Chapter 10

Zachary Gray... I stared at the young man, looking for the darkness that he was so openly known for in the future. I hadn't intended to challenge the youth by meeting his gaze, but he seemed to take my look in such a way. After our eyes met, we regarded each other for a moment before he blinked, and an almost imperceptible flash of hatred appeared in his eyes.

It seemed that I was right in my assumption and that darkness had always been there. Whatever had happened to make Zachary this way must have occurred long before his Academy days. It was a shame since he would someday become a powerful Climber. I nodded to myself, affirming my assessment before returning my gaze to the beautiful sky outside.

"Since when has Rowan been so... confident?"

"He sounds so refined. Has he always talked like that?"

"Who knows? I don't think Rowan's said a word in class this year. It's hard to believe the first time he would speak would be to Miss Aurora."

"Isn't he just some nobody?"

"I don't know... but wasn't that rather... alluring..?"

I felt the stares of several of my classmates burning into my back. No one bothered to hide their thoughts, and as the room was full of somewhat confident youths, none of them kept their voices down, either. Part of me found it amusing, and their innocence was refreshing, but another part of me could only sigh. For something as simple as that to bother these young men and women so much...

"The reality will be harsh once they're forced to face their first group of Crazed..." I murmured.

Not wanting to ruin my mood, I decided to explore the classroom a bit rather than gaze up at the open skies. My eyes wandered around the nooks and crannies of the stone-walled room, admiring the lack of dust in any crevice. Three rows of short tables stair-stepped from the podium, making their way up to the two entrances in the back.

It wasn't a massive classroom, with the front desks each holding two individuals, the second three, and the long tables in the back holding five. My table only consisted of myself and two others who sat on the opposite end, and the class held twenty-eight students. This was only one of the ten tenth-year classrooms.

My gaze fell upon the old chalkboard in the front center of the class behind the podium. It seemed that Miss Warren hadn't erased the subject they'd been discussing at the end of the review two days prior.

[Plagued Beasts: Ranking and Evaluation]

This would be the source of the final exam. Magically constructed images would present themselves on our test papers one by one with a situation written beneath. We were required to quickly answer their Ranks and number of Skills, and give a brief evaluation of what we should do in each case, along with how the creature may react.

Such an exam wouldn't give me any trouble. More than anything, I wanted to leave this room and start preparing for the following tasks. With a sigh, I read the last of what was written on the board. Below the label, Miss Warren had given two basic descriptions for some of the creatures we may encounter on the earlier Floors.

[Feline, Blood Toothed: Large creature that appears feline in nature. Notorious for its vicious tendencies. These beasts hunt in packs, usually under a Fallen, and rely on their sharp teeth and razor-like claws to tear apart their enemies. Tend to roam arid, flat regions with little means for cover]

[Arachnid, Corpse Devourer: Spider-like monstrosity that spreads near-invisible webs to capture their prey. The venom in their glands is exceptionally potent and is used to paralyze struggling victims. Their webs can be shot from a distance to entangle their enemies. Tend to live in densely wooded areas or large caverns]

These names were created by Climbers and weren't what was shown when casting Inspection. This was just a way to help categorize the beasts and train others to better deal with them. It was a popular theory that the Plagued Beasts were once the same as some ordinary creatures seen on the Origin Floor. They'd been infected by the Demonic Plague and undergone horrific mutations.

From the Fifth Floor on, it was no longer possible to determine whether a beast had once been a dog or if it was some form of mouse, so Climbers just began to use broad terminology when describing them based on their structure. The second descriptor usually consisted of how it killed or what a Climber needed to look out for when facing such a monster.

My thoughts were broken when a sudden chill permeated the air, and the sound of the children's chatter became mute. I glanced back briefly and noticed Miss Warren standing in the doorway, examining the room. Uninterested, I continued studying the room while waiting for the exam to begin, though I felt a slight chill when her eyes landed on me. Whatever Card that was, it had to be at least Holy Rank.

Miss Warren walked briskly down the stairs and stationed herself at the front of the room. No one said a word, only watching as she passed. Her shoulder-length, curly brown hair bounced as she walked, and though she looked stern as her gaze passed over the students, the tiny wrinkles at the edge of her eyes revealed years of smiling and laughter shared among friends.

"Since you lot would rather prattle on than study this morning, I suppose that means you're all prepared to jump right into your exam?" Her tone was harsh, and many students averted their gaze, feeling shamed by their mentor's words. It was apparent that many weren't, in fact, ready for their final exam, even after many years of study, while some others sat with straight backs and a confident look in their eyes.

