The longer he kept them in a silence interspersed by the repetitive creaking of a ceiling fan, the more Elaine noticed how she was closing in on herself, fearing the abrupt yet all too expected instant when Headmaster Orion would finally address them.

The brown-haired man sat at his desk with sealed eyes and hunched shoulders, heavy breaths puffing out his nostrils every now and again as he kept his gloved fingers laced underneath his nose. She guessed that he'd learned of the incident prior to their arrival; as soon as they entered the room, he'd already his brows furrowed with a look of stifled dismay.

Raze wasn't much different than him, either. When Elaine motioned to him with a pleading stare, hoping that he'd shed some light on what was going to happen, the mage dressed in his dark-colored cloak—Elaine had never seen him wear anything else—merely raised a finger to his tightened lips, a simple signal telling her that she should remain quiet, and for the first five or so minutes, that was exactly what she had done. However, as the clock on the wall ticked on without any word from the headmaster—with the exception of a few muffled mumbles—well, Elaine was a lot more anxious than she had been earlier.

Hands in her lap, her feet crisscrossed, Elaine inhaled softly through her mouth, attempting to expel the nervousness infecting her stomach as she exhaled. Orion's office was at the top of one of the tallest towers in the academy; they'd needed to take a teleportation magic circle in order to reach it, and she hadn't realized how high up they were until she felt her ears popping with pressure on the sides of her face.

The office was a brightly-themed room with yellow-colored walls and a palish brown roof embroidered with intricate designs engraved into its wooden surface. Stuffed bookshelves had been positioned against its perimeter, pedestals housing creepy stone statues—one looked like a bald-headed man with missing eyes sitting in a posture reminiscent of that of a frog, and another near the front door replicated that of a headless horse reared onto its hindlegs—that she was certain originated from foreign countries, and Orion seemed to have a flair for floriculture as Elaine spotted numerous pots holding various, colorful plant species, some of which she'd never seen before. She imagined Fearne would get a kick out of them; she enjoyed gardening, as well.

Finally, mounted on the wall behind the headmaster was a large, blue-colored banner bearing that of Glyph Academy's official insignia, though this version of the design was a lot more detailed than the ones she'd seen on letter seals or waving on the flags posted outside. The golden feathered griffin kept one of its burnished orange eyes on them as its mighty wings stretched out of its spine and to the border of the banner itself; all the while, its beaked mouth opened wide to release an unheard screech as the beast stood tall with its forelegs clawing the air.

A ring of stars imprisoned its frame, overlapping the outer edge of its expanded wings. It was an intimidating image, but one that exuded honor, or so the professors told her, as griffins were the symbol of distinction and privilege in Incantian culture.

"Headmaster Valerian." Elaine started as Kliff, seated in one of the two chairs next to hers, was the first among anyone in the room to speak. Even Lukas looked startled, a muscle pulsing in his jaw as his green eyes went wide. "If I have your permission to speak, I would like to apologize for my actions humbly. I have no excuse. The punishment that you will assuredly give, I will accept it in full. May that be suspension or...or whatever else you have in mind. I only ask that you excuse Elaine of it."

"Kliff," Elaine said blaringly. "You don't have to—"

"She had nothing to do with this and only stepped in when things escalated the way they did," Kliff continued, cutting her off. "On the other hand, I think it also bears mentioning that neither of us was responsible for starting this dispute. The blame for that falls solely on the shoulders of Lukas."

Lukas rolled his eyes at the mention of his name. "Oh, here we go."

"Sir, he attacked one of my friends. A student named Custas Cloude; he's in the same homeroom class as Elaine and myself." Elaine had anticipated a larger reaction from that. A student harming another would be frowned upon at any learning institution, with the instigator being recompensed heavily for their misdeeds. Orion only shrugged. However, she did notice Raze's hollow-cheeked scowl as he shifted where he stood, a few steps behind the headmaster himself. "None of this would have occurred had it not been for his bullying. Before a judgment is to be made, sir, I inquire that you take this context into consideration."

