Himitsu stared at her. “Hold on,” he said. “Didn’t Agnos say his glasses are a relic? They don’t seem so dangerous.”
“Not all ancient pieces have to be dangerous or combat-oriented. Some can be tactical. Some can even be fun and harmless. There are three tiers to ancients. You have the fossils, which are very basic and common pieces. They usually impart weaker abilities. Then there are the artifacts, which are the mid-tier. My umbrella would fall into that category. The relics are rare and powerful.”
She leaned back in her seat. “A few would tell you there are four tiers, but most would call B.S. on that.”
Himitsu thought for a bit, then asked, “Wouldn’t something like that be insanely protected?”
Rhyparia raised a finger. “And that’s the mystery. It’s heavily guarded—understatement—at all hours. That goes triple during the night, making last night’s robbery even more baffling.”
“Agnos said it was from a person who worked within the walls,” Bryson said. “One of the security guards.”
Rhyparia tapped her fingers on the table. “That would make sense. Heh, that Agnos … he’s a really smart guy.”
9
The Theft
The Archaic Museum was closing to the public and the graveyard shift was about to begin. A young man who looked to be in his early twenties walked through the front doors and into the entrance hall as the final visitors straggled out. His most distinguishing feature was the bandage circling the upper portion of his head.
He walked through a tall, arching hallway before reaching his designated station. Known as Relic Alley, it was the most important area of the museum and probably the most revered landmark of the Archaic Kingdom. It was his responsibility to stand guard in this cavernous corridor displaying some of the rarest ancient pieces known to exist.
The clock struck 10 p.m., signaling the end of the third shift. As the young man approached Relic Alley, he nodded to the guard he was relieving.
“Try not to fall asleep,” the departing guard said.
“Tell that to the head officer,” the young man said lightly.
He received a smile from his coworker. “Indeed. Don’t work too hard. Have an ethical night, Toono.”
Ethical—if only he knew. Shrouded in darkness, Toono prepared as he always did. He grabbed his own ancient piece from within his cloak. It was a bubble wand like the ones children played with during the summer months. However, this was a grander version, rivaling the length of a sword. It was wooden and had four holes—three at the top that were each a different size and one at the bottom of the handle.
A bubble wand. Admittedly, it sounded silly, but it was exactly why he was the museum’s premier guard outside of the head officer. He inhaled deeply then blew into the wand’s second hole from the top, causing a modest-sized bubble to escape, roughly the size of a wardrobe. He then waved the bubble toward one of the displays, which it swallowed completely. He repeated this process until every relic occupied its own protective home.
The night went as routinely as any other would. He appeared to be fulfilling his duties, but in reality, he was simply stalling for the right time.
A couple more hours passed, and the head officer was supposed to start his scheduled rounds. His job was to make sure everyone was still alert and not slacking off. Unfortunately for the museum, they hired an incompetent and hypocritical man who frequently slept through the night. Toono was hoping this would be the case tonight.
He left his post and swiftly headed down the moonlit hall, his cloak softly billowing behind him. Snoring became gradually louder the closer he got to the front lobby. And sure enough, when he looked into the man’s office, he was knocked out in his chair.
The young man immediately returned to Relic Alley. He craned up his neck toward his exit route. The ceiling was high, and at the top of the walls were open windows that allowed the moonlight to shine through, but they were barred and too high to reach. He blew into his wand again, this time into the smallest hole. A pebble-sized bubble escaped and floated upward until it passed through the window and out of sight.
Now he was forced to wait patiently. He continued to stare at the window until his neck grew tired. Glancing toward one of the museum displays, his eagerness began to swell at the sight of five white gems.
A noise akin to eggs being cooked in a pan startled him from his trance. He looked back up to the same window—this time with good news. She had responded to his signal. A corrosive substance was eating at the bars.
He had to move quickly. The nitric acid didn’t care about stealth, so it continued to crack and sizzle. Toono approached the display he’d had his eyes on for the past year as he created another bubble from the middle hole. This time he enclosed his own body in it, and in the process, scooped up the five gems and hurriedly stuffed them inside of his cloak.
Alas, it was too late. The head officer was staring Toono down from the corridor’s entry way. His daunting height and lean build dwarfed Toono’s more modest frame.
“Please … Just let me leave.” It was a placid request from Toono.
The officer glared at the thief. “I can’t believe you, Toono. I cannot allow that.”
Toono glanced toward the now open window. The acid had finished its work. “I don’t like killing. Even when I started with rodents, it tore me apart. But if you oppose me, I’ll have no choice but to mark you as the first tally on my already long list of murders. Don’t make me do this. Unlike the others, your death would be unnecessary. It would serve no purpose than allowing me to escape.”
Despite the warning, the officer ran toward the thief with his sword drawn. A man of the Adren Kingdom in charge of protecting a building inside of the Archaic Kingdom … typical.
Even when opposed by a man who possessed such staggering speed, there was no fear reflecting in the blue eyes of Toono. It was as calm as the tranquil breeze of an autumn night. The officer lunged at Toono with an aggressive swing of his sword, but the thief did not move, for when the sword made contact with the bubble, it ricocheted backward so viciously that the blade’s spine hit the officer between the eyes.
