Luckborn

The Fountain Courtyard was quiet at dusk. A thin mist curled above the water's surface, catching the last traces of daylight in a pale shimmer. The air smelled faintly of damp stone and early spring, though the lingering chill of winter still clung to the air. Otter pulled his cloak tighter as he approached the courtyard's centerpiece—a grand, tiered fountain shaped like an open book, water cascading down its carved pages.

Sage was already there.

She sat cross-legged on the low stone ledge surrounding the fountain. Golden hour bathed her features in warm light, but the moment she noticed him approaching, her expression sharpened with curiosity. "You're early," she said, tilting her head slightly.

"So are you," Otter countered.

Sage smirked. "Touché." She patted the space beside her. "Come, sit. I was glad to hear from you, but your message sounded urgent. Is everything alright?"

Otter sat beside her, adjusting the satchel on his lap. The weight of his discovery still felt heavy, like a secret waiting to burst free.

"I've been researching Emrys Gale and found secret messages in his journal," he said without preamble. "He had serious doubts about the other founders and their control over the System. And he was concerned about the gods—especially Elarion and Altheris."

Sage's expression darkened with interest. "Go on."

Otter relayed everything—the hidden script, the veiled warnings, the cryptic riddle, and finally, the acrostic message that spelled out compass.

Sage listened without interruption, her fingers absently tracing the seams of the stone blocks that made up the fountain. When Otter finished, she exhaled slowly, processing the information.

"Elarion and Altheris," she murmured. "Strange bedfellows."

Otter frowned. "Why?"

She looked at him. "How much do you know of the gods?"

"Not much," Otter admitted. "I can't say I'm a religious guy. Never been to temple, though we celebrate the Binding. All I really know is that the gods were born to fight Kaos. They worked together to create the System, and now the only way they can influence the world is through their Divine Conduits."

Sage smiled. "At least your knowledge is accurate, if astoundingly incomplete. I don't have time to teach you everything, so I'll stick to what I consider relevant to your current needs."

Otter pulled a notebook and pencil out of his satchel. "Sounds like a plan."

"It could still take a while."

Otter shrugged. "As long as I'm back by curfew."

"The first thing you need to know is that the gods are not simple. They mean different things to different people, and their influence changes across cultures. Even their names vary from place to place. But they have certain domains they control. Although, control is not the best word. These domains are aspects of their very nature. We know Caelum's domain here as Law and Order. But those concepts are too narrow to truly reflect all of his aspects. Justice, mercy, judgement, knowledge, discipline—these all fall under Caelum's jurisdiction, so to speak.

"Meanwhile, Elarion is most often represented by change and growth, freedom, and choice. Generally what we consider her positive aspects. Those are the aspects of her I revere and worship and the powers I draw from her. But ambition and conflict are also catalysts for change and growth, so those also fall under her domain. Some Conduits venerate those qualities and, are thus, granted different powers and abilities.

"As you can imagine, Caelum and Elarion are often at odds because of their conflicting aspects. Other times, their aspects have some overlap, such as with knowledge. But usually, they have different priorities and so do their followers, leading to competition and sometimes outright conflict. That is why the Binding is so important. It serves as a reminder that, ultimately, we all have a common enemy. Kaos. But I'm drifting away from my point."

"The reason what you have found is so strange is the involvement of Altheris. Her portfolio is that of mystery, fate, and the unknown. Little is known about her outside of her own church, and even then, I imagine there's a lot of secrets and compartmentalization. There is less overlap between her and the other two, setting her apart. If Gale felt guided by both…" She pursed her lips. "That's rare. Troubling, even."

Otter absorbed the information, filing it away alongside his own discoveries. "Why?"

Sage gave him a long, measured look. "Altheris doesn't just deal in mystery and fate. She deals in deception, too." Sage exhaled. "That makes it hard to trust anything she's involved with."

That sent a shiver down his spine.

A heavy silence settled between them, filled only by the soft trickle of the fountain.

Then Sage shifted, her tone turning solemn. "There's something else."

Otter tensed. "What?"

She hesitated before speaking. "I've been having visions. I think. They come to me as dreams. Flashes of images I can't fully interpret."

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

"What kind of images?"

Sage's eyes darkened. "Chains breaking. Artifacts shattering. A storm looming over a city. It feels like something is unraveling."

His mind flashed to Gale's words: I reckon the hour I dreaded hath come to pass.

"Sounds about right," Otter said, voice hushed.

"Those visions are from Elarion. She's trying to tell me something."

"Can you think of any scenario in which Altheris and Elarion would work together?"

"Perhaps."

"Because I think it makes sense."

"How?"

"Okay. Hear me out. Emrys Gale wrote about the founders of the Academy wanting to 'contrive the semblance of choice, a shadow play of freedom, while the hand that guides remains unseen' in order to establish control. That sounds like something Altheris would have a hand in, but he also said that Altheris helped him work against the whole thing. What if she was acting as a secret double agent, sabotaging her own contributions to the founding of the Academy? If the Academy, or whatever, is offering a semblance of choice instead of true freedom, that's where Elarion comes in. Sure, the Academy offers an opportunity for growth, learning, and level progression—something that she would support, but if it also handicaps freedom, that would go against her nature. Right?"

"I suppose," Sage said.

