Snap!
Snap!
Snap! I shoot up from my bed, the snapping sounds comes again. It's the curtains. Wind rushes into the room, tossing the curtains to reveal the bright glow of the sun over the vineyard. Vineyard? The ghostlike glow for the walls intensifies when the wind lifts the curtains. Once they fall back down, the room dims. The door creaks open and Sanriach's eyes meet mine. He leans back out the door. "Guys, she's awake."
Once he is done, he gets in. In his arms, he balances three paper cups, two sandwiches and a muffin. "Morning Sunshine." He forces a smile, resting the goods on the table at the wall. Nicole and Mr. Creed rush in with a doctor. She gives me a small supportive smile and proceeds to take a cup and the muffin.
"How are you feeling?" Mr. Creed leans over to feel my forehead. The doctor clears his throat to which he chuckles and steps aside.
"How are you feeling?" The doctor echoes, feeling my forehead. I sit still trying to understand what is going on. "You must be feeling confused. Well let me help you remember. What was the last thing you remember doing?"
I ignore my irritation and comply. I look back into my head. "I remember handing over my envelope to some guy at the gate and then he tried to kill me with a leaf?" I say out loud failing to believe myself.
Sanriach snorts and Nicole whacks him. "Is that all?" The doctor pushes and I drive back into my mind. I shake my head. "Okay.. I don't know the specifics of what happened but I will let your family help you jog up your memory."
Everyone looks at Sanriach who suddenly stops his foolishness with Nicole. "After the guy asked for your letter, I am sure he told you to open it." He pauses for me to remember and I do. I nod for him to continue. "So.. I am sure you were transferred to a room for your entrance exam?" Slowly, a French accent echoes at the back of my mine. Brown eyes. Dark drawers, mirrors. Brown skin..
A wave of coldness shoots through my skull and I bite down on my tongue. I choke on bites of my teeth but manage to spit out some. Before the darkness fully swallows me up, I feel a sharp pain near my elbow and a wave of happiness spreads over me. I laugh.
"I take it she remembers?" Uncle's voice echoes. I hear I hum, I don't identify it though.
"Uncle?" I call out. A yellow strawman makes it's way to me and I smile. "Uncle."
"Yes. Did you need something?" He leans over, some of his straw snapping. I shake my head. A blue bunny walks beside uncle.
"Just ignore her, she isn't in her senses." It says. "For all we know she could be talking to a balloon." It writes down in a book before leaving with uncle.
"Uncle wait, don't go with bunny." I snicker. A broccoli stick walks up to me, it's bubble gum scent washes over me. I shake my head. "No..no broccoli, stay away from me."
"Hey!" Nicole's voice comes from the broccoli. "Why am I broccoli?"
"Nicole?" I smile. "You're broccoli?"
"I don't know… You tell me." She huffs. "San. Come over here. I wanna know what you are."
"Sanriach?" I turn to look at a dolphin and gasp. "Sanriach? You're a dolphin?" Nicole groans jealously.
"What the fuck?" Sanriach slouches. "Why do I get to be a fish?"
"It's a mammal." Nicole corrects.
"Same thing."
"At least you're a mammal." She pouts. Sanriach rolls his eyes, falling into the seat next to my bed.
"I rather be broccoli, that means I am scary." He pulls out his headphones.
"Broccoli is not scary." I shake my head. "It doesn't taste good but it's good for my health."
"Aww.. hear that Nicole? You're good for our health." The broccoli smacks the dolphin.
"Dolphins are great swimmers and are very smart." I say proudly. A faint hue spreads over the dolphin's face.
"Aww..she thinks you're smart." Nicole gushes at Sanriach.
"Shut up." He grumbles, fixating his headphones.
The bunny and the strawman walk back in. I feel a sharp pain on my arm and the hazy images melt down. The doctor stands next to me, a syringe in his hand. A bitter taste comes over my mouth and Nicole reluctantly hands me her cup. I take it and give her a small smile.
"Now that you are up to date and calm.." Mr. Creed crosses his arms. "Would you mind explaining yourself?"
I take a sip from the cup, hot cocoa. Mr. Creed snatches the cup and clears his voice. "I don't know. He attacked me and I sort of lost it. I too don't even know what exactly happened."
The doctor clears his voice and manages to get our attention. "You're a deviant vampire, what happened to you isn't new for your kind." He groans at our blank expressions. "In simple terms, deviant vampires aren't normal vampires. You often have similar but advanced vampiric features. You've noticed the homodentation of fang teeth, the 15 inch claws, the blurring of senses_"
"How do you know all this stuff?" Mr. Creed interrupts. The doctor simply adjusts his stethroscope and lengthens his claws.
