The damp, shadowy alleyway behind the massive academy walls smelled overwhelmingly of wet moss, stale rainwater, and ancient, cold stone. Their heavy combat boots echoed with a slow, rhythmic clack across the sloped cobblestones. The chaos of the central hall lay behind them now, but the silence that took its place felt almost suffocatingly heavy.
As a sense of quiet slowly returned to the group, Vulkan stepped up right beside Silarias with a broad, forced chuckle. He puffed his chest out extra far, threw his shoulders back, and looked at his old rival with a dangerous, fiery spark in his eyes.
“Haha, this is going to be one hell of a ride…” Vulkan began with a raw edge to his voice, slamming his two fists together with a hard, dry bang. Sparks splattered from between his fingers. “At the very first training session, I’m going to show you just how much stronger I’ve become, Liberator.”
Silarias sneered, firing back with a heated response and turning his head away with an annoyed, sarcastic flourish. But Vulkan was not about to let him walk away that easily. He bumped Silarias roughly with his elbow, regained his tough posture, and grinned with a bubbling intensity.
“In all seriousness though… one team, one task… right? So… when you go into the arena later to train, call me. If you want to, at least…” Vulkan straightened his back extra tall, visibly doing his absolute best not to fall out of his invincible persona. “Or are you afraid I’ll put you in the shadow, haha…?”
Silarias came to an abrupt stop on the damp stones. He slowly turned around and looked straight through Vulkan’s transparent act, staring the fireborn directly and piercingly in his eyes.
Look at him standing there, Silarias thought to himself, as the amber flames behind his own eye sockets began to pulse calmly. Still that same need to prove himself. Still that rock-solid pride that almost got him killed. But there is no malice left in him. Only fire looking for a direction.
“One team regardless, but that was already a fact since that whole mess with your sister, right?” Silarias let out a short, raw laugh and gave Vulkan a sharp, direct wink. “We’ll just rival each other like we’ve always done. So don’t save your breath, and bring it on.”
Vulkan’s eyes lit up like two freshly stoked coals. The slight tension lingering between them vanished instantly, and Vulkan nodded heavily, his expression filled with renewed energy and conviction, as the two marched on shoulder to shoulder.
At the rear of the long procession, a completely different pace reigned. Miki sat high and dry on Balamore’s shoulders, her little legs dangling against his chest, while little Ren tagged along holding hands between Nicola and Izamaro. Balamore looked from Silarias to Nicola with large, brow-furrowing cattle eyes.
“So wait a minute…” Balamore began with a deep frown that creased his entire forehead. “So they had a massive feud before this? And what exactly do you mean by Sil being dead for a moment? But now he’s just alive again as if nothing happened because he can do those weird, crazy things?”
Izamaro nodded along super fast, his ears pinned forward with curiosity. “Yeah! How does that work exactly? Can someone explain that logically for a second?”
Nicola stopped in his tracks and looked at the pair firmly for a moment. His cool, analytical gaze spoke volumes.
They have no idea what we had to go through in that pit of hell, Nicola considered in the silence of his own mind, as the memory of the falling Inquisition ships flashed through his thoughts once more. The bloody minutes, the scorched air, the absolute zero chance of survival.
“Simply far too much has happened,” Nicola spoke with a raspy, measured voice. “The Inquisition made it all the way to our doorstep. We dragged them back into the dirt, but the calculations were so outrageously bad that by all logic he shouldn’t have been here anymore. But yeah… I guess you could say it’s all about what you inherit from your family, haha.” Nicola waved his hand with a brief gesture and cut the conversation short before any more difficult mathematical questions came up.
At the absolute front walked DaVinci Corazon Da Ether, theatrically flapping his cloak. Nicola eyed the back of the mentor from a distance, rubbing his thumb thoughtfully over his chin. He still harbored severe doubts about whether this flamboyant idiot was not simply the exact same guy.
The alley opened up abruptly, and the group arrived at the sprawling grounds of the ancient GOATS Hideout. It was a dilapidated inner and outer courtyard overgrown with centuries-old runes. A massive waterfall, several meters across, flowed with a continuous, thundering roar directly through the rear of the courtyard, but all the footpaths lay completely buried under a mountain of collapsed rubble.
The main building was overgrown with thick, thorny vines, and parts of its exterior had partially caved in. Only if all those gigantic boulders and piles of debris were cleared away would the ancient Ether lock on the main gate even become visible.
