Cross Conviction

The girl took one of the few open seats at a long dining table on the left side of the packed, lively mess hall, while Sturm stood just behind her, taking in the scene around them. He scanned the area, taking note of the various other candidates'' appearances. Naturally, Sturm's peers were exceptionals. He thought that their physical attributes might give some clues as to their unique abilities.

“No kidding... It really is you!” exclaimed the short, spectacled boy sitting across from Sturm's arrogant acquaintance as he peered up from behind a tome, "It's so crazy to think I will be attending the academy alongside Arthur Sturm and Magnolia von Wald!"

Von Wald? Sturm thought to himself as he took his seat next to the girl.

“S-Sturm?” the girl stuttered, taken back.

The two immediately turned to face each other, their mutual disbelief apparent. Magnolia's eyes slowly and methodically looked Sturm up and down as she shifted anxiously in her seat.

The von Wald family was well-known and respected in Europe's high society circles. They were a lineage of Swabian nobles hailing from Stuttgart as early as the twelfth century. The family’s women were characterized by pale blonde, almost white hair, and fair, porcelain skin. It was said that not one of them in over eight hundred years had shown the slightest physical imperfection. This almost supernatural beauty captivated the lords and royals of bygone ages, allowing the family to amass power and riches as consorts to the influential. Based on the tales, Magnolia’s platinum blonde hair and pale skin were a certain match.

"How could that be? You look nothing like your father. Everyone knows The Hurricane is a titan, and you're no such thing. You’re a diminutive gnome trying to mimic him by wearing the same kind of-”

Magnolia’s eyes widened, enlightened by a sudden realization.

“Same kind of hat…” she said in a hushed, defeated tone, “That’s your dad’s hat, isn’t it…?”

With a hint of offense, he answered, "That's right".

“Wait, so you two didn’t even know?” the red-haired boy with the glasses chuckled, setting his book flat on the table.

Sturm shook his head.

“Well, can you blame me? Does he look like The Hurricane to you?” Magnolia pouted, resting her cheek on her hand.

“Sure!” the boy spoke aloud with a grand smile, “They have the same eyes!”

“What do you mean?” Magnolia inquired in a disbelieving tone.

She then placed her hand on Sturm’s shoulder and turned him around to face her. Leaning in, Magnolia scrutinized his every optical detail.

She murmured without breaking her dissecting gaze, “Well now, I suppose I see what you’re talking about. It’s that violent, electric blue that just emanates untamed power, doesn’t it?”

“Um… w-well, I don’t know if I’d say it that way.” the boy stuttered awkwardly, adjusting his glasses.

Unceremoniously breaking eye contact with Magnolia, Sturm turned his attention to the boy across from them.

“How did you know who we were, anyway?” Sturm asked.

Proudly, the boy explained his power, “Well, you see… I have the unique ability to see through objects.”

“Objects? As in anything you want? A dormitory wall, perhaps?” Magnolia piped in, an accusatory flash in her green eyes.

“N-no way!” the boy shouted defensively, waving his hands in front of his face, “I can only see through thin objects… A few millimeters, really…”

“A few millimeters…” Sturm repeated softly, thinking aloud, “Such as the folders stacked on the commandant’s desk?”

“Wow, first try!” the boy exclaimed with a wide grin, “You're good, Sturm. I figured I’d get a leg up on the competition with my special talent. Even if I don’t ever have to use that information against anyone, it’s always good to know what everyone around you is capable of, right?”

“I suppose that’s fair,” Sturm replied with a slight tilt of his head.

“Is that so, friend?” Magnolia asked with a devious smirk, “How about you share some of that information? We’re the most promising candidates here, after all. Giving us an extra competitive edge might be in the best interest of everyone.”

The boy muttered under his breath, “W-well I don't know about that…”

Magnolia scoffed and tapped her fingers on the tabletop. "A moment ago you seemed star-struck, now you don't even want to assist the local prodigies in claiming their well-deserved glory?"

Celebrities? Sturm thought to himself. Only a few moments ago, Magnolia had treated him as if he were an unwashed street urchin daring to occupy the same space as a princess. Now she spoke as if they were equals. Feeling a tug at his wrist, Sturm looked down to realize she was grasping his right cuff. He pulled his arm back toward himself, releasing his sleeve from Magnolia’s grip, and placed his hand on the table. Still, she remained focused on the new target of her ire and didn't spare Sturm even a glance.

Though he found Magnolia's brand of inquiry obnoxious, Sturm couldn't deny that he was also curious about his fellow candidates' particular talents.

Trying his own luck, Sturm leaned in across the table. “So, that’s a pretty interesting ability. What’s your name, anyway?”

“Dominic,” the boy answered with a nervous smile, eyes darting between Sturm and the pouting Magnolia, "Pleased to meet you."

“Nice to meet you too, Dominic,” Sturm replied as he reached across the table to shake his hand.

