The Rise of Athios University: Part Two

[Lizardheart]

Thank you to my consultants, Shadowstarcat and Peppyk, for whom I simp.
Check out part one here!

The Rise of Athios University Pt 2​

When he received the call from Woaxa, Martoph wasn’t surprised. The S&D spirit had been reignited, and all those who’d held a connection to it felt the change. The believers would hear the call, and they would come to him.

Martoph made them meet him at the teahouse, rather than the bar. It discomforted him to witness old friends drinking themselves to death, reminding him that they had forgotten the spirit and lost their way the moment the high school fell. They weren’t like him. He knew he would have to guide them as they’d once needed the school’s guidance. Just thinking about trying to corral all those people and bring in new ones gave him a dizzying headache.

To his dismay, the teahouse also served wine.

They were seated at a big round table, set with a cute pink tablecloth, white doilies, and little tea candles. Elacain sat to his right, her sword in its scabbard on her lap. They had not seen these RedWarfarians in a long time—there was no telling if they would be dangerous or not. He’d only asked Elacain to come on the one quest, but in the aftermath, it had become clear that they were meant to serve together, as if the universe had called upon her to be the prophet’s protector. He suspected that she resented this, but didn’t know how to explain that it would not be forever. Even when fate willed something temporary, its power was so strong that it could only be perceived by humans as permanent. That worried him. Such a violation of free will could drive someone like Elacain to rebellion. He had no doubt that she’d protect him from all others, but he’d have to protect himself from her.

Martoph took a shaky sip of his hot green tea. His eyes darted around the table. Woaxa sat directly across from him, sipping red wine from a tea cup with his pinky finger stuck out. He was dressed all in black, and Martoph was quite certain he saw stubby little horns poking out of his hair. Even under the brightest light, Woaxa’s face seemed to be cast in shadow. He maintained eye contact with Martoph the whole time. To Woaxa’s left sat his girlfriend, Shadowstarcat, the only one besides Martoph who was only drinking tea. To his right sat some guy named Psf, who had not been a RedWarfarian but was eager to join them. Further around the table in either direction sat Imllay, Nightwolfy, Smaland, and Kinglouis.

“Thanks for bringing everyone here,” Martoph said.

“Of course.” Woaxa nodded. “Your actions awakened me from my slumber. I knew someone was about to harness that great power.”

“But how’d you figure out it was me?”

“We all have contacts in strange places,” he said, indicating Shadow.

Shadowstarcat and Peppyk had been good friends at RedWarfare High; of course they would still be in contact. He hadn’t considered that Peppyk might talk after their encounter.

Martoph didn’t know what to make of Woaxa. That was the hard part. All these people would come to him, but he could not fully trust them. Some might try to steal his power. Woaxa was his main suspect in that regard; he slipped the word “power” into his speech every couple minutes, lingering on it, salivating. They’d each been given a set of silverware with only forks and spoons for their lunch, but somehow Woaxa had procured a knife. It looked dangerously sharp. He cut his soup with it before drinking from the bowl like it was a mug.

“The road ahead isn’t easy,” he said. “Building a university is a lot of work.”

“I can call in old building team contacts,” Smaland said. “I’ve still got some of their numbers.”

“You think they’d want to help?” Martoph asked.

“Of course they would.” Nightwolfy put down his wine glass, half-full of a pinkish liquid. “I’m ready to get to work.”

“We need to plan it first.” The teacup burned against his skin as Martoph twisted it around in his hand.

“Why not just get a feel for it as we go?” Nightwolfy said.

“Do we even have the money to do all this?” Imllay asked.

“Actually, we do.” Martoph turned in his chair to indicate the hooded figure who sat at a corner table behind him, drinking water from a tea cup. The man rose. “This is our benefactor. He even paid for your meals.”

“My name’s Puzzle.” He stepped up to their table and bowed. The hood fell back from his head as he returned to the upright position, revealing the white mask that covered half his face. “I’m so pleased to finally meet you all.”

Elacain shifted her hand to her sword, but said nothing. The rest of the group exchanged glances, then gave polite greetings.

“How much money are you putting in?” Smaland asked.

“As much as you all need.” He spread his hands wide.

“And where exactly did you get all that money?” Imllay added.

“I come from money. I was also very important at a prominent company.”

“What company?” A frown crossed Smaland’s face.

“I’m afraid I signed an NDA.”

“That’s not suspicious at all,” Imllay said.

“Are we really going to trust a guy in a mask?” Kinglouis spoke slowly and with a rasp; he had to take a long drink when he finished.

“I suffered an injury in the war.”

“What war?” Imllay asked.

“I don’t know about this.” Smaland looked around the table. “This seems early to bring an outsider in.”

“An outsider can give us fresh input,” Martoph said. “We’re not trying to make a new RedWarfare High, and we don’t want to be blinded by nostalgia.”

“That’s a good point.” Smaland nodded, relaxing.

“No way. He’s dumping a bunch of money in, but at what cost?” Nightwolfy said.

“Guy’s no good.” Elacain’s hand rested lightly on her sword.

“What’s the harm in trying?”

Voices rose as a full-blown argument broke out, with everyone talking over each other, until it all crescendoed into a shouting match. Wine spilled. Elacain splashed a cup of lukewarm tea in Smaland’s face. Kinglouis shouted three words, then sat back wheezing and clawing at his throat, and then drank greedily from a wine bottle.

“Enough!” Woaxa rose from his seat and the candles snuffed out. Everyone fell silent. “Martoph is our prophet. He is the blessed one—the S&D spirit lives in him, not any one of you. We will follow him. If he wants to bring in this Puzzle man as an ally, then so be it.”

The others looked down at their plates and drinks, some muttering, but otherwise not arguing.

“Thank you, Woaxa.” Martoph’s cheeks were flushed. He hated that he hadn’t known how to stop the fighting. “With funding secured, we have less to worry about and can get started right away. Please, reach out to your builder connections so we can begin planning and building.”

Woaxa maintained eye contact with Martoph as the others, except for Elacain and Puzzle, filed out one by one. Martoph thought his nerve would break, but he held steady and was not the one to blink first.

“I’m proud to serve you in the name of the S&D spirit. But should you need any advice,” Woaxa shot his gaze from Martoph to Puzzle, then back again, “do come to me. We all want to help.” With that, he turned and swept out of the room.

 

[Lizardheart]

“Your people will see the light in time, my prophet.” The visible half of Puzzle’s mouth smiled. “Now, I do have some suggestions for you.”

“And what are those?”

“I’ll have many. But let’s start with having extra facilities for which students must pay extra to access.” Puzzle moved around the table and sat across from Martoph, in the seat Woaxa had once held.

“Sounds like a good idea. I’ll keep it in mind.”

“I hope you do more than keep it in mind.” He looked down at his wrist, as if checking a watch that wasn’t there. “Oh, I must be going. Here.” He dug out a few hundred dollar bills and tossed them on the table. “For the tea.”

