It stung. The pain striking through his arm and up his shoulder. Gritting his teeth, Dante stared up through his tears at the blurred sky. The sun suddenly blinding, burning whiteness into the edges of his vision. Clutching at his arm, he rested his head back on the soft squashed tulips of his mother's flower bed, the dirt wet and clumping to the back of his head. Feeling the muddy water seep into the torn seams of his shirt,he squirmed and then stilled. Gasping as the pain shot up his arm, blurring his vision and turning the frantic shouts around him into nothing more than a low muted ringing in his ear.

Eventually, he felt the dirt fall away and the ground leave him as he was pulled up. A pounding headache splitting his forehead into two and drying his mouth. Words becoming a distant babble as the sun was blocked out by a shadow and a louder ringing. He couldn't focus on the image ahead of him though, feeling like he was going cross eyed as the air rushed past him. Something cool placed upon his forehead and shadows started to move in and out of his vision, but not one he recognised. And all that he could think of in his confusion and affliction was, 'Where was Sterling?

------Two days later-----
He finally had enough strength to sit up in bed, feed and bathe himself without holding onto anything as support. Sterling had avoided him the whole day and no one seemed to listen when he asked for his brother. His parents gave each other worried looks and told him to merely rest while the nurse brought into tend to him for a few days seemed as silent and as creepy as those marionette dolls he read about in horror novels. It was only after he escaped her whilst she fell asleep and wondered over to his brother's room and then all over their home. Hollering up the attic and into the back yard, waking the whole neighbourhood up, did his parentsfinally cave and tell him his brother had been sent away for his own good to some Uncle Sephyr had never heard of.

He locked himself up in his room the next few days, refusing food and any contact. It was only when he was caught tryingto run away that he was forced to eat. And it was only three days later when the first letter from his brother arrived, did he calm down and eat dinner with his parents. It was only after a month when he started to talk to them again, allowing things to gradually go back to normal though he had become more eager everytime the mail arrived. Stopping the mail man, literally frozen in his tracks, until he wrote a return letter and sent it back the very same day.

He wrote about his days, the pranks he played on the servants and the new kids that moved into the the area. The many guests that their parents invited and the garden adventures he had when he snuck out into the little back area of woods they had behind the house. Casting those tales in secret writing so their parents wouldnt find out how ofren he snuck out at night to catch fireflies and watch the moon flowers bloom. Mostly, he wrote about how much he missed him and how stupid it was that they were apart like this and how he had already forgiven Sterling for hurting him while they were playing. Telling him that the scar looked cool anyway and all the kids believed the stories he made up around it.

Eventually, the letters began to get further and further apart, both busy with the winter finals in their respective studies. The cold having shut down the post office as well. The weather turned grey, then bright and writing came only when he remembered the stack of letters under his desk, all tied up neatly since he hadn't been able to bear to throw anyway. He still had the same adventures and fun, but he stopped writing about them. In the end, he just stopped writing.

And one hot summer's night, years away from childhood, he kicked of the sheets and snuck out into the woods to release the fireflies and watch the flowers bloom. Forgetting about all things of letters and distant siblings, of old scars and freezing the mailman. No, he was thinking about the silent twinkling stars as the shadow descended upon him. And the stars twinkled silently as his parents came running towards his panicked shouts.

Days later, they helped pack his bags and kissed him on the forehead goodbye.

He screamed, holding onto his unconscious brother. His arm... his arm shouldn't look like that! Shredded and charred, it was he who had done this to him. His best friend, his partner in crime, his brother. Crying out, afraid, Sterling fingered the bubbling flesh on his brother's arm. How did he do that? Mortar? Lava? Tar? No, an acid. Confused and afraid, his cries only brought the servants and Mother and Father running. Screaming, not at him, but just aloud.

No one noticed on his stomach where a the stray dog had bitten into his flesh. It wasn't important; it wasn't magical. Even Sterling thought his brother was far more important, the mess he had made, though it was Dante's idea to play with the stray. It was only much later, when the nurse can,e, that she cleaned his wound and stitched it together. It hurt' though he felt he deserved it for hurting his dear brother.

His parents wouldn't even look at him for a while, and he never saw Dante wake up. He didn't stick around for that long. His parents, angry but not giving up on the boy, sent him to live with Uncle Sephyr- whoever the hell that was. And, though Dante didn't realize it, his brother did say goodbye.

---

His Uncle was an eccentric man, who pursued a future in magic. His Father was upset when he learned what kind of magic coursed through his son's veins; the magic of a dark sorcerer. And it was only Uncle Sephyr who was in the family, inherited the 'gift', and was still sane. Mostly sane, anyways. His uncle never married, and his large mansion was actually a miniature school of sorts- an all-boy magical academy with few teachers other than his uncle.

Sterling, with his dark magics and sense of humor, became the favorite of several teachers and students, though made just as many enemies as friends. After a week of begging his uncle, the brunette conjured up a letter written by hand, for his brother, telling him about their weird uncle who made an elvish teacher of his make him a youth potion every week. How Sephyr and the elf were actually very good friends, and that the elf was his favorite teacher.

He told him he was sorry, and that he was making some friends in his new place. That the school was hard, but since he loved magic, it was alright. He never told him about the dog biting him. Sterling blamed himself for that. He laughed at his brother's antics. As Sterling got older, his life at the school became more and more important, and his brother nothing but a faded memory. He wasn't even allowed to visit for the holidays; his parents came to him sometimes.

Most recently, when he was fourteen, his parents let him visit the house, with a surprise. Since he had passed his training, with flying colors, his parents had arranged for him t move back with the family. To their surprise, Sterling politely declined, the mansion growing on him. His uncle and the teachers took good care of him, and even offered him a spot as a student teacher. That is, while he would still take advanced courses, he would be teaching some students, as well. They had eaten the rest of their meal in silence, and the food tasted of dead animals.

Things hadn't been any better with Dante, either. They had planned on sleeping in Dante's room, since his old room was being used as a home gym. Unfortunately, his beloved familiar, who helped him control his powers and accompanied him everywhere, was being unimaginably rude to his brother, making it impossible for them to socialize. He couldn't sleep that night.

Then, a few months later, the familiar organized his birthday party and he was forgiven. Then came news that his brother was coming to the academy. Something had happened to make his powers go haywire. He was hopeful it was all part of puberty, though unlikely as it might have seemed.