“Out of curiosity…” Sturm continued, “Did any of the abilities you saw in those files stand out as particularly interesting? Anything that caught your eye?”

“Oh, definitely!” Dominic laughed, “I just don’t want to accidentally give away any secrets about guys who might end up on my team... It's nothing against you two, really!"

Magnolia rolled her eyes and began to protest, "We are all ultimately on the same side, last time I checked. You don't gain anything by holding out on us."

Sturm crossed his arms and shook his head in response to her insistence.

"No, he's partially right," Sturm conceded, "We're all going to be fighting for the same side, that's true. But we'll be tested against each other just as often as we're tested against the enemy. Adapting to new, unknown powers is an important skill for an Iron Knight to master."

Magnolia's light, almost glowing skin made the bright red flush of her cheeks all the more obvious as she beamed at him, embarrassed that she'd overlooked such an obvious caveat.

Quietly, she replied, "Wow, look who got serious all of the sudden..."

Dominic nodded in agreement. "That's right," he added, "Besides, we shouldn't get into the habit of divulging our friends' combat abilities so haphazardly. There are people out there who want to hurt us. If the bad guys know how we fight, they're already halfway to defeating us. You should be careful, especially right now."

"Nonsense," Magnolia interrupted suddenly, "No one goes around attacking known exceptionals, let alone knight candidates. What are you talking about?"

Immediately, Dominic's face seemed to shift pallid. "Well, you know, the enemy..."

Magnolia raised an accusatory eyebrow as she pressed on. "Oh, come now. We aren't at war and even if we were, you wouldn't be so cryptic about it."

For once, Magnolia was right. Something didn't add up and Dominic's washed-out complexion wasn't doing much to hide his nerve. Sturm was certain that his fellow candidate was hiding something.

"That was an odd way of wording things, Dominic. Do you know something that we don't?" Sturm inquired politely, but firmly.

A single bead a sweat ran from Dominic's brow down the length of his nose. He sighed aloud and removed his glasses, placing them atop the open book in front of him.

He leaned forward as far as he could and motioned for them to do the same before beginning to whisper. "Okay, listen... I'll tell you but this stays between us, alright?"

Sturm and Magnolia glanced at each other curiously before returning an affirming nod.

"Good," Dominic continued to speak quietly, "So basically, there was something besides personnel files on the commandant's desk this morning. There was some kind of incident report. One of the candidates didn't show up today."

Magnolia dropped back into her seat and sat upright. "That's it?" she said with a scowl, "He probably just got cold feet. I don't see what the intrigue is."

"Seriously, please be quiet!" Dominic reiterated, scared that someone might hear. "It was a she, not a he, and they already contacted her parents. She left her home last night to stay at a hotel before the induction this morning... but she never arrived at the hotel."

For a moment, the group was silent. Tense looks were exchanged as the sounds of various surrounding conversations drowned out the uneasy thoughts in their heads. Finally, visibly distraught, Magnolia spoke up.

"What was her talent?" she inquired.

Dominic grimaced, recalling the detail that made him even more uneasy. "Future sight."

In an instant, Magnolia's emerald eyes grew wide. "How could a clairvoyant get herself kidnapped?"

"Perhaps she wasn't kidnapped," Sturm proposed, rubbing his chin.

Magnolia clicked her tongue in objection. "Kidnapped or murdered, one would think that someone who can see future events would be able to avoid such a thing."

That was true. Surely someone with such an ability would be the last to fall victim to foul play. The known facts would lead the average person to suspect the girl had merely run away. Still, something troubled Sturm. A recent string of murders had shaken the heart of the city. The victims, all young women and girls, were found strung up on signs and bridges like the disturbed, macabre art of an exceptionally wicked breed of degenerate. As reported by the police, the women's bodies had been badly burned to hide any evidence. Each of the victims had gone missing a day before they were found. Perhaps Dominic had drawn the same relation, leading to his anxiety over the missing candidate. Still, Magnolia's point stood; a clairvoyant should have been able to avoid any such demise. Despite her reservations, Magnolia's body language gave away her increasing apprehension.

Deciding it best to calm everyone's minds, Sturm relaxed back in his seat. "There's no sense in letting our suspicions run too wild. We have an orientation to worry about," he continued, "Besides... if there was any real danger, the academy is probably the safest place to be."

Magnolia sighed and folded her hands on the table in front of her. "I suppose..." she said under her breath.

Though Sturm had quelled any vocal speculation, his acquaintances' return to silence made it clear that they were still caught up in the mysterious disappearance. Finding this to be equally undesirable, he resolved to lighten the mood.

"So Dominic, what do you think of-"

Sturm abruptly paused his inquiry when he noticed a shadow looming over him. Slowly turning around in his seat, he glanced up to be met by the imposing red-eyed glare of a snow-white-haired teenager.

The albino knight candidate's unblinking eyes were locked on Sturm like an eagle eyeing its next meal. "You're the Hurricane's kid," said the stranger, "I heard the girl say it."

