...AS BLOOD STAINS THE SAND...
~ WILKA ~
Shattered sandstone buildings cluttered every fraction of Arcane Academy, with innocent students lying motionless underneath debris.
Anguished red and orange swathes, obscured by clouds of smoke, quickly swept across the horizon. There was a stench of sulphur in the air, pungent enough to scorch my nostrils and convince my stomach to crawl out of my throat.
Everything was on fire, from the central garden in the middle of the academy to the surrounding classrooms. The fire spread violently, threatening to collapse the buildings and cut off our escape route.
I was disgusted at the violent scent of death, fighting the urge to vomit at the smell of scorched flesh and charred remains, but I could not bring myself to look away.
My visions did not prepare me to face the horrors of war. Or rather, my mind could not predict my reaction to countless children having lost their lives in a war they had no part in.
I, of course, anticipated that Henry would bring a legion of Daemun loyal to him but was dismayed to discover that he had brought an entire army of forty thousand.
We had nowhere left to run. Not that we could. They blocked our every means of avoidance and forced us to be caught up in battle no matter where we ran. Knowing that crushed my hopes because I could not leave with any of my students. We could either go down fighting or abandon all honour and die cowards — killing ourselves before being taken hostage by our enemies.
But seeing my academy, the life I had built for myself, up in flames, only fuelled my desire for triumph.
'Bloody hell. I'm never giving up. Not when I can still save people.'
I struck a vibrant red crystal out of sight. My tattered black robes kicked up, exposing my scarred legs — a painful reminder of a past best left forgotten. A glint of another uncut gem caught my eye. Red, muddled, and foggy, it was devoid of life and energy. A thin crack was visible on its face, but the urge to crush it underneath my boot still overpowered me.
Failing to smash it, I nearly hoisted the damn thing into the nether — when a rough calloused hand wrapped around my elbow and yanked me back. The fourth prince swung his blade and slew a Daemun.
"We must fall back, Headmaster Wilka! There are too many of them!" he yelled over his shoulder.
"Bis Drengr!" I snatched my arm free. "Worry about yourself, Boy."
Reed twisted around and swung at my head with monstrous force. I bowed just in time to evade his strike. Cold ash dirtied my robes. Worn to nothing but rags thanks to their inferior quality and inability to withstand arduous physical activity.
Loose strands of ebony brown hair brushed over my face, tickling my pale skin. My throat tightened, threatening to choke me from the inside, and my jade-green eyes stretched wider than the Epican Lao.
Reed slayed another Daemun. That bloody bitch was just about ready to rip out my spine.
'Stop getting distracted, Will. Pull yourself together!'
Self-talk aside, I wanted nothing more than to run away, but I couldn't abandon my students. I was no coward. Children were sharp. They noticed things most adults could not. So, I ironed myself out, forced my posture to relax, and set my face to appear expressionless and unbothered about our current predicament.
I swiftly brushed off my shoulders and met the prince with a hardened stare — unwilling to show my fear to a child. I had to appear strong. Confident. Or the spark I saw in his eyes would fade.
His milk-brown gaze bounced around my petite frame, already worried for my safety. When he found no injuries, a look of relief washed over his solid features. For a boy so young, his muscular physique betrayed his age. Being a healer meant that he was unable to use elemental magic. But a sword in Reed's hands was far deadlier than any tier-four spells.
He nodded, wordlessly convincing himself that I was unharmed. He raised his weapon into the air, turned to face his friends, and yelled, "Clear a path to the arena!"
His allies surrounded me. I was familiar with many battle forms and tactics, as Cain took great care in ensuring I instructed his students well in his absence. Reed stood in front, two covered my flanks, and four more followed closely behind.
I felt at ease. Not because the children were protecting me, but because they seemed more organized and competent than other teams I have tried to save. Thinking about them and how easily they were lost to the clutches of Death greatly saddened me, so I refocused my attention on those still left alive — those I could still save.
Together, the party escorted me to the centre of our academy's training arena, where a group of kids brought down a cluster of Katyrs with a wave of flames. Small Daemun were difficult to deal with because they were agile, but it seems the children handled them adeptly.
