Morningstar

Hakea scratches his right arm, near the wrist. He stops when pain explodes through it. He forgot that he got burnt by the torch that Moneo was holding at the trial. It was an accident. It happened when they were fighting some students while Icarus fought Lodge. Hakea moved to evade the attack and barely touched Moneo’s torch. He only felt the small pain there, but after the trial he found that a small part of his arm is black, and it itches.

“What did you put in there?” Agrion asks, looking at the bandaged wrist and beginning of Hakea’s arm.

“I don’t know,” Hakea admits. His feet are on the table. “Rin spread a cold viscous liquid over it and wrapped it in bandages. I didn’t ask questions. She knows what she is doing.”

“Where’s Icarus?” Xeon asks.

Hakea looks around the room. Everyone is there, except for him. He looks out through the window and towards the sun to guess the time. “You are right. He is late. That is not like him.” Hakea shrugs and turns towards Xeon. “What happened at the trial? You never told us.”

Xeon shrugs. “Ilya was the only one who got any serious damage.” Hakea eyes Agrion. He doesn’t know what happened with Xeon. He one day arrived with a black cloak, a haircut, and a new insouciant attitude.

“Well, at least you should be glad that Zanna made it unharmed,” Hakea says.

“Whatever,” he says. Hakea only takes a silent breath. He doesn’t like this new Xeon. He is trying to be too cool for them.

Icarus enters the room, stopping Hakea from thinking a way to tell Xeon that. He has a tray, stolen from the cafeteria, with fours cups on it and a green apple. He goes around the room and hands the cups to Xeon, Zanna, Wither, and Kobo. That’s when Hakea knows that those are the coffees that he promised. Then he places the tray at the desk and takes the apple.

He sighs, which Hakea thinks that it seems out of character. “I’ve got bad news.” Everyone groans or sighs. “All of the mentors knew what the last trial was, but Morning and the Times changed it.”

“What the hell?” Shin asks.

“Why would they change it?” East asks.

“That’s not fair,” Tilray and Phoenix yell at the same time. They glare at each other.

“It is not fair,” Icarus admits. “They also moved the trial. It will be starting in three days.” He raises a hand before anyone could protest. “Yes, that means that there won’t be any time for training. At least, Morning told us that you won’t be facing any other team of Morningstar at the trial.”

“Then who will we be facing?” Beta asks.

“I don’t know,” Icarus says. “My guess is that you will be facing the teams from the other academies until three teams of each academy will remain standing.”

“So, we will be fighting against the best of each academy?” Hakea asks.

“The original trial consisted of the same thing,” Icarus says. “Back when I was at Nightlight, I faced that trial, and the generation before me did the same. It is a tradition like the assassin’s trial.”

“But are we ready to face this trial?” Vil asks.

“Of course, we are,” Icarus says fast. Hakea doesn’t know if he is lying or not. “You all proved it on third trial. I didn’t have to step in to push you into working together. You all worked as a team, regardless of your differences.” He sets the green apple down at the desk. “Anyway, pick your camping partners and pack your things. We will be leaving Morningstar to the last trial at midday. The next time that you all return to Morningstar, you won’t be students anymore. You will be graduates.”

A shiver shakes Hakea’s spine. He will leave the place where he has lived most of his life. One more trial and he will leave this torture. He doesn’t know what the future holds for him. He doesn’t know where he will be sent to, but everything is better than here. He looks at Phoenix. Maybe he will be sent someplace with her, and that is when their love will spark.

“Camping partners?” Lexan asks.

“You will share a tent with your camping partner,” Icarus says. “Everyone must choose one.”

“I choose Icarus,” Fey shouts.

Icarus shakes his head. “You have to choose someone from the team, preferably someone of the same sex. I’m already stuck with the mentors. Apparently, I must share a tent with not one but two.”

Killam stands up, making his way across the room. He stops in front of Agrion. “You will be my partner, won’t you, cutie pie?”

Hakea feels his blood boil. He doesn’t like Killam at all. Agrion looks at Hakea and Xeon, looking for their opinion. He doesn’t seem to find it. If he does, he doesn’t like what he found. He looks at Killam. “All right. I’ll be your camping partner.”

Killam smiles. “Excellent.”

***

Rin picks up her bag. She glances once back at her room, where she had some pretty adventures. She pulls her middle finger out at it and leaves to Phoenix’s room. When the door opens, she sees Zanna instead of Phoenix. Rin enters the room to find Phoenix still packing.

“I’m sorry for leaving you,” Rin says. She and Zanna chose to be camping partners.

“Don’t worry,” Phoenix says. “East is now my partner since there weren’t any more women free.” She shrugs. “At least it is him and not Hakea.”

“Hakea?’ Rin asks.

“He tried to kiss me once,” Phoenix says. She takes her backpack and places it on her shoulders. “I don’t want to talk about it. Let’s go.”

They make their way to the main gate. This is the first time that she has seen the gate opened. The huge stone wall that surrounds Morningstar has one huge black iron gate. Rin has always wondered what lies outside, past the forest. She always imagined herself running out to her freedom, but once she crosses the gate, she doesn’t feel free. She and her friends stand where Icarus and the rest are.

