\u201cHey. Did you do your homework today?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOf course. And it was a pain. What about you?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAs if I\u2019d turn up today without<\/em> having done it.\u201d<\/p>\n It was a curious phenomenon. An odd system. As immortal in its own way as mountains or geography. Somehow, despite magic and monsters and the passage of time, society still conspired to bring it about. And that strange thing was called school.<\/p>\n Worlds over, it was the same. As people progressed, as ideas became facts and theories and methods codified, institutions of learning would appear. Erin and Ryoka and those from her world knew of school as a part of life, but in other places, school wasn\u2019t such a basic pillar of existence.<\/p>\n In Baleros, no, in the world, there were fewer places to learn. Oh, you could learn to swing a sword or hammer, or even pick up one of the more mentally challenging trades wherever you went. Apprenticeships <\/em>were as common as dirt. But places where people sat in classrooms and learned from people whose sole job it was to teach? That was rare.<\/p>\n The Academy of Wistram. Belchan\u2019s [Mage] Schools. The Draconae Scholarium of Fissival. To name but a few places. [Mages] had more colleges than any other class, perhaps owing to the complexity of magic. But there were other institutions that had been created that were just as notable.<\/p>\n For instance, the Walled City of Manus trained officers, leaders in the field. Terandrian kingdoms had training programs where [Squires] trained from a young age to become fully accredited [Knights]. Similarly, if you wanted to learn [Fencing], there were training schools there too. And if the life of an [Assassin] called to you, well, there were darker, private schools too. Places where children were trained in poison or forced to learn to become killers\u2014or die in the process.<\/p>\n But all these places of learning, cruel or voluntary, prestigious or infamous, shared a commonality. They were schools<\/em>, and there existed a relationship between teacher and student, class and pupils, that seldom existed anywhere else in the world.<\/p>\n Manus and Belchan taught magic and war, but some nations like Illivere taught everything, and that was rare. Where else could you wake up and know what your day was, if only in general? Where else was life systemized, learning turned into a process experienced en masse? Nowhere.<\/p>\n And still, some things were the same no matter where you went. Regardless of how hard it was to get into some schools, the great honor or privilege it was to have the money or talent to reach Wistram Academy or the libraries of Fissival, you\u2019d meet students who showed up every day with their homework done, and those who clearly resented the effort. It was still a pain to be taught, for some, and they took little away despite the time spent.<\/p>\n Unless you liked what was being taught. Unless what was being taught mattered and your teacher was\u2026a genius. One of the greatest authorities in the world. Then you showed up early, and you obviously<\/em> did your homework. Because you had fought tooth and claw and nail to get here.<\/p>\n \u201cLook. Here\u2019s my homework.\u201d<\/p>\n Marian yawned as she sleepily trotted towards the citadel from the city streets. She was holding a fang. It was huge, yellowed, jagged at the end, and as large as the Centauress\u2019 arm. And around the base, despite the tooth having been cleaned, Umina could still see a bit of flesh. In short, it was a freshly acquired tooth, and the Lizardgirl hoped that whatever had owned the tooth was very dead. Or it would be quite, quite<\/em> upset.<\/p>\n \u201cOoh. That\u2019s nasty. What\u2019s it from?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGuess.\u201d<\/p>\n Marian smiled down at her companion. Umina was a Lizardgirl with pink-and-yellow scales, a pattern running from the violet frills around her neck to her long tail. Unlike Drakes, the Lizardfolk of Baleros were smaller, thinner, and possessed more vibrant scale patterns than Drakes, who were usually monochrome.<\/p>\n They had frills of skin around their necks, which could raise in moments of excitement, but were usually kept folded, a sign of their connection to their primitive relatives. And Lizardfolk were certainly unlike Drakes in that they were, by and large, much more friendly. They were laid back, cheerful, and enduringly social.<\/p>\n It was wrong to generalize, but Drakes were known to have inherited their ancestors\u2019 greed, tempers, and snappishness as a whole. Whereas Lizardfolk like Umina were curious. The smaller Lizardgirl peered closely at the tooth as Marian held it lower.<\/p>\n The Centaur had to move slowly, and Umina had to hurry her steps for them to keep the same pace as they walked towards the citadel. The sun was still rising, and Umina yawned as she studied the ivory.<\/p>\n \u201cIt looks like\u2026an Armorgator\u2019s tooth? One of the giant alligators that lives in the water?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s right. I thought it was a crocodile, though. Aren\u2019t they the same family?\u201d<\/p>\n Umina shook her head. She blinked at the weight of the tooth as Marian handed it to her. The Lizardgirl whistled as she imagined the mouth<\/em> that must have given up this tooth. If the tooth was the size of her elbow down to her claws\u2026she imagined a twenty-foot-long beast lurking in one of the huge rivers of Baleros and shuddered.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is a boat killer alright. And it\u2019s definitely an alligator, Marian. It could be a croc, but I can tell the difference. It doesn\u2019t matter\u2026crocodiles will eat you in both salt and freshwater.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh. I had no idea the two were even different species.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s because your people live on the plains. Far away from water. Trust me; the two species are different. Alligators and their kin aren\u2019t nearly as aggressive as crocodiles. Although both are quite vicious, and if one got to be this big\u2026I hope it\u2019s dead.\u201d<\/p>\n The Centaur smiled.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s dead alright. I wouldn\u2019t have dared bring this in unless it was. What, do you think I\u2019d cheat?<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n She tossed her head a bit, and her long hair flicked in the morning\u2019s breeze. Much like a horse would toss their head. And the look Marian gave was slightly offended, even though she and Umina were fast friends. A Centaur\u2019s pride, that. Umina shook her head instantly.<\/p>\n \u201cNot at all. And I have my homework right here. Want to see?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSure. What did you get?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThis.\u201d<\/p>\n The Lizardgirl fished in her belt pouch and offered up a handful of quills. Sharp, thin, and long.<\/em> Umina could handle them with a bit of care due to the scales on her hands, but she cautioned Marian.<\/p>\n \u201cCareful. They\u2019re sharp.\u201d<\/p>\n The Centaur took one look at them and snorted softly.<\/p>\n \u201cSorry, Umina. But are you serious? Those come from Scattershot Porcupines. Honestly\u2026porcupines?<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019re a threat. And you know what the homework was.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI suppose. But\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLet\u2019s just see what the Professor says.\u201d<\/p>\n Umina refused to let Marian\u2019s skepticism sway her. She put the quills back in her pouch as Marian took the tooth again. It was indeed an impressive trophy, but Umina wondered if the Centauress had understood the point of the Titan\u2019s homework. What he wanted from you often differed from what he told you to do.<\/p>\n The Lizardgirl and Centaur trotted up the hill towards the palace. They were walking along the streets of the city that had been built beneath it. But the citadel was the thing. It was worthy of any [King], but it didn\u2019t house royalty. Rather, it was the seat of power of one of the Four Great Companies of Baleros\u2014the Forgotten Wing company. And it was also a school.<\/p>\n Soldiers were on duty at the open gates. But it was students, hundreds, who made up the foot traffic at this early hour. Some citizens too, but aside from the staff\u2014and for a citadel of this size, there were a lot of employees\u2014the streets mostly belonged to those who had come here to learn strategy from the world\u2019s greatest expert on the subject.<\/p>\n Some of the city folk waved at Umina, especially the Lizardpeople; they were used to the sight of the students\u2019 daily commute. And indeed, a lot of the business of the city was designed to cater to the students, from lodgings to inns to a very profitable business selling ink and paper. Umina and Marian waved back as they trotted into the academy.<\/p>\n Some of the other students noticed them, but aside from a few nods of acknowledgement, the pair was left alone. They were\u2026different. And they headed to a different place than the other students. While a majority flowed towards some classrooms, or outside to the large training grounds reserved for students, Umina and Marian went up.<\/p>\n \u201cI wonder how the others have done?\u201d<\/p>\n Umina reached the third floor with Marian and headed straight for the end of the hall. The citadel was indeed a school, but it had reserved the lower floors for education. The higher floors were reserved for housing its inhabitants, war rooms, armories\u2026and it was naturally off-limits to regular students. Go any higher and one of the guards would stop you. And the third floor was fairly empty too; only the advanced students ventured this high up. A room at the far end of the hall was Umina and Marian\u2019s destination.<\/p>\n A small classroom with a lectern opened up for the Lizardgirl as she walked in, holding the door open for Marian. It was more of a lecture hall than a classroom, to be honest; a semi-circular set of raised seats, like slowly rising balconies, let the students look down on whoever was standing at the podium. The podium was absent of a teacher at the moment, and the students were clustered on the ground in front of the seats.<\/p>\n The best part of the Titan\u2019s school for [Strategists] was that it was exactly not<\/em> like school in all the right ways. Or at least, this class was. Umina looked around at the students gathered in the small classroom. There were just under fourteen of them. And like her and Marian, they had all shown up early. And they had all done their homework, or tried, at least. Some had clearly failed, but they had made their best effort.<\/p>\n That was because this school, the Titan\u2019s school, wasn\u2019t like other academies. It wasn\u2019t Wistram, where the [Mage]-students were known to have outrageous parties, or other institutions like some of the Terandrian [Knight]-schools, which sometimes cropped up in the news with stories of disgraceful conduct by the would-be [Knights] as they turned from children into adults. No, this was a school that expected adults. You came here to learn, not to grow up. And if you didn\u2019t apply yourself as hard as you could, you had better just leave.<\/p>\n That went double for this class. This group was infamous because it was the Titan\u2019s private<\/em> class. The one that followed him on campaign, that took daily lessons from him. Everyone who was here had either paid an outrageous sum or had won entry by being gifted beyond all the other students. Sometimes both. In the citadel with its population of eight hundred or so would-be [Strategists] at the moment, everyone in this class was recognizable on sight. Especially the ones who stood in the center of the room, talking quietly.<\/p>\n Venaz the Minotaur. Cameral, a Dullahan. Yerranola, the class\u2019 only Selphid. And the Human from Terandria, Wil. Umina and Marian joined their group, along with Jekilt, a short Centaur with darker skin.<\/p>\n He was a [Commander] who\u2019d enrolled in the school and was older than the other students by a decade. Even so, while he was with them, he was a [Strategist]. And he didn\u2019t talk down to the six standing with him; they were equals, if not in age, then experience. Because this class was a competition, and all of the students, not just the seven, were competing to stand out.<\/p>\n \u201cMorning, everyone. How was your homework?\u201d<\/p>\n Marian yawned as she trotted forwards. It wasn\u2019t a casual question either; it had been a week since she and Umina had seen the others. They had all been on the road for the last week. And their homework had been a rather impressive assignment. The others were bearing trophies like Marian\u2019s tooth and Umina\u2019s quills. Well, most of them.<\/p>\n \u201cNaturally, I succeeded in my task.\u201d<\/p>\n Venaz, the Minotaur, turned and snorted. He was holding a rather impressive pelt in his arms; it was huge and, as he unfurled it, Umina saw it was a huge bear\u2019s hide. The Minotaur smiled smugly.<\/p>\n \u201cMossbear. My team eliminated it and two others. What of you, Marian?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, I don\u2019t know. All I have is this tooth.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n The Centauress smirked as she showed the giant Armorgator\u2019s tooth. Umina smiled as Venaz\u2019s triumphant look instantly turned crestfallen. That was Venaz. She looked around.<\/p>\n \u201cHi, Cameral. Yerranola.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHello, Umina.\u201d<\/p>\n The Dullahan nodded politely. He was holding a rather large mana core in his hands. Yerranola smiled. She was wearing a dead Lizardman\u2019s body, but Umina thought of her as female. She waved a huge scale at Umina.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2019s that you\u2019ve got? Quills? My team managed to bag a giant carp or something. Not my best showing, but the Professor might not yank my head off for it. At least I have something. Better than poor Wil and Jekilt.\u201d<\/p>\n She indicated the other two. Umina turned. Jekilt was pawing the ground restlessly. He flushed.<\/p>\n \u201cYou needn\u2019t have spoken, Yerranola.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t be mad. Jekilt.\u201d<\/p>\n The Selphid teasingly smiled. She looked at Wil, and her smile wavered. The Human was staring at his crisply cut leather boots.<\/p>\n \u201cAw, don\u2019t feel too bad, Wil.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m ashamed.\u201d<\/p>\n He spoke quietly. Umina looked around. The other students had proof of their homework too, with one other exception. She looked at Wil and Jekilt.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2019s wrong? Did your teams not finish their mission?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMine quit. It was a sensible choice, but\u2026a failure\u2019s a failure. I regret choosing them now.\u201d<\/p>\n Jekilt pawed the ground, annoyed. He glanced sympathetically at Wil.<\/p>\n \u201cAs for Wil\u2026better he explains.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWil?\u201d<\/p>\n The young man shook his head. He was a [Lord], and as such\u2014and because he was Human\u2014he was more fully dressed and better dressed than anyone else in the room. Umina had noticed Humans liked to cover a lot of their bodies; compared to her light clothing or Cameral, who just wore his steel armor, Wil was fully dressed in a dark blue tunic and leggings that wouldn\u2019t have been amiss at court. Whereas Marian and Jekilt only wore clothing on their upper bodies. And Venaz\u2026well, he was dressed, but somehow, the Minotaur\u2019s bare chest seemed as fitting as clothing for him. He was glaring at Marian as she needled him.<\/p>\n \u201cThree Mossbears, Venaz? You could have done better, I\u2019m sure. My Armorgator was over twenty feet long<\/em>. More than enough to swallow a Mossbear whole, I bet.\u201d<\/p>\n He snorted angrily. Yerranola rolled her eyes.<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019re already getting into it before class.\u201d<\/p>\n She looked at Umina. The Lizardgirl shrugged helplessly. Marian was her best friend in class, but the Centauress and Venaz got along like fire and oil. In that when you put them together, they tended to combust. Venaz snorted as he clenched one fist.<\/p>\n \u201cIf I\u2019d been allowed to take part myself or lead the team\u2014it\u2019s quality that counts, Marian. Quality.<\/em> You and I were both assigned Silver-rank teams.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd I did better. Come on, admit it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe Professor will judge us. Where is he, anyways?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI saw him outside. We\u2019re going to meet with him soon, I think. We just\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Cameral cut off. The other students stirred as the door opened. A Centauress trotted into the room. But she wasn\u2019t one of the students. She was in her mid-forties, had a pair of spectacles, a slight limp on her back right leg, and a scar on her right flank that reached down to said leg. But she moved swiftly, and the students immediately stopped talking and looked at her.<\/p>\n \u201cMiss Perorn, good morning.\u201d<\/p>\n Cameral and two of the Dullahans present immediately took off their heads and inclined them with their hands: a Dullahans\u2019 bow. Marian and Jekilt inclined their torsos as well. Umina didn\u2019t, but that was because there really was no need. It was just that the Dullahans felt the need to show courtesy and the Centaurs respected the teacher who\u2019d just come in. Perorn, the Centauress, walked past the podium and turned.<\/p>\n \u201cGood morning. I won\u2019t keep you long. This morning\u2019s class is cancelled as Lord Astoragon has another class to teach. A new group of potential students has arrived, and he intends to lead this morning\u2019s class. Thus, you will leave your\u2026homework\u2026here and head straight down to the training grounds. I will inspect your results first, however. Please present your results if you have them, or give me a short verbal report in front of the class.\u201d<\/p>\n She gestured at Venaz. The Minotaur immediately stepped forwards and showed her the Mossbear pelt.<\/p>\n \u201cA trio of Mossbears. I contracted the Silver-rank team, Thunri Dwarves, to deal with them.\u201d<\/p>\n Perorn had a clipboard. She noted down Venaz\u2019s details swiftly.<\/p>\n \u201cI see. Any casualties?