“Does a dog want a bone? Is water wet?”
Colin turned to Jack. “Do I sound that annoying when I talk like that?”
Jack nodded solemnly. “Worse.”
Colin shuddered and slapped Stannerios on the back. “Come on, big guy, you and I need to come up with some new material. My jokes are getting stale.”
As they entered the cafeteria, Jack spotted something that stopped him dead in his tracks. Isaac was sitting at one of the tables closest to the doors staring at him with a smirk. That wasn’t new, but what was new was the fact that Cara was sitting on his lap playing with his hair, and she also had a smirk on her face.
Jack had a sinking feeling. He tried to ignore them and walked to a table at the far end of the cafeteria. So far, Colin and Stannerios hadn’t seen them, they were deep in their own conversation about the best one-liners to use. Eventually, Colin would notice, and it wasn’t going to be pretty. Colin had been more than a little sweet on Cara.
As they sat down, Lana entered the cafeteria. Jack watched her closely as she walked past Isaac, Cara and the rest of their crew. She turned her head towards them, but to her credit, she kept walking. Her eyes locked with Jack’s and he could see the look of concern in her eyes.
Jack turned to Colin and Stannerios. “I think we should eat later.”
“But we just got here. Why would we leave now?”
“Ya, I’m hungry,” Stannerios said in agreement with Colin.
“Trust me, we need to leave now,” Jack said as Lana got to the table.
“Bu—”
“Now,” Lana said firmly, interrupting Colin.
Colin looked at Lana, surprised by her outburst. Of the group, Lana was the most bubbly and friendly. She rarely looked as serious as she did at that moment.
“OK,” Colin said.
Lana turned her head to Stannerios, glaring at him until he got up as well.
They were almost out of the cafeteria when Isaac called out. “Hey, Jack, hope you enjoyed your cake. It will be the last treat you eat here.”
Colin turned to reply but then he spotted Cara sitting on Isaac’s lap. Lana pushed Colin towards the door, not giving him a chance to reply.
Stannerios frowned and started to go towards them.
“It isn’t worth it,” Jack said. “Come on.”
Stannerios glared at Isaac for a moment and then followed Jack outside.
When they were outside of the building, Colin turned to Jack. “What the hell was that? Why was she sitting on his lap?”
Lana sighed. “I think we have bigger problems than who Cara flirts with.”
Colin turned to her. “And what is that supposed to mean?”
Jack put his hand on Colin’s shoulder. “I know you liked her; we all did. But think about what Isaac just said.”
Colin closed his eyes for a few seconds and then opened them. “Oh no.”
Stannerios looked confused. “Guys, what’s going on?”
“We don’t know,” Lana said, “it could be nothing. But we need to go check out our exam scores right now.”
“It isn’t nothing,” Colin said bitterly. “This is exactly the kind of thing Isaac would do.”
They walked towards the exam room slowly. To Jack it felt like a death walk. No one talked as they entered the building. A few students were mulling around waiting for the results, but nothing had been posted yet. They waited in silence.
Finally, a professor came out and posted the Ethics test marks on the wall. There were only two possible results. Pass or fail. Jack looked down to his name. Fail. He looked at Colin’s name. Fail. Stannerios. Fail. Lana. Fail.
“But how?” Stannerios said. “We knew the answers.”
“We were tricked,” Colin said. “That cake had more than just pytav leaf in it. She tricked us into failing the exam.”
“This isn’t fair. We need to talk to someone,” Lana said. “They can’t get away with this.”
“I think they can,” Colin said. “I don’t think the Academy cares about underhanded tricks. They are more concerned with results.”
“Let’s talk to Professor Cyr,” Jack said.
They went to Professor Cyr’s office and knocked on the door.
“Come in.”
They entered the room. Professor Cyr looked up from her work. “I’m a little busy marking tests right now, Jack. Can you come back later?”
“It’s really important,” Jack said.
Professor Cyr looked at all of their faces. She nodded. “Let’s hear it.”