While the officer staggered backward, the bubble-shielded Toono sprinted in the direction of the far wall. The man recovered himself and gave chase. Without breaking stride, Toono leapt toward the wall feet first, making his body parallel to the floor. As his soles connected with the stone, his knees bent while the bubble surrounding him flattened a bit. Both instances were to act as springs. Toono launched viciously in the opposite direction at a speed that rivaled the officer’s. With no time to react, the officer was blasted by the impact. His flailing body flew violently across the room with such velocity that there was no arc to his trajectory. He hit the far wall with a sickening thud, and like a bug splattered against a fly-swatter, held there for a moment before sliding to the ground.
The young thief stared gravely at the bloody, crumpled mess. This sight was the first alarming signal of him transitioning into a person he never thought he’d be. Regardless, he had done what was needed of him.
Bouncing a few times to gradually gain height, he continued to observe the lifeless body. However, his anguish was only a fleeting sense before he soared through the open window, excited about the progress that was just made and, more important, the opportunity to finally share good news with the woman waiting for him outside.
10
Speed Percentage
The next four days made Bryson realize just how much fun having friends could be. He decided to sleep over in Himitsu’s dorm room instead of going home. This allowed him to see Lilu on a regular basis, though he could never quite work up the courage to talk to her. The only face that was missing frequently was Olivia’s, as she always had to go straight home before dark.
Bryson had learned very little about Himitsu during his stay. He tended to keep his personal matters to himself. However, he was able to learn a bit about Jilly and Rhyparia.
Jilly’s mom was dead. S
he died giving birth to her. Her father was a major in the Spirit Army, which was why Toshik was appointed as her protector at a young age. Her father was constantly away from home, so Toshik was supposed to fill the role of an older brother—which he fulfilled in a certain sense.
Rhyparia was different from the rest. Both of her parents and all of her siblings were alive. She had five siblings, and Rhyparia was the second oldest. They all still lived under the same roof—if you wanted to call it a roof. Supposedly it was a collection of large blankets sewn together. Their house was a shack with three rooms: a kitchen, a bathroom, and an open space where they all slept together. Bryson felt terrible imagining seven people trying to live in a three-room shack—and it turned out that Rhyparia wished that there were less of them to crowd the space.
As they sat in the lobby of the Lilac Suites during lunch on their last day of break, Jilly made an envious remark about Rhyparia’s mother through a mouthful of Tabby’s chocolates. But Rhyparia stopped her cold, saying, “I’d rather my parents were dead.”
The tension that followed was as stiff as the wooden chairs they sat upon. Jilly was flabbergasted and Bryson didn’t know what to think. Himitsu smirked and said, “Ooh, you are an interesting one.”
Bryson thought about it for a second and asked, “Doesn’t that completely go against what your kingdom is about?”
She rested her head on the table and looked out the window. “Ha, morality. In this case, I don’t care. They deserve it. Hopefully, fate will get them.”
Although curious, Bryson decided not to further press the subject. “Okay then … no more of that,” Jilly said.
Himitsu casually leaned back in his chair. “I can’t wait to train tomorrow. And by the Passion Director herself.” He smiled. “I should learn a lot.”
Professors typically handled students. The directors were more like the school’s board of executives. They were highly skilled and revered, but to be taught and trained by one was a privilege that not many students got to experience. Bryson, however, had been trained by Debo his entire life, so it wasn’t anything new to him.
“Debo is going to work me and Lilu like dogs,” Bryson moaned.
“It’s so weird when you don’t address him as ‘Director,’” Jilly said.
Bryson shrugged and looked back at Rhyparia, who was still staring out the window. Mentally, she was off in a dark place.
* * *
The next morning, Bryson found himself waiting in the common area of Phesaw’s Knowledge Wing, where the Intel students gathered for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. But this morning it served a different purpose, as the room was cleared for the two Intel Jestivans’ training session.
Bryson was stretching when Lilu strolled out of the lady’s restroom. She had gotten changed out of her gleaming golden dress and into an outfit that surprised him—a pair of white training boots, loose athletic shorts, and a white t-shirt. Her flowing green hair was now in a messy bun—and flowerless.
“Nice look,” he snickered as Lilu began stretching.
She looked up as she reached down to her right foot. “I may seem like a high-maintenance girl, but I’m not an imbecile. As much as I prefer heels and a dress, I can’t train or fight properly like that.”
“Always taking everything as an insult to your intelligence. The hostility.”
“I’m proud of the kingdom I live in and I want to represent what it’s about to my fullest extent. That’s all.”
Bryson watched her stretch for a second, thinking about what she said. “I don’t know if I feel the same way. Our kingdom has done some shady stuff in the past.”
“Are you impugning the king—my father?” Lilu snapped.
“Correct,” he said—a little too casually.
Lilu opened her mouth to quickly retort, but Bryson corrected himself: “Partially correct, I mean. I’m impugning our fathers … both of them.”
She frowned. “They did what was best for the Intel Kingdom.”
