“You came all the way back to Osterlan for my first day?” Galia said with narrowed eyes. “Now that I don’t believe. Next you’ll tell me that dad sent along a birthday present.”

The handsome young wizard clutched his heart and staggered in exaggerated pain. “You wound me, dear sister! What have I done to earn your disdain?”

“You could have warned me about the entrance test, Galyn.” She said, hands on hips.

Galyn winced. “Actually, I couldn’t. They place a geas on you every time you learn a new secret. There are a lot of secrets I can’t tell you until you’ve reached the right rank.”

“Who are these people?” Odd whispered to Uli in a not-so-subtle whisper. “Are we supposed to know them? Were we supposed to invite our families!” Her voice rose as each thought struck her, Uli groaned and tried to will himself into invisibility.

“Friends of yours?” Galyn asked with a cocked eyebrow.

“I could ask you the same.” Galia responded gesturing to Galyn’s companions.

“I suppose we’re friends.” Galyn mused. “What would you say, Alathea?”

The elf blinked slowly at Galyn.

“That’s Vanan for, yes.” Galyn told his sister with a cocky grin.

“It’s Vanan for you’re being an ass, wizard.” The one called Alathea said, her voice had a lilting, musical quality. “I greet you, students of the Great Mysteries, I am Alathea vo’Lothian.” She bowed with a hand over her heart, somehow making the simple gesture seem exotic and otherworldly.

“I’m Odesmeh Rayn!” Odd said, striding forward with her hand stuck out in greeting. “But everyone calls me Odd, not sure why.” Alathea looked at the proffered hand, sighed and then took it with a pained expression. Odd, fortunately, gave the elf one firm shake and then dropped her hand and stood back. “And these are my companions in the Tower of Changes: Galia Amneris and Uli…I never caught Uli’s last name. Do you have a last name Uli?”

Uli looked pained. “It’s not something you give out. Giving out your name with your own lips, it’s got a power to it, you shouldn’t give that away.”

“Is that true?” Galia asked, turning to Galyn.

“Sort of, but not something you really should worry about yet.” Galyn said waving away the question. “Did she say Tower of Changes? That’s where you placed? Dad is going to literally explode.”

“Why, what’s wrong with it?” Galia asked.

“Sir, we really should be going.” The Paladin said, stepping up beside Galyn with a serious expression.

“Ah Rodrik, you kill-joy, I thought you’d still be recovering from travel sickness, at least long enough to catch up with my sister.” Galyn sighed.

“I have sufficiently recovered, sir.” Rodrik said, his face a mask of stoic reserve, though he still looked a bit green. “And you had wanted to speak with Master Horngrym as soon as possible.”

“I know, I know.” Galyn said, waving Rodrik off, then turning to Galia. “Sorry, kid, duty calls.”

Galia nodded, of course he was here for another, more important reason. “Go on, but don’t you dare leave without saying good-bye.”

“Hey,” Galyn said, stepping forward so that they were mere inches apart. “I’m really proud of you. Learn what you can, and don’t worry about what dad will think. He and I were both in Destruction, so that’s the way our minds work. Yours can be, and should be, different.”

Galia bit her lip and nodded, blinking away the tears she knew were forming there.

Galyn smiled, that big open smile he always had, and stepped in to give her a hug, pressing her into his chest while holding his staff away from the both of them. Suddenly he stepped back. “I’ll see you before I leave.”

He turned suddenly and strode for the Tower of Destruction, Alathea and Rodrik following in his wake.

“Him and his father.” Douglas muttered, finally getting his fur back in some semblance of order. “Always rushing about, leaping without looking. Scryed the circle before transiting my fluffy little butt.” The cat gave a haughty sniff and turned his gaze to Galia. “That’s not a pair whose footsteps you want to follow in, trust me.”

“That’s my father and brother you’re talking about.” Galia said, defensive. “Why wouldn’t I?”

“They don’t think about consequence.” Douglas said, darkly.

“The Law of Exchange.” Odd gasped.

“What?” Galia asked, turning to Odd.

