Half Moon Rising

by ninjamouse1

There's a fine line between human and fiend and when Class VII is formed with ten members instead of nine that line will stretch to breaking point. When an experimental project is already blurring the lines between commoner and nobility, mortal and mundane, one more chaotic element couldn't possibly hurt. What does it mean to be human? And is it worth trying to understand?

1. Chapter 1

Half Moon Rising

Chapter One

Rean Schwarzer first saw the strange boy when he was approaching the front gate of Thors Military Academy, decked out in a red uniform like him and crouched on all fours on the cobbled street, muttering under his breath. At first Rean thought the boy had lost something and his first instinct was immediately to offer his assistance, but the moment he got close, the stranger held up a hand to halt him.

"Wait," he said, in a hoarse voice, "I'm almost done," he continued, and then went back to his muttering, his eyes fixed to the ground. Curious now, and more than a little concerned, Rean stopped and waited as asked until the boy finally seemed to finish whatever he was doing and stood up. For a moment he continued to ignore Rean, meticulously dusting the dirt off his trousers before he suddenly fixed a penetrating stare right at Rean, allowing him to get his first look at the strange student and momentarily taking him aback. The boy's eyes were dark, almost pitch black, staring out at him from dark shadows underneath, frightfully marring the deathly pallor of his face. He was thin, almost emaciated and his face had a strangely hungry expression. His dark brown hair was kept in a plain, almost military style, without a single strand out of place. "Eleven thousand, three hundred and fifty-six," he rattled off, his voice sounding a bit healthier already. "Do you concur?"

"Excuse me?" asked Rean, baffled by the question, if that's what it was.

"Eleven thousand, three hundred and fifty-six cobble stones in the town of Trista," explained the pale boy. "I checked. Three times." Rean's immediate response was to almost blurt out, 'why on earth would you do that?' but he figured that was both unintelligent and unhelpful, so he paused, struggling to think of something better. The other boy frowned. "You don't concur? Or you think I should have combined Trista with the academy grounds in one count? I thought about it. Hold on, I'll check again," Rean saw him moving to drop onto his knees again and lunged forward stop him without thinking, gripping his shoulder.

"No! It's fine. I uh, I concur. Your count seems right," Rean quickly released the boy's shoulder, both because it was awkward, and because his hand felt icy cold all of a sudden. Unsure what else to do, he offered his hand out for a shake instead. "I'm Rean Schwarzer, I see we'll be students together, nice to meet you."

"Is it though?" asked the boy, seemingly to be genuinely wondering this while he ignored Rean's outstretched hand. "Evander," he said finally, after a long awkward silence. "Just Evander. I saw you coming out of the Chapel," his voice was now no longer hoarse at all, but completely recovered, and almost musical in quality. "What was it like in there?"

"Like any other chapel I suppose," said Rean, shrugging, "I'm sure you could pop in for a few minutes before orientation starts, if you really wanted to see."

"Could I? I suppose I could. But I won't. I'm too afraid. Of what I might feel. Or not feel," before Rean could process this, Evander's head whipped around to look down the main street. "Car," he blurted out, and then scrambled out of the way.

"Huh?" Rean looked down the road but couldn't see any vehicle of any sort approaching. The street was entirely abandoned, not a soul in sight. And then, in the distance, an orbal limousine came into view. "How did you_?" Rean cut himself off, Evander had vanished into thin air. Rean checked the sign above the gate, confirming he was in fact at Thors Military Academy, and not the Trista Insane Asylum. "Oh well, that was interesting, if nothing else. I better get a move on; I can't be late on the first day."

Scene Break Here

If Rean had thought the day was getting off to an interesting start, he hadn't been wrong. After an inspirational, and frankly a little nerve-wracking speech from the academy's principal, Rean and nine other students, including the blonde girl he'd bumped into at the station, the blue haired girl who carried herself like a knight, the tall foreign-looking boy, the aristocratic blonde who'd arrived in the limousine, Evander of no last name, and Elliot Craig who'd introduced himself during the speech were left alone together in the auditorium. It took all of five seconds for Evander to start acting weird again, muttering to himself and picking at the sleeves of his uniform, finally he stood up with a disgusted look on his face.

"Red! Why'd it have to be red!?" he demanded, looking at each of his new classmates in turn.

"What's wrong with red?" asked Elliot, nervously and presumably unconsciously tugging on a lock of his own bright ginger hair as he spoke.

"It repulses me!" announced Evander, "it is, without a doubt, the worst colour on earth!"

"Do you have erythrophobia?" asked a bespectacled girl with her hair pulled back in a long plait down her back, peering at him curiously.

"Erythrophobia?" scoffed Evander, "I don't know the meaning of the word!"

"Then why_"

"No seriously. I don't know the meaning of the word. What does it mean?" the blonde-haired girl snorted at this, thinking he was making a joke, but when his serious expression didn't readily fade it soon became clear he was completely serious.

"It's the irrational fear of the colour red," explained another severe looking boy who also wore glasses. "How can you not know that?"

"I didn't know that," said the tall foreigner, leaning easily against a wall looking totally relaxed, "you shouldn't be so quick to judge."

"That's not what I meant," said the glasses-wearing boy, "I was sitting next him during the speech and the whole time he was doing advanced mathematics under his breath, counting things around the room quickly and accurately. I just thought if he could do that_ wait, what's your name?" he asked Evander.

"Evander," he answered, again, leaving out a last name and not even looking in the boy's direction, too busy fussing with his sleeves, one of which he'd become convinced was longer than the other. "And I didn't think that was advanced mathematics. Nobody taught me that, I just had to figure out ways to speed up counting otherwise I'd never get anything done."

"Evander who?" the intense boy thought about it for a moment, "I can't recall seeing any Evander on the entrance exam rankings. Where did you place?"

"Nowhere. I didn't take the entrance exam. It would have been pointless."

"Excuse me!? What? Do you believe yourself so clever that the exam would have been beneath you!? I bet you're some sort of high and mighty noble lord gracing us with your presence. Such arrogance!" The aristocratic blonde boy shot him a scornful sneer, which he didn't even notice, worked up as he was. "I suppose some exemption was made for the great Evander, who shouldn't have to suffer through exams like the rest of us mere mortals!" Evander stared at him, nonplussed, and then finally blurted out a non-sequitur.

"How much coffee did you have this morning?"

"How did you_!? I mean, what does that have to do with anything? Are you saying I'm delirious with caffeine? Or just registering your disdain for such a low-class beverage?"

"You reek of coffee beans," said Evander, pointedly sniffing the air, "and old dust. Like from library books that no one else reads. And there are bags under your eyes. Were you up all night reading?"

"What are you? A magic act at a carnival? None of that matters! I want to know why you were exempt from the entrance exam. What is your family name!? Who are you!?"

"The exam wasn't beneath me. It was above me. I was given a special verbal examination instead because I probably wouldn't have been able to read half the questions on the entrance exam. Or write answers that anyone could understand to the ones I could read. I never went to Sunday school. I picked up a few things here and there, and I'm good with numbers out of necessity. But other than that, I'm borderline illiterate. As for my family name, I wish I knew that myself. I don't live with my birth family, never met them."