“We were drugged,” Colin said. “Cara Dale gave us pytav cake, but it had something else in it that made us answer our Ethics test questions wrong.”
Professor Cyr leaned back in her chair. “That is a strong accusation. Do you have any proof?”
“Isaac Dixon practically admitted it,” Colin said.
“Practically?” Professor Cyr said.
“Well, he didn’t exactly say it. But he certainly inferred it. He told Jack it would be the last piece of cake that he’d ever eat at the Academy, and… Cara was sitting in his lap when he said it.”
Professor Cyr sighed. “I suppose you’ve all checked your test results before you came here?”
Jack nodded. “We all failed.”
“Well, considering it was a test you’ve already taken, Colin, I do believe it is strange that you’d fail it this time around. However, an inferred comment is not proof of wrongdoing.”
“What about the test? Can we redo it?”
“Not without proof of wrongdoing.”
Jack’s shoulders dropped. There was nothing Professor Cyr could to save them.
“What if we talked to the headmaster?” Lana asked.
“I’m afraid you’d get the same answer,” Professor Cyr said.
“So we’re done,” Stannerios said.
“No,” Colin said. “There is still one thing we can do.”
Jack frowned. “What is that?”
“You become questers,” Professor Cyr said.
26
“That is our only choice?” Jack asked.
“If you want to remain at the Academy, I’m afraid it is.”
Colin sighed. “Thank you for your time, Professor Cyr.”
Professor Cry gave them a sad smile. “I’m sorry that this happened to you all. You will have the next couple of days to decide if you want to become questers. Take your time in making this decision, it is a dangerous path, and not one recommended for first-year students. But ultimately the decision is yours. Jack, as your advisor I’ll need you to come see me first thing tomorrow.”
“Yes, Professor Cyr,” Jack said.
As they left her office, no one said anything, until Stannerios turned to Colin. “I can’t go home; my people already consider me a disgrace because I chose to come here even though I wasn’t the champion. Tell me about questing.”
“I know a little, but I know someone who can explain it even better. Let’s go to the library.”
When they reached the library, Colin led them to Librarian Carr.
“Shouldn’t you lot be out celebrating? Next semester doesn’t start for a few days. Surely you aren’t already looking for more books.”
“Our academic careers have taken a bit of a shift. What can you tell us about becoming questers?” Colin said.
“Oh,” Librarian Carr said, “all four of you?”
Colin nodded.
“I see. Well, it isn’t normal for first-year students to become questers, especially after one term, but it has happened before. The first thing you’ll have to do is meet with your sponsors and inform them of your decision. Then you will be assigned an antiquities broker who will be your guide to all things in regards to the Ancient Lands. They will be your mentor. The first thing you need to know is that questers don’t get exams or tests. You still take the classes, but you are no longer considered regular students. You come and go as you please. The downside is that the only way you get to move on to second-
year status is if you recover valuable enough artifacts before the end of the year. If you fail to reach the minimum value, your time at Darkthorn Academy is done.”
“OK, we’re screwed.” Stannerios said.
“Not necessarily,” Librarian Carr said. “If you choose the quester path it is certainly filled with perils, but it is not without rewards. You do not have to hand in all your found treasures. Only those you wish to go towards your debt. There are lots of powerful artifacts out there and those students who find them can put them to their benefit. Many questers go on to become powerful mages and warriors based on the gear they find during their quests. It is a high-risk, high-reward profession. The four of you have a choice to make if you do decide to become questers. You can work by yourselves, or as a team. Solo questers can finish paying the debt sooner as they keep all the loot for themselves, but a team can work together, take advantage of all your individual skills, and there is more safety in numbers.”
“What kind of dangers are really out there?” Jack asked. He’d heard all sorts of stories about the Ancient Lands and how dangerous they were, but he’d never been in them.
“More than you can shake a stick at. You have bandits, marauders, untold wild and savage beasts, and of course, the undead.”
