The Will of the Many

Emissa and Eidhin teach Vis how to use the suits and fight with him to prepare. Vis catches on quickly and is soon beating Eidhin, who is a skilled fighter. Eidhin explains that he was taught by the Bladesmiths of his tribe, some of the greatest sword masters in the world. He says that even he could not beat Ianix. As they finish training, Eidhin speaks to Vis in Cymrian, observing that Emissa likes him. Vis admits he likes her too but has no intention of saying so. Emissa reveals that she also speaks Cymrian, embarrassing them both.

Later, Callidus asks Vis where he trained, saying that it is clear from his education and his fighting ability that he is not the Aquirian orphan he claims to be. Callidus’s father works for the Census, and he could probably figure out the truth if he tried. Vis realizes that Callidus suspects he is the bastard son of a powerful senator, but holds to his lie. Hurt by his secrecy, Callidus walks away.

The duel arrives. A crowd gathers, including the Praeceptors. Ianix is as good as the students claim. He underestimates Vis, however, and Vis gains the upper hand. But when Vis makes a good strike that should win the match, the Will-imbued armor does not react as it should. Hit after hit does not result in the winning point. Vis realizes that Dultatis has helped Ianix cheat, but no one else seems to notice.

Anger overtakes Vis. He throws his sword and resorts to wrestling and bludgeoning until the armor falls apart and Ianix is unconscious. Vis tosses the smashed helmet at Dultatis’s feet, declares that he will be in Class Five the next morning, and walks away. No one argues.

The next morning, Vis speaks to Callidus. He admits that he has secrets and feels guilty but cannot share them. Callidus accepts this. He has debated telling Vis something and now feels he must. Having read his father’s Census papers, Callidus believes that Third and Fourth students often die under mysterious circumstances during the Iudicium. Former students in high-ranking positions routinely disappear. Both things are being covered up. This is one of the reasons Callidus dropped out of Class Three. He tries to convince Vis to advance no farther, but Vis insists he must.

For the next few weeks, Vis wakes every morning to train with Callidus, attends Fifth classes, trains with Emissa, and spends the evenings teaching Eidhin Catenan. Unlike Dultatis, Praeceptor Taedia is tough but fair. Before long, Vis advances to Class Four.

Scitus, the Fourth Praeceptor, welcomes Vis. However, he points out Vis’s antisocial habits and commands him to socialize with his Fourth classmates. That means no longer eating meals with Callidus, but with the other Fourth students. The Fourth students tolerate his presence, but Aequa watches him with suspicion.

Eidhin and Vis debate the merits of fitting in with the Catenans. Eidhin suddenly admits that Veridius was the one who ordered Eidhin to start a fight with Callidus on Vis’s first day there, knowing that Vis would intervene and get himself expelled. Vis accepts this grimly, troubled but not surprised. Eidhin adds that he too must be careful not to anger the teachers. When the Catenans attacked his tribe at home, Eidhin killed three Praetorians and was imprisoned in a Sapper for a year. He cannot risk being sent back.

In Class Four, Vis is paired with Aqeua to run the Labyrinth. Now that Vis knows that the Academy Labyrinth is a copy of the one in the ruins, he finds it unsettling. After class, Indol approaches to invite him to train with the Third students over the next trimester break, which will be a few weeks after the Festival of Pletuna. Only after he accepts does he learn that Indol plans to take them all to his father’s summer residence on the island of Suus.

Vis dreads returning to Suus. He fears seeing the place where his family died and being recognized. He hopes that Relucia will see the danger and help him find a way to back out. The Festival of Pletuna looms in two days, during which students can travel to the city of Caten for the day. The Fourth students plan to travel together. Aequa is still suspicious of him, and Vis fears she will make it difficult for him to sneak away to meet Relucia.

Class Four travels to Caten for the Festival. Aequa wanders toward a Foundation competition and Vis slips away. Relucia appears and leads him to a private room to talk. He warns her that if he kills anyone again in his name, as she clearly did to Feriun, he will expose her, “consequences be damned” (423).

Vis mentions the invitation to Suus and asks her to help him avoid it, but she says it was her idea. Military senators will be meeting on Suus to discuss politics, including Ulciscor. On the last day of the meeting, a small committee will have a private audience with Indol’s father, Dimidius Quiscil, and Relucia needs Vis to eavesdrop on that meeting. She will give him a Will-imbued pen to take notes with and send the information covertly. She believes he is best suited to this task as he is familiar with the Royal residence where the meeting will take place. If he fails, she will kill one of his friends.

Relucia leaves and Vis follows her, hoping to see something he can use against her later. He follows her to a building where she meets a man. Vis listens as they discuss trading a ship for a “Cataclysm weapon” (428). Relucia asks the man to demonstrate how effective it is. Vis feels a vibration in the air, then the man suddenly walks past him and back into the building again. Confused and afraid of being caught, Vis retreats.

He heads to rejoin the others, but two men follow him and corner him in an alley, claiming to be Anguis out for revenge over Melior’s death. They attack and overpower him, but Scitus appears, Aequa close behind him. The men were a ruse meant to force Vis to use Will to defend himself. Aequa believed the only reason he has done so well is because he is cheating, using Will though it is forbidden among students. She convinced Scitus of this and they were trying to prove it. Clearly, they were wrong: Aequa apologizes and begs Vis not to tell the others.

When they return to the Academy, Vis sees Callidus walking the grounds with Belli from Class Three. Vis is hurt that Callidus kept his romantic involvement a secret but puts it from his mind. Finally, the trimester break arrives and Vis joins the Military students of Class Three—Indol, Emissa, and Belli—on their trip to Suus.