It just so happened that I didn't fall into either of these categories, only nonchalantly waiting for the exam to begin. I somewhat lamented that fact when I felt the teacher's gaze land on me. She placed her burden on the desk beside her, ascended the short flight of stairs, crossed behind the second row of desks, and stopped right in front of me.

"Rowan Wilder..." She looked down at me with that dissatisfied look that educators used when a talented student refused to study. One hand was on her hip, the other palm down against the table in front of me. I had to do my best to hold back my laughter. It had been many years since I'd been berated in such a way.

"Cecelia Warren," I responded with a similar tone, doing my best to hold back a smile. "How may I help you?"

She tensed slightly when I used her full name, as it was information that students weren't privy to. More than that, she looked surprised at my nonchalance. I wasn't sure what she'd expected, but I certainly wouldn't climb under the table like some frightened chicken.

After the surprise faded, she asked, "Where were you during our review, Mister Wilder?"

To my right, a small group of individuals started snickering. I didn't have to look to know that it was Galen and his crew, who, for some reason, were acting like tykes watching the scolding of another child.

"Miss Warren, I was certain the review period was optional," I spoke calmly. "Was I mistaken?"

The snickering stopped, and Miss Warren seemed to be caught off guard. She closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose as if she were trying to recall something.

"I... No, it doesn't seem that..." She looked at me incredulously, "Did you actually read the Academy's regulation guide?"

In fact, I had read the school regulations long ago. There were many rules forbidding students from certain activities on the First Floor, and I had to learn them due to my circumstances.

"Excuse me, Miss Warren?"

The voice came from my right, and I knew that Galen was attempting to stir up trouble. Miss Warren turned to look at the youth with one brow raised and gestured for him to continue.

With a grin, Galen stood and spoke confidently, "Even if he wasn't required to participate in the review, isn't it against the rules to hunt in the Howling Hills with a party of less than four?"

Miss Warren's eyes widened, and she shot me a glare, "Is this true, Mister Wilder?"

"It is," I smiled up at her.

"Not only that, Miss Warren, but he was hunting the canyon during the day! I never saw anyone with him," Galen smirked toward me, as Miss Warren wasn't looking in his direction. Inwardly, I shook my head, knowing the fool thought that I had only been a porter for some stronger group.

"That's enough, Mister Boyd," she admonished the youth without turning her head. Her eyes were narrowed as she stared at me, "May I inquire as to why you would do such a thing?"

"Not all of us were born with a silver spoon," I indicated my uniform, which wasn't quite as admirable as those around me. Informing the class about my estate would have been in bad taste, but Miss Warren's visage softened.

"Be that as it may, Mister Wilder, you should be more mindful when making such decisions," she turned back to the stairs.

Galen gaped, "Wha- Miss Warren, shouldn't you punish him?!"

"Mister Boyd," she didn't bother to stop as she responded, "You would do well to follow Mister Wilder's example in understanding the Academy's regulations. Yesterday was a free day, and students were in no way subject to follow our guidelines."

Galen's jaw fell slightly, and I had to work to hold back my laughter. A gentleman wouldn't twist their knife in the wound of someone they've already beaten. Moreso, it wasn't in good taste to incite trouble with someone who could hardly defend themselves.

I did feel another pair of eyes on me, however. For the second time that morning, I turned my head to find Aurora staring in my direction. When our eyes met, she frowned and turned back toward Miss Warren.

"How strange," I mumbled, uncertain what to think of her sudden interest in me.

"Well, that's enough time wasted this morning," Miss Warren spoke. Her voice sounded as if she were standing just in front of me, and I knew the other students heard her in the same way. It was one of many such communication Cards, and each of the Academy's professors received one. "It's time to start the exam."

She opened the ornate box she'd sat on her desk and pulled out a small stack of grey papers, along with twenty-eight black and purple pens. These were similar to the book and pen used by the custodian watching the dorm entrance, though much more advanced.

"You will have four hours to complete the exam," she said as she walked up to the first table and began passing out the supplies. "Once the exam starts, the first image and scenario will materialize at the top of the page. You are to note the creature's name, Class, and habitat before describing what you should do in the situation."

"Once finished with your description, simply tap on the image with the provided pen. The page will be cleared, and the following scenario will replace it," she explained. "Your grades are based on both speed and accuracy. When faced with these situations on the higher Floors, you won't have time to use your Inspection Cards or flip through the pages of a book to learn how to save yourselves."