"Oh," the spectacled boy couldn't think of anything to say to that for the moment, so instead he whirled around to address the only adult in the room, a woman who'd been lounging in the corner, watching the fireworks with obvious amusement. "What sort of class is this!? I didn't know I'd be subjected to the company of illiterate imbeciles!"

"As opposed to the literate imbeciles you so clearly prefer?" drawled the blonde boy, enraging the pompous boy, but before he could reply, a small silver haired girl interjected.

"I didn't go to school either, does that make an illiterate imbecile too?" she asked in a bored voice.

"Uh, I meant no offence, young lady" he suddenly appeared a little abashed, "to either of you," he added, glancing at Evander, "It's just well, I scored second on the entrance exam, and I thought_"

"Ah, Machias Regnitz I presume?" asked the girl with long plaited hair. "You were right behind me, I'm Emma Millstein. I'm really pleased to make your acquaintance; it'll be a pleasure to have such strong academic competition this year." Whether she actually believed this or was just trying to defuse the situation would forever be unknown, because she succeeded only in drawing Evander's attention to herself. He made a beeline for her, and then started slowly circling around her, staring intensely. "Uh, so, Evander, was it?" she laughed a little nervously, "any other interesting phobias or pet peeves we should know about?"

"Too many to list with any great accuracy," he replied distractedly, before stopping directly in front of her and frowning. "There's something wrong with you," he announced loudly. "You smell off."

"Excuse me!?" Emma stumbled back and blushed.

"Hm, what a perfectly churlish thing to say to a lady," observed the blue-haired girl, eying him coldly.

"It's nothing to do with being a lady," said Evander, jerking his thumb back in Rean's direction, "he smells wrong too. Not that he's a lady, but, you know. I mean, you smell normal," he said, walking closer to her and sniffing the air, "like sweat and blade oil," he added and started listing the exact ingredients of said blade oil, but she cut him off.

"Kindly refrain from sniffing your nose in my direction again lest I remove it," she said stiffly, "that is completely unacceptable."

"You wield a sword," observed Evander, "from your stance, a large one held in a two-handed grip. You were tense, so you rose early and trained this morning before oiling your sword. Am I right?"

"I don't see how that's any of your business. I might ask you a similar question."

"Oh yes. I have a sword as well, two actually."

"The question I was referring to was, 'are you right?'" said the girl, "with the addendum of; 'in the head'. But while we're on the subject, two swords, does that mean you are student of the dual wield Vander Style?"

"No, I wanted to travel to the capital or to Parm to try and study at one of their training halls, but my guardians said that would be a terrible idea. I've never left Celdic to be honest. I met a travelling master of Devil's Whirlwind School and learned from him instead."

"The Devil's Whirlwind?" the blue haired knight looked impressed in spite of herself, "that school requires incredible dedication to master even the novice level. It takes unparalleled mental and physical dexterity to perform with any great skill. You must be ambidextrous at the very least."

"Ambidextrous? Why would I need to be a lawyer?"

"Whoo boy someone isn't playing with a full deck of cards," said the blonde girl, "did you miss school because you were in an insane asylum by any chance?"

"It means one who is dextrous in both their right and left hands," explained Machias, "you must have confused it with the word 'Ambidexter,' which a derogative term for a crooked lawyer that takes money from both parties in a dispute."

"That's the one," said Evander offhandedly, "all the lawyers that sniff around my family's farm are called ambidexters. Asking all sorts of strange questions like_" he paused and fixated suddenly on the silver haired girl, sniffing the air again. "You, are you familiar with the use and creation of explosive devices?"

"They ask you that?" asked Rean, sounding a little confused.

"He was asking me," said the younger girl, "and yes, I am."

"Wait, what!?" demanded Machias. "What is this? Why was I placed in this group!?"

"Thought so," said Evander, "I can smell the chemicals on you," he pulled a face, "they stink, you should wash your hands more after using them."

"Wow, you really know how to sweet talk a girl, don't you?" she drawled sarcastically.

"Wouldn't have a clue," said Evander, shrugging, "couldn't care less about it either. But I'm trying to form a social connection with this group by observing your hobbies. You," he rounded on the blonde girl, "were you soldering a circuit board recently? And you," he turned to the noble boy, "you have a horse, one you rode quite recently. You play an instrument," he said to Elliot, "from the strings section, a violin, or a cello maybe? Something small to suit your stature. You've been rosining up a bow, I can smell the oil you used. And someone here has been near a cat recently," he sniffed the air again and sneezed suddenly and explosively, making Elliot jump.

"Aidios bless you," he said reflexively.

"I doubt that very much," said Evander drily. "Keep that cat away from me. I hate cats. And they hate me. Actually, most animals don't get along with me. There's something else in the air. One of you has been up all-night boozing and eating junk food. It's coming from_"

"Okaaaaay!" the woman who'd been watching them jumped up from her chair and interrupted, "that's quite enough of that! You wanted answers Machias Regnitz? What is this group you ask? Well follow me, dear students, and all your questions shall be answered after a short orienteering exercise!"

Scene Break Here

The woman, who introduced herself as their instructor, Sara Valestein, led them out of the auditorium and into the bright sunlight for a short trek across campus. In a stark contrast to his, loud, obnoxious behaviour from inside Evander was as quiet as a lamb during the walk. He almost seemed to have wilted in the sunlight, looking even more starkly pale and frail than before. Even though the walk, seemingly towards an old abandoned building, was quite short, Evander was soon lagging drastically behind, holding up the group.

"Sorry," he apologised between deep, gasping breaths, "it's the sun. The sun kills me something terribly."

"While I hesitate to agree with the likes of Regnitz," started the blonde boy, "is an illiterate heliophobe really a suitable student for such a fine institution? I was led to believe this academy's prestige was well earned."

"I've had just about enough of your snide little interjections," snapped Machias, "just who are you anyway? Apart from a royal pain, that is."

"You have the distinct pleasure of addressing Jusis Albarea," he said, inclining his head in a mocking parody of a respectful bow. "Though surely a mere mortal compared to the son of the imperial governor."

"I don't believe it!" yelled Evander.

"I know," said Elliot, almost quaking in his boots, "House Albarea is one of the four great houses!"

"Not that! See that cloud over there," he pointed up at a tiny speck in the distant sky, "it's going to rain, I can feel it in my bones. I can't stand the rain."

"Don't tell me you're hydrophobic too?" asked the blue haired sword wielder, "if only you feared poor manners, then perhaps you would not have made such a bad impression."

"I made a bad impression?" wheezed Evander, still trying to catch his breath, looking baffled. "What did I do wrong?"

"You sniffed her," said the blonde girl, "it doesn't get much worse. And sorry, but hydrophobic means water repelling, not the fear of water. A company in Roer specialises in producing the latest fashions, only treated to be hydrophobic so they can be worn in inclement weather." She noticed everyone was staring at her and blinked. "What?"

"Who are you exactly?" asked Macchias, "Evander said you were soldering circuit boards earlier, and I hadn't even heard about that company in Roer."

