Book 3: Chapter 17 - I’ll Hold Him Down, You Get His Legs

The world is ending a second time.

Most people don’t notice this.
And when they do, they don’t realize how widespread the problem is.
They simply assume it is a local tragedy.
Or an unfortunate oddity.

Few realize it’s happening all over the planet.

I can hardly fault them for this.
Especially if they don’t live in a city like Prism.

When the world is already in ruins, it’s easy to miss its collapse.

And I don’t have the lancers to deal with this.
So yes. I have sent students to exterminate nests.

It’s the only reason any of you are still alive.
—Abel Bouvier, Interview

“This is fucking bullshit!” Aubrey complained. She threw her tablet onto the carpet in a childish fit of rage, and Violet offered her a sympathetic pout.

Her entire team was meeting up in Violet and Kiera’s dorm, since they were the ones with no other roommates. And because Violet didn’t want anyone making a public scene. They wouldn’t be overheard having this conversation at a lunch table, but Aubrey had just demonstrated why that was a bad idea. As such, Kiera and Violet sat on one bed, Aubrey sat on the other, and Guy sat on Kiera’s desk. None of them was particularly pleased with Violet’s news.

“Hey, what’s the worst that can happen? We all die?” Kiera asked. “‘Cause yeah, actually! That sounds bad and likely!” She paused, then turned to Violet. “I actually think I'm coming around to Aubrey's point of view on this one.”

“Hey now, let's look at the bright side!” Guy suggested.

Everyone waited for several seconds before they realized he was done speaking.

“Care to elaborate on what that is, bestie?” Kiera asked.

Guy tilted his head in confusion. “I don't know why you're asking me; I just found out about this, too. I was hoping Violet would know,” he replied.

“It'll be enriching for us,” Violet offered.

“Okay, yeah. I see now that I should have thought of the silver lining myself. That’s my bad,” Guy groaned.

“Could he have maybe given us a little fucking notice?” Aubrey spat. “The train that delivers to Flag is coming after we leave, if these dates are correct. I can’t even let my family know why I didn’t write them!”

“Can you leave a letter with Hazel?” Violet suggested. “I’m sure he wouldn’t mind delivering it for you.”

Aubrey crossed her arms and looked away. “I’ll leave it with Koral, I guess. I just hate the idea of the delay. This ‘emergency mission,’ as that fuckwit of a headmaster calls it, sounds dangerous. Even more than our trip here was. I don’t want my mom getting an out-of-date letter saying I’m fine when I could be dead already. And I don’t want to warn her of the danger only to leave her hanging for weeks until I can send another one. It’s just… it’s screwed up,” Aubrey ranted.

“Oh, it’s definitely messed up,” Violet agreed. She and Kiera shared a look as Aubrey suggested Koral instead of Violet’s brother. Kiera believed Violet that Koral was dangerous. But this wasn’t the time to confront the banshee on that particular issue. So Violet pressed on. “I know none of us want to go back into the mist. Especially so far from our home. I know we’re all afraid of going so far, too. After everything that happened last time.”

“Thanks, Vi, I feel better already,” Kiera deadpanned.

“But, we all chose to come here, right?” Violet pushed. Her eyes flicked only briefly to the shame clouding Guy’s expression. She didn’t look long enough for anyone but Guy to interpret any meaning behind it. And she continued before he could react. “I know it’s earlier than we expected, but we joined because we wanted to help people, right? That’s what we’re being asked to do. To end a nest that is going to hurt innocent people. I don’t know if we’re the best team to send. But I know we wouldn’t be going if it weren’t necessary.”

“I know we’re not the right people to send,” Aubrey countered. “We haven’t even been training for half a year! Guy and I are still red! I want to help people, but I don’t want to throw our lives away for no reason. Where are the certified lancers? Why are they sending students at all?” 

“Maybe they weren’t pretty enough for this trip,” Kiera suggested. It was a feeble attempt to calm Aubrey. But Kiera would be damned if she didn’t try. “Obviously, they needed the prettiest lancers they could find.”

“Oh, so you’re blaming me for this?” Guy protested.

Violet sighed. “Honestly, Aubrey? I don’t know. There are a dozen reasons they might send us specifically. Maybe our talents are unusually well-suited for this trip. Maybe the nest has a queen who ignores anyone under a certain degree. Or maybe they are all busy, dead, or dying,” Violet answered. Her serious tone wandered toward urgent and upset as she spoke, and the room was silent for a long moment. Aubrey felt the shift and let her arms fall to her sides, looking back and meeting the intensity in Violet’s eyes.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Aubrey asked. Violet could see the guilt over Stephanie’s death all over her face, but it was slowly being overtaken by determination. The reference to lancers dying had clearly drawn blood, but it had inspired indignation as well. Koral’s influence, no doubt. That girl was entirely too confident, and it was having an undesirable effect on Aubrey.

“Are you really snapping at Violet right now?” Kiera mocked. “I get why you don’t like it being brought up, but if anyone has the fucking right, it’s—”

Violet held one hand up and stopped her friend from escalating the exchange. “That’s not what I meant, Aubrey. I meant that I almost died before all of this because a green nest was growing in a red territory. And if you pay attention to news from smaller outposts, this is happening more and more often. The nests are getting worse, hedron are growing too quickly, and they don’t have enough lancers to deal with all of them. So they have to push students through the categories too quickly, and occasionally, they need their help to raid nests. They need our help. I know. It sucks when this stops feeling like school and starts feeling real. But take my word for it, okay? It never stopped being reality for some of us,” Violet lectured.