“It’s in Meridraste’s.” Odd said, blinking at Galia’s intense look. “The Law of Exchange. It’s one of the basic principles of magic. You don’t get something for nothing, to achieve an effect you must exchange something of equivalent value.”

Galia flushed and looked away, “I must have skipped that part.”

“Gods another one.” Douglas moaned. “And UIi was right about the name thing, don’t be giving that out willy-nilly especially around here. You’ll eventually give yourself a heart-name which will supersede your given name, but for right now just go with first names, it’ll make your life easier.”

“Really? Why is that?” Odd asked, fascinated.

“A wonderful question, for your masters, in class.” Douglas said pointedly. “I’m just a tour guide.”

Odd shuffled awkwardly, Uli continued to try and look unobtrusive, and suddenly Galia’s stomach started to grumble. She realized that it was getting close to evening and she hadn’t eaten anything since she’d climbed aboard the carriage at Peracost. “Since Rathwin isn’t throwing a welcome feast for us, I think we should have our own.” Galia said, turning to Odd and Uli. “What do you say?”

“I could literally eat a whole cow by myself.” Odd said with a shy giggle. “I mean, maybe not literally, but like a lot. I’m really quite hungry.”

Galia smiled at her and turned to Uli. “What about you, Uli?”

“You want me to come?” Uli asked.

“Sure, why not.” Galia said, a bit perplexed by the question. “We’re classmates, and Master Rathwin said we were the only ones we could really trust around here. Figured we could get some supper and get to know each other.”

“Oh.” Uli said, brightening. “Oh, OK, yes, let’s go do that.”

“I’ll leave you to that, then.” Douglas said, beginning to saunter off down the path. “The Towers each have their own dining facilities. I’m sure you won’t have any trouble finding them.”

***

“No trouble at all.” Galia grumbled as they made the circuit of the central atrium for the sixth time.

“Every hallway that leads off from the atrium just seems to recurve back here.” Odd said, frowning at one of the arched openings like it was offending her. “No matter what turning we make we come back here.”

“You think it’s a test?” Uli asked. “Because if it isn’t then I think the Tower is broken.”

“It has to be a test.” Galia fumed. “Wizards and tests, and trials, and tricks; their favorite thing is to spin you around until you can’t see straight and then give you an eye exam.”

“Us, not them.” Odd said, directing her gaze to Galia.

“What?”

“You’re referring to wizards as an ‘other’, as if it is not a group that you are a part of.” Odd said, blinking owlishly. “You are part of the towers now, which means you are a wizard, and therefore this is a part of your culture as well.”

“I don’t have to like it though.” Galia scowled.

“No, but it’s something we’re going to have to deal with.” Uli sighed, crossing to the giant guardian statue. “Do you think Klos might know anything?”

Galia turned and regarded the stone being. “Maybe, but I don’t think Klos is the most talkative creature I’ve ever met.”

“Wouldn’t hurt to try.” Uli shrugged. “Douglas said that most students ignore him, like he’s an actual statue.”

“I’m fairly certain he is an actual statue.” Odd said, nodding as if saying it had just made it true.

“Uli may be on to something.” Galia mused. “All we know is what Douglas told us. We don’t actually know what Klos is, other than the guardian of this tower.”

Klos stood impassively, but the blue circle on his face and the network of cracks and veins over his body continued to pulse and glow. He was awake, which meant that he was listening.

Galia approached the mammoth stone figure. As she did so the head tilted down to regard her. “What do you think, Klos? Got any hints for a few hungry students?”

Klos’ head tilted, considering the question. With slow precision, and the sound of stone grinding on stone, Klos lifted one arm and pointed at the wall directly to his left. Galia turned and looked, the wall looked no different than any other section of the Tower. A repeating pattern of tiled archways ringed the atrium, two held doors that led to the confusion of hallways, two led to the stairways up into the upper levels of the Tower, and the last open archway led to the door outside. The rest held solid stone.

“It was worth a try.” Uli sighed.

“Do you think he’s broken?” Odd asked, head turning back and forth between the wall and the statue.

Galia stared at the wall for a moment, thinking. “Tower of Changes.” She mused and looked back at Klos. The guardian nodded his stone head slowly. “That’s the test, I think.”