"What!? Don't listen to him, he's crazy! I'm just a normal, uninteresting girl whose life you shouldn't pry into. Alisa Re_ R. Alisa R. And that's all you need to know!"

"Oh great," Machias rolled his eyes, "First Evander has no last name and now you just have an initial. What is this? A meeting of Schizophrenics Anonymous?"

"If it were, I suspect nobody would have turned up, being paranoid and all," observed Evander, he gave Machias a considering look, "you aren't very bright, are you?"

"Why you little_!?"

"I thought hydrophobia was another name for Rabies," observed the tall boy, just to break the tension that followed, "because you can't drink water after being infected."

"He doesn't have rabies, does he?" asked Elliot nervously, "only I saw a dog with that once, and it was like it was possessed."

"I don't have rabies," said Evander, trying to smile reassuringly and only succeeding in showing some impressively sharp teeth, "I'm not foaming at the mouth and trying to bite people."

"Just sniffing them," observed Alisa.

"Are you ever going to let that go? I didn't know I shouldn't do that."

"Sure, I'll let that go, when I find a bigger weirdo to talk about."

"All of you are wrong anyway," said Machias, "fear of water is thalassophobia."

"That's fear of deep water, not water in general," Emma corrected him, "I think we're after aquaphobia."

"I was going to say that too, if you'd let me finish," said Macchias, shooting her an annoyed look. The small silver-haired girl yawned loudly and pointedly. Machias glared at her as well.

"Are we boring you?"

"Yes," she answered, bluntly and unapologetically.

"Why, you little brat! Who do you think you are?"

"Fie Clausell, should I think I'm someone else? Cause that sounds boring and insane."

"Since we're all giving our names," said Rean quickly, before Machias could flare up again, "I'm Rean Schwarzer. Nice to meet all of you."

"Gaius Worzel," added the tall boy, "likewise, it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

"Laura S. Arseid," said the blue haired girl, completing the introductions. "I hope we will all work well together."

"Hellllllllooo! What's the hold up?" demanded Sara, doubling back to check on the group.

"Sorry instructor," said Evander, "it's the sun. I told you I couldn't do this."

"Nuh uh, remember our deal Evander, no complaining! You don't want to break your word, do you?"

"No instructor," sighed Evander, "I'll manage. Just give me a second." He shrugged his way out of his uniform jacket and used the sleeves to tie it around his head as a makeshift shield from the sun. He looked patently ridiculous, and Emma couldn't help but giggle at the sight of him. "What?" he asked.

"Sorry, it's just you look_uh…"

"Ridiculous," supplied Fie.

"Like a jester," added Laura, laughing pleasantly.

"No! Well, yes. Sorry!" Evander glared at the three of them and stalked off after Sara. Rean caught up with him after a moment and the two walked together silently for a moment while Rean tried to process something.

"You spoke to the instructor like you knew her," he said finally, "did you two meet before today?"

"Yes," said Evander after a long pause, "we met before today. When she came to kill me but saved my life instead."

"Huh?" Rean stopped dead, but Evander, seemingly unaware that he'd said anything unusual, continued walking, leaving Rean behind. Rean stared after him for a moment, then shook his head in amazement. "I don't think I'm ever going to get used to this," he muttered. "And it's not even midday."

Scene Break Here

It soon became clear that Sara's idea of orienteering was slightly more dangerous than most people's, involving the use seemingly deadly pit traps. After a brief conversation in the abandoned schoolhouse where she explained exactly nothing of value, she had skipped back a step and hit a pressure plate on the wall. With frightening speed, a seam opened up in the floor and tilted sharply into a downward slope, sending all but two of the students plummeting into a dark abyss. Fie escaped by suspending herself from the ceiling with the use of some sort of grappling device and Evander, with a foresight bordering on prescience seemed to realise what was happening well before anyone else did and performed an inhuman leap to safety on the other side of the pit just before the floor gave way. Apparently, his weakness had vanished the moment he'd stepped inside the old schoolhouse. He unwound his jacket from around his head and eyed Fie with a sort of wary respect.

"You're fast," he observed, "faster than most people I suspect."

"You're kind of fast too," replied Fie, as if it were perfectly normal to have a conversation while hanging from the ceiling. "What warned you the floor was going to give?"

"The gears under the floor gave off a loud click and groaned before the mechanism to drop the floor kicked in," he told her, "gave me a second to move. How'd you react so fast?" If it were possible to shrug while suspended on a wire, Fie did it.

"I just did."

"I should have known you two would be trouble," sighed Sara, "Fie, remember what we discussed? It's pointless you coming here if you don't at least try to make friends with your peers. Showing off doesn't help with that."

"I'm talking to him, aren't I?"

"Eh, Evander wouldn't be my first choice, and you two bragging about being little weirdoes isn't much of a conversation" said Sara, rather rudely for someone who was supposed to be a teacher and a role model. "If you want the normal academy experience, I'd probably start somewhere else. No excuses, get down there," with her a flick of her wrist Sara severed the wire suspending Fie with a throwing knife, sending the girl falling into the depths.

"This is so lame!" protested Fie, her voice floating up from the darkness, fading as she fell.

"And as for you Evander, didn't I tell you to keep a low profile? Let your classmates figure things out slowly? Maybe I need to enrol you in an obedience school instead, hmm?"

"Sure, tell me the name of the one you dropped out of," scoffed Evander, "you've been drinking again, I can smell your breath from over_" quicker than a flash Sara crossed the pit in an impressive bound, landed beside Evander and flicked him square in the forehead with one finger. At least that's what it looked like, Evander reacted more like he'd been poleaxed, staggering backwards until one foot yawned over the abyss. He windmilled his arms wildly but was unable to correct himself, toppling backwards and out of sight.

"That's no way to talk to a lady!" she called after him, then, making sure she was alone, quickly puffed a breath into her hand held up to her face to check the smell. "And my breath does not stink!"

Scene Break Here

When Evander landed, catlike and unharmed despite his previous fears as to the lethality of the trap, he immediately realised that something awkward had happened in his brief absence which was strange for two reasons. One, that Evander had noticed at all pointed at whatever had happened being extremely awkward, and two, that he hadn't been the cause of it this time. Alisa looked absolutely furious at Rean of all people and appeared to have struck him forcibly in the face.

"What'd I miss?" he asked, looking between the two of them. No one answered for a few seconds before Fie cut in bluntly.

"You got your wish."

"Excuse me?"

"Alisa found a bigger weirdo to talk about."

"He sniffed her?"

"He did more than that."

"You, and you, shut up!" snapped Alisa, "and you," she looked at Rean with a glare so icy it could curdle milk, "stay away from me!" She stalked off to the other side of the room, leaving a horribly embarrassed looking Rean behind.

"And just like that, I'm not the weirdo anymore," said Evander.

"I wouldn't speak so soon," said Laura, peering at him suspiciously, "just how did you avoid that trap?"

"What are you harassing me for! Fie dodged it too!"

"True, but Fie also proved capable of completing a five-minute walk without near collapsing. So, either your previous weakness was feigned, or you're playing some other sort of game with us. I don't appreciate deceitful gambits; I warn you now. Think long and hard before you try to pull the wool over my eyes." Further accusations were delayed were Sara's voice started coming out of their Arcus units. Of course, everyone was momentarily confused, but none more so than Evander, who seemed confused by their confusion.