“They also hurt people in the process.”
“People from the Dark Realm,” Lilu said, shocked.
“They’re still people.”
The door to the commons swung open, halting the conversation. Intel Director Debo entered, but he was followed by a trio of unexpected faces: Adren Director Buredo, Toshik, and Yama.
Bryson rolled his eyes, for he knew exactly what this meant. He wouldn’t be learning how to hone in his Intel Energy and electrical abilities, and he was an idiot for thinking otherwise. Lilu, apparently not yet realizing what a farce this was going to be, looked totally confused as she watched the three guests place their swords against the wall.
“I talked to Grand Director Poicus this morning,” Debo said. “We’ll be conducting joint training sessions with the Adren Director. Director Buredo was kind enough to agree to this.”
Bryson could not help but notice how tall Director Debo, Director Buredo, and Toshik were. Each of them were pushing six-foot-six.
“I don’t understand, Director. Do we not have our own energies and abilities to polish?” Lilu asked. “Toshik and Yama must focus on their Adrenergy in order to perfect their speed. Bryson and I must do the same for our Intel Energy to perfect our electrical abilities.”
“Bryson must have not told you how I train my pupils, Lita Lilu,” Debo said. She shook her head.
“Your Intel Energy isn’t that important. In fact, none of the energies are important at the beginning.” Lilu’s eyebrow rose a bit. “Your abilities bloom naturally. While training to control your energy may help somewhat, it is really more of a natural thing than anything else. When the time comes, you will be able to wield your electricity effectively. So let’s forget about our energies and focus on something you can improve—your speed and technique.”
Bryson sighed a bit louder than he meant to.
“What is it, Bryson?” the Intel Director asked.
“This is so bland! This is all you’ve ever taught me since I was five. This same old spiel.”
“And obviously you still haven’t heard it enough.” Debo turned to Director Buredo. “When do children in the Adren Kingdom start learning how to fight, Director Buredo?”
“At the age of two,” he replied in a deep tone.
“And what are they taught?”
“How to be fast and agile, yet make every move a calculated one.”
“Precisely!” Debo said. “I couldn’t have said it better myself. That is what makes the swordsmen and swordswomen of the Adren Kingdom so fearsome.” He looked at Bryson and Lilu. “Did you know most of their speed doesn’t actually come from their Adrenergy?”
“Really?” Lilu asked. She was heavily invested in Debo’s lecture. Bryson, however, had zoned out.
“Yes, Lilu,” Buredo said. “Only a small percentage of our speed comes from our Adrenergy. The rest of it is from the years of work we put into perfecting our bodies and natural fighting abilities.”
Lilu’s face lit up. “I’m aware of the concept of speed percentage. I was never really taught about it though, as it’s more relevant to the Adren students.”
Director Buredo nodded, but Lilu continued her little lecture. “The scale is obviously 0 to 100%. The 100% is equivalent to max speed, which is based off the fabled two-second mile, but nobody actually knows who ran that. It’s more of a measuring stick. How much of that 100% can be achieved without Adrenergy?”
“It is believed to be 70%,” Buredo replied.
“Wow,” Lilu paused in shock. “So people of any kingdom can become fast? And the other 30% is limited to the people of the Adren Kingdom?”
The Adren Director smiled. “Technically, yes. But most of our warriors can barely tap into their Adrenergy, just like most of your people can barely tap into their Intel Energy. A typical student can only reach an average of 32% of max speed—29% of that due to the years of physical training and 3% being our Adrenergy.”
“So I could potentially reach the speed of most Adren Kingdom warr
iors?”
“Perhaps,” he said, “if you had been training from the age of two. What is your speed now?”
Lilu blushed. “I’ve never had it measured.”
“It’s time to change that,” Debo cut in. “Today, we will be recording each of your speed percentages. Then at the end of the school year, we’ll measure it again.
“We’ll pair the girls together and the boys together. You’ll time your partner to see how fast it takes him or her to run across the length of this room.”
Bryson gazed up at Toshik as the warrior handed him the clock. “Hey, man. We really didn’t get to talk much during the break. Glad we’re going to get to work together.”
Toshik sneered. “Just focus on timing me.” As he turned away to walk to the opposite wall, he added, “Don’t blink.”
Slightly offended, Bryson frowned. He couldn’t harness his electricity, but when it came to speed, he was well trained. He smiled inwardly. Finally, a chance to gain this snob’s respect.
While Toshik and Yama crouched into ready position, Bryson prepared himself to time correctly. He knew how quickly he would have to click the stop button after pressing go. You needed insane reflexes to time a talented Adren resident, for they’d be at the finish line in an instant. To the untrained eye, they would disappear.
“Bryson and Lilu, you ready?” Director Debo asked.
They nodded with intense concentration.
He smiled. “I hope so.” Then he raised his hand and shouted, “Go!”
As expected, Toshik was fast, but not to the point where Bryson couldn’t see him. He timed it perfectly, pressing the stop button exactly when Toshik reached the finish line. He knew by looking at the time that Toshik had done well, but he wouldn’t know the exact percentage until he calculated the conversions.