Footsteps crunched in the snow outside Xerkes' walls. Back and forth, back and forth, leaving messy tracks in the pristine white.

  "What do I do what do I do what do I DO?!"

  Sam's voice cracked on the last word. He kept pacing, hands buried in his hair, completely ignoring the fact that it was way past curfew and that standing outside in the snow wearing only his academy uniform was probably not the smartest idea he'd had today.

  Not that this day had seen many smart ideas to begin with.

  "Sam." Eren's voice came from where he sat on a fallen log, somehow managing to look both concerned and done with this shit. "You need to calm-"

  "DON'T TELL ME TO CALM DOWN!" Sam spun toward his friend, arms flailing. "How am I supposed to calm down?! There are soldiers about to get their faces kicked in by Commander Arthur! ARTHUR SYLLA! You know, Adom's dad? The guy leading the freaking Iron wolves?!"

  "That's a bi-"

  "And Adom's probably in trouble right now and it's all my fault and what if he dies and then his dad kills everyone and then kills me and then brings me back to kill me again and-" Sam's voice rose with each word until it was practically a squeak.

  A chunk of snow fell from a nearby tree. Sam jumped about three feet in the air.

  "You're being dramatic," Eren said, in the tone of someone who knew perfectly well that pointing this out wouldn't help but felt compelled to try anyway.

  "I'm being REALISTIC!" Sam resumed his pacing, leaving even messier tracks in the snow. "This is bad. This is so bad. This is the worst thing that's ever happened in the history of bad things happening."

  Another chunk of snow fell. This time Sam didn't even flinch, too busy having his breakdown to notice.

  "Okay, but consider this," Eren said, brushing snow off his coat. "Standing out here freezing our asses off isn't helping anyone."

  Sam sighed, shoulders slumping. "I know. I know, but I just- I can't calm down. I tried everything to get to Merris. Everything. But with all this chaos..." He gestured vaguely at nothing. "I couldn't even get near him. And now? When Adom needs us the most? It might be too late."

  "Where's Aunty Maria? She was supposed to be here an hour ago," Sam said, checking his pocket watch again.

  "Maybe something delayed her?" Eren suggested.

  "That's what I'm afraid of." Sam shook his head. "She promised she'd come as soon as she got my message. If something's keeping her away..." He trailed off, kicking at the snow. "We can't just sit here doing nothing."

  "So what do we do? Create some chaos? Get the council's attention?"

  Sam's head snapped up. "No. We need to go to the meeting itself." He started pacing again, but slower now, thinking. "I couldn't reach Merris because I had no idea where he was these past few days. But now? Now I know exactly where he is. In the council."

  "Wait." Eren's voice went up an octave. "You want to disrupt the council?"

  Sam let out a laugh that sounded a bit unhinged even to his own ears. Then, "Fuck. Yeah. Yeah, I do."

  Eren's eyes went wide.

  "I know it's crazy, but-"

  "Oh no, I'm not surprised by your idea. I mean, I am - it's completely insane. The highest graded mages in the empire are there. The Archmage himself is there. But..." Eren shook his head. "I'm more surprised you just swore. I've never heard you curse before."

  Sam blinked. "I... right." He ran a hand through his snow-dusted hair. "Only that idiot Adom gets me like this. All the crazy stuff he gets himself into..."

  "Like what?"

  "Did I tell you some people tried to abduct us? In broad daylight? In the middle of the city, with everyone around?" Sam's voice rose again. "They were ready to kill us too!"

  "Well, he did kind of start a war between two prominent factions in the Undertow." Eren scratched his head. "Which then escalated into an all-out war with multiple factions, from what I heard."

  "Of fucking course he did." Sam threw his hands up. "What the fuck is wrong with this guy?"

  "Look, I'm not a student here. Maybe I could-" Eren started.

  "We're all going." Sam's voice had that tone. The one that meant his mind was made up, consequences be damned.

  "All?"

  Sam pulled out his pocket watch, checking the time. "I told the club members everything. They're helping us." He snapped the watch shut. "They'll be here in about twenty minutes. Then we're getting to the council, guards or no guards, and telling Merris what's happening."

  "And if Merris can't do anything?" Eren shifted on the log. "I mean, yeah, he's the headmaster, but there are way more powerful mages in there. The council isn't exactly known for listening to-"

  "Adom told me something the last time we talked." Sam stopped pacing, looking at the academy's towers rising against the night sky. "He said if anyone would listen about a student of this academy being in danger, it would be Merris." He shoved his hands in his pockets, shoulders set. "We have to try. That's all we can do."

  Thirty minutes later, the wind had picked up. Snow whirled through the air, obscuring the academy's towers. Sam hadn't stopped pacing.

  "THE IRON WOLVES ARE AT THE GATES!"

  The shout cut through the howling wind. A man ran past, repeating the warning to anyone who'd listen. Sam's breath caught in his throat. His hands were shaking - from cold or fear, he couldn't tell anymore. Everything felt wrong. The snow. The wind. The screaming. His heart beating too fast.

  Adom could be dying right now.

  The thought hit him like a physical blow. His friend could be dying, and here he was, standing in the snow, doing nothing. What if they were too late? What if they couldn't reach Merris? What if they did reach him and he couldn't help? What if-

  "Psst!"

  Sam spun around. Through the swirling snow, he made out several figures at the gates. The barrier flickered, partially disabled. Phil's grinning face emerged from the darkness, followed by Petra, Clyde, Diana and the others.

  "You guys!" Sam ran toward them, snow crunching under his feet. "You're late!"

  "Sorry!" Phil rubbed the back of his head. "The wards were trickier than we thought. Petra had to-"

  "Thank you." Sam cut him off, looking at each of them in turn. "Really, I... thank you for-"

  His eyes met Damus'.

  "What?"

  "Nothing!" Sam looked away. "I just..."

