I stepped into the dorm common area, pushing the heavy wooden door open, shoulders aching and mind buzzing with all I’d just learned. I kept asking myself questions the entire way back from the academy.

  Will the training with Captain Philip give me the boost I need? Or is it just a ploy to get me away from the academy? What about this damned cursed sword? Can I find Dog on the second floor during the training?

  ‘Wow, you are really going on and on today,’ Fern said.

  Can you blame me?

  I walked inside and headed down the corridor. It was quiet. The doorway to the common room on my left was emitting a faint lantern light from within. Did Silas and Mel stay up waiting for me?

  Turns out, they were, and so was every other one of my fellow first-years.

  They were all here, Sora, Tevin, Luna, and the other first-years, like Morgan and Quill. They’d arranged themselves in a rough semicircle around the low wooden tables, arms folded, jaws set like it was some intervention. Silas and Mel were seated near the center, looking uneasy and almost . . . apologetic.

  I noticed Ol’ Mumm by the kitchen door, quietly wiping her paws on her apron. She walked over and set down a plate of freshly baked treats on a table next to Tevin. The bear-woman walked back inside the kitchen, but I could see her watching us through the small diner-like window. She said nothing, but it seemed like she wanted to eavesdrop.

  I stepped into the room. “What’s . . . going on?” I asked. I looked at an empty chair near the hallway and grabbed it, moved next to Silas, and sat down.

  “Erik,” Sora said, voice firm. She stood up from where she’d been sitting, her silver hair reflected from the fireplace. “We need to talk.”

  I glanced toward Silas and Mel. They looked caught, like they’d tried to defend me before I arrived and maybe failed.

  Silas shook his head. “Tried to throw ’em off the scent.”

  Mel just raised an eyebrow as if to say, This was inevitable.

  “All right,” I said, trying to keep as calm as possible. “What’s going on?”

  Sora crossed her arms, chin lifting. “You tell us,” she said. “You vanish at odd hours every night, you get pulled out of class for special reasons and are always talking to the professors, you whisper with Silas and Mel alone, and we saw you three slipping out earlier. Now you come back acting strange. I may have one eye, but I’m not blind, Erik.”

  Morgan nodded. “I know we aren’t part of your clique, but we are still House Anu first-years. We took down that Guardian together, we should know our teammates better,” she said. “That means no more secrets among us, especially after surviving what we have. If we can trust each other in battle, we should trust each other here.”

  Luna tapped a foot against the wooden floor. “We’re a team,” she added. “We survived two attacks from that horror and have bonded through our training. We owe it to each other to share what we know. Yet you’re holding something back.”

  Tevin’s thick arms were folded over his chest. “Erik, we’ve all noticed your strange behavior,” he said. “If you’re in trouble, we can help. If you’ve got secrets that affect us, we need to know.”

  Quill and several others nodded in unison.

  I sighed and looked at Silas. He leaned over. “You don’t have to tell ’em everything, just tweak the truth,” he whispered.

  Mel spoke up. “We said it’s better if they don’t know—safer for them and all that,” she said quietly. “But it looks like that ship has sailed.”

  Sora laughed. “Safety? We took down a Guardian,” she said. “We’re not cowards. We brought our pasts up in the pillar. And we will continue to bear more truths for each other here. That’s . . . what we do now. Right?”

  I tilted my head at seeing Sora’s eye begin to tear up.

  She shook her head and then pointed aggressively at me.

  “Just tell us the truth, Erik! Come on!”

  Fern stirred as they all confronted us.

  ‘Go on, tell them,’ he said. ‘I’m tired of the secrets, Erik. I know it opens us up to possibly getting hurt, but it has already worked out well so far with Silas and Mel. I’m tired of the danger. You were right. We needed help, and now we have some. They’ve survived so much with us—they deserve the truth.’

  I smiled. I was already going to do so. I’m glad we are on the same page. Let’s see how they react to my planet-hopping adventure.

  “All right,” I began, voice steadier than I expected. “You’re right. I’ve been hiding things. Not because I wanted to lie, but because I thought it’d keep you safe. Because I thought you didn’t need to know. And if I’m being truly honest, I didn’t want to be treated differently. We’re in dangerous times, and I didn’t want to drag you into a mess that might get you killed.”

  Sora’s eye narrowed, but she said nothing.

  “I’ll start from the beginning,” I said. “First . . . I’m not from Stylos. Not even from this world of Mourne. I come from another world—one without magic. We call it Earth.”

  A dozen eyebrows shot up. Quill gave a half laugh of disbelief, and Luna’s eyes widened. Sora covered her mouth with her hand. I then told them everything, just like I did with Mel and Silas.

  A slow silence stretched after my explanation ended. I reached for a pastry, biting into it just to ground myself. The sweet warmth filled my mouth, calming my nerves.

