The room they were in was several thousand meters inside a mountain. It was shaped like a warehouse, about a hundred meters long and twenty meters across. [Light] enchanted braziers hanging from the ceiling lit the entire area and instead of plain stone ground long flat wooden timbers lined the floor.

Near the center of the room, Pierce was standing with Director Selena and a female Athenaeum Seeker. All three wore plain clothes: linen shirt with a collar and long sleeves, black trousers and a clean white coat. Almost everyone in the campus wore the same: the unofficial Athenaeum uniform.

A few meters from the trio, a fresh-out-of-training graduate student is trying to use a wand on a two-meter long adult landshark. The wand has an [Identify] enchantment; in order to discover the beast's classes and skills, the wand has to touch it several times. The young student was circling the four-legged shark, carefully moving forward and to the right. There's a possibility the beast can do something its abilities cannot grant. An anomalous monster.

"You should take this seriously." Selena told him. "This one is young, but definitely assistant material."

"Seeker? What do you think?" Pierce looked at the muscular, stoic woman. Out of everyone present, only the Seeker was armed. She has a holstered dagger at her back.

"Good form for a mage. He's an Abjurer, correct?"

"Yes. The youngest graduate from the Wheelheim Academy's School of Abjuration." The director replied.

The Seeker's hand went to the hilt of her blade as the young mage, Emerys to his friends, charged the beast. Out of nowhere, a long weighted chain appeared at his outstretched hand which he used like a whip. One end of the long chain wrapped around the shark's neck. The landshark used its four powerful legs to jump straight at Emerys, huge jaws and rows of teeth first.

"[Glyph of Binding.]"

The chain glowed white and abruptly froze in midair. The landshark yelped as its lower body crashed to the floor as the chain stayed floating in the air, effectively holding the beast's head a couple meters from the floor. Emerys then let go of the glowing chain, and poked the landshark's snout with the wand.

"Landshark level 12. An adult male specimen, director."

Unfortunately, Pierce and the two women in the room with him looked unimpressed. "Did you read the Seeker's notes that I sent you, Mr. Mitchell?" Selena replied.

"Uhh.."

Landsharks are famous for their ability to swim through the ground as if it was water. It cannot go though substances that isn't water or elemental earth. The wooden slabs lining the floor of the room or a simple metal chain should've been safe and solid. Which was why Emerys was caught blindsided when the beast phased through his chain. It immediately used [Swift Strike] to whip him in the side with its massive tail.

The landshark's attack made a solid hit, but did absolutely nothing. Suddenly wrapped in a semi-transparent force field, Emerys looked like a knight in plate armor. It was a complete set with helm, gauntlets and grieves.

That got Pierce's attention. Not the fact that the young man had a [Trigger] ready. That ability was almost always one of the first skills that Archivists usually learn. However, most mages usually cast [Lesser Shield] with it, or a [Kinetic Ward] for higher level Abjurers. What Emerys used however, looks a lot more advanced than those...

"I told you he's got potential." Director Selena was watching Emerys weave and dodge around a thrashing landshark. "Now go on and help the poor boy."

"... Seeker."

"Yes, Senior Archivist?"

"His ability.. That's [Reactive Armor], yeah? How many people do you think knows that ability?"

"Aside from him, I only know two others. An archmage who has the Master Abjurer class at the Invisible College. Another is a well known General at Heavensfall City."

"I've met both of them. They're at least seventy years old- how did Emerys learn such a powerful and complex ability.. at nineteen?"

"Accept him as your assistant and find out yourself, Pierce." Selena said, before turning around and started walking towards the room's only door.

Before the shark bashed Emerys again, the beast found itself suspended in midair. With no traction to push against and no ranged skills, the beast was completely contained. Emerys' armor showed no dents or shattered parts. It held against a sustained assault of a thrashing, one hundred and fifty or so kilo shark with legs.

"Tell me, Mister Mitchell." Pierce started to walk towards the landshark. He was gesturing with his right hand, palm up and towards the floating beast. "Did you plan to get that [Reactive Armor] ability, or was it luck?"