  Damus scoffed. "We should move. Before it's too late."

  "Hey-" Phil squinted through the snow at Eren. "You're Adom's friend, right? From that time at the-"

  "Hi," Eren replied quietly.

  "Oh yeah!" Diana perked up, adjusting her scarf. "I remember you!"

  "You should come too!" Petra said, already moving to include him in their huddle against the wind.

  "Guys," Clyde cut in, breath fogging in the cold, "maybe we save the introductions for when we're not about to freeze solid?"

  "He's right," Jenny said, but she was smiling. "We've got a council to crash."

  Despite everything - the blizzard, the danger, the fear clawing at his chest - Sam felt something warm in his chest. These people had come. They'd actually come.

  "Let's go save that idiot," Damus muttered, already moving toward the academy proper.

  They fell in behind him, a strange group of kids about to do something incredibly stupid. But they were together. Maybe that would be enough.

  It had to be enough.

  ****

  It wasn't enough.

  Sam's face pressed against the cold stone floor, his arm twisted behind his back by someone who knew exactly how much pressure to apply to keep him there without breaking anything. What had they been thinking? A bunch of students against battle-hardened mages of the Magisterium?

  The plan had seemed so simple. Get in through the service corridors Petra knew about. Use Jenny's disruption spells to confuse the wards. Have Clyde and Diana create a distraction while the others made for the council chambers. It had worked, at first. They'd moved like they actually knew what they were doing.

  Until they didn't.

  "Let go!" Phil's voice cracked as two guards finally brought him down - the last one standing. "Please, you don't understand!"

  Around them, students who had left their dormitories to investigate the commotion gathered at the far end of the corridor, whispering and pointing.

  Some had clearly rushed across the academy grounds despite the snow, their nightclothes barely covered by hastily thrown on cloaks. Sam caught fragments of their whispers: "Combat Athletics Club" ... "gone mad" ... "trying to break into the council chambers all the way over here."

  "Back to your rooms!" A guard shouted. "All of you!"

  Through tears he couldn't stop, Sam watched his friends struggle. Damus thrashing against magical bindings, his usual composure shattered. Diana trying to reach her chalk to draw runes, fingers scraping uselessly against the floor. Petra screaming something about Adom, about danger, about please just listen. Clyde still attempting to cast despite the suppression field around him. Eren being pushed face-first into a wall, still trying to argue.

  They had lasted exactly six minutes against trained battle mages.

  Six minutes before their amateur disruption spells were countered.

  Six minutes before their practiced combat moves were brushed aside like children's games.

  Six minutes before they learned exactly why these men and women were graduated mages of the Empire.

  "Please," Sam choked out. "Please, our friend- he's in danger, we just need to-"

  The pressure on his arm increased slightly. A warning.

  He had failed. Failed Adom. Failed everyone who had trusted him enough to come. And now they were all going to be expelled, and Adom was still out there, and nobody would know, nobody would help, and-

  A guard's sudden scream pierced the air.

  Then Sam felt it - a crushing weight that made his lungs forget how to work. The mana around them thickened, became almost liquid, pressing down on reality itself. Blinding light erupted from where Eren stood, so bright it turned the night corridor into harsh daylight. Shockwaves pulsed outward, each one making Sam's teeth rattle.

  The guard holding him let go. Sam rolled onto his side, fighting to breathe, to see.

  Where Eren had been standing, there was now just... light. A human-shaped sun, throwing off waves of raw power.

  Two circle mage level.

  Sam's eyes widened. He'd thought Adom was joking about that.

  The pressure increased. Stone cracked. Windows shattered. Several students who'd been watching collapsed where they stood. Some literally lost control of their bladder.

  Sam had felt this before - not this strong, never this strong - but he knew what was happening.

  Loss of control.

  The same thing that happened to those who learned mana manipulation, but were still not good enough to not let their emotions take over.

  The same thing that had put his mother in that hospital bed. The same thing that had made his sister flinch away from him for months. The same thing he'd seen reflected in his father's careful, wary eyes.

  Battle mages moved in formation, their shields interlocking, their counterspells precise and professional. It didn't matter. The raw mana swept them aside like leaves in a storm. They weren't fighting spells - they were fighting pure, uncontrolled power.

  "Contain him!" someone shouted.

  "I can't- the pressure-"

  Another wave pulsed outward. More people dropped unconscious. The light was getting brighter, the pressure heavier. Sam could barely move, could barely think. If this continued-

  A shadow flashed past him, fast as thought. Bell chimes rang out, clear and sweet despite the chaos. Green light flickered.

  There was a sound like a soft tap.

  The pressure immediately lifted like a physical weight being removed from his chest. Sam gasped, drawing in deep breaths of sweet, normal air. His limbs felt like lead, his head spinning. He tried to push himself up - failed. Tried again - his arms gave out.

  On the third attempt, hands caught him before he could fall. Gentle, but strong.

  "I got you."

  That voice. Sam looked up into Maria's face, her familiar smile somehow both worried and reassuring.

  "You came!" The words came out weaker than he intended.

  "Sorry it took so long." She helped him sit up properly. "Imperial soldiers surrounded the Veyshar camp. We had trouble getting out without raising alarms."

  "Aye, nearly had to turn three of the bastards into toadstools before they backed off," Bob added, adjusting his grip on Eren.

  Sam's head snapped toward the second voice - that distinctive accent, the slight jingle of bells. "Bob!"

  "Me name's not fecking Bo- oh, hello laddie." The leprechaun stood there, unconscious Eren cradled in his arms like he weighed nothing at all. Green light still sparkled around his fingers - whatever he'd done to stop Eren's mana overflow.

  Maria's eyes swept the corridor, taking in the scattered forms of guards and students. Some were starting to stir, groaning. "We'll address... this... later," she said, giving Eren's unconscious form a pointed look.

