Chapter 52

The following afternoon, Vil summoned everyone from the SDC to Ramshackle for a meeting. So, I found myself surrounded by everyone I had spent so much time with over the past month. I stood between Ace and Deuce, and I was comforted by their presence.

"I thought the NRC Tribe had been disbanded," Jamil said. "The culture fair is over, after all."

"Non," said Rook. "Vil chose to simply put it on indefinite hiatus."

"Okay, if that's what you want to call it. Regardless, this was sudden."

"Yeah!" said Kalim. "I didn't expect to get an NRC Tribe message calling us out to Ramshackle after class. Is something going on, Vil?"

"Thank you all for coming," Vil said with a solemn expression. "Grim couldn't make it, of course... but there's nothing to be done about that at the moment." I exchanged a sad look with Ace and Deuce. Ace gave me a comforting pat on the back. "There are some important matters I wanted to discuss with you all. First, I'll touch on what happened the day of SDC. Allow me to apologize for betraying your trust."

"Huh...?" said Deuce, Epel, and Kalim.

"I realized we would lose, and my solution was to curse my rival. It was the ugliest possible thing I could've done. I am truly sorry."

"Goodness," Epel said with wide eyes. "I'm not used to Vil apologizing like that."

"Well, at least your curse didn't succeed, right?" said Jamil.

"Yeah!" said Kalim. "You didn't harm a single hair on Neige's head."

"That's only because you, Rook, and the rest of the group stopped me," said Vil. "Yet I still hurt you when I overblotted. That incident could've ended my life... Or any of yours." Rook looked away. "You exhausted your magical reserves fighting me, then had to immediately perform. No matter how determined you were, I highly doubt you were able to give 100 percent."

"That's not true!" Epel exclaimed. "I thought it was our best performance ever!"

"I agree," Deuce said. "Vil, we crushed it out there!"

Ace rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, 'crushed it' is kinda subjective..."

Deuce looked at him in shock. "Are you really going to debate this?!"

"Okay, yes, we fought for our lives and won, then lucked out big time when Malleus fixed the stage for us. Then we busted our tails and got through the whole performance, start to finish. It was incredible, and I agree we did the best we'd ever done. That said..."

"You mean just because we were happy with it, doesn't mean the audience was," said Jamil.

Epel's face fell. "Oh, I see..."

"I can see what you mean," I said. They only lost by one vote. If they had been just a tad bit better, they would have won. That must have stung.

"Ace and Jamil have the right of it," Vil said. "I've been reviewing our show recording with a more critical eye... And it's apparent we weren't performing at even half our usual level. Positioning was sloppy, kicks weren't reaching their full height — even your fingers were all over the place. Which makes sense, given the battle you'd just fought. It was the best you could have done, yes. But you weren't AT your best. It was critical for you to be at your best when you performed, and I failed to make that happen. Our loss at SDC is entirely on me." He lowered his head. "Some leader I turned out to be."

Ace, Deuce, and Epel exchanged uneasy glances. Jamil hesitated before speaking, "Vil, I understand your point. But as we saw during our SDC rehearsal... Neige's group was already popular. Our performance wasn't going to change that. If we'd been at our best, that doesn't mean we would've performed perfectly. And even if we had, we still could've lost. You can't always beat someone that popular with hard work or a solid performance."

I looked at him curiously, surprised that he was the one to try to help raise Vil's spirits. "True."

"Jamil's right," said Kalim. "You don't have to worry, Vil. It's not your fault!"

"I suppose," Vil said with uncertainty. "Though bear in mind, Neige's group has struggled and worked hard as well. I dismissed their performance in the heat of the moment when I first saw it, but... Endearing yourselves to the masses and impressing them with skill are equally valid approaches. We simply emphasized different things. None of you have an inkling how much work Neige's group put in, do you?"

"What do you mean by that?" said Epel.

"The first time I co-starred in a movie with Neige... He would always leave and say he had chores to do, while I stuck around for rehearsal. It made me SO angry. I judged him for coasting on his natural talent. But later, I learned something. Those kids Neige performed with at SDC? He's lived with them for years. They've all been supporting each other without any help since long before he and I met."

"Whoa," said Deuce, eyes wide. "You mean like since his child actor days?"

"That's pretty incredible," I said.

"Yes," said Vil. "I don't know the particulars beyond that, mind you. He would do his chores, attend rehearsal, then go home and do more chores. He'd practice in what spare time he could find. And yet he'd always greet me with a cheerful, singsongy 'good morning.' I can't imagine how hard he's had it. After all, my life's been quite different."