We joined their circle, adding to their numbers, where a quick headcount added up to forty. I ignored the looks I was receiving. Everyone knew my capabilities, but I was used to being underestimated.
'Stare all you want, children, I am not going anywhere.' I glanced around, gauging our surroundings and allies. 'Five fire affiliates. Seven healers. And the rest are affiliated with air. Bis Drengr! We need more fire or else we are bloody dead.' My eyes flicked to the top floor of the arena. 'Right, the ceremonial braziers!'
"Boy, we need some—" Before I could finish my sentence, a fair-skinned child with platinum blonde hair stepped between us and placed his hand on Reed's shoulder.
I took no offense to his rude interruption, as I assumed the children would overlook my worth in battle, as I had no combat abilities to speak of. After all, this was Arcane Academy, where having magic or top-tier combat skills defined one's worth. To them, I was just a useless deadweight.
"Your Highness, I'll buy us some time. Ready yourself for battle. More are coming," he said, patting the prince's back before darting towards the stairs.
Tarkhan. Like his prince, he was a Demi. A race of Maji that split off and became beast folk thousands of years ago. Their magic was nothing to be desired, if they had any at all, but their physical abilities proved useful in many ways.
"Oslo, go after him," Reed ordered his guard. "We need those braziers lit."
"Your Highness, I —" he was quickly silenced when Reed moved his sword from his left hand into his right. A silent reminder of who held more power between the two boys. "Yes, of course. I will see it done."
Oslo vanished. He concealed his presence with magic. His family, House Sylver, were known for their breathless spellcasters. They have served the Thaenian royal family for generations, bound to them through their status as members of the royal guard.
Reed brushed his fringe back, exposing his sweaty forehead and thick yet neat, angled brows. His eyes met mine, determined to communicate his unbreakable spirit. We had an unspoken agreement. Standing around, wondering what to do next, would amount to nothing. We had to act. Daemun, especially Fyres, could determine our location through scent alone. Hells. Unseen foes probably had us surrounded.
Coming to the training arena was a strategic decision. Cream-colored sand coated the battlefield, and though we could not see most of our enemies, they still had weight and left footprints in their wake, which made it easier to determine their location and direction of attack.
Reed opened his mouth, speaking softly, "Headmaster, how many can you—"
RRRRREEEEEEEEEEEEECK!
A high-pitched screech ripped through the sky. My innards wobbled as any intelligent response melted through my ears. Kids to my left keeled over. To my right, a group lowered onto their knees, clutching their temples to blanket the harpy's primal howl.
I glimpsed Reed quickly slicing his arm with his blade, forcing his focus on pain rather than succumbing to the harpy's madness.
Steadying myself, my head snapped up, eyes tracking the circling Daenoi. Red-orange light bloomed behind her like a rose spreading its petals, revealing edible salted caramel feathers and a heart-shaped breast of white. Her venomous black eyes were focused elsewhere, unbothered to spare us a glance. Her imposing size rivalled a juvenile Draegr, and I half expected her to swoop down and flatten us, but she flew off instead.
"Twenty" — I inhaled deeply — "Twenty-five if I push it."
"No. Do not test your limits here, Headmaster. I will not allow you to sacrifice yourself."
He was right, but there was no place for 'holding back' when we were thrust into a war between rival clans of Daemun. It was all or nothing. If I did not push myself, people would die, morale would plummet, and I would lose the trust students unknowingly placed in me.
Reed shook his head as if detaching unwanted thoughts. His eyes scanned our surroundings. Daemun flooded into the Colosseum, lured to our location, no thanks to that feathered hell-bird.
'Bloody Ataraxia'a. Bleed unto me and give me strength,' I prayed silently. Praying to the Goddess of war was a desperate attempt to steel myself. And I think it bloody worked because I stopped shaking.
"Spread out!" I yelled, throwing my arm far left to catch everyone's attention. They would not listen to me, so I chose my words carefully. "Remember Cain's training. Demi, tank frontal damage and hold the line. Maji, support us from the middle and healers at the centre, please lend us your strength! Quickly now, star-formation!" I shouted.
