calm himself. He needed to accept that what had happened was a tragedy, but not the fault of those who continued to stick around him despite his attitude. Not the fault of the man who had led the mission and tried to save him and David in the first place. And certainly not the fault of the girl in front of him who had shown him kindness the moment she¡¯d met him.

    ¡°I¡¯ll have you¡­¡±

    ¡°Eep!¡± Heidi¡¯s eyes widened, and she started coughing, appearing quite alarmed. ¡°Wh-Wh-What?¡±

    ¡°¡­on my team,¡± Cris said. ¡°You said you¡¯d be on my team for the Academy Games, right?¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­right.¡± She nodded, composing herself. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll be there!¡±

    ¡°Good,¡± Cris said, a smile coming to his face, ¡°because I don¡¯t plan to just make it through this thing. I plan to win.¡±

    They finished their coffees with lighter conversation. Cris was surprised to find himself asking about Heidi¡¯s old life. And while that may have been a touchy subject before, especially after that first class, it now seemed like a positive one. She spoke of her mother with great fondness. She didn¡¯t live a lavish life as Cris might¡¯ve thought, but she was happy. Not all that different from Cris¡¯ own version of happiness in that abandoned apartment. A simple life with someone who had their back.

    Once they were done, they walked the streets a little more, Heidi showing Cris some of the places he had yet to see. He saw the area known as Little London, with a large blacksmith¡¯s forge at the center. He saw the more modern American section of the city, a copy of the Statue of Liberty visible at its edge. And he saw the entrance to the Labyrinth, which supposedly stretched underneath the entire city, always changing and flooded with magical energy.

    Eventually, Heidi grew somewhat tired, and she decided to head back. Cris accompanied her most of the way, but opted to still hang around the city for a little while, wanting to take in a little more. And, when she was gone, he departed for the Roman section of the city nearby.

    It was there he saw Mara for the third time that day. He didn¡¯t have the chance to slip away this time, though, and was stuck as she walked his way. However, surprisingly, she didn¡¯t seem to notice him, appearing tired, her eyes downcast and a slump in her shoulders. Her hair didn¡¯t seem to have that glossy sheen it usually did either.

    Shrugging it off, Cris continued on his way. Something seemed strange as he walked, though. He almost felt as though something was watching him. Had Heidi come back for him? Had Mara noticed him after all? He turned around, expecting one of them. It wasn¡¯t either, but someone was there.

    A little girl.

    Cris stared at her curiously. There was something about her that seemed familiar. He¡¯d seen this face before. He¡¯d seen it¡­this morning. He¡¯d seen it¡­this afternoon. He¡¯d seen this girl in the school.

    But he¡¯d seen her before as well, hadn¡¯t he?

    She spoke to him, and her calm, much older seeming voice sent a chill down his spine.

    ¡°Hello, Icarus. Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Anna.¡±

    ¡°How do you know my name, kid?¡± he asked, narrowing his eyes.

    She giggled, tilting her head slightly. ¡°I¡¯m not a kid.¡±

    ¡°Then what are you?¡±

    She laughed, almost as though they were sharing in some great joke.

    But her words were chilling.

    ¡°I¡¯m the one who killed your friend.¡±

 Arc 1: The Awakening - A Warning From Hell

    As haunting as her words sounded, Cris didn¡¯t believe the girl in front of him. She was just a little kid. He knew what little kids could be like. They didn¡¯t realize the things they were saying, and they would say things to get a reaction. That¡¯s all this girl wanted. Her friends had probably put her up to it. Or better yet¡­an older student.

    ¡°You should watch your mouth, kid,¡± Cris snarled, trying to stand taller and look as intimidating as possible. ¡°I don¡¯t like little brats.¡±

    ¡°Please call me Anna, Icarus.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t call me Icarus.¡±

    ¡°Very well. Cris, then?¡± Anna smiled in a sickeningly sweet way. Her eyes were bright red, and as she pulled back the hood that had been over her head from her black cloak, Cris noticed how horribly pale she was.

    ¡°Are you¡­okay?¡± Cris couldn¡¯t help but ask. This girl looked like she needed some sun and maybe a couple pints of blood.

    ¡°Hmm¡­that depends on how this goes, I think. Would you mind following me?¡± She turned, her cloak blowing in the breeze momentarily. As Cris stared at it, though, his eyes widened as he was sure he noticed it appearing to warp in the air.

    Was it stupid to follow? Maybe it was. Nonetheless, he did.

    ¡°Where is it you want to go?¡± he asked as he followed the girl down a street heading towards an Egyptian stretch of the city.

    ¡°Somewhere a little more private¡­¡± Anna glanced back at him, her eyes glowing as they walked between two buildings producing a little more shade. Suddenly, the air was colder. It felt thicker. Cris noticed the weird warping again as he tried to focus.

    A moment later, they were somewhere else. Well, they were and they weren¡¯t. Cris could still see the city around them. He could even reach out and touch the building they were next to. But there was a¡­tint to the world around them. And a chill. Along the ground, thick, black shadows swirled around like snakes. Above them, a dull, red glow filtered from the sky.

    ¡°I can¡¯t pull you directly into Hell, but you are able to temporarily walk through the barrier between realms.¡±

    ¡°Directly into what? Walk in the what between what?¡± Cris spun around, trying to take in the strange sights, sounds and sensations around him. It was¡­bizarre. And so cold, but also so hot. Almost like the shadows were trying to both burn and freeze him. Only the warmth in his chest seemed to regulate it, and he focused on that.

    Anna studied him closely, narrowing her glowing red eyes. ¡°Interesting. I¡¯d hoped you¡¯d be a little more off balance. Already fighting off Hell¡¯s Shadow with your Spirit Guide.¡±

    ¡°No idea what that means,¡± Cris said, returning the glare. ¡°So what¡¯s this? A little trick from your Spirit Guide?¡±

    Anna smiled. ¡°Something like that.¡±

    Cris clenched his fists, glancing around once more, before turning his gaze back to the little girl. He supposed this was a little more than a little kid trying to get a reaction out of him after all. ¡°Okay, I guess you are a little freak, huh? So what is it you did to David? I saw a demon with him that night. Not you. So why are you claiming to have done it?¡±

    Anna sighed, twirling a finger through her hair. ¡°I don¡¯t really feel like getting into all that, Icarus.¡±

    ¡°Cris.¡±

    ¡°Right. I apologize.¡± The way she spoke was very unnerving. She enunciated better than most adults. It was somewhat infantilizing.

    ¡°You introduced yourself saying you killed David. So you might as well tell me what you mean.¡± Cris felt his hand slipping into his bag where the dagger he¡¯d bought earlier was sitting.

    Anna noticed, watching his hand, but not appearing particularly bothered. ¡°I take responsibility for the actions of my pets. Well, mostly due to the fact that they act on my orders.¡±

    ¡°So you claim to control demons?¡± Cris laughed, although given what he¡¯d suggested to Heidi, part of him was nervous. ¡°I¡¯m told that¡¯s impossible.¡±

    ¡°Your kind believes too much in the purity of spirits.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not exactly grouped into their kind yet,¡± Cris said quickly. He finally pulled out his dagger. As he did, a shadow seemed to dart up from the ground, he reflexively slashed at it. It hissed and dissipated as he did so.

    Anna watched in interest. ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear that.¡±

    ¡°And why is that?¡± Cris held the dagger tightly, narrowing his eyes as he looked up at her.

    Anna smiled, the glow in her eyes dimming somewhat as she did so. She almost looked like a normal little girl. The pale, almost bloodless skin didn¡¯t help, though. ¡°I would very much like you to be our kind.¡±

    ¡°You claim to have killed my best friend,¡± Cris pointed out. ¡°That¡¯s not a very good recruitment pitch.¡±

    Anna nodded. ¡°Indeed.¡± There was a low growl in the distance behind her, lurking deep within the thickest shadows. ¡°Hush¡­¡± Anna whispered, glancing back.

    ¡°I thought demons couldn¡¯t enter Babylon.¡± Cris¡¯ eyes darted around, trying to find where the creature was.

    ¡°They can¡¯t,¡± Anna said quickly. ¡°What you¡¯re hearing is from across the boundary. If I summoned a demon through, it would die very quickly. Even faster if I brought us fully back into Babylon.¡±

    Cris unfortunately wasn¡¯t sure what he could believe. Still, he supposed if this girl wanted to kill him, and could kill him, he wouldn¡¯t be standing here right now. He looked around again, trying to focus enough to see the streets of Babylon. He could see people passing by, but they didn¡¯t seem to notice either him or Anna.

    ¡°I could bring him back, you know¡­¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± Cris glared at the girl again. ¡°What are you saying?¡±

    ¡°Heaven and Hell are very real places,¡± Anna explained. ¡°As is Purgatory. In fact, we are in something a little similar to Purgatory right now.¡± She smiled softly, shaking her head. ¡°Never mind that, though. We could find David easily enough, you and I. Bring him back.¡±

    ¡°And what would he be like if we did that?¡± Cris wasn¡¯t stupid. He¡¯d read stories where heroes tried to bring back the dead. It never worked out. He was pretty sure this was no different.

    ¡°Oh, he¡¯d be¡­changed. Certainly changed.¡± Anna placed a hand on her chest, almost as though she were truly sorry. ¡°Marked by Hell¡­his soul cannot simply be brought back in one piece.¡±

    ¡°What does that mean?¡± Cris took a step forward, ignoring the growl from the shadows.

    Anna giggled in an extremely creepy way. Like some kind of horror movie child. In a way, that¡¯s exactly what she was. The giggle even echoed around them. ¡°David was in the process of Awakening his Spirit Guide. In his final moments, he did manage to reach out to it. But as you¡¯ve seen, it¡¯s not so easy. He consumed too much power at once, leaving himself weak and vulnerable. My pet was able to consume much of his Spirit Guide and¡­leave a little room.¡±

    Cris lunged forward, grabbing Anna quickly, even causing the girl to gasp in surprise. He held her cloak, just underneath her throat. ¡°What the hell are you saying, you little bitch?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not the kind of thing you say to a sweet little girl like me, Cris,¡± Anna said with a smile. She snapped her fingers.

    ¡°AGH!¡± Cris suddenly found himself writhing on the ground. His chest was screaming in pain. His brain felt like it was on fire. All he could see was white light. Flashes came before his eyes. He saw himself as a baby reaching out to empty space. He saw his first foster parent kicking him aside. He saw himself lying in the street, beaten and bloodied. He saw David¡¯s dead body. He saw Finn and Elsa thrown aside by the demon at the convenience store. He saw Heidi¡¯s pained face as she told him about her mother.

    It stopped as soon as it began.

    Panting, Cris scrambled to his feet, grabbing at his dagger quickly, seeing that it had dropped. He held it up again, realizing he¡¯d rolled further away from Anna. ¡°What the hell was that?¡±Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

    ¡°The Fury¡¯s Wrath.¡± Anna narrowed her eyes. ¡°You held out quite well, Cris. You¡¯ve become numb to the horrors of your past. Very interesting to see what troubles you in your present, however. I thought you saw yourself as a lone wolf.¡±

    ¡°Meaning?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a great deal of¡­devotion in you.¡± Anna sounded older now. And very unimpressed.

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m devoted to beating the hell out of you.¡±

    ¡°An interesting saying.¡± Anna smirked again, wagging her fingers and manipulating the shadows around herself. ¡°Wrath. One of the great sins. To be used to combat a demonic soul¡­¡±

    ¡°You sure like to talk.¡± Cris raised his dagger higher. ¡°Now what the hell did you do to David?¡±

    Anna rolled her eyes. ¡°Oh nothing much. His soul is simply unable to pass into Heaven. When a Spirit Guide is consumed in such a way¡­well¡­he¡¯ll be lingering in Purgatory until Hell grasps at his now marked soul. Then, I suspect he will become a demon.¡±

    Cris¡¯ eyes widened. ¡°He¡¯ll become a¡­what?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not what I wish,¡± Anna said, eyeing Cris carefully. ¡°We can recover him. Like I said. But he will need¡­something to fill the gap of his Spirit Guide.¡±

    ¡°And then what?¡± Cris felt tears sting his eyes, but he knew he couldn¡¯t let whatever Anna was talking about happen. ¡°And then he becomes something like you?¡±

    Anna smiled, appearing quite excited. ¡°Ah! You figured it out!¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t really know what I¡¯ve figured out,¡± Cris said. ¡°I can tell you¡¯re a twisted little shit, though.¡±

    ¡°Now now¡­let¡¯s be nice.¡± Anna waved her hand, sending away the shadows that were swirling around her. ¡°It¡¯s up to you what we do with David. I¡¯ll leave his soul be for now. He¡¯ll be in Purgatory for many years regardless. What I¡¯m really here for, Cris, is you.¡±

    ¡°You want me to join you.¡±

    ¡°Yes. Definitely.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to.¡±

    Anna sighed. ¡°That is regrettable. Please do think about it, though. At the very least, I hope you know this place is not right for you.¡±

    Cris laughed. ¡°Seems like it¡¯s where I¡¯m supposed to be actually.¡±

    Anna shook her head, an angry glow in her eyes. ¡°This is a warning from Hell, Cris. Take it very seriously. It is not in anyone¡¯s best interest to have you in Babylon.¡±

    ¡°Care to explain why? I get the feeling that if it¡¯s a bad thing for you that I¡¯m here, then it¡¯s actually a good thing.¡± Cris tightened his hold on the dagger and focused on the warmth in his chest. The blade began to glow.

    Anna flinched somewhat. It was barely noticeable, but it made Cris smile. ¡°I will return, Cris,¡± she said. ¡°You will not be welcome here very soon. Do be careful of flying too close to the sun.¡±

    Cris blinked, and she was gone. And suddenly, the world around him was normal again. No red glow in the sky. No shadows lurking around. No demons growling in the distance. Just the hustle and bustle of Babylon.

    He quickly put his dagger away, looking around for any kind of sign of Anna being somewhere, or something that could lead him to her. He was conflicted, fear of whatever she was capable of, and a hunger for vengeance if she truly was the one responsible for David¡¯s death.

    She must be responsible, he thought.

    How could she not be? She¡¯d taken him into some kind of other world. A barrier or whatever she¡¯d called it. She¡¯d controlled those evil shadows. There was the now familiar sound of a demon in the distance.

    ¡°I was right,¡± he said aloud. ¡°There are things that can control demons.¡±

    Surely there was someone who knew about this possibility. Why was there this weird obsession with saying it was not possible? Why were people so sure that something that just made logical sense couldn¡¯t happen? Was it taboo? Did they think it was some kind of bad luck thing to acknowledge it?

    Maybe there just wasn¡¯t enough information. He knew of plenty of situations where lack of information was enough to make people not want to acknowledge something that was still likely a problem. If someone didn¡¯t know something, it was scarier. Thus, simply telling themselves it wasn¡¯t there was a way to protect from that darkness.

    Cris knew he needed to get more information. He needed to find Anna. He needed to take her prisoner somehow. He could use his dagger. He wasn¡¯t sure what trick she had played to knock him down before, but he could figure a way out of it. He had to do this. Not just for David. Anna wanted something. And for some reason, it had something to do with Cris.

    He took off. He wasn¡¯t sure where he was looking, but he found himself searching everywhere. He looked inside shops, restaurants and even glanced through the windows of houses. He crossed street after street and into a different section of the city, not even noticing what style it was designed in.

    There was no sign of Anna, or anything that could lead Cris to her. However, he did spot something that could help him. Or rather¡­someone.

    ¡°Finn!¡±

    ¡°Huh? Oh, hey man!¡±

    Finn looked delighted for some reason, turning around when Cris called his name and waving. He had a burger in his hand, along with a bag full of various trinkets. Cris supposed he¡¯d been having a good day shopping.

    ¡°I need you to help me with something.¡±

    Finn blinked in surprise and stared dumbfounded at Cris. ¡°You want me to what now? The Cris Parker is asking me for help?¡± He grinned. ¡°Is this about your date with Heidi?¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Cris narrowed his eyes. ¡°How¡¯d you know I was with her?¡± Finn made a clicking sound in response and Cris rolled his eyes. ¡°Whatever, never mind that. I just met a little girl. A really creepy little girl.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re the worst,¡± Finn said with a nod, taking a bite of his burger. ¡°Shum of jem leave jeh whole workjop in a mesh.¡±

    Cris backed up a step, avoiding the food spraying from Finn¡¯s mouth. ¡°I don¡¯t mean that. She said¡­she said she killed David.¡±

    Finn¡¯s expression became serious in a flash. ¡°What?¡±

    Cris nodded. ¡°And she¡­she did something that made me think she wasn¡¯t just messing around.¡± He explained the shadowy otherworld that they¡¯d been brought to, Finn¡¯s face turning more pale the longer the explanation went on.