"What if the main supporting force behind the founders was Caelum and both Altheris and Elarion were against it initially, but they eventually reached a compromise because it would benefit the fight against Kaos. Only, Altheris knew something the others didn't, so she and Elarion worked in secret to undermine the whole thing at some point in the future."

"That sounds like a plausible theory, I guess. At least in the limited understanding we have of how the gods actually function. But wouldn't that mean the Academy is just a farce? That this secret involves destroying it?"

Otter shook his head. "I don't think so. I think the Academy is what it is. A place to learn about adventuring. I think all this revolves around something bigger. The System itself."

Sage's eyes went wide. "What do you mean?"

"Well, I can't prove it, but I've read things that indicate that at some point in history, there might have been Classes other than the ones we know about. Emrys Gale might have even had a Class we know nothing about."

Sage's eyes widened. "So wait, you think the founders, with help from the gods, might have hidden certain Class options?"

"Yes. That's exactly what I think."

Sage sucked in a breath. "Then this is more dangerous than I thought. No wonder I've been having visions."

"Dangerous?"

Sage gave him a flat look. "Yes. Dangerous. If your supposition is correct, then it's been a secret for, what, five hundred years? There's no way someone doesn't know about it and would do anything to protect it. Not to mention, if it was the brain-child of Caelum, his followers certainly wouldn't want it tampered with."

Otter grimaced. "I… hadn't considered that."

"That being said, I get the feeling I'm supposed to help you out. Elarion wouldn't send me visions if I'm not supposed to get involved."

"So," he said, attempting to keep his voice steady. "What do we do?"

Sage gave him a contemplative look. "I don't know. I think that is up to you. For now, I will follow your lead."

That wasn't what Otter expected to hear, but it was good to know he had her support. "Okay. I'll let you know when I figure it out."

***

In a dim chamber that smelled of burning incense, a man wearing a heavy hooded cloak, his face obscured by shadows, stood before a mirror. Its surface rippled, like disturbed water, distorting the image it displayed—another man, perhaps. Though its shape remained fragmented and indistinct. A deliberate measure, no doubt. But the voice? The voice was perfectly clear.

"You have news," the unseen figure said. The tone was smooth, authoritative.

"The boy has found something." His words were careful, measured. "A fragment of truth, I think, but its exact nature is unknown to me. For now."

There was a pause. "And his disposition?"

"Unpredictable. Curious, yes. Clever, perhaps. But still… reckless."

"Excellent. If he were too predictable, he would not suit our purpose."

"Agreed."

"Continue to monitor the situation and keep me apprised of any developments." The mirror's surface shimmered, the distorted image flickering once before fading to black. The chamber returned to stillness, the embers of the incense curling through the dark.

The hooded man turned away, his footsteps echoing softly as they disappeared into the shadows.

***

The morning sun spilled over the Academy grounds, igniting the dew-laden grass in a golden shimmer. Early risers dotted the walkways—some students in small clusters, making plans for the day, while others hurried with stacks of books clutched to their chests. Still others made their way to morning work details. Otter was on his way to the Hall of Assignments.

Otter walked with purpose, held held high, satchel clutched at his side containing only the worn notebook he'd been using to document his findings. But his posture was a product of false confidence. Inside, he was a bundle of nerves.

The Hall of Assignments was the primary administrative building on campus. Students came here for all sorts of reasons—adding and dropping courses, visiting advisors, disciplinary hearings—just to name a few. But Otter was here for none of those.

After speaking with Sage, Otter had regrouped with the rest of his friends and discussed what he'd learned. Even Levi had paled at the gravity of the situation. They discussed many things. Several plans were formulated and discarded. Levi, of course, pushed for stealth and secrecy, keeping their hunt as quiet as possible so no one would find out. That partially appealed to Otter, but the thought of stealing an artifact from the Library wasn't sitting well with him. Piper told him to think of it as "borrowing," but she finally admitted the consequence would likely be expulsion. Erin was flat out against it, refusing to break the rules. After more consideration and discussion, Otter finally decided he would talk to Overseer Blackwood about the situation. Of everyone at the Academy, he thought Blackwood would look out for him, and hopefully, keep the discovery to himself.

However, convincing the man to grant him access to an ancient artifact for the purpose of unraveling a secret System function? That would take more than a few well-chosen words.

At the top of a set of polished stone steps, Otter pushed open the doors to the Hall of Assignments.

The interior was as imposing as ever. Heavy beams arched across the vaulted ceiling, while banners bearing the Academy's emblem hung from polished brass sconces. Rows of desks lined the chamber, clerks bent over parchment and ledgers, a constant reminder of the bureaucracy that ruled here.

Otter approached a clerk. "I have an appointment to see Overseer Blackwood."

The clerk glanced between him and a ledger. "Name?"

"Bennett. Dwayne Bennett."

After a few seconds, the clerk looked up. "Have a seat over there. An escort will be with you momentarily."

Otter did as he was told, though he couldn't keep his legs from bouncing. He took several deep breaths. His fingers brushed the leather spine of his notebook, seeking reassurance in the tangible evidence of his findings. This wasn't just a theory. Emrys Gale's words were real. The compass was real. And whatever it pointed to could change everything.

But first, he had to convince Blackwood.