  "Wha... what happened?" Phil's voice came out slurred as he pushed himself to his hands and knees, blinking hard like he was trying to remember how his eyes worked.

  "Can you stand?" Maria asked Sam, already shifting to support more of his weight.

  He nodded, though his legs felt like jelly. "Yeah, I think so."

  "Good." Her voice turned sharp, urgent. "We need to move before those guards wake up properly." She gestured toward the massive doors at the end of the corridor - the entrance to the council chambers. "Now."

  "I'll take this one outside," Bob said, adjusting his grip on Eren's unconscious form. "Poor lad's mana is still all twisted up. Best get him far from here before he wakes - wouldn't want another light show, would we?"

  Sam nodded, remembering the crushing pressure, the blinding light. "Will he be okay?"

  "Aye, nothing a bit of rest won't fix. But trust me, laddie - you don't want him anywhere near these wards when he comes to. Now go on, sort out whatever mess your friend's got himself into. I'll handle this one."

  "Thank you, Bob." Maria said.

  Sam found his feet, wobbling only slightly. Behind them, more of the club members were starting to stir.

  They ran. Or something close to running, anyway. Sam's legs weren't quite working right yet.

  Maria's hand glowed soft blue against Sam's shoulder as they ran, healing magic seeping into his muscles. The exhaustion melted away, replaced by renewed strength. His legs steadied, his mind cleared.

  "Phil!" Sam called back to his friend, who was still struggling to rise. "We'll go ahead!"

  Phil managed a shaky thumbs up before collapsing back down with a groan.

  The council doors soon towered before them - wood bound in steel, covered in intricate ward patterns that pulsed with quiet power. The magical barriers were probably why no one inside had reacted to the chaos in the corridor. Two guards stood at attention, snapping to alertness at their approach.

  "Halt!" Both guards raised their staffs.

  "I need to speak with Headmaster Merris about my son." Maria's word was polite but brook no argument. "Please step aside."

  The guards exchanged glances.

  "Ma'am, the council is in session and cannot be-"

  "My family," Maria's voice remained perfectly level, but the wards on the door flickered, "is in danger. Please. Step. Aside."

  "Ma'am, step back or we'll be forced to-" One guard began weaving a spell.

  "Sam, dear," Maria's voice was gentle, like she was about to serve him cookies, "would you cover your ears for me? Just for a moment."

  Something in her tone made Sam comply instantly. He pressed his palms against his ears.

  It wasn't enough to completely block what happened next.

  Maria made a single, elegant gesture - the kind you might see from a music conductor. Both guards' eyes went wide. Their spells fizzled out. They dropped like puppets with cut strings, faces peaceful as if they'd just drifted off to sleep.

  Sam slowly lowered his hands, staring at the unconscious guards, then at Maria, who was already moving to catch one guard before they hit their head on the stone floor.

  "A healer," she said casually, laying the guard down carefully, "knows exactly how the body works. Sometimes that's more useful than knowing how to break it."

  Sam gulped, watching the guards breathe peacefully on the floor. He'd never realized healing could be... well, terrifying.

  Maria stood, her hands moving in intricate patterns as the wards on the door began to fade one by one. "Sam, dear, you've gotten into enough trouble tonight. Let me handle this. I'll speak to Merris, explain everything-"

  Sam's heart was thundering in his chest. His hands were trembling, slick with cold sweat. His throat felt tight, like someone had stuffed cotton in it. Every instinct screamed at him to take the out she was offering. He'd never spoken in front of crowds, never challenged authority, never-

  SLAP!

  "Sam!" Maria grabbed his hand before he could hit himself again.

  "No," he said, his voice shaking but determined. "I- I need to change. If I want to be better, I can't keep hiding." He swallowed hard. "I'm coming. Whatever happens... I need to be there."

  Maria's smile was bright enough to light the corridor. "Adom is lucky to have such a friend." Her eyes sparkled with mischief. "Though I'll be twisting his ears later for getting you into so much trouble."

  "Please do," Sam managed, trying to calm his racing heart. It felt like it might burst right through his chest.

  The massive doors swung open with a groan. Sam squinted against the brightness within. Dozens of faces turned toward them - council members, teachers, important figures he'd only seen from afar. All staring. All wondering.

  "Don't be afraid," Maria whispered beside him. "It'll be alright."

  They stepped into the chamber together. Maria's voice rang out, clear and strong:

  "Honored Council, I apologize for this interruption, but I bring grave news and a conspiracy that threatens not just this school, but everything we hold dear."

  The bad guys are gonna be in sooo much trouble. was the only thing Sam wanted to think.

  *****

  "Damn. You guys are putting me in sooo much trouble now," Gale mumbled, his words slurring. "This was... my favorite shirt too..."

  Adom's right eye was swollen completely shut, and his head throbbed with every heartbeat. Blood from his nose had dried on his upper lip, making it feel stiff when he tried to speak. Through his one good eye, the world seemed dimmer, his depth perception thrown off.

  He had to turn his head awkwardly to see everyone properly.

  "Get the professor out of here," Noss said, eyes cautiously tracking Gale's trembling form. "Hugo, Kaius - go with him."

  The mountain of a man moved, crossing to where Vex lay unconscious. He knelt beside her, lifting the huge blocks of walls and ceiling away and digging into a pocket of his vest to pull out a small vial of something that gave off a pungent smell even from where Adom stood.

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  "This the professor?" Noss jerked his chin toward Kim while waving the vial under Vex's nose.

  "Yes," Adom confirmed, relief washing through him. Noss was here.

  "We can help-" Hugo started.

  "You'll be in the way." Noss' voice left no room for argument. His eyes darted between Gale and the corridor as he continued tending to Vex. "More people will be coming. We need that escape route clear."

  "Ah!" Vex's eyes shot open suddenly.

  She bolted upright, daggers already in hand, then winced and pressed a palm to her temple. "What the hell hit me?" she demanded, blinking rapidly to clear her vision.

