Abyssal Arcanist [Chapter 14]

Hey peeps!

Here is another chapter!

Shami

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

FIGHTING BACK

The sun set behind the mountain peaks, casting a warm golden glow across the sky. Learning the basics of archery had been more amusing than I had originally thought. The dying sunlight cast long shadows over the field, but everyone still seemed enthusiastic about the subject matter, including the professor.

Professor Jijo clapped his hands, and we collectively lowered our bows.

“We didn’t involve our eldrin today because we don’t need any accidents,” the professor said. Then he held up his arm and his nimbus dragon soared straight to him, landing on his elbow and perching there. “It takes time to master a new skill. Once you’re more confident shooting, we’ll incorporate your eldrin and their ability to evoke magic as well.”

My brother tepidly raised his hand.

Jijo pointed to him before Sorin was even halfway done with the gesture.

“What about arcanists who merge with their eldrin?” Sorin chuckled as he added, “I’m not going to shoot Thurin while we’re fighting as one. And together, I feel a lot… stronger.”

The professor snapped his fingers. “That’s exactly why. When reaper and knightmare arcanists merge with their eldrin, they gain additional strength and power. You will fire your bow differently—which is why you must learn the fundamentals first.”

Even Captain Leon had seemed insistent on learning the fundamentals. He had us exercise whenever he taught Combat Arts. I wondered how useful training basic skills were, but considering both professors were talented arcanists, I figured they had to be correct.

“Did you see how well I did?” Phila asked as she turned to Nasbit. “I never imagined I would enjoy archery so much.”

Nasbit glanced around, as though confused she was speaking to him. When it finally became obvious that she had spoken to no one else, Nasbit cleared his throat and said, “Archery competitions are quite the popular event. If you wanted, I’m sure you could compete with the best of them.”

“Maybe I will.” Phila tapped her lower lip as she turned to glance over at her eldrin. The little coatl waited patiently at the edge of the grass. When she waved him over, Tenoch slithered across the grass, his parrot wings half open as he went.

“My arcanist,” he said, practically breathless from his haste to reach her. “What a thrilling day! Until this class, you never seemed interested in practicing your evocation. Now you’ve done it so much! The professor really motivated you to improve your skills.”

Phila giggled as she held her yew bow close. “I hadn’t thought about it like that, Tenoch. That’s a good point…”

Once everyone had put their weapons away on the training racks, I glanced to the far end of the field. The second-year students had remained throughout most of the class, watching as we did our training. They were gone now, but I wondered what kept them around for so long.

“Are you ready, Gray?” Sorin asked, jerking me from my thoughts.

I nodded once. “Yeah.”

“Why is Dad coming to the Academy, by the way?” My brother stepped close and lowered his voice as he asked, “You’re not in trouble, are you?”

“No.” I offered a shrug. “I just wanted to see him. And tell him everything that’s going on.”

Sorin stared at me for a long time. He was slightly taller, and after a few seconds of silence, it was all I could think about. Weren’t we twins? Why couldn’t we be identical?

“You want to see Dad?” Sorin finally asked, clearly baffled.

“Yes,” I replied, curt. “It’s not that weird.”

“It’s weird for you.”

I rubbed at the base of my neck. “Look, maybe I’ve had several near-death experiences lately and I just want to make sure I have nothing to feel guilty about, ya know? Just in case.”

That sounded worse than I meant it.

Sorin frowned, his body tense.

But then Nini and her reaper, Waste, came over. She smiled as she fixed her glasses. “What a class.” She grabbed Sorin’s arm with both of hers. “Aren’t you hungry?”

“I’m always hungry,” Sorin muttered. Then he smiled down at her. “I hope we have some kind of fish for dinner tonight.”

Nini giggled as she nodded in agreement. But then Sorin shot me a quick glower, obviously still worried about my wellbeing. I shrugged it away and then headed for Twain. He was curled into a tightly little orange circle on the edge of the grass, sleeping so hard, he didn’t even realize class was over. I scooped my mimic eldrin into my arms and he groggily blinked his eyes out of sync.

“Hm?”

“Time to go,” I whispered. “And I need you awake and alert for tonight, okay? We’re going to do some dreamwalking.”

“Oh.” Twain yawned and stretched, his little claws poking out of his toes. “You can count on me.”

***

I barely paid attention at dinner.

We ate and then we headed back to our dorms. Ashlyn and Exie still hadn’t returned, which meant Phila and Nini headed off alone, leaving me, my brother, Raaza, Knovak, and Nasbit to our man-cave.

Everyone disrobed, and we dressed for sleeping, but—for some reason—the others refused to switch off the lanterns. I wanted to experiment with Professor Helmith’s dream-manipulating magic, but I also didn’t want to do it in front of everyone else.

I sat on my bed, in the circle of beds, listening to the others talk, trying to engage as little as possible.

Twain clung to my shoulder, occasionally moving around with the awkward grace of a kitten, his rump sometimes in my face as he attempted to find a comfortable position.

My brother’s knightmare stood like a hollow suit of armor by the door. Sorin kept his nose in a small notebook, writing notes on something, though I couldn’t read what he was jotting down.

Raaza and his kitsune both sat on Raaza’s bed. He whispered to his eldrin more than the others, petting the little fox whenever the flames at her feet flared. Since it was fox fire, it burned nothing, not even the highly flammable bedding.