"Are you done, Dresden?" Lukas muttered, shooting daggers out his pinched eyes. "Headmaster Valerian, sure, we participated in an unauthorized duel. There's no denying that. Even still, I think it's important to note who commenced it. You can ask anyone there; Kliff was the one who fired a spell at me first. He started the duel, not me."

Elaine cringed at that. As much of an ogre-faced ruffian as he was...he was telling the truth. Kliff had cast a spell first. However, Lukas had already drawn his wand by that point. She wondered if he would include that tidbit in his story.

"And he can't pretend that it was an accident or some slip-up; he attacked me with the intent of causing serious harm. Why, if I hadn't quick reflexes, I would have taken a fireball to the face. Might have even left a scar."

"If you ask me," Kliff muttered, "that would have been an improvement."

"Get your laughs in while you can, Dresden. But as it stands, the fault lies primarily on you."

"I think you're neglecting something," Elaine said, the two boys turning to gawk at her next. "As Kliff already said, the reason any of us were there to begin with was because you and your friends were assaulting Custas. He's the real victim here! Challenging someone to a duel is one thing, but ganging up on a single person who you know you can beat is the act of a coward, not a sorcerer."

Elaine flinched when Lukas' intense scowl zipped over to her like a flurry of solidified lighting. Yes, she was still terrified by this mage; she'd seen the obscenities he was capable of, and yet, she sat up straight in the chair, her eyes narrowing into a glare to combat his own. She wouldn't let him see that he got to her. She wouldn't allow him to exploit the weakness that was her fear.

"You did everything you could to belittle and embarrass him in front of everyone there. And now you're pretending like you're some kind of good guy? Regardless of which perspective you stand, the fact is that you're in the wrong!"

Lukas slapped the nape of his neck. "Man, blondie, you're just as annoying as Dresden. If I didn't know any better, it sounds like you want to duel me too." Elaine froze at the remark, and Lukas must have detected her reluctance as his lips contorted into a humored grin. "I'll indulge ya, if that's what you want, but getting back to the topic at hand, Headmaster Valerian, a day before the semester had officially started, Custas had attacked some of my buddies."

Elaine's eyes widened in disbelief. No way, he's bringing that up?!

"At the Market District in Lakestone, Custas threw, ah, what was it? Oh, that's right! He covered 'em all good with a bunch of piping hot pie, then bounced when I assumed he realized he could get into some very serious trouble." Lukas smirked. "Now, I get that it technically happened off campus, but doesn't it bode poorly for the academy if word got out that its students are going around assaulting each other? We're supposed to be better than that, aren't we? When Todd and the others told me what happened, I'll admit I got a good laugh at the absurdity of it all, but we couldn't just leave things the way they were, could we? So, yeah, I confronted him about it, and maybe things got out of hand, but could you blame us? If I'd been the one to get covered in pie goop, I'd be pretty piss— I mean, incensed myself."

"Your so-called friends were harassing a female student!" Elaine blurted. "Custas was just trying to help her out! Stop acting like he just randomly ambushed those boys for no reason!"

"Harassment, aye?" Lukas shrugged. "That's a pretty serious offense, and if it's true, I won't stand in your way if you want to kick 'em off campus. However, blondie, did you actually see any of that happen, or are you just basing your defense on what your ole pal Custas told you?"

Elaine hesitated. "I...ah..."

"Thought so," Lukas smirked. "For all you know, that could have just been an excuse he used to justify what he did, to make it seem like he was in the right in front of his friends. I've known Todd for a while now. Sure, he can get stupid when he wants to, but he's never been in the business of tormenting a girl. It's just not how he operates. And it couldn't have been that big of a deal; otherwise, well, wouldn't this alleged female victim have felt the need to report them by now? The more I think about it, the more it smells like one huge lie."

"Enough," Headmaster Valerian said, and a simple gesture of his hand ceased their arguing. Lukas locked his mouth shut as Kliff straightened in his chair, looking attentive with his hands placed over his lap. "All that I've heard so far are nothing more than excuses and feeble justifications of why "she did that." or "he did this." To tell you the truth, it hardly matters to me who started this conflict nor the reasons for it. The fact of the matter is, all three of you broke one of Glyph Academy's policies, which is so that no student will participate in any duel that isn't authorized by a member of staff."