They watched him stride out of the room, then Elacain turned to Martoph. “You serious right now?”

“What?”

“He just wants money.”

“He’s giving us a lot of money. He doesn’t need it. Besides, it’s expensive to run a university.”

Elacain shook her head. “I can’t believe you.”

“What? What did I do?”

“This isn’t the S&D spirit, Martoph.” She stood and sheathed her sword. “Whatever. I’ll see you later.”

He watched her leave, scratching his head. The only thing he felt was uncertainty. There was so much work ahead, both with building the university and bringing his people together. Already, they just wanted to argue, and he didn’t know how to stop it, or how to get them to trust him and Puzzle. Elacain’s suspicion cut him deep. They’d been through so much together already, yet she wasn’t willing to listen. Eyes closed, he sat back and sighed, rubbing his face with his hands. The road ahead would be long and lonely.


A few days later, Elacain found herself in the middle of the swamp. She did not have a map like Martoph had when he made his way through, so she was forced to wander. Splashes followed her at first, and she tried to locate their source, to dispatch whatever creature was lurking there. Unable to find it, she gave up, and decided to move on, growing slightly anxious and frustrated each time those splashes came near, subduing them by slashing her sword through the water. Whatever was out there needed to be hunted. Cut down. Hide split apart. Meat sold for an Athios fundraiser. Organs and blood sold to the witches who lived in the pine forest. But that would take a long time; she was in a hurry, needing to get back before she was missed.

At last, she found Peppyk’s cave and hurried down into the darkness. Her feet slipped on wet rock and she barely managed to catch herself before falling. Looking down, she saw the ground was slick with blood. Elacain swiped some up with a finger, then licked it. Human blood.

When she found Peppyk’s cavern, she noticed there was no body, but couldn’t see any wounds on the young woman either. Her eyes passed over the Wilson depictions with disinterest.

“You dare trespass upon my ritual?”

“I need your help, Peppyk. Desperately.”

“Do you bring offerings for Wilson?”

“Yes, I do.” Elacain took some printed MS Paint art of Wilson out from her leather jacket. “But I don’t think this is a task for Wilson.”

Peppyk grabbed the fanart from her hands and stared at it. “Yess, this is lovely. For my personal collection, then. Oh, yes.”

“I need a better weapon.” Elacain had no patience; urgency gnawed at the back of her mind.

“What for?”

“Danger’s coming, and I don’t think a normal sword will cut it. I need something enchanted.”

Peppyk clicked her tongue. “And I wanted so badly to keep this for myself.” She handed the fanart back to Elacain. “Toss it into the fire, then stick your hand in. I need to know if you’re worthy.”

Elacain followed the directions without hesitation. As the papers were consumed, she placed her hand in the fire, gritting her teeth at the searing pain. Her eyes began to water as it intensified, but she held steady. Bits of ashen paper swirled around in the fire and the pain grew. As her hand’s skin blackened, the dark tattoos on her arm began to shift, twisting and curling like shadowy tentacles. An electric shock shot up her arm at the same moment, causing her mouth to drop open in a silent scream. All her muscles tensed and sweat dripped down her forehead as she struggled to maintain her composure. She focused on the moving tattoos, fascinated despite the situation.

Peppyk grabbed Elacain’s shoulder and pulled her back.

Elacain’s hand was undamaged once more, and the tattoos sat still, in their former positions, though some of the pain lingered.

Peppyk ran a hand down Elacain’s arm, fingers slowly tracing her tattoos. “Yes. You are worthy.” Hunger lurked in her voice.

Elacain yanked her arm away. “Great. Thanks. Now what?”

“We must go elsewhere. I haven’t left this swamp in many years, but it’s time.”

The great fire snuffed out as Peppyk spoke.

“Wilson will be in my heart, always. Come, Elacain, and I will lead you to our destiny.”

Elacain dutifully followed Peppyk, praying to Libraryaddict that she would survive whatever ordeal she was about to encounter.

 

[Lizardheart]

They had built an encampment outside their chosen location for Athios University’s construction, a valley that dipped low between two great hills. Most of the tents were at the bottom of the hill, but Martoph’s was at the top. He sat inside, cross-legged on the ground, drinking lemonade that Puzzle had brought him. The masked man sat across from him, sitting back with his legs stretched out and his hands on the ground behind him. Shadowstarcat had joined them, having missed the meeting with some of the new recruits an hour before because she had been with Woaxa.

“I like Tarnum’s idea,” Martoph was saying, “but I just don’t know if we need a clocktower.”

“You could sell clocktower tours. Or better yet, leave out the clocktower. Put in a maze. Many love to pay to explore mazes.”

“That could work,” Martoph said, though he wasn’t convinced. “I don’t know. I feel like I’m missing something in all this.”

“Drink up, my prophet. Citrus clears the head.” Puzzle sipped from his own glass.

Martoph took a deep drink. “I’m afraid of this school looking just like RedWarfare High when it’s supposed to be something else.”

“If your goal is to avoid becoming RedWarfare High again,” Shadowstarcat said, “you should look beyond the RedWarfare sources for inspiration. Look beyond Libraryaddict.”

“Yes, my prophet, look to me,” Puzzle said.

“I mean look to other powerful beings for guidance and inspiration. You’re more than you were, Martoph, but you’re still human.”

Martoph liked the idea, but hesitated and looked to Puzzle. “What do you think?”

“I think she speaks true, my prophet.”

“Why do you speak like that?” Shadow asked.

“I come from elsewhere.”

“Well, I like the idea. To harness the power of another great one would surely help us build Athios.”

“Just choose wisely,” Shadowstarcat said, “so you don’t get one who wants to make you their servant.”

“I’ve already got some ideas. Thanks, Shadow, I’ll set out first thing in the morning.” Martoph rose, then frowned. “Have you seen Elacain? I don’t want to go without her.”

“Perhaps she has defected,” Puzzle suggested.

“No way. I have faith in her.”

“But it is her job, like the rest of us, to have faith in you. Her heart falters, my prophet.” Puzzle stopped speaking and waited for Shadowstarcat to leave. “They all falter.”

“Then I’ll show them my strength by harnessing more power.”

“Excellent.” He stood and bowed. “I must be going. Farewell, my prophet.”

Martoph stood silent and alone. Doubts plagued him as he struggled to determine who to trust, but he couldn’t sort through his mind. His head ached so badly that his vision began to swim. He lay down on top of his sleeping bag, too hot to climb inside. The pain crescendoed, then unconsciousness crashed over him.

Most of the building was blurry, but the clocktower stood grand and mighty, its brick surface outlined by the sun setting behind it. A bell chimed heavily from within. As the sound reverberated through Martoph’s soul, the S&D spirit filled him. Yes, this was it. Pure beauty, pure rightness—Athios University as it should be.

A crack split the clocktower from base to peak, then a thousand more cracks spiderwebbed outward. The foundation shuddered. The whole building came crashing down.

