Chapter 1 "Ok, class, it is time to put everything away," Instructor Arbid said. "Our headmaster wants a few words before we start again." Instructor Robin Arbid was a teacher of 50 students. She was tall with short brown hair and around nineteen years old. She was the youngest instructor Belzef School had. She sat down as a short, yet skinny, man walked up. He looked stern and strict. He was someone no one wanted to mess with. He was headmaster Tirin. "Some of you here are aware that we have two new students. They have come to us from Gagirous School. Their names are Casady and Sheera. They are training as spear fighters. Please welcome Casady and Sheera Thomas," Headmaster Tirin clapped as two females walked in. One looked around the age of 17 or 18, with long black hair put up in a ponytail. She had an expression that told everyone she could take care of herself. The other was around fourteen or fifteen. Her hair was short and brown. Her expression had fear in it and a little bit of relief in it. The students all clapped as the two girls stood next to Headmaster Tirin. "You may sit down where ever you like," Instructor Arbid said as the clapping stopped. The two girls sat down where there was no one else sitting. "And that is not all," Headmaster Tirin said before anyone could start talking again. "The graduates will be having a mission the twenty-first of October. This will be their first mission. Please stand when I call your name. Tara Kings, Gormish Sampson, Cerrit Chalebaster, Vrick Chasser, Casady Thomas, and DayStar. These students will be graduating on October nineteenth. And DayStar, please don't lock yourself in your room. This is very important that you graduate." The Headmaster turned to a tall seventeen year old. His brown hair was short, bangs in his eyes, and he looked as if he were ready to kill, yet he looked very peaceful at the same time. DayStar dropped his head and hit the table with a loud BANG. "Yes, Sheena?" the Headmaster said when a young blonde girl raised her hand. "Why is Casady here if she is going to graduate in only two months?" she asked letting her hand fall to her lap. "Because," the Headmaster cleared his throat, "the Gargirous School has been destroyed. We have one hundred new students here. You may welcome them if you like." Many of the students started whispering. "Now please get back to your training," Headmaster Tirin smiled at everyone and left the class. The room filled with voices. "Ok, calm down!" Instructor Arbid said trying to calm the class down. The voices disappeared making it almost totally silent. Instructor Arbid turned to the two new girls, "You two work with spears, right?" Both girls shook their heads. "Then you will be working with Blax Karaway, Sheena Gee, and Yeerashi Jayer. Casady will work with them tomorrow." The instructor turned her head to the black haired girl, Casady. "Today all the graduates will be working with magic." All the underclassmen groaned. They wanted to learn magic. The graduates cheered, they had been waiting to start using magic since they came to the school. "Ok, what you all must first know is focus, concentration, and accuracy,"Instructor Arbid said as the graduates sat beside her and the other children went to study. DayStar didn't mind much about magic. He wasn't as excited to learn it. In fact the only thing he really cared about was the day ten years ago on October twenty-first. He was outside playing, when an enormously tall woman walked in front of him. He remembered her raising her hand, then his parents pushed in front of him while he ran. They took the woman's powerful hit of magic. "I could have saved them," he thought to himself. "Daystar, are you listening? This is important," Instructor Arbid said. He listened as she taught them how to cast small spells like cure and lightning. "Next week I will take you all to the training hall to practice in the practice room. Please make sure that you are ready to go. I don't want any of my students to get injured," the instructor said. "You are dismissed." After the dismissal, DayStar quickly headed toward the cafeteria. He hadn't eaten all day and he wanted to beat a very long line. "Hello!" Casady walked up beside DayStar. "My name is Casady. What's yours?" DayStar looked at her, then looked at the ground. "Don't bother trying. I have been trying to get one word out of him for the first five years he was here. By the way, my name is Tara Kings." A young girl of sixteen years appeared next to Casady. She had her light brown hair in a bun and wore a long green skirt and a shirt to match it. "Why? Did he lose his voice or something?" Casady asked as she was being led away from DayStar. "It