  "A building, apparently," Noss replied dryly, helping her to her feet. "Or part of one, anyway."

  Vex swayed slightly, then steadied herself. Her gaze sharpened when she spotted Gale, half-conscious and in severe shock, sliding further down the wall. "What the hell happened to him?"

  Noss jerked his thumb toward Adom. "The kid did it. Some kind of punch that nearly took the bastard's chest off. Sound's what led us here."

  Vex's eyebrows shot up as she looked at Adom then back at Gale. "Well, well," she said, a smile spreading across her face. "Not so untouchable after all, are you?"

  Gale's eyes struggled to focus on her, his pupils dilated with shock. "Still alive... technically..." he mumbled, his sword slipping from his trembling fingers with a clatter. "Can't feel my... anything... right now..."

  Vex ignored him, scanning the area until her eyes landed on Professor Kim. Her expression immediately softened as she made her way over to him, wincing visibly with each step. "Are you alright, handsome?" she asked.

  Seriously? Now of all time?

  "I'm fine," Kim replied, his cheeks coloring slightly. "But are you? That looked like a terrible fall."

  "Aww, you're going to make me blush," she said, brushing dust from her armor.

  Noss rolled his eyes. "This is the most disgusting thing I've seen today, and I've seen a lot."

  "That's why you have no wife, Noss," Vex shot back, still struggling to fully regain her balance. "No romance in your soul."

  Kaius grabbed Hugo's shoulder. "Noss is right. Come on."

  Gale attempted to reach for his fallen sword, but his good arm trembled uncontrollably, fingers failing to grasp the hilt. He stared at his hand with confused betrayal, as if it belonged to someone else.

  "Don't even think about it," Noss warned, both war hammers materializing in his hands and pointing at Gale. "Though honestly, you look half-dead already."

  Adom tried to summon the golem again, reaching out to the crystal to establish the connection.

  Nothing happened.

  He concentrated harder, feeling the strain behind his good eye as he pushed his will through the dampening field. Still nothing.

  Another boom echoed from above, making dust rain from the ceiling. The network of mana dampening crystals Gale had installed throughout the area hadn't been disrupted enough to allow for teleportation magic.

  He shifted his consciousness, trying to see through the golem's eyes instead. The connection was weak but functional enough to give him glimpses of what was happening aboveground.

  The Iron Wolves were engaged in combat with soldiers Adom didn't recognize. They wore black cloaks with no insignia, no markings to identify their allegiance. Despite being clearly outclassed by the Iron Wolves' superior training and equipment, they were putting up a surprisingly effective resistance.

  Dirk was in trouble.

  Blood soaked his sleeve where his arm had been injured, and his movements were growing sluggish. The other knights were forming a protective perimeter around him, but the black-cloaked attackers kept pressing the advantage.

  Adom snapped back to his own body as Hugo approached the professor.

  "Professor Kim," Hugo said, concern etched on his face. "Are you alright? Can you walk?"

  Kim's face brightened at the sight of his student. "Hugo! What are you doing here?" Relief quickly transformed into stern disapproval. "You shouldn't be here. None of you should! This is far too dangerous for students!"

  "With all due respect, Professor, we're the ones rescuing you," Hugo replied, helping Kim to his feet.

  "That doesn't make it right," Kim insisted, brushing debris from his clothes. "You're still students, and this is... this is war! I never intended for any of you to be caught up in this."

  "Too late for that," Kaius muttered, keeping a wary eye on Gale's slumped form while edging toward the exit. "Let's go while we still can."

  The group began moving toward the corridor, Hugo supporting Kim while Kaius took point. Adom followed, his vision still limited by his swollen eye but he could already open it slightly. [Healing Factor] was doing its work.

  "Not..." Gale's voice was barely audible as he tried to push himself upright. "Not... so fast..."

  Despite his broken arm, traumatic shock, and battered body, the mercenary attempted one last desperate move. His hand swept weakly through the air, trying to channel Fluid. Green energy flickered pathetically around his fingers, sputtering and dying before it could coalesce into anything dangerous.

  Gale stared at his hand in confused disbelief. "That's... not right..." he mumbled, eyes unfocused. "Why won't you... work..."

  Vex was already there, placing a boot on his chest and pushing him back against the wall without much effort. "Stay down," she said, almost pitying. "You're done."

  The tunnel groaned ominously above them, more debris raining down from the damaged ceiling.

  "We need to move," Noss said urgently. "Now. This whole place is coming down."

  They began moving toward the exit, Noss leading the way with Vex covering their retreat. The professor leaned heavily on Hugo's shoulder, still weak from his ordeal.

  "What about him?" Kaius asked, nodding toward Gale.

  "Bring him," Noss ordered after a moment's hesitation. "Command will want to question him."

  Vex sighed dramatically before hoisting Gale over her shoulder. The mercenary offered no resistance, his limbs hanging limply as he drifted in and out of consciousness.

  Adom's [Flow Prediction] suddenly flared to life, sending warning signals down his spine. Without thinking, he lunged forward, tackling the professor and Hugo to the ground just as a fireball screamed through the space where they'd been standing. The heat seared his back as it passed, crashing into the tunnel wall with a deafening explosion.

  "What the--" Hugo began, then fell silent as shadows moved at the far end of the corridor.

  They emerged from the darkness like wraiths--six figures, then ten, then twelve, and more, and more in black cloaks, their faces hidden beneath hoods and helmets.

  "Let... let the professor go," Gale murmured from over Vex's shoulder, his voice barely audible. "No one else... needs to get hurt..." His head lolled, eyes struggling to remain open. "Just leave him... with me..."

  "Shut up," Vex hissed, adjusting her grip. "You're in no position to negotiate."

  There was no time to think further.

  The first warrior attacked without warning, moving with deadly precision toward their group.