"But, sir!" Kliff argued, leaning forward. "Elaine wasn't technically a part of this duel. In fact, all that she ever did was try and diffuse the situation, and much to my shame, I didn't listen to her. It shouldn't be her that—"

"Lest I am misunderstanding," the headmaster said, sparing a glance at Raze behind him, "Ms. Harwood here cast an Obilus spell to deflect Lukas' Fulmeno Pisto. Can it be said that that is an accurate account of events transpired?"

Elaine lowered her head sullenly. "It is, sir."

"Out of self-defense!" Kliff quickly added.

"You keep saying that as if it excuses her of something," Orion said, pointing a finger at Kliff, who jerked back in surprise. "A defense spell can be every bit as dangerous as an attack spell, maybe even more so. And this is Light Magic we're discussing here, one of the most powerful and yet mysterious forms of magic ever to exist. She protected you and herself just fine, but what of the many other students who had been there at the time? What was preventing a lightning bolt from blitzing off course and striking an unsuspecting bystander in the head or in the arm or through the heart?"

Kliff's Adam's apple pulsed as he swallowed. "I...I don't know, sir."

"Of course, you don't. Because you didn't consider the ramifications your actions might bring to the academy or its occupants, did you? Contrary to popular belief, even master sorcerers don't have complete control over their magic; it can betray a mage at any given time. Magic is little more than a ravenous beast tethered to the leash that is our Essence. With enough "training" and with the right approach, this beast can be made loyal and subservient to you, but on the flip side, nothing you do will ever erase its primal instincts. If you overestimate your authority and believe that you are more powerful than you actually are, it could lead to your beast baring its fangs on you or other innocents. That is simply the nature of magic. You three would be wise to remember that."

"Nobody was hurt from the incident, praise be to Aeris," Raze said dryly. "However, damage was sustained to the academy itself. Nothing too serious. In fact, I'm sure the Gray Cloaks are seeing to its reparation as we speak. That being said, it isn't something we can so easily overlook. Set a precedent, headmaster."

"Yes, yes, I understand Raze. Thank you." Elaine flinched as Orion's glare hardened on them. This entire time, he'd remained relatively composed—which was at odds with the strongness in his tone—but Elaine saw the briefest glow of anger flaring behind his eyes. "Raze thinks that I should suspend the three of you and set an example for the other students as to what happens to those who break the rules. And in the past, the headmaster who succeeded me would have surely expelled you all without hesitation. Now, I'm knowledgable at how talented you three are, but in spite of that, I must do my dudiligence as headmaster before anything else. And during my time of reflection, I've devised a punishment far worse than any of Raze's suggestions."

"Worse?" Elaine gulped.

"Yes, that's right. I like to think that I'm a fair man, but I've never been one to condone rule breakers, no matter who they might be." Slamming his gloved hands on the desk, Orion shot out of his desk and erected to his full height, a harsh glare showering onto them, one that didn't seem to belong on his otherwise handsome face. "Elaine Harwood! Kliff Dresden! Lukas Kane!" His shouts were so loud, so powerful that Elaine swore she heard the shutters of the windows convulse like they'd suddenly been struck by a hurricane. "I hereby sentence you to work four weeks, yes, an entire month in the Pegasi Stables!"

Five seconds passed into a minute as a newfound silence slathered the room. Raising a brow, Elaine shared a glance with an equally confused Kliff, and Lukas didn't look any less perplexed as either of them, sitting slumped with a squinted look and stiff shoulders. Elaine was certain that the same question was on all of their minds: that can't be it, right? But as Orion gave a nod and sat back at his desk smiling contently to himself, it became evident that was all that he had to say, which was hard to digest, if nothing else.

"Is that it, sir?" Kliff asked slowly.

Lukas cocked his head. "You only want us to clean some lousy stables?"

"Pretty much," Orion confirmed lightly. "Why? Were you hoping for a more severe punishment?"

"No, it isn't that," Kliff said, waving his hands frantically. "I just...it seemed you were pretty mad earlier, and so I merely thought the punishment we'd receive would...fit the crime...sir."

