“I can’t believe we were all watching different screens at the same time,” Det said as he, Calisco, and Sage walked toward the stadium where the entrance ceremony was scheduled to shortly start. “And I couldn’t see your screens? How does that even work.”

  “Magic,” Calisco said. “Duh.”

  “Sometimes I wish you could explode yourself,” Det grumbled.

  “She’s not wrong, though,” Sage laughed, now with two, twinned knives crossed at his lower back in a custom-made sheath, over his Mistguard cadet uniform. He hadn’t given Det and Calisco the story on those yet—they were too busy watching Re/Souled one-through-four during the all-nighter—but he’d have to ask about them later. “They are from magic.” He tapped the hilt of one of his white daggers.

  “The same?” Det said.

  “Not exactly,” Sage admitted. “Back on my home pillar, we had similar items—they can be bought with enough money, how else would there be a movie industry here?—but they aren’t as good as the one we watched last night. The one we had at home only had a single screen that everybody saw, though it floated in the air like that one. Same remote too.”

  “I hate that remote,” Calisco cursed.

  “You get used to them,” Sage said. “The one we have in our dorm, though? My uncle told me about them. That kind is only found on Avalon, and it’ll be really useful when we start using them for studying. Everybody in our shared dorm will be able to watch—and hear—something different.”

  “How though?” Det said.

  “Same way Avalon was built,” Sage said, gesturing to the towering buildings seemingly carved out of the mountain on their right, then to the Colosseum-esque stadium straight ahead. All of the structures in this part of the mountain were just built to a different scale. “Magic.”

  “There must be more to it than that,” Det said.

  “Of course there is,” Sage said, then looked at Calisco. “Is he always like a two-year old? Constantly asking why things are the way they are? Why is the sky blue? Why is water wet? Why is Captain Simmons’ hair always perfect?”

  “That last one is actually one of my questions,” Det admitted.

  “Nobody can answer it,” Sage laughed. “But, for the buildings and the screens, it’s old ReSouled magic. From the first cycle, if the stories are true.”

  “Somebody like us made all this?” Det said.

  “And the TV screens?” Calisco added. “Who made the popcorn? That berry stuff tasted like rainbow vomit, but the other two were amazing.”

  “Can’t answer the popcorn part, but probably also the first cycle,” Sage said. “There are a lot of things here that feel too familiar to Earth. ReSouled had to have been involved in making them. As for Mount Avalon, the story goes the first cycle of ReSouled realized they’d need a home base when the second cycle arrived. They took over this mountain-pillar, then built Mount Avalon.”

  “It’s amazing they could build all this,” Det said.

  “Most of it was probably built all by one person,” Sage said, and Det’s jaw nearly dropped. “Think about it, Det, your magic—er, I haven’t even asked what it is. Whatever—could it build a tower or carve one out of the side of a mountain? Could it make the Amphitheatre of the Twin Suns?”

  “Best he could do is give you a cheap souvenir,” Calisco said, and Sage raised an eyebrow.

  “No,” Det said, giving Calisco the finger. “It couldn’t do any of those things.”

  “Neither could mine,” Sage said. “And, as awesome as The Boom’s magic is—no, sorry, I don’t like that callsign either—I doubt even she could control it to the artistic extent needed for this place. She definitely couldn’t make the TVs here.”

  “… and?” Det prompted.

  “And it’s because each of our magics is focused on one thing,” Sage said. “Calisco explodes things. That’s all she’ll ever do.”

  “You’re saying there was a ReSouled with the magic to build on this level?” Det said, looking up, up, up at the building on his right. The thing didn’t exactly look like a castle, since it was carved out of the mountainside, but it had to be almost thirty stories tall, with stone balconies on every level. If it was anything like the dorm rooms—while the outside looked like something out of an anime version of the dark ages—the inside would be modern and convenient.

  “I’m saying there were probably a few ReSouled working together to make it all work,” Sage said. “The story says the buildings were built by The Architect, while things like system of the TVs and how they connect to each of us—separately—were put in place by the Administrator.”

  “More nicknames?” Calisco said.

  “It’s how we’ll be remembered,” Sage said with a shrug. “Over the next three years, you’ll pick up your own. If not through your actions here, then through the televised dueling circuit.”

  “Wait… what?” Det said.

  Sage pointed to the stadium ahead of them, small groups or individual ReSouled cadets already making their way inside. By the time displayed on one of the clocktowers that could be seen from almost anywhere on the campus, they still had plenty of time, so Det didn’t rush. No reason to be there early.

  “You’ll see it when we get inside,” Sage said. “This is where the arena scenes from Re/Souled were recorded. It’s also where, during the next three years, we’ll all be part of televised duels and tournaments.”

  “Why the hell would we do that?” Det said. “Do we have to?”

  “To show the world how awesome we are!” Calisco said, then looked at Det. “How awesome most of us are.”

  “We have to,” Sage said while he shook his head at Calisco’s antics.

  Det, for the most part, just ignored it this time. “Again, why?”

