"Tell me more about the dream ceremony," Telamon said.
"The infant was maybe three or four months old," Cane guessed. "There was some kind of screening process beforehand. The priest mentioned it briefly."
"I see…" Telamon studied the pulsing blue mark on Cane's chest. "And after the screening?"
"There was a three-day waiting period after the injection. If the child showed signs of rejection, they'd remove the metal."
"Fascinating." Telamon leaned back, fingers steepled. "You're being shown both the steps and the risks. Anything else?"
Cane nodded. "The priest seemed genuinely excited they were using mithril. From their conversation, rare metals weren't used often—usually just mid-range alloys."
Brammel huffed. "And you went and used starmetal. Rarest of them all."
"Yes," Cane said, calmly buttoning his shirt. "Class starts soon. Anything else?"
Telamon shook his head. "I'm eager to see how this affects your metallurgy."
"Me too, sir."
Cane exited the office, nodding at Ana, who only stared—wordless, wide-eyed.
He arrived at the Academy's private harbor before anyone else. The sheets of Tungtanium waited, glinting in the early light. Cane moved to drag the first one into place—and the moment his hand touched the metal, he slipped into it completely.
It wasn't like before.
He saw hidden flows, lines of strength, subtle veins of energy winding through the alloy like quiet rivers.
"I'll redo the hull," Cane murmured.
He stepped into the frame of the ship, moving through the metal as though it welcomed him. The song wasn't a whisper—it was a symphony. Light bloomed above him, revealing microstructures, imperfections, and hidden harmonies in the metal's design.
"Heavens…" Brammel arrived with the class, staring upward.
A radiant source of light hovered high above Cane's head, illuminating every detail of the growing ship.
"Starlight," Selene whispered, just as Telamon and Ignasius stepped through a rift.
Cane's hands moved with precision. He redirected structural veins, altered flow paths, and streamlined the hull to skim the water more efficiently.
"Bring a sheet of Tungtanium," he called. "Place it here."
"Do it, lads!" Brammel barked. As soon as the sheet was set in place, it began melding into the frame before their hands had even left it.
"Keep going. Grab another."
Dhalia jumped into the hull, blueprint in hand. "Here's the section we're at."
Cane nodded, eyes glowing softly. "Perfect. Let's add a lower level—cargo hold and a sleeping berth."
The hull rose, reshaping itself as more metal joined the frame. Cane murmured to the ship as he worked. The music changed in tone—subtle, resonant, elemental.
Selene gasped. "He's… he's giving the metal elemental nature."
Cane rested Blue, his glacial-infused hammer, against the hull. Drawing on the harbor's water, he channeled it with finesse. It flowed in delicate streams across the hull, turning an icy blue as it merged with the metal.
The star overhead pulsed—once, twice—then faded.
Cane staggered slightly, leaning against the newly formed deck. The starlight in his eyes dimmed.
"Cane!" Dhalia stashed the blueprints and rushed to his side, steadying him. "Maybe you should sit."
Brammel placed his palm on the hull, tracing it in wonder. "I've never seen anything like this, lad."
"I'm fine." Cane let Dhalia help him down, climbing from the ship with measured care.
Telamon stepped forward and pressed a wrapped parcel into his hand. "The light in your eyes dimmed, but it's already coming back. How do you feel?"
"Better." Cane unwrapped the parcel and bit into the meal. Warmth flooded his body—calming, restoring. He exhaled, relief written across his face. "They should serve this at the dining hall."
"They can't afford it," Telamon said dryly.
**
"Brother, your eyes… that is so awesome." Fergis grinned wide. "Now I want fire eyes or something."
Cane laughed. "You're so dumb."
"If I'm dumb, why you laughing?"
"Because fire eyes would be pretty cool."
"Right?" Fergis glanced across the courtyard where Clara was drilling with her staff. "She's something."
"Clara?" Cane nodded. "Yeah. She never gives up."
"Tell me about it." Fergis pulled out a folded map and unrolled it between them. "Remember that mid-level mission I mentioned?"
"Yeah. Blue something?"
"Bluestone Village," Fergis said, pointing. "About an hour from the capital."
"We could use rift travel if we hit it on our day off." Cane's brow creased as he remembered those were reserved for training with Elohan.
Fergis caught the look. "Yeah… Elohan."
