ALL NOVEL Chapter 13
The second week of our schooling approached in turn, and the status quo was starting to be cemented by the various social groups throughout the academy. If I were the socially-minded sort, I’d have worried about missing my opportunity to make fast friends and connections while I had the chance. It served my purposes just fine. Even if I wanted to make friends in the future, my reputation as the most eligible noble lady in the academy would allow me to quickly assemble a list of suitable candidates.
When I was an assassin, all of my personal relationships were utilitarian pieces of social engineering designed to make my job easier. That was the only time when I ever made those kinds of connections in my past life. It was easy to get what you wanted when you convinced the other party that you were their friend. That was another reason why sociopaths didn’t make good assassins. It was a tough way to live my life, but that was the path I chose. People were unreliable, they’d talk with each other about your secrets or put you into tough situations. It was safer for me to keep a healthy distance from others.
The closest thing I had to ‘friends’ was Talia and her brother. He’d taken a shine to me and Samantha thanks to our magical talents, something which also occurred in the original game. There it served as a source of tension between the two but I had no reason to instigate a fight over him spending time with both of us. He wasn’t a romantic interest anyway, so the prospect of things developing that far were close to none. He was extremely passionate about developing talented mages in the academy. In the words of our tutor - he was a dyed-in-the-wool mage fanatic.
Still, even with his boundless enthusiasm for the curriculum, we could only go as fast as our slowest member. Predictably the class clown had turned out to be Adrian. Not only did he do everything in his power to avoid studying the required material before our lessons, but he also played it fast and loose when it came to listening to their instructions. It would have been in his best interest to stick to shooting instead, at least there he could enjoy the instant gratification of blowing something out of the sky or hitting a target without months of opening study. I fully expected him to drop out in the near future. The rest of the class was much more enthused, as was I.
The first thing we needed to learn was how to regularly connect with our inner magical senses. Maintaining it through the ‘shock’ was the first challenge that every mage had to surmount if they wanted to learn further. All of us, with the exception of Adrian, had been doing so regularly during our spare time. It was a sixth sense that was unlike any of the others, and the brain required time to adjust to it. A more scientific analysis of this phenomenon was in the works, but much of the material we were covering was based on information passed down over thousands of years. For our purposes it was unnecessary to know at the moment.
“Magic is in the air that surrounds us,” Miss Jennings explained curtly for the benefit of Adrian, “The level of magic concentration dictates what spells we can cast, and how easy it will be. These academy grounds are built in a low-pressure ‘well’ that sucks the magical threads inwards. That makes it the perfect place for us to teach you the foundational skills you’ll need.”
Felipe followed on, “One of the simplest and most important spells is moving the air. For the level of detail in which we manipulate the elements around us, the air is an invaluable tool that allows us to arrange our different pieces into a working order. At an advanced level, it also allows us to manipulate the surrounding air pressure on a larger scale – which you have seen first hand when I cast the lightning spell last week. Doing so without that measure would be very dangerous.”
Miss Jennings really emphasized that point to us; “Indeed. Safety is the number one priority by which you must always operate. Do not utilise your magic in enclosed spaces, around others, and without express permission from the relevant parties. What you all possess is a wonderful thing, but you must temper your excitement with an equal dose of caution. I’ve seen people lose eyes, fingers, and other small body parts because they take this process too lightly.”
That’s what happens when you give the magical equivalent of a hand grenade to teenagers. Adrian rolled his eyes and took a step back from the lineup so that Jennings wouldn’t ring him up on it. It was going to be his loss if he ignored her warnings – and I wasn’t going to offer him a shoulder to cry on if he lost his trigger finger.
“Thankfully, moving wind currents is harmless in an open space like this. So I encourage all of you to test the limits and learn everything you can while you have the chance. The most important thing to remember is how you can push and pull the air. You should make equal use of both techniques to see the maximum result.”
The group was split into two. Claudius, Maxwell and I were handed over to Felipe, while Adrian was given a stern talking to by Miss Jennings for neglecting his studies. From her perspective, it was a selfish thing to demand additional time from the teachers because he wasn’t putting any effort into things. I had to agree. People who had no respect for the system dragged everyone else down with them. Adrian had already caught the ire of our other tutors, especially the math teacher, who had clipped him around the ear for making an unbecoming comment about one of the girls in our class.
“I hope that all of you have taken the time to read up on the basics before today,” Felipe began, turning his attention to Claude and Max. He had already seen me shooting ahead of schedule in the library a few days before. Both boys nodded happily and smirked. “Very good! I have high hopes for this year’s cohort. When I did my foundational year, there were only three of us, and one dropped out before the end of the first module was over...”
“I wasn’t so sure that this magic stuff would be for me – but it’s actually very interesting,” Max replied. “Nobody in my family has ever spent much time studying it. They all prefer to stick to more practical fields of business.”
Claude was back to his usual self, “I hope that some of these spells can help me when I eventually become a world-class detective.”
