What followed was an incredibly uncomfortable six hour long trip. Damien did his best to avoid looking in the direction of Reena and Nolan. He was embarrassed, even though he knew there was no reason to be.

He could feel their disgusted gazes boring into the back of his head. He found himself slowly scooting along the bench until he found himself only a few feet away from the silent girl. Damien tried not to pay her much attention either – there was no point making another enemy. That being said, he still snuck a glance when he didn’t think she was watching.

The girl had long black hair that was tied back into a bun. Her clothing was dark as well, and she had two daggers in a sheathe at her side. He couldn’t tell what color her eyes were as they were closed. He quickly looked away before she opened them. Adding the title ‘creep’ to his list wasn’t something he was eager to do.

The wagon remained silent for the rest of the trip. Damien was vividly aware of each rough bump and pothole they ran over. His backside was just starting to get sore when the road suddenly evened out. The wheels started to clatter at a steady rhythm.

“We’re in Waypoint City,” Nolan announced. “What a relief. I don’t know if I could have handled more of this.”

Damien ignored the insult. He mentally reached out to Henry. His companion didn’t respond. He sighed and shook his head. There had been countless times where he’d thought about trying to shake the creature out of its sleep, but he was more tempted to do it now than ever.

The only thing that had stopped him was the fear that Henry would find a loophole in their hastily crafted deal. Damien swallowed. That wasn’t an option he could afford to spend time worrying about. If he did, he’d have a mental breakdown before the week was up.

The wagon continued on for several more minutes. Then it rumbled to a stop. There were several moments of silence before Mage Red pulled the back tarp of the wagon open. He gestured for them to get out.

“We’re here. Remain with your wagon group. It makes it easier for us to ensure nobody has gotten lost. Watch your step on the way out. We won’t be making any side trips to an apothecary.”

Nolan and Reena pushed past Mark, practically jumping out of the wagon. Mark shot Damien an apologetic glance before following after them. Damien rolled his eyes and got to his feet.

He strode to the end of the wagon and hopped to the ground beside Mark. The unnamed girl followed after him silently. Damien looked around the large town square they’d arrived in.

Hundreds of other students mulled about in small groups. Dots of red moving through the crowd marked the Mages as they worked to get everyone organized. There were several dozen other wagons, many of which were already pulling out of the square.

The square was large enough that, even with all the people in it, it still almost felt empty. Large stone archways lined the edges of the square, sparkling blue disks of energy shining inside each of them. Large runes covered the stones, both on the ground and on the arches.

There was so much energy in the air that Damien felt his hair stand on end. His movements seemed slightly slower than normal. Even breathing felt a little more difficult.

A tall gangly mage strode towards them. He carried a large leatherbound book in one hand and a quill in the other. His face was plain and clean shaven. The mage stopped before the group, scanning them with bored eyes.

“I’ll be leading you through the summoning and testing process today,” he said. “You may call me Mage Dross. Have any of you already summoned your companion?”

All five hands rose into the air. Reena sneered at Damien and Nolan let out a laugh.

“This is your only chance to summon a companion, you idiot. Drop the lies, you pathetic fool. They aren’t getting you anything but contempt,” Nolan said.

“What’s that, now?” Dross asked, looking from Nolan to Damien.

“He’s lying about having a companion,” Reena said, turning her nose up. “He claimed to have one from the Plane of Darkness, but he couldn’t even summon it.”

“Couldn’t or wouldn’t?” Dross asked.

“It’s hibernating right now,” Damien said, feeling the flush creep into his cheeks as he said it. Nobody had ever heard of a hibernating companion.

Dross’s lip curled upwards, but it was hard to tell if the man was smirking or laughing. The mage just shrugged and opened his book, scratching something down in it before snapping it shut.

“I don’t care what you think. Nor do I care what he thinks. If he has a companion, he will draw upon its powers for the test. If he refuses, he will not attend any of the mage academies. If he does not have one, he will summon one. Nothing else matters.”

Reena looked like she wanted to say more, but a cold glare from Dross cut her off before she could start.

“Wise choice, Gray” Dross said. “I don’t appreciate backtalk. Your noble title will get you nothing during the testing process. Unlike the colleges, we are entirely impartial. I have absolutely no problem removing anyone who does not comply with my instructions. Is that understood?”

Everyone nodded.

“Good,” Dross said. “Come along.”

He spun on his heel and strode towards one of the flickering portals lining the square. His long legs forced the five students to break into a light jog to keep up with him. Dross didn’t seem particularly concerned if they were following along.

The mage reached the portal and only paused for an instant to check if the students were behind him before stepping into it. There was a crackle as his body disappeared into the blue light and he vanished, leaving only the faint smell of ozone.

Mark and the Grays followed after him without an ounce of hesitation. The girl was right behind them. Damien, who had been slightly distracted by the huge runes, scurried after them.

He wasn’t sure what he’d expected to feel after stepping into the portal, but he wasn’t expecting to instantly appear in a large courtyard. It was as if he’d just stepped into it normally – the portal could have been an illusion.

Then his stomach twisted into a knot. The pancakes he’d had that morning decided it was their time to reemerge into the world. Damien staggered and put a hand over his mouth. Luckily, the feeling passed as quickly as it had come.