Screams filled the air.

Martoph could not see anyone as a dust cloud rose and obscured his vision, but he felt death’s intense presence. “No!” he cried out, a reaction far too late. It was too late. All those who had been inside and around the clocktower were already dead.

“No!” he shouted again, sitting bolt upright in his tent, breathing heavily. He blinked as he tried to gather his surroundings. It had been just a dream. No, more than a dream. A vision, he was sure of it. And that meant there was time to stop the clocktower’s construction.

 

[Lizardheart]

Dappled light filtered through the canopy and spilled onto the overgrown forest floor below. Elacain swung her sword at thick vegetation, clearing a path by Peppyk’s direction. Birdsong harmonized all around them, and above squirrels rustled from tree to tree. Dark green ferns rose above them, lightly brushing against Elacain’s hair. Several times her feet and jacket got caught in a bramble thicket, already ripe with fat berries despite summer not yet having arrived. When Peppyk was not looking, she grabbed a few and popped them into her mouth, finding them juicy and sweet.

As they walked deeper into the forest, Elacain began to hear the sound of gentle waves lapping upon a shore. She looked back at Peppyk, but her face gave no discernible information. On they went. Eventually, Peppyk shoved past her and took the lead.

They pushed through a screen of vegetation and found themselves on the short sandy shore of a wide, shimmering lake with blue-green waters. Occasionally, a fish splashed into the air. A warm breeze rolled over the water’s surface, bringing with it an alluringly sweet scent that set Elacain’s feet in motion, carrying her to the water’s edge.

Peppyk caught her wrist and pulled her back. “Don’t.”

Elacain blinked rapidly. She hadn’t even realized what she was doing. The forest and this lake had been so pleasant, so green and peaceful, that she had let her guard down. If she’d come here alone, what might’ve become of her?

“Wilson protect us. In your shadow, hide us from danger. In your brilliance, give us the knowledge to overcome.” Peppyk held her hands together and bowed as she prayed.

“Now what?”

Peppyk looked toward the water. “To get what you desire, sacrifice of the flesh is needed. Your blood, Elacain.”

“Okay.” Elacain drew her sword and held her palm out over the water.

“Stop!”

Elacain froze. “What?”

“You fool, the palm is the most painful location. Use your upper arm.”

“Alright.” Elacain removed her half-sleeved leather jacket, leaned out so her arm hovered above the water, then carefully cut into her skin. Blood flowed out. Drop by drop it dripped down, splashed into the water, and spread out, swirling, mixing.

“Get back.”

Elacain obeyed as Peppyk stepped forward, letting her bare toes trail in the water.

Movement flashed beneath the lake’s surface. A moment later, a woman’s head broke through the surface right where Elacain’s blood had fallen. Her skin was tinted light blue, her hair was silver, her eyes blue and brilliant—Elacain could not drag her gaze away. A soft, pleasing smile lit the woman’s features.

Peppyk knelt down and kissed the woman, eyes closed; their lips remained locked for ten full seconds. Elacain felt a pang of something as she watched—jealousy? Perhaps. No longer maintaining eye contact with the strange woman, she knew her feelings were magically influenced at least in part. When Peppyk rose once more, her cheeks were flushed and she was half-grinning.

The woman reached into the water, then pulled forth a silver sword with strange symbols carved from hilt to blade tip. She extended it toward them.

“Take it,” Peppyk said.

Elacain did so without a word. The weapon had to have weighed a great deal, yet it felt light as a feather in her hand. When she concentrated, she could hear a light humming emanating from within.

“Return to Martoph,” Peppyk said.

“Won’t you come with me? You’ve got a place at Athios University and its construction.”

“In time.” Peppyk began to walk into the water. “But two sacrifices of the flesh must be made. She’s agreed to let me take your place.”

“Pep, you don’t have to—”

Waist deep in the water, Peppyk looked back and flashed Elacain a toothy grin. “Oh, don’t worry. I’ll be more than fine.”

“Good luck.” Elacain watched as the silver-haired woman took Peppyk by the hand and led her beneath the water. She remained in place until the last air bubbles disappeared. She wondered if she was dead. Probably not. Wistfulness settled over her, but she had duties to fulfill. It was time to return to the encampment, to protect Martoph and the return of the S&D spirit.

 

[Lizardheart]

“Seriously? We stayed up all night making these plans.” Tarnum threw down the clocktower blueprints and knocked over a bottle of bourbon on top of the table that stood between himself and Martoph. The bottle was empty. On either side of him stood Smaland and Dave_X, their arms folded.

Martoph put up his hands, palms outward. “I know, I know. I respect that. But I had a vision. That clocktower will come crashing down and kill dozens of people.”

“Sounds like you just had a bad dream,” Tarnum said.

“You weren’t there! You don’t know how real it was. I choked on the dust cloud, I heard their screams, I smelled all the death.” Martoph’s voice shook as he spoke; he struggled to get a handle on himself. His head still ached, though not as terribly as before.

“You just don’t want to take any of our suggestions.”

“Look at this hand.” Martoph thrust out the hand with the orange and yellow pattern, stuck onto his flesh like a divine tattoo. “I am not just some random person. I am directly connected to Libraryaddict and the S&D spirit. This wasn’t just a bad dream.”

The tent flaps burst open and Woaxa walked in; the tent darkened as he entered despite the lanterns. “I hear shouting,” he said, “what’s going on?”

Tarnum stopped in the middle of uttering his counter, his mouth frozen half-open beneath Woaxa’s dark, piercing eyes.

Martoph peered closely at Woaxa as a strange breeze blew through the tent and the man’s hair. Yes, he definitely had small horns. “A vision has warned me against building a clocktower, but Tarnum won’t listen.”

“Is that so?” Woaxa leaped on top of the table, crossed it, then stood over Tarnum. His black cloak billowed behind him in the odd wind. “Why would that be?”

“I—uh, you know, worked hard, and…” his stammering trailed off.

Woaxa swept his gaze over Dave_X and Smaland. “Either of you want to question our prophet?”

“Nope,” Smaland said.

Dave_X shook his head.

“Excellent, excellent. I’ve waited a long time for the S&D spirit’s rebirth. I don’t want it to be ruined by some rebellious idiots who just want their way.” He leaned down and pointed a finger in Tarnum’s face. “We all make sacrifices.”

Tarnum snatched the blueprint from between Woaxa’s feet and walked out, muttering to himself.

Martoph nodded to Woaxa, then went out into the open air to think things through. He hoped he’d made the right decision. Woaxa’s dominant display didn’t sit right with him. It would be so easy for him to take over and get everyone to follow him instead of Martoph.

“Elacain!” He spotted her, geared up for a journey and sharpening her sword, outside her own tent. As he drew close enough, he dropped his voice to a whisper. “I really think we’ll need to watch out for Woaxa when we get back.”

“What? Why?”

“He’s powerful. Charismatic.”