“What’s the test?” Odd asked, then turned to Uli. “What’s she talking about?”

Uli blinked, startled, and shrugged.

“When Douglas was bringing me down earlier, he told me that the Tower is just a bunch of pocket realities that wizards shuffle around as they need the space. We have to think about our floor when we want to get to our rooms or we’ll end up walking forever, I’ll bet.” Galia said, starting to get more excited. “I’ll bet that everything here is like that.”

“No one told me that!” Odd said. “Was someone supposed to tell us that?”

“Tests and tricks.” Galia sighed and approached the wall. She placed her hand on the cool stone and felt a slight pulse of energy, the power of the place reaching out to touch her own inner essence. Taking a deep breath, she let her mind settle and find focus. Finding that place of stillness was a bit easier this time, she had been doing it all day, she guessed it would come even faster with practice. She focused on her hunger, her desire for food, kitchens, dining halls. The wall pulsed again, reaching out to her. Galia slowly let herself reach back, touching the Tower with her essence. The stone began to move and change beneath her fingers. Galia opened her eyes and saw the blocks rearranging themselves into another doorway, this one connecting to a straight hallway, the smells of cooking and food wafted out to her and she could not help grinning.

“Wow.” Uli said, impressed.

“How did you learn how to do that?” Odd squawked. “Was there some sort of pamphlet that I missed?”

“I think I’m starting to get the hang of it.” Galia said. “Changes seems to be about putting your will on reality. You don’t go hunting through hallways for the right room, you bring the right room to the door you want to walk through.”

“Wrong.” Came a voice from behind them. Galia turned to see Master Rathwin leaning against the opposite wall. “Mostly wrong, but you’re in the right general vicinity, if that helps. Though I’m pleased to see that when it comes to matters of the stomach, that you’re an Amneris through and through. I’ve had other students nearly starve to death looking for the dining halls, but not your family.”

“Is that a fair test?” Galia asked. “Depriving students of the fuel they need if they can’t solve your little trick.”

“They can always go home.” Rathwin shrugged. “Nothing keeps you here. Also, you can always ask someone else. Eventually someone will take pity on you. We aren’t concerned about fair here. Magic is a dangerous business, and it is inherently unfair. Take it for granted or forget to respect it and it will take your life.” Rathwin took up his staff and walked across the atrium, heading for the doorway that Galia had created. “But that is a lesson for a later time, for the moment I’m quite hungry.”

“I thought you were too busy to host a feast for the new students, that it was a waste of time?” Galia said as Rathwin brushed past her.

The gray-haired wizard turned to give her an odd look. “It’s not a feast, young Amneris, it’s just dinner.”

With that he continued down the hallway. Galia frowned, watching him go until she felt Odd and Uli staring at her. She turned to their open-mouthed stares. “What?”

“Old blood families really are different.” Uli said, shaking her head.

“What does that mean?” Galia protested.

“My tutor, before I came here, told me to keep my mouth shut around the Masters if I didn’t want my head blown off by a fireball.” Odd said. “And you questioned the very basis of the way he trains students, in his own tower.”

“So?” Galia asked. “It’s a place of learning, you should question things, right?”

“You really don’t know anything about the Tower Wars, do you?” Odd said, surprised. “I would have thought that your father would have taught you some magical history.”

“A few old wizards who got to fighting after the old empire fell?” Galia shrugged. “What’s that have to do with whether I show deference to a graybeard?”

“It was more than just fighting. It was obsession.” Odd said, her owlish eyes huge and frightened. “Magic isn’t just ‘ooo, I’ve got this nice power, let’s summon flowers and bunnies’, it’s a hunger. It gets inside you and drives your thoughts, your needs, your desires.”

“It’s an addiction.” Uli said, stepping forward and meeting Galia’s eyes for the first time she could remember. “As bad as any of the drugs that come out of Draenos or Vanan Esain. Masters like Rathwin, well…you hope they’ve learned to control it.”

“I’ve never heard of anything like that.” Galia scoffed, and my father and brother are some of the greatest mages ever to come out of the Towers.