  “It’s how we get introduced to the general population,” Sage said. “So, if we get deployed to one of their pillars, they know who we are. Know we’re there to help them. It’s mostly just the new cycle of ReSouled that fight—it’s also important training—but there will be guest matches as well. And guest fighters. If you’re lucky, you might even get to spar with The Wall or Bladestorm.”

  “I’ve already sparred with Captain Simmons,” Det said.

  “He got whooped,” Calisco said.

  “I did,” Det admitted. “And he wasn’t even trying.”

  “Was it a swordfight?” Sage said.

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  “Yeah.”

  “Then of course you lost,” Sage said. “Swords is what Bladestorm does. Did you use your magic at all?”

  “No,” Det said. “Just swords.”

  “The duels aren’t so restricted,” Sage said. “You’ll be able to use your own magic. Things might go a bit differently. Well, probably not against Bladestorm—he’s a beast—but against one of the other cadets? Good chance to strut your stuff.”

  “I don’t think I’ve ever seen Det strut,” Calisco said.

  “You feeling okay, Calisco?” Det said. “That sentence didn’t contain an insult.”

  This time, it was her turn to give him the finger.

  “You sure you two aren’t friends?” Sage asked from in between them, then quickly held up his hands in defense of himself when they both glared at him. “Okay, okay! I retract my statement!”

  “Good,” Calisco said. “Don’t want funny rumors starting.”

  “Back to the point of things,” Det said. “When are these duels going to start?”

  “Sometime after the commencement ceremony we’re going to now,” Sage said. “At least, that’s what my uncle told me. Sounds like it varies from cycle to cycle how much time is spent on the duels, but you’ll be in at least one a year. Probably more. Especially if you get famous.”

  “Why would we get famous?” Det asked at the same time Calisco said, “I’m totally going to be famous.”

  “Same reason Re/Souled has had four parts, with a fifth in the works,” Sage said. “People like flashy magic battles.”

  “Is that why we’re on Elestar?” Det said, a bit of cynicism leaking out of his voice at the thought this was the reason he’d been pulled away from his family. “To stand in the center of some giant arena and ask the crowd, ‘are you not entertained?’.”

  “That happened in Re/Souled-Three,” Calisco reminded him.

  “So, it is the point?” Det said.

  “No,” Sage said. “Since Radiant didn’t have the TVs, I see why this is a bit harder to wrap your head around. The Mistguard is powerful. More powerful than the kingdom’s regular army. Powerful enough to stand up to Uncored and Cored alike, not to mention…” He tapped the pommel of one of his daggers. “Other threats.”

  At the mention of Uncored and Cored, Det really wanted to ask how much Sage knew about them. Det only had the barest of fictional accounts of the two related—yet different—threats, and Re/Souled Four only just barely introduced them, leaving their arrival as a cliffhanger for number five. He could ask later, Sage had a point he was getting to.

  “With that much power,” Sage continued. “We’re a threat to everybody too. To the kingdom, and the regular citizens that call it home. Where do mistships come from? Mistguard. Technologies like the TVs? From the Mistguard. Currency?” His voice dropped to almost a whisper. “Mistguard.”

  Det nodded along. While he’d only just recently learned those bombshells, Sage’s point was coming into view. The Mistguard was integral to the Nivelhime Kingdom, but it was also outside it.

  “These televised duels,” Sage said. “As well as—let’s just call it the Elestar film industry—serves the purpose of positive PR. It makes us household names. Sure, it also shows our power, but it does it in a way people can trust. From entertaining them to protecting them, the difference isn’t as great as you might think.

  “When Mistguard get deployed to pillars, the people there need to know they can both rely on us and trust us. That’s exactly what the Re/Souled movies are doing. They’re making us relatable by showing our lives as cadets for the first three years—four movies, because they had too much content for one. Numbers five-plus, those are going to explore life after the academy. That’s why there was only the one arena fight, and the main villain of the movie was a ruthless pirate.”

  “Do ships like the one he had really exist?” Calisco said. “It looked kind of like a blimp, with those long crystals on the bottom. That can’t actually work…”

  “They really exist,” Sage said. “They’re ships from the Corelands. Illegal as hell, but that doesn’t matter to pirates. Rumor is movie five won’t be dealing with threats within the kingdom, but take our heroes to the Corelands themselves. Personally, I’m really curious if they’ll film there…”

  “Let’s stay on topic,” Det said, the trio much closer now to the stadium. Around them, there had to be another thirty or so cadets. Some of them milled about in small groups of people chatting, while other pairs and parties made their way inside. “We’re going to be on TV so people will know who we are.”

  “Exactly that,” Sage said. “Jackrabbit, our hero from Re/Souled, is actually ReSouled as well. Most of the other actors are normal people, with really good special effects. JR—as most people call Jackrabbit—is still on active Mistguard duty when he’s not performing, but the upper brass felt his contribution to the cause was enough to warrant him spending time filming.

