“I think that the world should be full of cats and full of rain, that's all,

just cats and rain, rain and cats, very nice, good night.”

- Charles Bukowski, Betting on the Muse: Poems and Stories

They arrived back in school in time for the afternoon lessons. For Alyssa, it was ‘Alchemical Arts of Healing’.

Alea excused herself to rest in the dorms. Lorelle kept her company and was diligently caring for her.

Mireille had ‘Magic of the Gods’ she had been quite interested in that because of her worship for Nirileth. But she understood very quickly that the academy preferred the more ‘wholesome’ gods and not the goddess of thievery and the night. Nonetheless, she was more active and interested in that class than the one about air. She could not use complex spells dammit, why should she learn them then? And what about that was ‘introductory’!?

As Alyssa walked down the corridor she was met with curious looks and many of the younger students were openly discussing her upcoming duel. The older students did not care so much but even for them, it was a novelty to have a duel after only a few weeks of school.

Valens and Vivienne, who did not go missing this time, accompanied her.

Vivienne asked with concern in her voice, “How is Alea? I heard she was injured. There are lots of rumors going around.”

“She was at the wrong place at the wrong time. I have not been asked to keep silent about it but I would prefer you not tell anyone, perhaps it was an oversight on their part.” Alyssa shrugged and continued, “there was an assassination attempt on Lieseleta or Theresia von Dornenfurt or a Minette of Saltkeep. It is unclear. She was instrumental in foiling that attack and was injured because of that. The little hero, something she shares with Mireille. Thankfully she is better already.”

Vivienne nodded appreciatively. “Thanks for clearing that up. I have another question for you- Do you want to have the duel?”

“Why do you ask? I can't very well pull back after committing so publicly.”

“And if the one calling for the duel would ask for it?”

Alyssa studied her friend, which she considered the green-haired girl to be. Her mouth drew into a line. “I think I would like to show them. I am sick and tired of being looked at as a freak or criminal but if I can't have their camaraderie I will take their respect.” She sighed after that declaration spoiling her image a bit.

“I think that is the right way to do this. Forget I asked you. But if you need someone to train with or some pointers for fighting, I and my brother will help. Even if the other students do not, I respect your attitude.” Vivienne smiled at her.

Valens looked on from behind and nodded to himself.

The alchemy class with the young alchemist Valeria Jangres was interesting and with Asandria’s help and in a team with Valens, the practical part was no problem. Vivienne had requested for him to work with Alyssa while she simply grabbed some other student to team up with her.

It was astounding how many people she knew and she was fearless in talking to any and all of them. Something Alyssa admired.

After classes, she asked Vivienne and her brother if they would like to see Alea. Both agreed, Vivienne enthusiastically, Valens after waiting to see what his sister would choose.

As they entered the dorm room they saw a large crate parked in the middle of the room. Alea sat on a chair and looked sweaty and tired.

“What did you do? And what is that crate doing here?” Alyssa walked up to her and felt her temperature before hugging her.

“Wait.” Alea huffed a bit, still strained from whatever she had been doing. “I did not manage to open the crate.”

Alyssa saw a discarded crowbar lying on the floor and pieced together what might have happened here. “You are still not fully healed. You should not stress yourself!”

Vivienne looked amused but asked seriously. “Did we come at an inconvenient time?”

“No, yes, perhaps a bit.” Alea was still breathing more quickly but managed to calm her breathing enough to answer. “I will go have a shower. Please make yourself at home. Then we can perhaps try to open the crate together?” She looked hopeful.

“Good to see you are more or less alright.” Vivienne inspected her. “Naturally Valens will be glad to open the crate for you. Isn't that right my dear brother?”

Valens simply nodded and went to get the crowbar.

Alyssa looked at him pityingly. “I can help too, and if all else fails we have Maximilian as a last resort.”

Alea walked towards the bathroom and a short while later the sound of rushing water could be heard.

“She seems much better than I feared.” Vivienne probed.

“It looks better than it is probably. She was quite out of it yesterday evening and still has not come to terms with what happened.” Alyssa put her chin on her folded hands.

A scratching sound could be heard from the window.

“What is that?” Vivienne looked curiously.

“Oh, that should be Semiramis. Wait a second.” Alyssa went and opened the window and a somewhat bedraggled-looking hawk-cat entered. She shook herself drenching the area in rainwater before throwing a fat, dead rat onto the ground. Cyrus coed appreciatively and dived towards the still bloody rodent.

“Oh please don’t!” Alyssa looked exasperated. “I don’t want to clean that up again. Could you do this outside please?!”