The entire group fell silent at once. The younger ones looked at the massive pile of rubble and immediately panicked in annoyance. They began complaining loudly like a bunch of uncontrolled teenagers that they would now have to haul this mess away for three full days before they could even set one foot inside. Even Solomon and DaVinci looked at each other with raised eyebrows; this was something they had absolutely not accounted for on the map.
Until suddenly, a soft, melancholic whistling floated through the ruins.
The loose stones on the ground began to vibrate softly and rhythmically. The whistling slowly shaped itself into a complex, flowing magical melody that drowned out the sound of the cascading water. With a deep, grinding, and scraping noise, the boulders began to roll across the sand on their own. As if time were being reversed on the spot, the heavy granite blocks floated upward and clicked seamlessly back into their original places in the structure.
Standing atop a high, floating rock was Kaelid, his eyes closed, playing his stone flute.
Lila stepped forward with a calm, confident smile. As soon as she joined in with Kaelid’s captivating melody, letting her voice ring out in a clear song, something miraculous occurred. The overgrown, thorny vines obediently retreated back into the earth, and the deep cracks in the ancient stone repaired themselves right before their eyes. Ren and Miki watched with their mouths wide open. Like two small children, they stood in absolute, pure wonder watching the magical restoration of the Hideout.
When the dust settled, the ancient Ether locks on the gigantic entrance gate reappeared. The runes began to glow brightly on their own.
DaVinci and Solomon stepped forward. “This gate cannot be broken with brute force,” DaVinci explained with a rarely serious, almost reverent tone. “It responds exclusively to the unique, unadulterated aura of a true GOAT.”
Silarias and Nyx exchanged a short, meaningful glance. Together they stepped forward and placed their hands simultaneously onto the ice-cold central seal.
In a fraction of a second, the surrounding air exploded into a fairytale storm of purple and golden fireflies made of pure, compressed energy. The grotesque, lead-heavy doors swung open with a deep, thundering roar under their combined presence.
For the briefest fraction of a second, a majestic, glowing goat stood within the doorway. It looked upon them. Then it bowed. And vanished.
Solomon and DaVinci looked at each other with wide, motionless eyes. “…So it was true after all,” DaVinci whispered, a cold shudder running down his spine.
The group was just about to take their first step across the threshold when a loud, rhythmic thudding echoed from the depths of the building.
BOOM. BOOM. BOOM.
The thudding grew louder by the second, and the marble floor beneath their boots vibrated heavily. With a massive bang, a dense cloud of dust and debris blew out through the opening. As the dust cloud slowly cleared, a gigantic figure emerged.
It was Uktar, the prehistoric First Anting wielder.
DaVinci instantly panicked, wildly clutching at his staff, but managed within a single millisecond to flip into pure, ecstatic wonder. With shining, gleaming eyes, he flashed in a super-fast circle around Uktar.
“What kind of incredible, magnificent specimen is this?!” DaVinci shouted enthusiastically. He darted forward and began shaking the giant’s hand wildly. “I am LE… er, um… DAVINCI!!”
Uktar stared at him in complete incomprehension. Slowly and deliberately, the prehistoric giant extended a single, thick finger and shook the hyperactive mentor’s hand with it.
In the background, Kaelid and Lila had stopped their music. Miki and Ren immediately came running over enthusiastically, ignoring the dust clouds.
“UKTARR!!!” they shouted in joy in unison, while their small hands rapidly moved in complex sign language: [How are you?]
Uktar looked down at the two little ones. Slowly and remarkably carefully, his massive, rocky hands began to sign back: [Good, but hungry.] He rubbed his gigantic belly with a deep, resonant, and satisfied rumble of laughter.
Miki and Ren immediately erupted with excitement. “He knows way more signs than last time!” Miki declared proudly, after which the two children enthusiastically tugged Uktar inside by his massive fingers. Nicola watched the scene with wide eyes and slowly shook his head at the astounding realization of what he was witnessing.
As the long procession moved further inside, Vulkan and Balamore quickly walked up to Beat and Apollo.
“Erm… what on earth is this weird situation?” Balamore asked, confused.
Beat looked very dryly at Apollo and shrugged nonchalantly. “Haha, yeah… we were dead drunk recently fighting three spies. But anyway, that over there is supposed to be a berserker from the prince, burdened with his curse. That curse has been lifted now, so yeah… that berserker is kind of like a little child now. So just treat him like one.”
