From the transcript of the interrogation of Florian Quinn by the Academy Prime: “For all I care, you can expel Madeline. Makes no difference to me.”

  Florian shrunk into his seat. Looking at the Academy Prime seemed difficult somehow, as if simple sight couldn’t penetrate the haze of power around the man. Thad closed his fist deliberately then exhaled and spread his fingers out. Florian knew Thad’s anxiety would be in uncharted territory, he likely cast his eyes in any direction but directly at the Prime.

  Too late, Florian wondered if the Prime graduated from the Sensory affinity. As the Prime, his mandate was to represent all affinities equally and so his clothes were pure black without accents of any kind.

  The Prime strode confidently between the tables, the gait of a man who believed that not only did he own everyone and everything inside the room but indeed, everyone and everything owed him a favour. His face radiated intensity, as if an attack had to be imminent. Guessing by the sharp scars on his gnarled face and hands, the Prime knew the business end of war and judging by his clean-shaven face and close cropped haircut, the Prime might think he still belonged on the front line of said war.

  As he made his way toward the lectern that Ruthann herself placed in front of the staff table, Florian tried his best to withhold his breathing and make no other noise. Lane had a slight frown, giving no outward sign of being intimidated while Thad continued making and releasing fists and doing his breathing exercises.

  For some reason, Florian’s gaze caught the side profile of that Grinnrock girl, her honey blonde hair turning to black streaks toward the bottom. It was beautiful. She was beautiful. Distracting. He chanced a look at her face and nearly coughed. He knew from their limited interaction in the mess hall in the morning that she had an attitude, but why would she be so furious? The look on her face could rival the Prime’s for anger.

  The Prime reached the lectern and took his time looking around the room, exaggeratedly looking from affinity to affinity, meeting the eyes of anyone that would meet his. Once he felt ready, he smiled. The gesture did nothing to decrease his intimidating presence, if anything it increased it somehow. Looking at him, Florian shuddered, sure that the expression on his face was exactly how lions would smile before pouncing on unsuspecting prey.

  “Welcome and welcome back to my school,” the Prime began his address, placing both hands on the edge of the lectern and leaning forward slightly. Not off balance, no, but ready. Obviously, he didn’t feel the need to introduce himself. Every eye in the room including those of the serving staff focused on the Prime. “There needs to be no mistake about my message here today, students and faculty. We are at war. This is neither joke nor exaggeration much that I wish it were. Rotspawn advance deeper and deeper into sovereign territory - from the west coast of Kraken’s Deep to the far east nations of Grinnrock and Wolfenfen - they build Rotdens where we once held villages full of taxpaying, hardworking people. Farmers, bakers, smiths, cobblers, innkeepers, all displaced from their homes because we’re failing them.”

  The Prime paused for emphasis. The way he spoke transmitted the fact that the responsibility of securing the safety of the entire Empire rested on the shoulders of everyone in the room.

  His expression hardened, giving Florian the impression that he took every failure personally. In a way, Florian supposed he might. His core function, his ultimate responsibility was to prepare the students to become strong enough to fight the Rotmonsters and beat them back to hell.

  “Yesterday, overnight, a Rotden opened here in Saberwyn City,” the Prime announced and everyone forgot themselves.

  A Rotden? Here?

  Whispers rang out through the Atrium, nervous people speaking in hushed tones to the people closest to them, expressing their fears. For some, Rotdens existed as things to know about but never to confront. For parents, they told tales of the monstrosities that hatched from Rotdens to scare their children into proper behaviour. For those in the Academy, battling inside a Rotden was an inevitability.

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  Thad clenched his fist and didn’t open it. Lane’s frown deepened. Florian expected deep feelings of fear or stress or nerves. He felt nothing when hearing the news, this was no more than another problem in a world increasingly littered with them.

  The Grinnrock girl seemed to be completely unaffected, showing no reaction besides her continued fury at … the world, Florian guessed. What could she possibly be mad at?

  “Silence!” the Prime demanded. In an instant, the haze around him returned and everything quieted. “This is our city and we will defend it with our lives. We will defeat this raid den with such ferocity that the Rotforces will refuse to utter the name of Saberwyn City for a thousand years.”