"Golly..." Epel murmured.

"Neige has never divulged his personal history to the press. But I'm guessing you knew the truth, Rook?"

"... Oui," said Rook. "Much of Roi des Neige's charm comes from his endearing smile. But it's also the smile of someone who's overcome untold hardships. That's why so many people are drawn to it. I also hear he donates most of his pay to charity."

"... You certainly have the inside scoop. I'm fairly certain that fact hasn't been made public either."

Rook smiled slightly. "It's well-known among his most dedicated fans."

Vil dipped his head. "I see... Well, I have it on good authority that he donated his SDC prize money too. To aid underprivileged children with their futures."

"I had no idea they'd been through all that together..." Kalim murmured.

Vil sighed. "There, you see? If you had known of Neige's background before SDC... Would you have fought to win? Could you have voted for yourselves in good conscience? Would you have been able to judge Neige's group on merit alone, without sympathy getting in the way?"

Deuce and Epel looked down. "I won't speak for the others, but Kalim definitely couldn't have done that," Jamil said softly.

"Hey, that's not true..." Kalim said. "I mean..." He grimaced. "Oof, this is hard..."

"I still woulda voted for myself in a heartbeat," said Ace. "SDC isn't a competition for saddest backstory. It's about who performs best on stage."

"And there you've struck the heart of the matter," said Vil.

Ace blinked. "I have?"

"You. Me. Neige. Everyone on that stage has their own story. Which is why results are what matters in show business."

"Oh..." said Epel.

"NRC Tribe's performance lost to Royal Sword Academy's. That's all there is to it. And my actions had a direct, negative impact on us. It was a blunder of epic proportions. So I'd like to offer you all a token of apology."

"What kind of token?" I asked, though I hardly saw it as necessary.

"Do you recall what was written on the SDC recruitment poster?"

"Uh, lemme think... Something about 'your shot at the big time...'" Ace said.

"It also mentioned a 50,000 thaumark prize to be split among the winners," said Deuce.

"Precisely," said Vil. "That was to entice people to audition. Since I was responsible for our team losing out on the prize money... I'll be paying out the 50,000 myself."

"WHAAA?!" everyone but Rook shouted.

"Ain't nobody asked fer yer money!" Epel shouted.

"It's a performance fee, plus compensation for the month of nonstop rehearsals," Vil said calmly. "It's not an unreasonable sum when you look at it that way."

"But..." Deuce said.

"'You cannot buy my feelings with money.' That's what I said to my manager, yet here I am, unable to think of any better recompense. The irony isn't lost on me, I assure you. But I simply won't be able to move on otherwise. So, please, accept it. For my benefit, if not your own."

Rook looked down. "Okay, sure!" Kalim said brightly. "I'll take it!"

"Kalim?!" Jamil said in surprise.

"Just to be clear... I still don't think this is your fault, Vil. But if that's what'll help you move on, then I'll take the money. And now that I've accepted it, I'm going to donate my share to Ramshackle Dorm!"

"WHAT?!" all of us except for Jamil shouted.

"You and your snap decisions..." Jamil said, shaking his head. "Let me guess, the story about Neige gave you the idea?"

Kalim grinned. "Pfft, no! ...Well, maybe a little." His expression turned serious. "But also, I was truly shocked when we stayed here. It's SUPER run-down!"

I winced. "You should've seen it when I first got here."

"The hot water ran out when I showered, the roof leaked when it rained, it was always drafty... I'd never lived like that before! They sure don't call it Ramshackle for nothing! Ha ha ha!"

"Yeah, yeah, I know..."

Jamil frowned. "...Yeah, I won't deny that." He cast me a quick glance. I merely shrugged. I was used to it.

"Ona and the ghosts living here were such gracious hosts during our training camp," Kalim said. "I honestly had a blast! So, I want to give Ramshackle a little facelift as a token of my gratitude. The money's ours, right? Which means we can use it how we want."

"That's... very generous of you," I said with a small smile. "Thanks, brother."

Kalim grinned at me. "You're welcome, sister!"

"Roi Doré, your noble heart makes you worthier than ever of your golden appellation," Rook said with a smile.

Jamil looked at me. "Kalim's gesture would feel hollow if I didn't follow his example. I accept my share of the pay, and will donate it to Ramshackle as well."

I stared at him. "You don't have to do that."

Jamil smiled. "I was never in it for the money anyway."

