The sound of the professor's voice droned like a muted, far-away hum. Exalibar sat motionless in his engineering class, his book splayed open to a section on advanced mana-conductance in metals, however, instead of focusing on his textbook he stared out to the world beyond the window. The sunlight shone off the academy's main spire in brilliant flashes, but all he could picture was the ghostly afterimage from a moment he had spent impaling a man with his own hands. The quiet orderliness of the classroom felt to him like a prison. The moment the electronic bell sounded, a dull sound throughout the room, he was a spring uncoiling. He slammed his book shut, grabbed his belongings and was out of his chair before the professor had even said, "you're dismissed." A current of dispirited energy thrummed just below his skin. He pushed through the halls, past the increased crowd of students, like a shark cutting through a school of fish for a meal. He was nearly to the science wing of the building when a strong hand landed on his shoulder, pulling him to a decisive stop. "Exalibar," said a clear and firm voice, "slow down. Where's the fire?" Exalibar shook his arm free, "I know, no running in the halls. But it's urgent, my Captain[1]. I'm late." "If it was that important," Keith replied, his tone infuriatingly reasonable, "you should have left sooner. Rules are what separate man from the animals Exalibar."
Exalibar visibly swallowed a retort. He didn't have time for a lecture on punctuality and protocol. Instead, he gave a terse nod and resumed his path, pushing the very definition of a "brisk walk" as he power-walked the rest of the way to the science lab. He skidded to a halt at the door, his chest tight. Peering through the reinforced glass window, his eyes scanned the room, past bubbling beakers and glowing holograms, until they locked onto a familiar head of fiery orange hair.
Aisha was carefully titrating a violet liquid into a flask. Exalibar tapped on the glass. Her eyes flicked up, met his, and he didn't need words. He raised a hand, subtly signing with his fingers.
(Emergency.)
Aisha's brow furrowed. She signed back
(How BIG?)
Exalibar's expression was grim.
(CODE RED.)
Without another moment's hesitation, Aisha placed her beaker down on a stabilizer rack, grabbed her notepad, and calmly informed her lab partner she was stepping out. The door hissed open and she joined him in the hallway, her eyes sharp with concern.
"Okay, what's going on?" she asked, her voice low.
Exalibar ran a hand through his hair, his usual composure cracked. "So. I'm being scouted."
Aisha blinked. "By who?"
"Your parents."
Her demeanour shattered. "Wait, wait, wait. Explain yourself."
"I got a message during class. An email to be specific. It was an invitation. A 'discreet offer of employment' from the Valiant Agency." He leaned closer, his voice dropping to a whisper. "They know, Aisha. Or they suspect. About the embassy."
Aisha's mind was racing, "How could they? We covered our tracks. The news story…"
"Ronin was there that later night," Exalibar interrupted. "He must have seen something, sensed a mana signature. I don't know. But the message was clear. They want to meet. Today. After school." The weight of it settled on him. "This isn't a job offer Aisha. It's an interrogation."
The rest of the school day passed in a blur of anxious tension. The moment the final bell rang, Exalibar was in his cruiser, driving home with a speed that bordered on reckless. He barely acknowledged his parents, muttering something about a headache and a big project before retreating to his room. He didn't work or do anything, he just lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling, trying to calm the storm in his mind. He must have drifted off, because the next thing he knew, a soft knock was pulling him from a fitful sleep. The sky outside his window was the deep indigo of early morning.
"Exalibar", It was his mother's voice, gentle but insistent. "Come downstairs, please. We have visitors." A cold knot tightened in Exalibar's stomach. He pulled on a fresh shirt and met Sky in the hallway. His brother looked just as confused, rubbing sleep from his heterochromatic eyes.
"Visitors? Who comes over at this hour?" Sky mumbled.
They descended the stairs together and entered the main living room. His father, was standing by the fireplace, and his mother, was seated, and sitting across from them, sipping tea from the family's finest china, were the two most famous people on the continent: Ronin and Valery.
Ronin looked every bit the legendary hero, even in casual attire. His presence was a physical weight in the room, his icy blue eyes missing nothing. Valery carried the same aura of graceful, lethal power, her smile warm but her gaze analytical.
"Ah, the boys," James said, his voice carefully neutral. "You remember our guests."
"Of course," Sky said, recovering first and offering a respectful bow of his head. "It's always a pleasure seeing you Mr and Mrs Ashworth."
Exalibar followed suit, his own greeting more subdued, his mind screaming with alarm.
Algid (Ronin's real name) set his teacup down with a soft click. "Come now sons the pleasure is all ours after all, your parents have raised two remarkable young men." His eyes lingered on Exalibar for a fraction of a second too long, "Not to mention you are our kids' closest friends" before shifting to Sky. "We'll skip the pleasantries and get to the point. There was an… incident at the Lekratian Embassy recently."
Exalibar's blood ran cold and his mind uttered a loud scream, but he kept his face a mask of polite interest.
"As you know, I was first on the scene," Algid continued. "The official story is a convenient fiction. What I saw was a highly skilled, deniable operative executing a flawless extraction. As the perpetrators fled, I caught the residual mana signature of one of them. A very distinct signature." He paused, letting the words hang in the air. "I traced it to a private lab, and from there… I followed it here."
Sky's eyes widened. "You think one of us…?"
"I initially suspected you, Sky," Ronin said, his tone almost apologetic. "The raw power, the speed required… it fit. But your mother has provided a solid alibi, placing you at a family function that entire evening." He turned his head, and this time, his gaze landed squarely on Exalibar, pinning him in place. "Which leaves a mystery."
Lana (Valery) spoke for the first time, her voice softer but no less penetrating. "We are not here to arrest anyone. In fact, we… admired the work. Ruthless, yes. The murder was… unfortunate. But effective. The world needs people who can operate in the shadows, unbound by the red tape that strangles official heroes."
"We want to offer you both positions," Algid said, though his words now directed unmistakably at Exalibar. "A contract. You would work for us, but not with us. No public recognition. No glory. Just results."
Sky immediately shook his head, "If I'm going to be a hero, I'm doing it officially. In the light. Not as some… ghost." Exalibar placed a hand on Sky's arm, gently moving him aside. His heart was hammering against his ribs, but his voice was steady. "He's right about the danger. Operating like that without any official backing is a death sentence." He met Ronin's gaze. "And frankly, the lack of recognition for that kind of risk seems like a deal someone would only accept if they are blackmailed into it"
A slow, knowing smile spread across the hero's face. "The recognition," Algid said softly, "is in knowing you saved three children from a fate worse than death. And you're right, it was incredibly dangerous." He leaned forward, his voice dropping to a near whisper. "It's a good thing you had that lab's generator to drain, isn't it, Exalibar? Otherwise, doing all that would have been too much."
The room fell into a stunned silence. He hadn't just suspected; he had known all along.
Exalibar said nothing. He didn't need to. The confession was in his silence.
Algid and Lana stood. "Think about our offer," Algid said, his business concluded. He handed a small, sleek data chip to a shell-shocked James. "The details are here. No pressure." He walked to the door, his wife following. As he passed Exalibar, he paused. "Meet me at the Valiant Agency headquarters tomorrow after your classes. We have much to discuss."
[1] Equivalent to student body president