She reached my table and placed the two items down before returning to the front of the class, "If you score less than fifty points, you will lose your right to graduate and will be removed from the Academy. Are there any questions before we begin?"

The room fell silent as the students picked up their pens and waited for the images to appear. Rather than grabbing my own pen, I raised my hand, wanting to confirm something before starting. Miss Warren looked in my direction, but her face looked unsure as she called on me.

"Uhh... yes, Rowan?" She asked hesitantly.

"When we are finished with the exam, may we leave? Or do we have to sit until the others are done?" I asked calmly but spoke loud enough for her to hear my question clearly.

I wasn't trying to be arrogant, but the questions in the exam were rather elementary for me. If the beasts that appeared were from the Upper Floors where the true demons lay, I might face some issues, but this exam only contained creatures found between here and the Tenth Floor.

"...leave early?" Miss Warren's expression changed, and I heard Galen and his associates again snickering to my right. It was clear that they thought I didn't know the material. Based on the professor's hesitation, she didn't seem to think that I would do well, either.

"If you complete the exam before the four-hour mark, then you can leave early," she spoke softly. "But I must encourage you to review your responses thoroughly before continuing to the following scenario. Though these scenarios are currently only on paper, they are situations that have occurred in the past."

"Thank you for your concern," I smiled and picked up the black pen beside my own examination paper. Glowing purple lines ran from top to bottom, slightly resembling veins. Many of these students weren't aware, but the objects we were holding were once the claws of Plagued Beasts.

"Try not to give up..." I heard Miss Warren speak as if she were right beside me. "Even if you don't know how to deal with the situation, at least try to answer. You may get some points."

I glanced up and saw her worried expression, which held the same look she'd given me when trying to talk me out of ascending to the Second Floor in my previous life. With a confident smile, I nodded in her direction and waited for the test to begin.

"The time is currently [17:00:21]," Miss Warren spoke, looking at a clock on the wall that was in sync with my wristwatch. "Your examination papers will stop accepting answers at [13:00:00]. You may now begin."

Miss Warren opened the hefty tome that sat on her desk, and suddenly all of the exam papers in the room shone with a dull, purple light. The light died down after a few seconds, and a lifelike image appeared on top of the page, along with a paragraph beneath it.

I only had to glance at the image to recognize the creature, and all of the associated information came flooding to mind. The illustration was of a beast that appeared to be a giant boar. Two long, black tusks protruded from its upper jaw, curving upward in front of its face.

There were also two strange arm-like features on its face. One between the two tusks and another growing from its lower jaw. The beast stood as tall as three men, and though its fur was mostly brown, there were black streaks running across its mutated body. Its black and purple eyes looked nearly lifelike on the page. Two similar-looking beasts followed behind it, though they were much smaller and only had one of the appendages growing from its maw.

[These beasts have discovered you and your party. You are in an open, flat area, and the nearest cover is a woodline fifty yards back. Your party is a basic composition that consists of two Spell Decks, one Enhancement Deck, and one Ability Deck. None of the party's Cards are over Level 2. What is your next action?]

I read the words and couldn't help laughing inwardly. These creatures were not only large but equally heavy. Their footsteps could be heard for many hundreds of yards. If the region was flat, the party would have spotted them long before leaving the wooded area.

Well, it wasn't up to me to create the scenarios, and if what Miss Warren said was true, this had indeed happened to someone. Careless. With this in mind, I began to jot down my answer on the lower half of the parchment.

[Creature Classification: Swine, Earthen Tusks]

[Ranks: 1 Fallen, 2 Corrupted]

[Primary Skills: Basic earth manipulation, abilities that cause minor earthquakes in a small area, sound attacks from the arms on their faces, and many physical attacks, mostly involving the two tusks or using their overwhelming size to stomp down with their front legs]

[The Party in question should have long noticed or picked up on the noise the small herd made while traveling the plains. Considering the lack of power from their Decks, the Spellcasters should cast area of effect entanglement skills to slow the beasts while backing to the tree line.

The Enhancement and Ability users should taunt the 2 Corrupted creatures, keeping the two smaller beasts between themselves and the Fallen as they slowly retreat to the wood line. Even if performed competently, it would take nearly ten minutes to safely work their way back. If the party accidentally kills one of the smaller beasts they are using as barricades, the party will die]

Hmm, I wonder if the party survived. It was unlikely. If they were so incompetent as to find themselves in such a situation, they certainly wouldn't have found a way to get out of it in time. Since the Academy was able to learn of this scenario, it was likely that the Enhancement and Ability Wielders sprinted to the tree line, leaving the Spellcasters behind as bait.