is none of your business," DayStar thought. "I don't know. He hasn't said a word since he came here ten years ago. Everyone has always wondered what his voice sounded like, but we will never know unless he talks," Tara said. DayStar looked up. Casady was looking at him. She smiled when she saw his face. "She is going to know everything everyone thinks about me now," DayStar thought. Then he shook his head. "Why do I care anyway? She will never really know anything about me, no one will know. That I am a coward," DayStar sighed. He walked to the cafeteria without another interruption. The line was longer than he had hoped, but it was going fast. "Did you here about the Gagirous School?" a girl asked as DayStar got in line. The girl who asked the question was Karaa Shelle. The other girl next to her was Desiree Sheeker. "Yah, tragic huh? I heard there was over a thousand students that were at that school. Only one hundred made it out and none of the instructors made it out," Desiree said. "You know how the school got destroyed? Arora found out about it and had her monsters burn it," Karaa said. "I hope she doesn't find out about this place. This is the only place I know. I don't know what will happen to me if it burns," Desiree said. "Well, it has been secret for seventeen years. I don't think that she will find out," Karaa said. "One Cheesy Burger, curly fries, and a lemonade." She was now at the counter. DayStar got up to the counter after Desiree ordered. "The usual, right?" Lisa Thomas asked when he got up to the counter. She had served DayStar since he came to the school. He shook his head. She left and a few seconds later she came back with a tray. On it was a grilled ham and cheese sandwich, with curly fries and a milkshake. He took his tray and sat at his regular table, away from everyone. "They picked October on purpose," DayStar thought. He picked up a fry and put it in his mouth. "Mind if I sit here?" someone asked in front of DayStar. He looked up to see Casady with her own tray in her hands. DayStar only sighed and looked down at his tray. "Was she hired to bug me?" he thought. "I never caught your last name. The headmaster never mentioned it and neither did the instructor," Casady said sitting down. DayStar's frown grew wider. He bit into his sandwich. "Can't you at least tell me your last name?" Casady asked. "Ha! He has no last name! He doesn't even have parents!" someone said, now behind DayStar. It was Gormish. He and DayStar didn't like each other at all. DayStar stood up and picked his tray up. He left the cafeteria as fast as he could so no one would follow him. He walked as fast as he could to his room. He didn't like any conversations, especially arguments. His room was filled with pictures of landscapes like the ocean with the sun setting and the inside of a forest. There were also pictures of animals as well. He had a small nightstand next to his bed with a very old picture of his parents on it. He turned the picture over and sat on his bed. He ate his food slowly, savoring the taste. Once he was finished he set his tray on the ground and lay on his bed. He stared up at a picture of a large white house with gray shutters. A flower garden lined up with the wooden porch of the house. Purple, pink, red, and yellow flowers were blooming, giving the house a rich look. This was the house that DayStar lived in before his parents were murdered, and before he was forced to the underground school that taught everything, but mostly fighting and magic. He was one of the very lucky children. He remembered seeing the green grass and blue sky, while most every other child never saw it or couldn't remember it. DayStar sat up. He picked his tray up and left his room. The school was like any other school except it was lit up by candlelight. He walked the long corridor to the cafeteria. When he was younger, he used to pretend that he was back where there was fresh air and wind, and he was wandering his old school at night. It always made him feel a little better. "Hi, DayStar!" Instructor Arbid said. She had just turned the corner and caught him through the corner of her eye. "May I have a word with you? It is really important." DayStar waved his hand for her to continue. "You have to do a small, but very important task before you graduate. If you don't do this, you will not graduate," the instructor said. "Every student has to do this in order to graduate. You have to talk past a guardian of a goblet of gold. You can't get into a fight, though. That would mean you failed. This task shows your quality of conversing with the enemy. No threats, either. You have exactly two weeks to think this over. You better start