The armor dissipated, revealing the huffing and sweaty graduate beneath. Emerys handed the wand to Pierce. "I was there when the Silverfire Roc burned half of Wheelheim, sir."

"Ah. That's when you saw Heulwen. The Armored Archmage." Pierce adjusted the landshark so that he can poke its head without being too close to its jaws. "[Phase through Earth]"

"She inspired me to become an Abjurer, sir." The Seeker produced another wand and threw it at Emerys, who caught it. He then proceeded to prod the beast with it. "[Minor Heat Resistance]. This landshark weighs more than a hundred kilos, sir. Are you using an advanced form of [Mage Hand]?"

"Correct. My [Major Kinesis] can levitate up to two hundred kgs. You would've been.. sixteen years old at the Silverfire event?" He used the wand again. "[Tail Slash], [Greater Strength]"

"Fifteen, sir. Me and my mum escaped with our lives, but not our property. I applied for scholarship at the Academy the following month. Since we can no longer afford the books needed, I had to take up being a Guard as a trade." Emerys poked the beast as it tried to use it's [Swift Strike] ability again, but it found no leverage. "[Heightened Sense: Vision]"

"You obtained the Guard class, hm? Did you merge its [Dangersense] ability with a shielding spell?"

"Yes sir. I didn't have to merge the [Trigger] ability from the Archivist class, which I still have." *Poke* "[Lesser Vigilance]"

"Impressive. Two triggered abilities before age 20.." *Poke* "Ah. Regrettable. It seems the landshark is not an Arcane Anomaly. [Phase through Metal], a unique ability."

Pierce then faced the mage. "Would you like to be my assistant, young Emerys?"

"Of course, Senior Archivist Kingsgrove. I would be honored."

--- Two Weeks Pass ---

The communal cafeteria of the Third Campus have three levels, all carved into the rock of the mountain. The first level are where all the buffets are, since the kitchens are there. A hundred staff, Cooks, Servers and other service personnel both serve and dine here. It's a the large room, five hundred meter sprawl of chairs and tables. Researchers, Archivists and Librarians dine here as well. Including a certain young man seated with an older lady and a rather flamboyant gay man.

"Oh yeah. This is heaven.. oooohh.."

"Stop that please, Victor."

Emerys did his best to ignore his two newfound friends as he tried to read a book. Victor's dressed in his (her?) colorful silks, complete with a wide brimmed hat, thoroughly enjoying a cheese flan. Lilac, on the other hand, wore the black pants and gray shirt under a white lab coat. Most of their superiors are wearing the same at the third floor. Emerys wore the same, albeit a bit bulkier with his [Psi Chain Shirt].

"I heard Kingsgrove finally gave you a real assignment." Lilac said to Emerys as she started slicing through what remains of her steak lunch. "An inquest?"

That got Victor's attention. "Emmmy... Is that true? Congratulations!"

"Please don't call me Emmy, Victor."

"Not until you tell us your new assignment, Emmmy."

"I agree with Victor." Lilac put down her knife and turned to the youngest in the table with a smirk. "Emmy."

Above them at the second floor, Seekers eat looking over the sprawl of the first level. And another level up, looking over the neat rows of tables and chairs of the seekers, the Athenaeum management dine. At this floor, each table assigned with a Butler or a Maid. At the edge of the level, in view of Emerys' bickering group, Selena and Pierce are discussing the same topic.

"Are you sure?" Selena looked below. Victor was wrestling Emerys' book away from the boy as Lilac watched. "It took a full squad of seekers to extract the monster from the Draguirac Rift."

"He's capable enough. Besides, I'll be there with him. Also, Lilac knows her food, this steak is amazing." Pierce, like Director Selena, was also watching the three while dining. "When's the delivery?"

"Later tonight, and I expect the inquest to begin immediately after the containment room is secure. This one is quite dangerous, a potential Griffin-class anomaly. You realize this was assigned to you because of your... expertise, right?"

"Of course." He looked down in time to see Emerys conjure his chains to stick Victor to his seat as Lilac continued to eat her steak. "Did you know the boy is a Psion?"