“Undead?”
“Ghouls, skellies, undead warriors and mages,” Colin said.
“Among other things,” Librarian Carr said. “The Great War left lots of strange magic and even stranger dangers. The undead are among the most prolific. Millions of people from all the races died in the Great War. Even if only a small fraction of them are reanimated, you still are dealing with a large number. However, for the most part, the undead are not the most dangerous things in the Ancient Lands.”
Jack shuddered. The undead sounded plenty dangerous enough on their own, he hesitated to ask what could possibly be worse. But it was something he needed to know before making a decision. “What things are more dangerous?”
“I’m not an expert, but there certainly are bandits and wild animals that are considered more dangerous than the undead, and among the undead there are different levels of dangerous. The oldest skeleton warriors, or skellies as Colin called them, are slow, and don’t hit with the same power as a live human. They are still dangerous in numbers or in a dark building where you can’t see well. The safest thing is to just assume everything and everyone you encounter in the Ancient Lands is trying to kill you.”
“I see,” Jack said.
Librarian studied the faces of the students. “Why don’t you all take the night and think about what you want to do. Meet with your individual advisors and see what they think and then make your decision. This is a big choice, and one that shouldn’t be made in the heat of the moment.”
“Thank you, Librarian Carr,” Colin said.
The group left the library and headed back towards the scholarship student dorms.
“She was right,” Colin said. “We should take a night to think about what she said.”
“I don’t need a night,” Stannerios said. “I’ll be becoming a quester. But I agree, the rest of you should think about it.”
“I’m going to my room, today has exhausted me,” Lana said. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Same,” Stannerios said.
Following the others’ lead, Colin and Jack headed to their room. Colin dropped on to his bed and stared at the ceiling. “I can’t believe I was such an idiot.”
“What do you mean? You can’t blame yourself for what happened.”
“Yes, I can. I’ve been here before. I know how regular students act. Heck, I was one of them. I should’ve known the second you stood up to Isaac to help me he’d attack us. I didn’t realize he’d use Cara, but I should’ve known better.”
“They tricked us. All of us. We all thought she was nice and our friend. You don’t get to shoulder that alone.”
“Not all of us,” Colin said. “One of us knew she was bad news.” He pointed towards Lord Scratches, who was sitting on the windowsill watching them.
Jack nodded. “You’re right. Lord definitely never liked her.”
“I wonder if she was the one who pushed you into the pit,” Colin said. “If Lord saw it, that would explain it. She was the closest person to you, we just assumed she was one of us and couldn’t have done it.”
Jack thought about it, it was possible that she’d been the one to push him. “Lord, did you see who pushed me into the pit?”
Lord Scratches chirped twice. They’d been working on their communication. One chirp was a no, two was a yes.
Colin groaned. “I can’t believe we never asked Lord Scratches that before.”
Jack shrugged. “Well, it isn’t like we always knew he was a dragon or that he was smart, and we’ve only been working on communication for a little while. But yes, it sucks.” If he’d asked Lord before the study session, they would’ve all been fine.
“Lord, do you have any dragon magic where you can take us back in time so we can redo our tests?”
Lord Scratches looked at Colin for a moment before giving out one loud squawk.
“Darn it,” Colin said.
“You thought Lord Scratches could travel through time.”
“No. It was more like a desperate last-ditch hope.” Colin paused for a moment. “I’m not sure about questing.”
“Too dangerous?” Jack asked.
“It certainly is dangerous, but that isn’t it. I just don’t see how it would work. I haven’t been able to think logically since I found out about the cake. Tomorrow I’ll really get into it.”
Jack went to bed. Colin was right. Tomorrow was a new day. He’d deal with everything tomorrow.
…
“Have a seat, Jack.”
Jack sat down in Professor Cyr’s office.
“How are you today?”
“Still in shock, I guess,” Jack said. “I’m not sure what is worse, the fact that someone I thought was a friend betrayed us, or that I might fail out of the Academy.”