talking. You may have forgotten how to speak already," the instructor said and walked away from him. "WHAT!? Talk my way past a person to graduate? This will be easy I guess, and I do know how to talk," DayStar thought. He put his tray up with the other dirty trays and headed back to his room. "DayStar!" Casady almost ran into him as she ran out of the library. DayStar shook his head and put his hand up. "So, you are an orphan, huh?" Casady asked. DayStar grunted and walked fast. He didn't want to hear anything at all about his parents. "Maybe if I yell at her she would leave me alone," DayStar thought. "No, I have dealt with things like this without talking." "I heard about what happened to your parents," Casady said. That was more than enough. He opened his mouth to yell out what he wanted to say. All he did was think, "DON'T YOU DARE! I DON'T NEED TO HEAR THIS!" When he didn't see any change in Casady's expression, he found out he really did forget how to talk. Anger filled up inside of him. He punched the wall and ran. He ran to his room without thinking. He looked at his punching bag and punched as hard as he could. He kept punching the bag over and over again. "She had no right to mention them, especially in front of me. And I can't talk any more!" DayStar thought. "What am I going to do?" Each time he punched the bag he made the chains rattle, reminding him of when the witch Arora rose her hand to him. "I am sorry if I made you mad," Casady said from DayStar's door. "LEAVE!" he managed out of his mouth. His voice sounded hoarse and unused. He was still punching his bag. He didn't turn around to look at her. "If it makes you feel any better, my mother was killed by Arora too," Casady said, ignoring DayStar's command. DayStar turned around. He opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out. He closed his mouth and turned around and punched his bag as hard as he could. This time light came out of it. The chains snapped from the force, and the bag fell with a crash that could wake anyone up. DayStar frowned and looked at a picture on his wall to ignore what was going to happen next. "What's going on here?" one of the peacekeepers asked, walking in. "Nothing. I was bothering him, that's all," Casady said. "Ok, please leave so there is no more trouble. And, DayStar, magic use is not permitted outside of class. I am going to have to tell Instructor Arbid about this," the peacekeeper said. DayStar did nothing. He kept looking at the picture on his wall. He heard their footsteps, and seconds later his door was closed. He looked down at his punching bag, which laid on the floor. There was smoke coming out of a hole in the bag. He was surprised at this, since he wasn't taught how to use magic like that. He sat on his bed. "Why is she bugging me? There are many other people for her to bug. Why me?" he thought. "I challenge you. Right when everyone gets up tomorrow. In the training hall." DayStar looked up to see Gormish leaving his room. He and Gormish always had challenged each other. DayStar liked the challenges but he didn't like Gormish and his ego. Without changing, DayStar lay on his bed and fell asleep. His dreams were the same every night. He was playing outside when Arora, the enormously tall woman came and attacked him. His parents jumped in front of him while he ran like a coward. He ran away from Arora, ran away from the screams of agony, and he ran away from the ones who meant the dearest to him: His parents. "DayStar, wake up!" a far off voice said. "What is the matter with him?" a second voice asked. "He is having another nightmare again," a third voice answered. As each person talked they seemed to get nearer and nearer, until they were right next to him. "Does he always have dreams like this?" a fourth voice asked. "Come on, DayStar, wake up! We aren't leaving you here like this," the first voice said. He was being shaken now. "I don't think shaking him will help any," the fourth voice said. "Of course it will! It has in the past! Boy, it has been a long time since he has gotten up and ran around like that. I wonder what motivated him," the first voice said. DayStar opened his eyes and saw four people standing over him: Instructor Arbid, Vrick, Cerrit, and Casady. "Welcome back," Instructor Arbid said. DayStar was in the hallway where many people were standing out of their doors to see what was happening. The instructor was holding onto DayStar's shirt. He pushed the instructor's hands off his shirt and walked back to his room. He felt very embarrassed as heads turned while he walked away. "Is he going to be ok?" Casady asked. "Of course he is going to be fine. He's always the same the next morning," Vrick