I stared at the bald man's round face, with his brown eyes, flat nose, and thick lips. The tan skin had more than a few wrinkles, and the edges of his black robe were fraying. His stance was proud and authoritative, though, as appropriate to his position. For I had never met one before, but I recognized the silver-trimmed black robe as the uniform of a captain of the Emperor's guards.

The dozen spearman before me had plain, unadorned black robes. They were younger, some as young as me. They held their spears in identical positions, with their left hand forward, their right hand back on the dark wooden shafts. The steel spearheads were asymmetric, with a longer knife edge on one side.

There was no sign of the grassy field from before. Tall brick and stone buildings rose several stories into the sky, and the paved roads here were smooth and well-kept. I didn't recognize this part of the city.

Beyond the ring of spearman were more guards in black uniforms, at least a couple dozen. Some were looking at me, but others were spaced at regular intervals. I looked back at the Academy I had just exited. The circular gray structure from before was gone. Instead, it looked as if I had emerged from a doorway set in a large stone-carved obelisk that was about ten feet wide and maybe twenty feet tall. The stone surface was well-weathered, and there were chips on the corners of the obelisk. It was an ancient monument of some kind.

I returned my attention to the bald man who had spoken. "I'm sorry, what charge are you arresting me for?"

If this had happened to any of the other Academy entrants, they would have likely laughed. The spearman were commoners with little skill, intended to keep ordinary people in check. The captain was the only sword artist immediately present, but I would have likely matched him, even without my brief time in the Academy.

Now, as a Grandmaster? The whole situation was absurd.

I frowned. The others had left the Academy ahead of me. If the imperial guard had tried the same thing on them, surely they would have known better than to proceed with this farce. I scanned the faces before me. Some of the faces were lined with worry, others tight with nervousness, but none showed the fear that should have been present, had they known what they were truly facing.

"Treason," the bald man said. He lowered his hand to the hilt of his sword. "Surrender your sword."

"I'd rather not," I replied. "I think there's been a misunderstanding. Can we talk this out?"

This made no sense. How had they known to target me, specifically, then? It's not like my name was known outside the few street brawls I had been in. It was almost like they were waiting for me, but how would they have known I was arriving now?

Five? This could be his doing. Alanna didn't strike me as the type do this, and there was no reason for Naisha to, unless she still harbored some misguided grudge over the other night.

"You refuse?" The bald captain asked. He drew his sword, a simple, unadorned blade with a basic crossguard.

Asking me to surrender my sword was an insult, on par with accusing me of treason. The captain had to know that. "I do. I'll be happy to discuss--"

"Get him!" the bald captain ordered.

A dozen spearheads stabbed forward towards my torso. Their reckless response meant that, as far as I could tell, no one else knew yet what the Academy had done to us. I didn't think it would be wise to reveal the truth so publicly at this time.

I jumped as the dozen spearheads skewered the empty space where my body had been. I landed on the shaft of one of the spearmen, took two steps along its length until one foot landed on the lucky fellow's shoulder, and pushed off to clear the ring of guards.

The bald captain's blade swung for me as I landed. I had meant to hold my strength in check, but the incoming sword seemed to move sluggishly with a child-like wobbling. I could practically trace the lines of qi flowing through the bald captain's side and arm, the imperfections in their flow, the limitations of his weaker body's technique.

I reached out and clapped both hands together, trapping the blade in between them, and twisted. The move was instinctive and easy, taking as little effort as walking, but the bald captain twirled through the air and landed face first on the paved road. I was too surprised by how clumsy the attack had seemed, and I stared at the fallen sword artist as he pushed himself to his feet. He touched a drop of blood on his lips.

The spearmen held back now, a hint of fear creeping into their expression. The bald captain, to his credit, took half a step forward, but I shook my head.

"Don't waste your men's lives, or your own." I hoped that didn't sound too ominous, but sometimes you had to simplify the message to get the point across. "I'm no traitor. May I go?"

The bald captain frowned, but he held up his hand to hold back the other guards who had gathered around us.