  Finally, Luna broke the silence. “You’re telling me you’re some . . . old man from another world, sharing a body with the original soul still inside? And on top of that, there’s a spy who’s out to kill you and that’s why the Guardian appeared in the trial?” She burst into a loud cackle, which the rest of my housemates joined in on. I also laughed.

  Luna continued. “Honestly, that’s so outrageous it might as well be true. I guess the fates really don’t like you.”

  I included what we knew about the spy so far, how we were allied with Waelid temporarily, and finally that I was to leave the academy to go train.

  At the mention of Waelid, some faces hardened. They all knew about Waelid’s methods. I raised a hand. “I know. I have issues with him too. But right now, he’s part of this plan. Tomorrow, I will go with him to the upper floors. The idea is to remove me—the spy’s target—from the academy, so the spy slips up for Hopsander to catch.”

  Tevin spoke softly. “You’re leaving us?

  “For a few weeks,” I said. “So I can train, grow stronger, and control my twin soul synergy power even more. Meanwhile, Silas and Mel will lead efforts with Galina to research the records we took. And you”—I looked at each of my housemates—“I guess you are now involved too. Huh?”

  “You bet we are,” Sora said, raising a fist high in the air.

  I smiled. “Watch out for strange behavior and inconsistencies from the professors. If the spy thinks I’m gone, they might get sloppy.”

  Mel turned toward me. “What about your blood infusion?”

  “I—”

  Shit, she’s right. What the hell, I need that power-up! Before I go!

  “I need to find that out!” I stood up.

  “Sit back down, recruit.” I turned around, and standing in the doorway were Waelid and Galina. Galina held a small brown chest. “Looks like we came in just in time. Hopsander wants you to pick an infusion now.”

  “All of us?!” Mel shouted, amped to get her power.

  “No, not all of you,” Galina said, moving toward the table in the center of the room. “You all will wait until the end of the week and go through the ceremony as normal. Erik, while it is unceremonious, time is of the essence. You must choose now. The headmaster chose these specifically for you. Choose wisely.”

  “Wait, that’s not fair. I didn’t even have time to look at the booklet. I still need time to—”

  “That doesn’t matter,” Galina cut me off. “These three are the ones the headmaster has approved for you to choose from.”

  Stolen novel; please report.

  “I need permission? Seriously? I don’t really get much of a choice, huh?”

  “Recruit.” Waelid sneered down at me. The rest of my classmates behind me went quiet. “You should count yourself lucky you even get to have an infusion.” He clicked his teeth. “Personally, I am against it. A twin soul, with an infusion? That’s just pouring oil onto a fire.”

  Galina looked between us and then opened the small chest. Inside were three small glass vials with a black stop plugged into the top of each one. Each tube had a small tab of white paper painted with a unique creature drawn in extreme detail. Below the figure was the word for the creature.

  A lion with the back hooves of a goat, large wings, and a snake for a tail.

  Chimera.

  A two-headed dog, with smoke trailing its paws and mouth.

  Orthus.

  A large horse-like creature with scaly skin, webbed feet, and seven heads, each twisting around each other like a group of serpents.

  Hydra.

  “On second thought,” I said, a smile growing on my face, “I think these will be just fine options.”

  We moved through the academy’s dim corridors. Waelid led the way, his boots thudding softly against the stone floors. The chill of dawn crept through the narrow windows, painting our path with pale winter morning light.

  ‘So, was that it? We just drank it and . . . now what?’ Fern asked.

  I’m not sure. To be honest, I thought it would cause us to be in pain or something. Maybe it’s a delayed effect? Waelid didn’t even tell us how to use it.

  We approached the Mouth, that central hollow chamber of Baldred’s Pillar that connected all floors. Its cavernous space loomed above us, lit by hanging crystal lanterns. Like before, I could see up to the first floor, but a mist obscured everything above that.

  Fern whispered in my head.

  ‘Nervous?’

  A bit, I answered silently. A whole month, I’m stuck with Waelid. Can’t say I’m thrilled. I don’t know how I will stop myself from wringing his neck. I clenched my fists.

  Fern’s chuckle was a dry rasp.

  ‘You were never one to shy from a challenge. It’s usually me who’s the hothead. Just . . . watch him. And watch yourself.’

  Hey, at least you’re self-aware.

  As we waited, I kept looking up at the massive hole above me. I knew we were headed to the second floor, but the description we were told in class was lost on me. All I remembered was that they supposedly mined pillardust there. I tried to imagine what that would look like, but my mind produced only half-formed images of a winding mineral mine.

  “Hey, who does the mining?” I asked Waelid.