Today, the new class was arriving. Sterling was a newly a appointed student teacher, at age fifteen. Some of his closest friends had also been dubbest student teachers, so he didn't feel too special. He was going to meet the incoming class along with one of his fellow student teachers, a close friend of his. He waited with his familiar near the front of the house, looking at his reflection in the window. Cheerful lime green eyes and dark, nearly brown auburn hair that was neat but spiked at the same time. Fair skin with a few freckles. He was slightly tall, inches short of six feet.

There was something dangerous coming t the school, and he could do nothing to stop him.

The two brothers had honestly drifted apart. The last visit having been the most awkward ever especially with that damn annoying familiar of his. Dante didn't even know what it was meant to be. Most familiars took up the shape of some animal meant to represent their Master or just any animal in general really, but Dante was fairly certain that he had never seen an overgrown purple rat with curled up ears and large bug eyes that honestly freaked the shit out of him. Especially when it stared at him when he slept and kept on talking in what he considered was a high pitch squeal. Silencing any attempt to start a conversation made by either him or his brother.

Piping in at the worst moments, with the strangest things. Eventually, Dante had given up on any hope of reconciling with his long unseen brother, and any hope of getting a good night's rest and just stared up at the ceiling until sleep finally dragged him under. When he woke up, grumpy and irritable in the morning, he had been in such a bad sleep deprived mood that he barely talked to his brother at all. It wasn't like they had much to talk about anyway, sharing had faded into a thick line between their lives. Each falling to deeply into a net of their own different groups of friends, different schedules, different periods of rest and exhaustion. Their parents were barely the same anymore to either of them as well. Always finding reason to praise Sterling regardless of whether he was there to hear it or not. Dante had certainly been there to hear it and though he told himself time and countless time again that he was not jealous, he just couldn't help but grow irritated with how often they were ready to wave some fancy magical telegram infront of his face that commended his brother's 'excellent talents' in the art of magick.

So he wasn't exactly sure how to feel as he stared at himself in the mirror. His hair, the deep brown auburn, yet his skin nearer to the colour of ash. Green eyes that mirrored his brother's own once, now red rimmed and the pupil horizontal. He looked like a cat if he had to put a word to it, a predatory wild violent cat. Though perhaps he should be grateful that not much had changed about him. Aside from fangs that he constantly seemed to cut himself on, oh and the sudden heightened senses that constantly had him tripping over things or retreating into his room and tying a pillow around his head. He had had bad depth perception before, seeing things that were far away really didn't do anything to aid it.

He just hoped he wouldn't make a fool of himself going to class, especially hearing that...Sterling would be his teacher. He was no doubt one of the oldest going to the school, it was going to be awkward in a basic class with people younger than him. Sighing, he wondered if his brother would even recognize him. Probably not, since he barely recognized himself. Taking up his luggage, he bid a goodbye to his parents before he caught the train to his Uncle's mansion and his new home.

---

"Having fun so far, teacher's pet?" Vincent asked, slinging an arm around Sterling's shoulder. Wearing his newest teacher's shirt composing of his own casual clothing. "Finally we get to give out grades to people, not to mention punishments." He joked with his friend as they loitered in the empty classroom.

Sterling, ever easily surprised, let out a gasp of surprise as an arm was draped over his shoulder, only to sigh in relief in realizing it was just Vincent. The two had been friends since they had arrived. Of course, both being talented had much to do with their relationship. They spent free time in class with each other, and caused much trouble. "Silence, fellow teacher's pet." Then with a smirk, added, "Too bad they don't let you play teacher for a little while longer. I love how you're easily fooled."

Needless to say, he was nervous. Dante would be one of his students, for a period, and Sterling couldn't be sure he could deal with the awkwardness. They may have been roughly the same age and both magical, but they were not equal. Sterling was gifted in the dark arts, and had trained for years. Not to mention, he had his familiar with him ever step of the way. Breaking away from his friend's arm, though it warmed him, he inched closer to his familiar, now in human form.

Either way, the magical creature was cute. Reaching out to finger a strand of purple hair, the boy grinned. "Behave, alright? I.. I trust you, so play nice. Remember you're my teachers assistant so we can't talk during class unless it's a bout a lesson..." And then there was a firm knock on the doors. Excited to see his brother and to embrace his task as a teacher, the mage straightened his vest a final time. A butler came to tell them, "The new arrivals are waiting in the foyer.. Please greet them as soon as you can." Nodding, he grinned to Vincent before walking quickly, just short of running.

Hand in hand with his familiar, Sterling hurried to think of a scrambled welcome. "Since you're better at these things than me, mind saying a few words for me?" He requested to the magical boy, just as they stepped in, there there were less than ten recruits, new arrivals. Once was his brother, and, not knowing what else to do, smiled warmly. He didn't notice anything amiss.

There was another young man who appeared to be the same age as himself. He had golden blonde hair and sea blue eyes rimmed with a crimson. It was hardly noticeable, though. He was dressed rather well, and he had a slightly somber look to him. "Hello, everyone! My name is Sterling Chartarum. I'll be serving as one of your teachers." He then nudged his now-human familiar with his elbow.

"Ah, don't remind me. You've been here less than me and already you've been promoted to the same position as me. Geez, lets see if you can dish out grades as well as you can earn them. Don't break too many young naive hearts along the way. I gotta go cover for Eron's class, he's out sick again. See ya at lunch!" He bid the young man goodbye, stopping to ruffle his familiar's hair. Familiars were usually rather picky with who they allowed to actually touch them, but Sterling's familiar had been around as long as Vincent had known him. They were all estentially one big family.

The boy's familiar stared up at him, a devious mind behind those large staring eyes of deep violets. Unmoving even when Sterling ruffled his hair, the hood of his sweatshirt pulled up over his head, revealing only a tuft of hair, "Off course, I'll behave. I thought you knew me better than that!" The familiar scoffed, off course, he wasnt going to behave in the slightest. He had no cruel intentions, but that didn't mean he wasnt going to commit a little mischief. A few surprises in the student's desk, a little initiation before class. Mostly him creeping out majority of them, especially his master's brother. Oh he was going to rile him up so badly through out the whole year. His master's brother paling in comparison to his great Master. He didn't even know what he was doing coming here to this prestiges school.