"Look," I said. "If this is about Naisha Leshander. She's a liar. If this was about Five, I mean Unit Five, he's blinded by personal biases."

The bald captain didn't say anything for a moment. Then, he grunted, which I eventually took to mean he wouldn't interfere with my leaving.

I quickly made my way past the guards before they changed their minds, breaking out into a light jog once I had turned the corner down a side street. My heart was pounding harder than normal, but not from running, and not from the confrontation, at least directly.

I was a Grandmaster. There was no doubt that the Swordgeists had delivered what they had promised. The gap in strength between the bald captain and me just now...he must have been a Greater Expert, nearly a Master, but with the chasm of two whole ranks, he might as well have been an untrained toddler. The difference in strength was surreal.

I continued back towards the Commoner's District where Elder Gri and I had been staying, making careful note of the landmarks so that I could find my way back to the Academy entrance. I soon arrived at the two-story building made of rotting wood that served as our home in the city of Sanctum. The window to our room on the second story was open, so I leaped towards it.

"Elder Gri!" I shouted as I grabbed the ledge and swung my way inside.

Elder Gri must have been reclining, because I found him crouched on the rickety bed, his one good hand on the sword at his side.

"Talen!" Elder Gri nodded eagerly and sat back down.

His eyes went up and down the length of my new clothes, which, while plain, were much better than anything I had owned before.

"I see you've likely passed the exam," he said.

He frowned slightly as his eyes rested on the side of my head. My ears. I had rushed here without checking out the Academy's infirmary.

"Tell me everything," Elder Gri commanded.

I spent the next half hour giving Elder Gri a detailed report of everything that had happened. He listened quietly, occasionally asking a question for clarification. When I was finally done, Elder Gri squeezed the bridge of his nose between his thumb and finger.

"Void Beasts," Elder Gri said with a grimace. "Even I didn't expect that. They didn't say how long until the threat arrives, did they?"

I shook my head. "No."

Elder Gri lowered his hand and leaned his head slightly backward with his eyes half-closed. I knew that look. He was planning on how best to use the newfound knowledge.

"You'll stay at the Academy for now," he said.

I had been standing fairly still the whole time I had been giving him my report. I shifted my weight from one foot to the other, the only sign that I wasn't entirely pleased with his statement. I had assumed that I would stay at the Academy for as long as I needed. Clearly, Elder Gri had other ideas.

It dawned on me that he hadn't even asked for proof of my ascension to Grandmaster. I wasn't sure how clan leadership worked in such a case. I was the youngest by age, but now the most senior by rank. Technically, he could still order me to withdraw from the Academy, and I would have to comply.

"Yes?" Elder Gri snapped, not missing anything. "If you wish to say something, out with it."

"The Selai," I said to change the topic. "Do you know them? Can you send word?"

Elder Gri's expression softened slightly. "I've heard of them. I'll see what I can do."

He stood up and stepped forward to grab me by the chin, turning my head one way, then the other, like I was a child. He was testing me, to see if I still knew my place in the clan. I let the graying elder do as he wished.

"They can restore your ears?" Elder Gri asked.

"I'm not sure, but I believe it's likely."

Elder Gri let go of my chin and sat back down. "This infirmary. Can you bring me there?"

I stared at him, finally understanding what he meant. "I can ask the instructor." I had a guess what the answer would be, but I owed Elder Gri to at least ask on his behalf.

"And the bounty," he said. "See to that as soon as possible." He even looked to the open window again, as if sending me on my way.

The bounty. Right. The royal bounty. I still had no idea why the guards had tried to arrest me. I had been hoping I could delay looking into that, but Elder Gri's insistence left me no choice.

"I'll take care of it immediately," I said, groaning inwardly.

Elder Gri gave a curt nod of his head. I returned a short bow back to him, then jumped out of the window again, landing lightly on the dirt road below.