snorted. "He has sleep walked like this before?" Casady asked. "Yes, but he stopped eight years ago," Instructor Arbid said. "I wonder why he started now." She turned to all who were watching and said, "You all may go back to bed now. There is nothing more to see." All the others groaned and walked inside of their rooms except for the four. "Maybe it's because he can't lock himself up in his room on October," Cerrit said. "I think it was because I mentioned his parents," Casady said. "You said something to him about his parents? Next time please, never ever mention them to him or anyone again. They were very dear to him and millions of other people. They were the ones who organized these underground schools. That is why Arora tried to kill DayStar in person to warn his parents to stop. DayStar is the only person who has seen Arora and he saw her killing them. He won't talk to us about it, so we can't make him feel any better," Instructor Arbid said. "Well, he said leave to me when I was trying to talk to him. I know it was just to get me off his back," Casady said. "He did? Really?" the instructor asked, looking very shocked. "So, he is taking my advice." "Advice? What advice?" Casady asked. "I told him about the task all the graduates are supposed to perform. I just told him to start talking. I never thought he would take my advice. If he does, it is usually too late!" Instructor Arbid said. Casady suddenly looked shocked as if she saw a ghost or she remembered something. She scratched the back of her head. "Does he have a last name?" "Excuse me?" The instructor looked at Casady. "Does he have a last name? Like, mine is Thomas," Casady repeated herself. "Well, yes he does, but we never say it anymore. Besides if you don't know it now, then I think it best you should never know it," Instructor Arbid said. "Why don't you ever say it anymore? It is just a last name," Casady said. "Well, the first time we said it, he went berserk, and he almost killed his last teacher," the instructor said. "Now enough questions. I think it is time for us to go to bed." They listened to her and walked to their rooms with many questions in their heads. DayStar stayed up for the rest of the night fearing he would sleepwalk again. "If she didn't mention them, I probably would have stayed in my bed. What gives her the right to come barging in my life like that?" DayStar thought. He got dressed and left his room for the training hall when the daywatcher woke everyone up. He was the only person to go above ground to check on the time. This was thought to be a pretty easy job, but this was the fifth daywatcher in the past year. "Ah, I knew you would come. Can't pass up a challenge," Gormish said when DayStar walked in the training hall. DayStar's frown grew wider. Gormish took hold of a sword and backed away into the training hall. DayStar grabbed another sword and followed Gormish. "Ready?" Gormish held his sword before his face with both hands. DayStar gripped his sword tightly. Gormish smiled and ran right at DayStar with his sword raised. DayStar blocked the attack and pushed Gormish away and attacked Gormish's side. He blocked what would have been a fatal blow to the head. He pushed DayStar away and swung. DayStar blocked and backed away for room for his next attack. Gormish's smile grew wider. He backed away a little while circling DayStar and lunged. DayStar dodged the attack, but was tripped by Gormish's feet and knocked to the ground. Before he knew what was happening, pain shot from the right side of his chin to the left side of his forehead. He looked down to see blood dripping from his face. Anger shot through his veins, and he swiped his sword at Gormish, catching his shirt and flesh with it. Both fell in pain. DayStar awoke in a dark room. He couldn't see out of his left eye. He knew where he was, though. He was in the hospital wing. The lights turned on, and a man in a white suit walked in. His name was Dr. Gee. He was one of the twenty doctors in the school. "You are awake. How are you feeling?" Dr. Gee asked. All DayStar did was feel his face. There was something fuzzy covering his left eye, and a line of stitches ran along his face. It hurt to touch it. "Your face took a pretty bad beating. There will be a scar, but other than that you will be fine." DayStar stood up. He felt the cold floor underneath his feet reminding him he was still alive. "I think it best that you lay down and rest," Dr. Gee said. DayStar ignored him. His hand still tracing his face, he walked out of the curtained room to a much bigger room. There were five or six other curtained rooms, and in the middle of the big room was a desk with papers all over