"Oh, believe you me," Orion snickered impishly. "After three days in the stables, you'll be begging for death. I wouldn't even send my worst enemies in that hell hole! What do you say, Raze? Am I a genius or what? This outta teach these rebellious kids a lesson they're sure never to forget!"

Raze rolled his eyes. "No comment."

"That is everything I have to say to the likes of you. And, of course, I don't expect ever to have this conversation again. Consider this mercy my last. Raze, you will escort them out of the tower. We don't want them getting lost in here, now do we?"

"Yes, sir."

"Ah, but you will stay a moment, Ms. Harwood," Orion said, pointing a finger directly at her. "I'd like to have a word with you. Alone."

Elaine sank into her chair as Kliff and Lukas got up to follow after Raze. As the door to the office closed, she managed to sneak one last peek at Kliff, the boy himself glancing back at her from over his shoulder, a look of concern influencing his otherwise stoic expression before, with a thud of wood, they were gone, Elaine hearing their muffled steps fade away as they descended a flight of stairs. Then, she haltingly turned to face her headmaster yet again, heart thrumming in her chest in anxious anticipation as to what he sought to discuss. If he requested this audience in privacy, it must have been important.

"Man, being a headmaster is so much work!" Orion complained, plopping his head onto his desk. "I swear as soon as I rectify one problem, four more spring out of nowhere to wring my neck! Look at me, I'm too young to be having wrinkles! My own wife frets that I won't live to see my fiftieth birthday if I keep overworking myself like this, and my daughter has convinced herself that I've gone insane! Is this it, Elaine? Is this all that the rest of my life entails? Me, sitting at this stupid desk accompanied by nobody else but that living plank of decaying wood known as Raze? It's unfair! Too unfair!"

Elaine gawked at him, bemused. "Uh...did you keep me here just to vent about your personal life, sir?"

"And what if that is the case, hmm?" Orion blubbed, tilting his head to the side so that one of his eyes met hers. "After all that we've been through together, why, I thought you and I were friends. And friends should be able to express their vulnerabilities to one another."

"I...I suppose that's...not inherently wrong, but—"

"For instance!" Orion exclaimed, pitching up from his desk; there was a reddened patch covering his forehead. "Should you have told me that, oh, I don't know, you started randomly developing spells out of the blue, why, I'd sit here with open ears from dawn until dusk if need be. Because that's what friends do."

"That's not...wait, how did you find out about that?"

"I'm the headmaster, my dear," Orion said slyly, leaning forward to rest his chin atop his wrist. "Nothing happens in this academy without me knowing. Professor Knight had quite the mouthful for me. He witnessed you casting numerous Light Magic spells that were way too advanced for a novice like you to handle. Bet he informed you that they were spell distortions, didn't he?"

"He has," Elaine nodded. "But he's hardly told me anything else."

"Ah, that's because he probably doesn't want to overwhelm you with knowledge. Had he not taken that precaution, you might be too scared to cast another Light Magic spell ever again," Orion clarified matter of factly, and Elaine shivered at the insinuation. "But you went and cast one of them by yourself, didn't you? Completely of your own volition. Know what that means? Your body is accumulating to your new magic. In other words, you are evolving as a sorcerer, which is the best possible outcome we could have hoped for!"

Orion seemed far more thrilled at the prospect than she was, and she wished she could be as thrilled as he was, but the reality was that she knew how destructive those spells were. Even if they had helped her out in a pinch, she never wanted to resort to using them on a human, not if it could be helped. But she also recognized that that was an unrealistic hope. If she wanted to succeed as a sorcerer, then, as the headmaster had said, she would need to evolve.

"Is that the reason you chose me, headmaster?" Elaine asked him. "Even if it was just to fill Ellend's spot in Professor Marsh's homeroom, surely, there must be more behind the reason as to why I was selected. It's because you somehow sensed the probability of me accessing these...spell distortions?"

