“Oh shut up,” said Cyrus, running a hand through his hair. “You’re just upset because you didn’t take part.”

She stopped leaning and whipped her long blonde ponytail behind her shoulders.

“Ah, you might be right,” she sighed. “Tell me: are the candles protected.”

“Yep,” he said. “The two fake-veins did exactly as we planned. They ran off right as we arrived on the island while we created as much chaos on the beach as possible. All they want now is the money we promised them.”

“Ah, good,” said Sybil. “With that all sorted, I guess we can start the exam’s fun part. Invite your little posse as well.”

“Oh yeah?” said Cyrus, raising an eyebrow once more. “What exactly is the fun part you’re inviting us all too?”

“Ah, hunting down other students, of course,” said Sybil, grinning viciously. “And forcing them to fail.”

61

The sky on the island darkened. Night was quickly approaching.

Max and Casey sat around a fire at their base camp.

“Now, it’s all just a waiting game,” said Casey.

“Pretty much,” said Max, keeping his ears alert for the trap he’d set up. “Though, we still have to worry about people trying to steal our candles.”

Max looked at Casey who sat near their fire, holding a candle in each hand.

These tests were always so simple yet complex, he thought to himself. They all could have passed the exam together and it would have deflated the difficulty level of the test.

Why hadn’t it worked?

Where had he gone wrong in expressing his plan?

Or perhaps that was a hidden lesson in this test. Or two lessons really. First lesson: the importance of teamwork and working with other climbers. The second lesson: not all climbers like working together and can be trusted.

Max sighed. Two competing lessons. How did you resolve that?

Maybe they should have run straightaway and he could have made his proposal to individual groups at a later point.

It was too late for that now though. Forty percent of the class was now hunting the remaining students with lit candles. It wasn’t safe to traverse the island now.

Stars twinkled through the foliage. The sounds of the ocean waves echoed around them.

Max smiled at the view.

“A lot of modern historians,” said Max. “Have written about how bad the appearance of the tower was on human civilization. The destruction, the formation of a new hierarchy between the climbers with traits and those without any special powers. And maybe they were right—but then, when I look out at this beautiful world housed in this mysterious tower—I think, maybe this place can’t be all bad, right?”

Toto snored beside Casey, lying on a little leaf bed of its own.

“Toto clearly thinks I’m boring and wrong,” said Max.