I realized that I had no idea who to question about the bounty. I could head to the imperial palace at the city's center, but I doubt they would just let me inside. The defenses would be stronger, there, too. If they still had the mistaken notion that I was a traitor, things could get messy quickly.

I decided to head back to the Academy. Surely the guards at the Academy's entrance would have been briefed somewhat on the nature of the exam. The bald captain had seemed reasonable enough, too.

As I backtracked to the obelisk that served as the Academy's entrance, the cityscape once again shifted from dirt paths to paved streets, and from cheap wood and mud to bricks and painted stones. I had barely sighted the obelisk when I found myself at the center of a ring of spears for the second time that afternoon. This time, though, some of the spear heads trembled, and I caught at least a few eyes twitching nervously.

"Is the captain here?" I asked. "The one who's..." I rubbed the top of my head.

"You again!" a gruff voice shouted.

The bald captain came running up to the group of guards surrounding me. Unlike his underlings, the older man showed no fear of being outclassed. I hoped that was a good sign.

"I'm still not a traitor," I said.

The bald captain coughed into a fist. "Perhaps there was a miscommunication."

"Was it Five?" I asked, but he didn't reply. "Nevermind. Could I trouble you for something? Do you know where I can collect the royal bounty regarding the Academy?"

A dozen or so spears were still pointed at me. I reached forward and pushed the closest one away with my bare hand. "And do you mind...?"

The bald captain paused, then motioned for the guards to lower their spears. He avoided looking at me as he spoke.

"While you're not under arrest, we're to escort you to an imperial agent," he said. "The agent may be able to help you with the matter of the bounty. I understand that you're from one of the sword clans?" The bald captain finally met my eye, the unspoken meaning conveyed by his expression.

The guards had lowered their spears, but none of them had stepped aside to let me pass freely. I understood the gist of the bald captain's dilemma. He had been ordered to bring me to this agent, despite knowing the difference in strength between us. He risked my ire with the request, yet if he failed, he risked his superior's wrath.

Fortunately for him, we traditionalists were obedient citizens of the Empire, as he tried to remind me subtly. Well, I knew a thing or two about being wrenched one way or another by those in charge. I wasn't looking to cause trouble for him or for myself.

"Sure, lead me to this agent," I said. "Captain...?"

"Captain Rainer," he replied with a nod. "Please, this way."

Captain Rainer led the way a short distance down the street. A group of guards trailed behind us, staying out of my way but remaining close enough so that they could claim to be escorting me if anyone asked. Appearances were everything, as usual.

We stopped in front of a three-story square building made of bricks painted a deep maroon. The building had eight windows facing the street, but the white shutters for every window were shut and chained. I had expected Captain Rainer to accompany me inside, but he waited outside a black door with a polished bronze handle.

"The agent's expecting you," he said without explaining further.

"Thank you, Captain." I walked up the three stone steps, opened the door, and went into the building.

It was rather dark. A single alchemical lamp on a large desk provided the sole source of lighting. I could sense someone sitting behind the desk, but the blue glare from the lamp hid him. A confusing mix of odors swirled around me as I took a cautious step forward. Cinnamon, ash, heavy musk--the scents came and went along with new ones that I couldn't identify. The hairs on the back of my neck tingled, touched by an unseen force. Even my core wasn't immune. It was as if the very air around me was slowly, gently trying to leech the qi out from me.

This had to be the lair of an alchemist. I stopped a good twenty feet from the desk and sent my qi more forcefully through my body, whipping it into a strong current that would be more difficult to perturb.

"I'm Talen of the Koroi sword clan," I said. "You sent for me?"

"Oh, sorry about that," a woman's voice said from the darkness behind the desk. "I couldn't resist a taste."

The sensation of leaking qi vanished, and the tickling on my hair also went away. I lowered my hand to touch Terminus, sending a small but steady stream of qi into its chamber. I had never dealt with an alchemist before. The few times the clan had business with one, the other elders had taken care of it.

