Luckborn

Otter sat at a table in the library, staring at the door marked "Restricted." Piper sat next to him, gloved hands attempting to repair the spine of a rather abused text.

He'd been back at the Academy for two days, but classes hadn't started yet. He absently scratched at the bracelet on his left wrist. It was a modified marker like the one they'd received during the simulation. All returning students had received one immediately upon arrival. Its purpose, they were told, was simply to monitor their whereabouts. An added security measure. To keep everyone safe.

That wasn't the only new security measure. Otter had seen unfamiliar uniformed adults scattered around campus. None carried any weapons that he could see, but they were clearly security personnel. Otter imagined they each had some sort of magical weapon tucked away. Or maybe they were just for show. Either way, the atmosphere at the Academy was significantly more frigid than when he'd left.

Freedom was now severely impeded. Which made Otter getting into the Restricted Section that much more unlikely.

"Maybe I should just ask for permission," he muttered.

Piper looked up from her worked and pushed her glasses back up her nose. "What?"

"I'm just thinking it might be best to just ask Overseer Blackwood if he'll let me in."

Piper scoffed. "Oh, sure. Why don't you march right to his office and tell him you'd like access to the deepest, most restricted archives in the entire Library? I'm sure he'll be very understanding."

Otter shot her a look. "Alright, I get it."

Piper huffed, dusting off her hands. "No student has ever been allowed inside. Not one. Not even third-years. And you think they'll make an exception for you?"

He glanced back at the door. "I don't know," he admitted. "But with these new trackers, sneaking in is going to be impossible."

"Probably."

"So I need a new plan."

"What you need is a miracle." Piper stacked the repaired book on top of a growing pile, then tilted her head toward Otter. "Alright, enough scheming. What courses did you register for?"

Otter tore his gaze from the Restricted Section door and leaned back in his chair. "Combat Basics again, obviously."

"Obviously," Piper deadpanned.

"History and Theory of Kaos, Monster Identification and Tactics, and Alchemy 101."

Piper narrowed her eyes at him, tapping a finger against the table. "Alchemy, huh? That's an interesting choice."

Otter rolled his eyes. "Yes, because knowing how to brew a healing potion is such a crazy idea."

"No, no, I get it. It's just…you don't strike me as the careful measurements type."

Otter scoffed. "I can follow instructions, you know."

"Sure, sure." Piper smirked. "And when you inevitably blow something up, I'd like to be informed beforehand so I can be anywhere else."

Otter let out an exaggerated sigh. "You have so much faith in me, Piper."

She patted his arm sympathetically. "None at all."

He shook his head, but a small grin tugged at the corner of his mouth. At least some things hadn't changed.

Still, as his gaze drifted back to the Restricted Section door, he couldn't shake the feeling that time was running out. There were answers behind that door. Answers he needed.

And he'd find a way inside.

One way or another.

Otter hadn't planned on stopping by the Commissary that morning, but after his conversation with Piper, he decided he needed a pick-me-up.

Now, standing in front of the glowing display the attendant had turned toward him, he blinked in confusion.

Account Balance: 219 Credits.

That… wasn't right.

He had barely scraped by with 4 credits left at the end of last semester. Where had the extra 200 come from?

He asked and the attendant tapped the screen, pulling up the transaction history:

Transaction Log:

Commissary Purchase – 36 credits deducted

This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

Library Wages – 15 credits added

Administrative Bonus – 200 credits added

Otter stared at the last entry. What was that about?

"What's an administrative bonus?"

The attendant shrugged. "No idea. Never seen that before. But that's a lot of credits."

Otter wondered if it was connected to the commendation he'd received from the Academy. And if his other teammates had also gotten it. A strange mix of emotions settled in his chest—relief, excitement, and something else. Something that felt uncomfortably like guilt.

He exhaled sharply.

He could unpack those feelings later. For now, there were supplies to buy.

For a brief, wild moment, he considered treating himself to something ridiculous—a full course meal from a high-end eatery in the heart of Aurelia, a new coat, or maybe some enchanted trinket from the specialty shop.

Then reality set in.

This was an opportunity.

There was no telling when—or if—he'd ever get another windfall like this. He needed to be smart. Supplies first.

The Academy's Commissary was well-stocked with general adventuring gear, a few minor magical items, and mundane student necessities like parchment and ink, but he was thinking bigger.

"Can I buy weapons on campus?" he asked the attendant.

"Not here. Those have to be procured at Ironside Keep."

"I didn't know that."

"Well, it's not exactly advertised. And since you aren't supposed to carry a weapon around campus anyway, there's not much point."

Otter hadn't considered that. Even so, he'd leave the Academy eventually and it would be nice to have a decent weapon at his side. One that he knew how to use.

"What about better magical items?"

"What you see is what we've got. There's plenty of magic shops in Aurelia if you want something different."

