Olivia sat on the stone bench, hands folded in her lap, and did her best not to feel like a mouse under the predatory gaze of Professor Oylla-dak. Something in her didn’t shrink away, though, and she felt a heat start to rise in her chest; she sat up straight and looked into the professor’s dark, star-filled eyes. There weren’t literal stars in her eyes, but something about the advanced race of the Shadeni woman had made her eyes look like the depths of space. It was beautiful and unnerving at the same time. Olivia almost chuckled at the irony of her saying someone’s eyes were unnerving. She, with the blue flames licking at the insides of her irises, shouldn’t be one to cast stones.

“Thank you for meeting me on your weekend, Olivia.” Oylla-dak sat, legs crossed with one slender red knee escaping her tight black robes. Her hands were folded in her lap, and a warm smile exposed one of her long fangs. Olivia wanted to ask her about her wings—her cohort had told her that the woman could actually fly with them, and she desperately wanted to know more about it. Still, she restrained herself and answered her politely.

“It’s my pleasure, Professor.”

“That was quite a display you put on yesterday. I can’t remember the last time a first-year student displayed such control and power. In fact, your control rivals some of our journeyman students, even some of our professors. You’ve a long way to come in terms of raw power, but I think your potential is astounding.”

“Um, thank you, Professor.” This was starting to feel a bit too familiar to Olivia. She’d had this talk with more than one teacher and, later, professors.

“I’m happy Professor Gan-dak awarded you a full scholarship and stipend. Are you aware of the value of such?”

“Only in terms of opportunity. I’m afraid I’m not terribly clear on the relative wealth of the peoples of this world or how much of that wealth would be required to attend the academy here.”

“What an intriguing answer; I’m pleased to see that you’re aware of the value of this opportunity, aside from the monetary investment we’ve placed in you.” Oylla-dak leaned closer to Olivia and spoke mock-conspiratorially, “I have a pretty big budget, but people expect me to make the ledger balance at the end of the day.”

“I thought I was given a scholarship without a service indenture?” Olivia could feel the way this conversation was going, and her pleasant mood was starting to sour.

“Oh, that’s quite correct, Olivia. I don’t intend to force you into anything, I just have an opportunity that you could help me with, and I was trying to remind you of what you’ve been given so that you’ll have it in your mind when you consider your answer.”

“Well, that’s very forthright of you, I suppose.”

“Yes, I’m not one to wheedle with my words. Let me get to the point: Fainhallow is not the only academy in this world or the closely connected worlds.”

“Closely connected?”

“Yes, there are a few worlds that are relatively inexpensive to teleport to, given an adequately advanced City Stone. Let me get to my point, though: these schools, along with Fainhallow, have access to a few dungeons that open at certain times of the year...”

“Dungeons?” Olivia couldn’t help interrupting again.

“Ah, yes, I forget how new your people are to the System, which is another topic I’d like to discuss with you at length, but not right now. Dungeons. Hmm, I’m sure that, in your mind, the word conjures up something like a prison? The System, when it integrates languages, tends to find a word like that, something that means prison, but in an archaic sense.” Olivia nodded along, and Oylla-dak continued, “Well, a dungeon isn’t a prison in the literal sense. They can be natural or made by powerful Energy users, and they exist in a sort of dimensional space. Perhaps the term was first used to describe them because the older, natural dungeons contained beings that were unable to leave and became mad with the strange, unnatural passage of time and movement of space. People would find the entrance and fight the denizens, often emerging with powerful natural treasures.”

“I’m getting the picture,” Olivia said. “My friend, Morgan, was put into a place that sounds similar when we arrived in this solar system.”

“Oh? I’d like to hear about that sometime. Well, the dungeons I’m referring to aren’t wholly natural. They’re curated by the various academies and also by the System. We have access to four differently tiered dungeons, first, second, third, and fifth.”

“Tiers?”

“Yes. Most of the races of Fanwath receive their first class at level ten and have a refinement option every ten levels, at least up to level fifty. We consider levels ten through twenty to be tier one, level twenty to thirty, tier two, etc.”

“Okay, so I’d be considered tier one?”

“Correct, Olivia. You may have an idea where I’m going now, hmm? I’d like you to enter the tier one dungeon at the designated date and compete for Fainhallow.”

“What sort of competition are we talking about?”

“The dungeon has various levels, and you’ll have a certain amount of time to get as deep as possible.” Oylla-dak glanced to the side while she spoke, and Olivia could see she wasn’t being entirely forthcoming.

“And it’s dangerous?” she pressed.

“Yes, there are denizens of the dungeon to contend with, and, of course, there’s the risk of running into a student from the other academies. They aren’t guaranteed to be violent, but it’s not against the rules. I suppose I should say there are very few rules once you're in the dungeon.”

“Um, this doesn’t really sound like my sort of thing. I’ve never been physically competitive, and I can’t imagine fighting other students to win some sort of competition.” Olivia spoke firmly; she was sure about this.

“I wouldn’t expect you to attack anyone. I will help you learn to defend yourself, though, and I think you have an excellent chance of winning, going further than anyone in some time. I haven’t yet told you why this would be a good idea for you, not just the school.” She leaned forward, and her starfield eyes squinted with sincerity.

“I’m listening,” Olivia offered, forcing her mind to open to the idea.

“Olivia, this world is enormous, and the worlds neighboring us in the System’s teleportation network are just as large. Some of those worlds have been part of the System for thousands of years and have very powerful people living on them. Your people are new, and I’m sure the System tried to place you in an area where you can thrive, but all it would take is one powerful Energy user with malevolence in their heart to annihilate your race. This dungeon is an opportunity for you to learn and grow. It’s a chance for you to gain the skills and knowledge you’ll need to help protect your people. Can I ask, how many of your people are here on Fanwath?”