Rin looks around. She finds Quin’s team, and Demetrio, Kemba, and Signe. “Guys,” she whispers. Zanna and Phoenix looks at her. “Pym’s team did not make it. Shawn…” She trails off. Shawn, her closest male friend, was part of Pym’s team. Zanna grabs her hand.

“I am sorry,” Phoenix whispers. Rin nods, trying to stop her eyes from watering. Shawn would have wanted her to survive. When the trial is over, when she graduates, she will cry his death.

“Hi,” she hears someone say. She turns to find Padden heading towards her. “I’m glad that you are still standing strong.”

She smiles, trying to turn Shawn’s image away. “Why?” she asks, and after she does, she feels regret. She knows that she likes Padden. He has been nice wither her. He has flirted and told her compliments. And what she likes more is that he hasn’t tried to sleep with her. She doesn’t know if it is because he sees her as a friend only or because he wants to take things slow.

“Because–”

“No fraternizing with the other teams,” Quin says, appearing from out of nowhere. She pushes Padden. “Go back to your team.” Then she looks at Phoenix. “Ah, Icarus’s toy. How are you? Are you still under his spell?”

“I don’t need to answer personal questions, sir,” Phoenix answers. Rin hears the venom in her voice.

Quin chuckles. “I’m just trying to warn you, woman to woman. Don’t fall for him, specially don’t sleep with him. Once you let him fuck you is when you will be under his thumb.” Phoenix doesn’t answer. Quin smiles as if that were answer enough and leaves.

Rin watches her go. Did Quin sleep with Icarus? She turns to face Phoenix, who is looking down, her expression distant. Rin opens her eyes wide. “Did you sleep with–”

“We have a trial to get to,” Phoenix interrupts and looks back to the front.

***

Lexan continues walking. They’ve been walking for hours now. They’ve been traveling through woods and more woods with no sign of ending. The five teams are walking together, divided by a distance of a few meters. Morning has been leading the way. Even though he is walking with them, all of his hooded followers are carrying his things for him.

Lexan looks at Icarus. He is leading the team and Lexan is walking with him. “The heat is getting to me,” he tells Icarus.

“Hold on,” Icarus says. “That is because your body is dehydrating. Keep drinking water because things are going to get worst.”

“How?” he asks.

“You’ll see in a few minutes,” Icarus answers.

Lexan nods. After a few minutes, he sees that the forest is ending. He waits a few seconds more to get a better view. He sees that meters away from him the brown grassy ground is turning into sand. He sees small hills far away made of sand. He realizes that the forest is ending, and a desert is starting.

“Stop,” Morning says. Everyone obliges. Lexan wants to sit down, but he knows that he can’t. “Half-hour break.” He begins to walk away with his followers.

Lexan sits on the floor fast. He isn’t the only one. The rest of his team follow him. “We have made good progress,” Icarus says as Lexan removes his backpack. “We needed to be out of the forest before sunset. Rest, eat, and if you need to relieve yourself, take your camping partner into the woods. This will probably be the last stop before we set camp.”

Icarus turns, but Lexan stands up, even though he is tired. “Why? Why do we need to leave the forest before sunset?”

“Things lurk in this forest. They come out at night. It is a way to ensure that if anyone escapes, they won’t make it out alive.” He turns again.

“Where are you going?” Lexan asks.

“To eat,” he answers. He walks deeper into the woods. Lexan watches him disappear, wondering why Icarus doesn’t want to show what’s under his mask. Lexan thought that he was already comfortable with his team.

Guess that he was wrong.

***

Tilray wants to groan. The air is too hot. The sand occasionally flies when the wind hits. The sun leers down at them as if it is chanting that she should give up. She hears someone fall from another group. Morning doesn’t stop, nor do them. She watches when a few of the other group helps the man stand up.

Icarus stops for one second. “Lord Morning,” he says. If the last three weeks hasn’t made clear that Icarus’s emotions are expressed in his voice’s tone, she wouldn’t know that it is a warning.

“I feel it too,” Kemba says.

Morning stops and turns around, but he is not the one to speak. “What are you talking about?” Demetrio asks.

“A sandstorm is coming,” Icarus says.

Tilray looks around. There are only dunes around him. There are not even cacti. There is no sign of the sandstorm. Still, Morning gazes at Icarus. “Set up camp. A sandstorm is brewing.”

Icarus turns to his team and signals them to follow. Once they walk a little more, he stops. “Set camp in here. Secure the tent. Make sure that it is well put. Then enter the tent and don’t come out until I say so. If you need me, my tent will probably be there.” He points at a place that seems like every other place in this indistinguishable desert. “Remember that I will be camping with Signe and Demetrio. Yell my name from outside and I will tell you if you can enter.”

Tilray sets her backpack down. She has been carrying her tent, which she will share with Ilya. Ilya appears next to her. “How do you open this thing?” Tilray asks.

Ilya takes the tent from her hand. “You just want me to do it.”

Tilray smiles. “Well, if you insist.”

They spent the next minutes building the tent. Tilray fights with everything. The hammer once falls, and she yells at it. She hears Ilya laugh at her. Once they are done, they head inside to set their sleeping bags. They see that the light inside is dimming so Tilray turns on a small oil lamp.