“Sounds like the only thing you’re in danger of is developing a crush.”

“I am not! I’m being serious, Elacain.”

“Let your feelings go too far and Shadow’s gonna kick your ass.”

Martoph ran a hand through his hair. Clearly she wasn’t going to listen. At least they would be leaving and getting far away from the problem for the next couple days. Woaxa could be dealt with upon their return. “Let’s just get going.”

“Wait!” A voice called out to them as they were leaving the encampment. They turned and saw Puzzle striding toward them, holding his black robe up slightly so he wouldn’t trip on its hem.

“What is it?” Martoph asked while Elacain crossed her arms.

“I want to come with you. To help.”

“Fine with me.” Martoph looked to Elacain.

She simply shrugged, though her eyes betrayed her anger.

“Excellent. Lead the way, my prophet.”

Martoph led Elacain and Puzzle deep into the wilderness, into a forest filled with yellow and yellow-green plants that occupied the copious spaces between the trees. It was warm and humid, reminiscent of a jungle. Venturing deeper, a low buzzing began to rumble in the back of their minds. Martoph was ready for this; he’d known exactly what to expect, and knew how to shut it out, experienced as he was.

Elacain was not so prepared. Cringing in pain, she clamped her hands to her ears, to no avail. “What’s that sound?”

“The being who dwells in this forest,” Martoph said. “I don’t know exactly what she is. Some kind of insect-like creature, I’ve heard.”

“Why her?”

“As a being who lives in our world, near our home, she is less likely to desire wanton destruction of our realm.”

The buzzing grew louder. Martoph could sense the pain in both Elacain and Puzzle, though the latter hid it well. It occurred to him that Puzzle was used to buzzing madness in his mind, but he wasn’t sure what to make of such a thought. Probably nothing. Watching Elacain, he saw her stumble several times as they walked, though she made no more verbal complaints, and he noticed her face growing red and excessively sweaty.

She wouldn’t ask for help or rest, he realized—not in front of Puzzle. “Hold on,” Martoph said, “I want to try something. Ela, come here.”

“Whadda want?” she asked, slurring her words.

“I want to try something. Stand still.” He placed his branded palm on her forehead. “S&D spirit, I invoke you to inhabit this woman and protect her. She is yours. Let no other god claim her.”

His hand glowed. Elacain’s eyes widened and she clenched her jaw, but otherwise she remained still. When the light faded, she looked down at her own hands, then tilted her head and concentrated.

“I don’t hear it anymore,” she said, relief evident in her voice and face.

“It worked,” Martoph said, unable to conceal his surprise. He turned to Puzzle. “Would you like—”

“No. I’m fine. Let’s carry on.” His voice cracked.

Martoph decided not to push it.

 

[Lizardheart]

Elacain was elated. She tried not to show it, but a buzz stronger than that which she had heard was pumping through her blood, energizing her heart and spirit. A combination of the S&D spirit and the voice of the other being that had tried to speak to her, she thought. The two were not at war with each other, but harmonizing, becoming something greater, devoid of the agony that had plagued her moments before. Explaining this to Martoph seemed to be the wrong decision, though. She kept it to herself. After all, she could be wrong. Not that he would believe her, anyway.

As the day grew hotter, Puzzle offered Martoph a drink of whiskey from his flask. He accepted it gratefully, though he hated the burning taste, it was still a relief for his parched tongue.

The forest opened up into a circular clearing filled with yellow flowers. A variety of insects fluttered about the flowers’ small round petals, filling the air with a hum. A deeper buzz vibrated in Martoph’s soul. He could feel her, all around. They were in the right place. Peering closer, he noticed that most of the insects were bees. Bumblebees and honeybees, mostly, droning peacefully about. Glancing about, he searched for a sizable stick, and found one hanging down by a few fibers from a maple tree. He pulled it free.

In the dirt of the clearing’s center, he used the stick to draw a circle, wide enough for two people to comfortably stand. Alone he knelt. The hum dropped in volume, as if whatever presence was here had fallen silent to concentrate on watching him. The insects had stopped drifting from flower to flower, instead all sitting still on the petals or hovering in the air—observing Martoph. A calm fell over him, but he knew he should be anxious, even frightened. This was a dangerous task. But there was a surety, a sense of belonging, as if he had always been meant to come here. Was he meant to become one with the Queen?

No, he thought. This was simply her effect, chemical and cerebral communications firing through the air and the ethereal space, infiltrating the minds of everyone around. That was why all the insects had stopped, why he was so relaxed. Though he could not feel any worry, Martoph understood the danger. He lifted the eyelids of the eyes that had first opened after his communion with Libraryaddict.

Yellow motes floated in the air, like pollen particles. They sparkled all around them, and around the bees, but were most concentrated in lines leading to Elacain. Why her? he wondered. A pang of jealousy wrenched his heart, but he reminded himself that his dedication was only to the S&D spirit, and his connection to it was so powerful that even the Queen could not overcome it, despite her efforts.

“Ela, join me,” he said.

She obeyed—him or the Queen?

Side by side, they stood. With Elacain in the circle, Martoph could feel the Queen’s presence stronger than before. Her wordless voice was like honey, fermented into an intoxicating mead. He could tell Elacain had already drunk of it deeply.

“Hive Queen, bring our hearts into your colony. We seek your blessing.”

The bees rose from the flowers and flew together like a swirling cyclone, their buzzing rising increasingly in volume and pitch. More bees flew in from the trees and out of small holes in the ground. Faster and faster they spiraled together, until a golden light flooded forth, temporarily blinding Martoph, Elacain, and Puzzle. When they could see once more, a massive honey bee hovered in the air before them. Her body was fuzzy, her thorax striped black and yellow, great antennae twitching constantly as she looked at the humans with the two compound eyes that took up the bulk of her face while the three smaller eyes on top of her head roamed. Two sets of wings fluttered rapidly on her back. Around her swarmed dozens of smaller bees, and many more crawled on her.

Martoph stared in awe. She was beautiful. Her power lay in her beauty, he knew. He wanted to be hers. To serve her. To help her sire the next generation of bees.

A buzz higher pitched than was natural for her size emanated from the Queen.

Three large bees the size of Great Dane dogs floated clumsily into the clearing. Their stingers were elongated, curved into a murderous edge. They concentrated their eyes on the humans and hovered between them and the queen.

“I seek your blessing,” Martoph called out.

The Queen’s buzzing increased, and the large drones followed suit. He could not understand what was being said. He swayed on his feet and beside him, Elacain did the same. Those haunting eyes transfixed him.

“She’s lulling you into false security, my prophet!” Puzzle cried out.

Martoph glanced behind him and saw Puzzle drawing his sword. His head was swarming and fuzzy, making clarity a struggle, but he understood that this was because of the Queen. That meant she was dangerous. “Yes,” he muttered.

The buzzing became harsher, and the relaxation that had overcome him turned to anger. All the bees in the clearing began to fly about with more violent movements; the attack drones advanced, and the Queen’s voice rose to a harsh cry.