    ¡°What in the¡­¡± Finn dropped his burger. ¡°How¡­¡±

    ¡°Can you find her?¡± Cris asked. ¡°With your echolocation?¡±

    Finn bit his lip nervously. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t really know what I¡¯m looking for.¡± He closed his eyes and started making clicking noises.

    ¡°Just look for a little girl,¡± Cris snapped. ¡°We¡¯ll narrow it down.¡±

    Finn opened one eye. ¡°Try to pick your words more carefully dude.¡± He closed his eye again and continued clicking. After a moment, he paused. ¡°Weird¡­¡±

    ¡°Find something?¡± Cris asked.

    Finn nodded. ¡°I found a kid¡­¡± He clicked a few more times. ¡°There¡¯s someone¡­AGH!¡±

    Cris jumped back as Finn suddenly fell to the ground. ¡°Whoa! You all right?¡± Cris reached out, helping Finn back to his feet as he shook his head.

    ¡°Yeah, I¡­¡± Finn blinked a few times and shook his head once more. ¡°Something¡­interfered. I don¡¯t know¡­it was like a high pitched noise and then felt like a flash in my head. But it was dark? Kind of weird.¡±

    ¡°So she¡¯s hiding from you?¡± Cris clenched his fists, looking around anxiously. ¡°Can we find her based on what you saw?¡±

    ¡°Couldn¡¯t really narrow down where she was,¡± Finn said. ¡°Just kind of towards the edge of the city. And she¡¯ll probably have moved.¡±

    ¡°If she¡¯s still here, that¡¯s not good.¡±

    ¡°Good point, Sherlock,¡± Finn said. ¡°There¡¯s really only one thing we should do in this case.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Cris felt he knew the answer.

    ¡°We need to tell Mr. Rainier.¡±

    Anna tilted her head as she felt the spirit energy reaching out to her. All it took was a slight wave of her hand to dismiss it. She wasn¡¯t surprised by the pathetic attempt. She¡¯d figured Cris would seek her out.

    Deciding she needed a little more privacy, however, she crossed back through the barrier with her prey. No little Spirit Guide tricks would reach them there.

    ¡°Wh-Wh-What is this?¡± the poor soul in front of her stammered out. He was already squirming on the ground before this, begging for mercy. Now he looked even more pathetic.

    ¡°Just a place for us to discuss next moves.¡±

    ¡°N-Next moves?¡±

    Anna smiled, kneeling down and stroking the man¡¯s head. ¡°You¡¯ve failed me, my pathetic servant. You need to redeem yourself.¡±

    The man froze, and Anna stood back up, grinning as she watched the shadows surround him, circling around his face, his arms, and then his legs. He screamed in terror. It was satisfying, but as much as fear and despair sated her, Anna did enjoy Cris Parker¡¯s bravery much more in comparison. It was¡­different. Interesting.

    ¡°Now¡­where were we?¡± Anna asked, tapping her chin in thought. ¡°Yes¡­we have a situation on our hands.¡±

    ¡°Mm! Hmm! Mmm!¡± the man below her mumbled in fear, his mouth bound by the shadows. Anna snapped her fingers and they melted away, although he remained bound. ¡°I don¡¯t¡­I don¡¯t know what you need me to do¡­Master.¡±

    Anna sighed. ¡°I must admit¡­your strategy and manipulations for the current plan were not¡­entirely the wrong approach. It keeps you useful to me at the very least, regardless of whether Parker is removed from the board in Babylon or not.¡±

    ¡°Th-Then what is the problem?¡±

    ¡°He is Awakening too quickly.¡± Anna frowned, thinking of his glowing dagger. And the hesitance of the shadows. ¡°And when he does¡­¡±

    The man below squealed like a pig as the shadows tightened around him. ¡°Ah! I¡¯m sorry. I should have¡­known.¡±

    ¡°No¡­you couldn¡¯t have,¡± Anna murmured, the shadows still tightening. ¡°He is¡­very intriguing. At any rate, he will no doubt make it through these¡­Academy Games. And when those councilors see his power and potential, there will be no going back.¡±

    The man moaned quietly and Anna finally allowed the shadows to loosen somewhat. After a moment, he weakly responded. ¡°He¡­could be¡­made to fail.¡±

    ¡°Well I certainly hope that¡¯s the plan. However, I doubt very much you¡¯re capable of such a thing.¡±

    ¡°The games will be in the Labyrinth. The staff won¡¯t be able to monitor everything down there. Death is not¡­impossible.¡±

    Anna was almost amused. How quickly these people were willing to turn to such violent measures to preserve their own well being. But she was actually angered by the statement, her red eyes flashing dangerously. ¡°I do not want him dead. He¡¯s mine. I can use him. He could be Hell¡¯s greatest warrior.¡±

    ¡°We can ensure he lives,¡± the man said. ¡°W-We¡­can frame him for killing his companions? He¡¯s known for his dark nature. A s-suiting boy to be your warrior.¡±

    Anna wasn¡¯t sure that was as much of a compliment as the man tried to make it out to be, but she let it pass. ¡°Too much death at this time could arouse too much suspicion.¡± She wasn¡¯t against the idea completely, however.

    ¡°Then perhaps wound his companions? Or¡­target him with Echoes? W-Wound him directly?¡±

    Anna considered the idea. ¡°Are Echoes planned for this event?¡±

    ¡°Certainly. The Labyrinth always uses Echoes.¡±

    ¡°Who summons them?¡±

    ¡°The council, of course. And members of the staff.¡±

    Anna had to admit, the idea had its merits. This man didn¡¯t know the full extent of her abilities, though. He didn¡¯t realize just what she would be able to do with this idea. ¡°Can you ensure the strongest Echoes are used?¡±

    ¡°I¡­I can do that, yes.¡± He was sounding too relieved, apparently thinking he had escaped her wrath. Anna tightened the shadows once more to make a point.

    ¡°You will do this.¡±

    ¡°I will.¡±

    Anna smiled, turning slightly as she heard a demon growling in the distance behind her. ¡°These games are sure to be interesting.¡±

    Anna did like games after all. And with all these tools at her disposal, perhaps she would be able to create some interesting twists. Everything was on the table as far as she was concerned.

    ¡°Icarus Parker¡­I look forward to welcoming you to Hell.¡±

 Arc 1: The Awakening - A Message From Heaven

    Rosalyn couldn¡¯t sleep. She tossed and turned. She fluffed her pillow. She changed the temperature in her room. She turned the light on and off again. She read a few pages of a book. She tried everything.

    She¡¯d gone to bed very early, knowing that something was coming. Knowing that the only escape was sleep. But sleep wouldn¡¯t come.

    She knew what it meant, and she hated that with every fiber of her being.

    Rosalyn was proud of her ranking at Daedal Academy. While Levi Ofkus was widely considered the strongest and most adept spirit magic user, it was Rosalyn who many considered the top overall student. She tried not to be conceited, but she knew it to be true. She couldn¡¯t lie to herself, and her increased intelligence told her it was so.

    In fact, Rosalyn felt that if she had to, she could defeat Levi even in combat. Not through sheer strength or manipulating her magic in some way to overwhelm him, but rather through shrewdly cutting away his advantages and amplifying her own. It would take very little magical force.

    She was proud of her ranking, but she did not need to be the best. Yet she knew she was. That scared her. It scared her because so much of what she was in this school was built on a lie. Not one she meant to tell, but one she allowed to continue once she had the facts. She didn¡¯t wish to lie, of course. She likely received no advantages because of it, either. Perhaps some additional admiration, but little else. Still, she didn¡¯t enjoy the lie. But she let it continue. She let it continue because part of her wished to suppress that truth even to herself.

    It was impossible, of course. She knew now. And her extraordinary mind would never forget it. And, unfortunately, her extraordinary mind would force her to make use of it. That lie¡­that piece of herself she was so afraid of¡­it was the most powerful part of her.

    As she finally lay still in her bed, Rosalyn allowed the inevitable to happen. Her eyes widened as she felt her Spirit Guide swell with magical energy. Her vision went white. Her body seized up. And then¡­she saw it.

    Darkness. Terrible darkness. Darkness such as she had never seen before. Shadows thicker than those that shrouded the demons. Something could be heard around her. Within her. It was distant, but also close. It was maddening. And suddenly within the darkness, two red eyes appeared, and beneath them a mouth so pale it was almost transparent. It grinned a most evil grin.

    But suddenly, a sound came behind her. It was like a match being lit, and Rosalyn was sure she could hear the slightest crackle of a lit flame. But she only saw darkness. She turned back around, noticing the eyes and mouth had disappeared. A whisper, soft and haunting, echoed from the distance, however.

    ¡°The wings will be ours.¡±

    Rosalyn opened her eyes and screamed until her doors opened, staff and students ready to rush her to the infirmary.

    It happened every time she used her greatest power. And as she screamed, she wondered just why she was saddled with it.

    Cris and Finn were turned away as they attempted to get to Rainier¡¯s office. Apparently he had been called to the infirmary for another student¡¯s emergency. As much as Cris didn¡¯t want to depend on Rainier, he intended to head to the infirmary to catch him. Finn, however, felt that wasn¡¯t a good idea.

    ¡°Why? What if Anna caused whatever happened?¡±

    Finn shook his head at the suggestion. ¡°Trips to the infirmary are common here.¡± He pointed at Cris¡¯ head. ¡°Think about it. You¡¯ve been there twice.¡±

    Cris conceded that point. ¡°Still, we know some kind of demon-loving freak is around here. How do we know she didn¡¯t cause it? Besides, you¡¯re the one that wants to tell Rainier.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, but¡­¡± He sighed, looking around as they headed down the steps of the tower that held the offices of the staff. ¡°I think I know why Rainier¡¯s there¡­¡±

    ¡°Meaning¡­?¡± Cris sighed in exasperation.

    ¡°Like I said, it¡¯s common for people to go to the infirmary. That girl didn¡¯t necessarily cause what happened here, but¡­Rainier doesn¡¯t go to visit for something minor.¡± Finn made a few clicking sounds, and they walked in relative silence until he stopped, nodding to himself. ¡°I think it was Rose.¡±

    ¡°Rose¡­you mean Rosalyn? The girl we met when we saw the council?¡± Cris frowned. ¡°You can tell it¡¯s her?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve got a couple listeners set up at the infirmary,¡± Finn muttered, looking away uneasily. ¡°I keep some in important places around the city.¡±

    Cris narrowed his eyes. ¡°More like the creepy neighborhood bat-¡±

    ¡°Yeah yeah yeah,¡± Finn waved his hand dismissively. ¡°I know. They¡¯re not in¡­sensitive places.¡±

    ¡°You kind of seem like the guy who would put them in sensitive places.¡±

    ¡°Do I?¡± Finn seemed genuinely hurt by that.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. You¡¯re hard to read sometimes.¡± Cris shrugged, looking out towards the city.

    ¡°That sounds a bit better.¡± Finn nodded to himself, apparently pleased with that assessment of him. ¡°Anyway, Rose has to go to the infirmary from time to time. Mr. Rainier always visits her when it happens. No one really knows why. She¡¯ll wake up screaming from time to time, she¡¯ll collapse in the hallway, she¡¯ll just kind of get nauseous. It depends on how severe it gets I guess.¡±

    Cris was surprised. From what Finn and the others had said, and from what he¡¯d heard other students say, Rosalyn was up there with Levi in terms of talent. It seemed weird that she was sickly. ¡°Is it some kind of disease, or¡­?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s definitely something to do with spirit magic.¡± Finn sighed, looking fairly concerned. ¡°I¡¯m sure Mr. Rainier is trying to figure it out. As strong as she is, she¡¯s still as vulnerable as any of us to issues with spirit magic.¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t heard about that kind of thing being an issue,¡± Cris said, his suspicious side perking up.

    Finn watched him nervously. ¡°It¡¯ll come up eventually in classes. It¡¯s nothing avoiding this place would help, that¡¯s for sure. There¡¯s still a lot of mystery around what can happen and what causes it. Most likely, though, is that some kind of ability just drains her a lot. I guess since her Spirit Guide boosts her intelligence, her mind just can¡¯t handle it non stop and she has to shut down for a bit.¡±

    Cris frowned, looking away as he felt a flash of sympathy for the girl. He hadn¡¯t considered that just living your life with a Spirit Guide could be so draining. In fact, when he¡¯d met Rosalyn, he¡¯d thought her increased intelligence was an enviable ability. Perhaps that wasn¡¯t the case.

    ¡°Can¡¯t she suppress it?¡± Cris asked, thinking about how it was hard for him to grasp his magic at all. If it was something that needed to be grasped, that must have meant that it could be avoided.

    Finn shook his head. ¡°Some abilities just kind of combine with your instincts. Like Heidi will always have good balance, Elsa will be quick and even when I¡¯m not channeling my Spirit Guide, my hearing is better than most.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t seem to have anything like that,¡± Cris said, staring at his hands as though that would give him some kind of answer. He then looked down to his chest, thinking of that warm feeling he was starting to get that seemed to signal some kind of use of magic. It seemed to protect him when he was with Anna in that in between world.

    ¡°You¡¯ll have things pop up once you¡¯re used to things here,¡± Finn said. ¡°You¡¯ve got something strong. No doubt about that. That demon and what you did to Levi is enough proof.¡±

    ¡°Then what¡¯s up with the council setting me up with these Academy Games?¡± Cris asked, the two of them turning off towards the dorm towers and the dining hall.

    Finn was silent for a moment, considering that. ¡°It¡¯s weird.¡±

    ¡°That much I was able to figure out myself, thanks,¡± Cris muttered.

    Finn paused, though, turning around as though realizing something. ¡°No¡­it really is weird. Especially after today¡­¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Cris followed Finn¡¯s gaze, seeing that he was looking down into the city where they¡¯d tried to pinpoint Anna¡¯s location.

    Finn shook his head, apparently confused by whatever he was considering. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­students can¡¯t be rejected here. It¡¯s such a weird thing to consider. And you said Anna told you this place wasn¡¯t for you¡­¡±

    ¡°Ah, so you¡¯re a conspiracy theory guy,¡± Cris said, nodding.

    ¡°Huh? It¡¯s a reasonable thought!¡± Finn looked appalled. ¡°You of all people-¡±

    ¡°What? I didn¡¯t say it was a bad thing. I totally agree. They¡¯re out to get me!¡± Cris folded his arms in defiance. ¡°Can¡¯t say I¡¯m surprised.¡±

    Finn raised an eyebrow, watching Cris for a moment. ¡°Seriously, though¡­that girl Anna¡­if she even is some little girl¡­she might¡¯ve gotten to someone. The council was almost unanimous, so it could be anyone whispering in their ears. Maybe a bunch of people are up to something¡­¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a pleasant thought,¡± Cris muttered. ¡°Nice to know I¡¯m walking around with a bigger target on my back than I thought before.¡±

    ¡°Sorry¡­¡± Finn rubbed the back of his neck, smiling sheepishly.

    ¡°Ah! Parker and Murphy! Just the boys I was looking for!¡±

    The two of them jumped in alarm at the sudden voice, turning to see a woman approaching them from the direction they¡¯d just come from. It was a familiar face, even to Cris, and given the conversation they were just having, he couldn¡¯t help but feel suspicious. He immediately narrowed his eyes.

    ¡°You were on the council,¡± he said in a hostile tone.

    ¡°I do have a name,¡± the woman said, her own tone tinged with irritation. Cris was still surprised as he looked at her, remembering how young she was compared to the rest of the council. ¡°Eleanor Frost, by the way. And I¡¯ll have you remember I was the only member of the council to vote against that barbaric idea you¡¯re scowling about.¡±Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    Cris and Finn exchanged a glance. She did have a point there. Eleanor didn¡¯t miss the glance, frowning in confusion as the two looked back at her. ¡°Think we should trust her?¡± Finn asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t trust anyone,¡± Cris said.