"Wait, you can hear that too?" he asked, "it's not in my head?"

"Is there a pill you were supposed to take this morning?" asked Macchias.

"A pill?" said Fie, "you sure he should have stopped at one?"

"Some people," said Alisa, shooting Rean a filthy look, "can't stop themselves at all." Rean spent the whole explanation of their exercise that Sara gave squirming uncomfortably and shooting apologetic looks at Alisa. He was so obviously distressed by what had happened that Evander felt sorry for him. He knew what it was like to be the strangest guy in the room.

"Oh, what the heck," he muttered quietly to himself as he decided to take some of the heat off Rean, "I'm not the weirdo this group deserves. But I'm the one they need. I'm sorry," he said loudly, "but we need to face facts. There is something wrong with that girl!" he pointed at Emma, "I'm telling you; I've never smelt anything so bizarre! She smells like sunlight! Like a clear mountain spring, like obscure herbs and ancient words." Emma looked embarrassed of course, that was to be expected, but Rean could have sworn she looked slightly guilty as well, and a little afraid.

"Oh uh. I'm sorry, it must be my new perfume, it is a little strong."

"Ah, that famous scent, obscure herbs and ancient words," drawled Fie. "Is anyone here sane? I'm out of here, before I catch a severe case of crazy," the girl, now armed with her gunswords, dashed off into the catacombs beyond the door without another word. Jusis observed the rest of the group with his usual haughty stare, and then turned around and started to walk off.

"And just where do you think you're going?" demanded Machias, "I suppose the great Lord Jusis has something better to do?"

"Not as such," replied Jusis, "but at least out there I'll be mercifully free from the company of arrogant imbeciles and deranged lunatics."

"How dare you!?"

"Am I the imbecile or the lunatic?" asked Evander loudly, trying to forestall another blow up between the two boys. It worked, sort of. Machias turned a withering glare onto him long enough for Jusis to depart without another word.

"There are worse things to be," said Alisa, glaring at Rean again, "I'm going too, before I'm left alone with him," she turned to Laura and Emma, "would either of you care to join me?" The two of them agreed, and the three of them left together, leaving Machias, Elliot, Gaius, Rean and Evander as the last people standing alone in the entrance.

"I appreciate what you tried to do, thanks Evander," said Rean, catching the strange boy's attention, "but I got myself in this mess, I shouldn't have to rope you into getting me out of it. And Emma didn't deserve that."

"I have no idea what you're talking about," said Evander, loudly and falsely, "I'm going to seek out the company of someone who doesn't talk in riddles and gibberish. Namely, myself," he walked off, unsheathing his swords as he went.

"What were you thanking him for?" asked Machias, "making an astonishingly crass fool of himself? And shouldn't someone go after those young ladies? I don't feel quite comfortable letting them roam around in the dark, facing Aidios knows what down here."

"They'll be fine, Laura at least can handle herself," observed Gaius, "probably better than most of us. And that's exactly what Rean was thanking him for. He figured out that Rean had offended Alisa somehow and strove to make himself a worse target in sympathy. Fortunately, Emma doesn't seem the type to hold a grudge over his theatrics."

"Oh," said Elliot, "that was… surprisingly nice of him. In his own way, I guess. Maybe he isn't so bad. Should someone tell Emma what he was doing? So she understands?"

"Yeah, I think I'll do that," offered Rean, "he's strange, but I think he means well."

"Hmm, I'm not sure I'm as ready as you are to give him the benefit of the doubt," said Machias, "but at least I can guarantee he isn't a noble, like that stuck up, prat, Jusis Albarea. If this doesn't come across as too personal, may I inquire as to class status of rest of you?"

"Easy, I don't have a place in your class system at all," said Gaius, "I'm on exchange from another land."

"I'm a commoner," said Elliot, "my father is a soldier, not a lord or anything like that."

"And I don't have a drop of noble blood myself," said Rean, "not that you should judge one by that."

"I know," said Machias hastily, "I'm sure not all nobles are like him, but knowing we're all on equal footing here makes me feel better. Shall we stick together? Safety in numbers and all that?"

"I'd be good with that," said Elliot, "and I kind of get your point, I'm always a little nervous around nobles myself. It'll be relaxing not having to watch my words every time I open my mouth, at least for a while."

"I wouldn't worry about it so much, Elliot," said Rean, "noble, commoner, we're not so different in the end. We're all human."

"Even Evander?" asked Elliot wryly.

"Him? He might be just a little different," said Rean with a chuckle. "Just a little."

Scene Break Here

The labyrinth beyond the well-lit wide-open room the group had found their weapons waiting for them in was dark and packed with vicious monsters. The winding passages were only sparsely lit by the odd magical fire burning in wall scones and every turn could potentially bring you face to face with ghouls galore. Fie proved she not only had catlike grace and reflexes, but apparently, she could see in the dark almost as well as one, dashing through the tunnels like the darkness wasn't the slightest impediment to her. She was moving at a breakneck pace, dodging around monsters with ease, springing off walls and leaping down massive drops like it was nothing. Her plan was quickly scope out a path to the exit, so she could leave if she got bored anytime soon, and then double back and see how some of the other students were doing. Out of curiosity only though, regardless of Sara's admonishment, she wasn't sure that making friends was in her skillset. Nor was she sure she even wanted to try. Already the group had been a hot mess of infighting and weirdness that just made her want to go off and take a nap somewhere quiet. Speaking of quiet, she picked up another sound, coming from a few twists and turns back along the path.

It sounded like someone was fighting a large group of monsters in her wake, and she realised that someone must have stumbled into the huge pack of monsters she'd pulled into chasing after her as she'd dashed past them in the dark. There were the grunts and howls and screams of the wild beasts, punctuated by the whisper of razor-sharp steel cutting the air with frightening regularity. A swordsman, she thought, faster than that massive cleaver of Laura's. One of the boys then. Rean and Jusis both used swords, but as she listened more to the timing of the slashes, she became convinced whoever it was wielded two blades, not one, leaving only one candidate. Evander, she frowned, that mad boy was like a flea she couldn't shake. He had no right being that fast, not without earning it, like she had. She doubled back to watch him fight, coming to a stop in a smaller chamber where Evander was indeed holding off a horde of monsters. He wove around them like quicksilver, striking again and again and then dashing away before they could pin him down, flitting around the chamber like a ghost. And even though Fie thought she'd been completely silent he suddenly whipped around and stared at her, his eyes, previously black as night, seeming to almost glow in the dark. He only looked at her for a moment, before being forced do dodge around some slimy tentacle or claw, but she knew she'd been seen. It was kind of unnerving.

"Are you going to help?" he asked suddenly, "or just watch?"

"Watch I suppose," said Fie, covering her mouth to ineffectively block out the huge yawn that followed. "Do you have a problem with that?"

"Not really, though it is your mess I'm cleaning up."