The shorter familiar holding on tightly to his Master, more gliding than running. Sweeping across the floor, he stepped infront of his Master and held out his hands in greeting towards the small group of mismatched students. Of all different shapes and sizes, Dante stood behind a tall half phantom. His spectral half floating lazily around his head creating a sort of misted halo. Dante felt out of place already. Keeping one hand along the wall to avoid tripping while he followed the group. Messy brown hair hidden under a hat, overshadowing his pasty complexion. Keeping his eyes down as the familiar addressed them, peeking up at his brother. Sterlung stood tall, looking smart in his crisp clean shirt.

"Teachers' hot." He couldn't help but overhear from a pair of obvious twins. One with teal eyes and platinum blonde hair pulled back into a ponytail, the other grinning back with bright pink eyes and ebony black hair in pigtails. An obvious use of glamor magick, the type of which was starting to become increasingly popular over actual cosmetics. Maybe he should learn a little to make himself look more like he always did though he didn't trust himself not to burn off a ear or take out an eye in the process. His magick having gone out of whack the past few days. Not working when it should and when it shouldn't.

The grey magick he had inherited from his mother's side suddenly gone bad, really bad. Becoming a much rare form known as blood magick, his power relying on feeding as much as keeping himself alive did. Becoming malignant if he didn't feed regularly, as if it was angry with him. He had never had his own power turn on him like that before, it was terrifying. He hoped to god that his Uncle's school would fix him somewhat.

"Hello, everyone! My name is Sterling Chartarum. I'll be serving as one of your teachers." "And I shall be your teacher's assistant, I hope you all have a good time!" His familiar greeted, grinning as about half of the cohort shiverec under his unrelenting stare. This was going to be a fun year.

"This is my familiar!" Sterling introduced, pressing his side against the magical cat's before pulling away slowly. "It would be wise to be afraid of him," He added in a slightly hushed tone, though obviously his familiar was meant to hear it, too. There were a few chuckles and a few keys of nervous laughter. As Sterling motiined for them to follow him, the blonde slowly got to his feet, staring eerily at Dante all the while.

Hand still locked with his Familiar's, the boy smiled as the others followed him to his classroom. The mansion had a very classic, Victorian feel to it. In fact when he had first arrived, his first words were, "Wow, it's so posh!" This was, after all, a private property, not some measly public school. "Don't touch any of the paintings on the walls." Then, in the same casual tone, added darkly, "It'll take a while to get you back out..." Knowing it was impossible to navigate the house on the first day, Sterling offered a bit of advice.

"The school is like a maze, but in theory you only really need to know where your room is, and where your classes are. Oh, and you'll be assigned your rooms later, boys. You have to share a room with someone no matter what. Does anyone have a familiar yet?" He turned back to eye his new students. No one raised a hand. "Alright, well after the first semester, if you qualify, I'll be helping you with contracting one. You're going to see me a lot compared to your other teachers."

"And why is that?" The blonde student asked calmly. Sterling smiled a bit. "The other teachers have to go on missions a lot, but since they're so badass they usually go alone. Buuut since I'm a student teacher, if I go on a mission I have to bring along some students so they can get a hands-on experience. So you should all try hard in my class so I pick you." He suggested.

In a little while, they arrived at his classroom. Like every other room in the 'school', there were no cheap desks, no textbooks, though there were spell books in the back. There were three sofas and a rolling chair. Sitting on the chair, Sterling waited for everyone to take a seat. "Everyone's magic they are born with is different. In order for me to give you the best possible lessons, please state your name and your specialty magic. I," He paused for dramatic effect, "Use demon-mimicry magic. It's a dark art, and most of the skills are forbidden, but the stuff I can use is pretty amazing." A boy wearing a fedora raised his hand. "You can't use the bathroom." He slowly lowered his hand.

"But, since you were so eager to raise your hand, why don't you start us of?" Sterling commanded with a toothy grin. This was fun. Startled, the boy nodded. "I'm... West Amberston, and I use gravity magic." Nodding, Sterling locked eyes with the other male, and waited expectantly for the rest of the class to go. The blonde volunteered next. "Klaus von Holstein. I use manipulation magic." Then a boy with charred orange hair was next. "Wolfgang Manazanar. Golem magic." He said, causing a few other students to gasp, but Sterling only nodded.

He wasn't paying attention, really. He could ask his familiar to remind him later. Speaking of, a teacher had told him his magic was getting stronger. Pretty soon, he would need more familiars to help him keep his magic in check. But when he brought it up to the boy, his familiar nearly gauged his eye out. So that was that.

"Why Master, I don't know you felt that way about me." Chime quipped, grinning at Sterling. Unable to contain himself, he doubted that Sterling would put him back in his vessel anyway. All familiars had a vessel to which they were bound to until summoned, most summonses preferring to keep their familiars in until needed. Luckily, Sterling was not one of these familiars and Chime couldn't be blamed for wanting to take advantage of his freedom and cause a little trouble for his Master here and there. Most of the times though, he was the one encouraging Sterling to use his magick for pranks instead of lessons. It was still good practice either way.

Shrinking down into his much smaller form, he lumped himself onto Sterling's head, sitting on his shoulders and drumming his paws atop his head, "Onward then, my master!" He commanded, just to him. A smirk on his face as he held on. Staring eerily at several students who giggled at the ridiculous sight. They quiet ended down immediately and followed their teacher. Haunted by his soft whisper followed by Chime's high pitched laughter. It echoed down the hallways and drew shivers from several students, causing them to rush forward without hearing the giggle that he let out afterwards, drumming lightly on Sterling's head, "I thought you were going to do the levitating totems trick? You said you would!"

By then everyone had already rushed on ahead, breathing a sigh of relief when they were out of that room. All the students eager to listen and learn from Sterling. This was far from any average school after all. The chatter already starting, "I hope I get a familiar as cute as teacher's, but less creepy!" "Oh, I want to go on one of those missions!" "I'm sure he would pick me!" "Do you think the paintings really...?" "I heard one time that someone's friend's brother's uncle's grandfather was...." "You heard that too?"

The real piece of resistance was when they came to the classroom and everyone just ended up freezing in the doorway, staring into the room in shock. Chime laughed at the noobs, a gaming term he had learned from Vincent, "Wait till they see their rooms, ah you near had a heart attack the first time. To be honest, I wasn't gonna even try to resuscitate you." The familiar leaned upon his head, it's ears curling back to reveal eye like markings resembling his own. Making it seem like he was still staring straight ahead while it was sleeping or thinking with it's eyes closed. That was how the student saw him as Sterling regarded them with the little familiar perched atop his head.

