Gods From the Machine Read Free Page A

doesn’t mean the same thing to me as it does to the others.” Nick folded his arms. “What can I do this year that I couldn’t do before? It’s not like I’ve got a life outside these walls. I’m not a civilian. And since I’m not getting a chance at the trials, I’m not going to be a knight either. I’m sitting exactly where I was six years ago.”
    “ That’s not true. In these past six years you’ve grown much wiser, you just don’t realize it yet. Metamorphosis is the difference between a worm and a butterfly as well as the difference between finding success and constant failure. I cannot explain the situation to you right now, but give it a little time and you’ll notice the changes in yourself. I promise you’ll understand soon enough. In light of the fact that tomorrow night is the New Year’s Cotillion, you and Cunningham will have your punishments put off indefinitely. Consider it an early birthday gift.”
    “ Thank you, Supreme Commander.” Nick bowed.
    “ Now go on.” Peter gave a flick of his wrist.
    Nick left feeling very confused . He found Matt outside pacing around the two guard sentries, looking quite flustered. He glanced up at the sound of the door shutting, and ran up to Nick.
    “ What happened? I can’t believe we screwed this one up! What did he do to you? What’s he going to do to me?” Matt looked as if he was about pass out.
    “ Nothing.” Nick was surprised to hear the answer come from his own mouth.
    “ Nothing?” Matt repeated.
    “ Nothing.”
    Matt let out a breath of relief . “Really? I talked to Joni earlier and she said we were definitely being punished. She heard it from Gabriel and everything. But if that isn’t the case then I can still take her to the Cotillion.”
    Joni Bliss was one of Matt ’s oldest friends, and had the distinction of also being his girlfriend. She was a nice girl, but was much too timid for her own good. She found the prospect of killing anything—even a demon too mentally taxing. So instead of joining the frontlines, she decided her services would be better spent in a field that best suited her kind heart and became a cleric.
    “ Well I hope you have fun, because I’m not going,” Nick said.
    The New Year ’s Cotillion was an extravagant, formal ball thrown by the Garrison at the end of each year to commemorate the services of soldiers and knights. It began in the evening and would go on through the next day. This was a symbol and a reminder to everyone to begin their lives with joy, and to carry on this merriment until the next year. But for most kids of this generation, it was the night to let loose of all other obligations and party until the wee hours of the morning.
    “ Seriously?” Matt asked with eyes wide in disbelief. “Peter let us off in time for the biggest bash of the year and you’re staying in?”
    “ Seems that way. I don’t even have a date so there’s really no point.”
    “ You got to stop being the stick-in-the-mud. Can’t you find the blessing in all of this?” Matt put his hand on Nick’s shoulder. “We are going to party hard tomorrow tonight, bud. And not just because of Cotillion. Think about it, it’s your birthday and a New Year’s extravaganza all wrapped in one!”
    Nick forced his best smile. He hated formal dances or parties with groups of over ten people. Not because he was an antisocial person, but because every party always seemed to come down to a physical altercation between him and a couple of unruly knights of the Garrison. Thanks to years of hand-to-hand combat experience, he’d always come out on top, but the gratification wasn’t worth the punishment for it afterwards.
    They parted ways, with Matt taking this chance to rest up before the big ball tomorrow evening. Before that, he advised Nick to relax after their successful mission, but of course Nick wouldn’t, or couldn’t. Instead, he decided to go to the library to brush up on some of the Glenhaven Garrison history.