    Finn rolled his eyes. ¡°Yeah, but like¡­in your way.¡±

    ¡°What does that mean?¡±

    ¡°Like actually trusting someone, but being suspicious about it and acting like you don¡¯t care, but you do and all that.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    Finn ignored Cris¡¯ glare and turned back to the alarmed looking Eleanor. ¡°We have a theory.¡±

    Eleanor tilted her head in confusion. ¡°A theory? About what? And what¡¯s this about trust?¡±

    Cris opened his mouth to say that it was nothing, but Finn jumped in before he could speak. ¡°We think your council¡¯s been compromised in some way.¡±

    Eleanor¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°You think¡­what?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s weird that they want to reject Cris?¡± Finn asked.

    ¡°They didn¡¯t exactly say that.¡±

    ¡°Right, but come on¡­this isn¡¯t normal.¡± Finn pointed at Cris. ¡°This guy is not some Hell-marked demon-boy or whatever they think he is.¡±

    ¡°As much as I don¡¯t agree with them in regards to what they want to put him through,¡± Eleanor said, ¡°they don¡¯t think he¡¯s evil. They¡¯re simply concerned he¡¯s been involved in something so unusual that his magic could be dangerous, or demons affected him in some way.¡±

    Cris had to admit, hearing the one voice that had argued against his involvement in the Academy Games now pointing out the logic of the others¡¯ concerns did make him feel somewhat like he was just being paranoid. Still, Anna¡¯s presence did make him wonder. ¡°Why is my situation considered so weird?¡±

    Eleanor looked uneasy. ¡°I¡¯m not really supposed to discuss this kind of thing with students.¡±

    ¡°Could be her who was compromised,¡± Finn whispered, although his whisper was so loud that Eleanor caught it.

    ¡°What?! You¡¯re accusing me of corruption?! I worked hard to get on the council at such a young age. I¡¯m not going to screw it up by getting bought off!¡± Eleanor suddenly had a menacing look in her eyes, and Cris had the strange feeling she was channeling spirit energy.

    Finn¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Whoa! Easy there, lady. Okay! You¡¯re not corrupt. Although threatening us does make you look kind of corrupt.¡±

    Eleanor¡¯s cheeks reddened. ¡°I wasn¡¯t threatening¡­¡± she muttered quietly. ¡°Anyway, you just need to work hard at learning what you can and listening during classes. You¡¯ll be able to handle those Academy Games just fine. There¡¯s no need to worry too much.¡±

    Cris exchanged another look with Finn, who nodded a moment later. ¡°There¡¯s a reason we¡¯re suspicious. And it¡¯s not just the Academy Games¡­¡±

    Eleanor¡¯s eyes widened a fraction of an inch, seemingly noticing the serious tone of Cris¡¯ voice. ¡°Hold off on telling me,¡± she said, raising a hand. ¡°As I said, you two were just the ones I was looking for. Mr. Rainier wanted to see you. He¡¯s with Rosalyn Leroux in the infirmary. Why don¡¯t you tell me what you have to say when we¡¯re there?¡±

    Cris took a deep breath. He was so hesitant to trust people in this place, and a member of the council seemed a dangerous one to make that leap of faith with. She was right, though. She had spoken in favor of him. And Rainier had also voiced his opposition. Perhaps he needed to do this.

    ¡°Fine,¡± he said. ¡°Let¡¯s go see him.¡±

    It was dark by the time they reached the infirmary, and Cris felt as though that darkness had a weight to it. Knowing Anna was out there somewhere, lurking in the city, was making him more and more uneasy. Just what was going on here? Was there really something darker at play?

    But maybe Anna was just some twisted kid after all. A twisted kid that figured out some nasty tricks with her Spirit Guide. And maybe the council really did just want to be sure of him before fully welcoming him into the city and school. Could this just be him playing up a scenario in his head to push these people away?

    Finn was worried, though. Finn who had helped him get away from the demon that had killed David. Finn, who had, while Cris might never admit this directly to him, earned some level of trust. And Finn knew more about this world than Cris.

    ¡°We¡¯d better not be signing our death warrants with this,¡± Cris muttered, watching Eleanor carefully as they walked into the infirmary.

    ¡°Ours?¡± Finn said. ¡°I¡¯m not the one who¡¯s being targeted.¡±

    Cris smirked in response. ¡°Heidi¡¯s already got us on a team together. So if I¡¯m targeted, you¡¯ll be with me.¡±

    Finn grimaced. ¡°Cool¡­cool.¡±

    Of course, Cris supposed that had already been the case. He¡¯d already fought alongside Finn, Heidi and Elsa in a life or death situation and come out alive. Perhaps it wasn¡¯t a lost cause going into another potential one with them.

    Eleanor was quick to find the room they were looking for and led them to it. When they opened the door, Cris was surprised to see that Rosalyn actually looked to be doing relatively okay, sitting up in her bed and chatting with Rainier as though nothing had happened. The only sign of a problem was the serious look on his face that grew more serious as he noticed the arriving visitors.

    ¡°Ah, you found them, Councilwoman,¡± Rainier said, nodding to Eleanor in thanks.

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t too hard,¡± Eleanor said, looking pleased for some reason. Cris could tell she had quite a bit of respect for Rainier, so he supposed she was quite happy to do this task for him. ¡°In fact, they were looking for you, sir.¡±

    Rainier blinked in surprise at that. ¡°For me?¡±

    Finn stepped forward at that. ¡°We¡¯ve got a lot to tell you, Mr. Rainier.¡±

    Rainier studied Finn for a moment, before turning his gaze to Cris. His gaze lingered for much longer there, before nodding. ¡°Very well. Please sit. Miss Leroux and I have much to say to you as well.¡±

    Cris wasn¡¯t sure how he was going to approach this conversation the entire way there, but somehow he found himself able to talk when the time came. He didn¡¯t hide what happened. He told it straight. He ignored Eleanor¡¯s and Rosalyn¡¯s shocked faces as he explained Anna¡¯s arrival and her pulling him into the different world, or space between worlds. In fact, focusing on Rainier helped. As mysterious as the man was, his lack of surprise was almost comforting.

    ¡°And when Finn tried to seek her out, he got hit with some kind of resistance,¡± Cris finished off once he¡¯d explained Anna taking off. ¡°After we were talking, we wondered if maybe Anna had a connection to the council wanting me in the Academy Games.¡± He then looked at Rosalyn, seeing now that she was looking slightly pale. Whether that was from his story or her sickness, he wasn¡¯t sure. ¡°You don¡¯t think she caused what happened to you, do you?¡±

    Rosalyn shook her head. ¡°No, this has happened before. Although¡­¡±

    Rainier raised a hand, apparently signaling that whatever she was saying could wait. ¡°You were right to come to me with this,¡± he then said, turning back to Cris. ¡°I expect it does relate to Miss Leroux¡¯s condition, but not in the way you might think. But first, let¡¯s address your accusations against the council. Is that all right, Councilwoman?¡±

    Eleanor nodded, her gaze serious. ¡°If I¡¯m working with corrupt colleagues, I want to do something about it.¡±

    ¡°And what¡¯s to say you aren¡¯t corrupt, Councilwoman?¡± Rainier said, narrowing his eyes. Cris was shocked to see them turn black, whites and all. For a moment, a chill passed through the air, but then Rainier blinked, sighing. ¡°No¡­I don¡¯t believe that to be the case.¡±

    Eleanor looked a little startled. ¡°R-Right¡­¡±

    Finn had gone pale, looking away and appearing as though he was about to be sick. ¡°I hate it when he does that¡­¡±

    ¡°As I said before, Mr. Murphy¡­best get used to it.¡± Rainier took a deep breath and then smiled in Cris¡¯ direction. ¡°I don¡¯t believe any member of the council is out to get you, Mr. Parker.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Cris gaped at him. ¡°That¡¯s how you¡¯re addressing it? What¡¯s that-¡±

    ¡°Oh, your concerns need to be addressed. I won¡¯t deny that.¡± Rainier turned, glancing out the window. Cris was pretty sure he was doing the trick with his eyes again. ¡°I¡¯ve worked with these council members for many years. Some of them for decades. They¡¯ve all served Babylon faithfully in all that time. If the right strings are pulled, however¡­¡±

    ¡°You think they¡¯re being compelled in some way?¡± Eleanor asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s possible.¡± Rainier studied the sky outside a moment longer, before turning back to the group inside, his eyes clearing up. He looked a little pained after using his ability. ¡°We consider ourselves very safe in Babylon, and rightfully so. But, perhaps that has led to some vulnerabilities for when malicious actors do enter our city.¡±

    ¡°But they shouldn¡¯t be able to enter,¡± Eleanor pointed out. ¡°That kind of darkness should be repelled. It¡¯s tainted by Hell.¡±

    ¡°What? Babylon can repel evil people, too?¡± Cris asked.

    ¡°Not really,¡± Finn said. ¡°Just that if someone has truly evil intentions that could cause a high level of danger, it likely means their soul was tainted. So something like a terrorist would be repelled.¡±

    ¡°Criminals still live in, or even enter, the city, however,¡± Rosalyn said. ¡°They¡¯re just usually not strong enough or capable enough to counter what¡¯s here.¡±

    ¡°So Anna¡¯s not strong enough to do much?¡± Cris said, feeling a sense of relief.

    Rainier shook his head. ¡°Quite the opposite. I believe the girl you are describing, Mr. Parker, is what is known as a devil.¡±

    ¡°The devil? As in Satan?¡± Finn asked. Cris was surprised that he wasn¡¯t the only one confused by this. In fact, even Rosalyn and Eleanor seemed curious as well.

    ¡°A devil,¡± Rainier said. ¡°And no, that doesn¡¯t mean the creature known as Satan. A devil is, simply put, a corrupted spirit user.¡±

    ¡°So she¡¯s like us, but just¡­fights for demons or something?¡± Cris asked.

    Rainier appeared uncertain about saying more, watching everyone carefully. ¡°This is a very sensitive topic. So I ask that you be very careful about speaking more on this outside this room.¡± Everyone nodded, assuring him they¡¯d be careful. Then, he continued. ¡°A devil is a human that has replaced their Spirit Guide¡­with a demon.¡±

    Eleanor went white as a sheet. ¡°Replaced with¡­a demon? How¡­what¡­¡±

    Rainier nodded. ¡°It¡¯s a terrible¡­sickening process. I only know of it through some very disturbing research. Restricted research, quite frankly.¡±

    ¡°Can devils control demons?¡± Cris asked, starting to connect some dots.

    ¡°I believe so¡­after a fashion.¡±

    ¡°So all these myths and the hidden histories about demons in human conflicts¡­they never add up to me. But if these devils are a thing¡­¡± Cris¡¯ eyes widened. ¡°They¡¯ve been around for centuries. For as long as these conflicts have gone on!¡±

    Rainier actually cracked a smile. ¡°I¡¯m not surprised you would doubt some of those stories, Mr. Parker. Can you guess why we tell these histories in such a way?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t want people experimenting? Getting ideas in their heads about becoming devils?¡± Cris nodded to himself. ¡°Makes sense, really.¡±

    ¡°But if she¡¯s got a demon¡­within her¡­how is she in the city?¡± Finn asked. ¡°How can she deal with the spirit energy?¡±

    ¡°In the same way we all can. The demon is tethered to her¡­humanity,¡± Rainier said. ¡°Not that there is much there anymore. But simply put, she is a container that protects it from the spirit energy. She likely can¡¯t spend too much time here, however. Otherwise the drain will be too much.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t get it, though,¡± Cris said. ¡°She¡¯s a little girl. If it¡¯s this hard to learn about devils, how did she become one?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s likely been a devil for quite some time. Probably forgotten herself since she¡¯s turned.¡± Rainier looked sad, considering this. ¡°Ultimately for us, we are the masters of our Spirit Guide. They are our souls. Or a piece of them anyway. For a devil, the human body is almost nothing but a container. The demon is the one who is in charge. We think of the ones we fight as almost clueless beasts, seeking to feed, but there are certainly cunning, more twisted demons in the deepest parts of Hell. Those are the demons who avoid our realm unless they can seek it out with protection. The protection of a host. I expect the true Anna has been gone many, many years.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s horrible¡­¡± Rosalyn said. ¡°So they can just¡­take a body like that?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­and no.¡± Rainier almost shivered as he closed his eyes and thought for a moment. ¡°The individual will grant permission. They are often manipulated, of course. Their Spirit Guide will likely be weakened and drained, leaving their willpower drained as well. Easy pickings for such creatures.¡±

    ¡°Okay, well if such a thing is in the city, shouldn¡¯t we not have Cris in the Academy Games?¡± Finn asked. ¡°Anna seemed to be after him, right? Seems like a bad idea.¡±

    At that, Rainier and Rosalyn exchanged a glance. ¡°The message¡­¡± Rosalyn said with a whisper.

    ¡°Message? What message?¡± Cris asked, narrowing his eyes.

    ¡°The reason I¡­got sick,¡± Rosalyn said. ¡°I¡­my Spirit Guide¡­it¡¯s a little different than people think.¡±

    Finn looked stunned. ¡°Is it cursed or something?¡±

    ¡°No¡­well¡­it feels like it sometimes, but no.¡± Rosalyn shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s not just an owl.¡±

    Eleanor gasped. ¡°You¡¯re a Mythical.¡±

    Finn appeared stunned as well. ¡°A Mythical?! What?!¡±

    ¡°Shhh!¡± Rosalyn snapped, gesturing for him to be quiet. ¡°I don¡¯t want too many people knowing.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Cris asked. ¡°Isn¡¯t it like¡­a big honor to be a Mythical.¡±

    ¡°This kind of Mythical is particularly dangerous, Mr. Parker,¡± Rainier explained. ¡°And not something easily managed even without others trying to use it for their own benefit.¡±

    ¡°My Spirit Guide is the Owl of Athena,¡± Rosalyn then said. ¡°And it¡­gives me messages sometimes. I guess you could call them messages from Heaven. And I got one tonight.¡±

    ¡°And what did it say?¡± Cris asked, feeling his heart beginning to race.

    ¡°That¡¯s not really how it works,¡± Rosalyn said. ¡°It¡¯s not something that¡¯s specifically said. I need to interpret the meanings. But this one¡­¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t know what it means for certain,¡± Rainier pointed out calmly. ¡°But one thing is clear enough to me, Mr. Parker. We cannot interfere with fate. And I believe fate intends to have you in those games.¡±

    Cris stared back at Rainier, narrowing his eyes. Could he trust this man? Could he trust Eleanor? Even Rosalyn and her¡­vision? For now, he supposed he had no choice but to go along with their guidance.

    ¡°A warning from Hell and a message from Heaven. Guess it¡¯s better to ignore the one from Hell.¡± Cris nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll enter the games then. And if I¡¯ve gotta fight your councilors¡¯ tricks on the way, then that¡¯s what I¡¯ll do.¡±

 Arc 1: The Awakening - The Academy Games

    Cris sat in his room, staring out the window as he watched the sun rise on the morning of the Academy Games. Time had seemed to go in a blur after he¡¯d met Anna, and he and Finn had met with Rainier and the others. That wasn¡¯t to say that he was unprepared, however. He¡¯d used the past couple of weeks well, and while he was nervous, he felt as prepared as he possibly could be.

    Paying close attention in his classes, Cris felt he was finally getting a good grasp on the fundamentals of spirit magic and some of the laws governing the way the world of spirits and demons worked. As Rainier said, it was unlikely he¡¯d ever fully understand it all, but he was at least understanding basic conversation now. At the very least, he had a good idea of what might be thrown at him from other students in the games. Even among the A-Rank students, there was a limit to how much could be used against him, and some of those students wouldn¡¯t even be well suited to combat, which seemed to be where Cris would thrive.

    That was still, of course, his biggest problem, though. Since Cris seemed to be more suited to combat magic, he needed a better grasp on his magic than he seemed to have. Unlike Heidi and Elsa, who could largely use their innate instincts their Spirit Guides provided, Cris didn¡¯t have those. At least not yet. He would need to directly channel his magic and expend it.

