Ranvir paced the length of the lounge. It was empty, the other students at tether class, such as it was. Their lack gave the space an oddly hollow feel.

It wasn’t that long ago that he’d first entered the lounge and it had been just like this, if a little more orderly. He, Sansir, and Es had picked a sleeping room before any of their other year mates had arrived. Now, for the first time since then Ranvir had returned to that empty space.

He’d come far since those days, really far in some regards not so far in others. He’d barely been able to enter tether-space before and now he’d done it subconsciously on more than one occasion.

Back then he’d wondered if he would ever become a powerful tethered, especially after seeing the library and how little information they had on space manipulators. Now, he suspected he might know as much about his powers as the masters did. More in some cases, like Sigurd.

And yet, that very knowledge led him to be stuck where he was now. He knew there was more to achieve before advancing. He knew there was more power, a greater understanding to claim. But he had a need for power now.

What use was power of tomorrow if it kept him from the necessary strength to survive today. Last night, another fight had broken out, this time Master Stjarna had to be called for one of the students. Ranvir and his friends had passed by the group of gathered teachers, he’d seen glimpses of the pale skin hidden by the masters’ bulk, but they hadn’t been able to hide the vivid scarlet. It had almost seemed to burn on the ivory snow.

The odd presence in his mind seemed to hunger for that experience. Just seeing it brought him back to the square during the riots, red, orange, and yellow fluctuating around the creature.

The academy was getting dangerous and Ranvir wasn’t able to protect himself. The responsible choice would be to advance, but he didn’t know what kind of effect that would have on his tether.

Master Floki had spoken of the sense he got from Ranvir, but then again that was Master Floki so why would he listen to anything the old man had to say.

He shook his head, pacing the length one more time. He halted in front of one of the chess boards, looking at it for a long moment before the bell rung. Snapping his fingers, Ranvir left the lounge passing through the corridors in a jog.

He quickly made his way onto the fields, ice and obsidian were the two closest classes nine times out of ten. Finding his target wasn’t hard, both his teacher and he stood out amongst the average heights of the student body.

Sansir and Master Orulf seemed to have made up somewhat since the student reached Veil, which warmed Ranvir’s heart even though he’d never told Sansir he’d overheard their conversation.

“Sansir!” Ranvir waved running to meet his friend.

“Ranvir? What’s going on?” the ice Veil looked him over, probably noticing the wind blown hair and slightly disheveled look from a somewhat extended run, “Is something wrong?”

“No, no, don’t worry,” Ranvir waved him off seeing both the student and the master visibly relax, “I just wanted to talk with you about something.”

“Something so urgent you came running as soon as the class ended?”

“Yes, I wanted to talk about advancing,” Sansir nodded reserving his reply, “I’ve been vacillating between waiting and drawing out my current issue with my tether, though it seems like it’s going to take a while, or if I should advance now.”

“And you’re feeling pressured due to the current situation here?” Sansir guessed.

There was disgruntled mumbling from Master Orulf who was standing pretty close, both Sansir and Ranvir briefly glanced at the annoyed teacher before returning to their conversation.

“Basically,” Ranvir said, “I’m worried it’s like that chess problem you talked about back in the capital, remember?” On seeing Sansir’s face Ranvir continued, “Back when I could still fall in your blind spots. I’d been playing against Grev and I’d been drawing out the fight for a long time, trying to figure out the next optimal move.”

Remembrance dawned on Sansir’s face, “Ah, and you stalled so long Grev caught on and took the board back? And you’re worried that the same thing is happening now? Right now, you have the advantage. You could advance and become a Veil, stepping ahead of the year, but you might be giving up the perfect move later, so now your thoughts are on advancing, but you’re moving towards the greater understanding?”

Ranvir paused for a moment, “Essentially.”

“There’s no such thing as a perfect move, Ranvir,” that got a grunt of approval from the silent, but close, Master Orulf, “If you want my advice, I say look at it realistically. The world is moving fast and you can’t keep up. If you don’t pick up the speed it’s gonna trample you.”

Ranvir winced at the metaphor, but took his meaning. Maybe a little too well. Then again, perhaps that was what Sansir was going for. The tall tethered grasped his shoulder, “I’m sorry to put it like that, but you and Kirs live in the dreams of bookshelves and old pages, sometimes you both need to be brought back to the ground.”

Ranvir nodded, though he didn’t say anything for a long moment, “I think I’m going to go talk with Grev, now.”

“Smart.”