"I made a deal with you, Vil," Epel said. "But at the end of the day, I still couldn't out-charm Neige. It wouldn't feel right to take your money when I couldn't hold up my end of the bargain." He hesitated. "But I understand what you've been through, and I know how hard this is for you. So I'll take the money... and put it all towards fixin' up Ramshackle Dorm!" He smiled. "Wouldn't it be great to give it the ol' spit shine and surprise Grim when he gets back?"

I smiled back at him. "Thank you so much!"

"Maaan, talk about peer pressure," Ace said, placing a hand on his head.

"Rrgh... That money would go a long way for my family," Deuce said. "But still..."

"Oh, I'm taking the money. If Vil's offering, who am I to say no? He put us through the wringer. And I've been eyeing some new clothes and shoes lately."

"Me too, but... It just doesn't sit right..."

"Come on, Deuce, quit it with the goody two-shoes act. Let's be real about this. We auditioned because we wanted the money. Why hold back now that you're getting paid?"

Deuce hesitated. "Well... I mean..."

"Deuce, no one should donate money because they feel pressured to," Vil said. "I'm aware this won't entirely make up for my behavior. But when I sent out that call for applicants, I promised a share of the winnings. Hence, I am simply acting in good faith. You all saved my life. Now hold your head high and claim what you deserve."

Deuce was silent for another moment before responding. "All... All right. THANK YOU, SIR!"

"Were you listening at all? You don't have to thank me for something you deserve."

Deuce looked at me. "Are you sure it's okay if-?"

"Yes," I said immediately. "I would be mad at you if you did try to donate to Ramshackle." I glanced at Ace. "Same with you. I'm not a charity. You guys show you care about me in other ways. Giving money isn't your way, so you shouldn't do it."

Deuce smile slightly. "Okay, then I won't."

"I shall donate my share to Ramshackle, as previously agreed upon," Rook said. "The beautiful time we shared together, sweating and striving toward a common goal, is all the reward I need. Who could ask for anything more?"

"Woohoo!" Kalim said excitedly. "We can make so many repairs with this much money! Fixing the leaks is a given, but it'd be nice to replace the faded wallpaper and curtains too!" He looked around the lounge. "I mean, this whole place just lacks pizzazz. Oh, I know! We should reupholster the couches!"

I laughed lightly. "Yeah, I suppose that would be nice."

"Slow down," Jamil said. "Our priority should be repairing the plumbing, gas, and any other essential utilities. We'll start by listing out the necessary repairs and seeing what the budget can cover..."

I nodded. "Sounds good."

"Ahh, I can just picture the renovated splendor now," said Rook.

"Well, I'm not gonna donate my share..." Ace said. "But when Grim gets back, I'll treat you both to a nice lunch at the cafeteria." He looked at me with a grin.

"Good idea," said Deuce. "I'll throw in some lattes and dessert!"

I smiled at them. "Thanks, guys."

"Now that we got that squared away..." Ace said. "Something's been buggin' me since you told us all that stuff about Neige. Rook, did you vote for Royal Sword because you knew about all the work he'd put in behind the scenes?"

"Certainly not!" said Rook. "The explanation I gave you at SDC was the complete truth. I voted for them because I thought their performance was more magnifique than our own."

"Are you suuure? You're like this die-hard Neige fanboy and number-two member of his fan club. I can't see how you could be objective."

"I beg to differ," said Vil. "If anything, Rook was the only person on our team who voted impartially. You knew, didn't you, Rook? You knew our performance was abysmally sloppy compared to our rehearsals."

"Well..." Rook said slowly.

Vil gave him a look. "Be honest."

Rook winced. "...Oui. I did. My position was in the back, on the left. It was the perfect spot to observe our progress. Your sweat. Your tears. Your smiles! I could see your performance growing more beautiful with every run-through! I was captivated every time we practiced. You all made my heart soar! So, I knew immediately that we weren't shining as bright upon that fateful stage. ...It was terribly frustrating. Yet try as I might to compensate for our shortcomings, my body refused to cooperate. I've no doubt it was the same for all of you. We were performing under tremendous strain. Hence, I was forced to concede-"

"No way, I ain't buyin' it, Rook!" Epel said in anger. "You were praisin' us up an' down when we finished! What was it ya said when we came offa the stage? 'That was yer best performance yet?' Were you just jerkin' us around?!"

Rook looked down. "No, Epel..."

"Yes, he did say it was a fine performance," said Vil. "But he didn't say anything about it being our most beautiful."

"Oh!" said Epel.

"He'd been watching us from the start, so he knew we hadn't done our absolute best. Which is why he gave us the most generous praise he could, for doing our best under the circumstances. Nevertheless, he couldn't lie to himself and vote for the NRC Tribe in good conscience. Isn't that so, Rook?"