"The training dossier did not mention it, but yeah, I saw the blue-gray steel on his chain. Barely perceptible, but it's there." The Maid assigned to the pair's table arrived with Selena's salad and skewered pork. Selena continued talking after the server left. "My guess is the trainer assumed a [Tattoo of Storing]. Or some other trick like a bracelet with a [Storage] enchantment."

"Access to two triggered abilities, and having two pools of power to draw upon.. at such a young age."

"Lilac is more than twenty years older than your assistant, Pierce." Selena used a skewer to point at Lilac. Her hair, neatly tucked in a bun behind her head, is starting to show wisps of gray. "Yet Emerys has more potential as an Archivist than her right now."

Victor tried to teleport out of the binding chains, but any Abjurer worth his salt can [Counterspell] such a telegraphed ability. Emerys barely looked up from his book as Lilac tried to convince him to tell them about the inquest. Campus Security soon approached the trio. The seekers in-training frowned upon the use of abilities while in the cafeteria, so Emerys had to dismiss his chains and free Victor.

"Did you hear about the Traveler sighting near us?" Selena said between forkfuls of salad and pork. "We got a positive id at New Borealis. That's practically a stone's throw from the campus."

"Of the eight gods, why the fuck would the Two-faced Traveler go here?"

"I'm guessing he's sightseeing. You know, traveling."

"The current Athena would enjoy our campus. Even the god of Artifice would, if he can be bothered to travel from Oceanscar." Pierce was finishing his meal. "But the traveler?"

"We are bolstering the archives of our Dragon-class anomalies, just in case."

"Good call."

--- Later That Night ---

"What do you know about Exalocrosses, Emerys?"

Pierce and Emerys were joined by a full complement of Seekers. A squad of five with one Sergeant and a Standard-bearer. The nine of them are standing at a hallway outside a reinforced door. Inside the room is an anomalous Exalocross. The beast was bound by thick chains and a continually refreshed [Circle of Protection].

"An Exalocross is a rift dweller, usually a nocturnal and solitary hunter. Most specimens are two meters in length and about a hundred kgs-"

"This one's twice that, Archivist." The lead seeker interrupted. He was part of the team that extracted this monster, and four of his previous team members are still bedridden. "Stay behind us when we approach."

"Uh.. Of course, Sergeant. As I was saying, these monsters are very dangerous. It has often killed strike teams of adventurers with no support." Emerys was visibly nervous, but he continued as if reading from a book. "Exalocrosses resemble a floating cross, surrounded by a nimbus of shadowy tentacles. The cross itself is a three dimensional portal, a rip in space, with a bright red eye-like orb in the center."

"And how do you defeat such a creature?" Pierce himself have killed several of the creatures. This is the first time that they might have to archive one. Keeping monsters alive is often trickier than killing them.

"Bright white light limits the range of its tentacles, and piercing the central orb kills it."

Several of the seekers shook their heads. "Not this one." The sergeant mutters.

"... Sir Kingsgrove?"

"The seeker is correct, Emerys. When you puncture this Exalocross' orb, two orbs replace it. This inquest is to find out if the monster evolved an ability that explains this phenomena." Pierce straightened his coat. He then produced three wands from a concealed holster, giving one to his assistant and another to the Standard-bearer. "Or if it's an anomaly. Are we ready? Auras up."

Three of the seekers created psionic Glaives, gold veined ivory poles tipped with sharp blue-gray blades. The Sergeant and the remaining two Seekers drew longswords, enchanted with [Reach] and [Sharpness]. The Sergeant used his command skills, but it only affected his squad. All nine of them felt the Standard-bearer's auras when he held his tower shield up. A [Battering Command] that made the weapons in their arms feel heavier. The [Formation Anchor] ability which gave them supernatural awareness of their peers. [Tactical Orders] that gave their Sergeant a telepathic link to everyone. Pierce also used his [Aura of Clarity], sharpening their wits, and [Aura of Celerity], increasing their reaction speed.

Pierce then said in a loud, clear voice. "Opening containment cage in 5, 4, 3..."

