I Can See Evolution Paths

The next morning, the Expedition Hall was packed. Nearly every first-year had gathered before the massive display board mounted along the far wall, waiting for the promised announcement. Whispers filled the room.

"It’s finally happening."

"I heard the details go up today."

"I still can’t believe we actually voted for the Secret Realm."

Arthur pushed through the crowd with Sun, Vedas, Mithra, Athena, and Eden trailing behind him. Eden floated above his shoulder, peering over the sea of heads.

"So many people!" she said.

Sun sighed. "Of course everyone showed up," he said. "You started this whole thing."

Arthur blinked. "I only voted."

Sun gave him a look.

Then the display flickered to life.

[Field Trip Destination Confirmed.]

[Restricted Secret Realm: Everglades.]

Arthur immediately smiled. He already knew. Everyone else didn’t.

For a few seconds the hall was silent. Then, "Everglades?!"

The reaction spread instantly.

Some students cheered.

Others blinked. "We’re going to the Everglades?"

"I’ve heard about that place!"

Arthur watched quietly.

Eden’s silver eyes sparkled. "Is it pretty?"

Athena answered. "Very."

That immediately caught Eden’s attention. "Really?"

Athena nodded. "It’s one of the most beautiful Secret Realms in the kingdom."

Arthur smiled. "Then this should be fun."

Sun looked at him. "You already knew."

Arthur froze for half a second. "Maybe."

Sun narrowed his eyes. "How?"

Arthur smiled. "I have my ways," he said.

Sun sighed.

Students began talking about what they’d heard.

One student said, "The Everglades has the largest glowing wetlands in the kingdom."

Another said, "I heard there are entire forests growing on top of the water."

Another said, "There are flowers that only bloom when mana storms pass through."

Another said, "And the water reflects the sky even when it’s underground."

Eden became increasingly excited. "I want to see it!"

Arthur laughed. "Then you’ll have plenty to look at."

Athena added some actual knowledge. "The Everglades is famous for its strange ecosystem," she said. "Some Beasts there have adapted to environments that would be impossible anywhere else."

Arthur’s eyes brightened. He wasn’t only interested because of the Mirrors. He was genuinely interested in the Secret Realm itself.

Then someone’s expression changed. "Beautiful?"

Another student laughed nervously. "You mean the place where the environment tries to kill you?"

Silence.

Arthur looked over. "What?"

The student continued. "The Everglades isn’t dangerous because of the Beasts. The environment itself is dangerous."

Someone else joined in. "Floods." "Mana storms." "Plants that move." "Water that can swallow an entire group."

Another student said, "I’ve heard some Beasts don’t attack explorers."

Arthur blinked. "That’s good."

"No." The student shook his head. "They follow them."

Arthur’s eyes widened slightly. "Why?"

"Nobody knows."

Then another student added, "And something strange happens in the Everglades on almost every expedition."

Arthur’s curiosity immediately spiked. "What kind of strange?"

"Different every time."

Arthur stared at him.

"That’s not very specific."

"Because nobody can agree on what happened."

Another student joined the conversation. "My uncle visited it before. He said they found a cavern covered in crystals!"

Someone immediately shook his head.

"That’s nothing. My cousin said they followed the same path for three hours and somehow ended up behind their own camp."

"That’s impossible."

"That’s what he said."

Eden floated closer, her silver eyes wide. "A cave covered in crystal?"

The student nodded.

"Apparently."

Eden looked delighted.

"I want to see that!"

Sun looked at her.

"You want to see the thing that everyone is calling dangerous?"

Eden nodded.

"Yes."

Sun sighed.

"Of course."

Another student raised a finger.

"I’ve heard of a Beast that follows explorers around for days without attacking."

Arthur tilted his head.

"Why?"

"Nobody knows."

"Does it eventually attack?"

"Nobody knows."

Arthur’s eyes brightened.

"Then I want to see that too."

Athena looked at him.

"You realize you’re collecting reasons to go, right?"

Arthur nodded.

"There are a lot of reasons."

Mithra laughed softly.

"You were already convinced before we arrived."

Arthur thought about it.

"...Maybe."

Vedas smiled.

"At least now I understand why you wanted everyone to vote for it."

Arthur looked toward the enormous display.

Everglades.

"A place nobody completely understands..." His smile slowly widened. "...sounds pretty interesting."

Now different camps formed among the crowd, the excitement from a moment ago splitting into something more complicated as the danger sank in.

The hall immediately split into different reactions.

Some students were already excited.

Others looked nervous.

A few openly regretted not voting for the capital.

But even among those students, curiosity was spreading.

"What do you think we’ll find?"

"I don’t know."

"That’s the exciting part."

