There was a lurching sensation, as if the universe had tripped on its feet but managed to catch itself before falling on its face. The air smelt worryingly cold. Timothy opened his eyes and all those long dormant memories of warning burst into his head like distant relatives came round on holiday. As they bustled around his mind, knocking everything over and winking and the scandalised former occupants, Timothy turned around slowly.

The gigantic things surrounding him watched him with a horrible blank hunger. Spittle dripped onto the sand beneath them, although the thick liquid didn't always seem to come from mouths and Timothy prayed it wasn't something other than saliva. He felt his stomach churn when he tried to determine which orifices were mouths, and so he stopped.

He began to actively ignore the chitinous legs and tentacles, the fur and mottled skin, when he came to a startling realisation. They're not attacking me! He wanted to start skipping and screaming in relief.

The blue-green orb of some sort of eye drifted towards him. The glowing circle that Vord had drawn on the floor in the lecture theatre surrounded him here, only it crackled on the black sand. Timothy held down the manic laughter that pushed up his throat and reached out a hand to the eye. His hand shook wildly and the eye moved away. Timothy moved closer to the edge of the circle. The thronging heads bent nearer.

Timothy's hand began to feel cold and the stars grew huge and bright, like holes in the sky that led to a white hot furnace. Timothy swallowed and lowered his hand. Though none of the things had enough recognisable features for him to see a face, Timothy knew they were disappointed.

Part of the circle changed colour. Beyond the new red part of the circle, the things moved away. Timothy stepped forward.

The lecture theatre seemed flat in comparison. Timothy stared at Vord who nodded at him. He looked out over the remaining students. Was it real? He asked himself. Would he really risk all our lives? He looked back at the wizard. Vord was watching Randall approach the circle, with a gleam in his dark eyes. Of course he would, Timothy answered himself.

He stopped with his hand on the doorknob to the successful room, where all the other worthy students had assembled. Hopefully.

Timothy caught Vord's eye again and made gestures that he hoped would be interpreted as 'Is it alright if I watch him, he's my friend?' Actually Vord thought the youth was saying 'I'm frozen in terror, can the next guy help me move?' But thankfully this led to the same result, Vord ignoring Timothy.

Randall grinned at his friend. He winked and gave a thumbs-up then turned to the other students and said, 'Easy, just you watch.' Vord narrowed his eyes. Timothy's throat felt like a knot of tension. Randall stepped into the circle.

----

Timothy waited.

He waited to see Randall step out of the circle, full of himself and still confident enough to face the worst the world could throw at him. Timothy realised that he couldn't imagine a world where Randall wasn't willing to risk…

Slowly, his mouth opened in horror. He tried waving his arms to catch Vord's attention again but the wizard was staring into the circle. Just before Timothy decided to run over, Vord shook his head. The circle flared and a horrible smell of barbeque insinuated through the room.

Vord surveyed the remaining students.
'Generally, it is good for a wizard to be sure of himself,' he said. 'He will be working with dangerous magic and doubt can mean the difference between success and,' he paused to glance at the circle. 'Disaster.' He steepled his fingers. Timothy thought he saw a slight smile in the man's face before he continued.
'However, part of that includes being aware of your limitations. The rest of you may want to think very carefully about how far you could push your abilities as you wait for your turn.'

Timothy couldn't feel the doorknob beneath his fingers as he turned it and drifted through to the next room.

A group of students moved towards him, their smiles and congratulations fading from their lips as they took in Timothy's pale face.
'Are you alright Spot?' asked a student Timothy was fairly sure he had never met. 'What happened?'

All around the room students turned to watch him, sausage rolls stuck halfway to mouths, paper hats askew.
'Randall's dead,' said Timothy.

----

As more students came through the door a party-like atmosphere began to re-establish itself, but it was subdued. After telling a few others what he had seen, Timothy retreated to a corner and watched as the gossip spread around the room. He wondered if it changed much as it passed from person to person. In his experience, rumour generally added some scandalous element to ensure its survival.

There was one window, set high in the wall near the ceiling, but it wasn't long before a queue had formed and students took turns to stick their hands through and flail a quick semaphore off to the nearest tower. Timothy caught glimpses through the small window but couldn't be sure what the words were, so he amused himself by filling in the blanks. Student died. He stole another's girlfriend. Timothy almost smiled. The mention of a girlfriend will cause more shock than the death, he thought.

Eventually Vord followed a student into the room and held his arms wide open. He smiled and his eyes twinkled.

'Well done gentlemen, very well done! You have passed the test to become initiates to the Ancient and Truly Original Order of the Silver Star. Technically that was merely proof that you are a worthy candidate for the Order. To actually become initiates you must consider the following pledge.' He spoke slowly as he copied the pledge onto the room's blackboard.

'I am willing to join the AaTOOotSS under whatever conditions deemed necessary by my elder brethren. Until such time as I graduate and become a full member of the Order I will follow the instructions of my senior brothers in the Order.'
He glanced over his shoulder at the students. 'I got them to add that second part. I want you all to bear in mind that you are not full members of the Order yet.' His eyes seemed to bore through Timothy's, exposing the tangle of confusion in the young man's head.

The party continued, with Vord moving among the students to explain the rules for initiates. Timothy watched him, brushing off other who tried to talk with him. He's dangerous. But he's also my best chance at getting through, he thought. Without him I'll just slack off whenever someone asks me too. I've got to get on his side. He sipped at his wine and began to plan his future at Unseen University.