So he took off again, though in a much more leisurely pace. Likely, Grev was either walking and talking with Ayvir, like he usually did for a few minutes after light classes, or he was already at the dorm entrance, waiting for Sansir.

Ranvir got lucky, finding him and the master both walking the perimeter of the compound of buildings at the center of campus. “Hey guys,” Ranvir called, “can I talk with you for a minute?”

They both paused looking up at him. Ayvir with mild surprise, but Grev seemed surprisingly non-plussed. Ranvir didn’t catch what the light tethered mumbled to the master before he arrived, but Ayvir seemed a lot more understanding when he caught up.

“It’s about advancing,” Ranvir said. Grev gave the master a telling look, alongside a bit of a self-confident smirk, “I don’t know if I should, or not.”

“Is this about that thing you can sense?” Ayvir asked then continued when he got a nod. “That’s kind of a complex situation and not one that’s easily resolved, I don’t think,” he looked to his student allowing the younger tethered to speak.

“We all have responsibilities,” Grev said, “you’ve taken on a teaching role for us, but also one of research. That means you have a responsibility, at least until you divest yourself of that role, to learn and understand your—and by extension—our powers better.”

“So you’re saying—“

“That I’m not finished. However, you can’t teach anyone anything when someone’s gone and broken you into neat little pieces. You have a responsibility, both as a teacher and as a friend, to remain strong and protected whether by your own means or by other means.”

Ranvir ran his fingers over his lower lip, “That was remarkably unhelpful.”

“That’s why I’m here,” Grev grinned at him.

Ayvir cut in before his insolent student could derail the conversation, “In the end, Ranvir. It’s about what you can live with. How you handle things and how you deal with them all comes down to whether or not, you can live with it. Or if you can live with the consequences of not doing it. When you look at it, which outcome seems the worst?”

Ranvir nodded, trying to take in their words without replying. Trying to understand, instead of argue. Finally, he opened his mouth.

“He’s going to go speak with Es now,” Grev said winking at him.

“I was going to see Dovar, actually.”

“Sure you were.”

Ranvir scoffed but started running away. Dovar would be the easiest to find. Sigurd wasn’t too pleased with him going to Ranvir instead of him for after period training, so he did his best to keep the enormous smoke tethered in his class for as long as possible.

He found the broad tethered in a loping run, heading away from smoke class putting as much distance between himself and the smoke master in as short a time as he could.

“Dovar!” Ranvir yelled as he broke into an intercepting run.

Dovar saw him coming and slowed down, though Ranvir couldn’t help but notice the dirty look Master Sigurd gave him, even from multiple fields away. Animosity was fairly leaping off him, especially to Ranvir’s tether-sense.

“Hey,” Dovar said as they reached polite talking distances.

“I wanted to talk with you about advancing.”

“Oh, how’s it going with that? Did you make progress on it?”

“Unfortunately, no,” Ranvir sighed, he briefly explained his situation to his friend.

“That’s pretty tough…” Dovar trailed off. “Normally, I’d say hold off on advancing.”

“Really?” Ranvir had expected him to be all military and get stronger.

“Yes, the more you learn, the better you can equip our future tethered, forging us into a stronger army.”

Ah, there it is, Ranvir thought.

“But you’ve already been attacked before and this past year has been one of the most hectic in academy history.”

“Hey guys!” Esmund yelled out of breath as he came sprinting at them at full speed. He fairly tackled Ranvir to the ground, only through long experience with this sort of greeting did Ranvir manage to mitigate the impact. “I heard you were asking for advice, so I came as quick as I could,” he straightened and took in a deep breath, “First of all, you should’ve come to me first,” he raised a magnanimous hand, “I’m not actually hurt, but I am disappointed.

“Second of all, do you remember when we used to play tethered and flesh-torn? How we used to fight monsters all day? And then many years later, we both became tethered? But now, waiting another year, or even half a year is suddenly too long?”

Ranvir sighed, “It’s not that simple, Es.”

“Uh, it sorta is, Ranvir.”

“He’s kind of right, Esmund,” Dovar said, “you’re simplifying it more than a little in order to fit your argument.”

“And who are you to say that? The strongest combatant in our class? And if you aren’t, then who? Grev? Sansir?” Esmund waved his hand, carving a ten meter long line in the snow. “We didn’t join this academy to not learn how to fight. But maybe we did join the academy to let our friends fight for themselves?”

Dovar looked at Esmund for a long moment, before turning to Ranvir, “That’s kind of a good point, actually.”

“I know,” Ranvir reluctantly agreed.