  “Who knows, Det, you might be the next…” Sage shook his head and looked at Calisco. “Cali here might be the next big star.”

  “You better believe it,” Calisco said. “I’ll have that JR fella licking my feet.”

  “Don’t you mean kissing?” Det said.

  “Whatever he’s into.”

  “What Rank is he?” Det said, anything to change the subject from somebody licking Calisco’s feet. “JR, I mean.”

  “He’s a B-Rank Vanguard, I think,” Sage said. “His magic is all about personal speed.”

  “Let me guess, Vanguard is another class?” Det said.

  “Oh, yeah, sorry,” Sage said. “I think they’ll explain them all during our entrance ceremony. My uncle said we’d get separated into classes—archetypes—for some of our classes, and that should start today. Other than that, there will be personal and party lessons. Not sure if anybody told you that.”

  “Speaking of parties and classes,” Calisco said. “Did you see the other three who were supposed to be in our space? Did they not show up?”

  “They stayed in their rooms while we watched the movies,” Sage said. “They left while you were both in showers, I think. I saw Tinker—her callsign. Real name is… uh… Eriba, yeah, that’s it—I saw her ducking out the door just as I finished my own shower. Only met her briefly yesterday. Quiet type.”

  “I miss being called the quiet type,” Det lamented. “What about the other two?”

  “Didn’t meet them,” Sage said. “They arrived to the quarters before I did, and must’ve left while I was in the shower too. Watching four movies in a row is sweaty work.”

  “It didn’t have anything to do with the spicy popcorn you were devouring?” Det said.

  “Might’ve,” Sage admitted. “I’m sure we’ll meet the others soon enough. We’re all part of the accelerated class.”

  “Anybody told you what that actually means?” Det said. “I mean, not the cause of how we got in, but how it will change our classes going forward.”

  “Not a word,” Sage laughed. “Uncle never mentioned it either. I have no idea what it’s going to mean, or how it’s going to be different.”

  “More time for us—and by us, I mean me—to shine,” Calisco said. “I bet we’ll have our own movies within a year.”

  “Hard pass,” Det said. “A movie isn’t going to help me get…” he trailed off.

  “Get what?” Sage asked, catching the abrupt halt to Det’s statement.

  “Back to Earth,” Calisco said. “Det’s got family he wants to get back to.”

  “Oh?” Sage said. “Don’t actually hear that too often. Most people are pretty happy to get reborn like this. ReSouled bodies and magic to boot. Not enough for you, Det?”

  “Not enough by half,” Det said. “My life back home was good. I didn’t—I don’t—want any of this. I’ll find a way back.”

  “How?” Sage said.

  “However it takes,” Det said. “I’ll do anything to get back.”

  At the statement, Sage’s hand came up to press against the front of Det’s shoulder, stopping him from taking another step. Off to their side, another group of four new cadets looked in their direction, then gave a nod when Sage waved with his free hand.

  “Be careful who you say that around,” Sage said. “There haven’t been a lot of ReSouled who have gone rogue over the years, and most of them never make the news. My uncle had a friend in his cycle, though, who said something similar. It wasn’t about getting back to Earth, but instead about reaching A-Rank.

  “He… he really did do anything,” Sage said. “Killed two of his fellow ReSouled, and even tried to kill a third before he was stopped. Shook my uncle up, that we could get killed like that, here on Avalon where it’s supposed to be safe. He says it’s one of the reasons he got stuck at C-Rank. He still serves, barely, and spends most of his time back on my home pillar.

  “I guarantee people are going to be on the lookout for ReSouled this cycle who have a similar mentality. Be careful.”

  “You don’t seem worried about it,” Det pointed out.

  “I consider myself a good judge of character,” Sage said. “Besides, anybody who recognizes Re/Souled two as the best of the four movies can’t be a bad person.”

  “Three had a much better villain and climax,” Calisco said. “I don’t get what you two saw in two.”

  “The one-shot action sequence in the second act,” Det said. “It was… it was…”

  “Visionary,” Sage said. “It was visionary.”

  “Ugh, whatever,” Calisco said. “How can I argue with people so easily distracted by flashy effects and no appreciation for a good story?”

  “I… can’t believe Calisco—of all people—said that,” Det said, and Sage could only laugh his agreement.

  “Seriously, Det,” Sage said a few seconds later, his chuckles subsiding. “Be careful. And, don’t fall into the trap of ‘I’ll do anything’.”

  “I will, though,” Det said. “I’m getting back to my wife and daughter.”

  For once, Sage’s easy-going smile fell from his lips as he stared at Det. “Huh, you’re serious about it.”

  “I am.”

  “Then, who am I to argue with such determination?” Sage said. “If there is any place in Elestar that might have a hint at how to do that, Mount Avalon and the Mistguard is the place. Who knows, we might even find something.”

  “We?” Det said.

  “You’re going to need all the help you can get,” Sage said, giving Det’s shoulder a playful slap as he spoke. “And probably at least one friend to bail your ass out when you get in over your head.”