“Sunset hasn’t started,” Tilray says. “Why is sunlight disappearing?” She pokes her head outside the tent to look. She finds that the sun is not visible. A sandstorm that is making its way towards them has already blocked the view. She is about to return inside when she finds East and Phoenix entering the same tent. Tilray returns inside. “Did you know that Phoenix and East are sharing a tent?”

“Jealous much?” Ilya asks, mocking her.

“Of course not!” Tilray yells. That’s when she feels the tent shake a little. The sandstorm has arrived.

“You are jealous,” Ilya mocks. “Come on. You can admit it. I am your best friend after all.”

“I don’t want anything to do with him,” Tilray says. She looks away, searching for someone to step in. She doesn’t talk about her romantic interests. That changed when she broke up with East. She then realizes that no one can step in because she is alone with Ilya. She turns her gaze at Ilya. “Can I tell you something, something that I haven’t told anyone before?”

“Of course,” Ilya says. “I am your best friend. I am here to hear you out.”

“I… I don’t like East anymore,” Tilray says.

“I know that,” Ilya says as she chuckles.

“No,” Tilray says, still serious. “I… I don’t think that I like men at all.” Ilya tilts her head. Is she judging? No, she shouldn’t have said anything to her. She wants to take the words back. Ilya will judge her. But she already said it. “I think that I like women.”

“All right,” Ilya says.

Tilray opens her eyes wide. “All right? That’s all?”

“What?” Ilya asks. “Did you expect me to say something else? Whom you like is your business. If you like men, then fine, if you like women, then fine too.”

Tilray breathes. This has been the first time that she told someone. “I thought for a second that you would stop talking to me for it.”

“For what? For telling me that you are a lesbian?” Ilya laughs. “Come on. You should know better. I am friends with Killam after all.”

“Killam?”

“Oh, you don’t know?” Ilya asks. “He is trying to sleep with Agrion.”

“Wait, Killam is gay?”

“I don’t know,” Ilya shrugs. “He doesn’t want to label himself. He says that he doesn’t feel the need to.”

“I never expected that,” Tilray says. “I mean, I didn’t even know if he liked people at all.”

Ilya laughs, and Tilray feels a weight be lifted off from her.

***

Beta is sitting on her sleeping bag. In front of her, Fey is sitting on hers. She is not giving much thought to what they are talking about. They started talking about the trial and now ended up talking about the mentor Demetrio, who thinks that is the hottest man alive.

“He isn’t!” Fey shouts. “If I had to choose who’s the hottest between the mentors, I would surely choose Icarus.”

“You would choose Icarus whenever,” Beta says.

“That’s true,” Fey says, “but tell me. Who do you think is the hottest from all of the people at Morningstar?”

“Moneo.”

Fey laughs. “Come on! Moneo is cute, not hot.”

“I stand by my choice.”

“Liar.”

Beta sighs. “Promise me that this will stay between us.”

“Promise.”

Beta looks sideway, checking if no one is around, even though she knows that they are alone. “Well… I think that Lexan is hot.”

Fay laughs. “Lexan?”

“What?” she asks, even though a smile is forming in her mouth. “I saw him once without a shirt by the lake, running around with some old friends, and I felt suddenly flushed.”

Beta. Beta looks around while Fey laughs. Did someone call her? Beta.

“Did you say something?” Beta asks.

“No,” Fey answers as she wipes her tears. Beta. Beta. Beta. Beta kneels, looking around for any sign that someone is there. Beta. Beta. Beta. “Are you all right?”

Beta. Beta. Beta. “I am hearing voices,” she says. The voices continue faster and faster, stronger and stronger, until she can’t take it anymore. She covers her ears with her hands and closes her eyes. Beta. Beta. Beta.

She doesn’t know how much time she spends like that, trying to block the sound. Someone shakes her. She lifts her head a little to look. Icarus is in front of her. “Beta look at me. Beta! Look at me!” She does. “Try to calm down. Slow your heartbeat.”

“I c-c-can’t,” she says. The voices are becoming stronger. She closes her eyes again. She feels someone hug her from behind and wrap their body around her. She feels the heat of the person’s body. She tries to identify the smell. It reminds her of the times that she, Fey, Moneo, and Kobo went hunting on winters. The smell of pine was always in the woods.

She opens her eyes slowly after a while to find that Icarus is the one hugging her, pinning her in place so that she cannot move. He looks down at her. “Are they gone?” he asks.

She nods. “Yes.” Icarus is about to move. “Don’t let go.”

“All right,” he says. She is still shivering. The voices scared her more than anything.

“What was that?” she asks.

“The wind,” he answers. “The sandstorm. It was calling you.”

“Why me?”

“Because of your ability,” Icarus says. “You are the only one who can hear them.”

“But what do they want?”

Icarus takes a second. “The truth is that I do not know, but they cannot harm you. They cannot touch you.” Beta nods. They remain quiet for a few seconds. “Take all the time that you need. I won’t leave.”

With that, Beta buries her head closer to Icarus’s chest and closes her eyes.