Orion's smile steadily faded on his face, though his tone was no less cheerful as he went on. "I selected you," he said, "because I can tell a good sorcerer when I see one. Call it a skill of mine. For I knew that your talents would be better served as a Professional Sorcerer, especially if you were properly trained. And yes, while there are countless other sorcerers in this country that could have taken your place, I do believe, in the end, that I made the right choice. So chin up, Elaine. It might seem complicated now, but if you keep working hard, I know you'll make that magic your own."

"Thank you, sir," Elaine chuckled, smiling to herself fondly. "I will do my best."

*

* *

Located on the northeastern side of the campus, directly under the shadow of the enormous castle tower, there stood a windowless, box-shaped building made of gray-colored bricks. Its flat roof was adorned with gargoyles that perched atop it, their petrified eyes gleaming down at those who entered its domain. At first glance, the building appeared to be a giant cube, which was further reinforced by the fact that it was one of the few structures on the campus not directly connected to the main castle via a corridor or archway.

This was the appropriately named Gray Cage; it was the Gray Cloaks' main base of operation, and it was where most of them stayed when they weren't on duty. Allan didn't like to visit the place much himself, mainly due to how confined it always felt, with there being no windows and hardly any doors. The same went for Lyra, the bird ruffling her feathers agitatedly from where she sat on his shoulder. However, if his hunch was correct, then he couldn't afford to be swayed away by personal feelings.

With his arms crossed, he waited quietly in an empty corridor on the fourth floor, leaning his back against the wall. Every once and a while, a pair of Gray Cloaks would march through, and he would notice that, without fail, they'd speed past him in a blatant hurry to escape his half-lidded gaze.

So it would appear that even amongst those charged with protecting the academy, his presence still put them on edge. Allan defused a sigh as he shrugged. He couldn't change the way people regarded him, nor did he possess any apparent interest to alter his perception of another's sight. The Founder constantly chastised him for it, but he couldn't care less. It wasn't important, anyhow.

A click from a doorknob drew his attention as the door swung open in front of him. Out walked a trio of Gray Cloaks, and following behind them was a rather short yet heftily built man with a squarish face sodden with scars—one scar, in particular, streaked above his right eye and carved a path into his graying hair combed back on his scalp. He had on the titular, gray cloak uniform as his subordinates. However, his was embroidered with complex, golden-colored designs that curled down his sleeves and clustered on his breast.

As his leer met Allan's, his lips drooped into a frown, and he waved the men away, the Gray Cloaks starting off down the hallway, pulling the hoods over their heads. "I trust that this is important," the aged captain grunted, motioning for Allan to follow as he stepped back into his office room.

It was a compact little space with only a single desk, two shelves, and a pot holding a spindly-looking plant in a corner near the entrance. Discounting the enormous portrait situated on the wall behind his desk—it featured a full display of Glyph Castle itself during an early morning when the sun had yet to rise fully—the most noticeable distinction about his office was the countless drawers fixed into the wall to Allan's left, rows upon rows of locked cabinets meant only for the eyes of the Captain of the Gray Cloaks himself.

"It is," Allan said, seating himself at one of the two chairs in front of the captain's desk. "I have reason to suspect that there is an intruder on campus."

The captain fiddled with a silvery blade in his fingers—it was more of a knife, really—jabbing its tip into the wooden desk. "So I've heard," he replied, unamused. Allan suppressed his glare. For as long as he'd known him, Gervas Zane had always been a difficult individual to get along with, and that said a lot if it was coming from someone as reclusive and easily-agitable as himself. Practically married to his work, he cared for little else if it meant that he'd be neglecting his main responsibility: keeping Glyph Academy safe. Allegedly, the previous headmaster, Almeric Verano, had saved him from a life of crime and taken him under his wing. Gervas has since been loyal to the academy ever since.

"Huh. I thought that this might have been of bigger interest to you, given your field of expertise," Allan said, raising a brow. "What's with that lifeless look in your eyes?"

"Well, Lyra told me as much when she flew in here squawking up a storm the other day," Gervas muttered, pointing the knife at her, the bird cocking her head to the side to peer one of her lodged eyes back at him. "Seriously, how does she keep getting in? The Gray Cage doesn't have any surgin' windows!"