As they went down the row, everyone seemed to only get more excited whilst some seemed unimpressed by what others said. The half phantom kid raised his hand and induced an excited gasp when he said, "I'm Danny Benton, I can do ghost-mimicry magick."

The twins were next, waving to the others and enthusiastically announcing at the same time, "She's Abigail and she's Alice. Winchester. Teleportation magick and illusory magick." The twins piped up, confusing everyone as to who was who and which was which, but they didn't have time to explain before the next kid chimed up, "Helixio Hellstrand." The rather meek sized boy chimed up excitedly, showing a toothy grin, "Animal-communications magick." He said loud and proudly.

Finally it fell to Dante, who timidly took his turn. Locking eyes with his brother, he quickly looked away and murmured, "Dante Reimus Invalesco,...blood magick." He felt the room go silent for a moment and the girl next to him shift uncomfortably for a moment before Chime yawned and clapped it's hand to rouse the boy as well.

Sterling smiled to his brother, lime green eyes glittering with encouragement, though he frowned slightly as Dante refused to hold eye contact. Vaguely, he wondered if it was apparent the two were familiar with each other. The teacher didn't join the rest of the class in folding the silence, and carefully brought Chime down to his lap with a sigh. Of course he had been rude.

"I believe that's everyone! Alright, well we have a few more hours together, and though that might not be any time for a formal lesson, why don't we go over the five basic theories of magic, alright? Can anyone first list the five first?" Excitedly, West raised his hand, bouncing impatiently. Eventually that would get old, but now it caused him to grin. "Alright, West, go ahead."

Acting as if he had been chosen for some infinitely powerful task, he eagerly piped, "There's the Alchemy Theory, Fates Theory, Heart Theory, Contract Theory, and the Healer's Theory." Humming with approval, he nodded. "Okay, great. Anyone care to elaborate on these theories?" Klaus raised his hand halfway, smiling and letting the others see his fanged teeth. Sterling nodded to him. "The Heart theory states you cannot use any magick to manipulate someone's soul." Mildly impressed by his student's show of intelligence so far, he prodded Klaus further. "Example?"

"If someone's in love, for example, no normal love potion would work on them," Squeezing and petting the small catlike familiar, Sterling clicked his tongue and waited for other students to volunteer. Wolfgang slowly raised his arm. "The Contract Theory firmly states that any relationship with a demon or familiar, no matter how much they appear to care," He stared ominously at Chime, "Are constantly awaiting your doom." Chuckling nervously, Sterling abruptly stopped petting Chine and withdrew his hands.

"That's correct... However, they also swear complete loyalty to you, so if a familiar ever turns on you, they are no longer entitled to anything you promised they could have when you died." The class murmured as Sterling continued. "In addition, they can leave your leadership at any time. For this reason, all of my students are recommended to contract either a familiar that's quite weak and obedient, or one they can bond easily with." Then, more softly, added, "But the theory is correct. You can't be friends with a familiar, no matter what you feel. Anything they do for you are all means to an end, so never promise much."

In this form, Chime was small enough to fit into the palm of his hand. Tiny paws clutching his thumb and and pulling it into his mouth. Tiny sharp teeth nibbling harmlessly into it, Chime used to bite him all the time. Especially when they first met, the familiar had been fiesty, liking to nibble on his fingers and gnaw at his ear whenever he was atop his head. Vincent called it his 'teething phase', being the one who had filed down his teeth so he wouldn't hurt Sterling with his nibbling any more. Though he found it less satisfying it was a compromise between them both. Squeaking when he was squeezed a little too tightly, the familiar seemingly oblivious to the awkward silence around it as it continued to chew on his thumb.

Purring when he was petted, he was unaware of how all eyes were suddenly drawn towards him. Squeaking and purring until he was left alone, then in which he glared up at his Master as the hand out from under him was removed and he was left on his lap. Pouring and crossing his arms, he stared up at the students who quickly averted their own stares.

Helix up was the first to break the silence as he raised his hand, "The Alchemy theory. Every action has a following reaction. No magick, is without consequence." He cleared his throat and slowly lowered his hand, giving the roughest description of the Alchemy theory. Everyone else seemed grateful for the breaking of the ice. The twins raising their hand simultaneously, twirling their hair as they spoke in creepy unision, "The healer's theory, only magick that is stronger than whatever inflicted a wound can heal it. So even the smallest cut, if caused by powerful magick cannot be healed unless the healer is equally as strong.

All that was left was the Fate's theory, but that was a rather tricky rule that a whole book could be dedicated to. It was complex in it's simplicity, stern and true as the other rules, but filled with loopholes and possible go arounds. The other students who had yet to answer any question shifted uncomfortably in their seats, not wanting to be the ones to have to answer. Dante, hunched over, stared up Sterling. His brother would surely be happy to tell everyone what the last theory was. He knew near everything that there was needed to know about magick. At least his report card would tell you that. He supposed he had to be glad that he had Sterling as a teacher, anyone else would take one look at the name 'Invalesco' and be sure to expect too much.

"Don't any of you lame brains know the answer?" Chime finally chimed in, the familiar ominously cute in insulting them. Dante glared at it. He had yet to properly 'eat' like he should've since he had been changed. He could still eat regular foods, but he needed a regular dose of...well, he wouldn't mind taking a bite out of the little rat though he was pretty sure it didn't even have blood to taste awful. His brother never let that thing out of his sight anyway, in some ways, the familiar was more his family than his own brother was.

Laughing a bit, Sterling caught himself and coughed in an attempt to cover it up. "Uh, right. This is a hard one, so no worries if you don't know how to phrase it." He supplied, trying to contradict his familiar. Stupid Chime, always knowing how to make him giggle. But that was something Dante used to do for him. His sense of humor was, in many ways, his ultimate weakness. It was the reason he got into trouble so often, despite the fact he was one of the best students on campus.

"The Fate theory is known in countless cultures. Some call it destiny, of the inevitable. As you know," He said, trying to make his students feel better since Chime made them feel like total idiots, "Spells concerning time travel and space manipulation are severely frowned upon." Then he quickly sent a glance to the twins, "Of course, space manipulation is hardly the same as teleportation. Anyways, being a time mage is quite rare. There are two individuals on campus with the ability to use time to their advantage."

Clearing his throat, he continued. "One is a student, who was born with the ability to go back or forward in time a few minutes. That's all. While the potential power of a time mage is unthinkable, their powers are usually very limited. The great mage R. N. Eisenwald had the ability to send objects in time, but only to people who are born that day. It's a very complex ordeal, but she was able to alert countless people of danger before it happened, letting us circumvent certain disaster." He shook his head.

