A giant shockwave sweeps the Professor Kharzun’s classroom, making everyone’s ears pop. The Professor raises a hand, activating a series of wards and shield that contain the explosion.

  However, he knows, as the dust settles, what the outcome of that was.

  Incredible, Professor Kharzun can’t help but think.

  A part of his stomach knots.

  He looks at Vorgath, who’s stunned beyond belief. The Infernal Champion just stares at his own trap, now destroyed and in tatters. Even without mentioning the material cost of all the items required to set up such a trap, to have it destroyed by a first-year student…

  Vorgath could have made this harder, but he didn’t.

  “How’s this possible?!” Vorgath explodes in anger as the dust settles and Jacob’s triumphant smile and slightly torched clothes appear together with Kaelric. Vyrrak, however, is on his knees, panting, his scales half-torn, and his entire body having a very hard time keeping the Dragonkiin up.

  “Vyrrak!” Guinevere says, and runs up to her husband. “Are you alright?!”

  “It’s fine,” Vyrrak says, holding his ribs and slowly getting up, embracing his wife with one arm. “I can only perform the Dance of Dragons that Jacob came up with once. It’s very rough and it needs a lot of training for the future, but… well, you saw it. We made it.”

  Vyrrak turns to Vice Principal Caradoc, who have both seen the terrifying power that has just been showcased by the Dragonkin.

  “That was True Diamond Rank,” Queen Syrraxia mutters to herself. “How did he do that…”

  “True Diamond Rank?” A student of Professor Kharzun says. “Aren’t those two still Gold Rank? Is that for real? How can he have released an attack four Ranks above his own?!”

  “No, it must be a malfunction with the trap…”

  “Students,” Vice Principal Caradoc says, looking around. “Everyone but Vorgath here is required to vacate the premises.”

  Everyone looks confused but then the old man says, “NOW!”

  People scramble to leave, including Queen Syrraxia, leaving just Vice Principal Caradoc, Guinevere, Jacob, Vyrrak, Kaelric, Vorgath, and Professor Kharzun.

  “Vyrrak,” Vice Principal Caradoc says, walking his diminutive frame up to the large Dragonkin and using two clouds of fire to stand eye-to-eye with him. “You managed to compress all the power to the point where it disappeared, and then release what should have been an empowering move, a move meant to be half-attack and half-support in one go. Did Jacob Cloud come up with this?”

  “He did,” Vyrrak says as Jacob keeps dusting his clothes. “This counts as passing yours and my father’s test, old man. I don’t want to hear anything else about it.”

  “You won’t,” the Vice Principal says, pensive. Then, he turns to Jacob.

  “You’re Baalrek’s disciple.”

  It’s not a question, but Jacob nods back.

  “He was my master.”

  “When did he pass?” Vice Principal Caradoc says in a somber voice.

  “Recently,” Jacob replies, then, seeing the complex expression on Vice Principal Caradoc’s face, he adds, “and peacefully. He resolved the Mad God’s curse before that.”

  Vice Principal Caradoc nods and then turns to Professor Kharzun.

  “Take that sigil down once you’re done cleaning and apologizing.”

  Vorgath, however, doesn’t seem like he’s processed everything yet.

  “No! This can’t be! I demand a rematch! I could have given him a much harder trap! I could have won!”

  Jacob turns to stare at the Infernal and then he looks back at Kaelric.

  You couldn’t have, Jacob thinks. That’s why I brought Kaelric around. I wasn’t going to take any chances. If your trap was too hard for Vyrrak, I would have had him simply stand back and demonstrate the Dance of Dragons to Vice Principal Caradoc at another time.

  A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  “It’s time to kowtow, Vorgath,” Professor Kharzun suddenly says, looking very serious.

  “Shut up, you half-blood!” Vorgath looks crazed at the moment. “I could never bow to—”

  Professor Kharzun’s eyes narrow and a terrifying pressure envelops Vorgath, with a trap snapping him up and forcing him to his knees, with his eyes slowly rolling to the back of his sockets until he passes out.

  “That’s the best you’re going to get out of him,” Professor Kharzun says, taking a deep breath. “As for me—”

  “Professor,” Jacob suddenly says, with a frown. “I don’t need you to kowtow. Just clean up the seal and… I’d like for it to stay here. I’d like to explain the history of my master. I don’t need you to humiliate yourself. I’m happy with this much.”

  Professor Kharzun, who’s made quite the turnaround, nods.

  “I like to believe, Jacob Cloud, that I’m not a fool. But, apparently, I was mistaken about Baalrek—King Baalrek.”

