CAVERNS

On my first day back, I lean against the wall on the edges of the Grand Hall and try to avoid the stares of my fellow mages. Meanwhile, our whole Alchemy class is milling about, waiting for the particulars of our practical midterm exam to be announced.

I guess I can’t really blame them for staring. I mean, it’s not every day you watch a fellow mage drop dead on the classroom floor only to return later for exams. Hells, even I have to admit it’s a bit unnerving. To have died…more than once. 

“Alright, mages, your attention please,” Professor Finlay announces loudly from the front of the Hall, and a hush falls over the chamber. “For your practical exam, you will be joining Britannia’s other three schools of magecraft for a field exercise.”

My brow arches in surprise. All…three? For a practical exam?

Back when I was at…Astar…we’d have regularly scheduled Athame tourneys against Grixmiton since they specialize in magikal combat. But the others… I mean Laedin doesn’t even have a chtypáo team. They’re basically an aristocratic school for girls that specializes in the magikal arts.

I shift my gaze to my fellow mages. And apparently I’m not the only one who finds this partnership odd if the mood is any indicator. 

“Uck, again. Those girls from Laedin are so stuck up,” one of my classmates grumbles quietly to Aruna Kattel.

“Filippa,” Miss Kattel admonishes her with a nudge as the Professor continues on. 

“In this exam, we will be traveling via Portway to the Draygus Caverns where you will be asked to gather crystals for use in artificing and alchemic endeavors.”

A shiver runs through me. Draygus…? I haven’t traveled to the caverns since before the… Since before that night. I wonder if…?

Finlay looks down at the folio in his hands. “Now I’ve broken you up into groups of three. One of you—”

“Professor, why can’t we pick our own groups?” Filippa, the girl beside Kattel with hair the color of butterscotch, gripes loudly.

“Yeah, Professor Finlay, what if I get stuck with dead weight?” Markus Argall asks with an air of superiority while casting a glance in Keen’s direction. “I could end up cut from a class because of it.”

As if you’ve room to talk. You’re damned lucky you weren’t put on probation along with Smoot.

“Fine,” Finlay relents begrudgingly. “You can pick your own groups. But you can only have three people. No exceptions.”

As an excited murmur spreads through the Grand Hall, the professor continues on. “Now, like I was trying to explain, there may be less-than-friendly creatures down in these caverns. As such, one person on your team must act as Defender and utilize what they’ve learned thus far in Athame Arts. However, if you lack an athame user, you can substitute a Summoner or an Arcanist focused on combat magik.”

No problems there, I could do any of those if needed. Except…

I gaze down at the cast still adorning my arm, and my jaw clenches in annoyance. Tsk.
Smoot. You, damned rotten bastard! I can’t believe I have to keep this cast on for another week. 

“Your second member must act as Seeker and divine the location of the crystals by any magecraft at their disposal. And the third must act as Gatherer and draw those crystals from the earth and stow them safely in the provided satchels.”

Hmm…interesting. The second position would be the easiest to accomplish in my current circumstances. However, I might not be given the choice.

As I’m mulling over my options, Lillian Pendersmith raises her pale, fae-like hand aloft a short distance ahead of me.

“Professor, you said by any magecraft. So am I correct in thinking that means the task can be accomplished via several schools of magik?”

“That is correct, Miss Pendersmith. As it would go against Bealnora’s founding principles to place any school of magik above another, these tasks can technically be accomplished with most, if not all, eight schools of magik.” 

“Yeah, but what loon’s actually skilled in all eight?” someone comments snidely, earning himself an icy glare from Pendersmith. Though I doubt he noticed.

“Now if there are no further questions, go ahead and form your teams,” Professor Finlay directs.

With a sigh, I lean my head back against the wall and slip my hands into my coat pockets. Teams. Fantastic. I’ll just have to wait around and see who remains. And if things get truly dire, I guess I can always covertly help whoever I’m—

“Hey, Zal—Astaroth…?! Do you want to be our third?”

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Chapter 24 – Caverns: Part One, ExSpelled © 2026 by Kat Vancil

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