Master Gamblin admired the Blade of Brilliance. It was a beautiful artifact that emanated a dark light, but at other times it shone like the sun.

It held phenomenal and infinite power. Along with the crown of Lord British, it could be one of the most important jewels in Britannia.

He put it back in its golden, gem-set scabbard and prepared a wooden case with varnished sponge and velvet cloth and a small window to admire it as a relic. A

nd its little lock.

For a day he worked on its case, cleaning it and restoring its original shine. Through the keyhole, Sylon noticed the unusual liveliness of the rector and his abnormal carpentry work.

And, for a brief moment, he noticed the blade glowing with the light of a thousand candles. Then... A gem lit up and another on a board on the wall.

He placed the blade in his new chest, stood up and went to look at the light..."OH... My God! A hero will appear! The signs! Something is wrong.."

He was looking at the virtue meter in the academy and everything seemed normal. But... with the coming of the blade of brilliance, he went to another room, behind his desk and opened a cupboard with a lot of books and objects from the past. And he took out a version of the Ankh with eight gems and activated it

.3 of the virtues were black...! hen, in doubt, he checked the kind of divinatory astrolabe and it was bridled, sabotaged. What was evil displayed its opposite!

His glasses fell off his nose, caught by a chain.

"Goodness gracious..! He immediately thought of Rubix with his Exodus blood and took the ankh from his pocket.

The students were waiting in the hallway to enter Potions class and the Rector was holding the ankh, which was fluctuating.

Often, near a noble the lights would turn black, but they shone brightly near Torin, Rubix and their friends.

The central gem also lit up, showing that they were potential quasi-heroes. But it was Rubix and Torin who shone the brightest.

He said nothing, and turned back as if he had forgotten something. He hurried to look at some of the books saved from before the cataclysm of Sosaria and made notes.

"The heroes are here, but the times have changed! Only the Lords of Corruption would come to this point. He wrote letters and sent them by owl.

Ragul was also one of the recipients. Then he started to write a notebook with mission plans for the heroes. Meanwhile, in the VIP apartments of the academy, nobles were sipping liquor and Amon was stroking his black dragon, falsely dozing.

They were certainly made for each other and were to be brutal companions. Kneeling on the ground, crushed by the destructive aura, Sylon asked to speak to Amon alone.

With a gesture, he ushered everyone out of his living room.

"I am listening, Sylon..."

"Master Amon, I just went to see Master Gamblin but he was busy doing some "carpentry", a precious box for a relic.

And, as I was leaving, I looked through the lock and, too busy, he didn't detect me and I saw a dagger with a blade that shone like the sun. I was dazzled!"

Amon: "I thank you. Your testimony is very valuable. If what you say is what I think it is, then you and your family will rise in the esteem of our Lord Blackthorne."

"Thank you Thank you Lord Amon..."

Amon : "my family is having a small party this month and it would be an opportunity for you to get to know some influential members!"

"I thank you, master..."

And he withdrew and clapped his hands for his meal to be brought to him.

He turned to his dragon, "You can eat him later. He made himself useful this time."

The dragon cleared his throat and went back to sleep.

Amon : "I'll leave you with the maid...."

He walked out and a half-human, half-kobold entered with buckets full of water and his broom.

He carefully closed the door behind him and locked it.

A few moments later, a semi human-reptile's cry was heard, followed by the cracking of bones.

Other, older, human maids came in to clean up the mess. At that moment, Gamblin was brought out of his stupor and exclaimed "Ah!"

Then he wiped his glasses and saw that the academy was sinking into evil. He looked at his hourglasses.

"Time... time flies like sand... I must finish this work!! and put the blade in safety..."

But Gamblin was old and his senses were gone with the passing of time. He arrived at our dormitory and wanted to see Manu but found an unexpected visitor.

Father Damien...an old friend..

"Ah, dear friend..."

Damien: "Oh, I came to pay a surprise visit to my apprentices but I see they are on the right track and Torin has surrounded himself with friends he can count on."

They could see me laughing with my friends and the dragoness who was now part of our circle.

"Damien, it's a good thing you're here. I have the most precious possession of the academy, indeed of Sosaria. The Blade of Brilliance has been returned to us! Take care of it.

Torin needs it for you know what... but beware that it is also a key to bringing back you know who..."

Father Damien took the box containing the artifact and bowed his head in thanks.

"This must be returned to the dragoness. Its true owner is Valtrax. And even though she is the widow of the terrible Exodus, she is nonetheless a guardian of his treasures and they should never fall into their hands..."

"But who are you talking about? Master Gamblin, is there any danger???"

"Yes!!! The nobility must not get their hands on these treasures. Only a hero can use them, but not possess them..."

"I'm afraid I don't understand..." Gamblin turned his head and pointed to the clock a vertu on the hall wall.

Damien: "I don't get it..."

Then Gamblin took out of his pocket the real Ankh. And the gems were all blackening and the one in the center was glowing.

Damien's breathing stopped for a moment, just long enough to get his bearings.

Gamblin: "The panel is rigged...corrupt... There are demons here! The academy is dying. I am its guardian and I acted too late. It is lost!"

Feeling suddenly watched, the rector left his friend without saying anything more and returned to his office to complete his notes. Damien went to find manu and entrusted him with a secret and manu was able to observe in a secluded room the magnificent dagger.

"With this, we can heal Torin... but is that necessary? He looks good..."

Father Damien. Unfortunately, when he's 20, his heart will stop if we do nothing.