it. "DayStar!" Casady walked in the hospital wing. "Leave me alone," DayStar thought. "I don't need you bugging me." "Are you ok?" Instructor Arbid was beside Casady in seconds. "Oh great. Just what I need, a lecture," DayStar closed his eye and walked out of the room. "I heard what happened. You know, if you didn't do that to Gormish's stomach, then you wouldn't be in this mess." Instructor Arbid followed DayStar. DayStar turned around and looked at her, bewildered. "He," Daystar yelled. He didn't know how to say the rest, so he turned around and walked away as fast as he could. "He really did forget how to speak, didn't he?" Instructor Arbid watched DayStar leave. "Can I try and talk to him? I think I can help him a lot," Casady said. "How? You don't know him and he doesn't know you." The Instructor gave Casady a confused look. "Trust me. I know him more than you do." Casady ran away from the instructor before she could ask any more questions, and she caught up with DayStar. "Happy Birthday," she whispered in his ear. DayStar stopped suddenly. "Nobody knows my birthday," he thought. "W-," DayStar managed out. "My name is as it always has been. I was hoping you would remember me, DayStar. I remember you. I knew you and your parents. I wasn't really sure that you were the DayStar I knew, but when the instructor told me about your parents making this place I knew it was you. I was your best friend when we were up there!" Casady pointed up. DayStar's mouth opened wide. He did remember having a friend, but it was very faint. "Please remember. You always called me Cassy," Casady said. "Cassy?" DayStar looked at Casady surprised. "Listen, DayStar. Don't blame yourself for your parents' death. There was nothing you could do, just like there was nothing I could do for my mother when she ran out to help your parents," Casady said sternly. "I could! I was strong enough to help them!" DayStar cried out. "What, DayStar? What could you do to help them live today? You were seven years old!" Casady said. "I don't know what I would have done! What about you? Where were you when I needed a friend?" DayStar asked. "They took me away to a different school. I had no choice but to go. I was seven, too, " Casady said. "Now that I am here, I can stick by your side and become your friend again." "I don't need any friends, and I can take care of myself," DayStar growled. "You can use a friend, though. Everyone needs someone to talk to." Casady put her hand on DayStar's shoulder. He pushed it off and walked into his room. "I don't need her! I don't need anybody, and I don't need friends. I will just lose them again," DayStar thought. He threw himself on his bed. "DayStar, please. All I want to do is help you. You should know that. There are many other people who lost people who meant dearly to them even today! They go on with their lives not thinking of how they knew they could have saved them. Your parents wouldn't be proud of what you have become. They would have made you change in two seconds." DayStar looked at Casady, "You are right, but how am I going to change? I have worked so hard at being what I am." "What? A person who is being bet on for the sound of his own voice? You can do better than that!" Casady said. "No, people leave me be, and I leave people be. That's it," DayStar said. He was surprised he was actually talking to her. "But you have missed out on the best things in life! Having friends and having fun with them, gossiping," Casady said. "That is the way I want it," DayStar said. "Think about changing for the better. I am sure you would feel better to talk to someone, just like you were talking to me." Casady left the room. DayStar sighed. He laid where he was and sat up after a few minutes. He knew that getting hurt while training and being sad was no excuse for missing class. He sat up, feeling dizzy, but he ignored it and walked out of the room. When he entered the classroom, there was no light and no one was there. "What are you doing here? The school session is out. No one is allowed in the classrooms at this hour." One of the peacekeepers walked inside the classroom behind DayStar. "What? How long have I been asleep?" DayStar thought. He looked at the peacekeeper, shocked. "I think you should leave before there is any trouble," the peacekeeper said. DayStar frowned. He felt very dizzy. A headache shot through his head, and he held it with both of his hands, ignoring his stitches and the pain from them. A loud screech filled his ears, hurting them so much he screamed. He felt hands grab him from under his arms as he fell. Chapter 2 "I told him he should lay down and get some rest," Dr. Gee said behind the curtains where