Chapter 33 | Urge For Battle

Chapter 33: Chapter 33 | Urge For Battle

"The construct telegraphs," Corbyn said.

"Most people can’t feel a telegraph through the floor," Dex said.

"Bond awareness," Corbyn said.

Dex looked at him.

"You just won an assessed Summit match without summoning anything," Dex said. "In forty seconds. Against an Ironveil student."

"B-rank," Corbyn said.

"Still," Dex said.

Corbyn looked at the arena where the fourth match was starting.

Across the gallery the Ashveil student who had seemed to look at him from the courtyard was watching the arena with that same quality of looking at everything and nothing simultaneously.

Then he looked at Corbyn.

Direct this time. Not confirming from a distance.

He held it for two seconds.

Then he looked back at the arena.

Corbyn filed that.

=====

After the day one matches the schools dispersed to their assigned dormitory sections. The Sovereign Summit used Valdenmere’s guest facilities — a separate wing of the accommodation block that normally sat empty.

Corbyn was crossing the east courtyard toward the commoner block when the Voss Conservatory faculty member intercepted him.

Not aggressively. Just stepped into his path with the deliberate calm of someone who had been waiting for a moment without an audience.

"Corbyn Veatch," the man said.

"Yes," Corbyn said.

"Edric Voss," the man said. "Deputy principal, Voss Conservatory." He paused. "The conservatory bears Aldric’s name. I have spent thirty years studying his legacy." He looked at Corbyn with an expression that was carefully controlled around something that wasn’t. "Your class designation. When did it transfer?"

"Ceremony day," Corbyn said. "Six weeks ago."

Edric Voss looked at him.

"Six weeks," he said. Very quiet.

"Yes," Corbyn said.

"And you’ve already accessed partial manifestation," Edric said. Not a question. He’d watched the first match. "Without a full summon."

"Bond awareness," Corbyn said. "Not manifestation. Not yet."

Edric looked at him for a long moment.

"Aldric accessed partial manifestation in his fourth year," Edric said. "After three years of active contract work. With preparation." He paused. "You’re in your sixth week."

"Cole has been training me since day four," Corbyn said.

Edric’s expression shifted at Cole’s name.

"Idris Cole," he said. Like confirming something.

"Yes," Corbyn said.

Edric was quiet for a moment.

"Come to our section after dinner," Edric said. "There are documents in our archive that are relevant to what you’re carrying. Things that weren’t transferred to the Voss family archive when Aldric died." He paused. "Things that might help you understand what’s coming."

Corbyn looked at him.

"Why?" Corbyn said.

Edric looked back at him steadily.

"Because Aldric built that class to protect this world," Edric said. "Not to sit in a system pool for two centuries and transfer to whoever touched a pillar last." He paused. "No offense intended."

"None taken," Corbyn said. "It’s accurate."

Edric almost smiled.

"After dinner," he said. "Room seven, guest wing."

He walked away.

Corbyn stood in the courtyard and thought about Lyra.

She didn’t know Voss Conservatory had documents her family archive didn’t have.

He pulled out his communication device and sent her a message.

Her reply came back in under a minute.

I know. I’ve been in their section for the last two hours. Come when you’re done with Edric. I’ll still be here.

Corbyn looked at the message for a moment.

Then he walked toward dinner.

========

The dining hall had reorganized itself around five schools without anyone directing it. Caelum at the center, where the noble tables usually sat. Ironveil along the right wall in their coordinated rows. Voss Conservatory near the left. Ashveil spread casually wherever they found space.

Valdenmere students had negotiated around all of it with the particular awkwardness of hosts who weren’t sure whether they were supposed to be accommodating or territorial.

Corbyn got his food and found Dex at a table near the window.

The Ashveil student was sitting two tables away. Alone. Eating with the same quality of relaxed attention he’d brought to everything else.

He looked up when Corbyn sat down.

Corbyn looked back.

The student stood, picked up his tray, and walked to Corbyn’s table. Sat across from him without asking. Not rude. Just decided.

"Kael Durn," he said. Extended his hand across the table.

Corbyn shook it.

"Corbyn Veatch," Corbyn said.

Kael nodded like that confirmed something he already knew.

"Day two bracket," Kael said. "You’re in the afternoon session if you advance from your morning match." He ate a bite. "I’m in the afternoon session."

"We might meet," Corbyn said.

"Probably," Kael said. Like this was information rather than threat. "I wanted to say something before that happens."

"Go ahead," Corbyn said.

"The way you moved in that first match," Kael said. "The footwork. The way you read the construct before it reached you." He looked at Corbyn directly. "You’re not fighting with your summon’s power. You’re fighting with information from the bond."

Corbyn said nothing.

"I do something similar," Kael said. "Different class, different mechanics. But the principle is the same." He ate another bite. "Most summoners treat the bond as a supply line. Power flows from entity to summoner and that’s what you use." He paused. "A few of us figured out the bond is also a communication channel. The entity sees things you don’t. Feels things you don’t. If the bond is strong enough and you know how to listen — that’s combat information."

"And if we meet in the arena," Corbyn said.

"Then we find out which of us listens better," Kael said simply.

He picked up his tray.

"Good match today," he said.

He walked back to his original table.

Dex had been eating through this entire exchange without speaking, which meant he was filing every word.

"He’s good," Dex said, when Kael was out of earshot.

"Yes," Corbyn said.

"You want to fight him," Dex said.

Corbyn thought about it honestly.

"Yes," Corbyn said.

Dex nodded slowly.

"Just checking," Dex said.