You ask about prophecy, as many have in recent days. I will tell you only what you must know. True prophecy is impossible. There are always discrepancies — imperfections in our visions of the future. That is because there are countless futures, each with their own potentiality. We scry them in their multitudes and note where they are in agreement. A foolish method!

  “I’m so sorry!” Lerrum spoke first, much to Evran’s surprise. “I swear if I had known anything about a ritual, I would have told you!”

  The knot in Evran’s stomach unfurled. “Yeah… I figured,” replied Evran. He sat up in his bed, relieved that Lerrum didn’t hate him for failing. Instead, he was apologetic. Evran could hardly blame him, not having known about the ritual himself.

  “Please forgive me!” Lerrum begged, a hint of genuine desperation in his voice. He jumped out of his bed and kowtowed in front of Evran. “I’ll do anything I can to make it up to you. Anything!”

  He hadn’t seen this coming. Evran was certainly disappointed at what had happened, but now he grew more concerned for his friend. “Hey, it’s not that serious. There are plenty of birds in the sky.”

  Upon hearing Evran’s response, Lerrum let go the breath he’d been holding. "Yeah, about that… A lot of the girls are really mad at you for choosing that petal. But once we tell them you didn’t know what it meant, I’m sure they’ll come around!”

  Realizing the hopelessness of the situation, Evran simply laughed. “I guess I ruined any chance of having a girlfriend before graduating, didn’t I? Still, maybe it’s better that way. I’d probably have to break up with them after graduation.”

  Lerrum stood. “Hey, you still have a chance. Don’t give up now. I’ll do whatever I can to help!” Lerrum offered Evran a hand out of bed, which he took. He pulled Evran into a bear hug tighter than one of Narro’s usual death grips. Things felt right again.

  “Listen, let’s just forget the whole ordeal and go get breakfast. What do you say?” Evran offered.

  With a quick pat on the back, Lerrum agreed and released Evran from his clutches. The two boys dressed in silence. More needed to be said, but neither could find the words. Evran grabbed his textbooks and hastily stowed them in his satchel, eager to be on his way. He darted out of the room, then waited at the door. Lerrum soon followed.

  When he arrived at the common room, Evran was greeted with stares and whispers from the other students. By now, the entire school would have learned of last night’s events. How long would Evran have to endure this treatment? He took solace in the fact that the upcoming Tempest would surely come to occupy people’s minds soon enough. The island of his scandal would fall with the others.

  They hastily made for the exit before anyone could engage them in an uncomfortable conversation. A light trickle of rain fell from the morning sky, but the clear blue sky on the horizon mirrored Evran’s hope for a better day ahead. The two boys strode down the covered walkway to the main keep, dodging glances and ignoring jeers. At long last, they’d finally returned to the scene of the crime.

  The dining hall was packed, and few took notice of Evran’s arrival. The din of the crowd drowned out the whispers of those who did, though he could still feel their gazes upon him.

  Kaila occupied her usual spot, conversing with some friends. She looked to Evran to gage his mood, and he returned an appreciative smile. Kaila replied in kind, then turned her attention back to her friends. Evran overheard a few suspicious giggles from them, followed by a hiss from Kaila. He’d have to thank her for that later.

  The rest of the room did not offer as many stares as Evran had expected — too busy eating, it would seem. Evran and Lerrum collected their meals from the breakfast buffet and sought out a new place to eat, as their regular spot lay perilously close to where Selsey and her friends sat. Evran ate ravenously, having skipped a meal the night before. Lerrum did likewise, though he lacked an excuse.

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  Soon they found their meals interrupted by the familiar sound of a staff pounding the stone floor of the hall. An aged dwarf wearing fine robes stood atop a podium in front of the faculty table at the rear of the hall. The room fell silent, save for the distinctive clinking and clanking of the many gaudy amulets and rings with which the dwarf adorned himself. He cleared his voice and spoke through his thick beard.