"But as far as the general public knows, she's dead. Space manipulation is the talent to rip apart the very fabric of our dimension. This can lead to a black hole opening up where the tear is, or, even worse, for something to come into our world where it doesn't belong. No one in this room as space magic, but even if you did, you wouldn't be able to tear apart our world. Luckily, no known individual, human or otherwise, has ever known to be able to do that. But space mages can see tears in our dimension, leaving us to wonder just what exactly created them."

Clearing his throat, Sterling pet Chime absently once more, scratching him where he knew he loved it. "Anyways, religious mages claim that the one creating these tears is God. No one really knows, but Ghost mages are able to sense an immense astral presence at the site of a tear. Some say that these tears are how souls traverse through our world into the afterlife. Anyone who attempted to enter, has never been seen or heard from again." He said mysteriously, in a cheerful tone.

"Fate's Theory is that there is a track the omnipotent being of the universe has in mind for all of us, and no matter what we do, we cannot change what it wants or what is meant to happen. For example, if you traveled back in time to stop someone from dying, they would still die, but the circumstances could change. Initially, they were meant to be run over by a car. If you go back in time and mess with things, they could still he run over, but instead several other pedestrians and drivers are killed as well' making the situation worse." He informed grimly.

"Uh, well that's all the basic theories of magic. Of course, there are more, but if I tell you any we'll have to take a quiz on it, so let's save that for later instead." He then rammed his hands together like he had an idea, nearly squashing his little sidekick. Then again, he wondered if he was the sidekick sometimes... "Oh, right! Well everyone at this school is also a freelance mage, which means we're all licensed to go on missions, of course, your permits are limited. You would have to go with a teacher, A.K.A. me. Missions can be really dangerous, so I don't need any dead weight." He muttered.

The class wasn't like any other class. And out there, the school could compare to no other. Currently, they were akin to kindergarteners. Clueless and completely new to the world of magick and mages, armed with only the little knowledge that the privileged few had from their parents. Chances were though, they had probably never seen another magick user outside of their family. It had been rare for twins to both have the same sort of energy running through their veins even in a magically renowned family. Perhaps though, it wasn't so lucky for Dante to grow up next to a magical sibling, seeing how far apart they were now in terms of skill and knowledge. It was embarrassing to look around the class and realize that he was much older than quite a few of them, and yet he probably only knew as much as the lower half of them did. If he was left behind in class...he would just die knowing how clueless he really was. Still, maybe he had picked something up from Sterling or he would've if his brother had stayed with him longer.

Clueless, volatile and eager to learn, they drank up every word of their teacher, ignoring the angry squeaks of his familiar when he was squished too tightly, purring at other intervals where Sterling was petting him. It was the only way to keep him from berating and belittling the students, purring like a proud kitty.

The students chatted among themselves, eyes shining with excitement over all they had been told. Tales of their own great adventures going down in the hall of Mage fame danced around excitedly in their mind. Danny straightened himself up and puffed out his chest at mention of his own abilities though Sterling had failed to mention only experienced and trained ghost mages would be able to feel disturbances and rifts. Talk of saving the day like a real hero, standing out among the small but clustered group of mages. Never before had anyone been so excited and eager to be top of the class.

Helixio broke the ice again, raising his hand and causing a hush to fall over the crowd, "When will the first mission be and how will you choose who gets to go?" He asked, everyone else eyeing up Sterling with an attentive curious gaze. Even Dante seemed interested, glancing up sideways at his brother in brief intervals. Honestly, it wouldn't be so bad to be picked to go on a mission with him. He knew for sure that everyone was just raring to hop onto whatever bus, car or magic carpet along with Sterling. Regardless of how dangerous they were made out to be, everyone already wanted to be the teacher's pet. If he was picked though...it would give him some time to spend with his brother, even if that annoying rat tagged along.

It would be annoying though, should they be away for any long missions and he would have to keep up on his 'feeding' to avoid weakening himself, oh and dying. Very important to avoid dying. It would prove to be extremely troublesome though and probably troubling to Sterling as well if he had to wait for Dante to hide away and finish his meal because he definitely wasn't going to down blood infront of the boy. Chime would probably tease him about it too...maybe it wasn't all that great to be picked. It's not like they would be able to talk much. Between the mission and the rat, Dante and Sterling had definitely grown apart. He had no place now being suddenly dumped into Sterling's life, being no more than his student. He shouldn't try to interfere with his duties and look for any more. Sterling probably wanted to keep it that way.

Plus he could make new friends here. Looking over at the crowd, Klaus and Helixio already seeming quite popular among the group. The twins were...interesting with their own close connection and thei ever changing hair and eye colours. They were younger, but...age didn't really mean a thing. After all, if it did, he would be closer to his brother than anyone else in the room.

His thoughts were interrupted by the shrill cry of a siren that sounded more like a blaring cry than an actual siren. It shook him, the sound assaulting his heightened senses and making him near keel over as he pressed his hands over his ears. Pounding pain into his head, the world spun and he didn't hear Chime laugh and clap his hands, "Looks like a challenge is going on!!"

Sterling smiled at Helixio's curiosity. It was a valid question, and he intended to give a good answer, though he hardly knew himself. He hadn't thought this through, but if he let Chime speak for him, the familiar would only discourage the others from asking a question ever again. In his class at least. "Well," He began calmly, "There are many factors that contribute to me deciding to take you guys."

Finding relaxation in scratching Chime, he continued. "I actually have a few missions on the back burner, that I need to do soon, so as soon as someone proves to me they're capable of it. First of all, I look at grades and how you behave during class. I might also just pick you because your magical ability would prove useful for that particular mission, or because I assume you're going to fail so I can kick you from the course. So even if you do get chosen, don't always assume it's because you did something right." He warned, causing West to bite his lip nervously.

And then there was a siren and everyone stood up on their own accord, Sterling smiling to his familiar. "It's probably for the students. Think I can still participate?" He mused to Chime, then flattened his palm against the floor, creating a pentagram to appear on the ground and spin wildly before the portal glowed red. "Alright, everyone step here. We could walk, but it's fast to do it my way." He exclaimed excitedly, practically shoving everyone in, but hand lingering on his brother's shoulder for a moment too long. Then, making sure Chime was tucked into his shirt, jumped though as well, the portal disappearing as its creator had gone away.

