Nighttime Antics

Despite the night sky that Will knew was outside, the room he found himself in was dark. Way too dark. It was like he had walked in and been instantly struck blind. Which for a horrifying moment, given where exactly he was could, he though, be a real possibility.

“Err. Hello?” Will said tentatively into the darkness, all the while, trying to find a wall to hug. He didn’t like this darkness, not one bit.

There was no reply though, the room remained deadly silent.

Will looked around nervously, he knew that someone was in here, he had been told that he was sharing this room. He just didn’t know where about.

That was when a small voice spoke from somewhere in the darkness. “Hisseretourner.”

Will’s thoughts on what had just been spoken were stopped in an instant as he was hoisted up into the air by his feet, leaving him dangling from the wooden ceiling. His feet clinging to rafters as if someone had nailed them in place.

Flailing about and shouting curses that he had learnt back in the back alleys of Harthpoint, Will struggled from where he was suspended upside-down. He tried to move, to pry his feet off the ceiling, but they wouldn’t budge, it was like someone had moulded his feet into the wooden rafters.

The darkness around him slowly started to dissipate as Will continued to struggle, and the room came into view.

His new room, he discovered was a small circular room, about the size of The Black Sheep’s main hall. In the centre a small ball of fire burned in mid-air. A large, but thin window looked directly out into the valley below them. And at opposite ends of the room, were two large beds.

It was here, on one of the sheets, a boy sat, Will guessed that this was Luke Horn. He had bright red hair and a crooked nose and was like Hearthfast said about Will’s own age. And right now, he was sitting cross legged on the bed, a cautious expression on his face, whilst drumming what looked like a small wooden stick on his leg.

“Hey! Let me down!” Will shouted, blood was already rushing into his head; he was starting to feel oddly dizzy.

Luke just stared upwards at Will. Like he wasn’t entirely sure what to do now. Eventually though, he sighed, and muttered a few words under his breath that Will couldn’t hear.

As Will saw the rest of the darkness disappear completely, he also found, too late to attempt to break his fall, that his feet were no longer attached to the ceiling. The net result being his arm taking the brunt of the fall as he crashed into the ground.

“So, you’re the newbie then?” Luke said, still not getting off his bed, instead contenting himself at staring down at Will. “I thought you’d be better.”

It was all Will could do not to get up and strangle his new roommate right then and there. But out of his grudging respect for Hunter, he refrained from launching an attack. Not on his first night anyway.

“What was that?” Will asked, gesturing at the roof that he had been attached to a few seconds before.

“Practicing.” Luke replied.

“For what?” Will said getting angrily to his feet.

“No reason.” Luke said unconvincingly. “Anyway. What’s the problem, you aren’t hurt. Are you?” He then returned to drumming what Will was rapidly realising his wand against his knee.

All the while, his new roommate was continuing to stare at him. Will was about to ask that he stop staring at him, when from directly behind them, the door was opened.

If it hadn’t been for the fact that he had just been suspended upside down by the person that he was supposed to be living with for the foreseeable future. Then it would have been the most shocking experience of this place so far.

In the now open doorway, a girl stood, casting them into shadow thanks to the moonlight that silhouetted her.

The girl was thin and maybe an inch taller than Will, with bushy black hair, and equally dark skin. Will guessed that she was from down on dust covered province of Clolis, the southernmost tip of Ygnutel. He had heard about those people beyond the Dustroutes. They were said to be barbaric, the adults back in Harthpoint would tell stories about how the Southrons’ would sail up the dagger to raid and plunder their home. Not that they ever had, at least whilst Will had been there. But still, the stories of how they would kill you as soon as look at you, had frightened him as a young child, and still frightened him now.

Now that he was face to face with one however, he didn’t get what the horror stories were all about. Sure, the girl was eyeing them in a way that told Will she was looking for the best way to take them both down. But he thought that was just this girl’s nature, rather than a comment on her people.

“Huh, no traps tonight Lukey?” The girl said.

Luke finally managed to pry his gaze off Will to shake his head at the new girl, before a grin came across his face.