  Noss didn't even bother with his war hammers. A casual backhand sent the attacker flying into the wall with bone-shattering force, the impact leaving a bloody outline against the stone.

  "Huh," he muttered, eyeing the corridor as more black-cloaked figures appeared. "There's a lot of them."

  Three more rushed forward. Vex, despite balancing Gale's limp form over her shoulder, dispatched the first with a flick of her dagger across his throat. The second received Noss's hammer to the chest, which pulverized ribs and organs with a wet crunch. The third fell to a precise strike that separated head from shoulders.

  "They're not very good for us, that's good." Vex observed, almost bored despite the blood spray decorating her armor. "But they're persistent and not afraid to die, that's bad."

  More figures emerged from the shadows, moving in unison. A fireball streaked toward them from the back ranks. Noss batted it aside with his hammer like he was swatting a fly, the deflected magic exploding against the ceiling, sending rubbles down.

  "Yeah, definitely quantity over quality," said Noss, casually crushing another warrior's skull. These warriors were clearly not amateurs. They just picked the wrong opponents it seemed. "But we're on a schedule. Go! Take the professor and get out."

  Vex nodded, adjusting Gale's weight. "Come on, kids! Time to leave."

  Adom stumbled after her, his swollen eye throbbing with each heartbeat. Hugo and Kaius supported Professor Kim between them as they hurried down the corridor.

  "Can you teleport that golem of yours yet?" Vex called back, dispatching another attacker without breaking stride.

  "Not with the dampening crystals active," Adom replied between labored breaths.

  Behind them, the corridor erupted with purple light as Noss turned to face the incoming forces. Like a dam holding back a flood, he positioned himself at the narrowest point, hammer strikes creating a symphony of destruction.

  "I'll keep them busy," he called over his shoulder. "But there's a lot of them. Find the exit."

  "Where is it?" Hugo asked, his face pale with exertion.

  Vex skidded to a halt at a junction, adjusting Gale's limp form on her shoulder. "Up there!" She pointed to a maintenance ladder. "Surface access."

  They moved quickly, Vex somehow managing to climb one-handed while keeping Gale secured. Adom followed, his swollen eye and battered body protesting each movement. Above them came the sounds of combat—shouting, metal clashing, and the distinctive hum of Fluid weapons.

  Vex kicked open the hatch and hauled them up into chaos.

  The Iron Wolves were engaged across a ruined courtyard, black-cloaked figures swarming from every direction. Dirk dispatched three with a single sword arc, Anders cut down two more without breaking stride.

  "They just keep coming," Vex muttered, dropping Gale behind a collapsed wall and drawing her daggers.

  Dirk's sword flashed through another attacker, his movements precise but noticeably slower than before. Blood streaked his armor—some his own, most not. Anders fought nearby, a shallow cut across his face dripping steadily.

  From below, they heard Noss's voice echo up the shaft. He seemed to be holding his own. The rhythmic impact of his hammers punctuated his words, along with wet crunches and the sound of bodies hitting stone were clear enough.

  "Where are the dampening crystals?" Vex demanded, already moving to rejoin the fight. "We need that golem teleporting!"

  Adom activated [Riddler's Bane], scanning the battlefield. "There!" He pointed to faint shimmers at strategic points around the courtyard. "Five crystals in a pentagram formation."

  "Simple enough." Vex rolled her shoulders, Fluid igniting along her blades. She dispatched two enemies with casual efficiency, her daggers finding vital points without hesitation. But Adom noticed the small winces, the controlled breathing—even Star Knights had limits.

  Around them, the Iron Wolves carved through the enemies like farmers harvesting wheat—but more kept coming, and even the elite knights were showing signs of fatigue. Blood-spattered, breathing heavily, movements fractionally slower with each engagement.

  Adom saw Bram take a blade to his thigh that would have dropped a normal man, but the knight merely grunted and crushed his attacker's skull in response. Three more immediately took the fallen one's place.

  "They're not trying to win," Adom realized. "They're trying to delay us."

  A warrior appeared suddenly above their position, dropping from the broken second story of a building. His blade descended in a killing arc aimed at Adom's head. He had no time to react, no chance to dodge—

  Metal clashed against metal.

  The golem materialized between them, its Flamebrand sword intercepting the attack. The fiery blade continued its arc, passing clean through the warrior's neck. No resistance, no struggle—just a perfect, cauterized cut.

  The head tumbled free, eyes still blinking in confusion as it hit the snow. The body remained standing for a heartbeat before collapsing like a puppet with cut strings.

  "It's working already?" Hugo stared in confusion.

  "No," Adom's heart raced. "It's not teleporting—it was close enough to reach us on foot!"

  The golem stood protectively over them, its metal body showing dents and scorches from previous fights. Its glowing eyes swept the battlefield, calculating threats and trajectories.

  "Perfect timing!" Vex grinned fiercely. "Metal man, with me! We're taking out those crystals!"

  The golem did not obey her because it needed Adom's will to act.

  And Adom was too busy looking at the severed head that came out of the helmet before him.

  The face was a roadmap of mutilation—scars in runic patterns covering every inch of skin. Tattoos crawled up from beneath the high collar of his uniform, disappearing into sliced flesh. His mouth had been sewn shut at some point, leaving permanent holes at the corners where thread had once passed through.

  But it was the eyes that made Adom's stomach turn. The irises were normal, human—but the whites weren't white at all. Black as pitch, like pools of ink surrounding ordinary pupils.

  "Specters," he whispered.

  Kaius glanced down at the head, then back at Adom. "What did you say?"

  "They're Specters." Adom's voice was hollow. "That's why they don't stop. That's why they fight like machines."

  Hugo grabbed Adom's arm. "Specters? Here? That's not possible."

  "No... he's right." added Kaius.