Aubrey bit her lip, and Kiera allowed her hackles to fall. Violet idly noticed crystal fur had been growing down Kiera’s neck, and she allowed herself to smile internally. It was nice having a friend be so genuinely defensive of her. Completely different than her spineless boyfriend had been for all those years.

“We can’t change it,” Guy cut in. “So can we please move on from why and start talking about what we do next? How do we make sure we all survive this?” The question was genuine, and Guy’s voice was softer than anyone but Kiera was accustomed to. Violet actually felt a bit sorry for the terrified boy. “I need a lot of beauty sleep if I’m gonna keep this look up over such a long trip,” he added.

Violet rolled her eyes again. It was whatever. If acting like a buffoon made him feel better, that was his prerogative. She just didn’t want to see her friend stuck with a sad sack the same way she had been. But... it was possible there was another solution to the issue, and it was an answer to the boy’s question at the same time. He was at least funnier and, admittedly, prettier than Alex had been. If he weren’t supposed to be keeping the team safe, Violet would support the pairing. As it stood, she knew it would only lead to Kiera feeling trapped with dead weight around her neck.

“I think we need to do the worst thing any student in history has ever considered,” Violet suggested. “Extra credit work.”

“Oh, sure, that makes sense. The lack of stress over your C in math will help out there for sure,” Kiera teased.

“Hush, Kiera. I have 79%, and you have 80. I am not taking that crap from you,” Violet dismissed. “No, I think we need to train in our free time, and I think we need to push harder than Mr. Clay ever would.”

“Oh, that idea sucks,” Guy complained. “But I guess you’re right. It would feel a lot better to know I was an orange when heading out there.”

“We are close, I suppose,” Aubrey begrudgingly agreed. “Both of us are ten.”

“Both of you are tens, yes,” Violet agreed.

“As I said, they needed pretty lancers,” Kiera nodded sagely. 

“And hopefully, you will make it back to that state after Kiera and I are done with you,” Violet added.

“Wait, what?” Guy cut in. “Aren’t we all training together?”

“Yes,” Violet confirmed. “But Kiera and I are both orange already. “The most efficient thing to do would be to focus on getting you two past that last threshold. And I think we should start immediately. We only have a week, after all.”

“Oh, this plan rules,” Kiera practically cackled. “I already have ideas for Guy. So many ideas.”

“Oh, I know you do,” Violet replied with a smirk. Kiera had mentioned a few of those ideas, and even Violet had blushed at some of them. “Unfortunately, I think I should handle Guy, and you should focus on Aubrey.”

“Why’s that? You’re not avoiding me now, are you? I did snap at you, I know. But you were right, and I’m sorry. I was just... scared. Everything is going well with Koral and school, and this news was not amazing,” Aubrey said.

“No, I wasn’t offended,” Violet denied, holding her hands up in a worried gesture. “I absolutely get it. I got pretty, uh... harsh with Bouvier when he told me. It’s nothing like that. It’s about callings, actually.”

“Oh, right, obviously,” Aubrey replied. “Sorry.”

“Not super obvious to me. What does scouting have to do with tanks?” Guy pressed.

“It’s more that Aubrey will grow faster sparring with Kiera. Her calling is all about making herself heard and seen in murky places, right? Fighting Kiera’s illusions will help her practice that,” Violet explained.

“Fuck, you’re right,” Kiera grumbled. “And I was so excited to torture Guy.”

“I don’t know how I should take that, but I’m definitely interested,” Guy responded. The worry on his face had the most obnoxious and cocky grin plastered on top. Violet was impressed by his ability to inspire both pity and sadism with a single smile. It was a talent surpassing even Violet herself.

“Yes, yes. Grass is green, the sky is blue, strawberries are sweet, and everyone wants to torture Guy,” Violet dismissed. “But I am the only one who will be accepting that particular responsibility. Sorry about that, buddy.”

“I can’t have just a little turn?” Kiera asked.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Violet denied.

“What if I hit orange before him? Can I try?” Aubrey suggested.

Violet paused and put her fingers to her chin in thought. “Actually, yeah, I think that’d be great,” Violet agreed.

Kiera wore a look of betrayal typically reserved for children the first time their parents lie. “This is discrimination! Misogyny! Anti-fox behavior!” she protested, pumping her fist in the air like she was waving a sign.

“Maybe I’ll hang out with Dustin today,” Guy murmured.

“Sorry!” Violet replied with a loud laugh. “The truth is, I think you’d be too easy on him, Kiera. You two have been friends for too long. And... Guy is a tank. His calling grows when you throw rocks at him. He needs to work with people who will throw those rocks as hard as they can. You understand. The man thrives around women willing to make him cry. You know that.”

Kiera pouted and crossed her arms. “Fine. You’re probably right. I still think it’s discrimination, though,” Kiera reluctantly surrendered.

“We’ll set aside some time when we get back for you to torture him,” Aubrey offered sympathetically.

“Does this school have a human resources department?” Guy asked. “I’m starting to feel unsafe with my team.”

All three girls looked his way and tilted their heads curiously. “Why?” Aubrey asked.

“You’ll be alright, sport,” Kiera dismissed.

“I promise I won’t push you harder than I think you can handle, alright?” Violet said. Her voice was the most serious, and Guy swallowed at the look in her eyes.

“Exactly how dangerous is this trip going to be, anyway?” Guy probed. 

Violet grimaced. It was a fair question, but not one she was looking forward to answering. “Well, we’ll have another team with us. So eight of us total, I think. Or ten, probably. I guess they’ll probably assign us a couple of porters as well. I hear they do that sometimes...” she answered.

“Why do I feel like there is a ‘but’ at the end of that sentence?” Kiera accused.

“But the nest is yellow,” Violet admitted.