    It was known as inner and outer magic. Most people could eventually use both, but generally it was best to focus on one kind if a Spirit Guide led them in one direction. Heidi, for example, was much better suited to inner magic. Essentially, her magic was channeled inward, largely on instinct, giving her better balance and better vision at night. Cris meanwhile, seemed to have a Spirit Guide that required outer magic. He would need to channel his magic outwardly to combat an external force, whether that be channeling the magic into a weapon or even into some kind of force of energy.

    Finn was a unique case. His ability seemed to require both inner and outer magic almost interchangeably. He would expend magic outwardly to send out sound waves with echolocation, but also bring it within himself in order to receive the soundwaves that came back to him. It used a lot more power and could tire him out quicker, but that was why his listening devices were so important. They drastically reduced the power necessary. Cris didn¡¯t want to admit it to Finn directly, but he was thoroughly impressed with the ingenuity to address a weakness and manage his skillset. Although Finn¡¯s talents only making him a B-Rank made Cris that much more wary of someone like Levi.

    He¡¯ll definitely be after me in the games. Not just Anna and the council, Cris thought.

    Supposedly the games would be held in the Labyrinth underneath the city. The task or competition was unknown, but from what Heidi and Elsa had said, the likelihood was that it would be some kind of race or retrieval quest. On the surface it sounded simple. Get somewhere or get something or both. The hard part was getting through the maze, the Labyrinth always changing, and also the obstacles it presented both from the Labyrinth itself and also whatever the school staff and councilors put in there.

    And the other students. And Anna. Cris clenched his fists.

    Combat between students was not only expected in the games, but encouraged. Demons would never be unleashed in the games. They would die from the overwhelming spirit energy anyway. But a good way to prepare for future combat against them was with other students trained in spirit magic combat. The infirmary was well equipped to deal with the worst of the injuries. And cameras were all over the place to ensure nobody was lost and things could be broken up if they got too severe.

    Rainier had ensured Cris that this would help ensure Anna couldn¡¯t be too direct in approaching him or anyone else. Even with a council member potentially after him, they wouldn¡¯t be able to help her get around those.

    That wasn¡¯t to say she wasn¡¯t going to try, though. And Eleanor agreed that there was a method that was very likely to be put in play. One that Heidi had wondered about as well. Echoes. And with the Labyrinth and all the staff involved, Echoes would be all over the maze, meant to interfere with every student. It would be expected and permitted for them to go after Cris and anyone he was with.

    ¡°I¡¯ll have your back there, don¡¯t worry,¡± Eleanor had told him encouragingly. ¡°Just you watch.¡±

    While it was a nice sentiment, Cris was kind of creeped out by her giddy appearance as she¡¯d said that. He was pretty sure she almost seemed to enjoy being the lone council member that Rainier was willing to discuss these things with now.

    There was a knock at the door as Cris was finally starting to get himself ready to leave his room. He¡¯d thrown on his usual red shirt and black coat instead of his school uniform, and he¡¯d strapped his new dagger to his belt and stowed away his gloves. He wasn¡¯t really sure how he was supposed to dress, but as he opened his door to see the rest of his team, he figured he was probably fine.

    Heidi, Elsa and Finn were all dressed casually enough as well. Heidi in her pink shirt and brown skirt and beret, Elsa in her yellow shirt and black skirt, Finn in his orange shirt and blue jeans. Each seemed to have their weapons of choice ready as well. Heidi¡¯s dagger was at her waist, Elsa was adjusting the blades in her shoes and Finn had his slingshot. It actually brought a small smile to Cris¡¯ face.

    ¡°What¡¯s this I see?!¡± Finn said upon seeing it. ¡°Cris Parker¡­are you¡­happy?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to kicking some ass today,¡± Cris said, shutting his door. ¡°Any news on what we¡¯re doing?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re getting an update in the dining hall,¡± Elsa answered. She frowned, glancing at Cris¡¯ new dagger. ¡°You sure about doing this? I know Rainier said there¡¯s not much we can do but go ahead with it, but¡­¡±

    ¡°It seems dangerous if that girl Anna is really a¡­you know what.¡± Heidi paled as she spoke, the idea as haunting to her now as it was when Cris and Finn had first updated her and Elsa on what they¡¯d learned. Rainier had only permitted telling them.

    ¡°He seems pretty sure that whatever Rose saw means we can¡¯t avoid it,¡± Finn explained as they began making their way downstairs towards the dining hall. ¡°Sounds like it was vague, though. Not sure what can really be understood from that.¡±

    ¡°Maybe she won¡¯t even go after us,¡± Cris said. ¡°Might be too public. First priority should be to deal with the other students.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯ll help once we know what the event is,¡± Heidi added.

    It wasn¡¯t long before they found that out. Shortly after their group was seated, they noticed Rainier, Rosalyn and two council members entering the hall. Cris was pretty sure the two councilors were named Cecil and Lucian. The former had seemed friendly enough, but of course, both had voted for Cris to be thrown into these games.

    ¡°Students of Daedal Academy,¡± Rainier called out once the group had come to a stop in a position where they could be easily viewed. Everyone went silent quite quickly. As much as Cris was wary of Rainier, he had to admit that the man seemed to be held in high regard amongst almost everyone at the school. ¡°I hope you are all looking forward to this month¡¯s Academy Games. A special event will be held today in the Labyrinth. A particularly difficult task to test the skills you have all been learning at this school. Here to explain, is a member of the Babylon Council. Councilman Bennet, you have the floor.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Mr. Rainier,¡± Cecil said, the students murmuring excitedly before he began to speak again. ¡°As I¡¯m sure most of you have heard, we are indeed holding our event in the Labyrinth this month. It has been many years since we¡¯ve chosen to hold an event down there. The last time was¡­unsuccessful.¡±

    That created more murmuring. Cris was surprised. It seemed that not many people were aware of this. He glanced at Rosalyn at Rainier¡¯s side, seeing that she was the only student who seemed to have a knowing look in her eyes. She caught his eye and briefly raised a hand, almost as if to signal she¡¯d explain later. He nodded, and then looked to Cecil again as the councilor continued.

    ¡°We have ensured safety within the Labyrinth for this event. Cameras are located in every corner and guards will be located in strategic places to reach any wounded students.¡± Cecil paused, nodding as students seemed to be taking him at his word. ¡°Now, as for the event itself. As I¡¯m sure many have predicted, this will be a special kind of quest. Students are permitted to enter the Labyrinth in teams of up to four members. These teams will be seeking one of three prizes in the maze. Three chests have been placed at different locations. Each holds a¡­special prize. Each has a different value, however. The winning team must exit the maze holding the chest with the highest value prize. Exiting the maze without a chest is an automatic disqualification. The two lower value prizes will be closer to the entrances and exits and easier to retrieve and leave with. The highest value will be deeper in the maze.¡±

    ¡°So we can go for an easier second or third place win,¡± Finn said. ¡°Or we can risk everything and go for the top prize.¡±

    Cris nodded. It seemed fairly straightforward. The most ambitious students would seek out the top prize. The ones who wanted to compete but not risk too much would seek out the lower prizes. Of course, Cris was pretty sure it was somewhat of a trap to force the less confident students to engage each other in combat. The fighting would be immediate if the first two treasures were closer to the entrance.

    Cecil finished up with a brief warning about fighting rules and being careful not to take things too far, but also making it clear combat was a part of the games. As he finished up, he wished the students in the hall good luck, before he and Lucian made their way back out. As they exited, they both glanced in Cris direction. Cris couldn¡¯t help but narrow his eyes and smirk at them, trying to make it clear he wasn¡¯t intimidated. They didn¡¯t react.

    ¡°Cris!¡±

    He blinked, looking up in surprise at his three companions. All three had called out his name in exasperation. ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t go antagonizing our enemies,¡± Finn said, sighing.

    ¡°We don¡¯t need a bigger target on our backs,¡± Elsa muttered.

    ¡°Just be careful¡­¡± Heidi added.

    ¡°Yeah yeah¡­¡± Cris waved his hand dismissively. ¡°I know.¡±

    They were able to eat the rest of their breakfast in relative silence. A few minutes later, though, Rosalyn made her way over as Rainier left the building. She sat down next to Cris, although she appeared to be attempting to look casual as she did so.

    ¡°Are you guys ready?¡± she asked, glancing at some of the other tables to see if anyone was watching them or listening to them. Cris was pretty sure he caught sight of Levi and Mara, but they were too far away to hear.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    ¡°Ready as we can be,¡± Cris said. ¡°Anything we should know before things get going?¡±

    ¡°Not much. Rainier and Councilwoman Frost are going to be in the staff control room watching the games there. They¡¯ll be able to keep an eye on the council and also other staff members. It¡¯s basically where the staff watch their Echoes from.¡±

    ¡°How about you? Are you entering the games?¡± Cris asked.

    Rosalyn shook her head. ¡°Not much need since I¡¯m S-Rank. I might¡¯ve if I could¡¯ve been on a team with you guys, though.¡±

    Heidi opened her mouth to speak, but Cris interrupted her before she could start. ¡°Better to have you watching on the outside anyway. Keep an eye out for anything suspicious.¡±

    ¡°Right. Mr. Rainier said the same thing.¡± Rosalyn glanced at the other tables again and then leaned forward lowering her voice further.. ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t know what my vision means. But it does seem insane to send you in there, Cris. If this devil really is after you¡­¡±

    ¡°What happens if you try to change what happens in one of your visions?¡± Cris asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand most of them,¡± Rosalyn murmured. ¡°But I¡¯ve never been able to change the ones I do¡­¡±

    ¡°I guess nothing can be done about it then, huh?¡± Cris leaned back in his seat, feeling oddly relaxed.

    ¡°Controlling what we can, I guess,¡± Finn said quietly.

    ¡°Just make sure those cameras are always in view,¡± Rosalyn warned. ¡°And stick as close to guard posts as possible.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll try,¡± Heidi promised. ¡°Thanks, Rosie.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­we¡¯ll try,¡± Cris said. ¡°But we also have other things to do.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Rosalyn asked.

    ¡°We¡¯re getting that top prize,¡± Cris vowed. ¡°We¡¯re winning this thing.¡±

    Groups of students were spread around the city, placed at as many entry points to the Labyrinth as there were teams. Cris and his team were located at the Coliseum. It wasn¡¯t necessarily a great strategic location, the treasures possibly being anywhere, but it was a central location for spectators. A variety of screens had been set up and the seats were full, many eager to watch the display of magic and combat skills from the Academy¡¯s best.

    Cris had to admit, he found it kind of cool. He even raised his hand to the audience as his team was announced, getting a surprisingly loud cheer. Of course, part of his motivation there was to appeal to the city and gain some support. It would be harder for the council to go after him if he put on a good show and the city liked him.

    ¡°So, anything else I should know about this Labyrinth?¡± Cris asked as the announcer was running through the rules and objectives of the competition for the audience¡¯s benefit.

    ¡°It¡¯s not that bad the closer we are to entry and exit points,¡± Heidi said. ¡°Deeper inside, it gets dangerous. The terrain changes, walls move and magical energy can amplify or slip away. If you go really deep, and towards the edge of the city, some people say there are paths to¡­¡±

    ¡°Paths to Hell,¡± Elsa said. ¡°Rumors mostly, although the Labyrinth does grow, and the Ancient Greek one certainly was able to go into the Underworld.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯ll be impossible for us to get that deep, though,¡± Finn said. ¡°Even S-Ranks struggle to get anywhere near the edge of the city down there.¡±

    ¡°So how close do you think the treasure is?¡± Cris asked.

    ¡°The lower value ones will probably be pretty close to somebody¡¯s entry point,¡± Finn said. ¡°It¡¯ll still be hard to get to them, though. Not only with students fighting and the Echoes, but also just the difficulty of the maze. Might not change as much near the exits, but it will change a bit. The top prize will probably be a mile or more from the nearest entry point. Could be further from us. And with moving paths, it could change.¡±

    ¡°So we could be down there a long time, huh?¡± Cris studied the faces of his teammates. He wasn¡¯t sure how committed they were to his idea of going for the top prize. They seemed determined enough, though. Heidi confirmed that a moment later.

    ¡°We¡¯ll show those councilors, Cris,¡± she said, smiling and holding up a fist. ¡°And whatever else comes at us.¡±

    Elsa nodded. ¡°I¡¯d like to win this thing, too, so I¡¯m all in.¡±

    ¡°Should be a piece of cake tracking it down,¡± Finn added confidently.

    Before Cris could answer, he noticed a countdown clock appearing on the screens, thirty seconds remaining on it as the announcer declared that the games were about to begin. ¡°Ladies and gentlemen!¡± he called out. ¡°Who will find the treasures? What will our hunters face in the depths of the Labyrinth? Will a new hero rise among them?¡±

    Cris tried to ignore it, noticing some of the other teams on the screens getting ready. He braced himself as well. He wanted to get into the Labyrinth as soon as possible and find out just what they were dealing with. He watched as the timer reached ten seconds and took a deep breath. Then five.

    Four.

    Three.

    Two.

    One.

    Bang!

    A cannon blasted, and the announcer¡¯s voice blared through the speakers. ¡°Begin!¡±

    Cris and his team took off, a chorus of cheers and applause following them as they ran into the entrance of the Labyrinth. And, as soon as they passed into the shadows of the tunnel and the sandy ground of the Coliseum turned to the cobbled stone of the Labyrinth, the sounds of the crowd vanished in an instant. Cris could tell immediately that they were in a magical place. Whether that was good magic or dark magic, he would have to find out later.

    ¡°That¡¯s creepy,¡± Finn said, almost in a whisper, their group coming to a stop fairly quickly. They all turned around, noticing a wall moving up to block where they¡¯d just come from.

    ¡°Have you guys been in here before?¡± Cris asked, surprised at how quickly their path back to the Coliseum had been blocked.

    ¡°Twice,¡± Elsa said.

    ¡°Just once for me and Heidi,¡± Finn added, Heidi nodding to confirm. ¡°Eventually you¡¯ll have a class come down here for some training.¡±

    ¡°Nice that I got that chance before this¡­¡± Cris said sarcastically.

    ¡°It¡¯s weird we got cut off that quickly,¡± Heidi murmured nervously.

    ¡°Think we¡¯re already being targeted?¡± Finn asked, glancing around. He answered himself a moment later, though, nodding towards a camera nearby. ¡°Nah, probably not. Guessing they¡¯re cutting everyone off.¡±

    Cris wasn¡¯t sure if that was enough confirmation, but decided to accept it for now, glancing around and taking in their surroundings. It was very much a dungeon-like setting. The walls were stone, rusty bars along them where other paths could be seen and a few torches lit the way every few meters. The path was cobbled where he and the others were standing, but he could see that ahead, the path was mostly dirt, and through one set of bars it was grassy. There was even a breeze that brought both a cold gust from one direction, and a warm blast from the other, suggesting the temperature would change wherever they went, too. Cris was even pretty sure that in the distance, he could hear the first sounds of students engaging in combat.

    ¡°All right, Finn,¡± Cris said, deciding they needed to get started, ¡°you¡¯re up. Find out what way we¡¯ve gotta go.¡±

    ¡°Not gonna work quite like that, buddy,¡± Finn said with a grin. ¡°I can try to avoid other students, but I won¡¯t be able to track down the treasures.¡±

    ¡°Then let¡¯s avoid fighting for now,¡± Elsa said. ¡°Find a clear path to go further in.¡±

    ¡°Roger!¡± Finn said, saluting both Elsa and Cris.

    ¡°You can¡¯t track Echoes with echolocation, right?¡± Heidi asked as Finn began making clicking noises.

    He paused his clicking and shook his head. ¡°No, I don¡¯t think so. We¡¯ll almost surely run into one if we¡¯re avoiding students so be ready for that.¡±

    ¡°Better one Echo than a group of students,¡± Cris pointed out.

    ¡°I guess¡­¡± Heidi didn¡¯t seem so sure, glancing around nervously.

    After a few moments, Finn seemed to find a path he liked and began leading the way. Immediately, the temperature began to drop a few degrees and Cris heard the others begin to shiver. He was glad he¡¯d brought this coat, but for some reason, he didn¡¯t feel like he needed it. In fact, he almost felt too warm with it. But as he began to think that, he began to cool down.

    ¡°You okay?¡± Heidi asked, falling into step beside Cris as they walked, seemingly noticing his confusion over his body temperature.