A vision flashed briefly before his eyes; the Queen’s bees all descending upon them, the attack drones driving their stingers into his and Elacain’s throats, thousands of tiny barbs sinking into their skin all over their bodies, leaving them as corpses, bees crawling over them, turning them into flesh hives into which the Queen would deposit her eggs.

The vision faded.

“We’ve gotta fight,” Martoph said to Elacain through clenched teeth. The force of the Queen’s rage immobilized him, sending fear deep into his heart, worse than when he’d ascended into the ethereal plane to speak with Libraryaddict and had faced all those other beings trying to get their claws in him.

“No.” Her face was cold with determination.

“They’re going to kill us. Look!” He pointed to the bees, advancing upon them. “Draw your sword.”

“No. Just listen to me, Martoph—”

“You’re under her spell!” He grabbed her sword and pulled it from her sheath. “I’ll do it.”

“No, we have to kneel!” Elacain dropped to one knee, and the bees’ humming changed to a strange frenzy.

Martoph was already moving, though, one foot hovering in the air outside the circle. Elacain grabbed his other foot and he fell forward; the sword spilled out of his hand and slid across the grass. He managed to get to his knees, but Elacain held him down so he could not rise any further.

The Queen’s anger dissipated all at once. A new, warm sensation filled Martoph, as if he had been enveloped in a great hug. His body relaxed, and he fell forward on his hands. “Please, forgive me,” he said.

The buzzing rose slightly.

Glancing behind himself, he saw Puzzle sheathing his sword, cold fury evident on the visible half of his face. “Kneel,” Martoph called to him, and the cloaked man obeyed.

 

[Lizardheart]

The Queen’s happiness rose, and Martoph grinned.

“I seek your blessing,” he said again.

“We’re friends,” Elacain said.

The attack drones parted, and the Queen came forth, stopping just before the circle, where she hovered lower and leaned forward. She touched an antennae to Martoph and Elacain’s heads.

Martoph felt the Queen’s voice as vibrations more than he heard it, but found that he could finally understand the gist of what she was saying.

“You will keep my blessing so long as you build a hive and allow an envoy to be stationed on your grounds.”

“I accept,” Martoph said.

“Let Elacain be the Keeper of the Hive.”

Martoph glanced at Elacain and saw her eyes shining and a smile on her face. She was enthralled by this Bee Queen, in more ways than one—but he realized this was likely to their advantage. He caught her eye and nodded to her.

“I accept this role,” Elacain said bowing her head.

“To seal this pact, you must drink of our honey.” As the Queen spoke, a large bee smaller than the attack drones flew out of the forest, carrying a teacup. The bee proffered it to the kneeling humans. “Drink.”

Martoph and Elacain both sipped the golden liquid. It was sweet and flowery. Overpowering. He found that the dizziness cleared from his head after taking the drink.

“Excellent. My envoy shall arrive in your realm when the hive is built. For now, you will take one of my mortal servants, as a gesture of goodwill.”

A cloud of normal-sized bees swarmed out of the forest, obscuring whoever walked in their midst. When they reached the Queen’s right-hand side, they all flew away at once, revealing the person they had brought with them.

Martoph stared in shock. “PaintersDaughter?”

“Hey, I know you guys. We went to school together.” PaintersDaughter was dressed very much like a bee, her shirt and pants striped black and yellow. She also wore a yellow flower crown on her head, in which numerous bees crawled.

“Paint, it’s been ages,” Elacain said.

As they had their reunion, the Queen left in silence and all her bees went with her, leaving the four humans alone in the clearing. Martoph introduced Paint to Puzzle; she squinted suspiciously at him, but otherwise said nothing.

Walking back through the forest, the happiness that had risen in the Queen’s presence dissipated and was replaced with a simmering silence. Occasionally, Martoph tried to start some conversation, but Elacain would not respond and Puzzle merely grunted in response. Paint did not want to get involved in whatever was going on between them.

“So, Ela, what do you think of your new role?” Martoph asked on his third try.

Elacain remained silent for a full minute before she finally rounded on him. “You didn’t listen to me!” She jabbed a finger into Martoph’s chest and he stumbled back a step.

“I didn’t mean—I didn’t want—I wasn’t thinking,” Martoph stammered.

“No, you weren’t thinking. You listened to him over me.” Elacain pointed in Puzzle’s direction. “You were ready to ruin everything for some creepy guy you barely know!”

“I’m sorry,” he said, “but I had a vision.”

“Oh, a vision. You’re so special because you think you get visions. Maybe they’re laced with your own fears.”

“Our prophet’s visions warn of potential futures,” Puzzle said, “not certain ones. Indeed, whatever he saw might have come to be, had our meeting gone wrong.”

“It almost went wrong because of you!” Elacain’s voice rose to a shout; she clenched her fists and took a step toward Puzzle.

“That’s enough.” Martoph stepped between them. “Thank you, Elacain, for what you did. You were right. But you can’t blame Puzzle for being concerned for our safety.”

“Concerned for our safety?” Elacain rolled her eyes. “Okay, Martoph. You win. I’ll shut up. You won’t listen to anyone but him.”

“Ela, come on,” Martoph said, but she refused to say anything more. He supposed this was better than continuing the fight. The journey home passed in silence.

 

[Lizardheart]

Early in the morning, Peppyk returned to the surface world after her night with the lake woman. She was more refreshed and energized than she had been in a long time. These Athios people had brought her greater fortune than she’d had in a long time, she realized, and she knew it was a sign from Wilson that she was meant to be with them, to help them, to spread the Wilson way within their midst. Yet, something held her back, as if she had unfinished business. She had to return to the swamp. Why? she wondered.

It only took a minute’s ponderance for her to understand. She hadn’t been the only one living in the swamp.

When she returned to her home, she stood before the muddy waters and waited. She and the swamp witch had never spoken or fought, and she had never actually seen her. But the swamp witch chose not to hunt Peppyk. Before, she had never understood why—perhaps in the hopes that Peppyk’s presence would lure more prey into their shared territory? But that was rare. Martoph and Elacain’s visits were the most she’d ever had. Now, though, it seemed obvious why the swamp witch would not attack her.

They had been friends, once.

Water splashed. Peppyk watched it bubble toward her, a rapid succession of splashes that revealed nothing about the creature swimming beneath the swamp scum. It approached quickly, then faltered as it drew near, as if it suddenly realized that Peppyk was planning something.

Peppyk held her hands over the water and began to whisper in an untranscribable tongue. The water bubbled as the swamp witch was pulled toward her, and it rippled as she thrashed violently in resistance, but Peppyk did not let up. Finally, she plunged her hands into the water and yanked the swamp witch free, then threw her onto the ground.

The swamp witch crouched on all fours and bared unnaturally white human teeth at Peppyk. Her hair was dark, almost black soaking wet as it was, tangled and unkempt. Her skin was pale white and her eyes were dull gray, almost soulless. She flexed her hands as if baring her long, twisted nails as sharp claws.