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNone.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThank you. Please place the pelts\u2026here. I suppose Niers\u2014Lord Astoragon\u2014will want to inspect them later.\u201d<\/p>\n Perorn sighed and indicated a space behind the lectern with one hoof. Venaz placed his pelt down carefully, and Marian stepped up. Umina and the others got into line. She was near the end and noted Wil was right behind her. He looked downcast.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019ll be okay.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou haven\u2019t heard what happened.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNext?\u201d<\/p>\n The line moved fast; Perorn asked only for basic details. Umina showed her the quills.<\/p>\n \u201cScattershot Porcupines. I had the Bronze-rank team assignment.\u201d<\/p>\n Venaz looked disbelievingly at the quills. Marian sighed, and Yerranola raised her brows. Umina knew how it looked. Scattershot Porcupines were not <\/em>a threat. Oh, they could fire their quills, which turned the already dicey business of getting near a porcupine into a positive threat, but they were hardly able to kill in most cases. But Perorn only noted down the detail. She glanced up.<\/p>\n \u201cI see. The name?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cUh\u2026they didn\u2019t have one.\u201d<\/p>\n The Centauress paused. Her eyes flicked up to Umina, and a small smile crossed her stern face. She also had a scar running down one cheek, but it was nearly invisible except if you were up close. Healing potions usually covered most injuries anyways.<\/p>\n \u201cAh. I\u2019ll note that. Next?\u201d<\/p>\n Umina laid down her burden on top of Venaz's Mossbear pelt, which was being used to hold most of the trophies. She felt encouraged by Perorn\u2019s smile; she might be right after all! Then she turned to watch Wil step up. He was, of course, empty-handed. Perorn gave him a severe look.<\/p>\n \u201cLord Kallinad, do you have anything to present?\u201d<\/p>\n The young man flushed, and Umina winced as Wil Kallinad, one of the two Humans in this class, shook his head. He looked miserable, even more so than Jekilt and Yerranola had been.<\/p>\n \u201cI do not, Strategist Perorn. The adventuring team I contacted failed during their mission.\u201d<\/p>\n Perorn adjusted her spectacles as she stared down at Wil.<\/p>\n \u201cTo what extent?\u201d<\/p>\n He hesitated.<\/p>\n \u201cSix out of the nine adventurers perished, Miss Perorn.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOoh.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n Umina\u2019s gasp was part of the class\u2019 groan. Marian leaned over.<\/p>\n \u201cWil was told to hire a Gold-rank team, wasn\u2019t he?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah. I guess they got beaten. The Professor\u2019s going to chew him out about that!\u201d<\/p>\n The Lizardgirl shuddered. Perorn stared at Wil, then made a short note on her paper.<\/p>\n \u201cI see. Thank you. Well, that\u2019s all for me. I\u2019ll leave this here\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n She flicked the clipboard onto the lectern and turned.<\/p>\n \u201cFollow me. I\u2019ll take you down to Lord Astoragon. My class is on the way.\u201d<\/p>\n She trotted out the door. The others followed her, abandoning the paper and quills they normally brought along. If they were going outside, notes would just get dirty. Umina walked after Marian. The Centauress and the other students formed a group that followed Perorn at a respectful distance. Marian looked slightly aghast.<\/p>\n \u201cMiss Perorn came here just to take notes and lead us? Surely someone else could have done that. A [Servant] could have done the job!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShe likes making sure things are done. Remember when we saw her taking over for one of the [Tacticians] one day?\u201d<\/p>\n Umina shrugged. Marian grumbled as she trotted a hair faster.<\/p>\n \u201cBut still. It\u2019s her. <\/em>I know we have the Professor around all the time, but\u2026her?\u201d<\/p>\n The Lizardgirl nodded. She understood the feeling. She watched as Perorn trotted down the Centaur ramps as opposed to the narrower stairwell. Perorn was a teacher, but she didn\u2019t have the [Teacher] class. Rather, she was one of the instructors that the Titan employed out of his own company; Perorn was a [Strategist] in the Forgotten Wing company, a figure of renown in her own right.<\/p>\n Umina had studied three of her campaigns in class\u2014the Centauress was fifty-one, had slain over sixty enemy [Generals] and leaders in combat, fought for three years in Rhir against the Demons, and even taken down a small army of Trolls and other giant humanoids during the Mountainkin Incursions eight years back! If you knew [Strategists], you would know her name. Perorn Sadiluc, or, if you wanted her nickname, \u2018Fleethoof\u2019.<\/p>\n And here she was, teaching<\/em> a class! But that was just how this school operated. It brought in famous [Strategists] to teach classes, rotating them in as these famous officers in the Forgotten Wing company returned from their duties for well-earned vacations. Sometimes one would stay to give a talk, or lead some students on a practical lesson for a day or two.<\/p>\n Other times they might be here for a month, or an entire season. And they were always battle-hardened veterans. And why not? The Forgotten Wing Company was filled with the best [Strategists] and warriors in all of Baleros. And the greatest [Strategist] of them all, Niers Astoragon, was the students\u2019 main teacher! You sometimes forgot that.<\/p>\n On the way down, the small group of students passed by a few classrooms. These were far larger than the ones on the third floor and held many students, sometimes as many as a hundred. The teachers weren\u2019t as illustrious as Perorn, but they were good at their jobs. Umina heard a shout as she passed by a room on the second floor; she stared inside and saw a Dullahan roaring at a room full of students.<\/p>\n \u201cToday you\u2019ll be learning how to direct specific units in the field in the midst of a battle. There are a number of ways to do it, but regardless if you\u2019re using flags, horns, magic, drums, or any other signal, you must<\/em> be able to signal everything from a squad to an entire battalion to maneuver, brace, engage the enemy, set up pikes, retreat\u2014don\u2019t bother writing this down! <\/em>You need to have this memorized; no one\u2019s letting you read your notes when a bunch of [Riders] are charging your left flank! There will be a test in three days, and if one of you misses a single basic order\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n She winced as she saw the students fumbling with their quills and rolls of parchment. Marian tsked<\/em> softly as she stared into the lecture hall.<\/p>\n \u201cThey must be pretty new if they\u2019re learning basic commands.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMaybe it\u2019s an officer training course. Three days. Yikes. I remember having to learn horn calls and getting them confused with drums. Old Rustarmor there will chew them to bits and spit them out.\u201d<\/p>\n Umina shook her head. She peered at the grizzled Dullahan, who had earned the semi-affectionate name \u2018Rustarmor\u2019 by his students. Despite his armor being free of rust; it was the dark red coloration he\u2019d chosen to paint his armor that gave him the nickname, much to his displeasure.<\/p>\n Venaz snorted as he took one look into the room and tromped on by. The Minotaur was the tallest member of his class, bar none, and only Marian came close to his height.<\/p>\n \u201cIdiots. If they can\u2019t memorize the instructions in a day, why bother becoming [Strategists]? They\u2019ll only be third-rate if they can\u2019t even train their minds to memorize basic horn commands.\u201d<\/p>\n His voice was deep and booming, and Umina winced as the Dullahan inside paused to glare at the passing students. Venaz didn\u2019t lower his voice for anything. Marian slapped Venaz on the back as some of the students in the class rustled like offended ducks.<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t be rude, Venaz. Some of the students are quite young. They can<\/em> hear you when you insult them in public, you know.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGood. Next time I\u2019ll raise my voice so all of them get the message. They came here to learn. This isn\u2019t<\/em> Wistram or some place to be coddled. I\u2019m glad I\u2019m taking part in the Professor\u2019s instructional lesson with the new students. I enjoy this every time it happens.\u201d<\/p>\n Venaz rubbed his hands together, grinning unpleasantly. Marian sighed, but turned and deliberately walked in front of Venaz, showing him her behind. He stepped out of her way, grunting irritably; the sound of both his and Marian\u2019s hooves clicking on the floor was the only sound for a moment.<\/p>\n \u201cSo, anyone here read the latest installation of that [Strategist] from Liscor? You know, Olesm whatshisface?\u201d<\/p>\n Umina spoke up brightly. Yerranola chuckled, and Cameral nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cI paid for an early edition. Why? You read it too?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI got ahold of one. Just the [Message] spell; I hear there were maps, but I didn\u2019t get sent one. Mind if I borrow it?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, sure, sure. But I bet the Professor will have something to say when he reads it. Have you read it, you lot?\u201d<\/p>\n The Selphid looked around. Venaz shook his head.<\/p>\n \u201cI didn\u2019t think it was worth paying for. Why? Has he included more chess strategies? The Professor\u2019s only interested in that new game, Go, anyways.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s got chess and Go and<\/em> something else. Actual strategy! He wrote his analysis of the Siege of Liscor.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cReally?<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n The other students looked around. They were, after all, [Strategists] as well. Yerranola grinned widely.<\/p>\n \u201cYep. But his analysis\u2026I\u2019m not going to say he\u2019s wrong, but you have<\/em> to read it. I\u2019ve got a copy ready to show the Professor if he hasn\u2019t read one yet.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI bet he has a copy himself. There\u2019s no way he wouldn\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, but he might not have read it yet. And let me tell you, when he does\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cJust spit it out, Yerranola! Cameral, what does it say?\u201d<\/p>\n The Dullahan was frowning.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was about Goblins. You see, this Olesm Swifttail seems to think that Goblins saved Liscor. He even went as far as to say they might actually be potential allies, not monsters. He cited several Hobgoblins and a tribe that\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe said what?<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n Venaz\u2019s voice made Perorn turned around. The [Strategist] glared at the Minotaur.<\/p>\n \u201cQuiet. My class is up ahead. You all proceed down to meet Lord Astoragon. In silence.\u201d<\/p>\n Her glare made the Minotaur flush. Perorn stepped into one of the advanced classes, and the rest of the students followed her, keeping silent until they reached the first floor. Then Venaz whirled on Cameral, Yerranola, and Umina.<\/p>\n \u201cSomeone wrote that? Show me the article. This is outrageous. If that idiot thinks\u2014Goblins? I\u2019ll write in myself to tell him how idiotic that notion is.\u201d<\/p>\n Umina raised a placating claw.<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t worry, Venaz. You\u2019re not alone. I think half the [Strategists] on Izril will be kicking down his door, never mind the ones overseas. I don\u2019t know what possessed this Drake to write it, though.\u201d<\/p>\n Yerranola chuckled.<\/p>\n \u201cI just want to see what the Professor says.\u201d<\/p>\n Venaz calmed down a bit, but he stomped ahead, angrily muttering about idiots. Marian looked at Umina.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re still keeping tabs on Liscor? Or just that chess magazine thing?\u201d<\/p>\n The Lizardgirl swished her tail idly. She noticed some of the others looking at her sidelong.<\/p>\n \u201cJust a bit about Liscor. The Professor did have his big lecture on the siege, remember? And there\u2019s that dungeon\u2026mind you, I\u2019m more interested in Chandrar at the moment. Remember the King of Destruction\u2019s announcement a few days back? Now that\u2019s<\/em> going to be huge news. I bet the Professor brings it up first.\u201d<\/p>\n The others nodded, and Umina sighed internally as they began to discuss the dramatic events from a moment back. War in Chandrar. But that was normal. Liscor on the other hand\u2026she noticed Marian smiling at her and pretended nonchalance.<\/p>\n That was the thing. Marian was her best friend, but they were still students competing to be\u2026well, the best. Umina would graduate from Niers\u2019 school sometime, and hopefully it would never happen, but maybe she\u2019d one day face Yerranola across the battlefield. Or Marian. Or\u2026anyone.<\/p>\n Even Niers Astoragon himself. This was school, but it didn\u2019t mean life stopped. Umina was already trying to get any advantage she could for when she graduated, and a hint about the Titan\u2019s interest in Liscor\u2014or an inn\u2014was an advantage Umina wanted to keep to herself.<\/p>\n She didn\u2019t want to ever face Marian in a situation that meant life or death. But some secrets were secret<\/em>. Yerranola rubbed her hands together as they arrived.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd here we are. Looks like Miss Perorn was right. It\u2019s a new class of students.\u201d<\/p>\n The group of students reached the outside at last. The first thing Umina saw was a large collection of people, lined up in the morning sun and on the slightly muddy cleared area that was used for practice skirmishes and other activities.<\/p>\n They were Lizardfolk, Dullahans, Centaurs, but also species from across the world. Humans of course, but Drakes, Gnolls, even a Garuda! Half-Elves, no Dwarves, but that was hardly surprising\u2026Umina didn\u2019t see any Gazers either, but the assembled students accounted for most of the world\u2019s species.<\/p>\n \u201cNew students. I forgot this was the time the Professor accepted new students. Damn. I hope they don\u2019t take up too much time.\u201d<\/p>\n Jekilt looked annoyed by the group. Umina got why; they were new applicants to the Titans\u2019 school. They\u2019d paid to come here and receive lessons, but most probably had only a few levels in the [Strategist] class. They might aspire to be [Lieutenants], [Generals], [Strategists], or what have you, but they\u2019d come here green as grass, and that meant they\u2019d be wandering around, asking stupid questions, and most importantly, getting in the way.<\/em> But Umina was sympathetic.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve all been there, Jekilt. Except you, I guess; you were<\/em> a [Captain] when you got here. But they\u2019ll learn soon enough.\u201d<\/p>\n The Centaur snorted.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s not what bothers me. It\u2019s the arrogance. Especially from the young stallions, Humans, and those Drakes.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHey.\u201d<\/p>\n Kissilt, one of the Drakes in the class, protested mildly. Jekilt looked at him.<\/p>\n \u201cYou disagree? Your lot strides in and thinks that you know everything. I\u2019m not saying Drakes are the worst; Centaurs are just as bad. But those Humans\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTrue.\u201d<\/p>\n The Drake looked mollified. Wil, one of two Humans in the group, blushed a bit as the others looked at him.<\/p>\n \u201cI can\u2019t defend that. But it\u2019s not fair to say all<\/em> Humans, Jekilt. It\u2019s Terandrian nobility I\u2019m afraid you\u2019re thinking of. That includes me.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut we like<\/em> you.\u201d<\/p>\n Yerranola threw an arm around Wil\u2019s shoulders. He shuddered because the Selphid\u2019s hug was literally like being hugged by a corpse.<\/p>\n \u201cThanks, Yerra. But I\u2019ll admit a lot of the Terandrian aristocracy doesn\u2019t handle Baleros well. Especially, uh, dealing with non-Humans.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou Humans.\u201d<\/p>\n Jekilt snorted again and pawed the ground, but Marian cut in.<\/p>\n \u201cHow many are from Terandria, Wil? I can\u2019t tell.\u201d<\/p>\n She cast an eye at the Humans waiting about in the sun. There were a lot of young people, some as young as\u2026sixteen? The bulk were younger than thirty, and there were only a few as old as Jekilt, career soldiers perhaps who had the money to pay for lessons. Most of the Humans were young, in their early twenties or late teens.<\/p>\n Umina tried to guess how many were Terandrian as well, but aside from the quality of clothes, it was an enigma to her too. Wil was more experienced and ran a quick eye across the group before shrugging.<\/p>\n \u201cLooks like your usual lot. I see at least a dozen applicants from Terandria. There might even be a member of a royal family.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cReally? Where?\u201d<\/p>\n The students stared at the young man Wil pointed out. Umina caught a sharp nose, a quickly turning head\u2026the Human in question was shorter and slimmer of stature, more like a Lizardfolk. Wil grimaced.<\/p>\n \u201cThat might<\/em> be the son of Taligrit\u2019s royal family. Third [Prince]. I don\u2019t know.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYour people pop out so many heirs\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, it\u2019s an advantage, isn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOnly if they level. How much better is a [Prince] than a [Lord] at Level 10?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhy are we waiting about? Where\u2019s the Professor?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBet he\u2019s going for a showy entrance. And why did he want us to come down here?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s the usual, the usual, remember?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n Umina\u2019s eyes widened with some of the others. So that was\u2014then she heard a blare of trumpets. Her head turned with all of her class and the new students. And that was when she saw him.