They were transported to an auditorium of sorts, where there was a circular stage in the center and countless red velvet seats surrounding it from different angles. "Ah, some good ole cage fighting." Sterling declared with a smile, wonder in why his class was so quiet. He then gasped, "Aw, crap, sorry! I must have totally forgotten demon magic causes mild headaches in others, regardless of whether the spell is harmful or not. If you feel like throwing up, do us all a favor and don't." Something about his mocking tone led Klaus to believe this was far from an accident. As he collapsed on all fours, the boy pledged to get his revenge. Sterling shared a giggle with Chime as he was assembled to the front row, with his class sitting around him.

Then an intangible purple will o' wisp appeared on stage. "Welcome to your orientation! Most of you kids will be.. ahem, lucky enough to fight! Rules are simple. No one can die on stage thanks to the chalk markings! We will be having a class versus class clash! Winners will receive an extra lesson in the advanced course, and losers... will be demoted to a further remedial class." This caused everyone to murmur while Sterling smiled smugly.

"Mister Chartarum, care to send in one of your students?" Sterling tapped his chin like he was considering it, feeling the other advanced students, teachers, and student teachers stating at him. "Actually, headmaster, all my students are quite ill. They don t appear to be getting any better anytime soon. I suppose that makes them ineligible?" He felt as if the wisp was staring at him, until slowly it caved. "I suppose so, but take your students to the infirmary to make them... cured?" He smiled. "Of course, sir." Before the will o' wisp transported them to a random halfway and Sterling raised his hand to break everyone's massive migraine.

"You... did that on purpose so none of us had to get demoted..." Sterling arched his eyesbrows. "What are you talking about, Klaus?" West grunted. "Yeah, I heard orientation was rigged anyways! Teachers pretending to be students to teach the newcomers discipline!" Sterling shook his head, and shot him a ghostly look. "The only reason you all get out of that was because I don't feel like watching ameteurs go at it." He then noticed Dante was still hunched over, grasping his head. "Chime, take care of them while I take Dante back to the classroom to heal him." He said before putting an arm over Dante's shoulder and warping the two back to his class. "Did anyone else notice, they look pretty similar?" Wolfgang suddenly asked.

He patted Dante's back apoligetically. "Sorry, I just wanted to talk to you in private." He admitted, smoking brightly at his brother. "I know you don't like Chime, so I got it just to be the two of us! Wanna catch up?!" He spouted excitedly as he clapped his hands together. Without Chime here to give him access to his magic, Sterling was totally defenseless. He was even planning on walking back. "So why'd you come here?" He asked a bit blunter.

Everyone seemed less excited now to go on a mission now, knowing it could mean that they were to be kicked out of the course. Still though, it was a coin flip on whether or not they were picked because they were doing good or because they were doing so horribly bad that their professor wanted to kick them out of the class via a dangerous mission. The coin could fall on it's side as well, in which those with the most flexible powers would be chosen and given a chance to prove themselves. The pros outweighed the cons though none had factored in that the mission could probably be dangerous, perhaps even life threatening if something went wrong.

Young naive bunch they were, luckily Chime was too busy being pampered by Sterling's hand to berate them. The lil rat caught his thumb again and began to nibble on it. Teeth as sharp as a hamster, and a whole lotta attitude packed into that tiny body.

As the siren screamed out loudly, everyone but Dante stood. Hands over his ears, he took a deep breath before he attempted to stand. He would have fallen back down had Sterling not shoved him forward into the portal. His ears ringing long after the siren had stopped, head pounding painfully, the nausea didn't help in the slightest. Suddenly, he was glad he hadn't eaten lunch yet or else he would risk throwing up a puddle of sickly red right infront of everyone. Stumbling, he found support in Danny who glanced over at him worriedly, but didn't say anything as he let the older cling onto him. Arms shaking, pale as death though that was probably a norm for him now.

Chime peeked out of Sterling's shirt, snickering at the rather pale faced students. All experiencing their own forms of nausea. The twins holding on tightly to each other, while the boys attempted to appear unfazed by the trip though they were obviously swaying slightly on their feet. Helixio frowning at the mention of a fight. That couldn't be fair, they had just gotten here. They hadn't even had their first lesson and they were expected to go up against more experienced classes? Still, he wouldn't say no if he was chosen to fight, he wasn't gonna back down for anything. He was gonna show everyone just how strong he was.

Animal-communications magick had always been belittled. It wasn't want to be offensive nor was it meant to be showy or over exaggerated. Most mages became guardians of the forest with that sort of magick. Animal sanctuary or gardener wasn't exactly in his top list of dream jobs. He was all too ready to stand up when the referee called for Sterling to send up one of his students. Though he probably was a lil unstable on his feet, oh god when would the nausea pass? Shouldn't their teacher already be experienced enough to cancel out the side effects? How were they meant to fight anything, let alone stand up straight like this?

Luckily, they found themselves once more in the empty confusing hallways before they could even blink. The world suddenly having stopped spinning around them, the ground actually stable under their feet. Many that had felt the bile rising up in their throat suddenly disappear.

"Wah! Mr Chartarum, I can't believe you did that for us!" The twins piped up, eyes shining up at their professor. Looks like Sterling had already gained two admirers. Helicopter mumbled his thanks, unsure whether to be relieved or disappointed that they hadn't gotten to fight. Danny opened his mouth to say anything until he noticed that Dante was still clinging onto him tightly. Man, the boy had a strong grip, but that was expected from the older. He didn't mind that he could do blood magick. It was just as scary as ghost magick, though more people seemed to be afraid of it because of how volatile it was and how much it depended on others. The boy seemed as pale as a ghost now in fact, though Danny knew he was far from death, having long passed it.

Both boys looked up when Dante's name was called and Dante had no time to thank the boy, his first friend? Luckily, the trip this time wasn't as painful and headache inducing this time round. The ringing starting to slowly fade, he stumbled from Sterling's grasp to collapse onto the couch until the world decided to stop spinning.

"I don't see it." The twins interjected while Danny just shrugged. "Lots of people look similar,"

"No way, he doesn't look anything like Mr Chartarum! He's barely half the man of what Mr Chartarum is!" The twins argued back and Helixio just rolled his eyes, trying to seem cool until a paw pawed over his head and Chime clung onto his head making the boy jump and shout. Earning a light slap from the familiar, "Alright lame brains! Time to get things straight! We want no nonsense from any of you! Mr Chartarum is not above losing any unruly students! And I'm sure your parents wouldn't mind either!" The familiar hid his grin as several students paled at his words. Hey, if Sterling was gonna leave him alone with the students, he might as well have some fun, "Now, let me tell you about not where to go, we wouldn't want anyone stumbling upon something they shouldn't see."