"Fair enough, this should slow them down," Fie reached into a hidden pouch and pulled out a fist full of caltrops which she expertly threw down at the other entrance to the chamber, creating a painful impediment to entry. Sure enough, any reinforcements the monsters might have received quickly fell back from the room, looking for another way in, yelping in pain all the way. Which would have been a great help to Evander in finishing off the rest, if he hadn't suddenly let out a horrified groan and ignored them all. While Fie watched, completely baffled, he darted around the monsters still engaged with him and made a beeline for the field of caltrops and, dropping to his knees, and proceeded to start counting them out loud. Realising he was incapable of defending himself in this state, Fie finally roused herself to assist, letting off a punishing salvo of steel and gunfire to obliterate the remainders of the swarm in a matter of minutes. In that time Evander had finished counting once, and was going over his number again.

"Why would you do that?" asked Fie, the barest hint of emotion creeping into her usually apathetic, sing-song voice. "Why'd you stop and count? They could have got you." She sounded almost angry at him.

"I don't know what it's called," said Evander, sounding frustrated, "you can ask Emma or Machias for some fancy name. I just know I have to do it. And now that I've done the number of whole caltrops, now I have to count the total of spikes on all of them together. Then each drop of blood they spilled. So sorry, for being such an inconvenience, but I'll be here for a while. So just go."

"Okay," said Fie, returning to her usual bored tone after a few seconds of silence, "return them when you're finished, or you owe me mira for them," with that she dashed off. Evander remained behind, counting quickly, yet carefully, until he just finished all his tasks when he heard voices approaching from down the tunnel. Knowing he had no time to gather up the caltrops before the new arrivals stumbled over them in the dark, he decided to intercept them. He nimbly leapt over the field of caltrops and headed around the corner, calling out to whoever was coming.

"Don't go this way! It's trapped," Elliot, Rean, Gaius and Machias came into view, hearing Evander first, rather than seeing him in the dim light, and stopping.

"There are traps in here too?" said Elliot. "What is wrong with this place? We just got ambushed by a whole pack of monsters coming the other way. Luckily, they could barely walk."

"Ah," said Rean, "yes, a trap would explain their injuries. This place is more dangerous than I first assumed. I'm impressed, it's a real challenge." Elliot looked at him with wide eyes.

"I get the feeling I'm really out of my depth here," he said nervously, "I'm barely holding it together, and you seem almost like you're coming alive down here."

"That Sara Valestein has a lot of explaining to do!" fumed Machias, changing the subject. "I refuse to believe it is standard Thors protocol to dump students in dark death traps. The monsters were numerous enough, but traps now too? And how did you get here so fast? You barely left a minute or so before us, but you've had to time to be scouting around for traps? I'm beginning to suspect Miss Arseid was right about you."

"Peace Machias," said Gaius, "do not look for enemies where there are none, lest the Winds bring them to you. If Evander is keeping secrets, I trust he has good reason to do so. He could have let us blunder into those traps, if he had the wont to. But he stayed to warn us. So whatever the source of his talent, it has come in handy."

"Thank you, for your trust," said Evander, looking mildly touched, "you must have passed a passage on your left-hand side on the way here?" Rean nodded, "we should go back that way, I think it'll take us around the trap. If you are not averse to me joining you, that is."

"We don't mind, do we guys?" asked Elliot, looking around the group and getting nods from everyone else, somewhat reluctantly from Macchias admittedly. "And uh, I'm sorry about the rabies thing earlier. I know you couldn't have had rabies; the school wouldn't have allowed that, I just wasn't thinking straight. You were acting so strangely, and everyone was bandying those terms around."

"Don't worry about it, I've been accused of worse," said Evander laughing, giving Rean a flashback to outside, when the boy had casually mentioned an attempt on his life. "Follow me, I'll lead the way." He led them back the way they'd come, this time turning down the lefthand passage and going a circuitous route around to the way they were going before. Machias started chunnering away under his breath, noticing that while he and the others were reduced to feeling their way along the walls at some of the darker sections of tunnels, Evander was striding ahead like the darkness was nothing.

"Is he trying to get himself killed?" hissed Machias to others, "barrelling ahead through the dark like that, last time I checked schizophrenia didn't give you night vision."

"It also doesn't give you sharper hearing," said Evander, stopping suddenly and turning around to face them, "yet I seem to have both those traits, don't I? Stop for a second, there's someone up ahead," he frowned in concentration, "Jusis Albarea."

"And how could you possibly know that?" demanded Machias, red with embarrassment at being overhead and blustering with indignation to cover it up. "Are you psychic now as well as psychotic?"

"Only when it's dark and the wind howls," said Evander sarcastically, "but until then, no. I can hear a sword. And since I'm assuming Laura Arseid fights using the Arseid school of swordsmanship, it's not her. It's a lighter blade, and the rhythm is… court fencing if I'm not mistaken. So Jusis Albarea, or someone very much like him."

"You said you were a farmer," said Macchias, "how does a farmer pick up so much combat science knowledge?"

"I didn't say I was a farmer. I said my family had a farm. There's a difference."

"Then what did your parents do before they bought a farm that they apparently don't use for farming? Juggle swords in the circus?"

"I don't know."

"How can you not know?"

"My mother died very shortly after I was born. She was… ill. I never knew my father, I understand he died around the same time." Macchias suddenly seemed ashamed, and not only that, but his expression also softened considerably. Rean could have sworn he saw a flash of compassion and maybe understanding, flash through his eyes, for a brief moment in the dim light.

"I'm sorry for your loss. If it makes any difference, I lost someone very dear to me when I was young too. I know it's not the same_"

"It is the same," said Evander, "loss is loss. Pain is pain. Grief is grief. Whether you lose a daughter or a dog. A friend or a frog. I don't presume to pretend my suffering is greater than yours, or worth more, like some point scoring gambit. For what it's worth, I'm sorry for your loss too. Let's not dwell on it."

"I just want to say," said Machias stiffly, obviously finding this difficulty, "perhaps some…eccentricity, is to be expected. And not so readily condemned."

"Oh bravo!" during the conversation Jusis appeared to have finished whatever combat he was in and crept up on them. He gave a sarcastic slow clap. "Well done Regnitz, now that you've forgiven the insane for their madness, maybe you'll move on to curing them. Saint Machias shall we say? Want to try laying on healing hands?"

"I'll lay hands on you, you pompous mollycoddled pampered relic of an outdated class system! Then you'll need healing!"

"We heard there was fighting up ahead, I assume that was you?" interrupted Gaius, over their constant bickering like everyone else was. "Is the way ahead clear?"

"It is now," said Jusis, sheathing his blade pointedly. "if you wish to follow me to safety, I would only be too pleased. Call it my sense of noblesse oblige," he added, deliberately egging Machias on. "After all, it is the duty of the high born to shield their lessers from the dangers they cannot handle." Machias lost his temper completely and lunged for Jusis, hands outstretched, but Rean was quicker, grabbing the other boy and restraining him. Evander gave Jusis a frustrated look.

"Do you have to do that?" he said, "as far as I'm concerned. Blood is blood, yours is no bluer than his. Such petty bickering is as common as it gets."