<\/p>\n Or rather, she saw the [Servant] carrying him. It was a Selphid who bore a large platform, really an elevated table with a small top, nearly six feet high. And Umina was too far away to see, but standing on top of that table was a figure. The new students stared at the table, and then as it grew closer, they blinked as they saw it had an occupant.<\/p>\n Yes, here he was. The Titan of Baleros. At first the students stared. Then, some of them, especially the ones not native to Baleros, began to snigger. The older new students, especially those who looked like actual soldiers, didn\u2019t laugh. The others clearly thought this was a joke.<\/p>\n The Titan of Baleros! That was who they had come to see. It was for him they\u2019d sailed, sometimes across the world, to learn from! And what was this? A Fraerling?<\/em> One of the tiny folk? But he was called the Titan of Baleros. And it was him standing on that platform.<\/p>\n What all the stories usually forgot to mention was that the Titan of Baleros was a Fraerling. The smallest people in the world; only half a foot tall. He looked like a Human, except shrunk down; standing and addressing this new class, he was barely visible from a distance. Niers Astoragon even had to use a voice-amplifying artifact for his words to be heard by those in the back.<\/p>\n \u201cGood morning!\u201d<\/p>\n The students stopped laughing. Some looked up. Niers Astoragon, second-in-command of the Forgotten Wing company, the Titan of Baleros, and the Professor as he was known by his students, waved a hand.<\/p>\n \u201cSilence, please. Yes, I apologize for the delay. However, we\u2019re ready to begin. If you\u2019ve just arrived, let me introduce myself. I am Niers Astoragon. The Titan of Baleros as some know me. You will know me as your teacher for however long you\u2019re enrolled in my school.\u201d<\/p>\n There were some chuckles from the audience, but the rest had caught on, and some were staring. They were realizing that, no, this wasn\u2019t a joke. This little fellow\u2026was the Titan?<\/em> Really? Umina watched their expressions. Niers went on.<\/p>\n \u201cI realize some of you are tired from your travel. We have students from other continents. However, as is customary, you will all receive your first lesson here. You have all come to learn from my school. To become [Strategists], or simply achieve an officer\u2019s class. I intend to start you on that process now. With a brief combat exercise. You\u2019ve been issued helmets and weapons, haven\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n Umina saw the students had yellow helmets; some had placed them on the muddy ground, which was a mistake. And they were wearing armor and holding weapons\u2026some raised them now. The Fraerling might have nodded, but few people saw.<\/p>\n \u201cExcellent! In that case, we\u2019ll begin. You may know that my school has a reputation for mock combat exercises. You will all take part in them as you study here and even experience this fake combat yourselves. I intend to provide you with a little sample<\/em> of said combat, although I myself will not participate directly. As you can see, helmets do little for me.\u201d<\/p>\n There was a laugh from some of his audience. The Titan didn\u2019t seem to mind. He cheerfully stood on his platform, and Umina felt a prickle on her scales. He was being too nice\u2014when he\u2019d done this to her group, two years ago\u2014<\/p>\n \u201cSome of you are soldiers, and some have even experienced battle a number of times. The rest of you come from places that might not have ever seen war. That changes today. You have all come here, some at great expense, I know. But if you cannot handle today\u2019s first lesson, you will be sent back!<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n The students stiffened. That was a departure from what they\u2019d expected. But Niers\u2019 voice cheerfully shouted on.<\/p>\n \u201cI have only a few demands of you. But this lesson is one of them. You\u2019ve heard it said that I can take anyone, anyone<\/em>, and turn them into a [Strategist]? I can. But only if they have the will and drive to do it. If you lack that basis\u2014there\u2019s nothing I can do. If you can, my promise stands.\u201d<\/p>\n He paused, and all the eyes fixed on him. Niers Astoragon spoke slowly.<\/p>\n \u201cFive levels. If you are under Level 30, by the end of your training here, you will gain five levels. In a single year. That\u2019s for the basic course where we hammer you into functional officers. If you stay for two years, four, or even six<\/em>, you will emerge even better. That\u2019s my promise. And I stand by it.\u201d<\/p>\n The restless students standing in the muggy heat and sun went still. Five levels. In a year? Maybe if it was from Level 1 to Level 6, that would be a safe bet. But Level 20 to Level 25? But it was a common claim and one of the reasons why Niers\u2019 school was so popular. The Titan\u2019s voice floated through the air, calm and serious.<\/p>\n \u201cI have raised [Strategists] out of [Farmhands]. I have made [Generals] out of people without even a level in [Soldier]. If you have the will, I will teach you. <\/em>Make no mistake, it won\u2019t be easy. But you can achieve any class you wish if you strive for it. Take a look to your left. You see that group there? That is my most senior class.\u201d<\/p>\n The group of a hundred or so new students looked over at Wil, Umina, Marian, and the others who were waiting in the shade. Umina waved, as did Yerranola and some of the others; the rest just waited patiently. They\u2019d heard this speech before. They\u2019d stood through it. Niers pointed at them, a tiny shape standing on his dais.<\/p>\n \u201cRegardless of how they entered, no one in my advanced class will exit below Level 30. If you have the aptitude, the talent, or just the drive, you may be inducted into their ranks, regardless of tuition. The coming months will determine if there are any of you who make that cut. But today we find out if any of you are going to stay. Venaz!<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n He roared, and the new students jumped. The Fraerling turned towards Venaz. The Minotaur hadn\u2019t moved.<\/p>\n \u201cProfessor?\u201d<\/p>\n Niers pointed at him.<\/p>\n \u201cToday\u2019s lesson is one for the new students to see what battle is like. They should understand what the [Soldiers] experience when they are led into combat. Thus, I am giving you command of an army. The students will be part of your infantry; my soldiers will not be allowed to harm them! You will also receive training troops in excess of mine. Try to keep your side alive and defeat my army, will you?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAs you wish, Professor!\u201d<\/p>\n The Minotaur grinned hugely and strode forwards. Marian groaned, and Umina felt a prickle of disappointment. She wished she had been chosen. The new students stared as Venaz strode forwards. Then they looked around. They were going to be part of an army? And take part themselves? Umina saw the worry on the would-be [Prince]\u2019s face until a young man next to him nudged him and said something reassuring. She saw the [Prince] nod, looking relieved. She could imagine what was being said.<\/p>\n The Titan\u2014if he was the Titan\u2014had said that they\u2019d be fighting? But they weren\u2019t allowed to be hurt. So what was the risk? They\u2019d see combat, alright. Maybe show off some of their sword Skills! Most of the students seemed excited by the idea, as if they\u2019d forgotten they were here to be [Strategists], not [Warriors]. Umina shook her head.<\/p>\n \u201cOh, you sweet, poor hatchlings.\u201d<\/p>\n Yerranola nodded cheerfully.<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019re dead. Let\u2019s find somewhere to sit and watch. Anyone have something to drink? Oh, look! Here come the training soldiers! Wow, the Professor\u2019s called out a lot of them!\u201d<\/p>\n She pointed. Figures were marching onto the training grounds, holding weapons and wearing no armor save for a metal breastplate that covered only their chests. Umina recognized them at once.<\/p>\n Selphids. Umina watched with interest as some of the Terandrian and a few of the Izril and Chandrarian students recoiled from them. The pale-skinned warriors moved with as much grace as their living counterparts, but their bodies were dead. Some bore the fatal wounds they\u2019d taken; the others were unmarked. But this was the army that formed up on either side of the field. Venaz eyed his command and shouted; he was far away from the watching students and Niers, but he had a field roar that made the students in front of him wince.<\/p>\n \u201cAren\u2019t you underestimating me, Professor?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNot at all! Do your best, Venaz!\u201d<\/p>\n Niers\u2019 voice cheerfully came back. Umina saw a group of Selphids surround him, carrying halberds and spears. It was a familiar situation. Like Niers had said, they were engaging in a war game. With live soldiers.<\/p>\n Well, sort of.<\/p>\n The thing about [Strategists] was that you couldn\u2019t teach<\/em> experience. Playing games with boards and figures was fun and you could level, but Niers Astoragon promised to train experienced [Strategists] who actually knew how to lead. Which meant that he made his students command actual armies in battle. But what if there was no handy war to be had? Well, then he had his training squads.<\/p>\n Over a thousand [Soldiers], [Mercenaries], and even Bronze-rank adventurers found employment at the Titan\u2019s school. It was cheap pay, and you might get bruised, but you could level up. Because you\u2019d be issued with blunted weapons, and you\u2019d fight in formation, obeying a [Strategist] or officer\u2019s commands, but actually fighting<\/em> your opponents. Bones would be broken as two sides fought in various terrain, flanking each other, demonstrating different tactics\u2014people got hurt.<\/p>\n And if one side lost badly, there could be serious injuries. Usually it wasn\u2019t bad, thanks to the practice weapons, but the Titan had let it be known that anyone who was hurt by accident would be healed with a healing potion or compensated for an unhealable injury. And despite the risk, there was no shortage of volunteers for his war games. It was better than getting hurt in actual combat.<\/p>\n Still, there were those more suited for fights than others. And Selphids were the perfect<\/em> species for mock battles. After all, their bodies were dead. They lined up, cheerfully shouting greetings at the Professor or Venaz, taking their ease as they formed into distinct units to be commanded. Umina saw Niers directing his army as Venaz surveyed the units he\u2019d been given.<\/p>\n The advanced students retreated to some stands that had been built to let people view the battlefield from a height. There were some regular citizens in the crowd; to the city folk, watching the Titan\u2019s war-games was excellent, free entertainment. Niers\u2019 students settled into a spot high up by themselves as they talked. Yerranola shaded her eyes as she stared down at the battlefield.<\/p>\n \u201cI see what you mean, Jekilt. Those Humans and Drakes are giving my people a lot of dirty looks. Looks like none of them have ever seen a Selphid before.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTo be fair, there are more Selphids on the field than I\u2019ve seen in my entire life before now.\u201d<\/p>\n Cameral commented placidly. Wil nodded. He was peering at the battlefield with a pair of enchanted spectacles. Umina nudged him, and he offered her them to look.<\/p>\n \u201cAside from the Eyes of Baleros, the Forgotten Wing company employs way more Selphids than any other major company. Especially because they\u2019re so useful in training exercises.\u201d<\/p>\n Marian snorted softly.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, they\u2019re going to be more use than those new students. They can take orders. Look at Venaz. See how angry he\u2019s already getting trying to make them form up?\u201d<\/p>\n She pointed. The Minotaur was indeed bellowing orders, and the Selphids were smoothly moving into place, but the students were a disorganized rabble. Jekilt shook his head.<\/p>\n \u201cThey might be a disadvantage unless Venaz gives them a simple order. At least they\u2019ll slow the Professor\u2019s troops down.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHah. Do you think Venaz would give any other<\/em> order?\u201d<\/p>\n The others chuckled. Jekilt grinned.<\/p>\n \u201cTrue. Umina, what\u2019s the numbers on each side?\u201d<\/p>\n The Lizardgirl called out as she surveyed Niers\u2019 and Venaz\u2019s sides, watching the formations change as both [Strategists] sized each other up.<\/p>\n \u201cForty [Crossbowmen], twenty [Riders], sixty [Soldiers], and a small command of about ten fighters including the Professor himself. Against that, we have\u2026the students, which are about a hundred being protected by eighty [Soldiers]. Venaz also gets sixty<\/em> riders and a personal command of about thirty plus himself.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHuh. So Venaz has a lot more numbers, and more [Riders], but no ranged. Sounds like your kind of matchup, Marian.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cProbably why I\u2019m not<\/em> taking part. Unless the Professor\u2019s going to use his Skills, he\u2019ll be hard-pressed to keep those horses off his archers. Think Venaz will win?\u201d<\/p>\n Marian frowned at the battlefield as she held out a hand for the spectacles. Wil shook his head steadily.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s going to lose. It doesn\u2019t matter that he has double the Professor\u2019s numbers. The students he has are worthless, and the Professor\u2019s got range on him.\u201d<\/p>\n Umina frowned.<\/p>\n \u201cYou don\u2019t know that, Wil. The Professor never sets up a battle against us he can\u2019t lose. He says it\u2019s no fun. If Venaz charges him with the [Riders] just right\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ll see. Oh, look. They\u2019re starting!\u201d<\/p>\n Yerranola pointed excitedly. One of the [Trumpeters] had blown a blaring call to arms. The audience in the bleachers sat forwards as both armies jumped into motion. The instant the horn blared, Venaz roared an order, and his [Riders] shot forwards. The infantry advanced, closing the few hundred feet at a walk at first, which would soon accelerate into a run. Marian made a disgusted sound.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s just going for a charge. Look, he\u2019s aiming straight at the Professor\u2019s archers!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHey, let me see! You\u2019re right\u2026but I mean, what else does he need to do? Hold on\u2014look!\u201d<\/p>\n The Selphid pointed excitedly. The crossbows in Niers\u2019 army had instantly opened up, firing at the [Riders]. Umina saw the unit swerve to dodge as Venaz shouted; she wondered if he\u2019d used a Skill or if their leader had just anticipated the bolts. The training soldiers were allowed some autonomy even with orders; they wouldn\u2019t charge blindly into fake-death.<\/p>\n \u201cHere they come! The Professor\u2019s dropping a few, but\u2026what\u2019s he going to do? Is he pulling his infantry back, Yerra?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo. I don\u2019t think\u2014they\u2019re advancing. And the riders are heading straight for\u2014no, look! He\u2019s sent his own riders in!\u201d<\/p>\n The twenty mounted Selphids were charging straight at <\/em>the sixty or so coming at them. Umina inhaled sharply. They were going to collide! Selphids or no, that many horses dying would be tragic! She saw Venaz pointing and shouting; he was giving the order to charge! Jekilt growled in disgust.<\/p>\n \u201cTypical idiot\u2014he\u2019s going to lose half his riders and maim all those horses!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut he\u2019ll get to the crossb\u2014no! Look!\u201d<\/p>\n Another volley of crossbow bolts flew up. Venaz's riders stumbled; Umina saw several stop in place. The riders didn\u2019t tumble from their saddles as the bolts struck them; the bolts weren\u2019t tipped with metal. Neither did the horses get hurt, despite the volley of projectiles.<\/p>\n The horses wore protective headgear, as did the riders. When the painted crossbow bolts struck them, the [Riders] would dismount if the horse \u2018died\u2019, or give up completely if the horse and rider were struck. And more were downed, but the rest were coming on; Niers\u2019 crossbows were clearly being operated by people without [Archer] classes. Then Umina saw the horses swerve right, and then into<\/em> Venaz's riders.<\/p>\n \u201cLook at that! Here they go!\u201d<\/p>\n Horses reared, and swords began flashing. The Selphids on horseback fought carefully, but Umina heard more than one animal cry out in pain. She felt for the horses, but the Selphids on horseback were taking each other to pieces. And Venaz's charge was fumbling. Half the riders had to turn to fight the ones attacking them. And the crossbows were reloading\u2026the rest were coming on\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019re going to hit his archers! They\u2019re\u2014oh, look!\u201d<\/p>\n Yerranola shot up in her seat. Wil plaintively called for the spectacles, but she was pointing, and everyone saw the sudden change in the crossbows as the forty Selphids tossed their weapons down, bent into the mud, and picked up something.<\/p>\n \u201cSpears! <\/em>It was a feint! They\u2019re his infantry!\u201d<\/p>\n Yerranola laughed as, suddenly, the cavalry found themselves heading right for a wall of pikes and spears. It was too late to turn back; riders were committed. Rather than actually hit the horses with the very real spears and pikes, though, the leader of Venaz's [Riders] slowed the charge. Umina heard a cry.<\/p>\n \u201cHorses meet pikes! Casualties: total! Twelve pikes for Lord Astoragon fall!\u201d<\/p>\n The \u2018dead\u2019 riders guided their mounts off the field. Meanwhile, Venaz's remaining riders had cleaned up Niers\u2019 riders but found a group of pikes charging straight at them. They tried to disengage, but although they outran the pikes, they found the true<\/em> archery unit had reclaimed their weapons. A volley picked off all but the stragglers, and they too exited the field.<\/p>\n Umina grinned with delight as she watched Venaz practically hopping with rage from his side of the battlefield. All throughout the stands, the audience was laughing, and some were heckling Venaz. Cameral was shaking his head with his hands.