"More Katyrs! Secure a barrier!" a kid to my left shouted, attempting to bark out his own orders.
"No! There is no time for a barrier. We need fire! Maji, ready your spells. Do not worry about accuracy. Just keep them at a distance!"
"Yes, Sir!" the fire affiliates roared, bringing their right fists into their left palms. A half-hearted salute, but I acknowledged their effort. The poor kids were running on fumes.
"Together now." I fell in beside them, making eye contact with kids on either side. Star was the most effective formation, given our circumstances. We had no blind spots, with a fire affiliate facing in every direction. We stood a good chance of scaring most of the Daemun away, as the stragglers fleeing from the burning gardens naturally fled our way.
"Olra o' ferni, ygniran vhasho dae 'a Myra!" they chanted in unison, igniting their mana.
Small lines formed in the sand, dragging around us. The cat-like Daemun scattered, but they would not be deterred for long, as Fyres joined the fray, evident by their slick movements and distinct footprints.
"Again! Do not let the light die out!" I shouted over screeching creatures. "You are doing great. When you are running low on mana, keep the fire going; the healers will support you."
Disaster awaited us as soon as they stopped casting. Being nervous was bad for battle, but the children were doing surprisingly well. I guess I owed Cain a beer or three. The bloody bastard instructed them better than I expected.
"Headmaster, I need your power!" Reed roared as more Daemun swarmed us. He stood beside me, sword ready for battle.
I tapped into my abilities. Just like Reed, I could not offer elemental support, but I found other ways to support my allies. My mana was dense. Applying it to a Daemun's crystal was equivalent to throwing a tier-six gravity spell right on top of them. I held them in place while the others prepared to strike them down.
Fyres were easy. Their crystals were large and easy to locate. Six circled us, but of course, to me, they were invisible. However, the Katyrs were difficult. Many in number, their shards were tiny and buried deep within their skulls. There were twenty of them scattered all over the arena, watching us with smiling red eyes and razor-sharp grins, I imagined.
I could not see Daemun. Most people couldn't. That ability was extremely rare. Some could see an invisible haze of some sort or a thin mist-like entity, while others could see the gathered mana attached to a seemingly invisible foe. But I was one of many who saw nothing.
Harpies were a different class of Daemun, referred to as Daenoi. They had no magic and were incapable of concealing their appearance, meaning they could be seen by everyone.
Good for us, because that meant I could trust the air affiliates to take the winds right out from under their wings and bring them down.
As I ordered, Demi held the line, forming their regalia and hurtling weapons of condensed mana at Katyrs. We had to get rid of them before they activated their abilities and played mind games with us. So, I forced all the Daemun in place. Pierced through their outward illusions and applied a crushing weight to their shards.
'Twenty-six. I'm over my bloody limit.'
Reed stepped out of formation, distracting me. He grabbed something out of the sand. I lost control of a Fyre, which threw itself at one of the fire affiliates, tearing his guts out with one swipe of its paw.
Blood splattered over the sand, and his guts slipped out of his gaping injury. He fell, screaming in agony, still alive but dying. A few children pulled him back so the healers could get to work and save him.
'Twenty-five. Still, pushing my limit.'
Orange light engulfed us; a brazier had finally been lit, and the six-legged wolf scampered back. The braziers were designed to make huge pillars of flames tall enough to pierce the sky. They were used during tournaments or when we honoured our students' patience and rigorous training to break into their next colour band. But thank the bleeding stars we could use them to scare off Daemun.
A Demi took the opportunity to stuff his regalia into the Fyre's chest as it passed him, but he missed its crystal and was dragged along. My eyes tore away from him, though my peripherals did not spare me the blurry witness of the beast as it snatched off the child's head and swallowed it whole. The now-severed head disappeared into the beast's body, no longer being visible to the rest of us.