Otter had already purchased most of the adventuring gear he thought he'd need to prepare for The Simulation, but there were two things he wanted to pick up here.

First, he bought five more whisper stones. Those he would send to his mother over the next couple of months. Then he bought a warming charm. Stuck in a pocket, it would provide just enough heat to keep his hands warm. Considering how cold it had been lately, he thought that to be a wise investment.

As he walked back to the counter to check out, something caught his eye. Something he hadn't seen before.

On the Games and Hobbies shelf sat a heavy forked stick with a band of white material strung between the forks. Otter veered from his path to investigate the strange object. Tied around the handle was a note.

Sling Shot- This device was discovered by an expedition to the jungles of Hashpeth. The natives created the stretchy bands by drying the sap of what they call Heaven's Tree. Spell Lord Vulco created a spell to strengthen and reinforce these bands so they will not break even with extended use. This toy can be used to hunt small game or to shoot targets at a distance.

Interesting. Otter snapped it up. While a rapier would be good, a ranged weapon would come in handy, too.

Everything came to a total of 39 credits, so he rounded out his purchase with a sweet roll leaving him with 179 credits.

He tucked the things away in his pack and went to Ironside Keep.

He'd only been inside the keep a handful of times. Most of their training was done outside, but he found the armory fairly quickly. It was nothing like the Commissary. Instead, a heavy iron gate separated the inventory from the students, with only a narrow counter in front for requests.

Beyond the bars, racks of weapons lined the walls. Polished steel swords, maces, halberds. These weren't the blunted ones they used for practice. These were for real combat. Shields hung in neat rows, their surfaces reflecting the dim torchlight. Crates of gear were stacked methodically, each labeled with neat, precise script. Everything was organized, locked away, and meticulously accounted for.

A grizzled quartermaster stood behind the counter, arms crossed, eyeing Otter with the same scrutiny one might give a suspect at a crime scene. "What?" he grunted, not a trace of nicety in his manner.

"I'd like to purchase some equipment, please." Otter kept his tone kind and civil in contrast.

"What did you have in mind?"

"I need a rapier. And maybe some leather armor, too."

The Quartermaster came out from behind the counter. He carried a measuring tape in one hand. He told Otter to stand at attention, then scribbled down his height and several other measurements. "Right," he barked when he finished. "A set of boiled leather armor costs 50 credits and will be ready in a week."

Otter nodded. "Okay."

The Quartermaster chewed the inside of his cheek. "You have that many credits?"

Otter nodded.

"Let me verify that." The bearded man went back to the counter and pulled out a thick ledger. "Name?"

"Dwayne Bennett. I just made a purchase at the Commissary about ten minutes ago. How will that," he pointed to the ledger, "be current?"

The man grinned. Otter noticed a chipped tooth. "Magic. Don't ask me how it works. But all the information that fancy screen shows you at the Commissary, I can find right here in this book. If you make a purchase, I'll write it in here, and poof, there go your credits."

The whole thing boggled Otter's mind. Back home, he'd never seen anything like the accounting system used at the Academy. Everything was bought and paid for with coin. He wondered if the Academy's method was based on or connected to the System itself. Maybe he'd research that at the Library.

After a moment, the Quartermaster grunted. "Okay. A basic rapier is 35 credits. Can't let it leave the keep, though. Not unless you have permission from the headmaster or an overseer. You want to practice with it, you come here. We'll assign you a practice room. Return it when you're done."

Otter nodded. He wondered how that would work. Now he knew. "Can I pick one out?"

The Quartermaster grunted again, then unlocked the gate behind him and led Otter inside, showing him to the small selection of rapiers and other finesse weapons.

Otter was immediately drawn to a sword with an elegant pommel, carved to resemble a broad leaf that swept back to protect the wielder's hand. It had an iridescent quality that gave it a greenish glimmer.

He went to pick it up, but the Quartermaster coughed. "That's not a basic weapon. That has a much higher price tag."

"How much?"

"250 credits."

Otter swallowed and dropped his hand. So much for that idea. He moved on. There were three basic rapiers on the rack. He couldn't tell the difference between them just by looking, so he picked each up and felt the weight and balance. One felt the tiniest bit more balanced in his hand, so he held it out to the Quartermaster. "I'll take this one."

The man nodded and took it from Otter before making a note on a pad he'd brought with him. Then he led Otter back outside the gate before locking it. He pointed down the corridor. "Two doors down, you'll find an empty room. You've got it for half an hour. Bring the weapon back when you finish and I'll tag it for you."

Otter thanked him and carried his new rapier to the practice room. He gave the weapon a few practice swings, then fell into the formations he'd learned in Combat Basics last semester. It came back to him easily, and he spent the next ten minutes working up a sweat.

Finally, he wrapped things up, returned the sword, and went to find his friends.