  Specters were what happened when you took male children—usually stolen as infants or purchased from desperately poor families—and systematically destroyed everything that made them human. The White Temples of the Outer Kingdoms subjected them to rituals that stripped away their identity, their will, even basic instincts of self-preservation.

  They were physically and magically altered, parts of their anatomy, of what made them male, totally removed. The black sclera was the most visible sign, a result of alchemical treatments that rewired their brains to feel no pain, no fear, and no hesitation.

  They were then sold to their masters, to do their bidding.

  These weren't soldiers. They were weapons wrapped in human skin.

  The practice had been outlawed in the Sundar Empire for centuries. Even most of the Outer Kingdoms had abandoned it—the few holdouts were universally reviled, denied trade agreements and diplomatic recognition.

  And yet here they were. In Arkhos.

  Vex spat on the ground as she stared at the severed head. A glob of red-tinged saliva landed next to the black eyes that still blinked occasionally.

  It was the common reaction.

  Everyone who knew what Specters were reacted the same way—with disgust, with revulsion, with a primal fear that went beyond rational thought.

  Adom stared at the head in silence, a chill running through him. In his timeline, Specters had eventually disappeared—one of the only good things about that future.

  "Well, they're here now," Vex growled, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. "And they won't stop until they're all dead or we are."

  "Five crystals," Adom reminded them, pushing aside his horror. "We need to break them all."

  Hugo pointed toward a half-collapsed building across the square. "There's one. I can see it from here."

  Kaius spotted another. "And there—on top of that fountain."

  "We split up," Vex decided. "Cover more ground."

  Another explosion rocked the battlefield as Bram's war hammer connected with an artifact one of the Specters was using. The blast threw three warriors into the air.

  "No time to waste," Adom said, drawing the twin daggers he'd acquired in the dungeon. The curved blades felt lighter than they looked, perfectly balanced in his hands. "Hugo, Kaius, you guys should go take two of the crystals. I'll take the one at the fountain. Vex—"

  "I'll get the one in the building," she finished. "Your metal friend with me."

  Adom nodded, directing the golem to follow her with a thought. "Professor, stay here."

  "The hell I will," Kim snarled, surprising them all.

  His normally gentle face had hardened. "I worked with people who made this."

  "Fine," Adom conceded. "With me then."

  Adom and the professor headed for the fountain crystal while Hugo and Kaius darted toward the others. The golem followed Vex, its massive frame providing cover.

  The first Specter intercepted Adom before he'd taken five steps. It moved with unnatural fluidity, blade arcing toward his throat. Adom ducked, but barely—his reflexes sluggish from exhaustion and injury. His daggers came up instinctively, catching the Specter's wrist. The creature didn't even flinch as Adom's blade severed tendons.

  Blood spurted. The Specter passed the weapon on the other arm and attacked again.

  [Flow Prediction] warned him of the second attacker coming from his blind side. Adom twisted, barely avoiding the blade.

  Professor Kim stumbled back, hands flailing in a desperate attempt to channel magic. Nothing came.

  "The dampening field," Adom gasped, driving his knee into the first Specter's abdomen. "Too strong still!"

  Across the corridor, a crystal shattered under the golem's fist. Blue light pulsed outward like a shock wave.

  Instantly, the air felt lighter. Mana flowed more freely.

  Kim's eyes widened as he felt it. His hands traced a quick pattern, and a small fireball—weak but functional—erupted from his palms. It caught a Specter in the face, blackening flesh and melting an eye. The creature didn't even pause.

  "It's working!" Hugo shouted from somewhere to their left. "Keep going!"

  Adom channeled Fluid through his limbs. Strength surged. His next strike sent the Specter staggering back.

  But three more took its place.

  Black eyes. Sewn mouths. Ritualized scars forming nauseating patterns across exposed skin. They moved as one, attacking from different angles. They were coordinated. Disciplined. Strong.

  This made sense. Seeing the Star Knights cutting through them made it look easy, but these were considered dangerous soldiers to anyone who could not use Fluid.

  Adom's daggers blurred as he fought. Cut through an arm at the elbow. Opened a throat. Punctured a lung. The Specters didn't slow, didn't stop.

  His swollen eye throbbed with each movement. His breath came in ragged gasps. Each dodge was slower than the last.

  A blade caught him across the forearm. Another grazed his ribs.

  No time to think, only react.

  Another crystal shattered—Hugo's shout of triumph echoing through the corridor. The second wave of energy washed over them, stronger than the first.

  Magic surged back like blood returning to a numb limb.

  Kim's next fireball roared like a small sun, incinerating a Specter completely. The professor's eyes widened in surprise at his own power.

  "Two down!" Kaius bellowed from somewhere behind them. He unleashed a gale-force wind that sent three Specters crashing into the wall.

  Adom leaped toward the fountain, daggers leading. A Specter rose to meet him—too fast, too close.

  [Push] was weaved, propelling him over the creature's head. He twisted in midair, bringing both blades down into its shoulders as he landed.

  The fountain crystal gleamed ten feet away.

  Five Specters formed a wall between him and the target.

  "Professor!" Adom shouted, ducking a slash that would have opened his throat. "Cover me!"

  Kim nodded, face taut with concentration. Wind gathered at his fingertips, forming a cyclone that swept two Specters aside.

  Adom charged through the gap.

  A blade caught his thigh. He felt it, felt warm blood soaking his pants. He didn't stop.

  Another Specter appeared before him, sword raised. Adom didn't try to dodge. Blue Fluid blazed from his limbs as he tackled the creature head-on, his momentum carrying them both into the fountain's edge.

  Stone cracked against the Specter's spine. Water sprayed around them.

  Adom's vision tunneled to a single point—the crystal.

  Just. Keep. Moving.

  His dagger struck true, connecting with the crystal's surface.

  Once.

  Twice.

  Three times—Nothing happened.

  Not enough force.

  Across the corridor, the third crystal exploded under Vex's blade.