  “Attention students, we have several important announcements this morning. Last night we observed the second stormsign. The Tempest will be arriving in approximately one week from now. As you are all no doubt aware, after the last Tempest our school held a practical exam for our continuing students. We had such a splendid time, that we've decided to do it again! Ho ho!”

  “But Headmaster, don’t we do that after every Tempest?” asked an ambitious student.

  “We sure do, boy! Well, there was one class of students that never had a Tempest, at least not during their continuing years… but that was well before my time. Ho! Another few months and our fifth years would have missed out, too!”

  A middle-aged woman appeared beside the headmaster as he continued on his tangent. She cleared her throat as if to signal the headmaster to return to the topic at hand.

  “Ah, yes!” the headmaster started, taking the hint. “Professor Merrilus will be leading the operation. I will allow her to explain all the details. Now pay close attention, as this practical represents a substantial portion of your grade! Ha! Professor?”

  The headmaster climbed down from the podium, and Professor Merrilus gracefully took his place, though she simply stood behind rather than atop it. She wore a slightly less ostentatious version of the same fine robes and kept her graying hair in a neat braid that came down in front of her right shoulder.

  “Thank you, Headmaster,” Merrilus spoke with a practiced cadence befitting the most well-regarded professor at the academy.

  “The continuing students — that is, the third through the fifth years — will be partnering with the Adventurer's Guild and the Stratus Company to conduct a survey of a virgin island. To put it succinctly, we will divide into teams, explore the island, and document everything we find! Any questions? Yes, you,” he pointed.

  “What’s the survey for?” asked a first year near the podium.

  “Excellent question! The discoveries will be cataloged and consolidated into a report which we shall file with the Adventurer's Guild. They will then sell the report to various speculative interest groups who may or may not take an interest in the island and its resources.”

  A third-year in the back raised his hand and was promptly acknowledged by the professor.

  “What kinds of things are we looking for?” the girl asked.

  “Flora, fauna, and strata, mostly. You'll be documenting all the plant species you come across, catalogue the various monsters you run into, and of course, take rock samples at various intervals. Also, make note of any ancient ruins or artifacts you may come across. We'll also be looking for the labyrinth entrance. We won't be tackling such a thing ourselves, of course. The school will hire a team of experienced adventurers to accompany us for such purposes. Speaking of which, students from the Spellblade Training Hall will be joining us as well.”

  The news was met with a chorus of groans. “Not the washouts!” shouted a student from the back. A few of the second years shifted nervously in their seats, wondering if they too would soon be held in such low regard.

  “None of that!” replied the professor with a stern tone. “Many of them were once your classmates and are incredibly talented in their own ways. You will treat them with respect and dignity as representatives of our school.” Merrilus paused and exchanged glances with a particular set of students around the hall.

  “On the first morning after the Tempest, students shall assemble at the royal naval yards at dawn. Don’t worry, we’ll be sure to wake you up in time! Be prepared to spend two weeks at sky. A list of everything you will be expected to bring shall be posted here, in front of the dining hall, sometime this afternoon, along with your duty assignments for the upcoming Tempest. If anyone has any additional questions, please see me during my normal office hours. That is all for today! Enjoy your classes.”

  As Professor Merrilus retired from the podium, conversations erupted throughout the dining hall. Various groups of first and second-years complained about their exclusion, while the continuing students shared their excitement and anxiety with one another.

  Lerrum appeared particularly enthusiastic at the prospect of exploring a virgin island. For one dreaming of becoming an adventurer, this was his opportunity to get a taste of the real thing. Evran also found it quite appealing, so long as he could steer clear of the labyrinth.

  They hastily finished their meals and began discussing their plans for making the most of the practical. With a new and exciting adventure on the horizon, Evran was able to momentarily forget about the flower incident. In fact, he and Lerrum had been so excited, they almost failed to notice how few students remained in the dining hall. They scrambled to clear their table and set off for their first class of the day.