"What do you mean by that?" demanded Jusis sharply, Evander's words hitting a nerve for some reason. "What did you hear?" Before Evander could attempt to answer, Machias tore himself free.

"Enough!" he snapped, "If I stay here in the presence of this braying ass, puffed up on his own false nobility I'll do something I regret. I'm going to get some space!" he stormed off.

"Regnitz, in his own backwards way, had a decent idea," said Jusis coldly, eying Evander suspiciously. "I think I'll take my leave as well."

"Wait! Whatever you think I was referring to_"

"If you truly do not know what you were saying, know enough that you have blundered where you should not and take heed in future," said Jusis, "and if you are, like Lady Arseid suspects, trying to run rings around us with this mad dog and pony side show act, know that I, regardless of any standing in House Albarea, am not one to trifle with. Good day," he stalked off as well, in the opposite direction to Machias.

"I really didn't mean to set him off like that," protested Evander, turning back to face the others. "Should I go after him?"

"Uh, I wouldn't recommend it," said Elliot. "He seemed pretty steamed up about something you said. And he could make a lot of trouble for you, if you get on his bad side."

"You're probably right," sighed Evander. "It's like I just unconsciously put my foot right into my mouth every time."

"It's true," said Gaius, "you do seem to have an easy time provoking others, I admit, I myself feel an ill wind is whirling about you, that I cannot quite explain."

"It's probably for the best they both left," mused Rean, "this way we're, shall we say, neutral in their conflict. That'll make it easier to patch things up between them later, if they don't feel we're taking sides."

"You barely met them and you're already thinking of helping them get along," said Elliot, with a faint hint of amazement in his voice, "you're really something else Rean. Most people would just leave them to it. I know I'm tempted to. This situation is stressful enough."

"I don't think it's that special," said Rean, shrugging awkwardly at the attention, "if I can help, I will. It's as simple as that. It'd be harder for me to watch and do nothing." Evander watched as Elliot and Gaius nodded at this, eying Rean with newfound respect, and felt a pang of envy. It seemed Rean's gift with words was almost a warped mirror to his own blundering, clumsy and offensive speech. He turned away from the group, squashing the feeling.

"Rean," he said abruptly, not looking at the dark-haired boy, "your eyes seem to have adjusted faster than the others. I trust you can lead them out of here?"

"I wouldn't say I can see that much better than_"

"Then I'll leave them in your capable hands, I need to sort things out with Jusis, before they fester and rot," he practically hurtled off into the darkness, not wanting to see or hear anything more from the group behind him.

"Gaius," said Elliot quietly, "what did you mean earlier about that ill wind circling him? Only because I'm not exactly the most spiritually sensitive person, but I was almost immediately nervous around him, before he'd even opened his mouth. That's why I blurted out that stuff about rabies outside the schoolhouse."

"I wasn't nervous exactly," said Gaius, "but I got a chill, looking at him. What about you Rean?"

"Not really," admitted Rean, "I didn't think much of anything when I met him, other than that he was a little odd. But I have been called oblivious more than once, my little sister has no end of trouble pointing out things that should be obvious. He did seem a little weird about the Septian Church, but that's it."

"Do you think he's some sort of pagan?" asked Elliot, "I know animism is still prevalent in the rural areas."

"And yet most animist beliefs exist peacefully alongside the Septian faith," said Gaius, "in my own homeland, we worship the Wind, as well as the Goddess, and one is not greater than the other. Yet I would not fear to set foot into a church. In fact, Rean met me in the chapel only this morning."

"Evander isn't the only strange thing about this group, haven't you noticed?" said Rean, "nobles, commoners, exchange students. Machias was right, Sara does owe us some answers. Something very unusual is going on here."

Scene Break Here

Fie had gone back to her original plan after her brief meeting with Evander, only this time she took the time to dispose of any monsters she came across on the way to the exit to avoid a repeat of the previous issue. Even with this slowing her down, she still reached what appeared to be the exit well ahead of the rest of the pack. She thought about going up the stairs and putting this nonsense well behind her, but the thought of Sara waiting up there and giving her a lecture about turning up alone without making an effort to befriend her new classmates put her off the idea. She headed back the way she'd come, deciding to explore alternate routes and clear up any monsters the others hadn't hit yet, to get this over with. She jumped over a high stone balcony and landed carefully in the large open space she'd crossed moments before. Just like last time, she sensed something, powerful and evil, waiting just out of sight. It made her skin crawl, like she was being watched. Well she was being watched, but it was just Evander again, and he wasn't the strange presence she was thinking about it. It seemed concentrated near a row of menacing grotesque statues.

"You sense it too, don't you?" asked Evander, stepping clearly into view. "There's something here, waiting." He taken his jacket off again and had it bundled up in his hands, held out in front of him. "Not for us. Or for just the two of us anyway. Maybe it just wants one of us, or all of us. But I don't think it'll come for just us."

"You're kind of a weirdo aren't you?" observed Fie, cocking her head sideways like a bird and peering at him, she held her hands out, "caltrops please." She hadn't really been expecting him to collect them, and was asking more to throw him off balance, but it turned out he'd found the time to go back and pick them all up, and they were bundled up in his jacket. He carefully handed the bundled jacket over to her, trying to avoid cutting her. Obviously the standard uniform jacket wasn't armoured, and the razor sharp caltrop points had riddled his with holes, making the whole bundle rather like a steel hedgehog with caltrop tines poking out all over the place. Fie took it, unwrapped it and began deftly picking up each caltrop safely and depositing them back into their concealed pouch. "Why did you bother getting these for me?" she asked. "I was only joking. You must have cut your hands to bits picking them up in such a hurry. And you still got here ahead of the others."

"I didn't know you were joking, and well, you asked. I do what I'm asked."

"Always?"

"If I don't find fault, yes. It's one of my rules."

"Like the counting?"

"It's strange to you, I understand. But I need order in my head. Or else bad things happen."

"At least have someone look at your hands," said Fie, "if you're going to destroy yourself, don't do it on my say so."

"My hands are fine," said Evander, hold them out and splaying the fingers, all unmarked. Well mostly unmarked, Fie thought she saw some faint scarring on them, but that had to be an older wound, because no one healed that fast. "I couldn't get them all, I think some monsters ran off with them stuck in their feet. I'll pay you, like you asked." He fished around in his pockets and produced some mira coins and tried to hand them to her. She wouldn't take them though, pushing his hand away.

"I can't accept that."

"And I can't leave a debt unpaid," insisted Evander, "take the mira."

"No, I didn't mean I couldn't take it because I'm too proud. I'm not taking it because it's not enough mira. Those were custom Jaeger issue caltrops, they'd pierce through just about anything without warping or snapping."

"How much for them then?" she told him the price and his jaw dropped. "I uh, can't afford that."

"Then you should be more careful in future," Fie yawned, taking the sting out of her admonishment, "lucky you have two years to find the money, huh?"

"Okay, I'll get it somehow."

"You'd better."

"Alright then, it's a promise. Oh, and did you see Jusis anywhere on your travels?"

"Yep," said Fie, and proceeded to describe the best way to reach him. "Why'd you want to see him for? Did you tell him he smelt bad too?"

