Strongest student at The Academy. Su-Primus, such a terrible designation, one filled with pride, hubris, or arrogance more than achievement. Harmony mentally tackled the position she’d been moved into, not that she’d doubted a mistake had cost her that initial ranking. Her sickle had reaped her peers, as they’d been lacking. To be reranked mid-quarter, mid-crisis, while she was still adjusting, would have [Poise and Bearing] and [Style and Grace] struggle to keep her balanced. Being at the top would make things awkward. She’d need help.
With a long sip of tea, allowing the calming effect to ease her nerves, the royal eraser focused on her team; at least they all shared the trouble from their Oorty’s Tomb escapade. Their temporary protective guards waited outside Xera’s family manor. The past few weeks had put them through a lot, and they’d trusted her so much that she could extend a bit more trust to them.
But first, let everyone have their tea and cake before bringing out the badges she’d received from Flint. Xera had brought out the good stuff since, and the meta-magical effects were already loosening some sore spots stress had caused as she directed energy in the brew where it was needed.
This team meeting had been planned after she got the schedule of her meeting with Instructor Flint. Hyacinth dozed in her pocket while Adric stood with Xera’s staff, casually flirting silently with one of her maids. Almost too cozy with each other in a way Harmony tried to ignore. Everyone was on their second cup of tea and third mini-cake as conversations flowed.
“There’s definitely going to be a trial for those ten before The Academy decides any punitive measures. The guild, city, and school are working on jurisdiction.” Tasha answered Xera’s questions about what she thought would happen to Kevin and the rest of those who attacked them in the dungeon.
“Too bad it’s already being pushed as a minor scuffle in the dungeon. This morning's news overshadowing it isn’t helping.” Alex groaned.
To think attempted murder could be ignored so quickly, all because news of their being a new su-primus spread across campus quicker than Harmony walked to Xera’s family’s Ricort house. Maybe if she had let one student stay dead? Something about zero fatalities caused people to lose interest. A trial would mean the truth would eventually get out.
The former one had to be demoted for her to be elevated, and that news went out early. Timberly couldn’t be happy about losing his spot, but that hadn’t come up yet. Still, enough chatter crossed the table that maybe this revelation wouldn’t be a surprise she needed to be so careful with.
The current holder, Shin Wolf, had been ecstatic to lose the role as he’d been spending the last month trying to evolve so he wouldn’t need to enter the Tournament of Future Worth, even considering withdrawing from school. Which begged one question.
“Didn’t he want to try for a title?” Harmony asked.
“There is always a chance that those eliminated in the first round gain a brand of failure if you're judged unworthy. The last ten from The Academy haven't fared well, and Shin considers himself a tinkerer, not a fighter. It's one reason why we focus on the intramural competition to show our school has a better, well-rounded education than a singular top student.” Alex answered.
How tough would the tournament be? Can’t get overly confident because of what she’d faced so far here. Maekus probably nudged her toward this school, knowing she was strong enough to qualify for this tournament now that he’d revealed some of his motives. She’d be underleveled, and Felix Campbell from the Broken Isles was probably the minimum strength she’d see there, even if she’d never clashed officially; she knew he’d been dangerous.
“And the search has failed to find the replacement?” Tun-Knee asked, his tiger-ish ear twitching.
He knows.
That bloody beast-kin ear-tell, he wasn’t even trying to hide it. It’s not that Harmony wasn’t planning on telling the team. She was simply waiting for the most tactical time. That tricky tiger had figured it out. The smugness oozed off of him. She just wanted to lean over the table, point at him, and yell at him for ruining her reveal. Allowing a slight eyebrow raise brought a nose wiggle from the man, confirming her suspicions.
“The fourth years swear it’s not them. It’s not a big secret that Houte Waxer is the iron keyholder, and he’s managing to survive Hexio Curie’s class. He’d also been making himself scarce, and the bets are on him getting some kind of powerful bond boosting his status. You’re in the class with him, Harm, what do you think?” Alex asked.
Houte was an issue, and to be reminded, she shared a quest with him. Three keys for three heroes to open a door. This news would either have him run or fawn; would she need Hyacinth to sit on him again? The quest had been put low on the to-do list, but this Tournament of Future Worthy complicated things.
“It’s not Houte Waxer,” Harmony answered.
“Dang,” Alex murmured.
“Students only have one day to affix their new badges, so we’ll know soon enough.” The tiger took a bite of cake. “Or Sooner.” Tun-Knee reminded everyone after swallowing.
