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, magical and mundane, one more chaotic element couldn't possibly hurt. What does it mean to be human? And is it worth trying to understand?

6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

Evander was finding it increasingly hard to find the free time to do anything he wanted to do these days, since pretty much everyone was watching him like a hawk. Sara hadn't actually put him under house arrest, but she did have a habit of turning up at odd moments to make sure he wasn't causing trouble, and various other members of Class Seven who he'd made suspicious of late, were also watching him. On top of that were his extra lessons, language classes with Sister Ornella in the morning and remedial history with Instructor Thomas well into the night. So as it was, he had to wait for a while to confront Beryl about the gambling incident, until Instructor Thomas gave him permission to quickly pop over to the club room before another lecture started. Him bursting into that room, furious with Beryl, was becoming a bit of a recurring theme of late, and it certainly was the case this time. He burst through the door and started on her without even saying hello.

"What's the big idea with hexing me with the extra psychic juice right before I looked at the horses?" he demanded, "I saw every single bloody placing in every race! It must have scared the life out of those spooks, because they…they…they_ damnit! I can't talk about it!" He'd given his word not to discuss anything that occurred in that train carriage, and that included the watch that restricted his powers.

"They sealed your powers?" said Beryl, proving she knew everything anyway. It wasn't much of a question anyway, more a statement that would never be answered, because Evander couldn't even force himself to nod in agreement, so strong was his compulsion to keep the secret. "Good, then everything is going as planned."

"As planned!? Are you mad? What could possibly be good about…whatever it was that happened to me?"

"Your powers scare people Evander, if people are ever going to accept you, or any of our kind for that matter, you'll have to earn their trust. Going around blurting out secrets and knowing things you shouldn't would only hurt that process. And the deal with Intelligence Division can be a good thing too, they will assist you in the future, and you have a dangerous path ahead of you. Instructor Sara cannot be in two places at once."

"Ugh. Let's drop this, because I can't really reply to any of it. I gave my word not to talk about any of it, as you probably know. It's impossible to have a discussion like this. I only came here to tell you I'm resigning from the club, effective immediately."

"Declined."

"Excuse me!?"

"I forbid you to resign. You know too much."

"You forbid me!? You don't have any right! And besides, I can't help you anymore. You know that!"

"But you can. Whatever they used on you to dampen your powers, I'm betting it was designed to work on a true vampire, not a dhampir. The mix of human and fiend in you should have been enough to confuse it, leave you with just a sliver of power left."

"Really? Is that possible?" asked Evander, sounding hopeful.

"Why don't you try?" Beryl fanned out a deck of cards and picked one at random. "In the past your gift worked randomly, coming to you without effort or being asked. Those days are gone. I want you to focus on the card in my hand. With all your mental might. And don't stop until you see the card, I don't care if it feels like you're dying."

"If you say so," Evander took a deep breath and turned his gaze onto the back of the card in Beryl's hand and focussed on it with all his mind. At first, there was nothing, and he felt like a fool, sitting in a dark room, staring at a card in complete silence. But then something stirred in his mind, something agonising, like teeth being pulled, like nails being ripped out. Still, he focussed as the pain increased, until what little colour was in his face drained out, until his knees began to tremble under an immense weight and his vision blurred. It was like a hot knife was being driven into his head, and he didn't know how much longer he could take it. An imaginary vice was tightening around his throat, and he couldn't breathe. The blood vessels in his eyes started to burst en masse, leaving them bloodshot and almost glowing red. Rivulets of blood began to trickle out of his mouth, nose and ears. Then it finally came to him, like a dam bursting, the other side of the card flashed through his mind, just for an instant. "The Jack of Hearts," said Evander, his voice weak, nearly broken. Beryl smiled and turned the card around, revealing he was correct.

"It will get easier," she assured him as he sat recovering from the effort, "slowly but surely. You will never get even close to the power you had before. But it might be enough to get you out of a jam in the future. Until you are free once again."

"Are you…" Evander paused to let out a hacking cough, "are you trying to kill me or something?"

"Oh Evander, don't be silly. If I wanted you dead, you'd be long gone," she laughed then, an eerie, creepy sound that didn't sound like it should come out of a human mouth. "But I'm not entirely unsympathetic to the troubles I have caused. You may ask me for a favour, a small one."

"Sheesh, don't be too generous," scoffed Evander, "I don't need or want any favours from_"

"Not even to repay the debt that started all this trouble?"

"You can help with Fie? I've been racking my brain trying to fix this. The debt still exists, I know that much. She risked herself to protect me from monsters and lost some of her caltrops in the process. It's clear she won't take money for them, and I don't know what else to do."

"Hmm. How about I erase the debt? By telling you it doesn't exist at all. You were never in danger from those monsters, as you saw in the old schoolhouse investigation, they were not likely to harm you unless provoked. As for the caltrops she lost? Dirt cheap and mass produced. Easily replaced. Risk to her safety? Do you think so little of her that those monsters could have harmed her? There is no debt."

"Perhaps not in those terms, but there is still another sort of debt. A moral debt, she acted to help me. She didn't know the monsters wouldn't harm me so she was acting to save me. Such compassion must be repaid."

"Are you sure it was compassion that moved her? And not cold obligation? After all, she led those monsters to you in the first place. Defeating them was the least she could do to clear her own debt."

"You think it was simple repayment of her own debt? I don't think she's that mercenary. She would have helped me even if there was no debt between us."

"Not that mercenary? Ha, if only you knew…"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing. Yet. But I see you will not be swayed from a debt that must be repaid. So I will assist you, to clear my own debt. Do you remember what Fie said when she returned the money? That she was just being nice, because Sara told her to make friends? Well, you can repay her by getting Sara off her back. I think a club would be a good place to make friends, and you conveniently toured several of them while creating seven fake mysteries. Offer to help her pick a club, and your debt will be cleared."

"Well damn," said Evander, thinking about it. She had a point. During his wild journey around the school looking for drop bears he had run into several different clubs. Had Beryl known this would happen the whole time. "It's like you're always playing ten moves ahead," he told her in awe, "nothing gets by you, does it?"

"Hardly ever," said Beryl, smiling with her too sharp teeth, "and even then, nothing worth noticing in the first place."

Scene Break Here

"It was at this point that Prince Lucius_" whatever Prince Lucius had or hadn't done was interrupted by a loud yawn from Evander, bored out of his mind during another remedial history lecture. "Am I boring you, Mister Evander?" asked Instructor Thomas, "we could always talk about something else?"

"Like what? Turnip sales in Celdic?"