    ¡°I¡­yeah, I think so.¡± He placed his hand on his chest, feeling that strange warmth and tried to will himself into being warmer again. He felt it grow slightly, his eyes widening. ¡°I¡¯m¡­controlling my body temperature.¡±

    Heidi raised her eyebrows in interest. ¡°Really?¡± She laughed uneasily. ¡°Wish I could do that.¡± She shivered slightly as a gust of cool air passed over them.

    Cris nodded, absentmindedly handing her his coat and ignoring her squeak of alarm. ¡°Weird¡­is it something to do with my Spirit Guide? Some kind of reptile thing maybe?¡±

    ¡°Reptiles are cold-blooded, Parker,¡± Finn said from up ahead, before continuing his clicking and ignoring them.

    ¡°Right¡­¡± Cris continued thinking about it, focusing on the warmth in his chest and trying to increase and decrease it. He hadn¡¯t been able to do that up until now, but he was finding it easier the more he did it. Maybe it was as simple as having the temperature force him to use such an ability that made him realize how it felt and how he could use it.

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s a good time to get some kind of grasp on your abilities,¡± Heidi said. ¡°We¡¯ll probably need it at some point today.¡±

    ¡°If something attacks us with ice I might be okay,¡± Cris muttered. ¡°Don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be much good otherwise.¡±

    Still, he was glad to be managing some kind of control, even if it was for something so minor. And, feeling the way he was able to control his body temperature, it made him wonder just how far he could push it. It wasn¡¯t that dissimilar from how he¡¯d felt when fighting Levi. It was like he was moving the temperature within himself. Wasn¡¯t that inner magic? But when he¡¯d fought Levi, he¡¯d sent something outward. That must¡¯ve been outer magic. So could he send this warmth outward? He looked ahead, seeing Elsa and Finn clutching their arms, shivering in the cold, and imagined the warmth in his chest moving towards his arms and down towards his fingertips. He imagined it as just a trickle, and then flicked his fingers forward.

    ¡°Ah!¡±

    ¡°Whoa!¡±

    Finn and Elsa both jumped in surprise, turning around suddenly. ¡°Did you feel that?!¡± they both said in alarm, looking at Cris and Heidi in shock, before turning their gazes to the path behind them.

    Heidi, however, was staring at Cris, eyes wide in alarm. ¡°Cris¡­did you just¡­?¡±

    Cris stared at his hands, the Spirit Steel on the gloves he wore glowing briefly, before fading. ¡°Yeah¡­I think so.¡± He couldn¡¯t help but grin as he looked up at Finn and Elsa. ¡°I think I just sent some kind of warm air current at you guys.¡±

    Elsa blinked in surprise. ¡°Seriously?¡± She stepped towards him. ¡°Try again.¡±

    Cris nodded, holding out his hands again. He focused on the warmth in his chest, feeling almost as though it had grown, and once again imagined it flowing outwards and into his arms and down through to his fingertips. This time, he noticed the Spirit Steel glowing brighter immediately, and this time he tried to almost pool the warmth towards that area. He felt the warmth fill his hands, and then aimed his palms out towards Elsa and pushed at the air.

    Whoosh!

    A heavy wind blew outward, startling Elsa and causing her to stagger back. Finn also stumbled, catching himself on the wall of the maze. However, both managed to steady themselves, and then each sighed in relief, their shivering coming to an end. Cris noticed that the warmth seemed to be lingering in the air.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s a useful trick,¡± Finn said. ¡°Wonder what that means about your Spirit Guide, though.¡±

    ¡°Seems to confirm something with wind,¡± Elsa pointed out. ¡°But being able to warm the air¡­¡±

    Cris was about to ask if they¡¯d ever seen anything similar, but just as he opened his mouth, a yell was heard up ahead and around a corner. He quickly locked eyes with the others, and they all nodded, crouching down and waiting with the exception of Finn. He slowly crept forward, making a few clicking sounds as he did so.

    ¡°Walls must¡¯ve changed up ahead,¡± he whispered. ¡°Otherwise I should¡¯ve known people were coming.¡±

    Then, suddenly, a light was visible towards a darker section at the end of the path they were on. Cris was pretty sure someone was holding one of the torches some of the walls had. After a moment, he noticed three people running. In the lead was a familiar face. It was Sam Dayal, two people Cris was unfamiliar with trailing behind him. They all seemed to be running from something. Squinting, Cris managed to spot it. Some kind of misty, bluish white shape was just behind them, roaring as it gave chase.

    ¡°Is that¡­an Echo?¡± he asked, the fleeing Sam and his team easier to see now.

    ¡°Looks like it,¡± Heidi said, voice shaking. ¡°We should probably -¡±

    ¡°No!¡± Finn hissed, eyes widening. He¡¯d continued clicking away, apparently checking the path beyond Sam and his team. ¡°There are a few other teams running in other directions. They¡¯re trying to get people away from something. We should move ahead.¡±

    Heidi didn¡¯t look like she liked that idea, but Cris and Elsa nodded, each standing and getting their weapons ready. As Sam and his team approached, he briefly slowed, shaking his head at them and looking like he thought they were nuts. ¡°You guys are crazy!¡± he shouted, before continuing on.

    Cris supposed he was probably right, because as soon as Sam was gone, he got a good look at the Echo charging towards them. It was a massive, four-legged beast with horns. It was hard to tell for sure with its form being so misty, but Cris was pretty sure it was a bull.

    Appropriate for this place, he thought, clenching a fist and preparing to punch, while also holding up his dagger with his left hand.

    Heidi also held her dagger up, while Elsa had the blades on her shoes out and Finn was readying his slingshot. Cris had no idea what their attacks would do, but he felt his heart racing as the bull got closer and closer, its eyes locking on to them. If what Heidi said was true, this thing would certainly pack a punch.

    ¡°Get ready!¡± Finn shouted, raising his slingshot higher, preparing to unleash the first attack.

    ¡°Moooaaawww!¡± the bull roared, its charge sending shockwaves through the Labyrinth.

    Crash!

    And suddenly, just as the creature was only a few feet away, another Echo crashed through the wall.

 Arc 1: The Awakening - Snake Eyes

    Rosalyn watched the main screen from outside the Coliseum, listening as the announcer commented on the current fight between two teams of students that had reached one of the treasures. It seemed to be a couple of groups of C-Rank students, so their attacks weren¡¯t too impressive, but the leaders of each team were somewhat standing out. Rosalyn supposed there was a decent chance of one of them increasing their rank should they come out of the fight victorious and leave the maze with the treasure.

    Not that it really mattered to her. Her attention was mostly still on Cris¡¯ team, and her gaze kept wandering to the building where the council and school staff were holed up and monitoring the entire Labyrinth. The main feed had shown little glimpses of all the teams, but only the command center would have an ongoing feed, meaning only Rainier and Eleanor would know where Cris and his team were and how they were doing at any given time.

    Rosalyn began pacing, ignoring much of the fight that was going on until it finally came to an end and the rest of the teams were shown again. Cris¡¯ group was briefly shown and it seemed like he was practicing some of his magic which was a surprise, but other than that, not much was going on. However, attention quickly turned to a team that seemed to be nearby his group which was led by a boy named Sam Dayal.

    An Echo had emerged from a path nearby his group, the walls of the maze changing and leading it right to them. Before they knew it, they were being hunted. The feed began cycling through a couple of other teams as well, suggesting this was some kind of coordinated attack from the Echoes. Rosalyn felt a fresh wave of nerves upon seeing that, wondering what the appearance of the Echoes could mean for Cris¡¯ safety.

    ¡°It looks like the Game Masters are steering the teams away from something. Is the top treasure somewhere close to one of them?¡± the announcer called out, the crowd near Rosalyn cheering in excitement.

    Rosalyn doubted anyone was too close by now, but she had no idea where the treasures had been placed. And with the way the Labyrinth was almost a living being, the paths and walls ever changing, it could be close one minute and impossible to reach the next. The best thing to do would be to avoid conflict and keep searching rather than fall for the trap of engaging in combat thinking something was being hidden.

    ¡°Hmm, looks like Mr. Dayal and his team aren¡¯t doing well. I think they¡¯ll need to regroup!¡± the announcer then shouted, the crowd gasping as one of Sam¡¯s team was struck and knocked to the side by what appeared to be an Echo in the form of a bull. Rosalyn wasn¡¯t sure which staff member it belonged to, but even if it wasn¡¯t strong for an Echo, most students would struggle with it.

    ¡°Run!¡± Sam¡¯s voice bellowed from the speakers in the street. Rosalyn was impressed as the boy moved to help his friend up and their group took off, the bull pausing as it zeroed in on them, before taking off again.

    ¡°Enjoying the games, Miss Leroux?¡±

    Rosalyn jumped in alarm, realizing she¡¯d begun to get absorbed in what was happening on screen. She turned and noticed Eleanor behind her, the councilwoman presumably having left the command room briefly to update her.

    ¡°Councilwoman Frost¡­how¡¯s Cris?¡± Rosalyn asked, splitting her attention between Eleanor and the screen.

    ¡°He¡¯s about to be in some trouble¡­¡± Eleanor said, eyeing the screen as well. ¡°Mr. Dayal¡¯s team is leading that bull straight for him.¡±

    ¡°Just what we need. An Echo getting in his way immediately. Think it was planned?¡± Rosalyn asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s standard,¡± Eleanor said, shaking her head. ¡°Nothing unusual seems to be happening so far. This month¡¯s games are more difficult, which is a nasty trick to play on Cris with this being his ¡®test¡¯, but nothing looks too suspicious other than that.¡±

    ¡°Think Cris can handle the Echoes with the others helping him?¡± The screen was now split, showing Sam¡¯s team approaching Cris¡¯.

    ¡°Considering things are a little stacked against Mr. Parker, I¡¯ve taken the liberty of providing some assistance,¡± Eleanor murmured, grinning as Sam¡¯s team finally got into Cris¡¯ team¡¯s view.

    Rosalyn frowned. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±

    ¡°Just remember¡­Echoes can¡¯t always be fully controlled.¡±

    Rosalyn was getting a little suspicious hearing that and watched nervously as Sam¡¯s team continued fleeing in terror. Amazingly, Cris and the others looked like they were holding their ground, Sam shouting in alarm upon realizing it, but continuing on his way. Only Heidi seemed to have the sense to want to run, but she stayed with the others.

    ¡°What are they doing?!¡± Rosalyn asked. ¡°They shouldn¡¯t face it head on!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry¡­¡± Eleanor whispered, grinning as the bull neared the group.

    Rosalyn¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re-¡±

    Crash!

    ¡°Whooooaaaa!¡±

    The crowd roared in alarm as the wall of the Labyrinth exploded on the screen, a second Echo blasting through it. This one was in the form of a bear, and it slammed hard into the bull, a cloud of white and blue mist shooting outwards as the two spiritual creatures collided. The shock wave from their collision sent Cris and his companions flying back as well, Cris managing to do something with the magic that he¡¯d been practicing to steady them just enough so they wouldn¡¯t crash into a wall.

    ¡°Guess I lost control of my bear,¡± Eleanor said, a finger pressed to her lips as she tilted her head. ¡°Oops!¡±

    Rosalyn couldn¡¯t help but laugh.

    ¡°What the hell is going on?!¡± Cris yelled, watching as the two misty creatures engaged in combat in front of them. ¡°Did another student send an Echo out?¡±

    Heidi looked just as alarmed as he felt. ¡°I don¡¯t think any student can use one. Not even Levi or Rose.¡±

    ¡°Echoes don¡¯t always do exactly what they¡¯re meant to,¡± Finn said, laughing as the bear shoved the bull back, flipping it over. ¡°Someone lost control of theirs I guess.¡±

    Cris supposed that made sense, but he couldn¡¯t help but feel like the bear in front of them was in a protective stance. As the bull rose back to its feet, it charged again, but the bear spread its large arms out, blocking off the path and taking the charge head on. For a moment, it even seemed to glance back at Cris and the others, before shifting and pushing the bull further away from where it had crashed through the wall.

    ¡°No need to fight if we don¡¯t have to,¡± Cris told the others. ¡°Let¡¯s go through there!¡± he said, pointing at where the bear had emerged from. They all nodded, and the group took off immediately.

    For a few minutes, they stayed at a near sprint, still wary of the Echoes clashing behind them and the possibility of either giving chase. Eventually, though, they slowed down, coming to a new area of the maze that didn¡¯t seem to have anything going on. Finn did a quick check and said a pair of students were nearby, but there didn¡¯t seem to be any sign of combat.

    It was also much warmer in this area, and the path had turned to sandy terrain, so Cris didn¡¯t need to worry about creating any more warm air, and Heidi returned his coat to him. He did try practicing absorbing the warmth, and seemed to find he could somewhat, but it wasn¡¯t as easy or effective as the reverse.

    ¡°Think we can take the pair nearby?¡± Cris asked, glancing at his teammates. He wasn¡¯t thrilled with the idea of fighting students, not sure how far either side would need to take things to win. At least with those Echoes, he wouldn¡¯t have felt any qualms about doing everything it took to win.

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s just two, but if the maze changes we could find ourselves with more coming at us,¡± Finn said. ¡°Might not have a choice, though.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll have to fight at some point,¡± Elsa pointed out. ¡°But we¡¯re further in now. They¡¯re probably a little stronger than the teams closer to the entrance.¡±

    ¡°Any way to avoid them?¡± Heidi asked.

    ¡°We¡¯d have to circle back,¡± Finn said.

    ¡°Then we fight. Or chase ¡®em off.¡± Cris sheathed his dagger and adjusted his gloves. ¡°Trying to focus some magic towards them. He could feel it pooling and released some, sending a short burst of warm air through his fingers. ¡°We¡¯ve gotta keep searching. No point in going backwards.¡±

    Finn nodded. ¡°Makes sense.¡±

    With that, the group continued on, moving at a slightly slower pace, readying themselves for combat. Heidi also sheathed her dagger, while Elsa had retracted the blades in her shoes. Blades were permitted in combat in the Academy Games, but Cris had the feeling that most tried not to fight in such a bloody fashion unless it was necessary or against a certain kind of opponent. He had a feeling Levi would be the type to use them.

    After a couple of minutes, nearing a corner, Finn raised a hand after making a few clicking noises and nodding to himself. ¡°They¡¯re coming. Be ready.¡±

    Only a few seconds later, Cris heard voices. And then, shadows appeared from a nearby torch. When a pair of students emerged around the corner, Cris and Elsa were the first to step forward to meet them.

    ¡°Eep!¡± one of the students squeaked out. It was a girl with blue hair. Cris recognized her from his class on magical supports. Her name was Hikari Kita.

    Her companion was a boy with dark skin and bushy hair. Cris had seen him around, but didn¡¯t know his name. He was often fairly quiet and didn¡¯t seem to attract much attention. Nonetheless, he kept his cool seeing Cris and Elsa ready to fight.

    ¡°Oliver! Hikari! Didn¡¯t think you guys would compete in these games,¡± Finn then said, sounding pretty friendly, although he had his slingshot ready.

    ¡°Oliver¡¯s a good fighter, even if his ability doesn¡¯t work here,¡± Hikari said, narrowing her eyes as she raised her hands. ¡°We¡¯ve got just as good a chance of winning as anyone.¡±

    ¡°Careful,¡± Elsa whispered quickly to Cris. ¡°Hikari¡¯s probably the top B-Rank student. She¡¯ll be A-Rank in no time. She¡¯s got powerful water and electrical magic.¡±

    Hikari smirked. ¡°You do your homework, huh Elsa?¡± She glanced at Oliver briefly. ¡°Think you can take the new guy? His magic¡¯s unreliable, but he might still use some.¡±

    ¡°I can handle him.¡±

    ¡°I can take the others then,¡± Hikari said confidently, her fingers beginning to spark.If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    ¡°Oh, so we¡¯re getting right to it, huh?¡± Finn said excitedly. ¡°Fine by me!¡±

    Whoosh!

    ¡°Ah!¡±

    Hikari suddenly fell back, her hand going to her stomach. Cris blinked in surprise at the quick strike. It seemed Finn had fired with his slingshot, although the ammo he¡¯d used didn¡¯t appear to be metal this time, but rather rubber. From the sounds of things, though, Hikari had still felt it.