DayStar lay. "At least someone was there to get him back here. I don't think he is thinking right. He has so much on his mind. I think he won't be able to graduate this year." "But we need him," the headmaster's voice could just barely be heard. "He is a big part of this!" "I know, but he is confused. Something just clicked, and a lot of things are going through his head that he can't sort out quickly." "What are we going to do? We can't give him special privileges." "You could move the graduation to November." "No, that wouldn't be right. All the other students would be mad. I am sure DayStar will graduate. His confusion will pass by the time he graduates. Just keep him in bed for a day or two." "I will do my best, sir, but I can't force him to stay there," Dr. Gee said. "Well, do your best, and say hi to him when he wakes up," the headmaster said. DayStar was sitting up in the bed. He heard every last word. "Need me? For what? And what am I a part of?" He laid back down and fell asleep. He had the same dream. Except this time there was a new voice, calling out his name over and over again. He woke up screaming. Sweat ran down through his hair onto his face, making his cut sting. Dr. Gee was in the room quickly. "Are you alright?" Dr. Gee kneeled down beside DayStar. "Cassy," DayStar breathed out. Then he laid back down, his eyes wide open. "Why did I call her name? I dont wan't her," DayStar thought. Dr. Gee took a washrag from a bucket, next to the bed DayStar laid on, and spread it across DayStar's face. He got up, sighing deeply before he walked out of sight. "Oh, Robin, hi! I am glad to see you. And this is?" DayStar heard Dr. Gee say. "This is Casady. She is one of the students from the Gagirous School," Instructor Arbid said. "Is DayStar up?" "Yes, but I think he has become a bit delusional. He just called out a name I don't think anyone here has," Dr. Gee said. "What was the name?" Casady asked. "Cassy. It's very close to yours, but since you are new here and he doesn't know you very much, than I suppose it isn't your name," Dr. Gee said. "Can I see him?" Casady's voice sounded urgent. "I am afraid not. I only let people who know my patients see them," Dr. Gee said in a solemn voice. "Trust me, I know him. I AM Cassy," Casady said. DayStar heard footsteps and seconds later, the curtain was moved, revealing Casady. DayStar sat up. His scowl lessened. For some reason, he seemed to feel relieved with her in the room. "How are you feeling?" Casady sat down next to DayStar. "Tired," DayStar answered. "Why don't you get some sleep, then?" "I- I can't. I'll have the same dream. About my parents." "Can you remember any of the good happenings with your parents, or with me? Do you remember playing tag and hide-and-go-seek with me?" "Yes, I do. A few," DayStar said. "Keep those memories in your head, and you will dream them," Casady said. "I will be right here." DayStar turned his back to Casady. He didn't want to listen to her, but he wanted to see if she was right or not. He closed his eyes, still thinking about the happy times he had. He remembered Casady screaming because she hid under the dock and fish started sucking her feet. He dreamed of that and a few other happy moments he had with his parents, but the happiness died away to fear as he found himself again on his lawn playing. DayStar sat up. When he found he was screaming again, he stopped. "It's ok now, you are safe. It was only a dream," Casady said beside him. DayStar looked at her and looked away quickly. He stood up on hurting, stiff feet. He looked down at what he was wearing. All he had on was a white gown and his undergarments. He looked around the room, but didn't see what he was looking for. "If you are looking for your clothes, Dr. Gee has them," Casady said. Her elbows were on the bed, and her head was resting on the back of her hands. DayStar frowned at her, and he walked out of the curtained room. He walked up to the desk in the middle of the room. Dr. Gee was sitting behind it, writing. DayStar cleared his throat. "DayStar, you're up! You should stay in bed," Dr. Gee said. He didn't look up from what he was doing. He kept writing. DayStar's frown grew as wide as it could. He didn't want to go back to bed. He had been lying down way too long for him. He stayed where he was. "Listen, you have to stay in bed. I am sure you don't want to pass out again like you did in your classroom, now do you?" Dr. Gee asked, putting his pencil down. "He wants his clothes," Casady said from behind DayStar. "But he has to stay in his bed. You know he does," Dr. Gee told Casady firmly. "I think he can't stay in any bed for any long amount of time. You should know. He has