"Fascinating as that sounds," said Thomas, without a hint of insincerity, "I was thinking something more along the lines of some student/teacher mentoring. I've heard of your youthful indiscretion at the race track," he said, eyes twinkling, "why would you do such a thing? Do you think the law doesn't apply to you?"

"You're driving at something, and I wish I knew what it was," said Evander, "but you've got reasons that go beyond my ignorance of history. You keep me here, night after night, and now you want to ask me questions on morality? Do you know something you ought not to know?"

"I assure you, if anyone should know it, it's me, but that is all I'll say on the matter. Indulge your instructor for a moment, why would you do such a thing?"

"Because there is the law, and there is what's right. Sometimes they intersect, but not always. Should a poor man starve for lack of mira? Would you judge him for stealing food for himself, for his family?"

"I might not, but the merchant he robbed would, who needs those sales to feed his own family, lest he resort to thievery himself. We must not only judge morality as observers, but as participants too. The starving man feels his theft is right, the merchant feels it is wrong. The law agrees with the merchant, is that not enough to sway the argument? After all, society abides by the law, therefore society is against the thief as well."

"There are other laws, not written on paper, but in our hearts. Society would ache to see a starving man thrown in jail for trying to feed his family, his arrest and imprisonment violating another sort of justice."

"You speak of moral justice? But moral justice is not enforced as easily, or readily, as legal justice."

"I assure you, those who violate public morality and decency are dealt with swiftly, in their own way."

"You speak of a third kind of justice, the justice of the mob. The justice of rage and retaliation. A justice that violates both legal and moral justice when dispensed recklessly. It is a violent, crude justice, the wailing of wronged children who lash out. And you have experienced those three kinds of justice, in your life. The law, the heart, and the mob."

"You know an awful lot about me."

"I would be a poor Instructor if I knew little of my students. And an even poorer one if I did not constantly wish to learn more. So, will you answer my question? Why did you break the underage gambling law?"

"Answer my question first," Evander shot back, "does a starving man have a right to eat?"

"Of course, Evander, it may sound absurd, but don't be naïve. Even vampires have a right to feed."

"Who are you?" demanded Evander.

"Your instructor, and your watcher, should you fall from the path. But that is all I will say on the matter."

"Huh. Well that's more than I usually get out of you mysterious types. Fine, I broke the law to repay a debt. I thought I owed Fie Clausell eighty thousand mira and I was desperate to pay her back."

"Why?"

"Because she showed me a kindness."

"And that is worth eighty thousand mira?"

"Instructor, it is worth a heck of a lot more than that. It's like what moustache man was teaching about supply and demand. Kindness is in short supply, so there is a high demand, and price to match. But I was wrong, as usual. Because I was trying to repay a debt that didn't exist. A fake debt she invented to conceal the real debt. Which I still have to pay back."

"And that's why you can't focus on my lesson?"

"I guess so, yeah."

"And you have a plan to repay this second, real debt?"

"I was going to help her find a club to join, so she could make some friends."

"Well, that sounds simple enough," Instructor Thomas clapped his hands together loudly, startling Evander, "very well. If you can answer a question about the War of the Lions correctly, I shall give you the rest of the day off to help Fie."

"Seriously!?" Evander beamed, "thanks teach! Hit me with your best shot!"

"How many warriors first journeyed out of the Nord Highlands with Prince Dreichels?"

"Sixteen! No wait, it was seventeen. I forgot to count Roland Vander. He wasn't from Nord, but he was there too."

"Correct! Very well, off you go, young Evander, repay your debt. But a word of advice for the future? If a debt requires you to break the law, perhaps it is not worth repaying."

"Which type of law are we talking about?"

"Hmm," Instructor Thomas' eyes twinkled again, "I'll let you decide."

Scene Break Here

Evander was on his way to the courtyard, one of Fie's favourite napping spots, when he was hailed from across the grounds by a loud voice in a strange, but familiar accent.

"Evander you wee pillock!" called a green-haired girl. "Hae you been avoiding me?"

"Becky?" asked Evander in wonderment, turning around and seeing it was in fact his fellow resident from the Celdic region. "I haven't been avoiding you, I didn't even know you were enrolled here."

"Och! Didn't know? If you came into bally town more often you would hae heard all aboot it! I nearly had a wee heart attack when I spotted you here, you could have told me, you mad lad."

"I'm sorry, I should have mentioned it. Your father has always been good to my family, even when… others weren't."

"Ah! Forget them! Just because a lad looks a bit funny in the sun doesnae mean you can shun him. You always used to liven the place up, remember that golden fiddle? I hae not laughed so hard in years!"

"Ha! I was just talking about that the other day!" said Evander, grinning, "Father Zirbel didn't find it so funny. He threatened me with the fury of Aidios if I recall," he noticed a boy had been tagging along behind Becky and inclined his head towards him. "Who's your new friend?"

"Ah, this wee bam here is Hugo Kleist, thinks he's a better merchant than me and my da! The mad rocket!"

"You do know I'm right here, Becky," said Hugo in a formal, stiff voice.

"Of course, I cannae shake you!"

"And you won't until you accept that efficiency is a key part of achieving high sales. I've been trying to explain that you chat far too much to be effective."

"Be careful there Hugo," said Evander, "Becky has left better than you with a brass neck. Evander's the name, pleased to meet you!"

"Likewise," said Hugo, "and don't worry about me. I'm up for the challenge. Are you from a merchant family like Becky? I understand the Grand Market is a major source of income for the locals of Celdic."

"Uh, sort of. My father is a metalworker, and my mother is an artist. We have a contract with a travelling merchant who comes to our farm and buys and then on sells their wares."

"Hmm, and are you happy with the terms of this contract? Or would your family be open to a new deal?"

"Hugo! Don't you be trying tae steal me customers! If Evander's ma and da are going to sell their goods to anyone, it'll be me!"

"A competition is it? Evander, if we could make a time to examine some of your parents wares_"

"Well, my dad made my swords, if you want to see those," said Evander interrupting, because he was in a bit of hurry. "I can show you later if you_"

"Och, I don't even need to seem them!" said Becky, "your da does fine work! Don't let this shyster come the old acid with ya and rip ya off! He'll tell ya they're wee bit rusty and knock a cheeky couple thousand mira off the price."

"You know, thrilling as this is," said Evander, "I really must dash, I'm on leave from prison as it is, and I don't have long before the guards come looking for me."

"Oh yes, I believe I heard about that," said Hugo, "It rang a bell when you mentioned your name. What exactly are you in prison for? Was it the arson or the race fixing?"

"Ugh! Both of those were just misunderstandings!"