Before Sturm could respond, an offended Magnolia stood to her feet and walked up under the unknown candidate's nose. "If you heard that much, then you certainly also heard that I have a name," she growled.

"I wasn't talking to you," he replied plainly.

Magnolia's face flushed red and she opened her mouth to speak, but anger overcame her, rendering her unable to respond.

Attempting to defuse the situation, Dominic patted his hand on the tabletop, imploring the furious girl to return to her seat. "Hey, come on now Magnolia, don't go starting a fight!"

"Especially one you'd embarrass yourself in," the stranger prodded.

Magnolia scoffed and, with an exaggerated motion, placed a hand on her hip. "Are you threatening to strike a lady?"

"If you're in the academy, you can defend yourself. Are you that used to special treatment?" he snapped back.

The girl's arrogance had tested Sturm's patience as well, but his chivalrous nature wouldn't allow him to stand by while a man twice Magnolia's size tried to intimidate her. Sturm hopped up to his and placed his hand on Magnolia's shoulder before gently guiding her back. He then stepped in between them and faced the red-eyed troublemaker.

"If you want something from me, then go ahead and say it. Like you said, she has nothing to do with this, right?"

"That's right," the unknown teenager answered, "I'm only interested in you."

Without breaking her venomous gaze, Magnolia slowly backed away and sat down. At this point, she was likely just as angry with Sturm for coming between her and the boy who had insulted her. Sturm, however, was too focused on the intruder to notice.

"Who are you?" Sturm inquired demandingly.

"Metzeld," he answered, "But you can call me Whirlwind. I'll keep this short. Your father is getting old and I will be the one who takes his place. Is that clear?"

Agitated, Sturm fought to suppress a sneer that threatened to twist across his lip.

"Don't let this self-important fool speak to you that way, Sturm! Aren't you going to say something?!" Magnolia shouted expectantly.

Though he wanted to speak up, Sturm bit his tongue. In his mind, it was best to avoid escalating meaningless conflict on his first day at the academy. Instead, the Hurricane's heir closed his eyes and exhaled sharply before turning and sitting back down. The stranger, apparently satisfied, simply cracked a smirk and walked off.

Magnolia angrily challenged Sturm. "What is wrong with you, Arthur Sturm? Is the son of the Hurricane spineless?" she ranted, "How could you let him go on like that? Don't you have any pride?"

"He's an idiot. It wasn't worth the fight," Sturm answered softly.

"Nonsense!" Magnolia continued, stomping her foot next to his, "You're just a coward!"

"Hey, hey..." Dominic interjected, "Sturm is right, that guy was just a jerk. No need to waste energy fighting with someone like that. It isn't like anything he said was going to change his mind."

Magnolia scoffed at the notion and turned her attention to Dominic. "And you're a commoner who doesn't understand the first thing about ancestral pride! Stay silent!"

Suddenly, the abrupt slamming of the mess hall door captured the group's focus. An army officer had entered the room and, still next to the door, pierced the chaotic drone of two dozen separate conversations with a shrill whistle. Total silence overcame the room at once.

“On behalf of the staff here at Iron Knight Academy East, as well as the general staff of the armed forces, I would like to extend our warmest greetings to you all.” the officer spoke loudly, his gruff voice reaching every corner of the mess hall.

“I am Major Krieger, adjutant to this academy’s commandant, General Vogel,” he continued, “At this point, I would direct your attention to the clock on the back wall of this room. It is now noon. At a quarter past, you will be introduced to the captains who have analyzed your files and built provisional rosters for your teams. These teams are a work in progress and subject to change as your skills develop. They are not final.”

Dominic looked at Sturm, surprise in his eyes. “They’re splitting us into teams already? I didn’t think that came until later…”

Sturm said nothing as he was focused on the instruction being given by the major.

“You have fifteen minutes before your education officially begins. Until then, you can find water and bread at the stand in the back. After being separated into your assigned teams, a physical exercise will be conducted. As such, you should manage your caloric intake accordingly.” Krieg explained as he turned and opened the door to leave before pausing briefly, “Oh, and clean up after yourselves or you'll be shot."

The major exited the mess hall, the door falling closed behind him.

"He's kidding, right?" Dominic chuckled nervously. "That was a joke?"

Sturm stood up and placed his cap on the table. “I’m going to grab some water. Do you guys want anything?” he inquired.

“No thanks, I’m good. I totally stuffed myself before I got here because I wasn’t sure when we’d get the chance to eat.” Dominic answered with a wide smile.

Magnolia turned away from Sturm, snubbing him. She wouldn't overlook Sturm's lack of open opposition to Whirlwind so easily.

"I'll just... grab you some water then," Sturm said quietly before starting toward the concession stand at the back of the mess hall. Looking up at the clock, he took note of the time.

12:03. I wonder what time it is for Dad right now, wherever he is?