"I too am a deviant." He turns and looks at me solemnly. "You've just awakened your hunting skills, back to default setting. That means you need to look out for triggers; blood, others and yours, scents, emotional triggers and anchors. These will help you work on control_"
"What kind of anchors?" I sit upright and reach for the paper cup. Mr. Creed reluctantly lets me take it back.
"Objects, could be a childhood toy, a picture, an heirloom_" I nearly choke, he continues when I stabilize. "It could also be a person; a parent, sibling, friend, a partner. But the greatest trigger of all these is a familiar. Your familiar." A grim silence takes over the conversation as everything sinks in. "Other than that, you're good to go. The person you attacked barely survived but they did. He apparently wasn't supposed to be a part of the test."
"Are you saying, there was an attempted breach into the academy?" Mr. Creed sounds grave when he asks. The doctor nods, a silent conversation fitters between them. "Children, go get ready to leave for the academy. You passed."
"Wait_" The two leave the room, a suspicious aura following them. Sanriach helps me out of the bed and Nicole hands me a set of clothes. I look at them skeptically. She smiles. "Don't worry, I picked them out myself. I could never mess your fashion sense."
Sanriach snorts. "I wouldn't trust her if I were you. She will try to taint your fashion sense. We don't want another Nicole clone." I ignore the two bickering in the background and head for the bathroom. Despite our close senses of fashion, we managed to look different and for some reason it created some rift between us.
…
The ride back to the administration campus was grimly quiet. Nicole and Sanriach didn't say anything to me nor themselves. We make our way to a pale blue block, the uniform man from yesterday approaches us. This time he isn't in the scrawny uniform, he looks…neat. "I would like to extend my sincere apologies to you." He hands me an object carefully wrapped in a black fabric. I slowly open it to find Gladius. Immediately he fits in my palm, my arm swings towards the man. He swiftly dodges the onslaught, only loosing a few wisps of his blonde hair. "I deserve that." He chuckles regathering his hair and tying it back.
"I am so sorry about that, Mr. Denbersen." Sanriach snatches me out of his reach and shoves me at his back. Nicole glares at me pointedly.
"We've always advised her to work on her temper." She flashes a smile, trying to make my attempted murder somewhat an adorable mishap.
"Where are my things?" I slip back in front, tucking Gladius into my pocket. Mr. Denbersen casually turns around, gesturing for us to follow. He pushes the tinted doors open and we step in.
"Most of the enrolled students have already left." He pauses and turns to look at us. "I am going to brief you as quickly as possible_"
"That won't be necessary." I slip off my gloves and stuff them into my pocket. They all look at me, demanding I explain. "I will only be taking my things. I have no interest in joi_"
Mr. Denbersen chuckles. Despite the action, I sense the grim aura from yesterday. I gulp and only hope I can stand my ground further. "Ms. Quieros, I don't think you understand. Well let me help you. Enrolled is enrolled, I am going to brief you as quickly as possible. Pay close attention, I won't repeat myself." I begrudging keep my mouth shut. Only a fool wouldn't notice the threat behind his words. He takes up a flight of stairs before leading us to a room with our things. A bunch of students wait on the other side of the room, casting judgemental looks our way. Nicole glares back at them but they only scoff in mockery of her attempt.
"Okay." Mr. Denbersen claps his hands to get our attention. He stands on a raised platform next to a pillar. Beside him, a petite lady not far older than us stands. She scours the crowd in search of something until she lands on me. She turns and whispers to him. Are you sure she needs to be tagged? Gylavene wouldn't approve_
"Precaution." Is all he whispers before she retreats. "Listen carefully. When you get to Wyclyndyne, assemble in the Grandyren Hall for instructions. There your houses will be determined after a series of trivial tests. Pay attention to detail, every choice will earn you points towards your house. The house with the most points will be yours. No matter if you want it or not." Despite the shift in the room, no one complains.