"The arson maybe, but I heard ten million mira turned up at your dorm. If you ever need someone to manage your investments_"

"I don't have the money anymore. I gave it all to charity."

"You…gave it away!?" Hugo's jaw nearly hit the floor and he started stuttering and stammering.

"You've gone and broken the wee bam!" laughed Becky, "go on Evander, you mad lad, I'll shake this flea yet!"

"Thanks Becky! We really must catch up later when I'm not being tortured by academia. See you later!" Evander hurried off before Hugo could recover and try any more sales pitches on him. Not just because they bored him, but because he'd probably fall for them knowing his track record. He was what the marketing world termed a 'level seven susceptible'. Selling his father's swords for some rip off price would be humiliating for him if he ever got back home. So, with that crisis averted, and an old friend greeted, he finally made it over to the courtyard where luckily Fie was in fact curled up on one of the benches, sleeping the afternoon away. He was spared figuring out how to wake her when she stirred immediately at this approach, waking up and eying him reproachfully.

"Do you know," she stared, cutting herself off with a brief yawn, "that a sense of inescapable doom follows you wherever you go? It ruined my nap."

"Ah. Yes, I'm aware. Sorry about that."

"Don't be. It's kind of cool. If I had one no one would interrupt my naps. Did you want something?"

"I'm here," said Evander proudly, "to repay my debt."

"Evander! I swear if you try and give me eighty thousand mira I'll bolt right this second."

"I'm fast, I'd catch you."

"I'm faster, no you wouldn't."

"Oh yeah? Foot race, right now!"

"Declined," said Fie, smirking.

"Ugh! I'm really going to regret starting that trend! Did Laura put you up to that!? Because it's not funny!"

"I think it is."

"Look, we're getting side tracked. I'm here to repay my debt by finding you a club to join."

"A club? Lame. Declined."

"Stop saying that! And it will not be lame, because I'll...um…I'll use my psychotic powers to do it! That'll be fun right!?"

"You don't have those powers anymore," scoffed Fie.

"What do you mean?" asked Evander, baffled as to how she could know that.

"I don't know if you ever had them, but there's something different about you since the RMP took you away that day. You're slower than you used to be, and there's something cautious in the way you walk. You look just little a bit longer, listen just a little bit harder. Like you're making up for something."

"You know, you're really very good. When you put your mind to it, you're really good."

"Thanks, I guess. Look, I'll take the two hundred mira the caltrops were worth and that'll clear us, if it matters that much to you."

"At least let me try the club thing first."

"Are you just saying that because you don't have two hundred mira?"

"No! Okay, well, kind of. I gave what was left of my money to Instructor Sara for safe keeping, so I couldn't get scammed again."

"Lame. Fine. You get one chance to pick me a club, and if I like it, the debt is cleared."

"Thank you! Alright, this is going to hurt me, but I promise I won't die, so don't run off and call Instructor Beatrix, okay? This isn't actually lethal."

"Did you hear that?" said Fie, cocking her head to the side, "the hype train just left the station."

"Shh! I need absolute silence!"

"Okay, I'll go back to my nap then." And she actually did, closed her eyes, curled up and everything. She expected it'd provoke Evander into some ridiculous loud magical performance but instead there was silence. A long, boring silence. Fie began to suspect Evander had just run off and left her there as some sort of silly joke and opened her eyes. Evander was not playing a joke, she spotted him curled up in a ball, clutching his head while blood trickled down from his nose. "Evander!" she leapt up from the bench.

"Wait!" he gasped out, "I've nearly got the answer! I see daisies!"

"Yeah, you'll be pushing them up if you don't stop whatever weird trick you're doing!" snapped Fie, "cut it out!"

"The gardening club!" yelled Evander, and it was like a weight lifted off him. He sat up straight and grinned, looking bright despite his pale, sweating face.

"Gardening? I don't think so. I don't have it in me to look after plants. I'm missing something. Whatever it is that lets people grow things, I don't have it. And that's not the point, you were actually doing something weren't you? I thought all that psychic stuff was a joke, but you nearly gave yourself an aneurysm trying it."

"You don't have to believe in it. But I do, and I'm telling you, you'll be happy in the gardening club."

"No, I won't. I told you I'm missing_"

"You're not missing anything," said Evander, "stop saying that! You're human, aren't you? If anyone can't raise plants, it's me. They probably drop dead as soon as I touch them. But you haven't even tried, and you should. Before you decide that something is missing, and that you're broken."

"Fine. If it matters that much to you. I'll give it a try."

"Thank you. Head over to the garden by the pond, ask a girl named Edel if you can help out. I'd come with you, but I've got to head back for another boring lecture about Roland Vander or Zeo of Nord or Prince Lucius. Hey, you know Roland fought with two swords as well? Maybe I belong in the royal court too!"

"Yeah," said Fie, "as the jester. See you later."

"Ha! Laugh, clown, laugh!"

Scene Break Here

With Fie's current track record, stolen chemicals, and explosives and all, Emma was a little concerned when the girl came back to the dormitory later than usual with dirt under her nails, whistling a tune. She couldn't help but worry that the girl had been burying something weird on the academy grounds, maybe even those missing chemicals. But when she tried to subtly confront Fie about it she got an answer she hadn't been expecting.

"I joined the gardening club," said Fie, "it was…nice. Relaxing. I didn't think I'd like it but I think I'm going to stick with it. Edel is really nice."

"Oh. Not to be rude, but I didn't think you were the club sort."

"I wasn't. But Evander was being stubborn about me joining, and he nearly killed himself suggesting it so it was a worth a try."

"Evander suggested it?"

"Yeah, to repay a debt. If you see him tell him it worked, the debt is square."

"Um, shouldn't you tell him that?" asked Emma, thinking that really was the sort of thing you should find out in person.

"Maybe, but he has this aura of inescapable doom following him round. And Sara called him a little weirdo during orientation and said he wasn't what she had in mind when I should make friends."

"That's our instructor," laughed Emma, "tactful as always. Oh well, as long as you're happy with the gardening club I can't complain about the results, I'll be sure to pass your message along if I run into Evander before you." She was already planning to speak to him, she'd finished the prototype of the aura suppressing friendship bracelet and this made a good pretext to talk to him.

"Thanks," said Fie, yawning, "I'm going to sleep now. Gardening is tiring."