“Yes, betrayal is a hard pill to swallow. Have you thought about your options?”
“I think I want to be a quester, but I’m nervous.”
“As you should be. If you weren’t nervous about it, it would show stupidity or that you hadn’t put much effort into learning about the Ancient Lands.”
“What do you think I should do, Professor?”
“I think it is your decision. However, I will help you weigh the pros and cons. You have a place in Sunder to go to. You have skills as a tinker, but you’ll always be an outsider. If you become a quester you will stay at the Academy, gain more skills and stay with your friends. However, the risks of becoming a quester are high. Many who go into the Ancient Lands never return.”
Jack nodded. He’d already thought of those things, and the one thing that struck a chord with him was the one truth he couldn’t ignore. Before he’d come to the Academy he’d had no real friends. Here, he had several, not to mention Lord Scratches. For all the hard work and studying, Jack enjoyed the Academy. He didn’t want to risk losing those friendships. At the very least, Stannerios intended to be a quester. The two of them could do it together. If Colin or Lana also decided to do it, it would be even better. “I am going to do it. I’m going to be a quester.”
Professor Cyr smiled. “Good. Now, the timing of this is awful, and somewhat appropriate. Do you know what day it is today?”
What day was it? Jack hadn’t really been keeping track of time since he’d joined the Academy. He’d been focused more on studying and training. The only time he paid attention to was when his classes were. “The third day of seven?”
Professor Cyr shook her head. “It is the fifth of seven. Happy Birthday, Jack.”
Sixteen. Jack was now sixteen—he’d forgotten all about his birthday. It hadn’t seemed important before. “Thank you, Professor Cyr.”
“I have something for you.” She handed him a package. “Open it.”
Jac
k opened the wrapping and inside were a pair of gauntlets. They were silver and black and had the Darkthorn symbol on them. Jack tried them on, and they fit perfectly.
“I had to have the blacksmith adjust them. You have thicker arms than your mother had.”
Jack looked down at the gauntlets again. They’d been his mother’s!
“We haven’t talked much about your mother, I… well, I thought I’d have more time before we needed to. I wanted you completely focused on your studies. But now it seems a perfect time. These were your mother’s first pair of battle gauntlets that she found in the Ancient Lands. They are excellent for mana and have several spells that you’ll find handy in the Ancient Lands.”
“She got them in the Ancient Lands?”
“Yes. She got lots of things in the Ancient Lands. Your mother was a quester.”
Jack was surprised. “My mom was a quester? But I thought she was with the Westdrift Empire Army?”
“She joined the army after graduating from the Academy. However, we spent two years as questers, and we did rather well.” Professor Cyr showed Jack her rings and necklace. “Becoming a quester isn’t for everyone, but for those who come from humble beginnings, it’s a great way to move up in the ranks, gain experience and magical gear.”
“I didn’t know that she’d been a quester. Ramy never talked about her time at the Academy.”
“No, I suppose he didn’t.”
“Was it just the two of you working together?” Jack asked.
“No, we had a good team. There were four of us. Your mother, me, Andreas the Red and Hegmar. Having a good team makes surviving the Ancient Lands much easier. But becoming a good team takes work.”
“What do I do now that I’ve decided to become a quester?”
“You, and whoever else you form a team with, go to the Antiquities Acquisitions Division. Go see Master Horton and get equipped with armor. I suggest you go with an enhanced leather armor. Master Horton has better, but it is expensive, and as a quester you pay for your supplies out of your own pocket. I do suggest making sure you have quality boots. You’ll be doing a lot of walking. Once you have enough mana, you’ll be able to make portals, but that will take much better equipment than what you have now—although the bracers are a good start. You’ll want to find more magic-enhancing equipment. There are a few marketplaces in Ansby that sell magical gear, and Master Horton can provide basics.”
Menacing Misfits: An Epic Fantasy Adventure (Darkthorn Academy Book 1) Page 20