Alchemists, as a rule, were unpredictable and dangerous. Something about the nature of their craft, with its godlike ability to grant power onto others, tended to create, or perhaps favored, high-strung and unstable dispositions. The more powerful an alchemist was, the more likely he was to one day succumb to some grandiose insanity that ended in ruin for himself and everyone around him.

It was one of the reasons that we traditionalists didn't trust or use alchemical methods. In the traditional sword arts, greater strength went hand in hand with a steady mind and focused will. A sword was meant to have a keen edge and an agile touch, as was a sword artist. Alchemy was chaos, a means to unchecked power that corrupted all notions of balance or discipline. But they were tolerated, coveted even, for their promise of power.

I watched and waited in silence as I charged Terminus, as if I was in the presence of a wild beast. The light from the alchemical lamp dimmed slightly, yet the softer blue strangely filled more of the room. I could finally make out the rows of bookshelves taking up one wall, the work tables and glass cabinets taking up another, and what looked like an armory taking up the wall furthest from me. As crazy as it sounded, I likened the change to the alchemist turning off the darkness rather than turning up the light.

I could see her now. Pitch-black hair past her shoulders, a sharp nose, pointed chin, and hazel eyes. For a second, I thought her eyes glowed with the color of qi, but when I blinked, they appeared normal. Her skin was smooth and fair, with not a single mark or blemish, but her voice had been too low and thick to belong to a young woman. I didn't trust the appearance of an alchemist.

She brushed her hair back, revealing a yellow circlet, likely made of gold. Above her forehead was a single large gem that sparkled with rainbow hues even in the low light. Despite my usual reserved nature, I gasped in surprise.

Silver robes for the nobles. Golden trim for those favored among the nobles. And a diamond crown for royalty. My eyes swept downward, taking in the golden trim of her silver robes that completed her garb.

No unearthly aura weighed on my shoulders, but I fell to one knee all the same.

"Your Majesty," I said. "I confess that I didn't recognize you."

The Emperor was in his forties. He had no living siblings or close relatives, and this woman was too old to be a daughter. That meant she was one of his many wives. I wasn't up to date on the latest royal gossip, not that I cared for such things. But an alchemist? Since when had he taken one of those in marriage? It was madness.

The Empress laughed. "Few would. I prefer it that way. Tell me, Talen, have you had any qi surgery? I think I know the answer, but I'd have you say so yourself. And you may stand. I don't bother with royal protocol here."

I rose warily, keeping my eyes respectfully on the desk before her. Between the meetings with the Swordgeists and the Empress, this one made me far more uneasy. Not because of power, but because of intent. I couldn't begin to fathom what would motivate the Swordgeists, but I could guess the kinds of motivation that would drive an alchemist to become an Empress.

"No, I have not," I replied, forcing my voice to remain even.

"What about alchemical supplements?" the Empress asked.

I hesitated. Could I speak this freely to her? In the end, she was an Empress. That circlet she wore was an extension of the Emperor himself. Such crowns weren't given lightly.

"A qi pill from the Academy," I said.

"Excellent," the Empress said in a breathy tone.

I flicked my eyes up briefly, then back down to the desk. This time, there was no mistake. Her eyes glowed with golden light. In that brief glance, though, I had seen something else in her face. Raw desire. But I had the impression that it wasn't me she wanted. Her eyes had been trained on my left arm, near the wrist.

"Did they give you anything else?" she asked.

I nodded. "A jade bracelet." I saw no need to add more details than necessary. Perhaps one of the others had told her about the Index already, in which case I didn't understand her apparent fascination with it.

"Show me," the Empress said.

I lifted my arm and pushed back the blue sleeve of my tunic, exposing the Index.

"Come closer." The Empress beckoned to me with a hand that had its nails painted bright orange.

I stepped forward, stopping a few feet from the desk.

"Closer."

I moved forward again until I was pushing up against the desk. The Empress stood up and leaned across the desk, grabbing my left wrist in a surprisingly tight grip. I grimaced as a shock of something coursed up and down my left arm. There was no physical pain, but her touch had disrupted the steady circulation of my qi, sending an uncomfortable twisting sensation through my arm.