“Can you speak?” Peppyk asked.

The swamp witch circled her, still on all fours. “How dare you,” she said, her voice raspy, almost a hiss, “I was to become one with the Deep Ones.”

Peppyk stepped toward her and she cringed backward. “There are no Deep Ones in the swamp. They live in the ocean.”

“There will soon be another place where you belong.”

“No!” The swamp witch crawled backward.

“It’s going to be called Athios University.”

“Get away from me.”

“Don’t you remember RedWarfare High School? Don’t you remember me? It’s Peppyk.”

“No!” The swamp witch backed further into the trees, but Peppyk pursued her easily and seized her by the collar of her swampy shirt.

“Well, I remember you. Come. You will join us, Lizardheart.”

“Don’t do this to me.” She struggled, but her body was not used to moving in the open air, so she could do nothing against Peppyk’s might.

“Maybe you’re not ready.” Peppyk began to drag Lizardheart toward her cave. “I’ll give you some time to recover, first.”

 

[Lizardheart]

By the time they returned to the encampment, the sun had long since set. Stars twinkled in the sky, providing ample lighting alongside the moon so they were able to make their way without torches. A massive bonfire was lit in the camp’s center, and many people were crowded around it. Martoph was surprised to see Peppyk in that crowd; he’d assumed she would stay in her cave for a long time. She looked extremely pleased about something. His attention was then drawn to the voice that was speaking, enrapturing everyone’s attention.

Woaxa stood on a wooden crate so he could be seen above the crowd; his voice carried well. “The S&D spirit lifted you all to greatness once before! Now it is your time to return the favor, to not fail it again. The prophet Martoph has laid out the guidelines to create something that can truly capture the S&D spirit’s potential, and it is up to you to fulfill it. Can you not feel it? It’s all around us here—each time you take a breath, it fills your lungs and powers your body. Let it into your heart and mind. Let it fuel you as you lay each brick in its name! You are servants to the prophet, servants to the S&D spirit. And for that, you will be rewarded.”

The crowd cheered. Martoph stared around in horror; everyone was transfixed by Woaxa’s speech, even Elacain. All these people had come to the Athios grounds because of Martoph, but they were turning toward someone else. Even his faculty were cheering. NightWolfy, Smal, and Imllay were especially enthusiastic. Kinglouis made half-zombified groans as he sluggishly clapped his hands together. All the others who had gone to their high school were listening and cheering. Triggs was there. Cyber700, Lex, Onett, and several others. All these faces he recognized, listening only to Woaxa.

Martoph turned and fled. His feet carried him quickly to his tent, where he grabbed a bottle of whiskey that someone had left behind and guzzled it. Everything was falling apart. His head spun. Nothing was going right. He was to be usurped with ease; the S&D spirit had been entrusted to his safekeeping but he was already failing it and there was nothing he could do.

“Martoph? What the fuck?” Elacain’s voice interrupted his thoughts. She stood in the tent entrance, her cheeks flushed and eyes smoldering. “Why’d you leave?”

“Woaxa can’t be trusted. He’s going to steal the S&D spirit, steal Athios for his own.” Martoph took another drink. “We have to stop him.”

“What in the fuck are you on about? He called out for you to speak and you totally embarrassed him by not being there anymore. Woaxa is trying to help you, man.”

“You’re lying. Or you’re blinded by him, like you were by the Queen. You’re so gullible, Elacain, can’t you see it?”

“I’m gullible? I’m gullible? Are you hearing yourself? You’re the one trusting some random guy in a creepy mask who showed up right after you harnessed the S&D spirit. You don’t think that’s suspicious?”

“You don’t think Woaxa’s power over people is suspicious?”

“Woaxa went to RedWarfare High! He is one of us, he is a friend and an ally, someone can trust. If he’s got power over people, he’s only using it to your advantage.”

“Ela, no.” His breath hitched. Visions of a dark Athios University rose in his mind; black walls studded with metal spikes, corpses hanging from spears on the walls. Woaxa stood preaching on the marble front steps, everyone kneeling before him. Martoph’s own body was splayed above the door, his skin flayed open. Blood still dripped from him. He found his voice once more and looked into Elacain’s eyes. “He’s dangerous. Please, you have to help me, you have to kill him for me.”

“No. You’ve gone mad. I’m done. I’m done with you. Your new creepy best friend can be your bodyguard now. I will not betray Woaxa or any of our people.” She turned and stormed out of the tent.

 

[Lizardheart]

Martoph fell into a heap on the ground. His head was spinning so much he wasn’t sure where anything in the tent was. Tears spilled from his eyes as he reached for the whiskey bottle, but could not find it. “I’m gonna die, I’m gonna die,” he moaned over and over again. That vision with his body overhanging the scene of Woaxa standing before the kneeling crowd was burned into his mind. He clutched at his chest with one hand. The thought to call for the S&D spirit occurred to him, but it melted away and was replaced by fear and tears.

For a long time, he remained in that position. More visions flared in his mind. The university collapsing. The S&D spirit’s destruction. Soldiers marching into the university and killing every student while Martoph watched helplessly from a partially open coffin. The S&D spirit harnessed for evil. Fires. Woaxa laughing maniacally. Libraryaddict, disgusted with his failure. All the students laughing at him, mocking him. Then, all the students weeping on the ground, half-dead, bloody and crawling, asking him why he had failed.

The tent flap opened momentarily, and a new presence entered. “My prophet, are you alright?” Puzzle’s voice was smooth and calm, with a note of concern.

“No, no.” Martoph found he could barely speak. “Help… me.”

“You look sick. I think your life’s in danger, my prophet.” Puzzle knelt down, then felt his forehead. “You’re burning up. I think someone’s been poisoning you. Don’t worry, I’ll help you.”

“Thank you,” Martoph murmured. His lips were dry. He tried to look up and focus on Puzzle’s face, but couldn’t. Everything was blurry.

“Here.” Puzzle grabbed the whiskey bottle Martoph hadn’t been able to find, took a vial from within his dark robes, uncapped it, then dumped it into the whiskey. “This’ll help.” He propped up Martoph’s head with a rough, bony hand, placed it in his lap, then poured the mixture slowly into his mouth, stroking Martoph’s hair with his free hand as he did so. “That’s it. Drink.”

Martoph drank greedily, gulping it all down until the bottle was empty and Puzzle took it away. He barely felt the liquid burning his throat as it slid down, into his empty stomach where it would be quickly absorbed into his blood. The visions faded, but his head still swam, and he found it hard to move. His body was so weak. He spun in and out of pleasant dreams, vague in image, but saturated with warmth and comfort, an escape from the exhausting pain he’d gone through. Closing his eyes, he tried to sink deeper into the dreams, but found he couldn’t quite get there. Martoph groaned.