Scene Break Here

It was late, one might say too late for reasonable people to be up and about. The moon hung low and menacing in the sky. It was a night for witches and werewolves. And perhaps a night for half vampires too, because Evander had been released early from remedial history on the promise he'd give up his assertion that Emperor Dreichels had ever sold turnips. That was the pretext anyway, Evander just figured Instructor Thomas was too old to pull another late-night history binge after their recent marathon. He decided to take the long way back to the dormitory while he figured out how to kill the rest of the night, circling around by the gym instead taking the direct route to the front gate. To his surprise, he wasn't the last one up at this hour, because Laura emerged from the gym as he was walking past. He was just about to call out to her when the scent of blood hit him like a freight train. She must have cut herself during a training accident and the smell was nearly enough to drive Evander into a frenzy. He staggered backward, muffling a cry, and tried to make himself inconspicuous.

His efforts, as usual, only backfired, because Laura suddenly tensed and peered into the darkness, hackles raised. It was as though she sensed danger lurking out in the night. In a smooth motion she drew her sword and called out a clear challenge.

"Show yourself or flee! I swear on my blade, I will not fall to evil this night! Challenge me at your own peril."

"Declined," croaked Evander, struggling to fight off the hunger as he stepped into a shaft of moonlight to reveal himself.

"Evander! What are you doing out here_" she paused, peering at him closely in the moonlight. "You seem unwell. Is something wrong?"

"I'm starving," he admitted without meaning to, he just been unable to think of a proper lie. He decided to quickly change the subject. "You hurt yourself. You should get that looked at."

"How did you_?" she glanced down at her left leg, where a small cut was trickling blood, barely visible to her eyes in this light. In fact, it should have barely been visible in broad daylight, let alone at night, from the distance Evander was standing.

"When you drew your sword and dropped into en garde stance, your weight was distributed unevenly. I figured you had a leg injury," lied Evander. He wasn't sure if that was true, he'd been too distracted by the smell of blood, but he could hardly admit that. "Not surprising if you stay up training this late. What's gotten into you?"

"I'm annoyed," said Laura, "by you if we're being perfectly candid. I never see you train at all. You said before that the way of the sword is not your life, that you only practiced it to keep others safe. Yet you show such skill with your blades and a speed and strength I would say was almost inhuman. All without effort. How can hold my head high as a devotee of the sword when I train day and night to achieve similar results to you, when you do no work at all?"

"Ah. So that's why you're up half the night, training until you can barely hold your sword up, until you accidentally hurt yourself in your exhaustion? Stupid!"

"Excuse me!?"

"Not you, me! I'm so stupid! I should have realized what it would look like to you. You're right, I don't train, to be fair, I haven't had the time lately, but even before then I'd only train when I was bored or feeling a little rusty. You dedicate yourself to the sword, my slack attitude must be particularly abrasive to you. I'm sorry."

"Oh," Laura looked taken aback, "perhaps I should apologise to you as well. I should have realized you have had little time to train of late. And that not everyone has the same standards as I do. But it offends me to see you squander such potential. You cannot walk a path by accident, Evander, even if you did not choose the path of the sword, you take steps down it with deliberate strides. But one should not coast down a path when they can run."

"I understand. You take pride in your skill, and I should too. Look, in a week or two, you're going to find out something about me that will explain all of this, and then you'll feel better. But until then, I promise to make time for training. I'm at a military academy, for Aidios sake, that should have been obvious to me. And one day, we will duel each other, as true disciples of the sword, with nothing held back."

"It is a promise then," Laura stepped forward to shake his hand only for him to leap back as though burned. The coppery scent of blood searing in his nose.

"Ah, I left the oven on!" he yelled and then hared off into the night.

"But the orbal oven has an auto-shutoff feature for safety…" muttered Laura into the empty night, "Alisa explained it to me when I was afraid I'd burn the dormitory down if I touched it. It's included in all Reinford models."

"You'll have to forgive my apprentice," said Beryl, stepping suddenly out of the shadows like a wraith revealing itself. "Your scent scared him off. He's not normally that rude. Usually, he's at least twice as rude as that actually."

"My scent?" Laura asked, then remembered she'd been training for several hours and thought Beryl was talking about, what had Evander called it? Her scent of sweat and blade oil. She flushed and scowled at Beryl. "You must be from the Occult Research Society as well," she said changing the subject, "you give off the same off-putting aura that Evander does. Did you want something? Or do you just eavesdrop for the sake of it?"

"I came to warn you. Do not seek to duel Evander until you know the full story. You would make him hungry. You wouldn't like him when he's hungry."

"If you must know, I don't much like him now," said Laura stiffly, "and I'm feeling little less charitable towards you right now, either. Say what you mean. I know of his illness, his mysterious addiction and that it makes him behave strangely. If you think to scare me by hinting at such things…"

"Oh, I know nothing scares you, Laura S. Arseid. I speak on Evander's behalf. He is scared of his hunger, and what he might do to sate it. I would be remiss in my duties as club president if I didn't speak in his interests. Do not request a duel against him again, lest he finally accepts."

"Thank you," said Laura sarcastically, bowing in a mocking fashion, "do you have any other pearls of wisdom I could not divine from a Calvardian Cookie?"

"Just one. He didn't ask for it. That's all."

"What do you mean? Ask for what?"

"When the time comes, and you are enraged. Remember that." Beryl waved a casual goodbye and then disappeared into the darkness once again, leaving a baffled Laura behind. Actually, a few moments later than confusion turned to guilt. She wasn't usually so abrasive towards people, let alone relative strangers. There was something about Evander, and Beryl too, that set her teeth on edge, made her quicker to snap in anger.

"Hmph," she said, turning her back on such weirdness and walking back towards the dormitory. "Alisa was right. Occult Weirdoes Society indeed."

Scene Break Here

Evander had recently gotten into children's books. Very recently, though very late considering his age. More advanced works were still a slog for him, but he'd had several weeks' worth of lessons with Sister Ornella now and was making enough progress to read simple books. Despite the sarcastic nature of Sara's suggestion that he read a good book if he couldn't sleep, he was actually enjoying the practice now. Escaping into a fictional world was one of the best ways yet he'd found to escape the ravening thirst that constantly lingered in the back of his throat. So his room was no longer completely barren, Tyzel had generously loaned him the complete collection of the Adventures of Batboy that she had finished with.

They'd struck up a conversation about reading when Evander had gone back to thank her for her kindness with the toast a few days later and when he'd mentioned his troubles getting anything from the library or the bookstore, she'd instantly agreed to loan him some of her old books. Before that, all he'd had to read was his student handbook, which was as dull as ditchwater. He'd initially been reluctant to accept her generous offer, but she'd insisted, saying she was way too old for those books now, in that casual way kids did when they wanted to appear superior to their fellow children.