already screamed a few times when he was here. I am sure he ends up screaming every time he goes to bed," Casady said walking up to the desk. "Fine. No more arguments, please. I have other patients that need their sleep. And the next time something like this comes up, you should just stay in your own business. DayStar can take care of himself." Dr. Gee gave Casady a dirty look as he got up and left the room. A minute later he came back with DayStar's clothes. DayStar snatched the clothes away from the doctor. He was very unhappy. They had gotten him undressed without his permission, and Casady thought he couldn't do anything for himself. "I have to show her that I can take care of myself, that I don't need her help for anything," DayStar thought as he walked in the curtained room that he was occupying. When he walked out again from getting dressed, Casady was not waiting for him, which made DayStar feel more relieved. He walked out of the hospital wing toward his room. He felt his stomach growling. He hadn't eaten for a while. He didn't want to go to where there were other people, but his hunger drove him to the cafeteria. "DayStar, how are you feeling?" Lisa was behind the counter with her usual smile on her face. "You missed lunch and dinner yesterday, and you are pretty late for breakfast!" DayStar only looked at her. She smiled wider and got a tray with eggs, french toast, oatmeal, and orange juice. "A nice big breakfast, just for you." Lisa handed DayStar the tray. He took the tray and left the cafeteria. He walked to his room and ate. He felt a little tension ease off him as he filled himself up. He changed into clean clothes and put the tray where the rest of the other dirty trays were. From what Lisa had said, school had just started. He knew well enough that if he were up and about that he could go to his class. He didn't want to, but he also didn't want to get into any trouble. He hurried to the classroom. It became quiet as he took his place in the back of the room. Instructor Arbid cleared her throat, "Please read page 1,089 of The Year Seven Thousand and the Independent Movement. DayStar, will you follow me? I need to talk to you." "Oooohhh," the class snickered. DayStar walked out of the classroom. The instructor followed after him. "You are supposed to be in bed. You can always catch up on this later on," she said. "And I heard that you have used magic outside of class. That was something that I expected Gormish to do. Not you. What is wrong? Did you really forget how to speak? Is that why you have gotten so mad?" "No," DayStar said. He had gotten rid of that problem, but he still had a lot of anger inside of him. "Then tell me, what is wrong? There must be something on your mind," Instructor Arbid said. "None of your business," DayStar said. "It sure is for the fact that you almost hurt Casady and nearly killed Gormish by cutting him up like that, which of course are two of my students." The instructor gave DayStar a look telling him that he had no choice but to tell. "I didn't know I was doing magic, and Gormish was the one who cut me first. I would have this even before I cut his chest!" DayStar yelled. "If you didn't cut Gormish, then maybe we would have known that. Anyway, you should be in bed. So, go to your room and get some rest, you can catch up later." Instructor Arbid pointed away from the classroom. "No, I can not sleep and I won't try," DayStar said firmly. Instructor Arbid didnt want to fight anymore. She knew he would stay in class unless she called one of the peacekeepers to take him to his room, but she knew how harsh they were, even on innocent people. "Alright, but if you feel sick or dizzy or anything, then go to your room or to the hospital wing." She walked inside of the classroom. The voices he heard when he and the instructor were arguing were gone now. He always wondered how she got them all to be quiet, when their last instructor, who died of heart attack, couldn't keep them quiet for a second. He sat back down again and listened to the instructor. After she taught the regular school teachings, she let everyone practice with their weapons. DayStar stayed back away from the action and watched the class practice. "Why does everything have to be so confusing? Why now? Is it because of Casady coming and reminding me about the past? Why is she doing this to me before graduation?" DayStar thought. He was now watching Casady and Sheera train with their spears. They both were very good, but of course Casady was much better than Sheera. DayStar sighed. He didn't remember Sheera at all. She must have been born underground where his parents' followers were forced to go. "But didn't Casady's