“Shh, my prophet, it’ll be over soon.” Puzzle leaned his face close to Martoph’s head, which now rested on the tent floor. “Sleep now.”

“Yes,” he murmured. The ground was so comfortable; why hadn’t he slept there before? No need for that sleeping bag. This was coziness in its purest form. Warm light bathed him, as if he were sitting on a soft sandy beach, waves lapping gently against the shore, a place he could be safe and comfortable forever. Yes. This was it.

Martoph felt Puzzle’s breath hot against his cheek and reflexively cracked open his eyes to see his masked face centimeters above his own. He smelled like dust, like a harsh wind blowing through an empty wasteland, or an ancient coffin whose remains had long since crumbled into nothingness. A strange black mist streamed from Puzzle’s mouth, eye, and nostrils, down into Martoph’s nose and mouth.

No! No! Martoph thought, unable to speak. He tried to wrench himself away, but could barely wriggle a muscle.

Puzzle’s half-visible mouth curved into a grin that revealed twisted, blackened fangs. “You’re mine now, prophet.”

Martoph tried to scream, but couldn’t. His consciousness repeatedly drifted back into those sweet dreams, only to violently resurface into that horrific reality where he could do nothing but watch. His heart rate was slowing. He tried to move his arm, but Puzzle slammed down both his arms with his hands, driving claw-like nails into his skin to pin him down. The black mist crawled down his throat like tiny wriggling worms. He gasped for breath, but could not breathe anymore. His vision blackened.

“The S&D spirit is mine. Martoph is mine!”

“No!”

The tent flap blew open and Elacain stepped into the tent, moonlight streaming around her, highlighting her figure, sword drawn, with strange symbols glowing silver-blue light on its blade. Her eyes blazed with righteous fury.

Puzzle remained over Martoph, determined to finish what he’d started.

Elacain cleared the space between them in two steps and yanked him off of Martoph with one hand, then threw him across the tent. As he was broken away, Martoph found he could see and breathe again, though he was still too weak to move.

Puzzle rose to his feet and took a curved sacrificial knife out of his robe. “You’ll die too, Elacain.”

Elacain did not speak, but advanced on him. He slashed at her, but she sidestepped the movement easily and thrust her sword at him, only missing because he stumbled. She swung her sword toward him and he dodged past her, then doubled back to slash at her once more. He tore through her leather jacket and cut into the skin above her ribcage. She grimaced, but knew the wound was not dangerous. Just one more scar to add to her collection. Elacain tried to grab him with her left hand, but he leaned out of the way, then nimbly dashed behind the table near the tent’s edge. As Elacain ran toward him, Puzzle thrust a chair at her feet, knocking her down. She smashed her face against the ground and hot blood gushed out of her nose. She could taste it in her mouth, salty and metallic, but she was used to it.

“If I can’t have the S&D spirit, then I will destroy it!” Puzzle cried out, his voice a high-pitched whine. He bolted across the tent to where Martoph lay prone.

“No!” Elacain scrambled upright and leaped across the tent as Puzzle raised his knife over his head. She landed by Martoph’s feet and thrust her sword over his body, into Puzzle’s chest. Black blood gushed out, dripping onto Martoph. The knife fell from his hands, slicing into Martoph’s side on its way to the floor.

Puzzle staggered backward. Elacain stepped around Martoph’s body and walked with him, keeping the sword inside him. His mask cracked. Voiceless words formed in his mouth. She pushed the sword in deeper, then gently placed a hand on his back and helped him to the ground, withdrawing her sword as she did. Its entire surface was coated slimy black.

Blood dripped from Puzzle’s mouth. The white mask cracked further, into six pieces, half of which slid to the ground. The hidden half of his face appeared to be covered in one giant, black tattoo, but as Elacain leaned closer, she realized it wasn’t one but hundreds of tinier tattoos, all the same word, a name that made her sick to her stomach. MINEPLEX.

 

[Lizardheart]

With a small surge of strength, Martoph rose to his feet. An unnatural clarity opened his mind. He limped over to Elacain, saw what she had seen, and finally understood. In this man had once dwelt a good soul, but he had been forcibly infested by a demonic force that had ripped that soul to shreds and turned it into something malevolent. There was no anger in his heart toward Puzzle; only pity. His life could not be saved, but his soul could be. His orange and yellow hand was glowing already; he knelt down and placed it against Puzzle’s tattooed cheek. The light ran through all the tattoos on his dead face, burning them away; when Martoph lifted his hand, there remained only clear, singed skin. Puzzle’s face was a man’s once more.

“I think the man named Puzzle died a long time ago. But his spirit will be free now.” Martoph leaned against Elacain’s shoulder as he struggled to remain upright. “Thank you,” he said, unsure if his voice was fading or his consciousness.

“We’ve put an end to his scourge,” Elacain said. She felt lighter; as if a ton of bricks that had been weighing her down for years had fallen away upon vanquishing the entity. Years of hunting lesser Mineplex agents had led to this moment. At times, she’d wondered if it was worth it. With RedWarfare destroyed, who had she been protecting? Now, she knew. It had all led to this. To saving Martoph’s life. To saving Athios University’s future. That feeling of deep satisfaction in her gut was destiny fulfilled, she decided. Elacain smiled.

Martoph’s weight buckled beneath him and he collapsed. He faded into an unconsciousness that bore neither nightmare visions nor pleasant dreams. Just welcoming darkness.

 

[Lizardheart]

In time, Martoph recovered. Shadowstarcat and Peppyk combined their powers to help him heal, though he was left with a permanent scar on his side from the fallen knife. Elacain, whose main wound needed only a few stitches, visited him often and guarded the tent constantly. From the medic tent, Martoph guided the university’s construction, reinstating the clocktower plans. The community was shocked by the revelation that a Mineplex agent had almost succeeded in infiltration, but were relieved that he appeared to be a lone wolf. Whether Mineplex remained a serious threat or not was up for debate; they were a shadow of their former self. But Elacain could not rest easy, satisfied as she was at her success at thwarting the demonic entity’s plan.

One day, while Martoph was still suffering through bedrest, Woaxa came and kneeled at his bedside.

“I’m so sorry,” he said, “I should’ve known to protect you.” He bowed his head and wept into his hands.

“No, I should’ve trusted you.” Martoph winced; speaking aggravated the pain in his side.

With Martoph no longer poisoned, the university’s construction continued at a record pace. When he was able to leave his bed, he decided to stay in the background, guiding things from within, without making many public appearances. Few people were allowed to see him, besides his trusted staff and Elacain. It was for both his good and the university’s, he had decided. Occasionally, he did walk amongst the people and the construction zone, talking to everyone, observing the progress. Elacain was always with him, sword drawn.

One such day, he saw Peppyk and Shadowstarcat standing and speaking with a horrific-looking creature, like a woman with long, gnarled claw-like nails, the skin of her neck scaled like a fish.

“What is that?” Martoph asked in horror as Elacain brandished her sword and stepped between them.