Vulkan and Balamore looked at each other with open mouths and turned abruptly to Apollo.
“WHAT DO YOU MEAN, DRUNK FIGHTING SPIES?! WHO THE HELL WON?!” Vulkan shouted, dumbfounded. “No, wait… treat him like a child?!”
Apollo calmly raised his hand to soothe the excited tempers.
“Take it easy, men,” Apollo spoke, his voice carrying a heavy, dignified weight. “It will be alright… Everything in due time, the adventure has only just begun. I never expected any of this myself, none of it. Yet here we all are, and our paths have crossed once again. Despite all that misery, we’ve grown a little stronger than before… And because of whom? Only because of ourselves. I don’t know if that’s exactly what makes us a GOAT, but it certainly makes us into something they need to be very careful of…”
Apollo’s words resonated deeply and powerfully through the ancient corridors. Even DaVinci could not contain his excitement and cheered loudly along with the speech.
They crossed the massive threshold and entered the central interior. The heavy doors behind them remained wide open to let the outside light pour in.
Miki, Ren, Zax, and Bonk crawled on their knees across the dusty wooden floor, right behind one of the thick pillars in the heart of the Hideout. Half buried in the debris lay an old, mechanical frame. It resembled a wooden training dummy, but the stonework and dull crystals embedded in its chest revealed that it was something far more ancient. The mechanism sputtered quietly, emitting a faint, dying hum.
With cloths, some water, and extreme precision, the two little ones and the two fighters began wiping the thick dust off the joints. Zax carefully pushed a copper gear back into place, while Bonk pressed a clamp down with his heavy thumb.
Suddenly, the crystal in its chest gave a sharp, purple jolt. The mechanism rattled violently. Its wooden arms shot apart with a heavy clatter.
A sharp, high-pitched shriek pierced through bone and marrow, splitting the silence of the Hideout.
In the central hall, everyone froze as if struck by lightning. Within a fraction of a second, swords were drawn, flames flared up, and lightning crackled. Solomon, Silarias, DaVinci, Nicola, Uktar, Apollo, Balamore, Izamaro, Lyn, Aurelius, Beat, Nyx, Lila, and Kaelid came charging into the room like a furious, battle-ready storm.
“WHO SHRIEKED LIKE A LITTLE GIRL?!” Vulkan roared, his fists already bursting into flames.
Miki, Ren, and Izamaro extended their arms in unison, all three pointing straight-faced at Balamore.
Balamore panicked completely, waving his hands nervously and trying to laugh it off through nervous stutters. “Don’t look at me! That thing is just moving on its own!” He pointed a trembling finger toward the corner.
The wooden figure slowly stood erect. From every corner of the room, dozens of floating crystal masks suddenly appeared. They swirled like a hysterical storm around the dummy. Each mask bore a different emotion: from a grotesque laugh to a deep, sobbing tear. The most majestic, golden mask clicked with a dry snap onto the figure’s face.
The dummy began breathing audibly. The magical gem lights in the rooms flickered violently, went completely dark for exactly five seconds, and then snapped back on with a loud pop.
The dummy stood dead straight. He shrugged his wooden shoulders, stretched with a loud creaking sound, and extended his arms.
“Phew…” came an aristocratic, silky soft voice from beneath the mask. “God only knows how long I’ve been asleep…”
The dummy slowly turned his head toward the battle-ready group. His wooden eyes lit up amber.
“Mm, I can already see why I woke up…” He executed a fluid, extraordinarily graceful bow almost all the way to the ground. “My name is Ponich, at your service.”
He straightened up again and floated through the room with a graceful wave of his hand. “I am the official Head Servant of the GOATS, ever since the very first hour of the First Generation. And although you look like you’ve drifted in from everywhere and nowhere…” He paused and looked everyone deeply in the eye, one by one. “…I see the unmistakable resemblance in your eyes.”
Without waiting for an answer, Ponich gestured with his arms.
The tour that followed was as if space itself came alive. Ponich led them through a labyrinth of floating staircases and enchanted corridors. He showed them the royal bathhouses, where hot water rose from magical springs and steamed against enchanted mirror walls. He pointed out the cooking area and dining hall, where robust oak tables seemed to polish themselves, and guided them through to the grotesque outdoor arena with its open roof. Above them, the universe stretched out like a glittering canopy of thousands of stars.
