The Black Stars

by Dan Krokos

  “Yes, Master Zin,” everyone replied in unison. Even the teachers. Mason noticed older men and women sitting at the outer ends of the rows, clearly not students. “Now, with the addition of these two, plus two more who have come to train from halfway across Skars, we will have…” Master Zin trailed off as a Stone rhadjen stood up.

  It was a girl around Mason’s and Tom’s age, thirteen, if Mason had to guess. Her violet hair was done in two braids down her back. She looked over her shoulder at Mason and Tom, her eyes narrowed in disgust and hate.

  “Yes, Lore?” Master Zin said with extreme patience. “You have something to share?”

  “I do,” Lore said, facing Master Zin. “It is well known that these two humans are responsible for the deaths of several Stones.”

  The words had barely left her lips before the room exploded into chatter again. They don’t exactly run a tight ship here, Mason thought. But he was proved wrong a second later, when Master Zin stomped his boot a second time, much harder, rocking the students in their seats. Tom actually took a step back from the wind. Mason’s ears were ringing.

  “I will not ask for silence a third time,” Master Zin said.

  The effect was immediate, as before. No one spoke or moved. Lore didn’t seem to know whether to sit or stay standing, so she just clasped her hands behind her back, then checked over her shoulder again, as if to make sure Mason and Tom weren’t sneaking up on her. They weren’t.

  “Continue, please, Lore, if you have some point to make,” Master Zin said from the front.

  “As I was saying, Master, these humans are killers. They cannot be Stone. Not ever.”

  Mason almost expected chatter to break out a third time, but it seemed Master Zin’s threat was enough.

  Reckful was suddenly standing at Mason’s left. Mason glanced up at the only Tremist who had been kind to them so far, looking for some kind of direction.

  “Master,” Reckful called out, giving a slight bow. “I offer to take these two under my tutelage, as my personal squires. I will mentor them, and they will be Blood. I think that may be best for everyone.”

  Mason wanted that to happen very much. He felt a sudden rush of warmth for Reckful, who was still a stranger but willing to risk himself for the two humans. Mason shared a look with Tom, who appeared just as pleased.

  Please say yes, Tom whispered to himself.

  “Reckful, you know that every student must choose his or her own path,” Master Zin said, and Mason’s heart sank into his lower abdomen. “If they are of the Blood, it will be apparent this very night. If they belong to Stone…” Master Zin looked over the purple side of the room, as if daring them to object. There were a few mutterings but no obvious talking. “That will also become clear.”

  Reckful bowed again. “Of course, Master.” Then, to Mason and Tom: “I tried.”

  “Thank you,” Mason said. “I owe you.”

  Reckful only winked like he had before, but it didn’t feel natural, almost like he’d learned that some humans wink and was trying to appear more human to Mason and Tom. As if reading his mind, Reckful whispered, “Do you wink with your left or right eye?”

  “I don’t think it matters,” Mason said.

  “Now then,” Master Zin said, rubbing his hands together. “We have a few more menial matters to discuss. Is there anyone here who would be kind enough to escort our newest rhadjen to their living quarters while we finish and prepare the rooms below?”

  Please someone volunteer, please someone volunteer, Mason thought. The rejection was already stinging his face.

  But then a member of the Bloods stood up, a tall boy already possessing the animal grace of the Tremist Mason had met in battle. Many of the students gasped, and Mason couldn’t tell if that was a good or bad thing.

  “I will take them,” the student said.

  Chapter Nine

  The student looked over his shoulder at Mason and Tom but didn’t stare at them the way Lore did (who, by the way, was still sneaking glares at them). Instead, he seemed to be enjoying the spectacle.

  “Thank you, Po,” Master Zin said, nodding.

  Po bowed, then shimmied out of his row and into the aisle. Every eye was on him, and Mason heard more than one person mutter traitor quietly. From both sides. It only seemed to make Po smile. And then smile wider as he reached Mason and Tom.

  “Shall we?” Po said, gesturing toward the doors.