“It’s Lizardheart,” Peppyk said, “I found her mad in the swamp. Don’t be so judgemental.”

Martoph, remembering his terror as he was hunted in that place, shook his head, but decided not to pry or object. There was no point in questioning Peppyk on anything.

As work began and ended on each part of the school, Martoph came by to bless the area and imbue it with the S&D spirit. Power flowed through the whole structure and its outdoor courtyard and gardens, enough to cripple anyone who opposed the S&D spirit and lacked strong will. He liked to go up in the clocktower and be alone there, with Elacain standing guard below, and gaze down upon his people and his university. Quietly, he would pray to Libraryaddict and grieve for everything that had been lost. He wondered who the man named Puzzle had really been, before his body was co-opted by an inhuman force. And who had done it? Mineplex alone was not known for such measures. Certainly not with their power having grown so weak. Perhaps there was more to it. Or maybe he was a remnant of a forgotten age.

As he prayed, he admitted to himself that much of this had been his own fault. He’d gone on, assuming everything would work out because he’d communed with Libraryaddict and harnessed the S&D spirit, but in truth he knew little about how to work his powers. There was much more for him to learn, and that would be his new imperative in order to keep himself and the university safe.

With Martoph’s approval, Woaxa became a true preacher of the S&D spirit, in line to take on the role of Athios University’s official S&D High Priest. Martoph realized he was far more effective at speaking than himself and he needed someone to keep its power alive in the people’s hearts. It made him stronger. It made them all stronger.

Construction on a beehive beside the school garden was overseen by Elacain, who relished the role and buzzed with excitement every time she talked about the bees. It was the second-to-last aspect of the university to be finished, before the great library. When it was done, the envoy arrived with a company of a dozen regular-sized bees. They were happy to pay their respects to the S&D spirit, offering in turn honey imbued with the Queen’s blessings. Elacain drank mead made from her honey often.

The day came when initial construction was complete, and it was time for the opening ceremony. Marble steps led up to the main hall, a grand building that would house the bulk of the university’s classes, and everyone gathered at the bottom of those steps. They stared up in awe at the impressive towers that flanked the main hall, knowing they would boast both great study spots and perfect positions to stand watch over the university grounds. Set further back and to the main hall’s left stood the library, a smaller, but impressive building. Directly across, on the right side, was the Athios Dormitory, the much larger building in which the Athios students would live, no longer having to stay in tents out on the hillside.

Martoph stood at the top of the steps, not looking up at the buildings but down at the students who had gathered there because of him. Around him stood his faculty and staff, including his bodyguard and Head of Security, Elacain, and the new High Priest, Woaxa.

Smal handed Martoph a torch. Imllay handed him a box of matches. Martoph took out a match, lit it, then held it for a considerable time before lighting the torch. Tossing the matchbox aside, he lifted the torch over his head. “Tonight, we officially open Athios University.”

The crowd cheered; the faculty and staff clapped.

“In the name of the S&D spirit, I, Dean Martoph, will crown my faculty and staff with their new titles!” Martoph waited for the cheers to die down, then motioned to the staff and faculty to come forward. He gripped the torch with his flame-bearing hand. “Place your hand into the fire. Trust in me and the S&D spirit.”

One by one, they came forth and obeyed. Everyone except for Elacain winced as they stuck their hand into the flame, but they held strong and came away with no burns. And Martoph named them.

“Guardian Elacain. High Priest Woaxa. Professor Smalusion. Professor NightWolfy. Professor Imllay. Professor Starken. Professor Dave_X.”

The professors moved in front of him and stood at the top of the stairs. Martoph walked behind them, then held up the torch once more. “Behold, students, your professors! Through them, you shall learn, and the S&D spirit will take its hold in your life. Do not forget it, or them!”

The students kneeled until Martoph lowered the torch, then rose to their feet and cheered. After that, the ceremony disbanded, and everyone began to mingle together. He walked among the students, talking to them and enjoying himself until Elacain pulled him away and said it was time to go. Before he retired to his office, he stood at the top of the stairs and looked down at the celebrations, in which students, faculty, and staff ate and drank together, creating such a noise that he knew he’d be able to hear it even all the way at the top of the Main Hall.

“Want a drink?” Elacain asked as they went up the inside stairs.

“No more whiskey for me.”

“How about mead?”

“Sure.”

“I’ll bring some back for you. You’ll be okay for a few minutes alone?”

“I sure will. No one would try anything tonight.”

After Elacain went back downstairs, Martoph stood by his office window and gazed out at the fires, enjoying the warmth he imagined they emanated. The scent of smoke lingered in his nose from his time out there. He was tired, and there was much work to be done, but he knew there was a bright future ahead. When Elacain returned with the mead, he sat back in his chair, the most comfortable one in the whole school, and drank it slowly, sip by sip. He wanted to relish it, as well as the night.

Athios University had risen.

 

[Lizardheart]

Epilogue​

Late that night, when all the festivities had died down and everyone had gone to bed, a lone figure stood on a hill, gazing at Athios University. Hand under chin, he uttered a low “Hmm.”

The hill was the same one that Martoph’s tent had once stood on, though the man did not know this. He stood in silence for a long time, melding with the shadows, enjoying the fact that he could observe the university while not being seen himself. His vigil continued until he noticed the moonlight glinting off of something white on the ground. Kneeling, he took the object in his hand, careful not to cut himself on its jagged edges. It was a piece of a mask.

He rose to his full height and turned to glare darkly at Athios University, thrusting his hand out to better see the fragment in the moonlight. Rage flared in his body as he crushed it within his hefty fist. “Alas, you were once my favorite servant,” he said in a deep Dutch-accented voice.

 

[Elacain]

I LOVE BEES!!!!!!!!!!!
LIZ THIS WAS SO GOOD I LOVED READING EVERY SECOND

also........... hint at a follow up story??!!?!

 

[shadowstarcat]

What if
you wanted to become one with the Deep Ones
but peppyk said
they live in the ocean

Spoiler: alternate version

 

[Imllay2]

when u see an old friend from highschool and they've turned into a bee servant

 

[Grijzejager3]

Ohboy what a cliffhanger..i wonder...

 

[Lizardheart]

What if
you wanted to become one with the Deep Ones
but peppyk said
they live in the ocean
View attachment 152

Spoiler: alternate version

View attachment 153

I can't get over how much I love this. Thank you. She looks just like me. <3

View attachment 154
when u see an old friend from highschool and they've turned into a bee servant

LOOK AT THOSE BEES. Thank you, Imllay. You've done Ela and Paint a service here.

Ohboy what a cliffhanger..i wonder...

damn... who could that man be?

 

[Woaxa]

once again im amazed with your writing, and im a HIGH PREIST bro such a title, ill wear it with honor. ill be the best damn priest anyone will ever see

 

[Grijzejager3]

damn... who could that man be?

I wouldn't know. Bet he's very handsome though!