The double doors opened inwards, revealing a brightly lit room within. On the floor is a glowing [Circle of Protection]. The Exalocross was bound by eight large chains connected to the ground and the ceiling. The beast reacted instantly. A nimbus of short shadowy tentacles unfolded from the the four limbs. Three large tentacles emerged from the center of the cross as well. Instead of a single red orb at the center, the monster has nine, separate ones, floating across its four limbs.

The three glaive-wielders charged each of the tentacles. The three with longswords blurred forward. They striked at the limbs, instantly slicing two of the red orbs to four. Even with Celerity, Pierce and Emerys had to run hard just to catch up with the Seekers. The one with Tower Shield was being careful to stay between the monster and the two Archivists.

One of the huge black tentacles stretched, encircling one of the glaived Seekers and threw the man to the far wall. Pierce ducked, and pointed at the monster using his wand. Flames bloomed from inside the cross-shaped rip in space. It engulfed the monster with a loud crash. It somehow shrieked, and the nimbus of smaller tentacles struggled against the chains. When the fire died down, the entire cross was bright red, absolutely filled with orbs. The Seekers continued their assault, trying to keep the tentacles at bay. Seeing an opening, Emerys charged forward to poke one of the orbs with his wand.

"Exalocross Level 6, adult, no gender!" Emerys shouted as large tentacle grabbed at his leg. The monster then continued to throw him up and out. Rather than hitting the ceiling, Emerys floated downward unharmed instead. His [Psi Chain Shirt] has a [Skybound] enchantment, which can change the effects of gravity on the wearer.

Pierce teleported in the room several times as the whirling tentacles tried to bash him. He appeared where his assistant dropped before making a slicing motion up with his wand. The floor suddenly erupted with a sharp cone of rock, drilling through the gash in space. The cone was full of spikes and ridges, popping several of the monster's orbs. The Exalocross shrieked again, but continued to twirl its large tentacles around. It was now trying to keep the glaives and swords away.

"Hit it again!" Pierce heard the Sergeant's telepathic command, and pointed with his wand. Long metal spears emerged from the ceiling, piercing the monster's "body". It went through the limbs before hitting the floor and shattering to rust. With the chains and the rock stalagmite, the monster started to fight defensively. It withdrew its larger tentacles and is now trying to shield its center.

One of the Seekers went and dragged the fallen glaive user from the far wall to the door. The four remaining fighters tried to press the monster back. The standard-bearer led with his wand and started to advance, tower shield still up. Pierce teleported nearer, causing the monster to shy back. Both the shielded seeker and the senior archivist managed to lunge at it with their wands out.

"[Rift Survivor]!"

"[Massive]! [Extra Limb]!"

The Exalocross tried to pound Pierce again, who teleported away. The other seeker took the opening to back away quick. Emerys, who circled the monster got near it and managed to poke it again.

"[Bloodhound]!"

This time, a black tentacle pounded on Emerys, but his [Reactive Armor] dissipated the force. It allowed the assistant to run back to the Seekers. He's now in full semi-transparent plate mail. The Seekers looked at Pierce- they all knew the monster only has six abilities. One more prod from the Senior Archivist's wand and they can shut this inquest down.

The monster shrieked again, and began thrashing against its chains. The rain of metal shards stopped, and the Exalocross managed to break down the pillar, scattering rocks to the floor. Pierce looked at the Sergeant, who nodded once. He then issued orders to the rest of the Seekers telepathically. Emerys moved behind the Standard-bearer. He knew full well that he'd only be a liability now.

The four remaining Seekers moved, weapons forward as they encircled the beast. They fended its tentacles as their Sergeant and Standard-bearer used several abilites. They're trying to maneuver an opening for Pierce. Soon, the nimbus of shadowy tentacles slowed. Pierce teleported in just in time for everyone to see all the red orbs swivel around exactly to where the Pierce appeared.

The Exalocross, with a loud shriek, flared with more than a dozen bright red beams. Each ray was flaring from an orb, all of which then curved and converged on the Senior Archivist.