"Any questions you have will be answered by your House Masters, so be vigilant with your choices. Get ready for departure and remember to follow the academy rules. Welcome to Wyclyndyne Academy of Sorcery and Political Warfare." WASP
After his speech, horrible as it was, Mr. Denbersen retreats into the shadows. A bunch of workers come around us, picking those they were assigned to and lead them through different doors. "Ahem." My eyes meet with a large belly, the buttons strain with the movement of the large gentleman. He easily towers over me, with arms as large as my thighs. "Are you Andrea?" He coughs, scratching his graying red beard. I nod, watching carefully as he picks up every single one of my cases. "You're quite prepared." He chuckles, groaning as he lifts my luggage. He walks and turns when I stay frozen in my spot. "Come on, we don't want to be late." His dull green eyes swirl with light, despite the dimlit room. I smile at him, feeling a sense of safety. I waste no other second and follow him. Nicole and Sanriach aren't in the room when I look back.
The gentleman leans back and kicks the door open, for a man so large, the door opens gently. I walk in after him but enter the room alone. Volumes of people stand gathered in the grand room, their voices blend into one loud murmur. I scan the crowd and look back, the door is gone. I take a minute to admire the architecture. The ceiling curves outwards, holding dozens of shimmering chandeliers. A large engravement of a word captures my attention, I have to turn to read it entirely. GRANDYREN. Grandyren hall? Each corner of the hall has large emblems of the different houses; a spider, a serpent, a phoenix, a raven and a dragon. The mightiest of all is the dragon, glimmering with gold under the dull room. The others fade behind its glow.
Suddenly, the room goes quiet. A group of people walk onto the large podium above, intimidating everyone else into trifling mumbles. A lady among the group steps forward, her white head glows under the chandelier. She smiles down at us. "I welcome you all to the Wyclyndyne Academy of Sorcery and Political Warfare, or should I say WASP." The crowd erupts into a cheerful roar, only ending when she gestures for it to. "Most of you may or may not know me. I will introduce myself regardless. I am Gylavene Renora Adelyn Altemorn, the head of admissions and student welfare." Silence. "I am sure you've been informed that you will be completing a number of tests today. Tests which will determine your forever family whilst at Wyclyndyne and even after you leave. We are all aware that you're exceptional students so whether you join a House that resonates with your capabilities or not, we expect that you learn to survive within that House."
A short eruption of murmurs interrupts her as she steps aside. That's it? A man steps up and everything halts. No one makes a sound, not even the wind. He looks over the crowd, his feline features darkening under the glow. He is gorgeous, his dark features complementing his pale flawless skin. A majestic energy spills out of him, commanding respect even from those who don't know him. "Gylavene, you're too nice." He chuckles. The action so short, stirs an eerie warmth within my abdomen. A bunch of girls giggle not far from me. I guess I am not the only one. The boys stand upright in silence, waiting for his command. "I am the head in charge of student discipline and routine." He takes a polite bow, this sign of respect from him demands reciprocation. Every one follows suit, I do too. "Alwiyor Wyghtonyr Denbersen."
I stiffen when he steps back into the group. His pale robe sways with elegance, this man isn't the same as earlier. He exudes a demure killers intent. "Shit." He stares right into my eyes. Despite the sizzling at the tips of my fingers and toes, I stare back. Maintaining a stiff backbone. A small smile adorns his lips as he retreats the hall. Fucking bully.
"Okay." A groggy voice beckons our attention back up to the front. A slender, beautiful man stands beneath the chandelier, his translucent wings shimmering under the light. A faerie. Everyone watches in awe. Faeries are a rare sight among other creatures. They mostly keep to themselves, pulling their strings from the shadows. These creatures, despite their hospitable looks, are ominous. Hostile yet welcoming. Standing on the border of good and evil. Their response is based on luck. "Everyone, get behind a desk and settle." We all do, maintaining uniformity. "Before you is a flower, pick it." The group erupts into mumbles_ "The test has begun. I expect that you know what that means." Yes, the test has begun. But. Before me, the fading mahogany furniture stares blankly. The sound of rapid breaths and heart rates grows by the second, drawing my attention to my surroundings. The sounds low yet sharp, pierce into my mind. I listen to the mesmerizing sounds, praying not to give into the pleas of these potential prey. Begging me to consume them.
Click. I shift my eyes to the right, a pencil rolls its way towards me. A girl looks at me. Eyes glassy with tears, her hands tremble. The sight is marvellous yet so sad. Her heart rate triples when our eyes meet, I tilt my head in confusion. Everything plays out slowly, warping over themselves. Suddenly, the smell of iron. I hear a set of teeth sink into flesh, a boy behind the girl winces when his nail comes off with a bit of flesh. Before I can register what is happening, spots of crimson embrace my eyes and the darkness hits hard.