<\/p>\n \u201cThat fool. He should have noticed those were fake [Crossbowmen] the instant that first volley landed. He was gambling on the fact that the Professor wouldn\u2019t expect a full-charge, but, of course, he did.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTo be fair, if he hadn\u2019t<\/em> done that, Venaz would have forced the Professor to ward his archers and expose his command while his infantry got into range.\u201d<\/p>\n Umina pointed out Niers\u2019 command, from where the Fraerling was presumably issuing orders. Venaz's larger command was advancing now, with the rest of his infantry. Marian winced; the crossbows were reloading, and Niers\u2019 infantry, just under fifty, were moving forwards in a line.<\/p>\n \u201cYikes. The Professor took out all of Venaz\u2019s horse, but he\u2019s still outnumbered two to one. Think those crossbows will even the odds?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe can get off at least three volleys\u2026and he\u2019s aiming for the regular soldiers. What do you think, Umina?\u201d<\/p>\n The Lizardgirl watched as the crossbows volleyed the first rain of bolts at the students.<\/p>\n \u201cI think Venaz is in trouble, numbers or not. His Selphids are falling like flies. And as for the students\u2026remember what it\u2019s like?\u201d<\/p>\n Her classmates nodded. They watched as the infantry streamed across the field. They were a ragged formation, actually slowing down the Selphid [Soldiers] as the bolts rained down around them.<\/p>\n The new students raised their shields as the Selphid [Soldiers] around them screamed and shouted, advancing under the hail of crossbow bolts. They had helmets on, but\u2014Umina remembered her first lesson vividly. You were advancing through the mud, with Selphids screaming in your ear as crossbow bolts fell around you. And they hurt!<\/em> They were wooden bolts with powdered paint tied to cloth balls for tips, but that was still a painful strike if it got you between the armor.<\/p>\n But that wasn\u2019t the scary part, oh no; she didn\u2019t see any of the students running despite the intensity of their advance. The really horrific moment came next.<\/p>\n \u201cCharge!<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n Both Niers\u2019 and Venaz's forces had finally closed the gap. Venaz had left a lot of his Selphids behind, but the students were on their feet. They hadn\u2019t been told to lie down even after being struck by bolts. And they clearly wanted a fight after being pelted with the painted crossbow bolts.<\/p>\n And both sides had real<\/em> weapons. Steel glinted. The students charged with a ragged yell. The Selphids on both sides shouted. But Niers had the advantage in numbers now, students notwithstanding. The first rank of his Selphids charged into Venaz's soldiers.<\/p>\n And they began to hack them to pieces.<\/p>\n Umina winced. The first two to meet were a Selphid wearing a Gnoll\u2019s body and a Selphid Lizardman holding a glaive. The glaive-wielding Selphid swung as the Selphid with the Gnoll\u2019s body charged with a sword. The glaive cut through the Gnoll\u2019s arm, and he screamed as blood spurted<\/em> from the wound. He dropped, and the Selphid with the glaive hacked at his legs, drawing blood, chopping through flesh, bone\u2014<\/p>\n The students wearing yellow helmets paused in horror. A Selphid charged forwards, and another ran him through the belly. He fell down, screaming and writhing, and another soldier hacked at his head. It took six strikes, and the soldier finally yanked the head up by the hair and screamed as he held it up. He hurled the head at the students.<\/p>\n \u201cOh, dead gods. They\u2019re using that fake blood.\u201d<\/p>\n Umina saw blood spurting from wounds as Selphids on both sides began to hack at each other. Both groups of soldiers clashed in earnest, trading actual blows; Umina saw metal hacking into flesh, exposing bone. The blows were deadly! The Selphids took aim at each other, screaming as if they were actually fighting.<\/p>\n Not the students; anyone with a yellow helmet the Selphids on both sides avoided. And indeed, some let themselves be run through with the weapons as they fought with students. Their chest plates protected the centers of each dead body where the Selphid inside would be resting, ensuring that a fatal blow to the Selphid was never struck. But that meant limbs, heads, and other parts of the body were free game. And both sides let each other have it.<\/p>\n The shrieking Selphid with an axe chopped another Selphid\u2019s head off<\/em>, and the defeated Selphid\u2019s body collapsed, spurting some painted red water as the Selphid with the axe screamed happily. He whirled, and Umina saw a terrified new student from Terandria screaming and raising his shield as the Selphid hacked at it. One blow, two, three\u2026the Selphid let the student run and chased him, screaming\u2014<\/p>\n And laughing. It was a game for the Selphids. They weren\u2019t being hurt. These were just their host bodies. But the students had forgotten that. And faced with actual gore\u2014Umina could remember what she\u2019d felt. She\u2019d been in their shoes.<\/p>\n Look. There, a Selphid was dragging out the guts of another [Soldier], and another was hacking at a dead body as a group of students fled, screaming in terror\u2026the students around Umina were laughing, but the laughter was tinged with a bit of memory. Umina pointed at a student who\u2019d just frozen in place as Selphids from Niers\u2019 army butchered Venaz's force around him.<\/p>\n \u201cI think I peed myself when that happened to me. I had one Selphid on my side holding onto me, screaming in pain and waving a bloody stump of an arm around\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHold your ground! Hold!<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n One of the Selphids under Venaz's command was shouting desperately, trying to rally the students. Some were fighting; the ones with actual combat experience were dueling Selphids, who were taking care not to hurt their opponents. But the majority of the hundred were running for the hills. The city folk in the stands were in stitches, enjoying the spectacle. Mindful of what Niers had said, Umina looked around.<\/p>\n \u201cIt doesn\u2019t actually matter if they hold their ground, right?\u201d<\/p>\n Wil shook his head. Embarrassed, he rubbed at his neck.<\/p>\n \u201cI<\/em> ran when it happened. All of us did; we got routed when the Professor sent some of his [Riders] to hack up our group. I think it\u2019s only if you ask to go home. But I imagine a lot will after this.\u201d<\/p>\n Umina stared at a student hiding behind a dead body as the [Soldiers] from Niers\u2019 side pursued the rest, still screaming their lungs out. She wanted to imagine all the brown on the new students was mud.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t doubt that. Dead gods, I forgot how much the Selphids screamed<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n Yerranola sighed as she watched her kin pursuing the routing students and Selphids from Venaz's force.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s to make it as real as possible. Besides, they\u2019re having so much fun. It must be great, working this kind of job. I\u2019m so jealous.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cReally, Yerranola?\u201d<\/p>\n The others looked at her. The Selphid [Strategist] nodded wistfully.<\/p>\n \u201cFree bodies if you get yours destroyed, you can Rampage when you\u2019re doing a training exercise and not worry about busting up all the muscles in your host, and you get respect, pay, and the chance to beat spoiled students over the head? It\u2019s any Selphid\u2019s dream come true.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, they\u2019re all due for a new body thanks to Venaz's tactics. The Professor really must have shook him; he got his infantry butchered without so much as using a Skill.\u201d<\/p>\n Marian nodded. She snatched the spectacles and peered around.<\/p>\n \u201cWhere\u2019s that idiot got to? He\u2019s, oh, hold on! Look at that!\u201d<\/p>\n She pointed. Suddenly, Umina saw a group moving forwards, despite the routing infantry. It was Venaz and his command unit of thirty. He\u2019d advanced around the main body of his infantry, using them as a shield! Now his remaining [Riders] streamed towards Niers\u2019 infantry, cutting them off as they tried to turn and block them. But Venaz and his thirty-some soldiers were charging. Straight at Niers\u2019 command unit!<\/p>\n \u201cIt was all a decoy? Look, he\u2019s going for the Professor! Will the crossbows get him?\u201d<\/p>\n They hadn\u2019t noticed Venaz's group in the chaos of the students fleeing. Umina saw a command go out and the archers turn. But it was too late.<\/p>\n \u201cLook, they\u2019re firing\u2014but now it\u2019s too close!\u201d<\/p>\n Venaz was leading his command straight at Niers as the crossbow bolts fell around him. Eight or so of his thirty soldiers went down from the sudden volley, but the rest made it. And now it was a melee between both sides, and if the crossbows shot, they\u2019d risk hitting their own side!<\/p>\n \u201cDead gods! It\u2019s ten versus thirty! And the Professor can\u2019t fight!\u201d<\/p>\n Alarmed, Marian stared through the spectacles. The laughter in the stands had ceased. Umina got to her feet.<\/p>\n \u201cWait, what if he falls. If they trample him\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s got magical artifacts, right?\u201d<\/p>\n The others clustered around Marian, trying to squint and see the distant commotion that was the last fight on the battlefield. Marian shook her head urgently.<\/p>\n \u201cHe does, I\u2019m sure. But does this mean\u2026Venaz won?<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n The others stared at each other. Niers had lost training exercises before, but it was rarer than a blue moon when it actually happened. Had Venaz's last-ditch gamble worked? Umina couldn\u2019t believe it. This was such a simple<\/em> exercise! Both sides hadn\u2019t employed any Skills or real tactics; it was just to teach the new students a lesson. But had Venaz really\u2026?<\/p>\n Then she heard a voice roaring across the battlefield. Amplified, loud as anything\u2014<\/p>\n \u201cVolley!<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n The crossbows on Niers\u2019 side rose. Umina\u2019s eyes widened. They took aim.<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019re shooting at the Professor\u2019s command?\u201d<\/p>\n In disbelief, Marian exclaimed. The bolts flew and cut down the Selphids fighting between Venaz and Niers\u2019 command units. Selphids on both sides lay down, shouting as they pretended to be writhing in agony. Umina saw Venaz turning his head in disbelief. He was staring at the wooden dais, knocking it over, snarling\u2014<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s not there!\u201d<\/p>\n Umina watched as the second volley cut down Niers\u2019 troops and<\/em> Venaz\u2019s. The ranged unit reloaded and fired again, and the Selphids obligingly lay down. A third volley took out the rest, until only a single Minotaur was left standing, furious, painted with the colors of a dozen crossbow bolts.<\/p>\n \u201cHold!<\/em> Battle\u2019s over! Hold!\u201d<\/p>\n The shout went up across the battlefield. The remaining warriors put down their arms. Umina laughed in delight as she suddenly got it. Cameral, Wil, more than half the group was smiling. Marian\u2019s eyes widened as she stared at the unit of archers with the enchanted spectacles. She chortled as well.<\/p>\n \u201cExcellent! Venaz is never<\/em> going to live this down.\u201d<\/p>\n She pointed. And as Umina and the others leapt down the stands, they saw him. The Titan. He was standing on the helmet of one of his Selphids. The Titan bellowed cheerfully, waving his arms.<\/p>\n \u201cThe battle\u2019s over! Training soldiers, stop harassing my new students, please!\u201d<\/p>\n The female [Arbalist] whose helmet he was using waved at her fellow Selphids in the distance as the students ceased their panicked flight. Across the battlefield, the \u2018dead\u2019 Selphids were getting up. Those without legs or with bodies too damaged to stand were helped up by their comrades as they laughingly slapped backs or squirted out the rest of the colored \u2018blood\u2019 their bodies were carrying.<\/p>\n It was over. And just like that, the students realized the blood-covered [Soldiers] chasing them with actual weapons were just acting. The Selphids stopped running and laughed, pointing at the new students. Shamefaced, they turned back. Niers\u2019 voice reached them across the field.<\/p>\n \u201cI see you\u2019ve mastered the first lesson any [Soldier] learns: when to run away! Come on back now, and we\u2019ll have another talk. Anyone with injuries, raise your hands, and our [Healers] will be with you in a moment! As for my colorful Minotaur\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n There was a laugh from the stands. Niers turned to face Venaz. The Minotaur was stomping towards him, ignoring the cheerful Selphids around him.<\/p>\n \u201cVenaz, wash yourself off! The rest of you, gather in our classroom for a debriefing. I\u2019ll be with you in thirty minutes! Come on, you new students, pick up the pace! Enjoyed your taste of war? If you\u2019re upset, remember that this is the least<\/em> you\u2019ll see on a battlefield. So rethink your decisions. And come forwards! Move those legs! Now, if you\u2019re going to stay here\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Umina walked off the field, smiling and shaking her head. She waved at Venaz, but the Minotaur stomped right past her, shouting for a bucket of water. The Lizardgirl looked back at the new students, who were looking up at the Titan as he addressed them.<\/p>\n Some of them were shaking. Others had actually thrown up during the fighting. Umina watched with a bit of sympathy as they gathered, shaking after that ordeal. They\u2019d certainly seen fighting. Watching anyone, even a Selphid, acting being cut to pieces by a sword had to be jarring. She turned as the others in her class began to walk back inside, talking cheerfully. They<\/em> hadn\u2019t been forced to take part.<\/p>\n \u201cI expect we\u2019ll lose at least twenty. None of the actual soldiers, obviously. Some will probably get to an advanced class fast. Did you see that Gnoll with the spear? He actually got two of the Selphids!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cClearly a [Warrior] of some kind. I wonder if he served in one of the Drake armies or he\u2019s a tribal Gnoll?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTribal. Definitely a Plains Gnoll, not city.\u201d<\/p>\n One of the other students waved a paw. Cameral turned to the one Gnoll in their group.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat makes you so sure, Feshi?\u201d<\/p>\n She bared her teeth.<\/p>\n \u201cAside from the smell I got from him? You can tell by his war markings. On his fur? No one from the cities would dare wear that.\u201d<\/p>\n She pointed at one of the Gnolls among the new students who hadn\u2019t run away screaming when the Selphids had been routed. He did indeed have some bright paint on his dark run. Umina squinted at Feshi; the Gnoll was one of the newer students to their class and she had white stripes and a curious pattern on her arms.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019ve got some yourself, Feshi. Is it a mark of status?\u201d<\/p>\n The Gnoll [Tactician] grinned at Umina.<\/p>\n \u201cYes. Sometime I will explain it. But it will take too long now, I think. And here is Venaz!\u201d<\/p>\n She pointed. The Minotaur was already back, his fur wet and dripping. It looked like he\u2019d dunked a few buckets of water over his head. The others waved at him, and Marian trotted forwards, smiling archly.<\/p>\n \u201cVenaz! Did you enjoy painting with the Professor? That was some beating you received!\u201d<\/p>\n He growled at her.<\/p>\n \u201cIf it hadn\u2019t been that damn mud\u2014<\/em>that\u2019s twice now the Professor\u2019s used hidden weapons on me! His Selphids came onto the field having already swapped their gear! If I\u2019d have seen them do it\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201c\u2014Then it wouldn\u2019t be a surprise, Venaz. Honestly, you should have expected it.\u201d<\/p>\n The Minotaur sneered at Marian, in too poor a mood for even an attempt at civility.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat would you have done, tried to hit-and-run his forces? He would have chopped your riders up like the last four times he did that.\u201d<\/p>\n Marian colored. She opened her mouth, and Umina jumped in.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m sure the Professor was expecting you to try for a charge, Venaz. This was<\/em> a battle he was supposed to win, to give those students a taste of war. And you got his command. Let\u2019s wait to see what he says, alright?\u201d<\/p>\n The Minotaur growled, but he subsided, and Marian didn\u2019t poke him further as they went back to their classroom. There they milled about, chuckling over the battle and speculating over some of the new students\u2019 aptitude. They didn\u2019t have to wait long. Soon enough, a door set into the wall high up opened and someone walked out.<\/p>\n There were small doors set high up in each room of the Titan\u2019s citadel. The Fraerling\u2019s tiny walkways. And there were little ramps that let them walk down. The Fraerling marched out of the door and leapt\u2014from his walkway to the lectern. It was a six foot drop, but none of his students so much as batted an eye; they\u2019d seen him do it many times before.<\/p>\n \u201cGood morning, class! And what have we learned today?\u201d<\/p>\n The Titan of Baleros was in good spirits. He beamed at his class and especially at Venaz. They laughed as they took their seats. The Minotaur folded his arms and growled.<\/p>\n \u201cTo not trust the Titan of Baleros to fight fair?\u201d<\/p>\n Niers Astoragon raised an eyebrow.<\/p>\n \u201cI thought that<\/em> was obvious, Venaz. But come, aside from my little trick, does anyone else have any observations?\u201d<\/p>\n Marian snorted. The Centauress raised one hand as she took a seat, folding her hindquarters into the padded cushions designed for her people.<\/p>\n \u201cI do. Venaz, this \u2018lead from the front\u2019 strategy you\u2019re always preaching got your entire force wiped out. Again<\/em>. Haven\u2019t you learned your lesson by now?\u201d<\/p>\n The Minotaur colored again. He swiveled in his seat and looked up at Marian with a scowl.