  “Baalrek was never a particularly social person at the Academy nor with his people. He absolved to his duties in silence, the fool,” Vice Principal Caradoc suddenly snaps. “The fact that he’s got such a bad reputation, for all I dislike speaking ill of the dead, is his fault as well. But I’m glad he found a disciple ready to clear this up. He always told everyone else to mind their own business. I can’t imagine how he must have felt when you started speaking in his favor.”

  “I only told him right before he…” Jacob stops himself, feeling his jaw clench. “Anyway, I’m glad that this was cleared up. Now, Vice Principal, could I have a word in private?”

  The short man turns away from Vyrrak, giving the Dragonkin one last glance of wonder and then nods.

  * * *

  Jacob walks in a chaotic office, led by Vice Principal Caradoc.

  “That’s really what he said the first time you two met?” Vice Principal Caradoc snorts. “Not sure if it was the Madness residues or just him… he could be an asshole. But if Madness had spread through him to the rest of the Infernal Kingdom… one of the Three Great Races would be no more.”

  “My master was hard to deal with,” Jacob smiles. “How did you know him?”

  “We were classmates,” Vice Principal Caradoc sighs. “I wasn’t nearly as talented as him… I was just a Professor when he became the Vice Principal. He was so good at everything. Primordial Spells, mastering Skills, traps, strategy… The Headmaster had a weak spot for Baalrek. They often butted head, but I’ve yet to see another person that old lizard doted on as much as Baalrek.”

  “I didn’t know,” Jacob raises his eyebrows. “Wait… wasn’t that millennia ago? How old—”

  “Don’t ask an old man who can barely remember his age how old he is, Jacob Cloud. It’s rude,” Vice Principal Caradoc gives Jacob one long glance. “No one asks women, but with old men, everyone’s in our business. I’m old, yes. I don’t really have much better to do. My descendants are doing well and my latest wife has passed centuries ago. I like my spot here. It keeps my mind sharp.”

  Jacob, for some reason, feels slightly intimidated now that he knows just how old Vice Principal Caradoc is.

  When he sees the old man in his thoughts, he takes out of his Interspatial Ring one of the three gifts King Baalrek gave him, which makes the old man immediately perk up.

  “Rotten tails of… is that what I think it is?”

  “He used this a catalyst to break the curse,” Jacob explains. “Then, he gave it to me.”

  Vice Principal Caradoc now frowns.

  “If he broke the curse… he chose to leave this world of his own accord, didn’t he?”

  Jacob slowly nods.

  “He was always smarter than me, I guess. I’m just waiting around for the next war to take me out,” Vice Principal Caradoc chuckles to himself. “Well, he left you his sword, no wonder you need help with—”

  “It’s not the sword I need help with. The sword has many seals, but I’ll care of that at another time. He also left a Skill and a Primordial Spell for it.”

  Vice Principal Caradoc slowly meets Jacob’s gaze and the young man nods.

  Jacob takes out a Skill Crystal that blinds Vice Principal Caradoc. It’s not big. It’s barely bigger than a fist, but it’s…

  “One of the very few Domain Skill Crystals under True Diamond,” Vice Principal Caradoc mutters, taking the Skill Crystal with almost religious attention in handling it.

  He slowly turns it in his fingers and then gives it back.

  “Diamond Rank, Domain of Ruin and Bones. You do know how hard it’s going to be to fetch the higher Ranks?”

  “King Baalrek explained that once I absorb it, a new Skill Crystal of a higher level is going to spawn somewhere in the world.”

  “With good Karma, you’ll stumble upon it… he really did think this through. But the spell…”

  “King Baalrek told me that my body is very weak, that absorbing the Skill might kill me on the spot unless someone like you helps out. And the same goes for the Primordial Spell.”

  “But since you’re still Gold Rank, he thought this would give you a great edge and a great path to grow into for your Platinum-Ranked Class… his sacrifice would also offset the massive Karmic debt that you’d have otherwise accrued by…” Vice Principal Caradoc mutters to himself.

  “Yeah,” Jacob doesn’t seem happy about it.

  “He must have really loved you like a son,” Vice Principal Caradoc says slowly. “I’ve never him dote this much on anyone but his own children, Jacob. I can see your admiration for him is equal if not even greater from how you antagonized Professor Kharzun.”

  “So,” Jacob asks, taking a deep breath. “I want to learn this. King Baalrek said he didn’t have the resources to do this and that you still owed him a favor.”

  “I do, I do,” Vice Principal Caradoc smiles. “And I guess it’s time to pay up.”