Gwynn searched the room for the source. His classmates were listless. Most kept occupied passing notes to each other, or catching a few minutes of sleep.

The laugh again. This time, he followed its sound and found the source. On Mr. Baker's desk, less than five feet from the teacher himself, sat a girl Gwynn's age.

She sat cross–legged, her long legs encased in black stockings disappearing beneath a black dress puffing outward over white frills. Green eyes regarded him with a childlike playfulness, and her smile begged for a game of tag or hide–and–go–seek.

She jumped down from the desk, her movements filled with a dancer's grace. She passed within a foot of Mr. Baker, ducking under his gesticulating arms, who paid her no attention at all.

She leaned both elbows on Gwynn's desk and rested her chin in her hands. Long black hair divided into two long strands fell on either side of her face.

"Hello Hidhaegg"

"What? Who?"

Her eyes filled with hurt. "You don't remember me, do you?"

Gwynn stole a quick glance around the room. No one seemed to notice her. "I'm sure I would remember you" His voice wavered with uncertainty.

"You used to know me." She gave his nose a gentle poke. "Soon there will be a time when you need me. I am Gnosis. You are Logos. I am the Knowledge, and you are the Word that will give the Knowledge shape."

She moved and took hold of Gwynn's right hand. Flames of pain raced up his arm. His head exploded in agonizing white flashes.

"Soon," the girl said, "the Word and Knowledge will become one and deliver the Gospel."

He fell. Everything went dark with stabbing punctuations of painful light. A crushing weight rested on his chest.

"Gwynn, Gwynn, are you all right?"

At first, he didn't understand. It took a moment to register he was on the floor. He nodded, unsure as he got back to his feet.

"Do you need to go see the nurse?" Mr. Baker asked, his eyes questioning far deeper than whether Gwynn needed a nurse.

Snickers came from the direction of Eric Haze. Gwynn didn't think the school nurse would be much help. He took stock of the room. The girl in black had disappeared— if she was ever there to begin with. What the hell? Hallucinations and blackouts? Even if the nurse couldn't help him, he'd rather be there than in the classroom.

"I think maybe I should," he managed.

"Don't worry about your books. Will you be okay getting down there, or should I send someone with you?"

Gwynn wanted to pull his hoodie up and disappear. "I'll be fine. Thanks." He left the class as quick as his wobbly legs would carry him.

§

School had long since ended.

Mr. Baker wandered the deserted hallways toward his office. He liked this life. A mix of theater and a dash of power. Sure, the little bastards made their snide comments behind his back. But seeing their faces fall at their low marks made for sweet revenge.

He kept his office Spartan— nothing but a desk and filing cabinet. Keep things simple— it made maintaining the charade easier.

Mr. Baker fished a key from his pant pocket and unlocked the filing cabinet. From inside, he pulled a plain black flip cell phone. It lacked the streamlining of modern phones, but function concerned his people more than form. He collapsed into his office chair and reclined. He punched a series of numbers and waited.

A gruff male voice with a thick accent Baker couldn't place answered.

"Hello."

Mr. Baker cleared his throat. "I'm calling with a status report."

"Ah, Mr. Baker. How did things proceed?"

"He reacted to the Ambrosia field as predicted."

The man's voice filled with an eager anticipation. "Did he awaken?"

Such an idiotic question. "No." Mr. Baker's patience ran thin. If the boy awakened, there would've been little need to call in an update. It would've made the evening news. "He did have a reaction. I believe things are in place. This weekend should reveal everything."

"Then we will fulfill the final prophecies of Delphi."

"Yes," Mr. Baker said, a grin infecting his voice. "It will be glorious."