In reality, she felt sorry for him. The other kids in Trista were still running around telling weird stories about him being a vampire. In the latest one, he'd attacked a brave knight and tried to drink her blood only for her purity and strength of will to burn him and send him screaming into the night.

"He ran away screaming before his fangs could even make the smallest nick, his fear was perfect!" Or so the story went.

When Tyzel asked where they'd heard such nonsense, they only had some drivel about a fortune teller to fall back on. It was enough to make her sympathize with Emil, who'd left Sunday School recently to study on his own. The children of Trista were such…children. So if loaning him a few silly books about a half human half bat super hero would make him feel better, it was worth it.

Anyway, all this meant that as the sun rose before another morning of classes, Evander was up reading The Adventures of Batboy, Book Thirteen, finishing the last page just as the first fingers of dawn would have crept through his window if he hadn't decked them out with heavy blackout curtains. As it happened, the book ended on a terrible cliffhanger that drove Evander half-insane.

"This is bullshit! It can't end like that!" he yelled and threw the book at the wall with a loud thud. "What if I hadn't had the next book yet? I would have had to wait months to find out if he survived!" There was a timid knock at his door and Evander leapt off his bed and ran over to answer it. He threw the door open, not even caring when he found Emma behind it, and kept raving, "How is Batboy supposed to get out of this one? Snakewoman invented a machine that plays a terrible noise to neutralize his echolocation and then locked him in the Dark Room! If he doesn't have his bat powers anymore, what good is he!?"

"Um, book thirteen, right?" said Emma, confirming her pathological need to help people. "If I recall correctly, Batboy remembers that he's half human too and that humans have a superpower that bats don't. The ability to empathize with each other. He talks to Snakewoman, yelling over the sound of the machine, and they bond over being mutants rejected by society until she eventually lets him out."

"Really? Well, that sucks!" snapped Evander, "I was hoping for an epic showdown! Well now you've helped me, how can I help you?"

"It's nothing really, I've just been making friendship bracelets for Class Seven, and I wanted you to have one," she held out the bracelet to him, only for him to stare at it in complete confusion, making her feel awkward. "See, um, there's ten beads, each one a different colour, one for each member of Class Seven. Yours isn't red because you hate red. And_"

"That is. Without a doubt. The nicest thing anyone has ever given me!" Evander practically snatched it from her and rammed it on over his wrist, grinning like a maniac. "Thanks so much_" he was cut off as he started to sneeze repeatedly. "Ugh, sorry about that. It's got a funny smell about it. Old words and obscure herbs. But I still love it anyway! No one has ever wanted to be my friend; I've never been part of anything before this. Class Seven, this is great!" Now Emma felt guilty that she'd only made up these bracelets as an excuse to foist a magical item onto Evander. But she couldn't let that distract her, she had to test if the spell she and Celine had worked into it was working. She couldn't tell, because the moment she'd realized what Evander's aura was doing, she'd warded herself against it. "I have to get you something in return now! Something just as good! What do you want? I can get fish, Kenneth from the fishing club told me he'd show me all the best fishing spots if I'd give him a few more lessons in sword fishing."

"That's really not necessary," said Emma quickly, while fish would certainly make Celine happy, it wouldn't be a very good test of the bracelet. "If you want to help me out, I wouldn't mind if you came to the bookstore with me?" She remembered Evander being thrown out of the bookstore on the second day of term and thought this would be a good test to see if the owner's perceptions had changed now that Evander's aura was dampened. "I was wondering if you could show me which books Sister Ornella is teaching you from? I'm trying to tutor Fie you see."

"Uh, that might be a problem. There's this arson thing about me going around and_ ah, what the heck! I'll see what I can do! Is the bookstore even open this early?"

"Yes, actually, I asked them to open early so I could pop in before classes. Are you ready to go?" Most people wouldn't be, but Evander was fully clothed and ready to go, not having slept at all the previous night, reading away as he was.

"Ready? I could conquer the world!" Evander sprang out of the room and practically bolted down the stairs without even waiting for Emma. Jusis and Gaius were seated downstairs enjoying a quiet cup of tea and Evander nearly gave them a heart attack when he bounded over to them. "Goooooooooood morning! Trippy vibes!" He immediately noticed that while Gaius was wearing his friendship bracelet, Jusis had left his behind. "For shame Jusis! Why aren't you wearing your friendship bracelet! It's a badge of honour, binding us together as Class Seven!"

"It's alright!" said Emma, hurrying down the stairs, "he doesn't have to wear it. I understand it's a little bit childish_"

"No, Evander, for once has a point," admitted Jusis, "it was churlish of me to refuse when you'd spent such time on it. If even Evander realized that, thick-headed as he is, I must be in the wrong. I will… consider wearing it. Outside of academy hours."

"Thick headed!? Excuse me?" complained Evander, "what do you mean if even I realized it!?"

"You aren't exactly known for your tact," said Jusis, frowning, there was something different about Evander this morning. He wasn't likeable exactly, but Jusis didn't feel that same immediate contempt he usually felt towards the boy before he even opened his mouth. He looked over at Gaius, and the boy nodded subtly. There was something different about him, the spiritual Nord had noticed it too.

"Yeah? Well, you can just take a long walk off a short pier!" snapped Evander. "How's that for tact?"

"It proved my point rather nicely. Thank you."

"Ugh! Take that back! I'm a master of tact!"

"Declined."

"You_! Okay, I deserved that, didn't I?"

"Yes, yes you did," said Gaius, chuckling. "You really did."

Scene Break Here

"Oh, I just remembered," said Emma as they walked over to the bookstore, "Fie wanted me to pass on that the debt between you is repaid. She liked the gardening club and is going to stick with it."

"Ha!" Evander punched the air, "I've still got it!"

"Yeah, about that. Fie said something about you giving yourself an aneurysm when I asked her how'd you'd come up with the gardening club. I really think you shouldn't use that power anymore unless you really have to. It sounds like it's a danger to your health."

"Huh, aren't you going to say it's all nonsense?"

"Of course not. You'd be surprised to know just what I believe is possible. I know you had a gift, and that it was once effortless to use, but isn't anymore."

"Fie tell you that?"

"Not exactly. She said something along the lines of the RMP tying your head up in so many knots you didn't know how to be insane anymore but that is nonsense. No one can take your gift Evander. It'll be waiting for you."

"So, long story short, don't kill yourself trying to use it now," finished Evander, "I get it. Now I have a question for you. What are you?"

"Excuse me!?"

"That smell that hangs around you. It's not perfume, and I've never smelt anything like it before. And I thought about it some more," he sniffed the air again, "but there's a hidden undercurrent to the smell. Something old and powerful. Burning like fire. Something that feels like hunger, that feels like home."