Unfortunately, it was too late to save him. Healers focused on healing the other kid. At least he could be saved. But well, not even Reed could reattach a head — and he was the most powerful healer on the island. He swung his blade at the Fyre, turning its transparent body into ash and revealing the severed head now covered in acidic mucus, already melting off the child's face.
I tore my eyes away, unable to stomach the gruesome reality of what happened inside a Fyre's stomach once it ate one of us. To think we'd melt that quickly was horrifying.
With the Katyrs defeated, Maji put their efforts together. Fire spells were thrown at the remaining five Fyres, with some of the air affiliates manipulating the barrage of fire arrows to increase their speed and attack power.
Demi followed suit, concentrating their throws to follow the spell's trajectory. One by one, Daemun turned to ash. Dealt with swiftly and effectively.
We were safe. At least for now.
"Boy," I started with a deep voice, turning to face Reed with a stiff glare. "Pray, tell me your reason. I hope for your sake it is a bloody good one."
He held out his fist and uncurled his fingers. Resting in his palm was a small purple shard. My breath caught in my throat. It did not belong to Daemun of the Demicaux clan. Purple crystals, as light as lavender, belonged to members of Petraeus. It was no longer a battle between two clans, but three, and one we had thought to be our allies.
I snapped my head left, eyeing the sand for confirmation. Purple. All of them. Not a single red amongst their ashes. Uneasiness settled in my spine. This was not in my vision. Something must have changed... but what? What was I missing? And what else would happen that I did not foresee?
"Headmaster, I am going after that Harpy," Reed said.
"Cain will take care of her. Offer your blade to your brothers." I glanced around, suddenly wary of our surroundings. Something felt off. The children, most still shaking with uncontrollable fear, helped each other up and huddled together.
'Right. This was their aim from the start. Scaring us to feed off our fear and grow stronger together. Most likely to take on Cain. Stars! We're just their bloody warm-up.'
"They are capable of handling themselves. Besides, Cain has his hands full dealing with the other half of the army pouring out of the southern gate." He shoved the crystal into my hands and began walking away. I plucked him back before he dared to leave.
'This idiot prince. Does he not understand what is happening? We were betrayed. And this betrayal will lead to unending bloodshed. We are being trapped on the island to be kept as their prey. We need to get the children to safety.'
"Your brothers —"
"— They do not need me! I will slay that Daenoi myself. I will not risk more of my people. Nor will I risk Cain's."
"Bis vita'a os Drengr, Reed! Now is not the time to play hero. Petraeus is beneath his notice. As are Demicaux. They are of no threat to him. Your brothers may be capable fighters, but they are not invincible. And, boy, you cannot fool me. We both know you are not going there for Cain. It's because she's there. Isn't it?"
"She needs me, Will."
"She's not —"
KAAAAAABBBBBOOOOOOOOOMMMM!!!!!!
The eastern wall collapsed, sending us flying across the arena. I dragged over the sand, feeling the sting of friction shredding off my skin. When I skidded to a stop, my body squirmed in a struggle to sit up, and my ears were singing deafening tunes, but my eyes remained fixated on the prince.
He rolled over and wrapped his fingers around the hilt of his sword. He stabbed his blade into the ground and heaved himself up.
"Rats," he cursed, which was rare, even for him. "Headmaster... Our fight is only just beginning. As I said, I will be taking out that Daenoi. Lead any survivors up the western cliff."
Reed brushed himself off, rolled his shoulders, and began walking away.
"They need you, Reed!"
"Look around, Wilka! My people need me!" he retorted.
"Boy, the price of closed ears is a heavy burden on the heart. I have warned you. You best remember that."
"Spare your lectures for later, Wilka. The survivors... just take them up the cliff. Please. The Daemun will not follow you up there."
Fluffy ears raised out of his hair, flicking in different directions to catch sounds. A thick, milky-brown tail twitched behind him as he grew more agitated.
Reed was beginning his transformation, becoming one with his beast. He was a Canid. A mountain wolf from the heart of Thaenia.
It wasn't reasonable to go after that Harpy — but he was eager to prove himself above his brothers because he wanted to be worthy of her.