“And they strike you as normal?” Uli asked. “Always off in the far corners of the world seeking new magic, or pitting their skills against Sorcerers and Warlocks up at Palisade?”

“You’re wrong.” Galia said, stubbornly. “I don’t know what you’ve heard but my family isn’t like that. We’re a bit eccentric, but when you’re the best at something, you earn the right to be.”

Odd and Uli shared a glance but didn’t say anything more. Galia shook her head and strode into the hallway, towards the smells from the dining hall ahead. She felt a light, residual tingling from when she had willed the wall to move. Those two are putting ideas into my head. She thought. If magic is addictive, harmful in that way, Dad would have warned me. And if he didn’t then Galyn definitely would have. It was too much to consider for one day. She was craving a meal and then a night’s sleep.

The hallway opened into a small but comfortable room with heavy wooden furniture that matched the dark wooden paneling of the hall. Rathwin had commandeered a table at the far end of the hall. A few students in the dusky red robes of Journeymen sat at various tables, most in singles, some in small clustered groups. More than a few eyes looked up at Galia suspiciously as she entered.

“Don’t mind them, dear.” A voice said from about waist height. Galia looked down to see a plump, gray-haired halfling woman smiling up at her. “Newcomers always startle our book-bound boys and girls. I’m Rose, I supervise the kitchens and the cleaning staff.”

“I’m Galia A—” Galia began then thought better of it. “I’m Galia.”

Rose chuckled and shook her head. “I see they’re getting to you already. Well, take any seat you like and we’ll serve you up proper. Won’t have it said I neglected to feed an apprentice who found their way to my tables.”

“Thank you.” Galia said, sitting at the nearest table.

“I’ll have some plates brought out to you and your friends.” Rose said with a wink and headed towards the doors in the back of the hall, presumably the kitchens.

“If you still want to eat with us, that is.” Odd said from by Galia’s shoulder.

“Sure, why not.” Galia sighed.

Odd and Uli took chairs near to her own. They sat for a few moments in awkward silence. “I’m sorry I implied that your family wasn’t normal.” Odd said, not looking at Galia. “I’m not really sure what normal is, since my parents gave me up to a local hedge wizard when I was three.”

“Really?” Galia asked. “That must have been…I have no idea how that must have been. I’m sorry.”

“Not much to know, really.” Odd said, making small circles on the dark wood of the table with her finger. “Yael wasn’t bad, but not anyone’s vision of a loving parent. Which may explain why I’m so…well, Odd.”

“I thought you didn’t know why everyone calls you Odd.” Galia said with a smile.

Odd looked up and returned the grin, she even giggled a bit. “Well, I say that to put people off balance. If they think you don’t know you’re odd, well then you can establish a new base of normal. Pretty clever, huh?”

That forced a laugh from Galia. “What about you, Uli. What’s your tale of woe?”

Uli’s smile faded and he looked away from the two young women. “It’s not something I wish to talk about. Maybe someday?”

“We all keep secrets.” Odd said with a firm nod. “When you are ready, you can tell us yours.”

“Thank you.” Uli said, a shy smile returning.

They were interrupted when Rose bustled up to the table with two other figures. Galia blinked, looking at them. They looked like smoother, smaller versions of Klos. White stone shot through with glowing blue lines. Each carried a tray which Rose began to distribute across the table.

“All right, enough of that bonding, in a week or so you’ll be at each other’s throats to curry favor with the Masters.” Rose said with a jolly chiding that felt only half in jest. She placed plates and platters in front of the three apprentices. “It’s not a feast but we’ve got some good pork there, the greens are fresh, and I baked the bread myself this morning.”

The stone figures arranged plates and silverware, then placed pewter goblets and poured something from chilled ewers for each of them.

“That’s a concoction from my cousins down by the coast. Mix of wine, a few liquers, fruit juices, that sort of thing. The Masters liked it enough that they enchanted that ewer to keep it cool. It can have a bit of a kick, so go easy, but enjoy yourselves.” Rose’s smile had a hint of pity. “This may be the easiest night you have for a while.”