Felipe quirked a brow at his ambition, “Well, I suppose it could. The additional senses and your newly found ability to discern different elements could be utilised in such a way. Though that would imply that someone was killed using a chemical solution. Something like a knife wound or gunshot would be too plainly obvious, I believe.”
“That’s fine. They’re only going to call me for the really unsolvable crimes anyway!”
I had to despair at Claude’s blind optimism.
Felipe was wise enough to leave him alone for the time being and move into teaching in earnest. It was still surprising to me the exact level of precision that this demanded. They were speaking of rearranging the molecules in the air in such a way that we could cause reactions and other oddities. Why such a supernatural system still followed a set of pseudo-scientific principles was strange enough on its own. I knew from the game that magic could be used for a great many things, like attacking, healing, defending or other utility purposes. Because of this, magic was strongly associated with certain classes and professions. Nobles liked magic as it could be used as a status symbol, blacksmiths liked it because it could be used in the forges and to make high quality products, and remote industrial areas needed mages to carry out sophisticated processes that were too expensive and complex to do with machinery.
When the mage index was introduced, a strong opposition of industrialists, intelligentsia and workers formed out of a collective anxiety about such measures. It would make finding, retaining and training mages much harder. A lot of candidates would be scared away by having to sign up for such a government database; that would translate to increased demand and higher costs for the employers. The mages themselves would have been happy with an increased wage, but their privacy concerns won out over their economic interests. It was in the aftermath of the crisis that led to the separation of royalty and parliament that saw the law pushed through. The public had seen and heard too many stories of magic-wielding guerrillas causing trouble for the local police, and so it was. I knew that it was going to be problematic for me in the future. I was a high-grade mage. It was entirely possible that the academy had already sent my name and background to the government for confirmation. If I had any intention of going back to my old ways – that knowledge would ward me from it.
It was lucky that I came from an affluent family, then.
Felipe was again showcasing his credentials as a future teacher, easily guiding us through the process and allowing us the space to experiment at the same time. Soon enough, we had all managed to twist our hands and palms to summon a blustery gust of wind from above. It was not necessary to use such hand movements, but visualisation techniques like this would make our lives much easier. It was a form of cognitive association that would enhance our memory and control. Felipe clapped his hands in applause as I was the third and final student to succeed in manipulating a current, my black hair whipping about wildly as it passed over my body.
“Excellently done everyone. These are broad strokes, the kind you might see used with an industrial furnace to control the temperature or ensure that it stays alight. But it is very similar in nature to ‘assembly,’ which is what we call the construction of a more advanced and specific magic like lightning.”
I peered around his body to see what the other group was doing. A visibly flustered Adrian stood with reddened cheeks and stiff arms. Miss Jennings wasn’t going easy on him. He was the last one to be tested on this, and he was already struggling. Claude and Max shared in my curiosity, glancing over and taking a look for themselves. It took him a painfully long time to finally grasp it and summon the wind to his side. When he did, he puffed his chest out like he had never been frustrated by it in the first place. His theatre was only convincing to himself – and not to any of the others who had heard it all before. He thought he was hot shit until reality slapped him in the face.
Felipe blew worried air through his teeth, “Oh dear. I think that Adrian is going to be problematic. Miss Jennings won’t like that at all.”
“Why not?” Max asked.
Felipe hushed his voice so that they couldn’t hear us, “She’s all about professionalism, and she doesn’t have the patience for people who think they can slide by while inputting the minimum amount of effort. If she thinks that Adrian isn’t going to wise up she’ll kick him from the class.”
“I see.”
Felipe moved along to the next topic; “We’d only planned to show you this much, I’m consistently surprised at how well you all handle the material and practice.”
Max laid it on thick, “We have a pair of excellent teachers.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure about my own skills, but Miss Jennings is one-of-a-kind. I’ve never met anyone with such a deep and vivid knowledge of magic. I’m extremely privileged to have learned under her for so long.”
The second group had finally resolved whatever issue Adrian was causing, so Miss Jennings waved us back over. Once everyone was safely assembled at the testing range, she decided to break up the period early.
“Excellent work today. I’d like all of you to read the next two chapters of Virmich’s Foundational Magic. If you lack a copy, there are several available in the student study hall that you can use as you like. But please do not leave notes in them. Other students will rue your name if you do.”
There was a collective “Yes Ma’am,” from the group.
“Well done again everybody! Go ahead and get some food before it’s gone, and we’ll see you in the lecture room next week at the same time.”
The class was dismissed. Adrian couldn’t get away from the range fast enough. He powered his way across the back yard and into the academy’s main entrance without once looking back. Getting scolded by the teacher had gotten to him. There was nothing worse to a blowhard than a wounded pride. I sighed and turned to look at Felipe, who sported a concerned look about his behaviour.
“Ah, would you like to speak with me, Maria?”
I shook my head and conjured an excuse for gawking, “No, there’s nothing in particular. I’m just concerned about Adrian, that’s all.”