"If Arthur can handle it, so can we."

Then immediately, "Don’t use Arthur as the standard!"

"I can’t believe this is happening. How the hell did you start a civil war?" Sun muttered in disbelief.

Arthur looked at him. "It wasn’t that bad."

Behind them, "WE’RE GOING TO THE EVERGLADES!"

Arthur paused. "See?"

Sun sighed.

...

Among the faculty gathered near the back of the hall, some professors laughed. "He actually did it."

Another shook his head. "I can’t believe the first-years voted for the Secret Realm."

Another professor smiled. "At least they’re enthusiastic."

Another looked annoyed. "Enthusiastic isn’t the word I’d use."

Then someone asked, "Who convinced them?"

Everyone slowly looked toward Arthur.

Silence.

The professor sighed. "Of course."

One professor laughed.

"I actually can’t blame the students."

Another frowned.

"You can’t blame them? We’re sending first-years into the Everglades."

"A supervised expedition."

"The Everglades doesn’t care who’s supervising."

A third professor quietly smiled.

"That’s exactly why the students will remember it."

The first professor chuckled. "...I have a feeling he’ll make sure they remember it."

One said, "The students chose adventure."

Another, "They chose because they didn’t want to look weak."

Another, "Some genuinely want to explore."

A professor smiled. "Whatever the reason, they’re going."

The debate among the professors trailed off into that same uneasy mix of dread and anticipation, and none of them seemed to have an answer for which feeling would win out by the time the expedition actually left.

In the Principal’s office above the hall, Steven watched the crowd through the window, laughing. Actually laughing. Elaine stood nearby, rubbing her forehead.

"It hasn’t even been a week," she said.

Steven laughed harder. "I know."

Elaine sighed. "He arrived, disappeared for nearly two months, returned, crashed into the Academy, fought half the first-years, and somehow convinced them to choose a dangerous Secret Realm."

Steven grinned. "He has talent."

Elaine looked at him. "That’s what you’re calling it?"

Steven smiled. "What else would you call it?"

Elaine muttered, "A disaster with good timing."

Steven laughed again, and for a moment neither of them said anything else, both simply watching the crowd below settle into its excited buzz.

...

Down in the hall, the crowd slowly began to disperse, still buzzing with excitement. Arthur walked with Mithra through the thinning crowd, the Academy feeling different now. Students were discussing the field trip everywhere.

Mithra smiled. "You really caused quite a reaction," she said.

Arthur looked confused. "I just wanted everyone to have fun."

Mithra laughed. "I know."

Arthur looked at her. "Why are you laughing?"

"Because that’s exactly what makes it worse."

Arthur sighed. "Everyone keeps saying that."

Arthur and Mithra arrived at the Student Council building not long after. Inside, Amanda, Silver, Cleo, Zero, and several other members were already debating.

Arthur slowed as he entered.

He recognized Amanda and Silver immediately.

The other two were unfamiliar.

Mithra noticed his gaze and leaned closer. "The blond one is Zero."

Arthur looked toward him.

Zero had short blond hair and striking purple eyes. He stood at the center of the group, listening quietly as everyone argued. Unlike the others, he didn’t seem particularly bothered by the disagreement.

Mithra continued in a whisper. "He’s the Student Council President."

Arthur blinked. "President?"

Mithra nodded. "And the girl beside him is Cleo."

Arthur looked over.

Cleo had long brown hair and calm hazel eyes. She sat with several documents in front of her, occasionally flipping through them while listening to the discussion.

"She’s the Vice President," Mithra explained.

Arthur blinked again.

He looked between Zero and Cleo. "So those are the two people running the Student Council?"

"Yes. They were chosen by the last holders, which is why they didn’t have to do the King Maker tournament."

Arthur scratched his cheek. "I haven’t met either of them."

Mithra smiled. "Well, we were gone for almost two months."

Arthur nodded. "...Right."

And then he began listening.

Amanda said, "If people don’t come home, the expedition failed."

Silver immediately shook his head. "Then you’ll never discover anything."

The third-year laughed. "You both think too much. If you’re strong enough, none of that matters."

Cleo calmly flipped another page. "Strength without preparation gets people killed."

Zero watched, smiling.

Silver finally noticed Arthur and Mithra standing in the doorway. He pointed. "Perfect. Arthur! Mithra!"

Arthur blinked. "Hm?"

Amanda looked at him. "You decide."

Arthur pointed at himself. "Us?"

Mithra tilted her head. "What are we deciding?"

Amanda folded her arms. "Who’s right?"

Arthur looked around the room.

Amanda.

Silver.

Cleo.

Zero.

Everyone was waiting for his answer.

Arthur slowly smiled.

"...What exactly are we arguing about?"

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