    ¡°Why you little rat¡­¡± Hikari responded as quickly as she could, raising her hands up and flicking them forward, a long bolt of thin electricity streaking through the air.

    Elsa responded faster, though, sliding to the side with a gust of wind and raising her arm up to block. Cris expected her to be blown back, but surprisingly, she managed to easily deflect the attack to the side. She didn¡¯t seem to have felt a thing, either.

    ¡°Figured these would come in handy,¡± she said, revealing some kind of leather and rubber arm pad she¡¯d strapped to her arm. ¡°Electricity is a threat for someone like me who can use the air. Always good to be prepared.¡±

    ¡°Not bad¡­¡± Hikari raised her hands up again and flicked them forward once more. ¡°How about a bath then!¡±

    Two jets of water rushed forth, one towards Elsa and another towards Finn. It wasn¡¯t so simple for Elsa to block this attack, the blast immediately striking her and causing her to stagger back, while Finn was also hit, falling back onto his rear end. Meanwhile, with Cris distracted, Oliver ran forward, quickly grabbing his arms and twisting him around to hold him in place.

    ¡°Cris!¡± Heidi shouted in alarm, rushing forward to try to grab on to Oliver¡¯s arm and pry him away. She was nowhere near strong enough, though, Oliver easily able to hold his grip.

    Heidi looked like she was contemplating pulling her dagger out as a last resort, but Hikari was prepared for that, too, aiming another jet of water and firing it off. It struck Heidi in the face and she fell back as well, spluttering and coughing.

    Cris, meanwhile, remained relatively calm. He could tell Oliver was strong, but he¡¯d fought stronger. Of course, with the way Oliver was holding him, he wasn¡¯t going to be able to get loose very easily. There was one thing he was ready to try, though. As Oliver was readjusting his grip, Cris noticed the other boy¡¯s hand going over the pieces of Spirit Steel on his gloves.

    ¡°Hope you¡¯ve got some burn ointment,¡± Cris said quietly, turning his head as he began to squirm in Oliver¡¯s grasp.

    ¡°What are you¡­¡± Oliver¡¯s eyes widened as he noticed the Spirit Steel on the gloves. The glowing Spirit Steel. ¡°Agh!¡±

    Cris shoved back as Oliver winced, the channeled warmth to the gloves finally doing its work. He¡¯d been starting to wonder if pooling the warmth would do more than just warm the air or his body temperature. And it looked like he¡¯d thought right. He was generating heat, and in that case, he could generate more and increase the temperature.

    As Oliver stumbled, his hold loosening, Cris spun around and sent the rest of the energy pooled in his glove outward, firing off another blast of wind. With all the pooled heat, it was a particularly hot blast, and Cris even noticed some puddles of water from Hikari¡¯s jets steaming and evaporating.

    Tsss!

    ¡°Agh! It¡¯s hot!¡± Oliver stumbled back, wincing as he covered his face. ¡°Hikari, he¡¯s¡­¡±

    Hikari looked just as stunned, and also slightly uncomfortable from whatever hot air had struck her as well. ¡°You can use your magic on command now?¡± she asked in surprise.

    Cris didn¡¯t want to give away that it was just hot air, but he was happy to have a chance to show off. He raised his hands and turned them around to show the metal on the knuckles of his gloves. They began to glow as he channeled the heat of his spirit energy into them. ¡°Looks like you underestimated us, huh?¡±

    Hikari narrowed her eyes and raised her own hands up. ¡°We¡¯ll see!¡±

    Pssshhh!

    Whoosh!

    Hot air met a spray of water, the latter evaporating immediately. Steam billowed outward, making it slightly harder to see. Cris had anticipated that, though, grinning as he heard clicks coming from Finn¡¯s direction, followed by the sound of a projectile shooting through the air. There was a thud, and as the steam dissipated somewhat, Cris saw Oliver collapsed on the ground.

    ¡°Oliver!¡± Hikari cried out in alarm. It seemed Finn had aimed the attack for her, but Oliver had rushed in front to protect her, the rubber projectile striking him in the head and knocking him out.

    Elsa took advantage of Hikari¡¯s distraction, quickly moving herself and leaping up. With a quick and precise spin, and a speedy and powerful kick, Hikari joined Oliver on the ground, out for the count. Cris could admit to feeling some sense of guilt, but he was glad daggers hadn¡¯t needed to be used.

    ¡°What do we do with them?¡± he asked, looking at the prone figures of their opponents.

    ¡°The guards will collect them,¡± Finn said. He then paused, looking down at his shirt, which was pretty damp after the exchanges with Hikari. ¡°Hey Cris¡­mind doing the hair dryer trick?¡±

    ¡°Hair dryer trick?¡± Cris rolled his eyes but glanced at Elsa and Heidi who were also looking uncomfortable after the sprays of water. Sighing, he channeled his magic and sent out an extended gust of warm air. He didn¡¯t want to admit it, but he felt good being useful with his magic.

    Once they were dried off, the group decided to get moving again, Finn taking the lead and continuing checking the way forward with his echolocation. For about half an hour, things remained relatively calm. They didn¡¯t find any more students and no Echoes came after them either. Finn noticed a couple larger groups at a couple points, but managed to find paths to avoid them and move deeper into the maze.

    Cris wasn¡¯t surprised, however, when Finn eventually paused, signaling for the others to stop as though there was a problem up ahead. It had been too quiet since the exchange with Hikari and Oliver, and surely the games needed to keep progressing. He was sure that students would be drawn together and towards the treasures if they weren¡¯t finding any themselves.

    ¡°How many?¡± Cris asked, kneeling down next to Finn.

    ¡°Two.¡±

    ¡°We should be able to take two again,¡± Elsa said.

    ¡°We are deeper in the maze now,¡± Heidi pointed out.

    ¡°Still, we¡¯re a team of four.¡±

    ¡°I know which two they are¡­¡± Finn looked perturbed.

    Cris immediately had an idea of who he meant. ¡°Levi. And Mara?¡±

    Finn nodded. ¡°I think so. Can¡¯t be too sure, but I can usually recognize movements I pay attention to. Needed to learn Mara¡¯s pretty well when we were tracking you and David.¡±

    ¡°So we need to watch what we look at and what we¡¯re listening to. Great,¡± Elsa muttered in annoyance. ¡°I hate those two working together.¡±

    ¡°You guys can¡¯t resist Mara¡¯s Siren ability?¡± Cris asked.

    ¡°Most people can¡¯t do it as well as you,¡± Finn explained, shaking his head. ¡°Even if they can, though, it¡¯s still hard to keep your head straight. Elsa can probably fight it off nearly as well as you, but it¡¯ll slow her down. I won¡¯t do exactly as she says if I¡¯m not channeling my ability, but if I use it, then I¡¯ll be extra vulnerable.¡±

    ¡°And I¡¯m pretty useless,¡± Heidi mumbled uncomfortably.

    ¡°How about we plug our ears then?¡± Cris asked.

    ¡°We could, but then we¡¯d need to focus on sight more, and that¡¯s where Levi comes in,¡± Finn said. ¡°And as tough as Mara is to handle, he¡¯s the main threat.¡±

    Cris clenched his fists, trying to think of a solution. ¡°Could use my hot air to try to keep his eyes at bay. Hard to keep your eyes open with hot air blowing at them, right?¡±

    ¡°Maybe¡­¡± Finn paused, making a clicking sound. ¡°Hmm¡­they¡¯re moving in the opposite direction.¡±

    Cris exchanged curious glances with the others before taking a few steps forward. ¡°Are there multiple paths ahead?¡±

    Finn shook his head. ¡°For now I think it¡¯s only their path.¡±

    Heidi¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Maybe they found one of the treasures?¡±

    ¡°This far in, it might be the top one,¡± Elsa added, looking alarmed.

    ¡°Then we¡¯ve got no choice,¡± Cris said, adjusting his gloves. ¡°We¡¯ve got to engage.¡±

    Finn nodded, although he looked uneasy. ¡°Guess you¡¯re right.¡± He made a few more clicking noises. ¡°Let¡¯s go then.¡±

    They moved quickly, but carefully, Finn and Elsa in the lead with Heidi and Cris watching their backs. It wasn¡¯t long before they came to a stop, though, Heidi noticing something on the ground up ahead, and Finn crouching down to examine it. Cris realized that Heidi probably noticed due to her superior vision in the dark and needed to move forward to get a better view. He was perplexed when he saw what Finn was peering at.

    ¡°Dice?¡± Cris almost laughed. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me that¡¯s a treasure.¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s a message,¡± Elsa said, leaning down and looking herself. ¡°A pair of ones.¡±

    ¡°Snake eyes,¡± Heidi explained.

    ¡°They know we¡¯re coming?¡± Cris asked. Everyone nodded, but it didn¡¯t make sense to him. ¡°Why not fight us here?¡±

    ¡°Levi would be the most experienced one in the Labyrinth,¡± Finn said. ¡°He might know a place to draw us in and have the best chance.¡±

    ¡°So he¡¯s nervous,¡± Cris muttered confidently. ¡°Perfect. If he¡¯s that scared, that means we can win.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s quite like that, Cris,¡± Heidi said. ¡°It just means-¡±

    ¡°AROOO!¡±

    Suddenly, a shaking was felt, and a nearby wall began to change. Cris watched it uneasily, hearing what must¡¯ve been a howling noise getting closer and closer. Sure enough, as the wall opened up, revealing another path, an Echo in the shape of a wolf was seen charging towards them. In a way, it was more dangerous looking than the bull, its eyes fully trained on them with a hunger deep within them.

    ¡°Crap!¡± Finn quickly aimed up his slingshot, firing it and striking the wolf. It didn¡¯t do much, but it did slow the creature¡¯s charge, giving Cris and Heidi a chance to draw their daggers, while Elsa was able to extend the blades in her shoes.

    ¡°Cris, hit it with a heat wave to distract it!¡± Elsa shouted. ¡°I¡¯ll circle around.¡±

    Cris did as told, reflex now taking over as he raised his left hand and let the magic pool within it. It wasn¡¯t quite as good as the blast he¡¯d sent towards Oliver, but he managed a fairly good strike nonetheless, the blast of heat striking the wolf and causing it to stagger back, its form even flickering as though the spirit magic was able to further wound it.

    ¡°Hyah!¡± Elsa was quick to take advantage, using the walls of the Labyrinth to kick off and get some air. She circled behind the beast and then came down on it from above, kicking into its back and causing its legs to buckle, before swinging out and striking its head. It growled and groaned, its form flickering further.

    Heidi took this as her own opportunity, rushing forward with her own blade and attempting to slash at the Echo. Unfortunately, it was far from finished, the wolf opening its jaws and biting out towards her. She reflexively drew back, her hand without a dagger moving out to block, the jaws closing on the arm.

    Cris¡¯ eyes widened, stunned at what he was seeing. If it had been a real wolf of this size, Heidi may have lost the arm, but it seemed Echoes had slightly different rules of physics. Or perhaps these ones were created not to do lasting harm. Nonetheless, Heidi screamed as she pulled her arm back, blood dripping from it. Cris couldn¡¯t tell for sure, but it seemed as though she¡¯d at least had a break and received some puncture wounds.

    Before the beast could make it worse, Finn fired off a shot from his slingshot, hitting it in one of its eyes and causing its head to rear back. That gave Elsa an opportunity to strike again as well, another kick with her bladed shoes slicing along its head. Cris then decided to rush forward himself, moving a little quicker than Heidi had, and shoving forward with his own dagger. He managed to bury his blade deep into the Echo¡¯s throat, shoving inward as far as he could.

    ¡°Arf!¡± the wolf cried, the sound much less haunting than it had been moments earlier. Its form flickered again, but this time in much more dramatic fashion. Quickly, the white, misty glow seemed to slowly disappear, and moments later, the creature turned to dust and vanished.

    ¡°Wooo!¡± Finn cried out excitedly, patting Cris on the back. ¡°Now that¡¯s what an Echo fight is all about!¡±

    ¡°Nice stab, Parker,¡± Elsa added, checking her shoes. ¡°That thing was going to need a perfect hit to go down completely.¡±

    Cris nodded, quickly turning to Heidi, who was wincing as she looked at her arm, which was cradled against her chest. ¡°You okay?¡±

    She grimaced, but moved her arm weakly outward. It wasn¡¯t broken after all, but it was certainly troubling her. ¡°I think¡­I¡¯ll be¡­okay,¡± she murmured.

    ¡°Maybe we should get you-¡±

    ¡°Parrrrkerrrr¡­¡±

    Cris froze, turning around, facing the direction of the noise he¡¯d just heard. The soft, melodic noise, echoing from the direction of the maze where Levi and Mara must¡¯ve been. He had no doubt who the call was from.

    ¡°Mara¡­¡±

    Heidi followed Cris¡¯ gaze, and she gasped a moment later. Cris turned back to her, and she pointed ahead. He followed where she was pointing to and rushed forward, kneeling down to another pair of dice. Another pair of ones.

    ¡°Snake eyes.¡±

    ¡°Think they called the Echo?¡± Cris asked.

    ¡°Can Mara control those things?¡± Finn asked. ¡°I didn¡¯t think she¡¯d be able to.¡±

    ¡°Time to come and play¡­¡±

    The voice was louder this time. Closer. Immediately Finn¡¯s eyes became cloudy. As did Heidi¡¯s. Elsa seemed to fight it off, but she seemed uncomfortable. Cris noticed somewhat of a tugging sensation in the back of his mind, but ignored it as best he could.

    A rattling noise was heard further along the path, and Cris watched as Finn and Heidi slowly walked towards it. He and Elsa followed along, and he hit the two ahead of them with a blast of hot air to snap them back to their senses. It seemed to work, but they still seemed to have an urge to keep moving forward.

    The group found where the rattling noise had come from, seeing more dice on the ground ahead. More ones. More ¡°snake eyes.¡± They continued forward. The voice continuing to call out, and Cris continuing to fight it off both for himself and the others.

    Finally, they reached an arch over a path that seemed to pass only into shadow. Cris was hesitant to pass through it, but after about a minute of their group waiting out front of it, another pair of dice came tumbling down in front of them through the shadows. And another voice. A voice different from Mara¡¯s. Levi¡¯s voice.

    ¡°Scared, Parker?¡±

    Cris sighed. He didn¡¯t want to be so easily baited, but he figured he didn¡¯t have much choice. If they were going to win, they were going to have to beat these two anyway. They might as well get it over with. He led the way forward, and their group passed through shadow, the air seeming to warp as they did so. It was somewhat familiar.

    On the other side, they entered into a wider open section of the maze, the torches along the walls much larger, the path cobbled. Behind them, the shadows disappeared and the maze seemed to go on as normal. It was almost as though they had teleported. Nonetheless, the source of the voice was still ahead of them, and Cris narrowed his eyes as he looked upon the faces of Mara Keres and Levi Ofkus.

    ¡°Hello, Cris,¡± Levi said with a smirk, his sunglasses carefully covering his eyes. ¡°Nice of you to join us. Welcome to our lair.

    ¡°Welcome to Hell.¡±

 Arc 1: The Awakening - Satanna

    Cris was ready for an attack as soon as they¡¯d decided to follow Levi¡¯s bait, but nonetheless, he was shocked by how quickly he and his companions were targeted. And surprisingly, Levi and Mara weren¡¯t part of it. At least not directly.

    Four other students were hiding in the shadows, presumably having been lying in wait for Cris and the others. All four of them were older boys and carrying large weapons. Two had swords, one some kind of staff, and the fourth a mace. They didn¡¯t seem bothered about restraint, their eyes clouded over and weapons raised.

    Elsa was quickest to react, ducking underneath a thrust from the one with a staff and kicking at his knee. He fell over immediately, causing another to trip which opened up a chance for Finn to fire off a shot with his slingshot. Cris was next, managing to channel enough energy into his fist for a similar, if not as forceful, punch as the one he delivered against Levi during their sparring match. He sent it out against the two with swords, the shockwave of hot air blasting them both backwards.

    ¡°Ugh¡­they¡¯re useless,¡± Mara muttered, watching in disgust as the four attackers groaned and rose back to their feet. Then, her posture changed and she grinned as her voice took on a melodic quality. ¡°Form up.¡± The four quickly took position in front of her and Levi.