"You think I'm not human!?" squeaked Emma, she'd have laughed at the irony of it, having her humanity questioned by a dhampir of all people, if she wasn't so panicked. Evander thought about it.

"No. The smell clings to you, but it's not actually coming from you. I think you've been in contact with something. Something like me," he added quietly.

"Something like you," whispered Emma, "but far more powerful. Please, don't ask me anymore. I'm not ready to talk about it."

"So, you do know what I am. You've known all along, since that first day when you ran off to the library. And you've said nothing, nor played any mind games with me, like the others have… I see. Then I owe you a debt, whatever secret you carry, I will not pry about it, or speak of it to anyone else without your permission. Is that sufficient?"

"Yes, of course! Thank you."

"Can I just say one more thing? Whatever it is, you cannot be worse than me. Take comfort in that."

"You didn't ask for it," said Emma, quietly, not knowing she was echoing Beryl. "And I don't think_"

"You!" Keynes leapt out of the front door of his store, which they'd reached without noticing. He pointed an accusing finger at Evander, "There'll be none of your book burning_" a strange look crossed his face, and he did a double take, like he was just now seeing Evander for the first time. "Um well. I mean, no more of that joking around, young man. I take books very seriously."

"So do I," said Evander, nodding, his face a picture of wide-eyed innocence, "I just finished Batboy Book Thirteen this morning and that cliffhanger nearly killed me!" Keynes blinked, and then smiled.

"You know, my son Kay loves those books too! Probably why he went around spreading that nonsense about you being a vampire! Wait until I tell him you read them too, he'll get a real kick out of that. Might stop him thinking you're so scary. I suppose you'll be wanting book fourteen then?"

"Uh. Uh. Uh," Evander just stood there stuttering, completely shocked out of his mind. He'd tried it all before, winning smiles, innocent puppy dog eyes and all. None of it had every worked before. But here was Keynes being nice to him all of a sudden. 'No thank you," he finally managed to say. "Tyzel loaned me the complete collection. But if you have anything similar…"

"Well there's the spinoff about Snakewoman's origins, there's only a few chapters out so far, but it's getting good reviews. And I think I have that new series about werewolves if you're_" he suddenly noticed Emma standing there. "Oh, I'm sorry Miss Millstein, you were looking for some study books too weren't you? That's why you asked me to open up early. Come right in!"

"Oh, um, in a minute Mr Keynes, I've just spotted a friend," said Emma, barely able to contain her excitement. The spell was working! She'd never done anything like that before and it was working perfectly, at this rate she'd catch up to Vita in no time! She hurried around the corner where she'd seen Celine lurking, leaving Evander and Keynes to their excited conversation about children's books.

"What are you looking so happy about?" asked Celine, lazily flicking her tail through the air as Emma barrelled around the corner.

"It worked!" gushed Emma, "the spell gave him a fresh start! I mean, it doesn't make people instantly like him, but they give him a chance now, and if he can find common ground with them he'll be fine."

"Of course it worked," said Celine, "I helped didn't I? Was there any other outcome? Sheesh, no need to get so emotional about it. But he'll need all the help he can get, I've been following him since the start of term and boy does he get into trouble. Who knows what mad garbage he'll get up to next?"

"Oh hush Celine, you're just mad because I didn't get any fish for you."

"There was fish on offer!? And you refused!? What is wrong with you!? Humans!"

Scene Break Here

"I swear it's true," said Kay, regaling a group of his friends a few days later, "the vampire was reading a book about bats! And when he saw me he warned me to stay away from black cats!"

"I've seen a black cat prowling around town!" said Rudy, getting excited, "do you think it's a werecat!?"

"Oh no!" wailed one of the smaller children, "werecats in Trista again!"

Scene Break Here

The day of the practical exam came with all the students of Class Seven being tasked to fight a combat shell in teams of three with Rean, Gaius and Elliot going first. Of course, those among you with a mathematical inclination will know that three does not go into ten, so after the third round was completed, only Evander had yet to fight. He figured he'd be paired with two other students who'd already fought, probably Rean and Gaius seeing as though they'd gone first and had recovered better than Elliot. But it turned out Sara had one more surprise in store today, if summoning a weird automaton wasn't enough.

"Alright, final round!" she announced, "Evander, you're up! Show us what you're made of!"

"Evander and…" said Evander, waiting for his teammates to be announced.

"Evander and his imaginary friends," snarked Alisa.

"Evander and nobody actually," corrected Sara, "wouldn't be fair on the others to make someone fight twice."

"That's our instructor," said Machias, "all about fairness."

"Do you want to join him?" asked Sara, smiling in a dangerously sweet fashion.

"Considering that I nearly already joined him in jail over the funny money incident, I think I'll pass," said Machias, shrugging.

"Gee, thanks, what a pal," said Evander, "seriously, who are my teammates?"

"Like I said. No one. Now get out here, front and centre unless you want to fail."

"Instructor, may we have a short sidebar?" asked Evander. Something funny was going on here. If he had teammates to back him up, he wouldn't have to push himself too hard, and therefore wouldn't awaken a new level of ravening hunger beyond his usual subconscious thirst.

"Declined!" said Sara, grinning, "I hear that's what the kids are saying these days. You'll fight alone, and I'll be tuning the settings up a couple of notches as well."

"You're insane!" raged Evander.

"My father said likewise," smirked Sara, "now unless you want to pay me any other compliments, get on with it."

"Instructor, it's okay," said Rean, "I'll fight with him. I don't mind."

"Ah Rean, the boy scout routine would be adorable any other day but today my mind is made up. Evander will fight alone at a higher setting, and that's final."

"Instructor, I must protest!" called out Laura, "I don't understand this preferential treatment Evander is getting."

"Preferential!? She's trying to kill me!" complained Evander.

"Do you believe me incapable of fighting alone? At a higher setting? I demand you test me in the same fashion!" continued Laura, ignoring Evander's interjection entirely. Bracelet or no, Laura had still been rather cold towards Evander of late, as Emma had said, the enchantment couldn't make people like him. Laura's problems with Evander stemmed from more than his vampiric aura. She resented his lackadaisical approach to training, his offensive behaviour, and his repeated refusal to duel her.

"Yeah, let Laura do it, she's more than capable of it," said Evander, "I'll happily take some teammates instead."

"Your support rings rather hollow, Evander," said Laura, her voice chilly, "when you sent your club president to warn me off the other night."

"I did no such thing! She must be playing some weird game with you. Ugh, when will that witch stop interfering with my life!" complained Evander.