"We're getting side-tracked," Allan said swiftly. "Since she already informed you, then you should know how dire of a situation this is. We need to act fast. Do you have a plan to address this?"

"Allan," Gervas sighed, "for the one-hundredth time, I implore you to stop poking your nose in my affairs. I handle security; you don't see me telling you how to teach your students, do you? Let's not forget, kid, I've been doing this longer than you've been flailing your wand around. Long before you became the infamous and feared Abyssal Sorcerer of Grayrock." He said that last bit in a mock-stern tone as he tilted his head back in his chair. "If I felt that the academy or any of the students were in danger, I would have taken care of it by now. I thank you for stopping by, but, in case you couldn't tell, I'm more than swamped so—"

"They were using an illusion spell," Allan said dryly.

That won a reaction from him; Gervas's brown eyes flashed as he glared. "An illusion spell, huh? And you're certain about that?"

"I am," Allan nodded. "On my way to the Faculty Lounge, I came across Terrence Newts. I didn't think much of it at first, but once I met with him again, it quickly became apparent that the "Newts" that I spoke to earlier was a different person altogether. He was the intruder, and I let him slip right past me."

"I guess that would explain how they've avoided my oculars for so long." Gervas formed a fist around the handle of his silver knife as he stabbed it again into the desk. "Now I just need to ascertain how they managed to infiltrate the academy's barrier. Some kind of special enchantment or charm, or has he swiped one of our personnel's identification cards?"

Allan's eyes narrowed at him. "So, you do believe me? Or....no, you've already suspected that there might be an intruder, haven't you?"

"For quite some time, yes."

"And you didn't think to mention any of this? Not even to Valerian?"

"Look," Gervas grumbled, "I have my best men on it. If there is a sulmo snooping where they shouldn't be, then it's only a matter of time until we bust them. Besides, Orion is always so busy these days. I didn't want to trouble him, not if I could rectify this issue myself. However, this does lead me to an even greater hypothetical. Assuming this infiltrator is more than your average trouble-maker, just what did they have to gain by adopting one of our professor's identities, even if it wasn't for very long."

"I checked the Archives, the offices, staffrooms, even the...the junkroom." Allan shared a repulsive shiver along with Gervas at the mention of the name. "They're all clean; nothing's missing out of them...lest they were duplicated by whoever stole them. But I couldn't detect any traces of Essence, either. Nobody had cast a spell recently."

"Good, good," Gervas said contemplatively. "And the Labyrinths?"

"The Heart is safe and secure," Allan confirmed. "Still, I worry for my students' safety. If whoever this is carries ill-intent toward the academy and its associates, then..."

"Calm yourself," Gervas exhaled. "I can see all of them, and so can the Founder. As long as they remain on academy grounds, they'll be relatively safe. Nevertheless, I don't think we should disclose this information just yet. It might incite a panic, and that would only tip the intruder off. We deal with this quickly and quietly."

"We?" Allan repeated. "Thought you said this was a Gray Cloak affair?"

"I did, and it was until you came along," Gervas said, wincing. "Seeing as how you're already up to date with our operation, I suppose it wouldn't hurt if you lent a hand as well. But, and I emphasize this strongly, you report any findings to me and only me. At least until we bring Headmaster Valerian up to speed. Have I made myself clear?"

"Crystal," Allan muttered, rising out of his chair and turning to leave. However, he paused as he grabbed ahold of the door handle. "And the likelihood of this being one of ours?" Allan inquired, glancing over his shoulder at him. "Slim, but not impossible, yeah?"

"Careful, Marsh. Careful," Gervas spat, wagging his knife at him. "We start that game without any concrete evidence, and all of us just might end up barking at a tree while a wolf sneaks into the coup. Let's stay focused on the uncut road ahead, yes?"

"Of course, forget I asked." As Marsh stalked to the flight of stairs at the end of the hallway, the frown that he'd been fighting resurfaced. "Fritz! Why did this have to happen now?"

I suppose your hunch was right after all, huh? Lyra said in his mind.

"Unclear, Lyra. It's all merely speculation at present," he grunted in frustration. "Even so, I won't have a lick of sleep until I get to the bottom of this, once and for all."