    ¡°Can¡¯t fight us yourselves, huh?¡± Cris snapped. ¡°Need bodyguards? What¡¯s the point in baiting us anyway?¡±

    Levi smirked. Cris was ensuring he didn¡¯t look directly at Levi¡¯s eyes, but he still wanted to keep an eye on him. ¡°All part of the game, Parker. Looks like you¡¯ve got some tricks up your sleeve, though. Figuring out how to channel your Spirit Guide, huh?¡±

    ¡°Seems to be working out okay, yeah,¡± Cris said. ¡°Guess that¡¯s what¡¯s got you and American Idol here nervous.¡±

    ¡°What a weird reference,¡± Finn muttered.

    ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t know anyone who watches that,¡± Elsa added.

    ¡°Cris, you need to touch up on pop culture,¡± Heidi finished off.

    ¡°Are you guys on my side or not?!¡± Cris rolled his eyes. ¡°Anyway, what do you want us for?¡±

    Mara was apparently irked by the comment, though, stepping forward with fire in her eyes, although she maintained her ever present smirk. ¡°Please, Cris, let¡¯s be real here. You¡¯ve been of interest the moment you used magic to kill a demon during the night of your extraction. Of course we¡¯d target you and of course we¡¯d use whatever tactics available to fight against you.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re a tough guy,¡± Levi admitted. ¡°And something about your magic is interesting.¡± He pulled something out of his pocket. It looked to be some kind of ornate, wooden box. Cris immediately knew what it was. One of the treasures. Probably the highest value one. Strangely, it seemed to almost blur in the air as Levi waved it around. ¡°We could¡¯ve walked out of here well before you arrived and won this thing. I don¡¯t care, though. I¡¯m S-Rank. Mara will get there eventually. What we wanted out of this, was to see what you¡¯ve got.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s so interesting?¡± Cris asked. ¡°You beat me in our sparring match.¡±

    ¡°You smacked him across the room, dude,¡± Finn said. ¡°No one¡¯s ever done that.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s right,¡± Levi said. ¡°That power¡­it¡¯s different. Something about how you¡¯re Awakening¡­¡±

    ¡°The council gave you these games as a test, right?¡± Mara added. Her voice changed as she asked the question, and Heidi and Finn both perked up.

    ¡°Yes!¡± both of them said, before shaking their heads and snapping out of it. It didn¡¯t seem to matter if they were prepared for it. Mara¡¯s Siren Song was going to be a problem.

    Cris was growing further and further suspicious. This wasn¡¯t developing as he¡¯d expected it to. Did they want to fight him or not? There wasn¡¯t as much malice in their words as he¡¯d expected. This was too¡­conversational for him. At least with Levi. Mara still creeped him out.

    ¡°What¡¯s your point?¡±

    Mara smirked. ¡°We just want to know more about you, Cris. What it is that makes you¡­tick.¡±

    Cris was surprised to see Levi turn his head towards her slightly, almost as though he was curious about something. ¡°All I want to do is figure out what the hell this spirit world is all about so I can survive it and figure out what happened to my friend and why.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you want something more than that?¡± Levi asked. ¡°You have a chance to be one of the top students here, Parker. That¡¯s what we need to figure out. Can you get there?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care about your rankings.¡± Cris raised a fist, the pieces of steel glowing as he pooled his power. ¡°I don¡¯t care much about your school either. And I definitely don¡¯t want to be pulled around on a leash by your council.¡±

    Mara narrowed her eyes. She seemed to hesitate for a moment, shivering slightly, before continuing. ¡°The council isn¡¯t everything, Cris. Babylon isn¡¯t everything.¡±

    Levi frowned. ¡°What¡¯s your point, Mara?¡±

    Heidi seemed to tense next to Cris, grabbing his arm and gesturing to the walls of the Labyrinth. They seemed to be growing darker somehow, almost as though the shadows were blending in with them. It reminded Cris of something, and he glanced at Finn, who also seemed to be watching the walls uneasily.

    ¡°Cris, didn¡¯t you say something about that place you got taken to having weird shadows?¡± Finn asked.

    ¡°Scared of the dark, Finn?¡± Mara asked, smirking once again, although Cris could see her glancing uneasily at the walls, too. ¡°Maybe we need to¡­¡± She shivered again.

    ¡°What¡¯s up with you?¡± Levi asked, appearing to tense up somewhat. Nonetheless, he raised his hands, and Cris noticed him holding two mirrors with those fishing line-like strings that likely attached to more. He was preparing to fight.

    Mara ignored him, smiling as she raised an arm, calling for her little army of controlled students to get ready. ¡°Attack,¡± she then ordered, the group running immediately.

    Cris didn¡¯t need to wait for the others this time, having pooled plenty of energy within his fist by this point. He punched forward with all his might, pushing out every ounce of heat and energy within himself that he could muster. It worked just as he¡¯d hoped.

    Whoosh!

    The four attacking students were lifted right off their feet, gasping in pain from the blast of heat, before being thrown back. Levi and Mara ducked, barely holding on themselves, and turned in alarm as they watched the four boys thrown further along the tunnel and crash hard to the ground behind them. They rolled along the ground a few extra feet, and then came to a stop, none of them stirring further.

    ¡°Holy¡­¡± Levi gaped at Cris, before laughing slightly. ¡°You certainly are something¡­¡±

    Mara seemed to be in slight distress, wincing as she glanced at her hand. Cris was pretty sure he could see that it was slightly red. Levi¡¯s actually seemed to be the same. Were they burned? Had the heat wave been that hot?

    ¡°Yikes, dude!¡± Finn laughed out. Cris glanced at him, surprised to see him wincing as well, his face all sweaty. Heidi and Elsa were the same. ¡°Cool it down a notch, kay?¡±

    ¡°Sorry.¡± Cris tried not to grin, actually feeling somewhat proud of what he¡¯d apparently just accomplished. But suddenly, he felt a burning sensation in his hands, and he looked down, quickly pulling one of his gloves off and seeing that the fist he¡¯d punched with was all red as well. It seemed he¡¯d somehow managed to burn himself with all that heat.

    ¡°You okay?¡± Heidi asked, looking alarmed.

    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s not that bad,¡± Cris said, wincing slightly. He slipped the glove back on, but noticed it felt strange. Almost rough. Another quick glance showed some of the material seemed to have melted, although none of the others seemed to notice.

    ¡°You really are growing, aren¡¯t you?¡± Mara said, having finally managed to recover, although her hand seemed to be held awkwardly at her side. ¡°Strangely, though. It¡¯s¡­not normal.¡±

    ¡°Guess we don¡¯t have our bodyguards anymore, huh?¡± Levi noted, grinning. ¡°That¡¯s fine. It was meant to be a straight fight between us, huh Parker?¡±

    ¡°Guess so,¡± Cris muttered.

    ¡°I¡¯ve still got soldiers,¡± Mara murmured, smirking once more. ¡°Finn. Aim and fire.¡±

    Cris¡¯ eyes widened and he ducked immediately, knowing what Mara had just done. He heard the sound of the ball speeding through the air and the quick thud as it made contact. He managed to avoid it, but it didn¡¯t sound like it had hit the wall behind him. Instead, it had hit something softer. He heard the sound of a body falling to the ground.

    ¡°Elsa!¡± Heidi shouted in alarm.

    Cris turned, eyes widening as he saw Elsa crumpled on the ground, out cold with one of the slingshot bullets next to her. Finn was a few feet away now, his slingshot raised with another shot ready. His eyes were blank, but he appeared to be straining, his whole body twitching in discomfort.

    ¡°Damn it!¡± Cris hissed, pooling energy in his fist again and preparing to throw another heat wave towards his companion.

    ¡°Hold it, Cris!¡± Mara snapped. ¡°Otherwise Heidi¡¯s next.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± Heidi blinked in surprise, looking up and seeing Finn aiming towards her, ready to knock her out just like Elsa. Cris could still attack, but the slingshot would release first.

    Cris clenched his fist, but let the heat dissipate. ¡°Plug your ears, Heidi. Don¡¯t let her use you, too.¡±

    Heidi did as told, although Cris wasn¡¯t really sure how effective it would be. Nonetheless, it still seemed like his allies were out of commission. Somehow he seemed capable of resisting Mara¡¯s voice, but he was still wary about it. And obviously Levi had the ability to freeze him cold. It wasn¡¯t an ideal situation.

    ¡°Nice one,¡± Levi said, grinning as he raised up his mirrors again. ¡°All right, Parker. Looks like it¡¯s time for round two!¡±

    Cris chanced one glance at Levi¡¯s eyes, seeing the lenses on his sunglasses beginning to change. He quickly looked away, raising up his hands and doing what he could to channel his spirit energy. And then, a moment later, the mirrors shot out, reflections of Levi¡¯s face appearing through the air.

    There was no time to pool the energy in his hands as he did before, so Cris merely whipped his hands outward and produced a couple smaller gusts of air. It was enough to give him the room to rush forward, the lines of mirrors blown off to the sides. Levi was ready as he came, though, the other boy aiming a punch his way as Cris charged.

    ¡°Oomph!¡±

    The fist struck him in the chest, but Cris was ready to take it, using the opportunity to grab onto Levi¡¯s arm and tighten his grip as hard as he could. Levi seemed to realize what Cris was up to, gasping and shaking his arm. It was a little too late, though, and heat pooled within Cris¡¯ hand and he released it in as concentrated a way as he could. It wasn¡¯t perfect, but he heard Levi hiss in pain before he managed to deliver a kick strong enough to knock Cris back.

    ¡°You¡¯re good, Parker,¡± Levi murmured, getting some space between them. Cris remained wary, also keeping an eye on Mara in case she attempted to try anything. She merely kept her smirk plastered on her face, though.

    ¡°I learn quick I guess,¡± Cris muttered, flexing his fingers. In the hand that had been burned earlier, he felt further discomfort from his attack on Levi.

    ¡°Quickly,¡± Mara corrected, before coughing and shaking her head.

    Cris rolled his eyes. ¡°Shut up.¡±

    ¡°Excuse me?!¡±

    ¡°I said shut up. Been wanting to say it since I met you, actually.¡±

    ¡°Levi! Get this done and over with!¡±

    Now it was Cris smirking, noticing Levi almost stifling a laugh. Cris was no fan of him either, but at least Levi seemed authentic. Mara not so much. Even though most people seemed to have a general idea of her, she still seemed to think her act could sway them. Of course, maybe she simply ¡°talked¡± them into it, much like she had while posing as a student at his school.

    ¡°Lighten up a little, Mara. This is what the Academy Games are all about!¡± Levi whipped out his arms again, his reflections popping up everywhere.

    Cris averted his gaze immediately and focused on the warmth in his chest again. He aimed another blast of warm air towards the line of mirrors, but Levi seemed ready for that, manipulating them so they seemed to almost cut through the air. Suddenly, Cris found himself bound. The lines holding his arms tightly to his body. He shut his eyes, knowing that Levi¡¯s eyes were locked on him from multiple directions now, ready to freeze him.

    ¡°Frozen solid again, huh?¡± Levi said, chuckling lightly. ¡°Expected a little more after that last exchange to be honest.¡±

    ¡°You won¡¯t be disappointed then,¡± Cris said, his hand burning further as he pooled energy within it. Suddenly, he felt the tightness of the bindings loosen, and he chanced another glance down, hearing Levi gasp.

    ¡°What the¡­¡±

    Cris backed away as the lines fell away, smoking and beginning to burn. Had he somehow produced fire? Or was the heat just so much that the lines were smoking. His hand was in a great deal of pain now, though, and he shook off the already damaged glove, seeing that it was now essentially in ruins. His other one, which had been used less, was still all right, though.

    ¡°What¡¯s¡­up with you?¡± Levi asked, his voice low.

    ¡°No idea,¡± Cris said, flexing his hand. ¡°But I think it¡¯s about time we see how you like these burns.¡±If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    Levi¡¯s hands shook, but he reached into his coat, pulling out what must¡¯ve been another line of mirrors. Apparently he was prepared for situations such as this. Cris readied himself, though, knowing that if he was ever going to beat Levi, he¡¯d have to be prepared for a drawn out brawl.

    With his eyes averted as much as possible to avoid catching Levi¡¯s gaze, however, Cris didn¡¯t realize the other boy was hesitating. He was a little thrown off, noticing a strange silence gripping those around him. He turned his gaze to Mara, rather than risking looking towards Levi.

    And Mara had gone deathly pale.

    ¡°Hehehehehehehe!¡±

    Cris frowned, looking around in confusion as he heard giggling echoing around them. It wasn¡¯t Mara, who seemed a likely culprit, and it definitely wasn¡¯t Heidi or one of the knocked out students. In fact, it seemed like a younger person¡¯s laugh. A young girl¡¯s laugh.

    Cris¡¯ eyes widened, and he looked at the walls of the Labyrinth again. The shadows were continuing to grow. They seemed to almost be peeling off the walls like tendrils. And back towards where Cris and the others had come from¡­a fog seemed to be spreading.

    A chill seemed to pass through the air, but nonetheless, Cris was beginning to sweat. He knew what this was. He knew who this was. He focused on the warmth in his chest, eyes darting around. He couldn¡¯t worry about Levi right now.

    She appeared right in front of them, between Cris and Levi, the air warping as she did so. It was almost as though she had stepped into their world. The shadows drifted towards her as though she were some kind of magnet. Despite the darkness, her red eyes glowed, and her pale, bloodless face seemed to be illuminated.

    ¡°Excellent work, Miss Keres.¡±

    Cris clenched his fists, ignoring the pain in the one, and stepped back. A quick glance towards his teammates showed him that Finn had been released from Mara¡¯s hold. He and Heidi seemed well aware that the situation had become worse, however.

    ¡°M-Master¡­¡± Mara squeaked out, sounding much different than even moments earlier.

    ¡°Mara?¡± Cris finally looked up at the other boy, seeing Levi staring at his companion in bewilderment. ¡°What¡­what is this?¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­Mr. Ofkus.¡± Anna grinned evilly in his direction, and suddenly Levi¡¯s eyes widened and he clutched his head.

    ¡°GAAAHHH!¡± He screamed in utter agony, causing Cris and the others to stagger back in alarm. ¡°NO! I DIDN¡¯T¡­MEAN¡­TO!¡±

    It ended as quickly as it started, but Levi was left crumpled on the ground, gasping for air. Anna glanced at him pitifully, before turning her gaze to Cris. ¡°Not as strong as you, Icarus. No¡­his sins are¡­much greater.¡±

    ¡°Please¡­¡± Mara squeaked again. ¡°I¡­did¡­as you asked.¡±

    ¡°Oh yes,¡± Anna said. ¡°Yes, you did.¡± She then turned on Mara and raised a hand. Much like Levi, she screamed in terrible agony, pleading for mercy from some unknown figure, before collapsing and gasping for air. ¡°Now keep quiet like a good little servant. You did nothing of your own free will.¡±

    ¡°You¡­p-p-prom¡­ised.¡±

    Cris felt himself shaking. This was twisted. He had no fondness for Mara or Levi, but whatever Anna was doing was essentially torture. He remembered the pain he¡¯d felt when she¡¯d attacked him, but for some reason, he was pretty sure they were feeling it far worse.

    ¡°I believe I told you to keep quiet,¡± Anna said darkly, shadows moving out and taking hold of Mara, beginning to bind her tightly. Her eyes widened and she began to scream in pain before the tendrils moved to her mouth, wrapping around it. Her eyes began to roll upwards as Anna once again raised her hand and that torturous magic took hold once more.

    ¡°Stop it!¡± a voice suddenly screamed. Cris¡¯ head snapped up, turning towards where it had come from. Heidi had gone nearly as pale as Anna appeared. ¡°Wh-What is¡­this? Leave her alone! Who are you?!¡±

    Anna did, in fact, stop. She appeared more dangerous than ever as she turned towards Heidi, however. She tilted her head, appearing like a curious little girl. The smile was that of the devil she was, though, and Cris readied himself to move.

    ¡°One of Conrad Rainier¡¯s other little pets, hmm?¡± Anna raised a hand. ¡°You¡¯re a pitiful creature, Miss Engel. Scurry away like the little kitty you are.¡±

    ¡°No!¡± Cris raised a hand himself, ready to fire off a blast of wind, but he was too late. Someone else acted first.