  “We shall,” Mason replied. “Thank you.”

  “Don’t thank me yet,” Po replied. “C’mon, let’s get out of here.”

  Mason and Tom opened the doors wide enough to slip through, then shut them as Master Zin began to talk. The feel of glaring eyes on Mason’s back was severed like an electrical current.

  The trio walked down a hallway in silence for a full minute. Mason didn’t know if he should try to strike up a conversation or wait and see if Po was feeling talkative. He shared a look with Tom, who shrugged.

  “Do humans have a hard time speaking?” Po asked finally.

  “No, I—” Mason began.

  Po grinned. “I’m kidding. You’re nervous. You should be.”

  “Why did you offer to take us?” Tom said, a hint of accusation behind his voice.

  “Maybe I’m just curious about you two,” Po replied.

  The line in the floor was once again leading them somewhere, though Mason had no idea how it could know where they were going.

  “No really, why would you volunteer in front of everyone?” Mason asked. “Did you not hear what they were saying?” There had to be some underlying motive; perhaps Po wanted something from them.

  For the first time, Po’s face became somber. “You want the truth? Once, my older brother’s ship was boarded by some ESC special forces. They had him cold. A few of the humans executed his men, but one human put a stop to it. He had to draw his weapon against his own kind.” Po’s eyes were far away, remembering. “My brother told me there was more to humans than we thought. He died three years later, but I still like to believe it’s true.”

  “I’m sorry,” Mason said. “It’s true, though. Just as there is more to Tremist than humans think.”

  Po nodded. “You should hear the stories they tell about you guys—humans, I mean. Scary stuff.”

  “Oh, we have some stories about you, too,” Tom said.

  “In truth,” Po said, “I don’t like doing what everyone else does. It’s boring.”

  Mason liked Po already; he wondered if they’d just made a solid friend, an ally. They would definitely need one.

  “Master Zin seems nice,” Mason said, hoping to keep Po talking.

  But all Po said was, “Yeah. He is. But make sure Master Zin visits you. You don’t ever want to visit him.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Exactly what I said,” Po replied. “And one more thing—I’m assuming you’re both considered pretty skilled back where you come from, but this place is different. There are fourteen million applicants from schools across the country each year.” He smiled slyly. “About a hundred new students get accepted. I hope you brought your brains and your muscles.”

  Mason smiled. “If we were missing our brains or muscles we would certainly be dead.”

  Tom elbowed Mason. “Thanks for the warning,” he said sincerely.

  They walked down another hallway, this one made of warm wood, like a hollowed out tree trunk. It ended at a wide spiral staircase that went straight up. It too was made of warm wood; Mason thought he could feel heat through the soles of his boots. “I thought we have to choose something first?” Mason said. “How can you know where we’re going to sleep?”

  When Po spoke, it was like he was reciting something from a rule book. “In an effort to better integrate the two factions of Rhadgast, students will share sleeping quarters with students of an opposing faction.” He made a snorting sound, like that was the most ridiculous thing in the world. “Better integrate, yeah right. It’ll never happen.”

  �
��Why did you split in the first place?” Mason said.

  The wooden hallway now had doors set into the curving wall. “That’s a story for another time. I’m sure you’ll learn about it in Lore class. Not that Lore.” They stopped at the third door. “Here we are.”

  Po pushed the door inward. Inside was a large room with bunk beds lining the walls.

  “Wait,” Mason said. “Master Zin mentioned preparing ‘the rooms below.’ For what?”

  Po hesitated.

  “We’ve handled bad news before,” Tom said bluntly. Too true.

  Po spoke very carefully. “When students come to this school, they must undergo a test to find out which side they belong to. You have to earn your gloves.” Mason had noticed earlier none of the students were wearing Rhadgast gloves, including Po. Which made him feel a little better about his surroundings.

  “We saved the Will,” Tom said defiantly. “Mason already earned his gloves.”