"...Your powers of perception are unparalleled, Roi du Poison," said Rook.

"It's not really perception. You've always been terribly candid. Do you remember what you said when we met? We'd never spoken before, yet the first words out of your mouth were... 'Hi there! I caught your show the other day. I've seen you perform-'"

A loud crash made me jump. "Is it an earthquake?" Epel said in alarm.

"Can we get earthquakes here?" I said. Then I heard a creaking sound. I quickly looked around.

"...No, it isn't," said Rook. "Everyone, look out the window." We all gathered at the window and looked outside.

"What in the world?!" Kalim exclaimed. "There's a bunch of guys flying through the air! Are they on hoverboards?!"

"That's not possible..." Vil said. "This school has a magical barrier to keep out intruders. It's always up when we don't have any special events going on."

"Maybe that sound was the barrier getting breached!" Jamil said.

Vil appeared stunned. "But how...?"

"They're coming this way," Rook said. "I see one, two... ...Everyone, get down!"

All of us got down on the ground. I heard a creak followed by the sound of glass breaking. I blocked my face with my arms, and thankfully nothing hit me. Then strange figures in robotic-looking suits appeared before us. We slowly stood up to face our adversaries.

"Aaagh!" Epel cried.

Ace coughed loudly. "What happened?!"

"Ona, are you okay?!" Deuce said.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I said, giving him a small smile.

"Kalim, get back!" Jamil said. He put an arm out as if to shield Kalim from the intruders. "I've never seen that kind of gear before. Who ARE you people?!"

"Hepta Team, reporting in," one of the men said. "We've got visual on Subjects D and E. Moving in for capture."

My eyes widened in fear. Subjects? Capture? "What does that mean?"

"I haven't the faintest idea who these people are, but crashing through windows shows an appalling lack of manners," Vil said, his expression hard. "I hereby declare this an emergency! By my authority as Pomefiore housewarden, I authorize the use of magic on the intruders!"

"Oui!" said Rook.

"I do the same for Scarabia!" Kalim said as he took a step forward and took out his pen. "Prepare for battle!"

"Oh!" Jamil said before moving to stand beside Kalim.

"Freshmen, stay back!" Vil said. "Do not get involved. Heartslabyul students, call your housewarden!"

"Yes, sir!" said Deuce, Epel, and Ace.

"Subjects D and E exhibiting hostility," one of the intruders said. "Requesting permission to engage." He paused as if listening for something. "Permission granted. Execute capture plan C."

My heart hammered as I watched the battle. None of this made any sense. Why would these strange adults attack a bunch of teenagers? I bit my lip when I saw my friends were losing. "This doesn't look good."

"They're all really struggling..." Epel said in worry.

"Those oar-looking staffs can churn out spells real quick!" Deuce said.

I gasped when Vil got zapped by something. "Oh no!"

"AUGH!" Vil cried.

"VIL!" Rook shouted.

"Subject E subdued," said one of the men. "Securing now." He stepped forward and scooped Vil up in his arms. A second later, Jamil was zapped.

"GAAAH!" Jamil screamed.

"JAMIL!" Kalim cried.

"No!" I yelled. Without thinking, I moved in front of Jamil to protect him. Of course, there was not much I could do against the intruders. The man who shot Jamil roughly pushed me out of the way, and I landed on the ground with a thud. I winced in pain as I felt bruises forming all over my body. I could only helplessly watch as Jamil was captured.

"Ona!" Ace and Deuce exclaimed.

"I'm mine," I muttered. I sucked in a sharp breath as I stood.

"We've also secured Subject D," the man said. "Tetra Team has captured F. We will rendezvous then return to HQ."

"F?" I mumbled. "They have six targets..."

"Where are you taking them?!" Kalim shouted. "WAIT!"

"Whoa..." Ace said with wide eyes. "They went down in seconds..."

All of a sudden, another group of weirdly dressed men appeared outside the dorm, and they had something with them. "Tetra Team has regrouped with Hepta Team," said one of the men.

"What in tarnation?" said Epel. "They're haulin' a cage. Wait, ain't that..."

"LEMME OOOUT!" a familiar voice howled from inside the cage. "GET ME OUTTA HEEERE!"

"GRIM?!" I cried.

"Ona! Ace! Deuce!"

"Mission complete," said an intruders. "Returning to HQ." All of them began walking away.

"They're taking 'em away!" Epel exclaimed. "HEY! GET BACK HERE!" He ran after the men.

"Hold on, Grim!" said Deuce. "I'll save you!" He followed Epel.

