Wait, what? Xerxes blurted, not sure hed heard right.
During the assessnt, your written test score was bad but not horrible. If youd scored even a bit better, you might have made it into the group of officers. Perform well on this mission, and Ill press the High Archon to promote you.
Xerxes was at a loss for words.
Archon Shabadras smiled. I can see youre a bit taken aback. Id expect nothing less. Reaching into his robe, he pulled out a small leather-bound tube and handed it to Xerxes.
Xerxes took it. Whats this?
So bits of information. Dont open it now. After we part ways in a mont, head back to the campus and find a private mont to study everything. Youll find a written invitation to a cult eting that we intercepted. That will be your ticket in the front door, so to speak. Theres a map as well, showing you where to go. One week before the day of the eting, youll et your partner at a shop in the northwest of the bazaar that sells coffee. Youve heard of coffee before?
Of course.
Good, the first eting with your partner will be an opportunity to plan how youll attend your first cult eting. The week after that, youll make contact with a representative of the cult, who will vet you for further eting attendance. You need to do well in that initial eting. Inside the leather tube, youll also find so spending money to assist your efforts, plus two Double-Concentrated lam Pills.
Fingering the smooth leather, Xerxes said, Double-Concentrated lam Pills?
Yes. Keep them hidden from even your closest friends, as theyre not a type of pill a Seer should have. The na explains the pill. They contain twice the amount of lam youll get from a Concentrated lam Pill.
Xerxes didnt need to do much thinking to realize what that ant. A Seer could use an ordinary Concentrated lam Pill to fill their chamber of energy by about half.
Each pill can max out my chamber? he asked.
Exactly. After your next Flush, you can use those pills to perform two more Flushes back-to-back. Im giving you the pills because accepting this mission will take ti away from your ditation routine. How far have you co in that regard?
Im heading toward my eighth Flush.
Excellent progress! Once you hit eight, use the pills to get to your tenth. After that, youll need two more to reach the High Seer level. Who knows, you might be able to make the top twenty, depending on how things play out. Now, do you have any questions?
Xerxes mind was spinning such that he couldnt co up with anything other than so rudintary questions. After a few minutes, the Archon showed him to a back entrance and instructed him where to get rid of the robe and mask before returning to the campus. He did as asked, and before long, was back in the school.
It was only as he walked back into his dorm room that he realized he hadnt asked who his partner was going to be.
Where the hell did you get off to? Jad asked.
I tried to go around a section and cut you guys off, but the aisle went a different way. By the ti, er.
No one was paying attention to him, as hed walked into the room right into the middle of an argunt.
I cant say I agree, Kash, Jad said. You know the saying. Great rewards co with great risks.
Its the other way around, Kashtiliash said.
Huh?
Great risks co with great rewards.
Jad made a hissing sound. Whatever, Kash. The point is that if Enusat wants to make an impression, this is definitely the best way.
Exactly, Enusat said.
What did I miss? Xerxes asked, climbing up to his bunk.
Im doing it, Enusat declared. Im going to the girls dorms tonight.
Seriously?
The shorter mage glared up at him. What, you think I shouldnt?
I never said that. Given the angle, he knew Enusat couldnt see what he was doing, so he took out the leather tube and slid it under his pillow. Later, he would transfer it into the safety of his locked strongbox.
Okay, then, Jad said. What do you think?
Considering what happened last ti, he wanted to say absolutely not. Things had gone bad even before the school added student patrols.
But.
Jad and Enusat were on the sa side of the disagreent, and Kashtiliash was opposed to them. All things said, Xerxes liked Kashtiliash the most out of the group. He was taciturn, sure, but he seed the most in touch with reality. Jad and Enusat didnt think things through very well, and just seed more immature in general.
That said, by now, they all recognized Jad as their leader. Not only did Xerxes not want to defy the leader of the group, but also, it wouldnt do any good. Even if Xerxes sided with Kashtiliash against another dorm infiltration, Enusat was going to go through with his plan.
It would definitely be risky, he said. But the reward would be incredible. Just.
Just what? Enusat said.
Just rember what happened to . And that was before they added student patrols. Its going to be even harder this ti around.
The big-nosed mage smiled. Thats why Ive got to do it. The arder the mission, the better the reward will be. Besides, Im going to ave a great partner to keep safe.
Not , Kashtiliash said.
Enusat shot him a glare. I wouldnt take you if you wanted to go, you bastard.
Jad chuckled. Calm down, boys. We all know Enusats talking about .
Enusat sighed. Jad, you and are closer than brothers. But in this case, I need soone who as experience. And thats why Xerks coming with .
? Xerxes said, barely managing to keep the disappointnt out of his voice. Right when he was on track to becoming an officer, Enusat was trying to drag him off to break the rules. I an I was the one who got caught last ti. You dont want to jinx you, right?
Its the opposite, Xerk, Enusat said. A bull doesnt gore you twice, as the saying goes.
Thats not a saying, Kashtiliash said.
Shut up, Kash. It is on Jehannemid. The point is that, according to math statistics, bringing Xerk along is the best way to make sure the mission succeeds. Besides, es got experience, and that ans es the most obvious choice there is. Now, weve got a few hours to go over all the latest details I found out. Lets get started.
Theres no way Im doing this, Xerxes thought. No damn way.
He had too much going on. Too much going good. Too much at stake. It wasnt worth it risking all of that for a dumb foray into the girls dorm.
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