After an hour of walking, the group stood speechless in the central social space. Everyone let the grandeur sink in.
Ponich rested his arms and looked around the circle. “Any questions…?”
Solomon stepped forward. He looked at the massive space, placed his hands on his hips, and turned to the youth. “Yeah, I have one.” He stared at them firmly. “What are you going to call this place?”
Silence fell for a moment. Then the hall exploded into a chaos of voices. From every nook and cranny, everyone shouted random names all at once.
“The Inquisition Breakers!”
“The Ash Bastion!”
“The Free Shadows!”
Right through the noise, Silarias suddenly burst into a loud, raw laugh. He shook his head, stepped forward, and looked at the group. “Haha… guys, honestly… what do you think of: Goated Outcasts?”
The name lingered in the air. For a moment, nobody spoke.
Then, one by one, the fighters began to nod. A few began cheering and shouting that it hit the mark. But at the side of the hall stood Nyx, Apollo, and Jane. Their eyes glistened with unshed tears. They looked at Miki and Ren, who were standing close to Lila.
Lila looked at the three calmly. She gave a small, subtle nod of absolute recognition. Pick yourselves up, her gaze spoke without words. They need us.
Nyx swallowed the lump in her throat, straightened her back, and bit her lip. Apollo clenched his fists until his knuckles turned white. Jane took a deep breath. Their gazes hardened with pure determination.
“GOATED OUTCASTS!” they shouted out loud and full of conviction.
Solomon let out a low, warm laugh. “I never pegged you for that type, Silarias… You truly never cease to amaze me.”
Solomon turned around toward the main gate. “Goated Outcasts… It’s yours.” He extended his hand, snapped his fingers sharply, and muttered: “Have fun… and WELCOME to the academy.” He gave Silarias a quick, meaningful wink.
The moment Solomon stepped through the appearing portal and vanished, the Hideout exploded in a surging light.
The walls, the runes, the ceiling, and the floor began to glow brightly in gold and violet. The Hideout had officially accepted the name. A warm, pulsating energy surged through the entire building. The structure truly came to life; from the furthest corners, the floating paintings, and the old stonework came a satisfied, deep sigh and the echoing of ancient, fulfilled sounds.
Ponich’s golden mask popped off. In midair, it rapidly swapped with a bright yellow, extremely joyful face. “What a magnificent name!!” he exclaimed delightedly.
Not even a second later, the emotion flipped completely. The happy mask shot away and a deep blue, weeping mask snapped into place. “But you really need to get the hell to bed now!! It is far too late!” He floated closer menacingly. “Oh yeah, and absolutely no mixed—”
Before he could even finish his sentence, Jane and Nyx flashed forward like two birds of prey. They both wanted to start yelling at the mechanical servant at the same time about who was sleeping where, but Miki and Ren stepped right in front of them.
“NNOO!” the two little ones shouted in unison. They put their hands on their hips and stared firmly at the adults. “We are sharing a room together, or we aren’t sleeping at all!”
Nyx and Jane abruptly held their breath. Ponich slowly shook his wooden head. “Modern times… mm yes…” He turned to DaVinci. “You and I will speak in detail tomorrow.”
Ponich tossed his mask into the air. The wooden mask disintegrated into a cloud of magical golden sparks and vanished completely.
Nyx and Jane immediately bent over and scooped Miki and Ren off the floor in one motion. “Well said, guys, really proud of our treasures,” Nyx whispered with a smile, pressing Miki close to her.
A few meters away, Balamore stepped up to Vulkan. He gave him a firm, friendly slap on the shoulder. “It’ll be fine, man… You’ll get used to this place faster than you think.”
Vulkan stood still for a moment. He looked down at his own hands while a strange, uncomfortable feeling passed through his chest. What is this weird feeling? he thought to himself. This isn’t homesickness… this can’t be homesickness. I’m a warrior.
A soft tap on his shoulder snapped him out of it. He looked up and saw Valeria standing there.
“Goodnight, brother…” she said with a soft, warm look. “Who would have ever expected this from us?”
Vulkan’s fiery demeanor cooled instantly. The tension drained from his shoulders. “Goodnight, Val,” he answered quietly.
One by one, the footsteps began to fade. The bright torches along the walls dimmed automatically into a soft, warm glow. The Goated Outcasts slowly made their way through the wide, wooden hallways in search of their rooms, as night settled over the restored Hideout.