  “Them.” He nodded his head behind me. I turned around, and a group of twelve men, fatter and less chiseled than the adults I had seen in the academy, walked across the room. They looked . . . happy. The twelve men all wore white T-shirts, thick leather helmets, and black pants. Most of them had long beards and carried small duffle bags on their shoulders and pickaxes in their hands.

  “If it isn’t youngster Waelid!” one of the taller men said, waving over to him. “Hopsander said we’d have a special escort up. Can I assume it’s you?” The man who had shouted out to Waelid clapped Waelid’s shoulder. The new, true, darker side of Waelid vanished, reverting to his old charming self. I cursed at how easily he could change his personality.

  “Coren! It’s good to see you, old man! Is Luci doing all right? How’d that medicine work out?”

  “Oh, young man, thank you so much for asking. My little Luci is doing much better. Her mother has been so happy hearing our little girl sing now that sickness has passed.”

  “Ah, that’s good. Well, gentlemen, shall we be on our way?” Waelid said.

  ‘Oh, so he’s a good guy to some people . . . I see.’

  Waelid turned and led us across the mouth to a long wooden platform hanging down from the center of the pillar. A wooden contraption, something like a large cargo elevator, waited there, suspended by thick ropes anchored somewhere far above. I frowned.

  Last time, we climbed using our grappling hooks against the sheer cliff face of the pillar’s interior tube. Now we have a lift? I thought.

  I wondered if Professor Twinges and Silas had gotten that ancient piece of technology working to make this. Part of me was jealous and upset about what we had to go through, but the other was relieved I didn’t have to grapple up two miles high.

  Waelid stepped onto the wooden platform first, testing it with his boot. “Captain Philip’s crew rigged this,” he said over his shoulder. He offered no comfort, no reassurance that it was safe. Just a statement.

  I followed, gripping the side railing. The wood creaked under my weight. A pulley system with iron gears and a hand crank was attached at one end. A pair of muscular upperclassmen—graduated Cinders, by their uniforms—stood ready to operate it, giving us a curt nod. The rest of the twelve miners joined us, seemingly unafraid of the elevator.

  Before I could ask questions, Waelid gave a slight nod to the operators. One upperclassman inspected the gears before giving a thumbs-up. The other pulled the lever. The elevator lurched, and my stomach dropped as we ascended. The rough wooden boards trembled beneath my feet, each turn of the gears echoing through the hollow chamber.

  ‘I hope they tied those ropes well,’ Fern said.

  Me too, I replied grimly, knuckles whitening as I gripped the railing.

  As we rose, the academy’s stone architecture slipped away below us. The pillar’s interior walls were rough and dark, lit intermittently by crystals fixed at intervals. Shadows danced with the sway of our ascent. The wind whistled softly, carrying the scent of damp earth and moss. The air grew colder, and after a few minutes, we passed the first floor. The giant rainforest floor where we battled the Guardian and scrollguards flew past in a moment, and soon we were back in the middle of the stone.

  Then the rushing of distant water reached my ears, and a spray of mist rained down on the elevator. Like a sudden rainstorm, water rushed around, coming down on all sides. Coren, the miner who had spoken with Waelid, nudged me.

  “Hold on tight, kid, wouldn’t wanna fall now.” He gave a wink, and I took his advice, although I wasn’t sure how much more tightly I could grip the rope.

  The rushing water flew below us as we climbed higher until the platform jerked to a stop. The ropes groaned and the metal gears and hinges clicked together. My heart drummed as I stepped off the elevator. The massive rolling of water echoed around me. The two Cinders operating the lift saluted Waelid curtly, waited for the twelve miners to exit with us, and then descended.

  We stood on a simple stone platform, and water rushed past us on either side. The once-pale dawn light from the sun was completely blacked out. We were in some huge, unnatural cave. Dim teal light filtered out from giant crystals hanging several thousand feet above us. A distant roar of waterfalls—no, more like sewer grates—echoed around us. It took a moment for my eyes to adjust to the new dark, but when they did, I had to hold myself against a railing. We were in a huge, underground-like ruined city.

  Waelid looked at me, laughed at my open jaw, and finally broke his silence. “This is the second floor. The sunken sewer city of Dust.” His tone was matter-of-fact, but I caught the hint of pride. He knew this place well, it seemed.

  I stepped forward down the stone platform, walking a narrow path between canals. The second floor was like an ancient decaying city in water. Like Venice if it was lost to time, thrown in an underground cave, and lit up with giant teal and purple crystals.

  I saw a landscape of broken stone buildings emerging from shallow waters. Narrow canals looked like glowing blue-green veins cutting through the architecture. Far in the distance and high above on the interior walls of the pillar, four enormous grates spilled hundreds of gallons of water into these canals, their rush like distant applause. The city ruins were old and scattered, archways and toppled columns hinting at a lost civilization. A giant ruined cathedral stood in the center like a multitiered cake. Everything glimmered faintly with crystal dust, giving an eerie glow, like this city was filled with ghosts.

