Ermand followed the levitating signboards to the High Professor's office. When he was on his way to the office through the narrow wooden stairs, someone called him from behind. It was Professor Oscar Qorder.

"What do you want, Chisel?" He demanded in his usual posh tone, brushing his palms across his blond tuft of hair.

"I need to see Professor Zaugustus Lewcent."

"And what is the need?"

"It's... it's personal," he stuttered, shifting his gaze away from the Professor.

"I didn't know that the High Professor shared secrets and talked about personal stuff with the students," he said, narrowing his eyes at Ermand.

"I should see him, Professor-"

"Look at your condition. You should be beyond ashamed to walk into a Professor's cabin with that messy look. Now go, he is not here."

"He's usually in his office in the evening."

"I said he's not," Oscar snapped, glaring at Ermand.

Ermand had to give up, or else he might have to pay a lot in the future if he dares to disobey him, especially Oscar Qorder.

"Hey, we thought we won't be seeing you until dinner," Charlie said, noticing Ermand enter the room.

"I thought the same," Ermand replied, flumping on his bed.

"Where have you gone to?" Timothy enquired.

"Nowhere..." He replied before sinking himself into deep sleep.

Minutes or maybe hours had passed, and he found himself on the floor. Ermand realized that he had woken up but none of his friends were in the room. He caught a glimpse of Timothy walking through the opened door.

"Timothy," Ermand called after him. But Timothy didn't seem to hear him.

Ermand, however, decided to find where the rest others had gone to. Before he knocked on the door of the room next to theirs, a soft sound caught the attention of his ears. Ermand followed the sound to find himself walking into the same small room Damien had once entered. He gently opened the doors and found that someone was busy with some incantation that he barely had time to hear Ermand's entry.

"Who are you? What are you doing here?" He asked. The figure turned at him, but before he could see the face, Ermand was disturbed from his dream.

"Are you going to sleep there forever?" Timothy called him, tapping on his shoulder.

Ermand was displeased to know that it was just a dream.

Who was that?

"Odin had come back!" Charlie announced in their room.

Ermand got up from the bed and followed Charlie. He saw Odin was in a poorer state than he was, he had grown more wan and thin. He smiled at Ermand.

"Odin has good news with him, right?" Charlie said, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Yeah. I gained my Aslehm!"

"Wow, that's great news. All of you knew it?" Ermand asked.

"You were in deep and uninterrupted sleep," Timothy answered, snickering.

"What about your mother, Odin?" Emile inquired, wearing his glasses after cleaning the glass with a tiny silk cloth.

"Her condition is still worse," he agonized.

The college bell chimed. It was time for their Defense class in the morning.

"What about your DCT, Odin?" Edwin asked, walking with him to their class.

"Professor Derek Chestnut was a mean teacher but somehow he allowed me a chance to attend the DCT. It'll be conducted after the classes. So I'm likely to go back home at night."

"Why don't you stay with us in the dorm then?"

He thought for a while before answering him.

"My mother's under the care of our neighbor. She seems nice. So, maybe I'll be able to stay with you guys in the dorm," he replied, nodding.

When it was evening, the boys had injected Odin with all of the possibility he would have to go through along with its solution, which made quite an impression on Odin that he passed the first DCT itself without much injury.

"Wow, man. That was awesome. You're the first to pass the DCT at first try," Timothy complimented him while sipping his goblet of fresh juice.

"Thank you. I would've made this without your support. And I guess the Professors have doubts about me. Professor Oscar Qorder glared at me the whole time since I entered the hall till I exited."

"That guy has two horns missing on either side of his head. He's always a wrecker," Charlie commented, grabbing another piece of chicken leg.

"Hey, it's late now, the college won't function at this time. You may have to go for a Locoshifter which can be tiring during night travel," Timothy mentioned.

"As if you had been on a Locoshifter in the night," Charlie chuckled.

"Well... I've been during the day and I had enough of it," Timothy shook his head.

"He'll be in our room. We can share one of our beds with him," Edwin said. The rest boys nodded in agreement.

"That'll be fun," Timothy commented, emptying his goblet.

After dinner, the boys talked for a long time in their beds except for Emile, who was studying for the finals that was just two and half weeks ahead. Ermand said that he will share his bed with Odin while the rest others agreed.

"Thank you," Odin mentioned when others were all asleep. Odin and Ermand were having a late night talk.

"Anytime," Ermand replied, shrugging.

"Uh... Can I ask you a favour, Ermand?"

"Why yes, ofcourse."

"I know this might sound a bit queer to you but I believe this is my only way," he whimpered. "I heard your crystal was colourless, is it?"

"Yes. There were a few other students with the same colour too."

"I couldn't ask them but I can ask you, right? Would you lend me your crystal Ermand?"

Ermand didn't know how to respond. He doubted why in the world should Odin require his crystal?

"Why?" He asked straightforwardly.

"I consulted a local Healer and she said that there's a cheaper medicine for my mother's illness. She said it would require the dust of a colourless crystal. I tried affording everything except for the crystal dust. If you could lend it to me..." His voice trailed off while his eyes were casted on the floor.

"Would that cure your mother's illness?" Ermand asked.

"Yes. It would. All she would require is a little bit of dust from a colourless crystal. She has it with her but I need to pay two Twoks for it, which I don't have with me. I have five Pecuns with me, though. Would you accept that as the payment?"

"Pay me? No, Odin. You don't have to pay me for that. I'll give you the crystal. Keep it with you until your mother gets better. I don't mind lending it to you. I'll give it to you in the morning, alright?"

"Thanks, Ermand. You're very kind," he mumbled.

"The crystal has got no use for me. I would be happy to lend it to someone who is in desperate need for it."

Odin smiled at him. His eyes didn't fail to show how he was feeling.

"By the way, I heard that several houses in Fingercut street had been ruined due to the strange streakfall."

"Yes. We were somehow fortunate, but I saw that your house was completely destroyed."

"It was meant to," Ermand replied, and wet his lips. It was something he had never expected. The destruction of the Chisels' eyrie, their home, was still a hard blow to him.