    ¡°Hm?¡±

    Anna glanced at her hand, tilting her head curiously once more. A fishing line-like thread was wrapped around it, along with many tiny mirrors that extended further along. Each one reflected a pair of eyes. Eyes glowing in a greenish yellow light. Cris followed the line, knowing the attack wasn¡¯t aimed at him.

    ¡°What¡­the hell¡­are you?¡± Levi growled out. ¡°What¡­is¡­this?¡±

    Anna didn¡¯t move for a moment, and Cris almost began to believe that Levi had actually frozen her. However, a moment later, the shadowy tendrils extended from the ground and seemed to slice the thread that bound her hand. Even worse, the line of mirrors began to smoke as the shadows spread along the line, before dozens of little fires began to burn before reaching a stunned Levi.

    Levi let go of his line, but kept his gaze trained on Anna. Still, she didn¡¯t move, but she did begin to laugh. ¡°Oh, perhaps you are of greater interest after all, Mr. Ofkus.¡±

    Levi¡¯s eyes continued to glow, and Cris could see the anger in his expression. But as Anna turned and looked him right in the eyes, that anger turned to confusion. And then to realization. And then to utter horror.

    ¡°How the hell¡­¡±

    ¡°Hm? Did you think I was a regular little girl, Mr. Ofkus?¡± Anna asked. ¡°An unusual student at your school, perhaps?¡±

    ¡°What are you?¡± Levi asked with a growl. ¡°How can you deal with my petrification stare?¡±

    Anna blinked, and Levi stumbled back. Cris wasn¡¯t sure what it was he saw until a moment later, when Anna turned her gaze to him and he saw that her eyes had gone completely black, much like the shadows she controlled. Finn gasped in horror upon seeing it, muttering about how it looked like Rainier¡¯s ability.

    ¡°Ah¡­Mr. Murphy,¡± Anna said, turning as she heard Finn¡¯s voice. ¡°You¡¯re not¡­quite wrong.¡± She blinked again, her eyes returning to normal. ¡°The Shadows of Hell. When your teacher channels his Spirit Guide, he is, in fact, capable of seeing into, or through, the Shadows of Hell. An essence of them do, in fact, gloss over his gaze.¡± She blinked again, her eyes going black once more. ¡°I use a much purer form, however.¡±

    Finn swallowed nervously, but raised up his slingshot, aiming carefully. ¡°You really do have the soul of a demon. You¡¯re twisted!¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­Rainier¡¯s been telling tales, has he?¡± Anna sighed, as though she was disappointed. ¡°And here I was, looking forward to the grand reveal.¡± Her gaze returned to Levi for a moment, before she smirked once more. ¡°Well, one poor soul here is ignorant I suppose. Yes, I am, in fact, a devil. I have the soul of a demon where my Spirit Guide would reside. Although my case is¡­unusual.¡±

    ¡°Unusual how?¡± Cris asked, unable to stop himself from posing the question.

    ¡°Well, Icarus, my old Spirit Guide is still within me. It simply¡­shifted. You see¡­¡± She paused, her gaze briefly shifting to both Mara and Levi, before returning to Cris. ¡°Some Spirit Guides¡­are monsters by their very nature. Mine was¡­is a creature from the underworld. A fury. A terrible¡­wretched creature. But one so beautifully suited to peeking into the true nature of another¡¯s soul. The sins they bottle so deep inside.¡± She raised a hand and waved it.

    ¡°GAAAHHH!¡± Finn screamed in agony much like Mara and Levi had before. His slingshot fell to the ground a moment before he did. He clutched his head, eyes wide with terror. ¡°NO! I¡¯M SORRY! I¡¯M SORRY!¡± He collapsed a moment later, not moving.

    ¡°Finn!¡± Heidi shouted, reaching out to him, but unable to move while she supported Elsa¡¯s still prone figure.

    ¡°What the hell is this?¡± Levi asked again, this time turning to Cris. ¡°Do you know this girl¡­this thing?¡±

    ¡°She approached me before,¡± Cris admitted, swallowing uneasily, but feeling a small sense of relief when he noticed Finn breathing. ¡°Like she says, she¡¯s a devil. Rainier thought so anyway. We were wondering if the council was working with her, but¡­¡± He glanced at Mara who seemed to be passed out now herself.

    ¡°Mara didn¡¯t do this on purpose¡­¡± Levi said, although there was hesitation in his voice. ¡°Come on¡­you can see that.¡±

    Cris looked around, realizing only now the absence of cameras. Once again, he looked in the direction they¡¯d come from, seeing the dark fog that had overtaken the path. ¡°Did you know she¡¯d taken you into a different realm?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± Levi looked around. ¡°I¡­This is so much like the Labyrinth, though.¡±

    ¡°Oh, it is the Labyrinth,¡± Anna informed them. ¡°It is merely¡­another level. The level I needed you to be. Just beyond the border of your protections. The strongest of your protections anyway.¡±

    ¡°We didn¡¯t go far enough to be beyond Babylon¡¯s borders!¡± Levi argued. ¡°How is that possible?¡±

    ¡°For a so called top student at your academy, you are a bumbling buffoon aren¡¯t you?¡± Anna stated, shaking her head. ¡°Think, boy. Did I say it was beyond the borders on the surface?¡±

    Cris¡¯ eyes widened for what felt like the hundredth time. ¡°We went down.¡±

    Anna grinned. ¡°Yes, Icarus. And now we are very close. Very close to bringing you to the depths of Hell.¡±

    Cris decided he¡¯d had enough, though, raising his hand with his remaining glove upwards. A hot gust of wind shot out, striking Anna where she stood. Alarm flashed across her face and she staggered back, wincing as she held a hand to her chest.

    ¡°Nasty boy¡­¡± she muttered, staring down, appearing somewhat perplexed. ¡°Heat and wind¡­so it may very well be true¡­¡± She glanced at the little fires along the ground where she¡¯d burned Levi¡¯s mirrors, and Cris was almost sure he saw a flicker of worry cross her face, before she managed to bring her grin back. ¡°Very intriguing, Icarus. Very intriguing indeed.¡±

    Cris ignored her, pulling his dagger out to give himself an extra weapon. He noticed Heidi doing the same, while Levi readied another line of mirrors. Cris wasn¡¯t sure what good that would do, but he supposed it was at least one other person on their side for now.

    Anna was ready for the triple threat, though, and she seemed eager to face it, grinning wider and raising her arms. A moment later, three thick tendrils of shadow shot out. Heidi was the first to be hit, her dagger snatched and shattered, while she was thrown ten feet from Elsa. Cris was next, his dagger snapped in half before he was slammed against the wall of the Labyrinth. And finally, Levi was sent high in the air, his line evaporated in an instant, while he went crashing hard to the ground.

    ¡°Please, children, don¡¯t draw your weapons on someone simply trying to guide you to the comforts of Hell. Your spirit world¡­it¡¯s no place for you. Especially you, Icarus. You¡¯re¡­much too good for the forces of Heaven.¡± Anna tilted her head once more and made a welcoming gesture with her hand. ¡°Come¡­come be a hero of Hell. Anna Tas¡­Satanna¡­wills it to be so.¡±

    ¡°Like hell he¡¯d join you¡­¡± Levi said, his voice somewhat muffled as he was almost speaking into the ground. For some reason, the flames from his burning mirrors seemed to be growing larger, the lights flickering upon his face. ¡°Satanna, huh? You fancy yourself Queen of Hell or something? You¡¯re no queen, little girl.¡±

    Anna narrowed her eyes and than snapped her fingers. Tendrils of shadow shot out, binding Levi just as they¡¯d done with Mara earlier. Levi merely laughed as he was bound, though, apparently taking pleasure in his taunt. But only a second later, he screamed in agony once more, before passing out.

    Anna¡¯s gaze then turned to Cris again, and she was no longer smirking. Cris didn¡¯t hesitate, though, immediately getting back to his feet and holding his remaining gloved hand up, the steel glowing on the knuckles with his pooled energy. ¡°Go back to Hell!¡± he shouted, firing off as hot a blast as he could.

    Anna gasped as the attack struck, blowing her back, just as the shadowy tendrils had done to Cris and the others. She struck the wall herself, crying out as she fell to the ground. Her eyes went wild with fury, though, and she raised her hand quickly.

    Cris felt it immediately. The horrible pain. The horrible memories. David lying dead, the demon overtop of him. The blood pooling around him. The demon relishing the taste of his spirit energy. The monstrous creature turning to him.

    ¡°Gah!¡±

    But something else was hurting Cris. And it seemed to anchor him, pulling him away from those dark thoughts. He blinked, looking down, seeing his hand. His bare hand. His bare, very red, hand. He looked down further and noticed his remaining glove, melted and burned from his last attack.

    ¡°Ugh! You are a frustrating one, aren¡¯t you?¡± Anna snapped, before turning away. ¡°Very well. Your little friend will suffer instead.¡±

    Cris glanced towards Heidi, seeing that she was only just recovering from Anna¡¯s previous attack. She only realized what was coming next a fraction of a second before it came, her gaze going to Cris. She tried to smile, but the agony gripped her immediately.

    ¡°AAAHHHH! GAAAHHH!¡±

    It was horrible. Far worse than Mara¡¯s. Far worse than Levi¡¯s. Far worse than Finn¡¯s. Whether it was Anna¡¯s frustration or whatever was in Heidi¡¯s past, it was enacting a terrible pain on her. The kind of pain that could drive her mad. Or even kill her.

    ¡°AAAHHH! MOM! NOOO! I¡¯M SORRY! PLEASE!¡±

    ¡°NO! LEAVE HER ALONE!¡± Cris roared, leaping to his feet, the heat welling up within him.

    He blinked and he was gone from his place on the ground by the wall. In an instant, he reached Anna, his fist pulled back. She blinked in alarm, stunned to see him so close. He punched forward with everything he had, driving his fist, his burning fist, hard into her stomach.

    ¡°URK!¡±

    Anna gagged as she was sent flying back into the Labyrinth wall, the stone crumbling around her as she fell. She groaned for a moment, and then went quiet, not moving. Cris winced, feeling tender throughout his body. Every movement seemed to burn. He ignored it for the moment, though, turning to Heidi.

    Somehow, she was still awake. She thought herself weak, but there she stood, rising back to her feet mere moments after unthinkable torture. She looked horribly pale, however, and she stumbled as she attempted a step. Cris rushed to catch her, ignoring the heat throughout his body.

    ¡°Heidi¡­¡± He wasn¡¯t sure what to say, and merely held her as she took a few shuddering breaths.

    ¡°That was¡­horrible¡­¡± she said weakly. ¡°My worst¡­my worst¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Cris said. ¡°I know.¡±

    If he¡¯d seen David¡¯s dead body, he figured he knew what Heidi had seen. And if it was true that traumatic events were largely what Awakened Spirit Guides, then he was pretty sure Mara, Levi and Finn had also had a haunting view of their pasts as well. Anna¡¯s ability was truly terrible.

    But what did she mean about sins? he thought, remembering her alluding to her ability having something to do with that. He supposed it didn¡¯t matter at the moment, though.

    Once Heidi had managed to recover a little more, they quickly moved to check on Finn and Elsa. They were able to rouse both. Finn was stunned to see that Cris and Heidi had survived after what he¡¯d experienced. Elsa seemed embarrassed to have missed it.

    ¡°Knocked out before she even showed up. Some teammate I am,¡± she muttered.

    ¡°Hey, that was my fault,¡± Finn said. ¡°Pretty lame to let Mara get in my head so easily even though we knew what we were getting into.¡±

    ¡°You guys have been great,¡± Cris said. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡±

    Finn gave a mock gasp. ¡°Our little Cris¡­complimenting us?!¡±

    ¡°Did Hell freeze over?!¡± Elsa added.

    ¡°Actually still kind of toasty in here,¡± Finn pointed out.

    ¡°Oh shut up,¡± Cris muttered, shaking his head. His attention then turned to Levi and Mara. ¡°Guess we should wake those two up¡­right?¡±

    ¡°Anna said we¡¯re not really in Babylon¡¯s borders, right?¡± Heidi said. ¡°Can¡¯t exactly leave them here.¡± She pointed to where the four other students were that Mara had brainwashed. ¡°Them too.¡±

    ¡°Right.¡± Cris sighed. ¡°Well let¡¯s-¡±

    Whoosh! Tsss!

    Cris barely ducked out of the way in time. A thick, black tendril of shadow sailing just past his head before crashing into one of the small fires remaining from when Levi¡¯s line of mirrors was burned. The flames hissed where the shadow struck, dissipating quickly, although those that remained seemed to almost grow larger.

    That didn¡¯t matter at the moment, though, as the sounds of stones being kicked to the side were heard, and Cris and the others looked over to see an enraged little girl stalking towards them. Anna appeared battered and bruised, but still very much conscious. And very much a threat.

    Cris glanced back, seeing Finn and Elsa still trying to properly rouse themselves, while Heidi looked on the verge of throwing up. If anything, they were in a worse situation than before. He could feel the burns throughout his body, but he knew he would have to summon one last blast if there was any chance of getting out of this.

    ¡°Icarus Parker¡­¡± Anna snarled, her eyes glowing brighter red with the flames flickering within them. ¡°I will drag you to the depths of Hell myself.¡±

    Cris started to move forward, but couldn¡¯t help wincing from the burns throughout his body. How would he be able to summon enough energy to repel this devil? He didn¡¯t know. But he could hear Finn and Elsa behind him, each readying for one last clash themselves.

    ¡°I¡¯ll send you back there on your own,¡± Cris snapped back, gritting his teeth as he raised a hand. He started to step forward, but stumbled. He began to fall.

    ¡°Hold on!¡±

    Cris glanced up in surprise, seeing Heidi holding him up, using her wounded arm in the process. He supposed it wasn¡¯t broken after all, but he was surprised to see that it didn¡¯t look as bad as it did before.

    ¡°I won¡¯t just drag you down, Icarus Parker,¡± Anna continued, the rage building within her. ¡°I¡¯ll drag your friends down as well. The demons will feast well tonight, and they¡¯ll join poor David in Purgatory before their souls join our ranks as well.¡±

    Her words sparked the fire within Cris, and his eyes flashed angrily as he raised up his hand. The light around them began to glow brighter, the flames expanding as heat welled within him. Even though his gloves had been burned, a glow began to surround Cris¡¯ hand.

    ¡°What¡­is this¡­?¡± Anna appeared alarmed. ¡°You can¡¯t¡­not so soon.¡±

    Cris ignored her, gritting his teeth and focusing on the warmth in his chest. The warmth that spread throughout him. It didn¡¯t matter that his hand was burning. It didn¡¯t matter that his body was burning. Anna raised her own hand, apparently desperately trying to counter what was coming.

    But it didn¡¯t affect him.

    Cris saw David, giving him the shirt off his back as he suffered from his broken nose. Cris saw Finn, skulking in the halls, declaring himself the ¡°Friendly Neighborhood Bat-Boy¡±. He saw Elsa, sitting next to him in class, the two making quips about Mara. He even saw Levi declaring that Cris would never join Anna.

    And he saw Heidi. Heidi walking with him to school. Heidi giving him a backpack. Heidi stepping in front of him as a demon stood imposingly in front of them. Standing tall after Anna¡¯s torture. Sitting across from him at that cafe.

    Cris smiled. He wasn¡¯t letting Anna do such a thing.

    ¡°Leave my friends alone,¡± he snarled, the light around them shining brighter. The flames crawling forward, inching towards a startled Anna. ¡°AND GO TO HELL!¡±

    Cris felt a searing pain throughout his body, but it in no way matched the immense satisfaction he felt as the flames around them burned brighter and brighter, extinguishing the shadows around Anna. His heat wave shot forth, striking Anna right in the face. He was sure he could see it reddening and almost melting right in front of him.

    Anna screamed in agony worse than any she had been able to inflict on his friends and she desperately waved her hands, managing to summon one last shadow to her side, which pulled her just enough to the side where she was able to snap her fingers.

    The air around her warped.

    And she was gone.

    Cris fell to his knees, gasping for air. Nonetheless, he couldn¡¯t help but smile. He turned first to Heidi, and then to Finn and Elsa. His teammates. His companions. No¡­his friends.

    ¡°Let¡¯s get out of this hellhole¡­and go home.¡±