Knovak stood by his wardrobe, placing certain clothes together, as though planning out his week. His unicorn, Starling, pointed with his crystal horn, gesturing to things that matched.

The only arcanist here who didn’t have his eldrin was Nasbit. He poked through various books, most of which he had gathered from the library after dinner.

“What are you doing over there?” Raaza asked, eyeing Nasbit. “You’ve been reading the same page over and over again.”

Nasbit glanced up from his book. “Oh. Well. I was reading about various forms of archery, including the bizarre style Gray had demonstrated during class.”

“You seem really interested in archery all of the sudden.”

Miko swished her fox tail as she whirled around to face Nasbit. “Are you going to focus on learning the ways of the bow?”

Nasbit huffed a laugh. Then he stared at the book. “Well… I thought it wouldn’t hurt to learn something. Perhaps I could use one of these styles… If Gray can pick up from his dream, it shouldn’t be too hard.”

That surprised me. Nasbit wanted to learn to fire a bow?

My brother sat straight in his bed, his whole body tense. “Wait. Nasbit—are you interested in archery because Phila is? Are you trying to help her?”

“W-What? No. Of course not.” Nasbit shifted around on his mattress until his back faced the rest of us. “I… I told you. I was reading up about the old technique that Gray had used. Nothing else.”

Everyone else in the room exchanged glances. Knovak smiled coyly as he sorted another outfit. In a casual manner, he said, “I think Phila would like someone to practice with. She seemed eager to learn.”

Nasbit said nothing.

“She doesn’t want someone to practice with,” Raaza chimed in, his tone much harsher. “She wants a capable arcanist who knows what they’re doing. Trust me—Phila will have more respect for Nasbit if he shows up to class and decimates some clouds.” As if to make his point, Raaza punched his pillow as he said the last few words.

His kitsune then leapt on top of the wounded pillow afterward, playfully growling as she bit at the edges of the case.

“You’re always so gruff and uncouth,” Knovak muttered. He didn’t even look at the other man as he continued, “Not everyone is as impressed with sheer violence like you are.”

“That’s right,” Starling said with a snort and swish of his tail. “It’s unbecoming.”

Sorin scratched his chin and said, “You know, Knovak has a point. Raaza, why are you so excited whenever any of the professors bring up using our magic for fighting? You’ve been fixated on it since we arrived at Astra Academy.”

“Tsk. Apparently, I’m the only one here who grew up in a world of strife,” Raaza snapped. He touched the scars on his face. They weren’t too deep, but one was over his eyebrow, and another over his lip—four in total, like a claw mark. “All of you don’t seem to understand…”

“Understand what?” My brother leaned forward. “Did someone hurt you?”

Raaza glowered at him. With a sneer, he said, “My homeland was absorbed by the nation of Sellix. Everyone there is fighting. We have a king, technically, but he’s weak. All his generals run the show, and anyone with power just claims title and land, and no one can say anything about it.”

That was interesting. On my home island of Haylin, nothing that dramatic ever happened. It was quiet and peaceful, with only one arcanist.

Raaza huffed. “All of our lords”—he said the word with a hefty dose of sarcasm—“are just arcanists with wealth and power. They’re not even confirmed by the king.”

“That’s not how it’s supposed to work,” Nasbit interjected. “The power of the crown is meant to confer nobility status.”

“I know, fool.” Raaza grabbed his crumpled pillow and fluffed it for a minute. “I’m saying no one in Sellix cares anymore. Those with power—the arcanists who can fight—get to do whatever they want, and everyone else just stays quiet about it all. I figured, if I came to Astra Academy, and managed to bond with a mystical creature, I could learn to be powerful…”

Nasbit closed his book. “You want revenge?”

“I want those thugs masquerading as lords to take a long walk off a short pier,” Raaza said, practically shouting.

Sorin held up both his hands. His knightmare even walked over, Thurin’s shadow armor clinking with each step.

“Okay, take a breath,” Sorin said in a calm and slow tone. “We don’t need to yell. I think I understand why you’re upset.”

Knovak closed his wardrobe and then took a seat on his mattress. “Did a specific one of these so-called-lords harm you?”

“I don’t want to talk about it,” Raaza whispered. His eyes were dark and distant as he rested on his bed. He stared at the ceiling as he muttered, “I just want to get stronger. I want to have control. I want to protect the people I care about.”

The last bit resonated with me.

I needed to get stronger, too. For the same reason—perhaps more than Raaza. I had Death Lord cultists after me…

Nasbit set his book on his nightstand. “Perhaps we should all get some sleep.”

“Good idea,” I finally said, chiming in. “Let’s snuff the lanterns and get some shut eye.”

Twain chuckled, his little kitten body on my shoulder practically shaking with delight.

Thurin manipulated the darkness in the corners of the room. Tendrils of shadows slithered to the many lanterns and extinguished the flames, blanketing the whole dorm room in night.

Starling nickered as he trotted for the back window. He stepped onto the sill and then headed out the branch to the treehouse.

Once everyone was settled, I held my breath and waited.

As soon as they were asleep, I would transform Twain into an ethereal whelk… And then I would attempt to speak with Death Lord Deimos.