A breeze stirred—and suddenly Elohan was there, stepping out of nowhere. His too-handsome elfen face curved into a smirk. "Mission near the capital?" he said smoothly. "Tell me more."
Fergis looked to Cane, who only shrugged. "Unknown creature near Bluestone Village. Killing livestock."
"I see… What kind of livestock?"
"Does it matter?" Fergis asked.
"Very much," Elohan replied. "You might even guess what it is."
Fergis pulled out a second parchment—his copied brief. "Calves, goats, and a few sheep. No trail left."
"Telling," Elohan murmured.
"What? It could be anything," Fergis said, unconvinced.
Elohan raised a brow. "You're right. But if you can tell me what it is, I'll make that mission your next training day."
Cane tapped the psi-rune behind his ear, remembering Dhalia had mentioned heading to the library.
Cane: Are you at the library, Dhalia?
Dhalia: Yes. Why?
Cane: No rush—but can you check for any predators known to roam near the capital?
Dhalia: Sure. Almost done here anyway. I'll start looking.
Cane returned a polite smile to Elohan. "And how will you know if we're right?"
"I'll leave tonight and hunt it down," Elohan said, leaning close. "Don't worry. Whatever it is, I'll leave it to you—if you guess correctly."
He vanished, as he often did, leaving behind only the scent of fresh cedar.
From the courtyard, Clara spotted them and limped over, staff in one hand. "I'm so tired… What's wrong with your face?"
Cane grinned. "My whole face? Or just the eyes?"
"The eyes," Clara clarified, flopping down beside Fergis. "Could you two beat up my melee instructor? He's not very nice to me."
Later that day, the group sat in a circle on the stone floor of Cane's room while Sophie lay on the bed, paging through the table of contents of a large bestiary.
She glanced up, smiling. "Thanks for asking me to help."
"Mostly we just like your company," Cane admitted.
Clara and Dhalia nodded in agreement.
"Focus," Fergis said, scanning the mission brief for the fourth time. "Elohan said the report was telling. So let's dig in."
"Start with the livestock," Cane suggested. "What's disappearing?"
"Not horses or cows?" Clara asked.
Fergis shook his head. "Not according to this."
"Too big maybe," Dhalia offered. "Whatever it is goes after smaller prey."
"That still leaves a lot of predators," Sophie said, flipping through the book.
HOOOACH.
Pudding swooped in silently, landing on his perch with barely a flutter.
Cane reached into his storage ring and tossed him a bit of dried meat. Then his eyes lit up. "Wait. No trail left behind. That's the other clue. Could be a flying predator."
"A flying creature big enough to carry off sheep and goats?" Sophie paused mid-page. "Manticore."
Fergis groaned. "Those are rare… but yeah, people do talk about them."
Sophie turned the book toward the group. "Lion body. Scorpion tail. Wings. Big teeth. Sometimes horns."
Cane studied the illustration. "What about strengths and weaknesses?"
"Fire breath in some," Sophie read, pursing her lips. "So, high flame resistance. But vulnerable to conventional weapons—spears, arrows, swords."
"Of course it breathes fire…" Fergis muttered.
"Manticore checks every box," Cane said, thinking it through. "We'd need to ground it."
"Netting," Fergis said. "Always good for flyers."
"Unless it burns through the net," Clara pointed out. "Which it might."
"I'll weave metal into the rope," Cane replied, smiling. "Should hold up. Fergis'll have to focus on his runework."
Fergis clapped. "I'll douse it with feathers. Effective? No. Hilarious? Yes."
"Or you'll die laughing while being eaten," Dhalia said, deadpan.
"What else do we know about it?" Cane asked.
Sophie turned the page. "They usually nest in caves, near water. Hunt at night. Sometimes found in packs."
Cane grimaced. "A pack would be bad."
"I doubt it's a group," Dhalia said. "If there were three or four, the missing livestock numbers would be a lot higher."
"We'll have to scout either way." Cane stretched, cracking his fingers. "If we can find its nest, that's ideal."
"We'll need some special gear." Fergis grinned. "Got any ideas?"
Cane nodded. "Yeah. Interwoven metal fabric. And I pulled a stealth rune off the hull of the Avenger a while back."
"Before or after you opened it like a tin can?" Dhalia asked.
"Hmm? Oh, before. Afterward… there wasn't much left."
Cane narrowed his eyes thoughtfully. "Let's keep planning. I'll talk to Elohan—let him know our guess."