“Well, between four and five thousand. We lost a few hundred fighting an Urghat invasion when we first arrived.” Olivia saw no point in lying.

“Do you see how fragile that makes you as a race? My people, the Shadeni, are all over Fanwath. We tend not to build large cities, but even so, we are numbered in the hundreds of millions. The Ardeni are even more numerous. Now, if you aren’t some sort of anomaly among your people, then I’d wager that your kind has a naturally high Energy affinity. That will make you, as a race, interesting to many people. Some of those people don’t have good intentions. Are you starting to understand me?”

Olivia did see the point she was making, eliciting a slight panic attack in her. She’d thought about how few humans were here, and she knew, intellectually, that they barely had enough variation in their gene pool to propagate their race. They’d lost five times as many embryos as they had colonists when the System took them away from their ship. The idea of one of the native peoples deciding that humanity was a threat and wiping them out was, indeed, disturbing. “I understand,” she said quietly.

“Now, take heart—there are good people as well as bad, and, though it’s probably something an evil person would say, I want you to know that I have good intentions for you. I wouldn’t send you as a representative for Fainhallow if I didn’t think you’d do well or, being honest, if I didn’t think you had the potential to do well.” She paused and looked into Olivia’s eyes again, waiting for her to nod. “There are many potential rewards in this dungeon—racial upgrades, Energy orbs, artifacts, and, most importantly, the opportunity to improve yourself through challenge.”

Olivia barely heard Oylla’s words; she was still thinking about the fledgling community of First Landing. She was imagining a titanic figure descending from the sky and unleashing armageddon. She didn’t know where the image came from—probably too many bad VRs when she was a teen. Still, it reminded her of her real responsibilities. “As long as I won’t have to kill anyone, I’ll do it.” Olivia wondered if she would have changed her mind so quickly as her old self when she’d just been a normal human before she’d bonded with an elemental’s soul and earned a class that literally put fire in her. Oylla-dak smiled at her, a big, genuine smile that exposed her beautiful white teeth and two long fangs.

“I’m personally going to teach you to use your spells more effectively, Olivia. We have a week or so to prepare. I’ll be pulling you from your classes for the time being, but what I teach you and your experience in the dungeon will more than make up for what you miss.”

“Thank you, Professor.” Olivia sat up straight and nodded her head politely.

“Call me Oylla, Olivia, at least when we’re alone. Hmm, our names sound similar when you use the short form, don’t they? How auspicious! Now, take the rest of the weekend to celebrate what you’ve accomplished during the last month, and we’ll begin your training on Monday. Oh, one more thing: I have a package for you from Professor ap’Gravin. It’s the award he owes you for proving him wrong during your demonstration.” She had a wide grin on her face as she produced a small box wrapped in black paper with a delicate yellow ribbon.

“Oh, thank you. I didn’t expect him to pay up!” Olivia took the package and held it gently between her hands.

“Nonsense. If he’s going to attempt to malign you and Professor ap’Rall, then I’ll make sure he settles his debt. Goodbye, for now, Olivia. Meet me in the library Monday morning.” Oylla-dak smoothly stood, and one hand on the hilt of the sword she had at her waist, she strode across the commons and into the academy. Olivia watched her go, and only when she was out of sight did she blow out the breath she’d been inadvertently holding.

“Well? What was that about?” Adaida came up behind Olivia and sat next to her on the bench. “What? She gave you a present?”

“No! This is from Professor ap’Gravin. Oylla-dak made him pay up for challenging Alyss.”

“Oh, open it! While you’re at it, tell me what Oylla-dak wanted!”

“Well,” Olivia traced a finger along the yellow ribbon on the package, wondering if Oylla had wrapped it or if ap’Gravin had actually given it to her like this. “It seems she wants me to go to a dungeon for the academy and compete with some other schools.”

“What?” Adaida grabbed her by the shoulders and put her face about two inches from Olivia’s. “She’s sending you to the Proving Grounds?”

“Um, I don’t know; she didn’t say the dungeon's name.”

“Trust me; it’s the Proving Grounds. It’s well known that the academies compete in them. Nature! I don’t know if I should be excited or worried! Let me think about it while you open that present!” Adaida yanked the yellow ribbon, untying it, for emphasis. Olivia giggled, feeling infected by Adaida’s energy, and she pulled the wrapping paper away from a small wooden box.

The box had a dozen seams cut in its top, creating little triangles that met in the middle where a round, brass button sat. Olivia glanced at Adaida, and she nodded encouragement. She pressed the button, and the wooden lid unfolded like a flower, the burgundy silk lining opening up to reveal a small round vial with a black wax plug on the top. Inside the vial was a bright red liquid. A small card was nestled in the silky interior, and Adaida snatched it to read aloud, “Botnor’s Tincture of Racial Evolution. Olivia, it’s another racial advancement mixture, and Botnor’s potions are known to be strong.”

“Wow, I guess Oylla-dak wouldn’t let ap’Gravin slide with a cheap reward.”

“Let’s go to the dorm, so you can have some privacy while you take it! I can’t wait to see what happens next! Maybe you’ll grow a flaming tail or something!” She laughed and grabbed Olivia’s hand, pulling her to her feet.

“Alright, alright! I’m coming!” Olivia allowed Adaida to pull her by the hand, though, happy to have a friend and happy not to be thinking about her entire race being wiped off the face of the world.