  “Yeaaah,” Po said. “I heard about that. Very impressive and everything. It’s just … you have to earn them the way everyone earns them.” He looked pointedly at Mason’s hands. “I notice you don’t have your gloves now.”

  “They took them,” Mason said, a little surprised at how angry it made him. He’d used those gloves to save lives. Tom was right: they had earned them. “Then what can you tell us about the test, if we have to take it?” Mason said.

  “I can’t tell you anything. It’s different for everyone. Also, I’d get expelled if they found out.”

  “Well how do we get on your side?” Mason asked. “The Blood side?”

  “Oh, I can’t tell you that either. You have to find it in your heart.” Po widened his eyes, and Mason knew he’d just been given a clue. Maybe not the best clue, but a clue.

  “Can you fail?” Tom said. Tom prided himself on not failing tests.

  Po shrugged. “I don’t know. You probably don’t want to. I don’t know. I shouldn’t be talking about it. Just take a second to freshen up, drink some water, meditate … whatever you humans do. Then find your way back. Be there in ten, and don’t be late.” Po darted back into the hallway, then leaned back through the doorway. “The heart,” he said, tapping his chest, then disappearing.

  It was a good thing Mason had paid attention to the many turns they’d taken. Tom looked at him quizzically. “Uh, you know how to get back?”

  “Yep. Pay attention next time, Renner.” He clapped Tom on the shoulder, who playfully shoved him back.

  “I was just testing you,” Tom said. “I know exactly how to get back.”

  They took in the room around them. The bunks were identical, the beds neatly made as they would be back at Academy II.

  “So,” Mason said. “Is this another test? Figure out which one is ours?”

  “No idea,” Tom replied. “If all the tests are like this, though, it should be a pretty easy ride.”

  Yeah, that isn’t going to happen, Mason thought. Neither of them could afford to think anything was going to be easy. Or safe.

  They spent a few minutes exploring the room, careful not to touch anything that wasn’t theirs. Each bunk was big enough that a student could sit up and pull a desk out from the wall. Or at least it appeared that way; Mason and Tom didn’t want to monkey with anything. He was sure they were still being monitored in some way. All he could really think about was the communicator: if they didn’t get the devices back, things would go south rather quickly.

  They drank from the bathroom faucets, which created neat little waterfalls that dropped into basins. Then they stretched, wanting to be prepared for whatever the test threw at them.

  Mason and Tom walked back through the different hallways, coming across exactly no students or teachers or anyone.

  “I do not like this,” Tom said quietly, as they approached the great room where the rhadjen had gathered.

  It was completely empty, not a soul in sight.

  But there was now a circular door at the far end, behind where Master Zin had been standing. Mason couldn’t say if it had been there before.

  “Join the club,” Mason replied. “I guess we go through there.”

  “A brilliant deduction,” Tom said.

  Mason did not know what lay beyond the doorway, and the uncertainty made his stomach feel as if it were full of writhing beetles. The deadly, spiky, smelly kind found on Nori-Blue. But he had a mission, and he would not fail, not if he could help it. The thought of being placed with the Stones made him start sweating, but he’d made it through worse. They both had.

  Mason and Tom shared another look, then walked across the room to the circular doorway. Once they passed the threshold, the door slid shut behind them with the heavy sound of grinding stone. They were plunged into total darkness and a silence so vast Mason could hear the blood running through his veins and the quickening of his breath. The floor began to drop.

  “Just an elevator,” Tom said in the darkness next to him.

  “Just a dark, weird elevator,” Mason replied.

  Tom gave a nervous laugh. They descended for a few minutes in total silence. Mason missed the gentle whoosh of an ESC lift; the absence of sound gave the unpleasant sensation of falling forever.

  Finally, after the longest minute of his life, the doors opened on a small cave cut from the rock under Skars. The cave had two doors, one on the left, one on the right.

  “I guess they want us to split up,” Tom said.

  “A brilliant observation,” Mason replied.