  Power flooded back into the air. Magic sang through Adom's veins.

  He channeled everything he had left—Fluid, mana, raw desperation—into his arm. The dagger's runes ignited with borrowed power.

  The crystal shattered like glass.

  The magic wave knocked him backward, tumbling through water and blood. His lungs burned. His limbs felt like lead.

  But the dampening field was weakening.

  Hugo appeared above him, face pale but determined. "One more," he gasped, extending a hand to pull Adom up. "Kaius is going for it now."

  Adom staggered to his feet, water streaming from his clothes. Around them, the corridor glowed with magic as Kim wove fire and wind into devastating combinations. Specters burned and fell, only to be replaced by more emerging from the shadows.

  "There's no end to them," Adom realized.

  The ground shook as Kaius unleashed a concentrated earth spell, collapsing part of the ceiling onto a group of Specters. In the chaos, he sprinted toward the fourth crystal, visible now atop a fallen column.

  Three Specters converged on him. Kaius bellowed in defiance, wrapping himself in a barrier of swirling air. He slammed into the crystal and—

  "Adom!" Kim shouted, his voice sounding distant despite only being a few feet away. "Behind you!"

  Adom tried to turn, his movements sluggish as exhaustion claimed him. His [Flow Prediction] flared weakly, showing him what was coming but offering no solution, no escape.

  Two Specters, converging on his position. One with a curved blade aimed at his spine, the other with a war axe raised high for a killing blow. He couldn't dodge both. Could barely stand, let alone fight.

  His fingers fumbled for his remaining dagger. Too slow. Much too slow.

  The world seemed to slow down as the Specters closed in. Adom could see the exact trajectory of their weapons, could calculate precisely how many seconds he had left to live.

  Not many.

  The Specters were three steps away. Two. One.

  BOOM.

  The wall behind them exploded inward. Stone and metal went flying as something massive broke through. The pressure wave knocked everyone off their feet.

  Through the dust and debris, Adom caught glimpses of movement.

  "Adom!"

  That voice. He'd know it anywhere.

  Through the settling dust and debris, Maria appeared, mana already blazing around her hands. Behind her, Bob's bells chimed as he stepped through the ruined wall, followed by Professor Crowley, Merris, and several mages wearing Magisterium robes.

  They moved like a coordinated unit, spreading out across the corridor. The remaining attackers immediately shifted stance, their blades coming up-

  Too late.

  Crowley's spell hit the first one like a freight train, slamming him into the wall hard enough to crack stone.

  Two Magisterium mages caught the others in binding spells that lit up the corridor with harsh blue light. The attackers thrashed against it, movements still precise even as the magic crushed inward.

  "Hold that one!" Crowley barked, striding forward. He grabbed the pinned attacker's helmet, yanked it off.

  The gasps echoed through the corridor.

  "Specters." Merris' voice dripped contempt. "The ghost-warriors of the Southern lands."

  "Ah, that's too bad..." Gale choked out from under the rubble. "I guess we lost, huh..."

  "Don't move." Noss appeared out of nowhere, wounded from head to toe, and he kneeled, lifting the rubble away from Gale. "Maria! Need you over here - we need him alive!"

  But Maria was already at Adom's side, her hands gentle on his swollen face. "Look at you," she muttered, healing magic flowing into him.

  "I'm okay, Mother." The words came out slurred - partly from his busted lip, partly from relief. "Really, I'm-"

  She tilted his head, examining the damage. "This eye... what did they hit you with?"

  "Maria." Noss' voice was urgent now. "Please. Gale first - he knows things. Important things."

  "Hang on just a moment, son," Maria told Adom, squeezing his hand before rushing to Gale's side.

  She knelt beside him, hands hovering over his body. Gale's eyes had rolled back, consciousness finally slipping away.

  "Can you save him?" Noss asked, voice tight. "His testimony is important to not get us and Arthur executed for rebellion."

  Maria's face was grim as her magic probed the damage. "There's still a chance, yes. But I need to work quickly, he's in critical condition due to internal bleeding and intense shock." Her hands began to glow with healing energy, and she set to work.

  Professor Kim had backed himself into a corner, looking green. Every time his eyes landed on one of the Specters' exposed faces, he made a small choking sound.

  Merris knelt beside Hugo, Kaius and Adom, handing them potion to help close their wounds. "You boys did well," he said quietly. "Better than anyone could have expected."

  Through the hole in the wall, Adom caught the first light of dawn breaking over the city. His eye widened. His father would be there already, the Iron Wolves facing down the Imperial Army. Once the first blood was spilled, there'd be no turning back - proof or no proof.

  "We need to move," he tried to stand, legs shaking. "Now. Before the bells. Before they start fighting."

  "The boy's right," Merris nodded, helping Adom up. "Madam Sylla, can that young fellow be moved?"

  "Carefully." She maintained the healing flow. "Very carefully."

  "Kid," Bram called to Adom. "Can you get to the gates faster? We're running out of time."

  Adom reached into his pocket, fingers searching for the familiar shape of the crystal. His heart leaped when he felt it whole and intact. When he pulled it out, the crystal was glowing with inner light, as if pulsing in rhythm with his heartbeat.

  "It's working," he said, hope flooding through him. "The dampening field is completely gone."

  In the distance, a bell began to toll. Its deep, resonant sound carried clearly through the morning air.

  The first bell.

  Adom felt his pulse quicken. By now, the Imperial soldiers would be forming up along the city walls, checking their weapons one last time.

  "Professor," Adom called, urgency in his voice. "Come here, quickly. I need you."

  Kim looked up, his face still pale from what they'd witnessed. He made his way over, stepping carefully around the bound Specters.

  Second bell.

  Fear clenched in Adom's stomach. His father would be at the front of the Iron Wolves, perhaps giving a final speech to his men. Hundreds of elite warriors against more than a thousand Imperial soldiers.