  Waelid set his jaw. “We’ll meet Captain Philip’s team deeper inside.” He pointed to a large domed structure rising in the distance below the enormous cathedral. “That’s where they’ve established their base camp. He’s waiting.”

  I nodded, adjusting my pack. I could handle this. After all, I had fought Guardians, survived the spy’s ambush in the archives, and forged alliances from necessity. A sunken sewer city? Just another stage. Another level. And I had just gotten a new power boost. If something happened, I’d be ready.

  ‘Easier said than done. This place looks like a haunted death trap,’ Fern muttered. ‘But . . . also kind of pretty. In a broken way.’

  I smiled slightly. It seemed like Fern was in a better mood now that we were up here.

  We picked our way through the uneven stone pathway leading into the city’s heart. The sound of flowing water rushed around us as we climbed small bridges between alleys over canals, headed toward the center of the second floor. Aside from the water and the quiet stomping of the miners following us, I also heard hushed murmurs of voices ahead. The glow of crystals above heightened as we moved deeper.

  Rounding a corner, we emerged into a small plaza. Broken statues stood guard in front of a massive dome-shaped building. In the center of the plaza, several figures stood waiting.

  As we approached, I recognized them—Laska’s slender form, arms folded and posture straight. Al’s broad shape, with black bushy beard and sporting some new eyewear; the glint of his goggles caught the light and beamed at us, along with his bright smile. There was another man with them. Shorter, wider, and bald. He had an eye patch and was leaning against a thick pole.

  As we got closer, my eyes widened. Goro, the giant titan-beetle companion of Al, stood proudly, his carapace reflecting teal glimmers. Around Goro, swarming and clustering, were about twenty small beetles, each the size of a large dog. They scuttled around, clicking quietly, their antennae waving as if greeting us. Some were sticking up against walls, but all of them were standing near the warm fire.

  “I can’t believe it . . . Are those Goro and Gora’s kids?” I whispered. Tevin would have flipped out to see the brood.

  Laska stepped forward, a cool smile touching her lips. “There you are,” she said. “Welcome to the second floor, Erik. Waelid.” She swept an arm, showing the beetles. “I hope you don’t mind the welcoming committee. Goro insisted on bringing some of his children. They’ll be assisting us.”

  My mouth widened into a grin. Twenty baby beetles. This was not what I expected. The small creatures chirped softly, a strange chorus in the gloomy ruins of a plaza. I couldn’t help but think of the journey to Ash and seeing all these little babies as small, pearl-like eggs.

  Al gave a hearty chuckle, patting Goro’s side. “We’ve been busy raising the youngins,” he said.

  “When did this happen?”

  “While you were in the first trial!” Al said, smiling. He raised his goggles to show his proud eyes.

  “And they have grown this fast?” I asked.

  “Titan-beetles are unique. I’m sure you’ll learn more when you get back to class after this little . . . field trip.”

  “So, what’s the plan?” I asked softly, looking from Laska to Al, and then at the beetles. “Is Captain Philip here?”

  Laska’s smile faded slightly as she nodded over my shoulder. I turned to see a tall, muscular figure approaching from beyond a broken archway, the sound of heavy footsteps on wet stone. The figure paused, torchlight flickering over a face I couldn’t yet see, but I sensed a powerful presence. The muscly man stopped and stared at us. His face was hidden by shadow. Then he charged at us, arms outstretched.

  “Erik!!! Waelid!!!” He picked us both up in his arms and squeezed so hard I thought my bruised ribs would bend and snap.

  “Boys! It’s good to have you with us!”

  “C-C-Captain!” I tapped his massive arm. “P-please. Y-you’re ch-choking us!”

  He let us drop, and we coughed, rubbing our throats.

  “That’s Major to you, son!” Major Philip said. “Oh yes, that’s right! Major Philip Louis Willard has fulfilled his familial duty to RISE through the ranks! Are you ready for my special brand of training?” He smiled behind his enormous mustache, which was expertly groomed to twirl up on either end.

  Fern whispered in my head.

  ‘This is going to be interesting . . .’

  I couldn’t agree more.

  Origins: A New Beginning

  by KhaosZero

  In a world where concepts live like people, who is to say he can’t become one.

  What You Can Expect

  - Rational Protagonist

  - Some Slice of Life

  - Some Mystery / Psychological / Tragedy Themes

  - Substantial Character Growth, Both for MC and Side Characters

  - A Story that Starts Fast but Slows Down

  - Well Developed World and Magic System

  - 1500-2500 Word Chapters

  - No Instant Overpowered MC

  Release Schedule

  - Daily first 2 weeks followed by 5x Week Mon/Tue/Wed/Thu/Fri @ 14:00 CET