He was having way too much fun with this. Revenge for shaking him about in the club? This moment wasn’t the right time. Tasha barely touched her new tea. Xera was nibbling on her cake with extreme concentration, so there was time to get the conversation on more relaxing topics. Harmony had a plan to ease them into it. She’d told them the meeting with Flint went well enough, but wanted a snack first before letting them know some of the details. Once the plates and cups were cleared, she’d stand up to make the announcement.
“YOU!” Xera rose up from her kneeling position, pointing at Harmony.
“Um.” Harmony started.
“You’re the new su-primus! That’s what Flint told you during the meeting. Kevin mentioned them checking your rankings before the fight, and you’re so doggedly strong. Even healing the dead.” Xera finished.
Alex sat there struggling with the reveal enough that his form shifted briefly to that of the bear. Tasha floated her teacup up to her mouth without hands and sipped it calmly. Tun-Knee allowed his fangs to show as he smirked.
Rotting reveals. “What, um, yes. I’m not trying to hide it.“ Pulling out her new badges, Harmony tossed the sheet into the middle of the table. The golden one was illuminated by the recognizable blue flame. “I was waiting for the right time to tell you, after tea time.”
“Next time, before tea time,” Xera stated.
“I figured it out before you had your meeting, the moment Shin Wolf excitedly announced his demotion. The timing was too perfect. But I was one of the first ten students to find out since he’s in my cooking class.” Tun-Knee bragged.
The beast-kins cooking class was early, and as that clicked, not even her skills could school Harmony’s words next. “Thanks for letting me know right away then. Because it was exactly what I wanted to drop into my lap when sitting between Flint Steenheart and Maekus Von Trell. Now I have a tournament to research, and the consequences of being the number one student before the end of my first quarter.” Harmony let cold sarcasm drip off her words. He knew two hours before her!
“I think we should celebrate,” Tasha said cheerfully at all this news.
“Come on, Tash, you know how serious this could be.” Alex nudged her.
Tasha ran her fingers through her red hair, letting the strands naturally fall perfectly back into place. “You’re right.” The newly transformed woman licked her lips before smiling. ”I’m very committed to helping Harmony after what she did for you and your bear, me and my body issues, and even Tasha with the link to our supreme princess. This will probably stir up some more resentment, maybe more ambushes, so staying on target, let's plan on what to do next.”
Supreme princess, better not be a new nickname. Why couldn’t she stay a nice neutral tertiary and be under some people's notice? [Recall] reminded Harmony that this correction was always going to get made eventually, and to live with the stupid label, and not to react. Reacting was a sure way to permanently get a terrible nickname.
“I probably should have sent a note,” Tun-Knee admitted.
“I’m linked to the most powerful student at the school. How do I defend the most powerful student at the school?” Xera interrupted, while staring into the distance.
Alex opened his mouth, only for his face to shift to that of a bear. “Rwawwa.” He let out a yelpy roar.
[Poise and Bearing] returned Harmony’s composure at the room's touch of erratic chaos. This was not how she wanted to announce her position. That plan involved a clear table as she stood up with a touch of authority in her voice to smooth things over. Right now, her team was all a bit off from the news. Xera seemed to be having some kind of existential crisis. Alex was bearing out. Tasha was whatever the new Tasha was, so most of the advice they would give would be erratic; no, she needed to give them a goal, a distraction, a new shock.
I’m a necromancer– too much. Tun-Knee might reveal he knew all along.
I’m about ten times more ignorant than you think I am – Xera already knows some of this, who knows what the beast-kin have in their dossier, also, poor Harmony was not the reaction she needed right now.
I’m challenging a corrupt government using unfathomable beings to control the queen, my pet’s sister, and the local populace – Too half-way-around-the-world and not their problem.
Distracting, local, new, and not too much of a pain to solve. A goal they could work on as a team. Harmony stood up, having made up her mind, and leaned into her authority as she addressed her team.
“I need all the help I can get, but for Hyacinth’s Elite, I have a special goal. I hold Oorty’s Tomb’s golden prisoner key, and I’d like your help completing that quest before I enter the Tournament of the Future Worthy. This will mean taking over the iron key from Houte Waxer and one of you earning the silver key against Clanker.”
The way everyone froze at that new bit of news was a mix of confusion, horror, shock, and contemplation. Harmony was unsure exactly how much the team knew about this long-ignored quest she wanted to complete. But at least that shocked them enough to redirect their attention away from her new position.
Then the questions came.
Perhaps I’ve made a terrible mistake? She asked the half-dozing Hyacinth.
He wiggled a little in her pocket before letting out a small toot, only to snore again and leave Harmony to the problems her choices had made.