<\/p>\n \u201cBetter aggression than cowardice. Or how would you<\/em> have taken out a superior, ranged force? Danced about while they shot you to pieces? I knew the Professor had pikes. So I risked a frontal charge\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd then you got cut to pieces. You even missed the Professor when you attacked his command force.\u201d<\/p>\n Marian taunted Venaz from her higher seat. The Minotaur opened his mouth furiously, but Niers forestalled another huge argument between the two.<\/p>\n \u201cMarian. Thank you, you\u2019ve made your points.\u201d<\/p>\n The Centaur ducked her head at his reproving tone. Niers looked at Venaz.<\/p>\n \u201cDo you have anything to say yourself, Venaz?\u201d<\/p>\n Almost sulkily, the Minotaur folded his arms and looked down at the desk in front of him.<\/p>\n \u201cIf it were anyone but you, sir, my strategy would have been sound! Once I took out the enemy command, their army would be left without a leader. I could then rally my forces and retreat or retrench and win the battle.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut the crossbows\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n Venaz glared at Wil.<\/p>\n \u201cI could block one volley with my [Arrowguard Formation] Skill! I didn\u2019t use any because the Professor didn\u2019t. And with his demise, we could have used the fallen bodies as shields.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut wouldn\u2019t the crossbows still have\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNot if he was there!\u201d<\/p>\n Venaz snapped. Niers looked at him, and the Minotaur subsided. Niers walked up to the edge of his lectern and sat there, feet dangling over the side. He nodded thoughtfully.<\/p>\n \u201cVenaz is correct that he would have taken out my command. And if this were a larger battle, all of my [Strategists] would have been killed, it\u2019s true. If I were a [General], that would be a crippling blow, regardless of whether or not I personally escaped.\u201d<\/p>\n He forestalled the Minotaur\u2019s response with a tiny palm. Umina leaned forwards, listening as Niers looked around the room. His eyes met hers for a second, and she caught his smile.<\/p>\n \u201cHowever, knowing your opponent matters. And aside from the trick with the riders at the start\u2026if it were me, Venaz, I would have sent my command forwards without going myself. And if I were you, I\u2019d have taken those remaining [Riders] and charged the crossbow line instead of stalling my foot soldiers. You could have done a lot of damage if you\u2019d gotten close enough. And you would have split their attention away from the fight at the command nicely.\u201d<\/p>\n Umina saw Venaz blink.<\/p>\n \u201cYou mean, split my forces further?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhy not? You don\u2019t need thirty troops to take on ten. Send fifteen to take out my command, stall with five, and send the remaining ten, your riders, and yourself to hit my crossbows. The horses can probably dodge in and stop them from picking you off\u2026it\u2019s a desperate gamble, but I think it would be a more efficient use of your soldiers. Either you win and<\/em> decimate a large number of my crossbows, or I force you back. Regardless, I never get to shoot up your soldiers at my leisure.\u201d<\/p>\n The other students digested that. Marian raised a hand.<\/p>\n \u201cSo you\u2019re saying Venaz wasn\u2019t aggressive enough<\/em>, Professor?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPossibly. I hope Venaz can take my words to heart. I know he prefers a cautious strategy most of the time\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Niers laughed, and after a second Venaz had to chuckle himself. The Titan relaxed, as did his students. And the classroom took on a different air from the lectures or the shouted introduction Niers had given to the new students. In this room, the tone was conversational, friendly. Intimate. Niers reached for a tiny wand and flicked it; he began drawing in the air, illustrating the battle with bright lines of color.<\/p>\n \u201cI understand Venaz's line of thinking, Marian. If he wasn\u2019t going to retreat, he might as well gamble on doing enough damage. And Venaz would have been one of the highest-level fighters on the field. Lead from the front. There is a good deal of practicality behind the concept; a [Strategist] rallies the soldiers around him, and if you\u2019re confident in your abilities, why not regard yourself as a valuable piece on the battlefield?\u201d<\/p>\n Venaz was nodding with a broad smile on his face. Niers raised a tiny finger.<\/p>\n \u201cHowever, let\u2019s not confuse practicality with culture. And there\u2019s a lot of that in your strategy too, Venaz. I understand Minotaurs promote bravery on the battlefield. But it\u2019s making your tactics predictable. And you know what I think about predictability.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt gets you killed.\u201d<\/p>\n Umina chorused with some of the other students. Venaz drummed his fingers on the desk. He was searching for a response, Umina knew. The Minotaur was incredibly stubborn and refused to be easily swayed by anyone, even Niers himself.<\/p>\n \u201cI understand that, sir. But there\u2019s nothing wrong with having a style. Didn\u2019t you say that high-level Skills develop as a result of your style? If I were to gain a powerful attacking Skill, like your [Charge of the Strategist]\u2014wouldn\u2019t I be remiss if I didn\u2019t use it in battle?\u201d<\/p>\n The tiny Fraerling smiled. He tossed the wand back on his desk as he spread his hands.<\/p>\n \u201cI did indeed. And never let it be said that I underestimate Skills\u2014if you\u2019d used yours during the battle and I had not, you might have won, Venaz. But there\u2019s knowing your opponent as well. Even the King of Destruction doesn\u2019t use his best Skills in every battle; he adapts. And an unused Skill is one the opponent watches for the entire time. And again, if I know you\u2019ll commit to every massive attack yourself, why shouldn\u2019t I always keep an archer in reserve to aim for you?\u201d<\/p>\n Venaz chewed that over for a second.<\/p>\n \u201cI suppose so, sir. But consider my perspective as well. My people don\u2019t respect a [Strategist] who won\u2019t fight on the frontlines.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThen don\u2019t fight every battle on the front, Venaz.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut what would be the point if I didn\u2019t consider myself an asset, as you said, Professor? What if I just fought elsewhere, in say, smaller skirmishes as a feint<\/em>\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDead gods, Venaz! Stop arguing!\u201d<\/p>\n From her seat, Yerranola hurled some fruit peels at him. The Minotaur growled, and the Titan waved a hand.<\/p>\n \u201cI think your obsession with having <\/em>to fight is the real issue, Venaz. But Yerranola\u2019s correct. We can\u2019t stick onto this debate; I\u2019m tired of having it with you, and I intend to discuss actually relevant work today. Which brings me back to my assignment. You\u2019re all back, I note, and it\u2019s been a week. How have you done? I see Perorn\u2019s left her notes. Kind of her. Hm. Interesting. And, oh dear. Let\u2019s not beat about the bushes. Wil?\u201d<\/p>\n The young man stood up. He was pale.<\/p>\n \u201cYes, Professor?\u201d<\/p>\n Niers waved impatiently at him. He peered down at the large clipboard.<\/p>\n \u201cSit, sit. And calm down, Wil. You\u2019re not in trouble. Although I fear your Gold-rank team might be very unhappy with you. But they knew the risks. What do you think was the problem? I see they were hunting a Cyclops. Nasty. And rare. Still, they should have been able to handle it; it seems they were a well-respected team.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, sir. They\u2014I thought they could handle it with some degree of risk. I didn\u2019t expect them to be completely wiped out. It was\u2014I\u2019m sorry to have wasted\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n Wil was red-faced despite the Professor\u2019s words and stumbling over himself. Umina looked away guiltily. Niers glanced up. The other students were shifting, as one did in a situation like this. Cameral was pointing his head the other way, pretending Wil\u2019s embarrassment was not happening, Marian was looking at her notes, Yerranola was trying to pat Wil\u2019s leg covertly\u2014<\/p>\n And Venaz, true to form, was staring at Wil with arms folded, clearly willing the young man to hurry up and finish. Niers lifted a hand.<\/p>\n \u201cCalm down, Wil.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n For a second, Umina felt the voice grow\u2026firmer<\/em> if that was possible. So firm it was an inescapable order. Wil stopped stuttering. His face grew less red. Niers looked up at him with a friendly smile, like a grandfather. He shook his head.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019ve been with this class for, what, a year now?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n The Titan nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cThen you know it\u2019s not about money. I gave you your funds to hire the adventuring teams as part of the exercise, Wil. And these are all monsters in my company\u2019s territory; it\u2019s not about that. Nor is your failure solely your fault; each team evaluates the danger of the request and takes it. Calm down and tell me what you think happened as impartially as you can. In the meantime, Marian. I see you had your team hunt an Armorgator. That\u2019s a sizable task for a Silver-rank team.\u201d<\/p>\n Wil sat back in his seat, breathing slowly. Yerranola offered him a drink. Umina glanced up at him; he was relaxing. The young man from Terandria was often high-strung and nervous when it came to classwork; he was steadier on the battlefield, ironically. But embarrassed though he might be if the flushed cheeks were any indication, the Titan was giving him time to recover. And Wil was taking it.<\/p>\n That was what the Titan\u2019s personal class was like. Some of it was lectures, but by this stage, all of his students were expected to know a myriad of strategies and formations. Any one of them could take to the field at a moment\u2019s notice and command an army\u2014some of them had, in actual battles!<\/p>\n No, what they gained from these lessons was practical experience in the field and discussion, conversation, even arguments with Niers Astoragon himself in the class. It wasn\u2019t a situation where you were ever totally wrong, and there was no penalty for being incorrect. You were meant to learn, and the Titan strived to make sure you did.<\/p>\n \u201c\u2026And so, I was sure that the team I hired could take on the Armorgators with zero risk, sir. If they stayed at a distance and bombarded the monster with spells, the creature would never be able to snap them up. The worst that could happen was that it could retreat.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd so they killed the monster after a day of work. Nicely done. And it does rid the area of a large threat. Hm. I see.\u201d<\/p>\n Niers nodded. He glanced around the room and raised his voice.<\/p>\n \u201cAs you all recall, my homework was to find a team and have them take on the most pressing threat to the area possible. Whether you were assigned Bronze, Silver, or Gold-ranks, I asked you to form a request that would see a specific team used to their best effect. Marian\u2019s clearly done well, but I think\u2026Umina? Would you explain these quills?\u201d<\/p>\n He pointed down at the pile of quills on the Mossbear pelt. There were several chuckles from the students. Umina got up.<\/p>\n \u201cYes, sir. I believe the Scattershot Porcupines were the best threat for my team to deal with.\u201d<\/p>\n Niers tapped a foot as he stood on his lectern.<\/p>\n \u201cI understand Scattershot Porcupines are not exactly a dangerous threat. Except to my people. It would seem that your team could have taken on a more powerful enemy. After all, the local [Guardsmen] and even a [Mercenary] could probably handle a few errant porcupines, couldn\u2019t they?\u201d<\/p>\n He looked at Umina sternly. But the Lizardgirl saw the twinkle. She smiled.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s true, sir. But may I present my argument?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBy all means.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThen, firstly, I\u2019ll say that my Bronze-rank team had no name listed. And they didn\u2019t when I hired them.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI did see that. Was there some reason for this? An unregistered team, perhaps?\u201d<\/p>\n Umina shook her head.<\/p>\n \u201cNo, sir. The reason was that they were still arguing<\/em> about what the name should be. The team I hired was the greenest, newest team I could find that I thought had potential.\u201d<\/p>\n There was a shift in the classroom. Marian blinked as she looked sidelong at Umina. Niers smiled.<\/p>\n \u201cI see. You wouldn\u2019t task a team like that with a big threat, would you?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo, sir. And Scattershot Porcupines are<\/em> dangerous. One can put out an eye; they can also run away fast. A team has to learn to flank them, keep them from running, even track them down. Especially if their [Mages] have poor aim. It took my team five days<\/em> to eliminate all of them. And I put a bounty on each head they brought me, and gave them an exclusive contract.\u201d<\/p>\n The Titan smiled.<\/p>\n \u201cI see. So you were training them?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTheir [Mage]\u2019s aim, and their [Hunter]. Yes, sir. As for why I thought this was the most pressing threat\u2014this particular group of porcupines had been straying near villages, and more than one child had been hit by quills from them. They might not have killed anyone, but they were encroaching into Lizardfolk territory. And that might be more of a threat than a known Armorgator or Mossbears who stay in their homes. No offense, Marian, Venaz.\u201d<\/p>\n Umina looked at her classmates. Marian blinked at her. Niers was grinning. He applauded softly.<\/p>\n \u201cWell done. That\u2019s excellent reasoning.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, but there\u2019s one more thing, Professor.\u201d<\/p>\n The Lizardgirl looked at the Fraerling. He raised one eyebrow.<\/p>\n \u201cOh? Enlighten me.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe Scattershot Porcupines were encroaching into Lizardfolk territory, but they were also migrating into the forest. Near a Fraerling village, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n The room went silent. Niers looked up sharply, then nodded to Umina.<\/p>\n \u201cAh. In that case, you have my thanks twice over. The smallest of creatures can destroy a Fraerling village if things go wrong. And if the Tallguard had to fight a pack\u2026a quill can go straight through a Fraerling. Well done, then. Well done indeed.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThank you, Professor.\u201d<\/p>\n Umina sat, and felt that triumphant bubbling in her chest. Marian leaned over and whispered to her.<\/p>\n \u201cYou didn\u2019t tell me that!<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt was part of the exercise. Not everything\u2019s about size, Marian.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cExactly.\u201d<\/p>\n Niers had overhead the two. Umina blushed and Marian sat up. The Fraerling looked up at them with a faint smile.<\/p>\n \u201cThis lesson was to help you deal with adventuring teams, which I\u2019m sure you will all have to do. Monsters are tricky, and adventurers, for all their quirks, are better than [Soldiers] at dealing with them. You were also tasked with identifying which threats would be too much for your teams and which were the most pressing. Umina clearly focused on the societal impact, while Venaz and Marian weighed in on threat-analysis. Neither approach was wrong. With that said, Wil. Do you have an answer?\u201d<\/p>\n The Lizardgirl sat in her seat, a bit red with the gentle rebuke. Wil got to his feet, then remembered he didn\u2019t have to stand and sat back down, flushing. Then he stood back up anyways.<\/p>\n \u201cI do, sir. And I think it was just\u2026bad luck.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBad luck?\u201d<\/p>\n Venaz looked incredulous. Wil halted, and Niers gave Venaz a reproving look.<\/p>\n \u201cBad luck is a legitimate answer, Venaz. Go on, Wil.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt was\u2026the Cyclops had a den set up, and I informed the team of where it was. However, I didn\u2019t know another team had been pursuing the monster. A different contract on the same Cyclops. Both teams ran into each other by accident as the first tried to smoke the Cyclops out. And the other team hunting it was Silver-rank. Unprepared. They hadn\u2019t told anyone in their guild they were going after the Cyclops; there was no way of knowing.\u201d<\/p>\n Niers grimaced.<\/p>\n \u201cUnprepared adventurers going after a bigger score in desperation. I\u2019m familiar with that all too well. Go on.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, as I heard it from the survivors, they found the first team right as the Cyclops emerged from the den. It went after the [Mages] first\u2014by luck, perhaps\u2014and from then on\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Umina listened to Wil\u2019s account of his team\u2019s demise, wincing along with the rest. It had indeed been a very poor encounter thanks to the first Silver-rank team\u2019s bungling, and both teams had lost nearly all their members. Niers shook his head when the story was over.<\/p>\n \u201cIll luck indeed. And it would have been hard to predict. I agree with your assessment, Wil. Don\u2019t take your team\u2019s failure too hard to heart\u2014as for the survivors of that Silver-rank team, I\u2019d be concerned for their lives. Vengeance from other adventuring teams is not<\/em> a pleasant discussion. I\u2019ll look into it perhaps. Alright. Who else has a story to tell?\u201d<\/p>\n He glanced around at the show of hands.<\/p>\n \u201cVenaz? If your team just went head-to-head with the bears, I\u2019m not impressed. Dwarves are stout fighters. How would that push them? Mossbears aren\u2019t exactly dangerous anyways, and I asked for threats, not trophies. Yerranola? Not too impressive, unless you have something to add? Jekilt? Your team failed their mission. How did that happen?