I lunge forward, and a body slams into me. Harsh whispers blast off it. Wham. An ache spreads across my head, and my sight seeps back in. The sharp coldness of iron slips around my wrists, a chain. I am led away from the hall. At the corner of my eye, I see a number of other students in chains being led away too. "You may resume the test." A voice announces behind me before I step through the large doors.
Through the doors, I am met with three people. Two I recognize. It's the scared pencil girl and her bloody nail neighbour boy. They stare at me, composed unlike before. "Name?" The girl tags the chain off my wrists. It doesn't take a second thought for me to decide to finish what I had started. Before I grab hold of her, a pain shoots through my head. I fall onto my knees.
"Instinctual. Like an animal." The hem of a robe shifts near my face. I lift my eyes to see the scary Mr. Denbersen. His dark hair is tied back by a hairbraid, flowing to his wrists. Despite his hair length, I spot his tapering pinna. Faerie? "No. Don't compare me to lesser beings." His robe sways over me before he takes a seat not far from me. A number of people walk in. Their chains are snapped off with a wave of his hand. "Now that we are all here, I am sure you're demanding an explanation. Reina."
The pencil girl steps up, a scroll and quill pen in her hand. "Don?" Her rouge eyes glaze over, promising hell to that Don person.
"Yes." A masculine voice rings, everyone looks in the direction. A guy with a military cut steps up, his rosy lips flattening in irritation. Everyone looks away, but I don't. His lilac eyes glare sharply into my eyes, I give him a meaningful smile to which he smirks back_
"Ahem!" Reina clears her voice.
"Yes? Jeez." Don returns his attention to her.
She moves on, crossing out his name. "Rave?" Yes. Cross. "Josephine?" Uh-huh. Cross. "Milton?" Yes, sir? Cross. The sequence goes on hinting at a roll call until my name echoes in the room. "Quieros?" The penetrable silence sends a suspicious communication to me.
"Present." I say firmly earning suspicious glances from the group. Mr. Denbersen scans the group equally curious about their reactions. Reina visibly circles my name before ticking at it. My brows crease. "Am I going hom_"
"No." Mr. Denbersen firmly states, leaving his seat.
"Brickette?" Reina proceeds. This time the tallest guy in the group responds. Like, Don, his pink lips compliment his caramel skin. Except, his hair is braided, falling back into a low bun and his well trimmed facial hair. He exudes of a mature aura, earning our attention. Don rolls his eyes at our inspection of Brickette. At the action, I stare at them closely. Despite their difference, there is a close similarity in the curves of their facial features. There's a resemblance between them, they are definitely related.
"Okay..that's all of them." Reina announces as the bloody nail boy steps up. He has a military cut that makes him look a lot more intimidating than I imagine he looks with hair. He gestures for Reina to open the door, which she does, and more people come in. Suddenly, the others are forced onto their knees. Despite their struggles, they are overcome by the experience of these individuals. A sort of gun is forced at the back of their heads and pulled. Tack. The person is released. When everyone is finished, they step away.
Don cusses, his bloody hand retreating from the back of his neck. "Why isn't she being shot at?" He says accusingly to Mr. Denbersen. Everyone mumbles in agreement.
Mr. Denbersen grabs a gun from Reina and makes his way to me. "That is because, unlike you all who seem to have forgotten what happened at the entrance exams, I remember." He approaches me and gently has me turn around. "Ms. Quieros isn't ordinary.. You all aren't, but she is more not ordinary than you. We can't tag her unless she wants us to_"
"Tag?" Brickette echoes, not bothering to hide his disgust.
"It's precautionary." Mr. Denbersen says matter-of-factly. He proceeds to gather my hair and shift it aside, he stills momentarily. "Leave us." The begrudging group is led out of the room, leaving me with Mr. Denbersen.
I groan, already knowing the question he is going to ask. "Hal'p'orth." He says, retreating to place the gun on the arm of his seat. "Lesson from Before. A ruthless way of perceiving education. Who initiated you?"
I shake off my shock. He knew? He raises his brow and I shrug at his question. "For as long as I remember, I have been taught that they are always there."
He smiles reluctantly. "You have to be tagged, though." He takes the gun and approaches me. "Unlike Hal'p'orth it's as painless as possible."
I scoff and hold away my hair. "Let's get this over with." A sharp sting momentarily hit the back of my neck and I am enveloped by the chemicality of my blood. Mr. Denbersen steps back, and a cool breeze hits the wound. Before I know it, the pain subsides, and the scent of my blood fades into nothingness. I turn to see his retreating form, I follow him back into the hall.