  "What is it?" Merris asked, already helping Maria stabilize Gale for transport.

  "I can get to the gates faster," Adom said, clutching the crystal tightly. "But I need the professor with me—he's the witness to everything that happened."

  Third bell.

  Somewhere, an officer would be checking the time, calculating when to give the order to advance. Tensions would be rising with each passing moment.

  "You're in no condition—" Crowley began, eyeing Adom's wounds with concern.

  "There's no time," Adom cut him off. "Please, take care of things here. We'll be fine."

  Fourth bell.

  The streets would be emptying now, citizens locking their doors and closing their shutters. Many would be praying. Some would be weeping. None would be sleeping.

  Noss exchanged a look with Maria, who gave a slight nod. "Go," he said. "We'll follow as fast as we can."

  Fifth bell.

  His father would be standing at the head, that massive sword planted in the snow beside him. Even at this distance, Adom could feel the man's presence. Was it his imagination?

  Had to be.

  "This way," he told Kim, already limping toward the exit. "Hurry."

  Sixth bell.

  By now, the Imperial commanders would be giving final orders. Young soldiers would be shaking in their armor, veterans checking their blades, resigned to their fate.

  "Where are you going?" Hugo called after them.

  "To stop a war," Adom replied without turning back.

  Seventh bell.

  The Iron Wolves would be spread out in their battle formation by now. Fluid would flare. Blood would spread.

  They found the golem standing motionless in the shadows, its eyes dimmed to conserve energy. Adom had teleported it here just now to avoid others seeing it. Not that it mattered much, but still.

  It came to life as they approached.

  Eighth bell.

  He could see it. Feel it. Archers would be nocking arrows. The air would be thick with tension, brittle as ice.

  "Touch it," Adom instructed, placing his own hand on the golem's cold metal chest. "Please don't ask questions, just trust me."

  Ninth bell.

  The sky would be lightening now, dawn breaking over what might soon become a bloodbath. His father would be scanning the battlefield one last time, looking for any tactical advantage.

  Professor Kim placed his palm against the golem's surface, next to Adom's hand.

  Tenth bell.

  Someone would give the order soon. A young soldier might break rank, fear overcoming training. A commander might decide to seize the initiative. Either way, the first blood would be spilled. Soon. Any second now.

  Adom closed his eyes, concentrating on the crystal in his hand. He pictured the city gates as clearly as he could—the massive wooden and iron structures, the walls, the open space beyond where two armies would soon clash.

  Eleventh bell.

  The inevitable was moments away. His father raising his sword. Imperial soldiers advancing. The point of no return.

  "Hold on," Adom whispered.

  Magic surged through the crystal, through him, through the golem. The world around them blurred.

  Blip.

  They crashed into snow, the cold immediately biting through Adom's clothes.

  The moment he felt frigid air on his skin, he instinctively pulled the golem into his inventory. His wounded leg gave out beneath him as he tried to stand. Through blurry vision, he realized with horror that they hadn't appeared between the armies as he'd intended. They were inside the city gates, facing outward.

  "STOP!" Adom's voice cracked as he screamed. "DON'T FIGHT!"

  The Imperial soldiers turned as one, startled by the shout from behind. Through the falling snow, beyond their ranks, Adom saw his father's head snap up, eyes widening in recognition.

  The twelfth bell began to toll.

  "NOW!" A young Imperial soldier screamed, fear and tension finally breaking. That idiot. That absolute moron. His sword came up-

  BOOM.

  Something massive crashed into the snow between the armies, sending up a white cloud that momentarily blocked all vision. As it settled, Adom saw what had landed - a staff, buried halfway into the frozen ground.

  Dozens of Magisterium mages descended in their distinctive robes, floating down between the armies. Their magic made the air thick, heavy. The snow itself paused in its fall around them.

  A throat cleared. The sound echoed unnaturally, reaching every ear despite the howling wind.

  "Ahem." Another clearing of the throat, almost awkward in its normalcy. Then the voice came again, projected from everywhere and nowhere at once:

  "By Imperial Decree 235, Section 12, Paragraph 4: 'The Magisterium holds authority to intercede in any military conflict, regardless of initial involvement, when individuals under its direct protection become central to said conflict.'"

  The voice paused, as if checking notes.

  "Professor Amadeus Kim and student Adom Sylla of the Xerkes Celestial Academy of Mystical Arts, both under Magisterium authority, have been found to be key figures in this dispute. Therefore..."

  Another pause. Someone coughed.

  "By the authority granted to me by His Imperial Majesty, I, Sir Gaius Emrees, 235th Archmage of the Sundarian Empire, demand that all hostile actions cease immediately."

  Adom was still panting, trying to catch his breath, when movement caught his eye. A figure walked past him, heading toward the space between the armies. Sir Gaius. The man had appeared without a sound, like he'd simply materialized from the falling snow.

  "We hear and obey!" The sound thundered across the field as hundreds of Imperial soldiers dropped to one knee, weapons falling into the snow. The clatter of steel became a wave, rippling through their ranks.

  From beyond the gates, the Iron Wolves followed - not kneeling, but performing their own salute, fists crossed over their hearts. His father among them, that familiar smile breaking through his stern facade as he looked at Adom.

  The sun finally broke over the city walls, painting the snow in shades of gold. Its light caught on armor and weapons now lying harmless in the snow, on the Magisterium robes still settling from their descent, on the frost crystals hanging in the air.

  Adom smiled back at his father, even though his split lip made it hurt. Snow had definitely gotten into his boots, his wounds were starting to sting again in the cold, and he was pretty sure he'd lost feeling in his toes. But standing there, watching the sunrise paint the battlefield that wasn't going to be a battlefield after all, he felt the weight lift from his shoulders.

  The promised day had come.

  And for once, things had actually worked out exactly as they were supposed to.