---

Dante stared up at his brother, then patted the seat next to him, "Sit down, you look ridiculous trying to play teacher." He murmured though he had to admit, Sterling looked like he had been doing this kind of stuff for years. He looked so different...he even smelled different. Then again, everyone smelled different now, like...packaged food or canned containers just waiting to be opened. Nobody could tell him what to do with this..feeling. It was like puberty, it always felt like you were the only one suffering and really he was the only one caught in this mess. Closing his eyes, he sighed. Mother and father had packed several vials of...liquid to sustain him, obtained from a local hospital with little question. He hadn't touched any of then yet.

"Why else? Mom and dad needed someone to look after you." He opened his eyes and grinned at his brother, then quickly stopped smiling in fear Sterling would see his fangs. "Anyway....I did miss ya."

"Yeah, Wolfie, are you an idiot or something?" West accused, eliciting laughter from a few other students. The orange haired male furrowed his brows and crossed his arms, eyes staring into the floor. He hated this class already. The teacher thought it was dandy to give them all headaches, and to top it all off, the students wouldn't listen to him, either. He felt like the others would say something further, or West would further insult his name, but Chime had already begun speaking.

Klaus wondered why Sterling was contracted to Chime. They didn't seem to have an awful lot in common so what bonded them? While he appeared no older than Sterling, he was almost fifty years old. He was an organic-born vampire, which meant the talk of being human made him barf. Sure, he was surrounded by a bunch of potential meals, but he hadn't killed anyone. Not while feeding, anyways.

The von Holsteins were an old vampire clan. Luckily, it seemed his classmates knew little about the ancient blood ties they shared. Of course, even he did not memorize every single human city in the world, so who could be blamed. Eyes focusing on the familiar, he couldn't help a fanged grin. It was so... odd! Then again, a normal familiar would have been boring.

---

Snickering slightly at his brother, Sterling complied and jumped down on the sofa, causing the cushion to bounce a bit before he grinned back at Dante. He didn't notice any fangs, just how familiar the impish grin was. Ah, they would cause so much trouble when they were younger. If only he wasn't a teacher and obligated to not only following the rules, but to enforce them. While he would never say so, if Dante wanted to cause issues within the school, it would be him he would answer to. Maybe he's mature now. He thought hopefully, not realizing how absurd the idea was.

"I missed you, too. I only wish Mom and Dad let you come here sooner! We could have been roomies!" He exclaimed happily. "It's really nice here, so don't worry about anything, okay? There actually isn't too many students compared to other magic schools, and the missions are really fun. But I can't take you every time or the other little children will think you're my favorite and eat you alive," He said, still in that sunny tone.

"Wipe that dumbo grin off your face, dumbo! I'm in charge now and there'll be no smiling unless you've got something to declare!" Chime declared out loud, leaning far over Danny's head and pulling painfully at his locks of snow white hair. The latter held back a shout, unsure exactly what the demonic creature of fluff would do to him if he protested. He really wanted to just snatch it away from him and chuck it at a wall though. Chime seemed to read his thoughts and tug harder at his roots, "Alright, now listen up noobies! I'm gonna lay it out straight for you! Dish out all the dirt because obviously, your heads are too hollow for you to survive here on your own." As if to set an example, he leaned down and tapped on Danny's head, "See? Hear that? Hollow."

The twins couldn't understand how such a little ball of cuteness could be so evil and plain mean. The guys were either pissed, unsure or somewhat amused at it's wit. Either way, no one said anything as Chime hopped down to Danny's shoulder and sat down, crossing his tiny legs, "Alright, not gather close. And lemme tell you, you do not wanna piss off any of the real teachers here. Not do you wanna be out past curfew or you might stumble across..." He paused for dramatic effect, "The principle!" Follow up with evil laughter and...show time! "Never make fun of the walls or the doors, never play tricks in the halls or answer the midnight call, you'll be sorry I swear! Your friends, they won't see! When you're snatched up and eaten as a snack for tea!" He sang happily.

---

He chuckled at his brother and instantly relaxed. Shoulders slumping down, he threw his head back and sighed, "Ah, I need a good nap. I just get here and already you make me sick on purpose. " Throwing back a quick grin at his brother, he slung an arm around his shoulder, "You don't worry, I don't need to be teacher's pet when I'll be kicking your ass at magick. I bet I could learn it faster than you did in seven years. No one would dare eat me alive!" He laughed, knowing all too well he was capable of eating them alive. Speaking of eating...his stomach growled an he tsked, "Ah, mom and dad pretty much sent me off without lunch cause I woke up late. I haven't gotten a bite all day, when's recess? Or do you take breaks instead and eat in some fancy teacher's lounge now?"

He liked this. It felt like the old times. When they could laugh and play freely. Feeling the warmth of his bother next to him, he smiled and leaned back on the couch. Senses calm, without that little rat, he wanted more of this, "You still sneak out at nights?"

Wolfgang cringed as Danny's hair was pulled none too gently. He could hear the hair struggling to stay in, a sound like tuning guitar strings. The golem mage imagined Danny must have been in a lot of pain, but it couldn't be helped. For now, he just wanted to stay out of the psychotic familiar's way. Mr. Chartarum may have been pretty cool, but his familiar was one sick puppy. Er... kitty. He couldn't help himself from chuckling just a bit, though.

West didn't believe in laying low. "Ahahaha! You can sing and rhyme! Oh my gosh," He vocalized stupidly, reaching out to pet the cute little ball of fuzz, rescued only when Klaus gently lowered his hand. Chime could be mad, but not nearly as mad if West had gone through with petting the demonic critter. Though he was joking around, he did it only to conceal the chills that were running down his spine.

Klaus appeared to be deep n thought. Now, how could he speak to Chime without getting him angry? Insults hardly bothered him but he didn't need his new favorite teacher hating him because his familiar made up lies. "Uh, Mr. Chime, how do we... encourage Mr. Chartarum to take us with him on missions?"