\u201d<\/p>\n Five other students spoke, and Niers commented briefly on each story or result. It wasn\u2019t just commentary; he shared his own thoughts and experiences from being an adventurer, as well as how to employ the other teams to best effect, or how to give them a bit of help with or without their knowledge. But that was just the homework. And while it had taken the students a week, Niers didn\u2019t dwell overly long on it.<\/p>\n \u201cAlright. Enough about adventuring. I trust you\u2019ve all been keeping up on recent events. What do you think about the latest developments in Chandrar? The war against Tiqr and the King of Destruction\u2019s proclamation?\u201d<\/p>\n Umina raised her hand with half the class. This was another moment she looked forwards to because Niers gave his frank opinion on the situation. And hearing the Titan\u2019s thoughts was worth gold. She wondered if the rulers of each nation would take his advice if they were in her seat. Then she had another thought: was one of the students relaying the Titan\u2019s words to other nations? It wasn\u2019t out of the question. Umina wasn\u2019t doing it; the risk wasn\u2019t worth the reward.<\/p>\n But this was another aspect of the class that students in the other classes missed. They studied tactics; Niers\u2019 best class studied politics. Politics were as much a [Strategist]\u2019s lot as tactical engagements. And grand strategy, the movements of armies and kingdoms, was just as important.<\/p>\n Niers had explained it to Umina and the others like this: a regular [Strategist] could just think of his army and the conditions affecting it. But a true [Strategist], the ones he was trying to train, would think about the nation, country, or cause they fought for as a whole and how their army would affect that. They were fighting on multiple levels and, as such, their actions mattered.<\/p>\n \u201cTo be frank, I have to admire the Empress of Beasts and what she tried to do at Pomle. If you look at the situation objectively, the King of Destruction is in a bind. If he goes to war, the other nations will turn on him. But they\u2019re being played.\u201d<\/p>\n Niers had ordered Venaz to help Marian put up a map so he could use his wand to illustrate the political situation. He pointed at Tiqr, now at war with all of its neighbors.<\/p>\n \u201cYou see, Tiqr is in trouble, but these other nations have now incurred the King of Destruction\u2019s wrath. A risky position to be in. They\u2019ve shown their hand\u2014too early, I feel. I have no doubt the Emperor of Sands orchestrated this. If I were in, say, an advisory capacity to the Queen of Nerrhavia\u2019s Fall, I would have told her to take the position Tiqr did at the summit. Which would have backfired splendidly had my nation been the only one present. Two, on the other hand\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhy would you have stayed out of war with the King of Destruction, sir? Isn\u2019t it wise to attack him straight off? I almost feel like the other nations are making a mistake not going after him, rather than focusing on Tiqr.\u201d<\/p>\n Umina raised her claw to ask the obvious. Niers smiled at her, and Umina\u2019s heart skipped a beat.<\/p>\n \u201cThe King of Destruction is frightening,<\/em> that\u2019s why, Umina. Yes, it\u2019s sensible to attack him in concert. But the first coalition army he smashed to pieces. True, it wasn\u2019t nearly what could have been fielded against him, but imagine you\u2019re the [Strategist] that has to commit to an offensive against the King of Destruction. Knowing what you know of his past?\u201d<\/p>\n He looked around the room. Umina gulped. She wouldn\u2019t take that job, not for love or money. Niers went on.<\/p>\n \u201cI imagine all the [Generals] of each nation are shaking in their boots thinking of how to go up against Flos, let alone Orthenon. Remember, the King of Destruction can turn the tides even in the face of impossible odds. If Nerrhavia\u2019s Fall committed a hundred thousand soldiers to a battle against Reim in its current state, Flos would win.<\/em> The first battle, at least. And if you\u2019re the nation bearing the brunt of the conflict, you\u2019re wide open to an attack after Reim is defeated. Either way, you lose. With that said\u2014it would be smart to oppose him, as you said, Umina. But tiring yourself out fighting Tiqr and making him your enemy straight off is a poor choice.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSo you would do\u2026what, Professor?\u201d<\/p>\n The Fraerling smiled.<\/p>\n \u201cTake a middling stance. Which was what Tiqr\u2019s [Empress] tried<\/em> to do. She was certainly not Flos\u2019 worst enemy at that summit, by all reports. But neither did she declare for him\u2014she still hasn\u2019t. Normally, that would give her an advantage in negotiations; I\u2019d push for concessions to join a coalition against Reim. But as I said, it backfired. It seems the rulers of each nation were coerced or too hotheaded to take a measured approach. Now, if I were in another nation, say, Belchan or Jecrass, I would be complying with the King of Destruction and playing both sides.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut if the King of Destruction attacks\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIf he attacks, he\u2019s broken his vow. In which case, all bets are off the table. But Flos was never one to forswear himself. If<\/em> he breaks his oath, Cameral, I can\u2019t predict what he\u2019ll do. But if I were Jecrass\u2019 [King]? And if it were me? I would consider what benefitted my country. And frankly, if the Forgotten Wing company were based on Chandrar, I would, at this moment, be approaching the King of Destruction for an alliance.\u201d<\/p>\n A gasp filled the room. Niers rolled his eyes.<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t be dramatic. I realize my past with the King of Destruction is public knowledge, but he\u2019s no fool. Nor am I; betting against the King of Destruction is a fool\u2019s game. It always was. And if I had a navy with faster ships, and I was sure the other Great Companies wouldn\u2019t stab me in the back, I\u2019d be taking all of you to Chandrar to earn as much gold and prestige as possible. Chandrar is rife with opportunity. Especially if you have the stomach to trade in slaves.\u201d<\/p>\n He grimaced and took a small sip from a cup.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, it\u2019s not as if Baleros doesn\u2019t have enough gold. And the jungles may run red with blood, but Baleros doesn\u2019t live on tears. The Slavers of Roshal will benefit from this conflict more than anyone else. Gah. Enough. Let\u2019s focus on armies. Tiqr\u2019s definitely in trouble. Aside from the fact that their [Beast Tamers] aren\u2019t exactly good at large-scale battles, they\u2019re up against Nerrhavia and Illivere. Savere isn\u2019t a threat so long as the fighting stays away from the coasts, but it means they\u2019ll be raiding constantly\u2026<\/p>\n Only the Titan would force his best students to command a full-scale defense of a nation from eight different hostile armies and expect them to win<\/em> a scenario like that. Umina scored points, as did Feshi, both of whose species had historical precedents for that kind of fighting. Marian got berated for trying to apply her usual strategy to Tiqr\u2019s forces, and Venaz earned a grudging point from Niers for his suggestion.<\/p>\n \u201cHire Minotaurs. My people have already been contracted to fight the King of Destruction.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhich they haven\u2019t done.\u201d<\/p>\n Venaz shrugged stoically at Marian.<\/p>\n \u201cI haven\u2019t been home in three years. But if they gave their word, they gave their word. They probably can\u2019t land yet.\u201d<\/p>\n Niers smiled crookedly.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not surprised. The odds of any coastal nation allowing a fleet from the House of Minos to land is remote, no matter what they say. But the King of Destruction had better watch his coastal expansions twice over. But if they\u2019re against Reim, why hire them, Venaz?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBecause that\u2019s the King of Destruction. This is a separate matter. If Tiqr can pay, have them contract four warships. They won\u2019t hit Savere, but Nerrhavia has a large coast. Minotaur [Mercenaries] could pull most of their forces away with ease.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTrust a Minotaur to vouch for his own people. You might as well hire a Great Company from Baleros.\u201d<\/p>\n Yerranola muttered. Niers smiled.<\/p>\n \u201cGood point, Yerranola. And I said no. Tiqr can\u2019t afford my services, and as I said, our navy\u2019s not at that point yet. I can\u2019t imagine the Iron Vanguard would say yes either, and they\u2019re the only Great Company with a navy large enough to join the fray.\u201d<\/p>\n The Selphid inhaled her snack. Literally. She didn\u2019t choke as oxygen wasn\u2019t exactly a problem, but Umina had to sit through a few nasty minutes of squelching<\/em> as the Selphid cleared the blockage in her throat. Niers chuckled.<\/p>\n \u201cI keep telling you, don\u2019t underestimate rulers. They can be cunning, desperate\u2026but I wanted to bring something else up. Yerranola, I think you had something to say?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI did, sir. Sorry about the sounds. Uh, have you read the latest chess newsletter from Liscor, by any chance?\u201d<\/p>\n Yerranola looked innocently at the Titan. Niers\u2019 eyebrows shot up.<\/p>\n \u201cI didn\u2019t. Has it arrived? Peclir must have notified me, and I forgot. I\u2019ll have it sent here. Unless you have a copy?\u201d<\/p>\n The Selphid waved a stack of papers over her head. Niers smiled.<\/p>\n \u201cOf course. Cameral too? And Umina, I see. Well, give me one\u2014spread it out on the ground so I can read from here. The rest of you can share it around.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHere, Marian.\u201d<\/p>\n As Yerranola trotted down, Umina shared her version with Wil and Marian. She knew what it said, and Marian had gotten the basic outline. But the Centauress still exclaimed over what was written.<\/p>\n \u201cEmploying Goblins as\u2026an irregular adventuring force? Cancelling the bounty on Goblin ears? Is this Drake an idiot?<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n Kissilt frowned over Cameral\u2019s shoulder. The Drake\u2019s tail was lashing with agitation.<\/p>\n \u201cI can\u2019t believe this. Either he\u2019s mad, or Liscor gone completely off the walls. I knew it was insane already with that Hive below it, but this? The Walled Cities must be in uproar.\u201d<\/p>\n Venaz was just as incensed.<\/p>\n \u201cThis Olesm Swifttail would let Goblin Lords pop up left and right. I don\u2019t know what\u2019s possessed him, but this is far outside of his regular chess commentary. It\u2019s a disgrace, isn\u2019t it, Professor? Professor?\u201d<\/p>\n The Fraerling was reading. He looking up calmly.<\/p>\n \u201cShut up, Venaz. You\u2019re speaking like every Minotaur student I ever had.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut sir\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDo you recall that just a decade ago, my company had a pact with the only<\/em> Goblin-led company in Baleros? Or have you forgotten the name of the Goblin\u2019s Lament company already?\u201d<\/p>\n The students fell silent. Niers looked around.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was a strong company. And until he became a Goblin King, Velan the Kind was considered the equal of any company leader. A Goblin Lord you could reason with. He didn\u2019t earn that reputation by being untrustworthy. He kept to his promises more than any company I can name. Including my own.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd then he slaughtered entire cities and declared war on the world.\u201d<\/p>\n Venaz's eyes burned crimson for a second. Niers looked at him, and the Minotaur glared back. The air went icy around Niers, and Venaz's eyes and fury dissipated. Umina sat back in her seat. The Titan glared at Venaz until the Minotaur looked away.<\/p>\n \u201cYes. He did. But that is the nature of Goblin Kings. And until that day, I trusted Velan the Kind. I spoke to him. And he was sane, Venaz. I don\u2019t know what the House of Minos endures. But if this Olesm Swifttail claims to have met Hobs that defended Liscor\u2014I believe him. Or did you not see Goblin fighting Goblin during the siege?\u201d<\/p>\n The Minotaur didn\u2019t respond. He was struck dumb, at least for the moment. Feshi looked uncomfortable. She raised a paw.<\/p>\n \u201cHrr. But there is precedent for wariness, yes? Professor, are you suggesting now<\/em> that this idea should be put into place?\u201d<\/p>\n The Gnoll held still as the Titan shifted his glance to her. Then, abruptly, Niers sighed. He stroked his beard, looking older and more tired.<\/p>\n \u201cI suppose not, Feshi. In light of what I now know? No. But again, I think we are making a mistake in how we view this young [Strategist]\u2019s claims. Olesm Swifttail is not saying we must<\/em> make peace with Goblins, or hire them. These are suggestions. His observations. Since when has having an opinion been so wrong?\u201d<\/p>\n He glanced up.<\/p>\n \u201cKissilt, I see you opening your mouth. Before you speak, consider that this [Strategist] is floating an idea. The reaction of the Walled Cities and his fellow [Strategists] are predictable. But you know what I think about that. All of you, I want you to engage with this idea in a way that doesn\u2019t make me think you\u2019re giving me a gut reaction. Especially you, Venaz. I\u2019m sure this Olesm Swifttail is already getting a very vocal response. But point out the good in his suggestions. He\u2019s also done some commentary on the Siege of Liscor. Thoughts? These Painted Soldiers he references\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe saw them during the battle, sir. Those Antinium with colors?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes. And they concern me more than any suggestion about Goblins. If the Antinium have come up with a new breed of Soldier\u2014what was their kill-to-death ratio before the Goblin Lord took their formation to pieces? Someone go and tell a servant to fetch a recording of the battle. I think we\u2019ve got one of Wistram\u2019s new movie crystals\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Umina had more than one reason to admire Niers during the rest of their lesson. Not only did he have his students do a calculation of the Painted Soldier\u2019s kill-to-death ratio and compare it to other Antinium groups\u2014a very disturbing result, even if you accounted for the fact that their opponents were Goblins\u2014he gave them a short story about employing Goblin adventurers, something so rare it had only occurred once in Baleros.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd only when Velan was alive. The only other instance of a Goblin adventurer I have ever heard of is in Izril. Garen Redfang of the Halfseekers. And as I understand it, he died at Liscor.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSlain by the Gecko of Liscor himself.\u201d<\/p>\n Kissilt murmured. Niers looked up.<\/p>\n \u201cOne of Liscor\u2019s champions, Kissilt? Can you elaborate on him? I do recall him, but I don\u2019t know all the particulars of famous Drake soldiers, I\u2019m afraid.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo, sir. I mean, I know a little, sir, but he\u2019s no longer considered part of the standing army. He\u2019s a former [Sergeant] in Liscor\u2019s army. I grew up hearing about him. Pallass is close to Liscor, and I suppose he\u2019s just one of the names I heard growing up. I thought he was retired. But he would be good enough to take down even a Gold-rank adventurer.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHm. Interesting. Never underestimate retired warriors, even old ones. Especially old ones, I should mention. More than one [General] has died when entering a supposedly conquered city. A seventy-year-old Dullahan [Sniper] can still fire a crossbow. And they really don\u2019t like armies burning down their homes.\u201d<\/p>\n Stories, reminiscence, his take on what he personally would do, and debate. It was the kind of class Umina enjoyed most. Even more than a mock battle where she could choose her army and face off against one of her fellow students, using all her Skills on the training field. This was what she enjoyed. It was fun being in the Titan\u2019s class, arguing with Venaz, trying to impress the Professor with an observation.<\/p>\n And it couldn\u2019t last. It never did last long enough. After four, all-too-short hours, the Titan had to go. His students might take other lessons, but Niers Astoragon had to manage his company, or do a thousand other things. That they got this much time with him was important. But today, the Titan didn\u2019t send them off with one of his assignments, or simply his blessing and an injunction not to get too drunk before tomorrow\u2019s class. Today, the Fraerling clapped for everyone\u2019s attention as he stood on his podium.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s enough for today. And I hesitate to bring this up, but if you\u2019ve forgotten, our little game begins shortly. Has<\/em> anyone forgotten? Because now might be a good time to panic.\u201d<\/p>\n The class chuckled and shook their heads. Niers smiled affectionately, but there was that twinkle in his eyes his students had learned to pick up on.<\/p>\n \u201cExcellent. We\u2019re gathering in Daquin in two days. If you\u2019re not joining me on the trip, be there by midmorning or you\u2019ll be unable to compete in the exercise. And remember the rules of the game. No deaths. No blades or dangerous magic. Aside from that, do your best and try to distinguish yourselves. I think this year\u2019s audience will be very interested to see how you do. As will I.\u201d<\/p>\n Umina\u2019s stomach twisted with apprehension. She glanced around the class; most of her fellow students seemed excited. Wil looked somewhat sick, but he always did before a test. And this was<\/em> a test, even if it was a game.<\/p>\n \u201cSir, any word on who will be, uh, finding us this year?\u201d<\/p>\n Marian spoke up casually. The Titan laughed.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m sure you\u2019d like to know, Marian. But if you haven\u2019t found out, I won\u2019t be telling you. Isn\u2019t knowing you\u2019re going to Daquin enough?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCome on, Professor. A hint would help\u2014we are going up against our seniors, aren\u2019t we?