  They walked to the middle of the cave. The left door had a label on it that read MASON The right door read THOMAS

  Tom stuck out his hand. “Good luck, my friend.”

  Mason looked at Tom’s hand, then pulled him into a hug. After a moment, Tom hugged back.

  Then they went into their separate rooms.

  Mason’s was dark like the elevator had been, but then it was lit. Mason squinted against the sudden light, but his eyes soon adjusted. And standing before him was Merrin Solace.

  Chapter Ten

  “Merrin! It’s you! What are you … How…?”

  Mason trailed off, taking in their surroundings. It was another cave room, with a domed, craggy ceiling. At the far end was a chest of some kind, a treasure chest, if he had to call it something.

  Merrin was wearing a Tremist suit of armor. The surface was black but shifted colors depending on the light. Sometimes it would appear an oily purple, sometimes green. Mason was familiar with the armor, having stolen and worn a set himself. The pieces were able to mold to the individual user, just like the Rhadgast gloves.

  Merrin had a neutral expression. She was clearly not as happy to see Mason again as he was to see her.

  “Merrin…” he said.

  “Hi, Mason.” Her arms were held weirdly at her sides, extended away from her body.

  The sick feeling returned to his stomach. Something’s not right. Why would Merrin Solace be part of his test?

  “Mason, I’m really sorry. I’m really, really sorry.”

  Mason approached her like he would a wounded animal. “Merrin, talk to me. Talk to me. It’s me. Tell me what’s going on.”

  Merrin’s eyes were wet now. “They said you have to choose.”

  “Choose what? What do I have to choose?”

  Merrin screamed. She fell to one knee, her left hand clutching her right. Mason stepped forward to help her, but he faltered, his lungs seizing, and he almost passed out right there. Merrin’s right glove had contracted slightly, crushing her hand within.

  Mason was on his knees next to her, trying to pry the material off. He cut his hand right away on the strange metal but didn’t care. Merrin shoved him away, and he fell onto his back.

  “No! Get away!” she said, nearly sobbing. “You can’t get it off!” Her violet eyes were bright with pain, her forehead sweaty. She was taking quick, short breaths. Mason had never felt so helpless in his entire life. Everything was forgotten aside from his friend in agony.

  “
Tell me what’s going on! How do I help you?” Mason said. He took a step toward her again but was careful not to get too close. Even as he watched, the armor over her forearm began to contract, and she grimaced, fresh tears flowing down her face.

  “They told me you have to—that we both have to choose. You can either let the armor crush me to death…”

  “Or what? Or what?” Mason would do whatever the other option was. He would never stand there and watch the armor slowly kill his friend. “Tell me what it is!”

  She looked over her shoulder. There was a door in the wall. An ancient door made of wood and banded with iron. Her voice dropped to a whisper. “They told me—they said there are five members of the ESC behind that door. Prisoners of war. You can choose to let them die to save me.”

  Cold spread across Mason’s chest, as if he’d just been stabbed by a sword made of ice. Merrin screamed again as her armor tightened around her elbow now, the sound fading to a sob.

  “It’s a trick,” he breathed. “There has to be a way to save you both.” He knew the answer in his heart, even as he said it.

  “Don’t play their game, Mason! You have to let me die. Those soldiers are innocent!”

  Who are they? Are they young? Are they grizzled veterans? Does it matter?

  “What happens if I don’t choose!” Mason said. He dropped to his knees in front of her.

  She shook her head, her lips clamped in pain.

  “Tell me!”

  “Then you die. But me and the soldiers will live.”

  His path was entirely clear.

  Mason took her face in his hands. Her skin was flushed violet, hot to the touch. They stared into each other’s eyes for a long, clear moment, her face momentarily free of pain.

  “If you don’t let me die,” Merrin said, “I will never forgive you.”

  Mason wouldn’t have to live with that.

  “If you were ever my friend,” Mason said. His cheeks were wet, too. “If you ever cared about me, you’d understand. I won’t let anyone die for me. Not you and not those soldiers.”