"But I didn't do anything!" said Emma, looking confused.

"I wasn't talking about you," said Evander, looking at her curiously, "have you been interfering with my life?"

"Enough dissembling!" snapped Laura, "you think you're better than me Evander, don't you? And Sara agrees? Duel me! Right now!"

"Declined. Ha! Taken my thing back!"

"Enough!" said Sara, suddenly serious, "my decisions are final. It's not about what any of you can handle. Evander needs to fight alone, as part of his training."

"Please instructor! I can't. I don't know what you're doing. Why are you_"

"You understand all too well Evander. I need to know if I can trust you. Truly trust you, before I send you off unsupervised to your field exercises. For that you must be pushed to your limit and withstand whatever comes next."

"Um, does anyone understand what they're talking about?" asked Elliot.

"He'll get hungry," said Jusis grimly.

"His addiction will flare up," added Rean.

"Instructor," said Gaius quietly, "are you prepared to step in if things should go wrong?"

"Yes," said Sara, "fully prepared."

"Alright," said Evander, "I'll fight. Just let me apologise in advance. For whatever you might have to see."

"I'll get the popcorn," said Fie, rolling her eyes. "Can we get this over with? Evander is being lame again."

"Sheesh! Nothing impresses you, huh?" Evander stepped forward and squared up with the combat shell. "I'm ready Instructor Sara, do your worst."

"Oh, I intend to. Round four, commence!"

The combat shell blurred forwards, moving faster than it had during any of the other rounds, but Evander was faster, leaping out of the way and somehow getting behind the thing before anyone could even blink.

Clang!

His blades struck against one of its arms with a mighty reverberating sound but the shell didn't even flinch, spinning around and countering with the other arm. Evander slid from offensive to defensive like lightning, parrying with crossed blades but the blow still struck with enough force to drive his heels into the earth. The free arm came for him, but he twisted out of the way, extracting himself from under the arm pinning his swords and getting clear for a moment. But only a moment, because the shell was on him again raising both arms above his head and cleaving downwards with a powerful overhead strike. Knowing the blow would surely break his arms if he tried to parry, he danced aside, waiting for the shell to overcommit to the strike and then lashed out with a horizontal slash at the shell's torso with one of his blades. The strange, almost ceramic material the shell was made of parted around his blade momentarily and then flowed back, trapping the sword. Then the arms reversed their momentum, windmilling backwards to pummel Evander while he was trapped behind it. He lashed out with his remaining sword, slamming it into one of the descending arms leaning all his strength into that arm to propel himself up and across, away form the strike. He escaped, leaving one of his swords behind, but that didn't slow him down. Switching to a two-handed grip on his remaining sword he struck at the shell again before it could recover.

The shell melted around his blade again, trying to trap the sword, but Evander was ready for it this time. While the shell's skin was still in liquid form, he thrust the blade in all the way to the hilt, equidistant from the where the first sword was trapped. Then, like he'd rehearsed the move a thousand times he leapt straight into the air, rotated his body like a gymnast to grip one of the hilts stuck into the shell's body in each hand and then drove both legs between them in a piledriver kick that drove the shell back. There was a sickening crack, and a strange slurping sound and then both his swords were free, and Evander was flying clear. He lunged forward, slashing the shell with such speed that when it tried the melting trick again the sword was clear before the shell could harden and trap it again. Timing was everything, and just as its skin hardened around a sword that was no longer there, Evander struck with the other sword, scoring a palpable hit. Sparks flew from the shell, and it flew sideways from the force of the blow, briefly hitting the ground before bouncing back upright like a jack in the box and spinning like a top with its arms extended to repel Evander's next offensive.

But the thing may as well have been moving in slow motion for all this defence inconvenienced Evander. He corrected automatically, sinking into a low crouch as he thrust with both swords, piercing low in the shell's torso and then butterflying his blades out either side as the shell instinctively tried melting around them to trap them. The shell stopping spinning aimlessly and reversed its motion to send both arms crashing down in a diagonal strike against the crouching Evander. Refusing to be trapped, Evander flipped backwards like his knees were spring loaded, dodging the powerful attack with ease before snapping upright, reversing his splayed blades and slicing into either side of the shell's head. The blades met in the centre, and this time Evander allowed them to become trapped to give himself leverage for a shoulder charge, slamming his body against the shell with enough force to free his swords once more. The shell's arms had somehow gotten on either side of him after their initial diagonal strike and now tried to trap him in a pincer like hug. Evander was forced to block each one with only one of his lighter swords each, and the effort made the muscles in his arms stand out like cords as he strained not to be crushed.

For a moment it looked as though he would lose and be pinned down but then a dam broke and he seemed to find some greater reserve of strength. His arms snapped out straight to the sides, swords and all, wrenching the arms of the shell with them like they weighed nothing at all. It seemed like the effort had almost driven him feral though, because he actually resorted to headbutting the shell to drive it back, even though that must surely crack his skull and risk getting his head trapped. Miraculously it worked though, sending the shell reeling and giving Evander a second to breathe. Both Evander and the shell recovered at the same time, lunging forward and meeting with a mighty crash, blade against ceramic arm. But the shell had learned Evander's tricks, and didn't melt like Evander expected, remaining strong and solid as a rock. Evander, expecting his blades to coast through and therefore not overcommitting on strength, instead found his blades clanging off harmlessly and a jarring pain running up his arms. The arm whipped outwards taking Evander's blades with it before he could recover and then the second arm whirled around, aiming to pummel Evander's side. Seeing this coming he let himself move with his blades being swept aside, continuing the motion and dancing around the shell's attack before spinning clear, swords and all.

He formed his two blades into a triangular point and drove it straight at the shell's exposed back, this time ready for it not to melt and therefore bringing his full strength to bear against a solid target. The resulting crash from the strike was almost deafening and the shell was driven clear into the ground, knocked back completely. Evander pounced, straddling shell with his legs pinning the arms to the ground as he drove his blades repeatedly into the torso. The battle wasn't over yet though, the shell pulled out a new trick, liquefying its whole body this time and surging up and through Evander this time, to end up right behind him. It spun like a top once more, certain to smash Evander aside like a bundle of sticks. But the boy must have been damn near prescient, because he drove his blades into the ground and used them as leverage to flip clear of the assault. He landed, spun around, reversed his grip on the swords and attacked again with one blade. The shell phased in and out of existence, missing the first sword and reappearing inside Evander's guard. Evander was expecting it to lash out with both arms again, and was caught off guard when it borrowed one of his own tricks and tried to headbutt him.