"That's it," the Empress murmured. "Now do it."

"Do it?" I asked, stalling.

I glanced about the room. There were no guards here. For a moment, I considered what would happen if I raised my hand in defense against this alchemist. I wasn't afraid of her in a direct confrontation, not with my new strength. But her power was in the crown she wore, and I couldn't match that. I had no delusions about the consequences of defying a royal order, for myself and the clan.

The Empress smiled. "Summon the Swordgeists' qi."

Summon their qi? Is that how the Index worked? I was growing more and more convinced that the Empress didn't have my best interest in mind, nor the Swordgeists'. I begrudgingly chose the least informative command I could remember. Time.

Time: 2:58 p.m.

"Yes!" the Empress hissed, the nails of her fingers digging into the meat of my wrist.

A rush of qi seeped out of the cuts in my wrist along with thin rivulets of blood, but I was too confused to tell if it was my own qi or someone else's. The situation was beyond reasonable. Even if I was defying an imperial command, I couldn't remain motionless any longer.

I tugged on my arm, but the Empress' grip was like iron. I had to send a surge of qi-fueled strength to wrench myself free. I retreated three steps and crouched low, my mind racing with terrible thoughts at the consequences of the insult I had just committed.

I was calculating the distance to her throat, the line of minimal action to reach that target with Terminus. If I killed the Empress before she could order my punishment, I would also have to kill the captain outside, and any guards who had seen us. But others could have heard her command to bring me here. It would be endless, fruitless murder to hide my crime.

Would the Academy provide sanctuary? Could I hide there until I was too strong for anyone to threaten? Was I already strong enough? Perhaps, but my clan wasn't. They would come after my kin and clansmen. That was how they treated traitors, which I was on the verge of becoming in truth this time.

"I'm no traitor," I whispered, meeting the Empress' eyes.

The golden glow in them faded back to an ordinary shade of hazel as the Empress settled back into her chair. She leaned her head on one arm, smirking as she returned my gaze.

"I was right to order your arrest, wasn't I?" the Empress asked.

I stared at her, ignoring any semblance of royal protocol. Not Five, then. Her. "You made the false claim? I committed no treason!"

"But you did, just now." The Empress smiled. "So, I'm still right in the end. I could order your execution for that."

If I was already in trouble, so be it. I reached down and drew Terminus an inch from its sheath. "What do you want from me, your Majesty?"

"I want everything. To bleed you, to rip your core out of you, to drain every drop of qi from your soul." The Empress threw back her head and laughed. "But I doubt you'd agree to that, so instead you'll agree to meet with me regularly for an inspection. Carry out that simple task, and I'll overlook your tendencies towards treason."

She was insane. A monster.

An alchemist.

"Inspection?" I asked.

"To study what the Swordgeists are doing to your body and soul."

I shook my head. "What about the others? The nobles." Surely the nobles would jump at the chance to gain favor with a member of the royal family. There were dozens of them to choose from.

"Or Five, the soldier," I added.

The Empress laughed again. "Oh, I've inspected Five plenty of times. He's my finest work. As for the others, they're missing what only you possess: an unsullied body."

The Empress sighed and leaned on her other arm. "For all the power that human alchemy affords, I'll be the first to admit it has its limitations. The surgery and medicines..." She waved her a hand in the air. "I suspect they interfere with, or rather alter the response to the Swordgeists. When Five told me about a traditionalist at the Academy, I had to see for myself."

Blue words appeared in my sight, now of all times. My expression must have changed, because the Empress sat upright.

"What happened?" she asked.

I read the message quickly.

Instructions: The dark alchemist Empress Shih is no ally of the Academy. Choose one of the following courses of action immediately.

A) Comply with the Empress and be expelled from the Academy. You will forfeit all remaining bonus points but will retain all benefits received until now.

B) Comply with the Empress but attempt to kill her in the future. With this choice, you will receive an Assignment that will alter your progression in the Academy until completed.