With a sigh, I tapped on the image and watched as the illustration and my answer were slowly expunged. While waiting for the following scenario to appear, I thought about the different Ranks that were used by the general public. These Ranks were what appeared when using an Inspection Spell on a Plagued Beast.

Crazed, Corrupted, Fallen, Fiend, and Demonic. Of course, there was another that I knew of, but even the Network hadn't found out about the sixth Rank until around fifty-five years from now when the first Climber to reach the Seventy-Fifth Floor reported back. These Ranks were eerily in line with what appeared when one used Demon Glass or an Examine Spell on a Card. The only difference was that they followed a corrupt pattern rather than pure.

After many hundreds of years of study, and thanks to those few individuals who poured their Essence into their Examine Spells, the Climbers of the Tower came to understand the differences between these Ranks. Much like the feudal system from the Tower's younger days, the Plagued Beasts faced similar roles. The higher a beast's Rank, the more sway it had over beasts of a lower rank. Further, the higher Ranked beasts were much more powerful and intelligent and had additional abilities.

During my introspection, the second image appeared at the top of the parchment, depicting a large group of canines. I fiddled with my pen for a moment before writing my solution to the scenario below, wondering just how far I should go.

What I was trying to do now was water down my responses slightly. Many tactics were stored in the Network in the future, even some that hadn't been discovered yet, and I'd been privy to most of that information. It wasn't that humans hadn't learned such things over the past ninety-nine hundred years in the Tower, more that the factions were stingy with their information.

It took breaking through to the Seventy-Fifth Floor and discovering just how powerless we were before the many families came to an agreement with the government to make their secrets public. Up to the Fiftieth Floor, small guilds and mighty parties could ascend successfully. Beyond that, only large and powerful factions managed to climb further. As for the Seventy-Fifth Floor...

I shook my head. My thoughts were straying again, and I needed to finish this exam so that I could begin my other preparations. With my mind back on task, I swiftly gave my responses, making sure it appeared that I was studious and well-prepared rather than some sheltered genius. It was too early to draw the ire of the families by 'discovering' their secrets.

Besides... some of my knowledge could be sold for tremendous profits in the near future. Once I'd made my decision, it only took a few moments per scenario to jot down my solutions. Only a half hour after the exam began, I stood and approached the front of the class, placed my pen and exam sheet on the desk, and swiftly left before Miss Warren could get over her surprise, my cane tapping as I ascended the short flight of stairs and left the room.

Cecilia watched over the class of scribbling students from the seat behind her desk. Each of them had their heads down, seemingly working hard. Some held furrowed brows or frowns, while others simply took the test in stride. It was apparent to her who had and hadn't studied.

She hoped that all her students would do well, as a Climber's life was dangerous, and she wanted them to have every advantage they could get. Though Blessed Cards weren't exactly rare and could even be found as drops from the Second Floor onward, it would be a great boon to those who arrived on scholarship or were from lower-class merchant families.

More importantly, graduating from the Academy provided opportunities that would be an advantage to even those of the great families. The Academy's mark would remain on the graduates' registration cards and would allow them access to specific shops, auctions, and information brokers that were otherwise inaccessible.

Her worries were more about what would happen to her students after the First Floor rather than whether or not they would pass the exam. Compared to the larger senior classes, some of which boasted nearly seventy students, hers was one of the smaller few. With only twenty-eight students, she'd become rather intimate with most of them and had spent the better part of the first half of the year studying their files.

That being said, she believed that most of her students would do fine, as they already had offers from guilds or other factions, but there were a few who concerned her. Cecilia's eyes shifted to one of her more successful students in the front row, Aurora Price.

Among all her students, Aurora was the one whose test results she was the least concerned with. The girl had a bright mind and was very studious, however... Cecelia worried for her future. Aurora had no friends that she knew of and had turned down every Guild invitation she'd received. If she insisted on being a loner, she wouldn't make it very far.

The young woman's blue eyes scanned her answers constantly, re-reading each sentence several times before moving to the next scenario. Her long black hair was held up in a bun, though wisps of hair still fell into her eyes. Her flawless skin and well-defined figure had many of the young men glancing toward her, even amidst this exam.