"Something like that," admitted Evander, "I need to apologise. Can I have my jacket back?" She wordlessly handed it back to him and watched him put it back on even though it was full of holes.

"You look like a hobo," she said finally.

"Do you have any sort of filter between your mouth and your brain?"

"Look who's talking."

"Fair point. See you!" She waited until he was gone and then let a sly smile creep across her face. People always underestimated her because of her age and small stature. Those caltrops were a mira a dozen, but she'd convinced him they cost more like eighty thousand mira. He'd never get that amount together, whatever he promised. This way she didn't have to take his money without him hassling her about it. She had dropped him into a swarm of monsters, and her caltrops had done more harm than good. Fie Clausell didn't leave her debts unpaid either, and with a little ingenuity, she and Evander Cantrell were square.

Scene Break Here

Jusis parried a swiping claw and then counterattacked, cutting down the last of the half-dozen or so monsters that had tried to jump him in a small circular chamber. He was just about to lower his sword when he heard loud exaggerated footsteps behind him. He whirled around, adopting a defensive posture, only to see it was just Evander behind him, putting on a ridiculously exaggerated walk, like he had to make a conscious effort to walk audibly.

"What do you want?" he said tersely, "I have no time for jesters or conmen."

"I wanted to apologise if I accidentally said something that upset you earlier, no, please, let me finish," he held up a hand when Jusis tried to interrupt, "I swear, I don't know anything about you, or your family. Well, the people where I live complain a lot about the duke's taxes which I hear whenever I go into Celdic with my family to trade, but we live out on a remote farm, and the locals don't exactly like us. So that's all I hear. So whatever you think I know, I don't know. That's all. What I said, I just was pointing out the two of you aren't so different. Both intelligent, both proud. Both better than such schoolyard disputes." Jusis stared at him intensely, looking for any signs of deceit, and apparently finding none after a while, because he gave a curt nod.

"I would also like to say my own reaction was unbecoming. I jumped to conclusions. I hope as one of my father's subjects you don't find my actions to reflect harshly on my family. I believe you when you say you know nothing of me, because no one who knew me, or my family's reputation would speak to me in such a way. Or dare to compare me with Regnitz with any sincerity. You are, as you say, a simple country bumpkin, who knows nothing, and means no harm." That was about the closest anyone would get to an apology out of Jusis today, and Evander took it, rude as it was. "Do not get me wrong though, while I find your candour somewhat refreshing, surrounded by simpering sycophants as I so often am, I am content to tolerate your presence. Nothing more. We are not friends, or even friendly acquaintances, understood? I cannot put my finger on it, but something about you unsettles me. I mislike it and would rather see less of you in future."

"I know how to go unseen when I'm not wanted," said Evander, suddenly turning around and sniffing the air, "like now for example. The girls are coming," he pointed into the distance, "I've got to go. I can't face them after how I behaved." Jusis turned to look in the direction Evander had pointed and saw nothing.

"You should face up to your ridiculous_" he turned back around to find Evander had vanished into the gloom like he'd never been there at all. Moments later the girls arrived from the direction he'd pointed in, led by Laura, who was looking at him curiously.

"My apologies, I do not wish to seem rude, but were you talking to yourself just then? We heard your voice, but no answer," she said.

"No need to apologise, I am not a delicate vase, shattered by a misplaced word, I can assure you of that, Lady Laura. I was speaking to that jester, Evander. He turned up out of thin air, his jacket covered in rips and tears and holes, insisting on making some bizarre, half-baked apology for an earlier altercation. Then vanished just as fast when he, believe or not, seemed to smell you coming." Emma flushed again, and fiddled with her orbal staff nervously, making unneeded adjustments just to have something to do.

"Which way did he go?" demanded Laura, unsheathing her massive blade. "I need to have a serious conversation with Mister Evander. On the way here we found dozens of monsters, obviously cut down by someone wielding two swords. He turns up, plays a fool who cannot walk five paces, and yet is faster than lightning and displays a talent for battle far beyond that of a simple farmer. And when we ran into Machias Regnitz on the way here, fresh from some fracas with you, Lord Jusis, he claimed the boy could see in the dark like a bat. There is something not right about this."

"Uh, bats navigate by hearing, not sight," corrected Emma, "and please don't chase him Lady Laura, I'm sure Instructor Sara can explain all this. She seemed to know him, and I can't believe she would knowingly put us in danger."

"What do you call this place then!?" demanded Alisa, keeping an arrow nocked as she peered around the corner. "A picnic in the Lunaria Nature Park?"

"Danger we couldn't handle," amended Emma. "I don't think he's quite well, and if you scare him. I don't know how he'll take it. He might run off and we'll never see him again. I couldn't forgive myself if we ruined his education over a few meaningless suspicions."

"Oh you'll see him again," said Alisa, "the crazy ones always turn up again and again like a crooked mira. I'm only surprised we haven't run into that creep Rean again yet." As if her words were prophetic, Evander raced around the corner, looking desperate.

"You won't believe this," he gabbled, "but some huge fiend has cornered Rean, Elliot and Gaius. They're fighting hard but flagging, we need to help! Quick, they're close by here, follow me!"

"Wait!" called Laura, sword still out, "I need to check something."

"What do you_?" Laura lunged at him, lashing out with an arcing overhand cut without any warning. He dodged, just barely, staggering into the wall and nearly falling, but Laura didn't stop there. She flowed seamlessly into a horizontal cut aimed at chest height, swinging her blade around like it weighed nothing. Evander managed to get his guard up, blocking desperately with both swords and just barely stopping the blow. "What in the blazes!?" he choked out, "you nearly killed me!?"

"But I knew I wouldn't. Because even taken by surprise, you are a far better fighter than you let on. Don't insult me by pretending otherwise. That blow would have crippled a lesser combatant, at the very least. Why were you pretending to be so unfit earlier? What mind games are you playing with us?"

"I wasn't pretending!" snapped Evander, "look, it'll be easier to show you." Ignoring her own blade, inches from his chest, he dropped his own weapons careless to the floor and rolled back first the sleeves of his jacket, then the long sleeves of the white shirt underneath. Emma gasped, unable to help it, and Alisa couldn't look for long either, turning her face away and going pale. All up his arms was a vile oozing rash, some of it scabbed over, other parts red and raw. Only his hands were free of such marks. Without waiting for any comments, he bent over, almost banging his head on Laura's blade before she quickly whipped it out of the way, and rolled up his trouser legs too, showing similar marks on running up his legs. "I have a rare genetic condition," he said quietly, trying to look each of them in the eyes. Only Laura and Jusis would meet his gaze. "Among other things, I have an extreme allergy to sunlight. I'm okay for short periods, but the longer I'm outside in broad daylight, the worse it gets. First just an unbearable itch. Then my skin, even under thick clothes, starts to peel and flake off. Starting on my forearms and calves. Then comes muscle weakness and lethargy. If I'd been out there any longer, you'd have mistaken for the walking dead, because it would have spread to my hands, and even my face. My whole family suffers from it, and that's why we are shunned by the nearby locals. They look at us and blanch. Thankfully, I recover quickly in the shade, even these marks were worse earlier."