\u201d<\/p>\n Niers waggled a finger at Kissilt.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s what they said when they were in your shoes, Kissilt. Just relax. Lay a few traps. Make plans; I\u2019m sure they\u2019re thinking of how best to box you in.\u201d<\/p>\n The Drake grumbled, but good-naturedly. He was excited for the competition, Umina could tell. The Drake looked up at her and grinned. He wasn\u2019t nearly as hostile as most Drakes who met Lizardfolk, but the ember of competition was still burning hotter in his eyes.<\/p>\n \u201cThink you can survive until the end, Umina?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat depends on what the Professor\u2019s done to mess with us.\u201d<\/p>\n Umina peeked at Niers. He grinned, but didn\u2019t take the bait. Marian shook her head.<\/p>\n \u201cProfessor, when did this game start? And why is one of the biggest tests of our entire academic lives a game of hide-and-seek?<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n Niers sighed.<\/p>\n \u201cMarian, when you get to my age\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n His students laughed or groaned; it was the answer the Fraerling liked to give when he was avoiding the question. But there was that twinkle in his eyes. Umina looked down at the Titan and wondered.<\/p>\n It was said that the Titan of Baleros lived on excitement. If he were to go a week without some kind of chaos or excitement occurring, he would die of boredom, or so the myth went. Which was patently untrue. Niers Astoragon was perfectly capable of living without some kind of interesting event occurring in his life every few days. It was just that if you offered him the choice between a peaceful life and offing himself, he might just choose the latter.<\/p>\n This event was one of the things the Titan used to entertain himself when he wasn\u2019t on campaign. It was also considered one of his penultimate tests for his students. And it was a simple concept, really.<\/p>\n Once every few years, sometimes once a decade, and at one point, he\u2019d done it every year for eight years straight, the Titan of Baleros would announce a game with his students. It usually happened in times of enduring peace; it never happened when there was war or unrest. It was a game that involved his students, past and prior. He would take his students to a location, be it a city or patch of jungle or even an artificial maze, and give them a day to hide while an entire army searched for them.<\/p>\n It wouldn\u2019t just be Umina\u2019s special class there. Over a hundred of Niers\u2019 students nearing graduation, and even some recent graduates, would be invited to attend. His current students and recent graduates would be hiding. And the seekers would be his guests of honor\u2014the older [Strategists], his first students, veterans of dozens of wars.<\/p>\n It was a game of hide-and-seek. But what a game! What competition! The former students of the Titan would relentlessly hunt down the new students while the hiders tried to fulfill some kind of criteria that changed every year. And it sometimes got intense<\/em>.<\/p>\n Because the game wasn\u2019t \u2018find someone and they\u2019re out\u2019, or even \u2018tag, you\u2019re out\u2019. It was \u2018capture the hiders by whatever means necessary\u2019. Which meant the students could and did fight back. And the seekers could subdue them by whatever means necessary short of permanent bodily harm. They had some of Niers\u2019 soldiers armed with clubs, nets, and other helpful tools to facilitate that process. And the new students often laid traps, made alliances\u2014they\u2019d fight back with every trick they knew to stay free and clear of their pursuers.<\/p>\n Ostensibly, it was a game designed to teach Niers\u2019 students what it was like to be cut off from their forces, to prepare them for situations where they might be hunted by [Assassins] or an enemy army in a city, jungle, or what have you. In practice, Umina suspected it was the Titan\u2019s way of having fun.<\/p>\n \u201cCall it a hobby of mine. And it certainly provides entertainment. At least for me. I understand it\u2019s an opportunity for all of you.\u201d<\/p>\n His students nodded to varying degrees of excitement. That was certainly true. In the past, this might have been just a game Niers played for his own enjoyment and his students\u2019 benefit in outwitting each other. But as was the nature of all kinds of spectacle, word had spread, and now his semi-regular competition had an audience that would come from all over Baleros to watch.<\/p>\n And it mattered. It always did. Umina saw several students including Venaz look around warily at the Titan\u2019s words. Because, of course, they were all already being watched.<\/p>\n It was a fact. Umina, Marian, Venaz\u2026they were all the Titan\u2019s best students. When they graduated, they would be the best crop of [Strategists] of their age in the entire continent. Perhaps one of them might be as brilliant as Perorn Fleethoof, or perhaps even as gifted as the Titan of Baleros himself.<\/p>\n Other nations and companies kept an eye on Niers\u2019 class; some had even approached Umina, covertly or publicly, to test her out, see if she might make a good hire. And if there were eyes on Umina already, well, during the games, there would be even more. Umina had seen visitors watching her as she conducted those war games against her fellow students, evaluating her.<\/p>\n This would be another chance to stand out. If she somehow performed really splendidly, she might even get an offer to serve as a [Strategist] in another company or for a nation after she graduated. Some students had even quit the academy during<\/em> school because they\u2019d impressed a visiting [King] or ruler so much!<\/p>\n \u201cA chance to win prestige in the eyes of the world. A rousing competition for me to enjoy. Sea and surf at Daquin; they do some very fine prawns too. What\u2019s not to like?\u201d<\/p>\n The Titan looked around at his students. They smiled back, but with an edge. It was all fun for him, but they were [Strategists]. They wanted to win.<\/em> And there was a reason, even more than the thrill of beating older [Strategists] and their classmates. There was a rumor about winning this particular game. Umina had heard some of the older students whispering about it in the past.<\/p>\n There was always a way to beat your pursuers outside of outwaiting the seekers. Sometimes it was to solve a puzzle, or travel a certain distance. One time it had been to subdue a Wyvern the Titan had let loose, and hadn\u2019t that been a bloody year? But the risk was always worth the reward, and it was always the same.<\/p>\n The reward was that you got to go to the Professor\u2019s private rooms, you entered, and apparently, you could ask him anything you wanted.<\/em> Any question in the world and the Fraerling would answer it if he could, be it personal or huge, earth-shattering.<\/p>\n Any question. The students looked at each other, wondering if it was true. And because they wondered and because Venaz was\u2026Venaz, he raised his hand.<\/p>\n \u201cProfessor, sir! I have a question.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGo on.\u201d<\/p>\n The Titan looked at the Minotaur with a sparkle in his eye. Venaz got to his hooves, and hesitated, which was uncharacteristic even of him.<\/p>\n \u201cProfessor, I\u2019ve heard that this\u2026contest of yours has a reward. I\u2019d like to know if that\u2019s true or not. Otherwise, what\u2019s the purpose of victory?\u201d<\/p>\n The Minotaur met the Fraerling\u2019s eyes. Umina held her breath along with the other students. Niers looked up at the ceiling.<\/p>\n \u201cHm. A reward? I wonder. I do know there are rumors\u2014I wonder how they started? Which prize would you be referring to, exactly, Venaz?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cProfessor\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n The Titan\u2019s eyes twinkled as the Minotaur growled at him. He stood upon his lectern for a moment, and Umina wondered if he\u2019d refuse to answer. Then he smiled.<\/p>\n \u201cThe answer, Venaz, is yes.<\/em> Any question in the world. If I know it, I\u2019ll answer it. So choose your question wisely. If you win\u2014you only get one.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n The silence in the room was complete. Umina felt her heart skip a beat. So it was true. <\/em>Then she saw the Titan grinning with delight. His students exhaled slowly. Venaz looked around.<\/p>\n \u201cAny question? But what if\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAh.\u201d<\/p>\n Niers raised a finger. The Minotaur shut up. Niers Astoragon looked stern.<\/p>\n \u201cVenaz, obviously there are some questions that are tantamount to giving away the secrets of my company. Obviously some questions are dangerous.\u201d<\/p>\n His student nodded, a tad disappointed. Niers smiled.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll answer them. Any question in the world. As dangerous as it may be to know. I\u2019ve done it before. And some of my students have died because they asked a question and got my answer. Not from me, personally. But I know a lot. Any question. Any question<\/em>. My level, the location of buried treasure. The name of your greatest enemy. Their weakness. What Foliana had for breakfast. Anything.\u201d<\/p>\n His students stared. And then they whispered. Marian looked at Umina, vibrating with anticipation.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat could you ask\u2026?\u201d<\/p>\n She cut herself off. Niers raised a hand.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you win. If you\u2019re the one who finishes first. Don\u2019t get excited; there\u2019s only one winner. And you\u2019re hardly the only competition. Two years running, the victor hasn\u2019t come from my advanced class. Remember that.\u201d<\/p>\n His students calmed down. Then they appraised each other again. There could only be one. Niers Astoragon smiled.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, as I said, we\u2019re leaving tomorrow. Pack your things. Make your plans if you haven\u2019t already. Remember the rules. Try to win. Class dismissed!\u201d<\/p>\n He leapt from his podium and strode up the platforms leading towards the Fraer-ways. Before anyone could stop him\u2014and a few of his students shouted questions\u2014the Titan was gone. And that left Umina excited, nervous, and very scared. She glanced at her fellow students, then hurried out of the room, grabbing her notes and things.<\/p>\n Let the games begin.<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n \u2014\u2014<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m going to lose.\u201d<\/p>\n Twenty minutes later, Umina sat in her small room in the apartment she\u2019d rented only five minutes\u2019 walk from the citadel. She buried her head in her claws. She\u2019d known it already. And she\u2019d tried not to get excited by the game because of it, but now she wanted to win. And she knew she was going to lose.<\/p>\n It wasn\u2019t that Umina didn\u2019t have the drive. Or the levels. She was a Level 27 [Strategist], a genius for her age. At nineteen years old, Umina was one of the youngest students in Niers\u2019 advanced class, a prodigy among her species. She had a dozen Skills she could call on, and she placed with the best when it came to his field exercises or debates in class. She could and had beaten every one of her classmates in the practice war games; she was especially good at taking down Venaz, who, despite his brash attitude and nature, was still one of the best students when commanding the training soldiers in practice.<\/p>\n However\u2026Umina\u2019s face fell as she checked her purse of coins. She had all her worldly wealth sitting on the table in front of her, illuminated by a [Light] spell she\u2019d cast. The Lizardgirl counted unhappily.<\/p>\n \u201cOne, two, three\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n The coins came out of her purse, as if by counting them Umina could double or triple their number. But no matter how many times she counted them, she barely had more than twenty coins.<\/p>\n Silver. Not gold. And she had two gold coins, but that was rent and food for this month. If Umina spent them, she\u2019d be destitute until her family sent her more money. And while she could probably survive by borrowing from her friends, at least Marian\u2026what was three gold coins\u2019 worth of money going to buy her?<\/p>\n \u201cMaybe some rope. A few blankets? I could get\u2026a potion or two\u2026nothing! Not even enough to avoid a [Scrying] spell!\u201d<\/p>\n The Lizardgirl hunched over her desk, scattering the coins miserably. Then she hurried to pick them up in case one rolled between the cracks in her floorboards. She sat at her table, her tail curling and uncurling.<\/p>\n \u201cI want to win. I want to win<\/em>. But unless there\u2019s a puzzle, I won\u2019t have half of what the others do! If it\u2019s Wil\u2014even his clothes are enchanted! And Marian has her bow. Even if she can\u2019t shoot arrows at people, she can still pay for\u2026everything! Venaz probably made plans. I know<\/em> Yerra\u2019s been plotting how to win. And I can\u2019t do anything.\u201d<\/p>\n She was poor. That was just how it was. Umina wanted to cry, but she knew that would be stupid. The fact that she had gold to spend and she was Niers\u2019 student was amazing. And she wasn\u2019t poor. Not really<\/em>. It was just that compared to the others in her class, she was. Most of them could drop ten gold coins on something without blinking twice. Umina couldn\u2019t drop ten silver coins without doing a double-take.<\/p>\n \u201cUmina? Hey, Umina!\u201d<\/p>\n Someone was calling from outside. Umina looked up. Her room was very small, even by Lizardfolk standards. She hesitated.<\/p>\n \u201cMarian? I\u2019m busy\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n She tried to put away her coins. But her Centaur friend was insistent.<\/p>\n \u201cUmina, I\u2019m coming in!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHold on\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n Umina swiped her coins into her pouch and hid it on her belt. Marian trotted into the room.<\/p>\n \u201cThere you are. Come on. We\u2019re going to have a drink together. The Professor\u2019s setting off tomorrow, and you\u2019re going with him, right? Let\u2019s talk with the others before that. They\u2019re at the Stalker\u2019s Pub.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not that thirsty.\u201d<\/p>\n Umina mumbled. She knew her tail and frills were drooping. Marian eyed her.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, come anyways.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t want to.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI think you should.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMarian, I really\u2014hey!\u201d<\/p>\n The Centauress trotted forwards and picked Umina up. Before the small Lizardgirl could protest, the Centaur had tossed her on her back.<\/p>\n \u201cCome on! Where\u2019s your key?\u201d<\/p>\n She trotted out of Umina\u2019s apartment, pausing to let the Lizardgirl lock the door, and then trotted down the ramp that led to Umina\u2019s apartment on the second floor.<\/p>\n The presence of Centaurs meant that many buildings in Baleros were designed to accommodate them, which meant the stairs were often ramps and buildings tended to be wider and shorter, the rooms very spacious to avoid claustrophobia. Umina knew Marian hated her small room and so she didn\u2019t protest. Especially because she was on Marian\u2019s back.<\/p>\n Centaurs were like horses. Half their body was humanoid, but their lower half was horse. Except that they hated<\/em> being ridden by people they didn\u2019t implicitly trust. Anyone who tried it on a dare might get their head kicked off their necks. The fact that Marian let Umina ride was a sign of true friendship. The Centauress trotted down the ramp and into the street.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2019s gotten you so upset, Umina? You were buzzing in class when the Professor complimented you on your strategy. And he chewed me<\/em> out for my strategy.\u201d<\/p>\n She tossed her head. Umina ducked to avoid being slapped by Marian\u2019s hair. She hesitated, and then muttered.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t think I\u2019m going to do well, Marian.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat makes you say that?\u201d<\/p>\n The Centauress looked over her shoulder as she walked down the street. A few Lizardpeople waved at Umina and she waved back, trying to smile. She knew that they could tell it was fake, but at least they were out of range before they could come over and ask what was wrong. She had Marian for that.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s just\u2026I know you made preparations for the games.\u201d<\/p>\n Marian nearly missed a step. Her hooves clicked on the smooth paving stones.<\/p>\n \u201cI have. Not as much as the others, maybe. Why?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI haven\u2019t done a thing?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat? Really?\u201d<\/p>\n The Centauress was astonished. Umina shook her head miserably.<\/p>\n \u201cI can\u2019t afford to.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut you did so well at his other assignments. Like the adventurers\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou know the Professor normally gives us a budget. I use his budget. I can\u2019t pay for anything else. Especially not traps or potions or\u2026anything.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut if it\u2019s just a few potions or a little ring, surely\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMarian.<\/em> You know I\u2014you know what? Look.\u201d<\/p>\n Umina grabbed her coin pouch. She\u2019d never shown Marian it explicitly. Why would she? The Centauress had never needed to ask. Now Umina shoved the pouch in front of Marian and opened it.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, that\u2019s not so bad if you\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s all I have.<\/em> If I use that, I don\u2019t eat<\/em>, Marian.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh.\u201d<\/p>\n For a while, Marian\u2019s hooves were the only source of sound from the two. The Centauress blinked at Umina, looking ahead now and then to make sure she didn\u2019t run into anyone.<\/p>\n \u201cThat explains why you don\u2019t always drink with us. Or buy much. Cameral thought you were just bad at handling alcohol. I thought that too.