C) Refuse the Empress and retreat in exile to the Academy until the Void threat is defeated.

D) Attempt to kill the Empress now. Expect a difficult fight.

More than anything, I wanted to scream and vent my frustration. The Swordgeists were still omnipresent, administering their endless exam. Why this? Why now? They couldn't possibly fear the Empress, and if they did, couldn't they remove her themselves?

I didn't know what to make of the whole situation, but the Empress watched me closely, waiting for my reply. As did the Swordgeists, somewhere beyond this realm. I turned to the choices again.

All the choices, except the one leading to expulsion, were plain treason. I would keep my rank as a Grandmaster if I left the Academy. That was enough, wasn't it? But what would happen once the Empress found out that I had lost access to the Swordgeists, for it seemed that they were what she truly sought. I was simply a proxy. That would end badly, satisfying no one.

To kill the Empress, now or in the future, then? It was outrageous to even suggest such a thing, on many levels. Beyond the obvious treason, such an act would overturn everything we traditionalists stood for. We did not involve ourselves in politics and scheming. We didn't sell our swords to the highest bidder. We focused on becoming great sword artists, and little else. At least, that was how we had been, before our decline.

The warning against attacking her raised an even more disturbing thought. This Empress, the dark alchemist as she had been called, could rival a Grandmaster in battle? I had never heard of such a thing. What kind of power did she wield, and why did no one know of it? And if I delayed the resolution, that would somehow affect my advancement? What did that mean?

I could run, as I had considered a minute ago. I could hide in the Academy, never to set foot in Sanctum or the Empire again, until the coming Void threat was defeated. But how long would that be? Years? Decades? It wouldn't be altogether bad, to cloister myself away and devote myself to the sword arts exclusively. Some would even prefer that.

I was tempted by this last choice. I could give up everything to pursue the sword and nothing else. But, in the end, I couldn't follow through with such a decision. Had I been alone, I would have taken it, but I had the clan. The ones back home were relying on me. It was why we had come to Sanctum in the first place, to secure our meager future.

"Is it the Swordgeists?" Empress Shih, as I now knew her, asked. Her hands clenched the armrests of her chair, and she shifted even further forward in anticipation.

The best lie was the truth. "I was trying to decide whether to attack or not." I slammed Terminus fully back into its sheath. "But I realized that there's more to you than I understand."

Confusion flashed across the Empress' face, then she gave a smiled, not appearing the last bit perturbed by my suggestion of violence. "Good. You agree to my terms?"

She wasn't giving me much of a choice. But the Swordgeists were. If the Swordgeists opposed the Empress, I knew which side I would choose. My honor demanded it, for I owed them as much for what they had already granted me. One could even argue that the Swordgeists superseded the Emperor in authority, especially for a sword artist. They were our supposed forefathers, after all, and bonds of family trumped the laws of a politician. No, I wouldn't give up my position in the Academy so easily, not for the sake of a crazed alchemist.

But to kill for them...

The Swordgeists had warned of the Void threat, hadn't they? If I didn't heed their warning now about the Empress, why bother continuing in any of this?

Final answer, B.

I nodded for Empress Shih's benefit. "For now," I said.

+100 xp. Total: 1115 xp.

The qi within my core, already thrown off balance by Empress Shih's antics, threatened to boil over, but I sent it circulating to iron out the turbulence. This time, when new blue words appeared in my sight, I kept my face a stony mask.

Assignment: Kill Empress Shih.

Until completion of the assignment, all further exam points gained will be reduced. After completion, the lost exam points will be restored two-fold.

The Assignments command is now available to view your current Assignments.

There. With this one choice, I had cast my lots with the Swordgeists in full. I still had my reservations about their methods and motivations, but of the recent set of looming dangers--the Void, the Empress, and the Swordgeists themselves--weren't they the most benevolent? The lesser of three possible evils?

If not, they had to be the strongest. And when all logic and reason failed, strength was the only guiding principle left. That, more than anything, convinced me that I had made the right decision. I was a sword artist, after all.