He jerked his head back just in time and then swung the sword inside his guard up to slice into the shell's neck joint. The awkward timing of the attack made him too slow though, and the shell melted around and trapped his blade again. Now with one blade overextended behind the shell, and the other trapped in it's neck joint, the automaton surged forward, both arms outstretched to shove Evander back. Evander twisted like an eel and managed to perform an insane feat of upper body strength by heaving his whole body into the air using the sword stuck in the neck joint. He landed by planting a foot on either side of the shell's head and putting his whole body into a twisting strike with his remaining sword. The shell phased out of existence, sending Evander plummeting to the ground. He curled up and rolled clear, both swords free, and straightened up in time to dive forward out the way of a double strike by the rematerialized combat shell. The shell recovered quickly and surged forwards to try again, closing the distance between them only for Evander to spin around, throwing his whole torso and shoulders into a slice that drove the shell's outstretched arm back into its own body with a mighty crash. He then lunged forward and stabbed at the automaton with his other blade. Seeing the shell's torso pre-emptively melting to receive his sword he changed direction and swung wide to lash out at the shell's other arm.

Now with one arm pinned against its chest and the other flung wide it looked as though it's combat capabilities were diminished and it would be forced to phase out again but the combat shell was far from out of tricks. It swung it's whole torso up like a pendulum forcing Evander to quickly leap back or suffer a devastating injury. Now hovering upright, it lanced at Evander through the air like a dart and he jumped aside, only for one of it's arms to lash out and strike him a glancing blow. There was a crack that sounded like several ribs shattering and Evander went flying, crashing to the earth and then skidding to a stop. This seemed to be the moment Sara was waiting for, because she clicked her fingers and the shell came to a stop halfway through pursuing the fallen Evander. This whole round had been a trial to force his hunger to flare out of control, and nothing would exacerbate it worse than rapidly healing an injury.

If their ears had been sharp enough, the stunned onlookers from Class Seven would have been able to hear Evander's ribs knitting themselves back together, and perhaps with sharper eyes, seen his bruises fade and his cuts heal. However, they heard or saw none of this, because they were human, and such things were sadly beyond them. What they did see though, clear as day, was the cost this rapid healing wrought on Evander's sanity. When he sat up, strange in itself after receiving a blow like that, his face was drawn in a downright feral snarl, and his teeth looked so sharp you could have sworn they were fangs. And his eyes were the worst, normally pitch black and lifeless, they now burned with a hungry red light. He slowly came to his feet, slouched forward, swaying back and forth with his fingers splayed like claws. Like a bloodhound he sniffed at the air, searching for the only thing that would sustain him. It was just like the fight in the old schoolhouse, only this time there was no combat link to pull him back to him senses, to remind him for his humanity. He lurched towards Class Seven, snarling like a man possessed, and his friendship bracelet began to glow, the magic in it struggling to supress a vastly more powerful aura of menace. The bracelet began to glow brighter and brighter until the energy began to give off heat, burning Evander's wrist. He hissed in pain and quickly looked down, and when he looked up again Sara was standing in front of him, moving faster than the lightning she was nicknamed after.

"What's wrong Evander?" she asked in her usual singsong voice, seemingly oblivious to the concern of her other students. "Feeling a little peckish?"

"So…thirsty," groaned Evander, "just need some. Just one drop."

"But you swore Evander. Not one drop. You gave your word."

"Who? Who gave their word?" he snapped, growling the question out like he genuinely didn't know.

"You. You're not so thirsty that you forget who you are, or at least who the better half of you is. The half that resists this hunger every day with a smile. The half of you with a will of iron, the half that never breaks his word. You are Evander of Class Seven, and you are more than your thirst."

"I'm…more than my thirst?" he asked, it sounded like a serious question too, but without the anger of the previous one, his voice softer, more controlled.

"Yes, Evander. So much more. And the sooner you see that, the sooner you can fight without fear. The sooner you can fight alongside your classmates without risk. Do you want to scare them like this?"

"No," the answer came instinctively to him, without him even realising he was saying it. In fact, he looked downright startled that the words had come out of his mouth. And that bewilderment transformed his face, the features softening back into their usual carefree form. The red light died out of his eyes and his teeth seemed somehow smaller again, less like fangs. He straightened up fully, turned to face his classmates and bowed apologetically. "Sorry, all of you. For my display. I promise to do better. Including on my exams, I guess I failed this one?"

"Failed? You haven't even started yet. That was just the warmup. Gaius, Jusis, if you would, join Evander for his Practical Exam." She'd deliberately chosen two classmates who knew what he was, figuring they'd be less confused and reluctant than the others. And sure, enough Jusis and Gaius took up their places beside Evander without complaint. No one seemed more surprised by this than Evander himself, who gave them astonished looks before grinning.

"Thanks a lot you two! I really appreciate it," he said, dusting himself off and collecting his swords from where he'd dropped them in his hunger. "I promise I won't let you down."

"Good," said Jusis, "you can thank me by controlling yourself in future, and not disgracing yourself in this exam."

"There is nothing to thank us for," said Gaius, "we are merely doing our part as your classmates. As you will do your part for us." To control your hunger was left unsaid.

"Alright! Let the real round four begin!" said Sara and clicked her fingers. The combat shell came back to life and the three of them leapt into battle. Meanwhile the rest of the class tried to process just what they'd seen.

"Um, okay? What the heck did we just see?" asked Elliot.

"I know," said Laura, "I heard the Devil's Whirlwind was an acrobatic style, but I never expected him to jump around like that."

"Is that all you can think about!?" demanded Alisa, "we're talking about the bit at the end where it looked like he was possessed by a fiend straight from Gehenna!"

"Guys, he promised us answers sooner rather than later," said Rean, "let's just trust him and the instructor and give him time. Whatever she was testing him for, he seemed to pass."

"I'll repeat my question from the first day," said Machias, "just what the hell kind of class have I landed in!"

"It's Sara Valestein's home for illiterate imbeciles possessed by fiends from Gehenna," drawled Fie, seemingly unimpressed by all this.

"Can't you be serious for one minute!?" snapped Machias.

"Maybe. If you live long enough to see it. What's the average life expectancy in your family?"

"Fie!" complained Emma, "that's not a nice thing to ask."

"Oh. Let me word it better. When are you going to croak, Machias?"

"That's not better! It's worse!"

And Class Seven continued to bicker away, passing time without realising what they'd just witnessed. Evander had turned his hunger away, chosen friendship over a feeding frenzy. And that was something momentous, something to be proud of. He'd faced the beast within himself and won, and whatever his marks on today's exam, this was one thing he could say he'd passed with flying colours.