---

Sighing contently as his brother put an arm around his shoulders, Sterling leaned back into his brother. "I wish we could be roommates..." He murmured softly as he reveled in the warmth and humor that was his brother. "Well, you're not going to kick my ass without my help,so if you get too good, I'll... level the playing field a bit." He threatenedmeith a laugh. "And yeah, us smart kids take breaks. It's after this class. "

He felt strange without Chime. They were never a mile apart, and he knew his beloved familiar was close. But it was a feeling of nakedness, of vulnerability. His brother wasn't a spectacular mage, so how would they defend themeselves if someone attacked them? "I don't need to sneak out. You probably need to though."

Chime stared up at West as his hand approached, a squeaking protest following. Noone was allowed to pet him but his Master. He was just lucky that Klaus stopped him or else West might have lost a finger or everything but a finger. Glaring at the fortunate boy, the familiar huffed and puffed up its cheeks in a sort of annoyed pout. Looking rather like a pufferfish, he refused to say more. No one knew if they should be glad, creeped out or overwhelmed by the adorability of it. Either way, Chime seemed to be mad if not merely annoyed. Holding his breath like a spoiled child, did demonic familiars even need to breathe? It was hard to tell if his face was turning purple or not against his fur.

It was Klaus who broke the silence first, making Chime release half a breath and turn his unblinking stare to him. With another huff, the little ball of fur was gone in place of a small purple eyed human, dressed in a similar purple hoodie. Glaring up at Klaus, even in human form Chime was rather small sized, "First of all, you don't call me Chime, you call me Teacher. And if you wanna suck up to my Master, you're gonna have to play your cards right."

He turned, holding his hands behind his back and his head high, "Master absolutely loves treats. No apples. Anything sweet though! " He grinned slyly, his sweet tooth impatient.

---

"Yeah...." He breathed softly and smiled to himself, "Is that you giving me permission to sneak out?" He asked, "I can still sneak over to your room, you can gimme the midnight tour or something. Show me the secrets." He laughed, the sound ending in a dry cough making him turn away and hack into his hand.

"S-Sorry..." He murmured, his voice raspy. His throat felt really sore, he rubbed his adam's apple gently. Trying to clear his throat, he leaned away. Licking his lips, "Maybe we oughtta go back now."

"Sweets you say, Teacher?" Klaus nodded in understanding. Humans did love their cuisine. He wasn't really fond of any sweets. It made him feel like a little kid, which he most certainly was not. However, Mr. Chartarum did seem rather... youthful, so it was possible he craved sugary treats. Now the task at hand was, where to get sweets? If West anxiously fingering his fedora was anything to go by, he was having similar thoughts.

Wolfgang, on the other hand, took everything the kitty said with a grain of salt. He hadn't done anything for them yet. Sterling may have, but not his little pet. Plus, we was wary to trust other-worldy beings such as familiars.... and ghosts... But before he could say anything, there was a faint whispering in the back of his mind. He couldn't hear it over the others, though. "Hey..." he whispered aloud to no avail before shouting, "Hey! Do you guys hear that?" After everyone had calmed down, Wolfgang warily looked up at a chandelier... no, couldn't be...

---

"I actually don't have that much authoritative power, but as a fellow student I guess we could hang-''

"Sterling! Where is the rest of your class?!" The door flew open and they were being shouted at. Quickly, the student instructor stood up from the sofa and faced the other teacher. "Mr. McIntyre." Sterling piped quickly, looking at the elf before him. He looked to be in his twenties, and was taller than Sterling by several inches. He had sharp golden eyes and blue-grey hair neatly swept to the side. His pointed ears indicated he was an elf.

He was holding a huge spell book in one arm and spoke curtly to Sterling. "Mr... Chartarum, I hope you realize you are responsible for your class and leaving them alone-" The auburn haired male interrupted,

"Oh. No, sir, I left them with Chime!" The elf was unamused.

"They would be better off alone. Now, why don't you hurry back to the teacher's lounge so you can learn the proper ways we do things here, eh?" Slowly and shamefully, he nodded and quickly plodded out the door never looking back.

"And you. Let me show you where your dorm will be..." He said only a bit kinder.

Chime grinned from purple ear to purple ear, eyes shining brightly as he leaned forward, "Yes, sweets! All kind, especially cherry and bubblegum. Absolutely no pineapple though or those fake sugar free liar candies. Dragon scales are great though, authentic branding off course!" He rubbed his paws together an spoke rather haughtily, "Off course, we don't condone bribery, but it isn't exactly discouraged if you want to try! Oh-oh! No banana unless it's a real banana! You can do better than fake sweets!" He exclaimed, tugging on Danny's hair to avoid falling. Earning a help from the boy, nearly reaching up to tear away the creature before thinking better of it and lowering his hand.

The chaotic chatter over where and how to smuggle sweets into the school was interrupted by Wolfgang's shout, all eyes turning to him. Some in curiousity, others annoyed at having had themselves interrupted. Danny reached up and rubbed his ear, it burned, but he was sure that it was because everyone had been shouting in his ear. Helixio followed Wolfgang's gaze, staring up dully at the ceiling. "What? What is it?" The twins pipe up. Chime huffed and crossed his arms, then waved his hands to catch their attention again.

"Alright! Alright! The ceiling is very interesting! Let's get back to business shall we?" He squeaked before turning his head at the patter of feet. Sterling heading their way to the lounge. Good thing he was going their way or Chime would kill him for forgetting his own familiar. Squeaking, he hopped down from Danny's head and sauntered over to Sterling, climbing back up to his shoulder, "Alright! I've given them the talk, you can send'em off! Let's get going!"

---

Dante jumped back to his feet when the door swing open, flinching at the sudden noise. His eyes flying to the tall elf, he bit back an instinctive growl at the sudden intruder. Forcing himself to stand still as his brother was berated. Perhaps sympathetically , or because it was partially his fault, he reached up and placed a hand on his shoulder, squeezing gently before he watched him plod off.

His gaze shifting to the elf as he addressed him and he gifted uncomfortably, still feeling guilty under his gaze for having gotten his brother into a scolding. Staring up at him, he nodded somberly and moved to follow him, a little more hesitant around strangers. Especially tall ones, they were intimidating despite how much his parents had told him not to let appearances deceive.

"Uh, Dante Sir." He decided to introduce himself though he really didn't know if this teacher actually cares when he wasn't even under him.

---

Vincent waited in the teacher's lounge, fresh from having his own experienced class compete in the challenge. He wondered where Sterling had chickened out to this time, he went far too easy on the new bloods.