  A chorus of cheers rang through the Atrium, some joining in by banging on the tables.

  The Prime raised his hands and silence rang out over the Atrium once more. “I have spoken to the Emperor and requested that the Academy be responsible for defeating this den, using both students and faculty to send the Rotspawn back where they came from. We will not allow anyone to come into our home and eat our lunch. This den is on our turf and as such is our responsibility.”

  Thad’s breathing quickened. Florian jutted his chin out in an act of subtle defiance.

  “The Emperor agreed. The Rotden is ours!” The Prime slammed his hands on the lectern and made a fist, shaking it at invisible enemies.

  The Atrium exploded in cheers, led by the older students. Shouts of “Fuck yeah!”, “You’re going to die!”, “For Saberwyn!” and more engulfed Florian’s ears. He bathed in the noise. The haze around the Prime dissipated and a reddish glow appeared to outline his silhouette. The Prime let the rabid students simmer, subtly urging more exaggerated cries from the crowd. Once satisfied, he raised his hands. This time, the students took longer to quiet. The Prime nodded his head and lowered his scarred hands back to the sides of the lectern.

  The Prime’s tone turned even more serious, each word bit off in anger. “Your Professors will advise what will be required of you. In the meantime I’m requiring you display judgment worthy of the Saberwyn Academy in all things. Transgressions will be punished severely. You are expected to excel in your studies, to join extracurriculars and to take any reasonable measure to reach your ultimate power. The forces of Rot threaten our way of life. This is not a joke nor is it a game.”

  Florian took a sip of water. The Academy Prime’s intensity transmitted throughout the Atrium, everywhere he looked students sat on the edge of their seats.

  “Yes. Work hard. Make us proud. Before I leave you to dessert, I have one further announcement. In recognition of both her outstanding work and our new reality, Professor Bettina Lawrence will be elevated to the newly created role of Academy Second as a temporary measure to coordinate our response to the Rotden.”

  A quick glance at the faculty table told Florian what Professor Lawrence thought of this news. Despite her valiant attempt to keep her face neutral, a tiny smile tugged at the sides of her lips. Florian looked away. Something about the sharp woman made him uneasy.

  While Florian’s stomach roiled, the Grinnrock girl’s face deepened into an even darker visage, hot, red fury appearing underneath the inverted black triangles that decorated her cheeks. She stared unblinkingly at the Professor who thankfully didn’t notice. If anyone stared at Florian that way, he might piss himself. Or worse.

  “Enjoy the cheesecake,” The Academy Prime finalized his speech and left the lectern with a nod. He didn’t bother stopping at the staff table, didn’t bother to speak to any student, he simply left in as much of a hurry as he arrived.

  It took mere seconds after he left for the Atrium to explode in conversation. To Florian, it seemed like nobody’s mouth remained still. Except his. Even Thad’s usually considered commentary buzzed now that the immediate source of his anxiety left the room.

  “Do you guys think we’ll be able to fight this Rotden?” Thad asked.

  “Why, you itching for another scar?” Lane joked.

  “Ha ha,” Thad replied quickly. “It could be awesome practice. I might need to take something for my nerves but…”

  “I don’t think we’ll be the ones they call on,” Florian said. “Probably students from the higher levels.”

  Ruthann’s serving staff had recovered their wits and began handing out cheesecake, flitting from table to table with small plates. Florian took a piece of the strawberry, sticking his fork easily through its filling.

  “Fucking good,” he said, swallowing the first bite. “At best, we’ll be there to observe if they want to make sure to get everyone involved. I mean, there is something to say about a practical exam, yes?”

  Thad nearly choked he attempted to agree so fast. “Yeah, without any danger…”

  Lane rolled his eyes. “What’s the point of doing something if it’s not dangerous? If I go, I want to fight one of these Rotmonster fucks. I’m here to learn how to destroy as many of them as I can.”

  “I agree,” Florian said tentatively. “That’s why we’re here, is it not?”

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