He crossed his arms and leaned back against a nearby tree, “He’s going to have to learn the value of patience soon. You’ll never get anywhere in magic expecting results right away. I’m sure he’s heard the same criticism from every other teacher already.”
The yard was already empty of any other people. A stiff breeze rolled through as I felt the wind chill soak into my bones. It was a sunny day, but not a warm one. We were only a few weeks into the new year and spring had yet to arrive. The hardy trees that surrounded the academy had endured and retained their greenery through the snowy months. I was always stunned by the natural and artificial beauty of the campus grounds. It was a mirror image of what I had seen in the game. Felipe pushed away from his resting place and nodded towards the main building, “We’d better hurry up and grab something before they clean the buffet out. Early dismissals don’t come every week.”
Just as he spoke, the clock struck six and the bell tower started to ring. From the outside it was an almost deafening metallic bong that made my entire body shake. Felipe laughed at my reaction, having grown used to it over the five years he had been attending the school. It continued, each one sending out a bass-heavy tone. I looked up at the tower responsible and briefly admired the carefully crafted stonework that accentuated the edges and windowsills. As my eyes moved further upwards – they were drawn to an unusual glimmer coming from within. There was a silhouette standing there, holding something in their hands. Old instincts roared to life as the familiar sight caused my pace to quicken. The bell chimed again, and again, and finally...
I grabbed Felipe by the collar and dragged him behind the tree as the next impact was aided by the addition of a sharp crack. The tree exploded outwards into shards of bark and wood as the bullet ripped through it. I didn’t give them a chance to fire again. I continued to drag him further into the woodland beneath the cover of the branches. At such an elevated angle, they would not be able to see us without moving to a lower floor. By the time they did that, I’d have relocated us to a safer location. Felipe was stunned silent by the abrupt action. I didn’t wait, stop, or explain what I was doing. There was an urgency to where we were going. We broke back out onto the main avenue at the front of the building, well out of sight of the clocktower from which the shot was fired.
Someone had tried to kill me.
It was a sobering realisation. All of my worst fears were now being played out. Felipe had nearly died in the crossfire through his proximity with me. He panted and begged for a moment as I kept a vigilant gaze towards the other vantage points that the would-be assassin could use to shoot at us. Had Felipe even noticed that it was a gunshot that shattered the tree beside us? I took a deep breath and set my nerves straight. This was nothing new to me; I had always told myself not to get too invested in living this peaceful life. I rued the fact that my only means of protection was stored in secret inside my trunk. This was the kind of situation where a gun of my own would be essential. As the bell finally turned silent, I knew that the killer had missed his window of opportunity. Another shot would be plainly audible to the people inside.
“W-What in the Goddess’ name was that?” Felipe cried, finally finding the words to speak.
“I don’t know,” I lied, “I saw someone in the clocktower, and a second later the tree shattered. It was a good thing that I pulled you out of the way.”
Felipe was shaken up. As you should be when someone fires a bullet right next to you. I didn’t even know I could move or react that quickly. Everything had been a total blur from the moment that I noticed them. I had a million questions of my own and no good answers. Who had fired the shot, and why were they targeting me? On top of that, I now had to worry about concealing the truth from Felipe. He was a smart kid; plain-faced lies weren’t going to pass muster.
“My heart is going to stop...”
“Just take some deep breaths,” I said, kneeling down and helping him back up to his feet.
“W-We have to report this to the principal. There’s a killer loose on the campus!”
I grimaced – it was unlikely that the bullet survived intact from hitting the tree’s trunk, and the killer had carefully timed his attempt so that there were no witnesses and the sound of the bell tower to create deniability about the sound. Whoever it was, they were no amateur. How long had they been waiting to spring this plan into action? It must have taken the full length of my stay to plan it out. They knew we’d be there in the yard at that time of day, for one thing. They also had access to a gun accurate enough for a long-range shot, presumably a larger rifle. I couldn’t push Felipe away from reporting the incident without looking suspicious, so I acquiesced and nodded in agreement.
“Very well. I hope that they can find a suitable solution for this issue. They should take security very seriously.”
“They do,” Felipe replied, “There are watchmen at the front gate at all times of day.”
“In this case – it seems that those measures are inadequate. The culprit is already within the building as we speak.”
Felipe’s face was a mask of dread as the implication settled in, “So... neither of us are safe?”
I didn’t know how to answer that either. I shrugged and pulled him along towards the main entrance. Being inside was a lot safer than outside at the moment. We needed to keep moving so that we didn’t present them with another chance. I doubted that Felipe was the one being targeted, it just didn’t add up. This was the moment I had been waiting for. Years spent waiting for the penny to finally drop, the upending of the peaceful second chance I had been given, and for the punishment to begin. Who else could they be gunning after but me?
“Felipe – I want you to go and report this to the principal. If they ask for more evidence, come and find me.”
“What are you going to do?”
“I’m going to stay out of trouble until you speak with them, what else?”
If I were a superstitious person I would have crossed my fingers.