mother die with my parents? That doesn't mean her father didn't marry again," DayStar thought. He sighed. He noticed that Gormish wasn't in class either. "Maybe he got worse off than I did. Serves him right for attacking me like that for no good reason, then lying about it." "That's enough practice for now. Tomorrow I will take the graduates to the training hall for magic practice. I will leave Blax in charge. Class dismissed," Instructor Arbid said. Everyone put the weapons they were using away and left the class. The next few days DayStar watched and listened. Gormish came back a week after he and DayStar fought. He wouldn't look at DayStar or say a word to him. He wouldn't even practice with him. He practiced with Casady or himself. Casady was also keeping her distance from DayStar. DayStar felt relieved. He didn't want her reminding him about the past, even if it was good. He had lived this far without remembering it, and he knew he would be fine for the rest of his life without the memories. The day of the task came by as though a devil had flown in on fiery wings and stolen the days. DayStar showed no nervousness, though on the inside he was very nervous indeed. He wasn't sure if he could talk past anyone. "Are you ready?" Instructor Arbid asked. They both were standing in front of a large door. DayStar had been through it many times before. Each time the room had looked different. "This guy if very temperamental. He loves to fight. One wrong word and he attacks. Make sure to remember your manners." DayStar frowned. "What does she think I am? An idiot?" He walked into the door. It was dark, except for one spot in the room. A figure stood in the light. He was made entirely of metal. DayStar walked up in front of him. "Halt! Who seeks the Golden Goblet of Wonder?" the Armored Man asked. His voice filled the room. He held a huge axe in front of him. "DayStar, sir." DayStar's voice had become a little hoarse again from not talking. He was ready to run, just in case the axe were to fall. "And why should I give you such a wondrous gift? Why do you seek it?" "I seek the Golden Goblet because I- because I want to graduate and avenge my parents' deaths," DayStar answered, showing no fear in his voice. "You must prove yourself worthy. You must fight!" the Armored Man said. "I can't," was DayStar's reply. "Why not? Are you a coward?" "Would you fight with someone unarmed?" DayStar had an idea of how he just might get out of there quickly and without fighting. He just hoped the man would say what he wanted. "Certainly!" That was the word DayStar was hoping for. "Then you don't deserve the Golden Goblet if you would fight so unfairly and so unhonorably." The Armored Man dropped his axe to his side. "You are correct. You have shown your worthiness." He moved aside. The goblet was about the size of a regular drinking glass. It was gold and covered in jewels for decoration purposes. DayStar walked up to it and picked it up and walked to the door. "Thank you," he said and left. As he walked out of the room he handed Instructor Arbid the cup and left. "That seemed too easy. I hope he wasn't just taking it easy on me," DayStar thought as he walked to his room. "Congratulations," Casasdy said. She was standing next to DayStar's room. "For what?" DayStar asked, walking past her and into his room. He kept his back to her the entire time. "Please don't turn your back on me. I feel like I'm talking to a wall," Casady said. DayStar turned around. "For what?" he repeated himself. "For completing the task," Casady said. "How do you know I even completed it?" "You wouldn't be here. You would be back in the hospital." "Is that all you wanted?" "No, not exactly. I want to take a walk wih you. You seem to be in a pretty talkative mood." "No," DayStar turned around again. "Fine. I was going to give this to you on your birthday, but you were so confused I decided to wait. And I was busy the entire week with getting ready for the task that I forgot." Casady set something on DayStar's nightstand. "I hope you like it," Casady said before she left the room. DayStar looked down at his nightstand when Casady left. A small red box sat on it. He walked over to the nightstand and picked the box up. He opened it and inside was the head of a dragon. Its eyes were made of red rubies and the horns looked like they were made of ivory. "Where did she get this? It looks so familiar!" DayStar asked himself. DayStar picked it up with his thumb and finger. The dragon was connected to a long chain. He was out of his room in seconds. He had to find out where he had seen the necklace before. "Casady!" DayStar called through the hallway. She wasn't as far as he suspected.