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou weigh three times what I do.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOnly three?\u201d<\/p>\n That made Umina smile a bit. Marian picked up her pace.<\/p>\n \u201cI didn\u2019t know you were that tight on coin, Umina. But you don\u2019t fall behind any of us. If anything, everyone else thinks you\u2019re serious competition.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo they don\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n A hand ungently flicked Umina across her forehead. The Lizardgirl recoiled. Marian frowned at her.<\/p>\n \u201cYes they do. You got into our class based on pure talent. That\u2019s more than anyone else can say. Everyone else paid more to get into this class, including me. You were in the one year program, and the Professor let you join our class!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI guess I did. But you\u2019re all still as good as me. You beat me last time we faced each other.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBecause you fell off your horse. That doesn\u2019t count. You trounced Venaz three times so far; no one else has done that. My best is two wins in a row.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, I\u2019m glad you think I\u2019ll do so well. But it doesn\u2019t change the fact that I can\u2019t pay for any preparations. Or artifacts. Someone casts a [Scrying] spell, and they\u2019ll find me in a moment.\u201d<\/p>\n Umina flopped over Marian\u2019s back. The Centauress hesitated.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not all about\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSay it\u2019s not all about money and I\u2019ll pull your tail, Marian. I know how much you have.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201c\u2026Sorry.\u201d<\/p>\n The two trotted along. Umina could tell they were entering the entertainment district of the city, which was wide and prosperous; Niers\u2019 students liked to use their free time, and they often had coin to spend. Most of them, at any rate. Marian frowned at a few students as they passed by.<\/p>\n \u201cWil\u2019s rich. Or rather, his family is. So is Venaz, that bastard. I mean, they\u2019re both really<\/em> rich. Wil\u2019s a [Lord]\u2019s son, and I don\u2019t know what Venaz is, but he can toss around gold like water. I guess I always thought I was poor compared to them, but\u2014I suppose not. My family\u2019s not that wealthy, Umina.\u201d<\/p>\n Umina resisted the urge to tweak Marian\u2019s tail. Friends or not, she\u2019d probably get bucked off for that.<\/p>\n \u201cHow do you have so much gold, then?\u201d<\/p>\n The Centaur\u2019s gait faltered.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2026got a lot of support from my clan. Everyone I knew contributed money to fund me. I need to repay them.\u201d<\/p>\n Oh. Centaur pride. <\/em>Umina could just imagine how that went. Marian would be the pride of her clan. They\u2019d probably all pitched in. Her tail wagged unhappily.<\/p>\n \u201cMakes sense. Yerra\u2019s got a lot of money from her family too. Selphids supporting Selphids. I wish I had that.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat didn\u2019t happen for you?\u201d<\/p>\n Marian was surprised, but she needn\u2019t have been. Umina sighed.<\/p>\n \u201cYou know what it\u2019s like in Lizardfolk cities. We like each other, but we\u2019re not organized like Centaurs. Some of my family\u2019s friends helped pay for me to get here, and sometimes I get donations, but it\u2019s random. My people mean well, and they\u2019re really proud of me being the only Lizardfolk in the Professor\u2019s current class, but I\u2019m just one of many, you know? How many Lizardfolk [Strategists] do you think the Titan\u2019s taught?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re special. And if you don\u2019t have a lot of money\u2026what if we teamed up?\u201d<\/p>\n Umina perked up, then felt a prickle of conscience.<\/p>\n \u201cSo we can fight at the end, Marian? You know how it works.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell\u2026maybe no one\u2019s ever won as a pair before. But I\u2019ll tell you; I\u2019m not certain I did all I could to prepare. I have a few tricks, but if we worked together, my money and your brain\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou think I\u2019ve got any fancy ideas? I only got to \u2018buy an invisibility potion and hide in a corner\u2019. Only, I can\u2019t afford that.<\/em> I don\u2019t know what this year\u2019s criteria for winning is, Marian.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, don\u2019t give up just yet. Come on. There\u2019s a reason why I wanted you to drink with the others. I\u2019m paying, so try not to look so down.\u201d<\/p>\n They\u2019d come to an inn. The Stalker\u2019s Pub, named after Three-Color Stalker, the rarely-spotted leader of the Forgotten Wing company. It was a regular haunt of Marian, Umina, and the other students, and the Lizardgirl saw there was already a crowd at their usual table in the corner. She slipped off of Marian\u2019s back as she saw Yerranola, Venaz, Cameral, and Wil already sitting. They were drinking and trying to console Wil, who looked about as miserable as Umina.<\/p>\n \u201cMarian.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cVenaz.\u201d<\/p>\n The Centaur and Minotaur greeted each other shortly. Venaz looked at Umina and waved her forwards as he dragged a seat from an adjacent table with one hand.<\/p>\n \u201cCome on and sit down. One of you help console Wil. I\u2019m sick of hearing him moan already.\u201d<\/p>\n Marian looked over at Wil as she kicked at the Minotaur\u2019s shins with one hoof.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re heartless, Venaz. Wil, what\u2019s wrong? Still upset about the adventurer teams? The Professor said it wasn\u2019t your fault. Excuse me! One ale and some mulled wine!\u201d<\/p>\n The young Terandrian noble was hunched over his drink. He did look morose. Umina accepted a tankard of ale as Marian sipped her wine. Wil shook his head.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not about today\u2019s lesson. Well, partly. I wish that Gold-rank team hadn\u2019t gotten killed. But it\u2019s more to do with the Professor\u2019s game. I want to win.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou and me both, pal.\u201d<\/p>\n Yerra slapped Wil on the shoulder as she drained her mug. If Umina and Marian were a pair, Yerranola and Wil often sat together, although Umina wasn\u2019t sure if the Selphid was just forcing her company on Wil. He didn\u2019t seem to mind, and Cameral was often a seatmate of the two. The Dullahan had removed his head and was offering his head a finger-sized bowl to sip from. His head spoke as his body got up and left the table, possibly to pee.<\/p>\n \u201cEveryone wants to win. But what\u2019s troubling you, Wil? Umina, you look similarly dispirited. Unless I\u2019m prying?\u201d<\/p>\n His eyes shifted towards the Lizardgirl and then away, wary of intruding. Umina smiled.<\/p>\n \u201cNo, not much, Cameral. I\u2019m just down about the competition too. I don\u2019t see myself winning.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI do.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShut up, Venaz.\u201d<\/p>\n Marian glared at him. Wil shook his head, still looking troubled.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m trying to win, Cameral. I realize that\u2019s a bold claim especially with\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n He indicated his peers, who were some of the best in the Titan\u2019s class.<\/p>\n \u201c\u2014as well as the other students competing. But I think I have a chance. And I\u2019ve made\u2026extensive preparations. It\u2019s just\u2014have any of you actually had a command, before? Outside of the Professor\u2019s lessons? I know you have, Yerra.\u201d<\/p>\n The Selphid nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cDefinitely. The Professor made me lead one of his wings on campaign one time. That was terrifying, right, Marian?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYup. We did it, but we had a bunch of officers standing by. So it\u2019s not the same.\u201d<\/p>\n The Centaur sipped from her glass. Wil nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve done that too. Only, the Professor\u2019s always there, so I know that if I really make a mistake, he might catch me. I mean, no one\u2019s there to stop you, and if you make a mistake, people die. Or you create a huge incident. Have you ever been in that position?\u201d<\/p>\n All of the others, excepting Venaz, shook their heads. The Minotaur grunted.<\/p>\n \u201cOf course.\u201d<\/p>\n His friends gave him skeptical looks. Venaz glared.<\/p>\n \u201cDo you think my people would have sent me here without<\/em> practical experience? I\u2019ve led more than one mission where people could have died or did die. It\u2019s not fun.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDid you ever make a bad mistake?\u201d<\/p>\n Wil looked at Venaz. The Minotaur hesitated.<\/p>\n \u201cOnce. I haven\u2019t forgotten it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHow do you know if you\u2019re right?\u201d<\/p>\n Umina watched as the powerful drink Venaz was imbibing noticeably lowered in his tankard. Venaz wiped his mouth.<\/p>\n \u201cI thought I was<\/em> right. Why? Are you hesitating over some decision?\u201d<\/p>\n The young man from Terandria nodded quietly. He traced on the well-worn table.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve made the calculations. And I\u2019m sure my reasoning is right. But if I\u2019m wrong? It\u2019s such a big leap. And if it pays off? I could be set up. But if I\u2019m wrong\u2026I\u2019ll embarrass myself and cause\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n He grimaced and took a long drink. No one pressed him for details. Venaz sat back in his chair, eying Wil. Yerra sipped from her mug.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not the end of the world if we screw up, Wil. Granted, I don\u2019t know what your plan is, but the worst we can do is look like idiots. I\u2019m fine with that.\u201d<\/p>\n She glanced around with a quick smile. Wil drained his mug and waved for another.<\/p>\n \u201cIf only it were me, Yerra. Then I\u2019d be fine. But this involves my family. You know I\u2019m from the high nobility in Terandria?\u201d<\/p>\n The others nodded. Marian shot Umina a quick glance; the Lizardgirl just kept drinking, listening. Wil sounded awful, which somehow made her feel better. He went on as he received and drank his new round.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m a second son. Not as important as my older brother, but a lot of hopes are on me. My family paid a fortune for me to be here. I realize I\u2019m not as gifted as\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n He looked sideways at Umina, and the Lizardgirl blushed. She opened her mouth, but Wil shook his head.<\/p>\n \u201cI know I earned my place in the Professor\u2019s class. But I still had to pay part of my way in. I worked hard to stay, but my family\u2019s invested a lot in me. I can\u2019t let them down. And if I embarrass them with everyone watching? What then?\u201d<\/p>\n The others nodded. Marian patted Wil on the back.<\/p>\n \u201cI know what you mean. My clan\u2019s going to be watching the games too.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd my family. You are not alone, Wil. The thought of embarrassing myself\u2014I\u2019d rather strip off my armor and walk around naked for a day.\u201d<\/p>\n Cameral gravely announced to the table as his body came back, wiping its hands with a handkerchief. Everyone looked at him. Coming from Cameral<\/em>, that meant a lot. Yerra grinned uncertainly.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know about all that. But we all want to win. No hard feelings if we lose, right?\u201d<\/p>\n She nudged Wil. The young man stared into his mug. He had three sitting next to him. And it hadn\u2019t been long since they\u2019d started drinking! He shook his head again. Umina felt it was her chance to chime in.<\/p>\n \u201cWil.\u201d<\/p>\n He looked at her. Umina hesitated, then tossed him her coin pouch.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s what I\u2019ve got.\u201d<\/p>\n He blinked into the pouch. Venaz leaned over.<\/p>\n \u201cHmf. Well, that\u2019s a relief for me.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou jerk.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOoh, that\u2019s tough. You mean that\u2019s all you have to spend?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShe means that\u2019s all<\/em> she has, period, Yerra.\u201d<\/p>\n The others fell silent. Umina spoke before anyone could grow embarrassed.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not your fault. I\u2019m just not rich. So if I go into this competition or spend my money, I\u2019m taking a huge risk. I might not be able to eat, or pay rent\u2014I might have to borrow from Marian or someone else. That\u2019s my problem. If you\u2019re afraid of embarrassing your family\u2026you had a chance. Whether you use it is up to you. That\u2019s what the Professor would say, I think.\u201d<\/p>\n The others fell silent. Wil silently handed Umina her pouch back. Yerra smiled.<\/p>\n \u201cSpoken like the Titan himself, Umina.\u201d<\/p>\n Wil nodded. He got up. The [Lord] straightened his clothes, then looked at the others, a touch unsteadily, but with a hint of steel in his gaze. The same steel he\u2019d shown when he beat Umina or the others on the training fields.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m sorry for complaining. You\u2019re right, Umina. I\u2019m going to do it. There\u2019s no turning back. I wish you all the best of luck. But I intend to win.\u201d<\/p>\n He walked away from the table, then came back to put a few coins down. The others watched him go in silence. Umina wondered what Wil had planned; whatever it was, she was sure it was big. Venaz broke the silence by snorting and finishing his drink.<\/p>\n \u201cInsecure. One wonders how he manages to pick his clothes in the morning.\u201d<\/p>\n The others let out a huge sigh. Umina wondered if that was Venaz's way of being encouraging. Regardless, Marian still slapped his shoulder hard. He didn\u2019t even budge.<\/p>\n \u201cDidn\u2019t he outmaneuver you in our sea training exercise, Venaz? And he\u2019s brilliant, and I mean brilliant<\/em>, at logistics. Maybe he knows something we don\u2019t. Plus, you\u2019re forgetting something.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2019s that?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re an ass. Do you know how hard it is to have you in class? You don\u2019t respect anyone but the Professor.\u201d<\/p>\n The Minotaur laughed softly into his mug. He raised two fingers, and a Dullahan trotted over with two more drinks. The Minotaur drained half of one in a breath, a feat that made Cameral blink, and then looked up. He surveyed his fellow students with the lofty, arrogant gaze, and then nodded slowly.<\/p>\n \u201cI respect most of you. It\u2019s just that I have to be better than all of you. That\u2019s why I came here. To prove that. If I\u2019m inferior\u2014well, it won\u2019t happen. Which is why I must<\/em> win the Professor\u2019s game of hide-and-seek the day after tomorrow. I\u2019d rather it were a combat exercise. Either way, I have a question I want to ask him. And so I\u2019ll win. Simple as that. I\u2019m not underestimating Wil; it\u2019s just that I\u2019ll overcome him.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd you pull that confidence out of\u2026?\u201d<\/p>\n Yerra raised both brows. Venaz replied steadily.<\/p>\n \u201cMy very soul. If I could not, I would not be here.\u201d<\/p>\n He finished his mug and reached for the second. The others stared at him. Umina sipped her drink. She wished she had Venaz's fire. Or his coin; he was drinking Firebreath Whiskey, a Drake favorite. That was expensive<\/em>, and he was downing it in mugs.<\/em> Yerra eventually stood up.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m taking the Professor\u2019s games seriously. And after this, I think I need to make a few more plans. You all should too. I knew this would be a big event, but after hearing Wil, I think it might be a lot more important than we thought.\u201d<\/p>\n She got up. The Selphid tossed a few coins on the table and walked out the door. Venaz looked over at Marian and Umina.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat about you two? Are your preparations in place? I don\u2019t feel the need to change mine.\u201d<\/p>\n Cameral sighed as he fed his head some nuts with a spoon.<\/p>\n \u201cMoney is a factor. I can\u2019t afford to spend too much on this game, even if it\u2019s important. I have spent some money, but I\u2019m not confident I can win like Wil or you, Venaz. Thus, I am hedging my bets.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou too?\u201d<\/p>\n All four remaining students turned. A Gnoll was standing next to them, mug in hand. Feshi gestured at the table, and Umina edged her seat back to let her slide in.<\/p>\n \u201cFeshi? How long have you been listening?\u201d<\/p>\n The Gnoll grinned.<\/p>\n \u201cNot long. But I saw you sitting here and wanted to join in. Are you talking about the competition in Daquin?\u201d<\/p>\n Marian let the Gnoll sit next to her in Yerranola\u2019s seat.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat else would we be talking about? How committed are you, Feshi?\u201d<\/p>\n Feshi shrugged, her ears flicking cautiously.<\/p>\n \u201cI wouldn\u2019t waste my tribe\u2019s coin overly much either, yes? But I have made some preparations. But are we sharing plans? Because I think that would be unwise. We are competing against each other, of course.\u201d<\/p>\n Venaz harrumphed<\/em>. He was displeased at Feshi\u2019s entrance; the Minotaur didn\u2019t get along with Feshi. He didn\u2019t get along with Marian, of course, but theirs was a rivalry, whereas Feshi and Venaz clearly just didn\u2019t like each other. He eyed the Gnoll over his drink.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll win, of course. I\u2019ve been making plans. I\u2019m warning you, if you get in my way, I\u2019ll have to deal with you. I intend to ask the Professor a question after the games. As well as prove my abilities to the world.\u201d<\/p>\n The Gnoll bared her teeth in reply.<\/p>\n \u201cMinotaur might? One bag of Tripvines and you\u2019ll be caught. This is a game about intelligence<\/em>, Venaz. Cunning. Or did you forget this morning already?\u201d<\/p>\n