Semiramis looked very proud and licked her paw.

Vivienne laughed until tears came to her eyes and held her stomach. Valens looked at her and a small smile stole onto his lips.

Having cleaned up the worst of the mess. Semiramis played with Cyrus and exasperated the scaly familiar by hiding under the bunk beds where he had problems fitting because of his wings and growing girth.

Alea came back, hairs still damp a new blindfold over her jeweled eyes. Cecily sat on her shoulder and the gears whirred and clicked in perfect harmony.

Valens nodded and stood up before forcing the crowbar in between the wooden planks and levering them apart. Inside the crate stood the stooped figure of an automaton with a porcelain mask showing an eerily smiling face. The body was dressed in the clothing a butler might wear.

“Ah, very good. It seems everything is still intact.” Alea inspected the construct critically.

“What in the world is that?” Vivienne asked.

“An automaton.” Valens answered to her surprise, the boy blushed and looked away seemingly embarrassed. “I saw some in the city and looked it up in the library.”

Vivienne looked at him and raised an eyebrow. “The more you know.”

“It is a humanoid construct that I wanted to use in my ‘Clockwork’ class.” Alea seemed oblivious to the byplay.

“Anyone wants some tea?” Alyssa asked to dispel the awkwardness.

Later Mireille joined them after her lesson was finished. The siblings left them when it was time for dinner.

Alyssa spent the last hours of the day practicing her Shadestep and the Second Seal while incorporating the orb. Asandria taught her the basics of the third seal while warning her of the potential problems such as the drain on her life energies it would incur. It was more or less a continuation of the spell a logical next step.

Mireille was very solicitous towards Alea and had a sort of competition with Lorelle who could pamper her the most.

Alea opened the chest of the construct and measured the space before working on her converter.

Semiramis claimed the upper bunk together with Cyrus.

And as the lights were finally extinguished the sound of the rain hitting the windows and the soft breathing of the girls was all that could be heard. Vanessa suddenly appeared in the room and looked around. Before gazing at Asandria who was silently staring at the falling rain.

“How is Alea?”

‘She had a rough day and night but she seems to cope well with her new old memories.’

Vanessa made her way towards Alea's bed and spoke a short spell, glyphs formed in her eyes and lit them with a white glow.

‘You should not tarry. The security here is quite good. We have an appointment with the snakes. Saturday, the tenth hour, the Sturdy Mast- a tavern in the docks.’

Vanessa nodded. “There seems to be nothing seriously wrong at the moment. And there is nothing I could or should do in haste. I will take my leave.”

Mist formed and vanished. Outside she sprinted for the outer walls. Out of the rain and night, a large figure loomed a gigantic paw lashed at her. She spoke a short word and vanished, appearing behind the figure inside its darker shadow. Two mages standing further away on the lawn began to incant spells. A golem made of iron and stone strode forward to protect them.

Vanessa spoke a spell of her own and time began to dilate as she hurried to protect and quicken herself.

The fist of the gigantic earth elemental smashed the flower bed where she had stood a fraction of a second ago. Glowing white glyphs flashed and a lance made of light shot into her hastily raised shield of arcane energies.

She jumped dozens of meters towards the wall. A projectile made of ice crystals shattered against her back throwing her much farther than she had planned. Crashing into the muddy ground, plowing a furrow, she gave a muffled curse and sprinted towards the outside.

She heard them calling out behind her but she did not give any heed and spoke some elven words before she vanished again, reappearing in the shadows of the wall. She jumped, glyphs guiding her flight. Chains of blue energy tried to snare her. A counterspell disintegrated them into motes of light. Another spear of ice hit her in the right arm spinning her around before she gracelessly tumbled into the ground again.

Then she was in the field surrounding the academy and disappeared into the night.

The two mages stood on the large hands of the earth elemental looking out over the soggy fields. “Do you think we got him?”

“I think it was a ‘her’. And no, I don’t.”

“Figures. But at least she or he did not get what they were after, probably.”

“That is my opinion too. But that was some pretty crazy stuff. Shadow magic and arcane spells. Interesting combination. What was that short-range teleportation? I don’t know of anything like that.”

“We should ask Professor Carmen. She should know.”

“Let us go inside. I am getting quite wet out here. The golem and the elemental will be sufficient to deter unwelcome guests I think. But it is troubling. First the assassination attempt then this. Do you think it had anything to do with each other?”

“There are no coincidences. And don’t think that our card game is finished because of a small altercation. I was winning!”

“Yes, yes.”