Cecilia shook her head at this and let her eyes linger on another student. Galen Boyd. Despite his questionable character, the young man was intelligent and was already familiar with surrounding himself with students with more physical skills than him. Though the youth was manipulative, likely a cause of his upbringing, she believed that this trait would help him survive in the Tower. He often boasted about one day forming his own guild and recruiting powerful Climbers.

Finally, she turned her gaze to the student that made her the most anxious. The youth sat in the far back corner of the class near the window, his long black hair pulled back into a ponytail. His bright green eyes, which were usually staring out into the sky, were turned down and focused on his exam. Though... His brow wasn't creased in concentration, and his pen was moving so swiftly that he couldn't have been writing legible words.

Rowan Wilder had always been a shy and honest young man, though he never seemed to believe in himself. Well, until two days ago when she'd tried to scold him for not paying attention to the lecture. One minute, he'd been his usual self, and the next... well, she didn't know how to describe it. He'd gone from slouched over to straight-backed in mere moments.

There had been many instances in which she'd tried to speak to him, but the young man couldn't even look her in the eye without glancing nervously away. That day, however, he'd stared back at her, his smile reminiscent of an old man looking down on some naive youth. That was strange.

Something else that she found odd was his history. The records showed that he was an orphan picked for a scholarship, yet he'd never proven to be studious enough to receive such merit. His practical skills were above average, rating among the top thirty percent or so in all of his physical lessons, but even that wasn't enough to warrant a scholarship.

Still, the dean was quite adamant that he be afforded the same respect as any other student, not that Cecelia would treat any student differently, anyway. Sure, he was sharp, but compared to the likes of Aurora or Zachary, he was nothing special. Still, as an orphan herself, she felt for him. Her parents were already old when she was born, and they'd passed while she was still an adolescent.

She studied his relaxed expression, and it unnerved her. He'd asked if they could leave early if the exam was finished. Was he... planning on giving up? The way the young man's pen was still gliding across his parchment... he barely had time to read the scenarios.

Just then, to her surprise and horror, Rowan stood up with his pen and paper in hand. The youth grabbed the cane from beside his seat and swiftly walked toward her. He placed the two items on her desk, smiled, turned, and walked briskly up the stairs.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Cecelia watched his back as the tapping of his cane echoed through the quiet classroom. She'd been too surprised by his abrupt movement to stop him. Her gaze shifted to the clock on the wall behind her.

[16:38:46]

It had barely been twenty minutes. Cecelia sighed and shook her head, knowing that the young man really had given up. Flipping through the massive tome on her desk, she found the section in which Rowan's answers appeared, intending to mark down his failing grade. However, when she began reading through the youth's responses, her eyes widened...

While Miss Warren was rifling through the pages of her tome, she hadn't noticed another set of eyes staring at the youth as he turned in his exam and left the room. Aurora gawked at the audacity of the young man doing such a thing. Had that fool really given up? Without even trying?

Her stomach fluttered briefly as she thought of their prior encounter, but she quickly quashed that down, and a look of disdain marred her visage. Regardless of how attractive that sudden confidence may have been, it was worth nothing if all it hid was a lost cause.

She'd disliked Rowan from day one. Somehow, he'd gotten in on a scholarship while her family had spent over half their savings to give her the opportunity. But, while she pushed herself, Rowan never seemed to put forth any effort in his studies.

Her family gave up a better life for her to be here. If she'd been granted a scholarship, maybe... Aurora sighed. There was no use in thinking about it, not now. This was the final exam, and all of her hard work over the years was about to pay off. She'd pushed herself to be the best in both the practical and knowledge-based courses.

She gripped her pen tighter, trying not to think about how that man had wasted an opportunity that many others would kill to have. The next query on her exam appeared, and it was time for her to get back to work. Her family depended on her success, and she couldn't get distracted.

She thought of her dad, who she hadn't seen for over a decade. He'd vanished without a trace, never returning from his ascent of the Tower. There had been no news, and even their queries to the government hadn't turned up any leads, almost like he'd never existed.

It was hard on Aurora and her mother, but things changed when they met her stepfather. He was a good-hearted man, part of the Merchant Guild, and a small-time merchant. Not only did he love her mother, but he even accepted Aurora as his own and sold most of his assets to give her this opportunity for a better life. She owed him everything...

But that didn't keep her from wanting to find out what happened to her father. She was very observant, even from a young age, and there were details about his disappearance that didn't add up. The only way to find out what had happened was to get stronger. And to do that... she had to ace this exam.

With some effort, Aurora pushed her straying thoughts from her mind and focused on the task before her. To achieve her goal, she had to be the best.