"I see," said Laura, impressively reserved after this display. "But that only explains your weakness in the sun. Why are you pretending to be a simple farmer, when you clearly follow the way of the sword with great skill?"

"Oh for the love of Aidios!" he yelled, then looked guilty, like he expected to be struck down. "That's the third time today. I'm not a farmer! I just live on a farm! And I was trying to make friends is all."

"Excuse me?"

"I told you. I never attended school. I melt in the sunlight and I'm hypersensitive to sights, sounds and smells. My adopted family is great, but other than them, I'm alone all the time. And people get freaked out when they see I'm ambiwhatever, because I take it that's rare. And yes, I did have more than a few lessons, it's practically the only hobby I have since I have no friends and can't even read very well. But bragging about it wouldn't make you like me, my guardians told me that, no one likes a braggart and a show off. Now can we help the guys or what!? I don't have time for this, and I'll go by myself if I have to!" He bent over again to retrieve his swords, and began to meticulously inspect them for any dirt or damage.

"I thought you were in a hurry," pointed out Alisa.

"Just give me a second," he muttered, polishing one of the blades with his already ragged sleeve. "There, now follow me!"

Scene Break Here

The massive grotesque statue swung one of its great, clawed hands at Rean, the skilled swordsman only just managed to block the blow, though it cost him a lot of ground. He skidded back several feet, his arms trembling from the effort. Elliot was bloodied and hunched over, nearly exhausted to his limit. Gaius wasn't holding up much better, but he put on a brave face, sharing a grim look with Rean.

"Together then," he said, hefting his spear up with weary hands, "if we come at him, all three of us at once, we might push him back. Give ourselves time to retreat."

"I don't think I can," wheezed Elliot, "that last hit bowled me right over. My ribs hurt."

"Gaius, get Elliot out of here, if you can," said Rean, "I'll hold this thing back."

"Schwarzer, you gloryhound," came Machias' voice from the balcony above as he levelled his shotgun at the beast. "Stop being a hero for a minute. The calvary has arrived." Fie jumped down from the balcony in a mighty leap, interposing herself between the grotesque and her wounded classmates.

"Less talk, more fighting," she ordered in clipped tones, before leaping into the fray. Though the arrival of two fresh fighters heartened Rean, Gaius and Elliot, it soon became apparent that even this was not enough to take down the beast. It's hide seemed nearly impenetrable, allowing it to shrug off both Machias' shells and Fie's gunswords without more than minor damage. Worse, it was fast in a way that belied its massive size, forcing even nimble Fie onto the defensive, having to dodge more than attack. Rean and Gaius were too spent to provide much in the way of backup, other than occasional feint to the draw the grotesque away when it was about to back Fie into a corner. Machias was growing increasingly frustrated as he blasted away futilely, each shot not even seeming to give creature pause. He was on the verge of running down there and trying to club the thing with the stock of his gun, which he figured would have been about as effective. Things seemed to take a turn for the worse when Fie was cornered again and it didn't look like Rean and Gaius could get the heat off her this time. Elliot was still bleeding by the entrance, on the verge of passing out. They needed the calvary to arrive, or it was all over.

There was a blur of a speeding figure that suddenly materialised into Evander who crossed the room like a demon and leapt onto the grotesque's back. He balanced on it's shoulders like a professional gymnast on a balance beam and struck at its head again and again, his blades a whirlwind of steel. The beast roared and reached up to throw Evander off, but it was too slow, he leapt clear and landed easily behind the grotesque, a feral grin on his face as he backed away, drawing it towards him and giving Fie room to manoeuvre out from the corner.

"You're late," she said flatly, showing no gratitude whatsoever.

"Maybe," said Evander, "but like a crooked mira, I always show up, sooner or later. The others are coming. Is everyone alright?"

"Elliot's in a bad way," said Rean, "if the others are coming, we should be able to finish this before he gets worse. But let's hurry."

"What's wrong with him_?" Evander finished his sentence suddenly, clipping the last word, when he spotted Elliot. His eyes seemed to widen and a strange, almost possessed expression crossed his face. He completely ignored the monster barrelling towards him and took a step towards Elliot. Machias fired another shot and the loud crack of gunfire seemed to snap Evander out of it. Too late, he managed a half-turn, but the beast was already on him, swinging a mighty hand right at him. He took the blow directly to the ribs with a sickening crack and flew halfway across the room. It seemed like the strike would have killed, or at least crippled anyone else with enough pain to make them pass out, but Evander landed on his back and started flailing his limbs like a cockroach, trying to get back upright. But the fiend was not done with him, and it was fast, too fast. It crossed the gap between them, loomed over him and raised a foot as if to stomp him into paste. Then the strangest thing happened. It stopped, lowered its leg without harming him, and then, in a growling, gravelly voice spoke a single word that only Evander heard.

"Brother."

It turned around and left him lying there then, looking for a new target. It found plenty, because while a crooked mira hadn't been enough to save the day, the calvary had finally arrived. And arrow lanced through the air and struck the beast before exploding into flames that burned even stone skin, shortly followed by a bolt from Emma's orbal staff. Then Laura was there, like an avenging angel, a messenger of death, she crossed the room and dealt the beast a mighty blow. And such was her strength that it stumbled back and almost fell under the onslaught. Jusis was on her heels, capitalising on the opening with his deft, elegant sword work. But it wasn't even close to being finished yet, recovering and striking back at Laura and Jusis twice as hard, forcing them onto the defensive. Their minor victory seemed to have only emboldened the grotesque, as though it was only growing stronger over time, and soon even with Fie, Jusis and Laura engaging it in melee, and Macchias, Alisa and Emma providing ranged support they were only able to hold to it a stalemate. Rean and Gaius, momentarily rested, re-joined the battle, and again they were able to force the grotesque onto the defensive only for it to find a second wind and find counters for all of them. Evander, by some miracle seemed to be almost about to get back onto his feet, though everyone present when he was struck wouldn't have been surprised if every bone in his body had been broken barely minutes earlier. But even if he were to rise and be combat ready, it would not have been enough. Instead, it took something new to defeat this beast, something new and more powerful than any one of them alone. Because though they numbered ten, and the beast was alone, they each fought separately, as lone fighters, and so lost any numerical advantage. Until something changed.

Out of nowhere, as if sensing their need, their Arcus units began to emit a blue glow and suddenly as it was if they were all linked and of one mind. A wave of restorative energy flooded through both Elliot and Evander, and while they were not miraculously healed, the pain faded into the background and they both stood once again and joined their comrades, filled with burning energy. And then, finally, ten fought as one, and it was beautiful. Like a well-oiled machine they struck in harmony and unison, driving the grotesque back again and again. Needless to say, the beast was stunned. Each of their blows landing with new, unforeseen strength until finally it was backed into a corner, and they just wailed on it relentlessly. And though, joined as they were in a united battle frenzy, none could swear outright who struck the final blow, they defeated the beast, and it exploded in a shower of stone shrapnel and a flash of light. Though they didn't know it yet, the ten of them were the new Class Seven and they had won. The beast was done.