"Dude, Vil JUST told us to stay back!" Ace said. "...OH, FOR CRYIN' OUT LOUD!"

I followed behind them. This battle was even quicker than the last. Out of all the remaining mages, Ace and Deuce sustained the most damage. And there was nothing any of them could do to prevent the intruders from taking Grim, Jamil, and Vil. My heart beat rapidly in my chest. "Oh no..." I whispered.

"Argh... Didn't stand...a chance... Urgh-" Ace groaned.

"Urgh... Guh!" Deuce gasped.

"Dag...nabbit..." Epel muttered.

"Lemme out!" Grim shouted as he was taken away. "I don't wanna go! ONA!"

The look on his face broke my heart. "Grim!" I wailed. "GRIIIM!" But it was no use. They all flew away on strange devices.

"VIL!" Kalim called after them. "JAMIIIL!"

"Rgh..." Rook grunted. He took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Kalim, we must tend to our injured freshmen. I will take them to the infirmary."

"But Jamil... Jamil's been..."

Rook placed his hands on his shoulders and looked into his eyes. "KALIM. You must calm yourself. Jamil has been abducted. You need to step up and fulfill your housewarden duties by yourself."

Kalim hesitated before dipping his head. "All right. I'll go summon the other housewardens!"

"...didn't...pick up," Ace mumbled.

"Huh?" said Rook and Kalim.

"Called...Housewarden Riddle... but he didn't... pick up..." Then he collapsed on the ground. Deuce followed a second later.

"Oh no!" Kalim exclaimed.

My mind worked furiously to connect the dots. I gasped when I figured it out. "I know who they're targeting!"

"What do you mean, Ona?" Epel said.

"They named their targets A - F. That means one through six. Grim plus the five overblotters."

"Are you sure?" said Kalim.

"Yes. They took Jamil instead of you, right? They're not after housewardens." I fumbled with my phone, somehow managing to punch in the right number. My heart hammered furiously until someone picked up. I let out a breath of relief. "Azul!"

"Ona?" Azul said with a hint of confusion. "Is everything alright?"

"No! Vil and Jamil were abducted by some psychos, and I think you might be next!"

"What? Abducted? I'm next? You're not making any sense, Ona."

I sighed. "Listen, just get somewhere safe, and-" I heard a loud crash on the other end of the line. "What was that?"

"I don't know." He sounded tense. "I'm going to mute you and put you on speaker, alright?"

"Yeah, okay."

"What is it?" Rook said in worry.

"Let's find out." I lowered my phone and put it on speaker.

"The school's barrier is under heavy fire from technomantic beams," I heard Ortho say on the other end of the phone. "It is already breached in several places. Multiple non-campus bio-readings detected within school grounds."

"Intruders?!" Azul exclaimed. "Ona was right."

"How many?" said Idia's voice.

"Presently detecting 15 life signs, plus additional heat signatures in the air," said Ortho. "Intruders may increase in number."

"So they got beams that can breach the school's barrier. What about their gear?"

"Gauging from height and movement speed, they are either on brooms or technomantic flying machines. They are also firing magic projectiles and electric technomantic beams." I heard a loud crash filed by the sound of laser beams and projectiles. "Based on the performance of their mobile apparatuses, and their technomantic energy circuits, this is Styx-made gear."

"Uggghhh, this sucks. Guess that means they're Ferrymen."

"Ferrymen?" I said too softly for anyone to hear.

"How are you two so calm?!" said Azul. "Our school is under attack! We need to contact the other housewardens and—"

"Three flying objects approaching rapidly. Landing in three, two, one..." said Ortho. I heard the sound of glass shattering.

"Nona Team, reporting in," said a strange voice. "We have visual on Subject C. Idia Shroud and the technomantic humanoid Ortho also sighted."

"It appears we're out of time," Azul said. "All freshmen, evacuate! By my authority as Octavinelle housewarden, I authorize—"

"Chill, Azul," said Idia. "Don't try and put up a fight. Just stay cool."

"What?"

"That's the Charon spec-tech unit."

"The Charon...what now?"

"Specifically, they're members of Charon, a special technomantic security force with Styx. Just take your hands off your magical pen and put your hands behind your head."

"As long as you follow my brother's recommendations..." said Ortho. "Your chance of sustaining an injury drops by 87%, Azul Ashengrotto."

"Ah... All right," said Azul. Suddenly the phone clicked off. I stared at in my hand for several long moments.

"What... what does that all mean?" Epel said nervously.

I swallowed hard. "It means... Azul has been taken too." I nearly dropped my phone as a wave of despair took over me. Just what exactly was going on?