“No. This idiot arrived before I could create any.” Luke said jerking his thumb in Will’s direction without looking at him. “We doing it tonight then Elevyn?” Luke asked, getting up off the bed, his wand clutched in his hand.

But at this Elevyn shook her head, and it was obvious that she didn’t want to speak whilst Will was standing in the room. For his part, he was looking completely nonplussed as to what either of them were talking about.

“Doing what?” Will asked.

“Don’t worry. He’s alright Evie.” Luke said quickly in Elevyn’s direction, though it was clear that she wasn’t convinced. But Luke didn’t seem to either notice, or care as he returned his attention to Will. “Usually, we meet up after dark. Try and find secrets about this place, practice duelling, knick stuff from the kitchens.”

Elevyn looked him up and down again, but this time, she seemed to be more assessing his abilities.

“Guess he can be lookout. Not much else he can do until he gets a wand.” Elevyn said sounding more optimistic than she had done before.

Whilst Luke headed out the door, his wand clutched tightly in his hand. Elevyn gave Will one more look.

“You coming or what newbie?” Elevyn asked looking at him just as Luke had. “I don’t wanna keep the door open all night. Something might get in.”

“What.” Will had been thinking about what she’d just said about him getting a wand. “Yeah.”

“Well. Hurry up then.” Elevyn said and followed on after Luke. With Will hurrying to keep up.

The corridor seemed to have gotten ten times worse in the few minutes since Will had entered his room.

Whether it was just because the darkness was making every little crack in the wall, or sharp turn look like they were hiding some monster, or if it was the fact that the school itself knew that they were breaking the rules about being out, Will didn’t know either way.

Part of him, as they rounded yet another corner, wanted to go back to the room. This was his first night, and he was already breaking the rules. But the idea of adventure, an adventure that he was on with other people who wanted him around, trumped any sense of self-preservation.

They quickly reached what looked like the main staircase of the school. The suits of armour creaking as they turned around to look at them. Though that was all they did.

“Well. What’s your name new kid? I don’t wanna keep calling you that.” Elevyn asked as they began to ascend flight of stairs.

“William Sharp. Erm, how much further is it?” Will asked looking around. The corridor they had entered had a familiar look to it. It looked the same as the one that their room opened out into.

“Not far.” Elevyn replied.

“What. You scared?” Luke added, turning around to smirk at him.

“What? Shut up.” Will responded, although his voice breaking at that very moment ruined the effect of that statement.

“Don’t worry. Trust me, I know this place can be a maze for newcomers. It was the first time I started exploring this place.” Elevyn said.

“Wait.” Will asked, tripping over himself. “You weren’t born here either.” That made him feel slightly better, the fact that he knew someone else that had had a life outside this place was oddly reassuring.

“Well.” Elevyn said, looking guilty at him. “I wasn’t born here like Lukey. But I don’t really remember anything outside this place. I was only like one when two sorcerers brought me here.”

“Oh.” Will said dejectedly. He guessed that just like on the outside world, in here he’d still be a freak. Only this time for having lived a life without magic, as opposed to being a sorcerer out in the old world.

“Don’t worry. You’ll have plenty of people like you. Maybe not as many as there used to be. But some have had lives before coming here.” Elevyn responded; clearly getting what Will had been thinking.

“When will I get a wand?” Will asked looking between the two of them. Now that he was here, especially since Luke had strung him upside-down, he wanted something that would help him return the favour.

“Tomorrow. Barrows said I’ve gotta take you down.” Luke said, jumping over a spot on the floor, taking the jump in his stride. Elevyn did the same. Will just stood there. The floor that Luke and Elevyn had jumped over, didn’t look any different than the rest of the floor.

“It’s a trick floor, Will.” Elevyn said, turning and seeing that Will was still staring at the floor. “The school likes to play tricks on the unwary. It’s its idea of a joke.”

Taking a running leap, Will leapt over the floor. And turning back, he saw that the floor, which had looked normal on the other side, now gleamed unnaturally, as a visible hole began to close up.

“What’d happens if I fell in?” Will asked, looking at the unnatural glow.

“It would have dumped you somewhere random. Still in the school. But you never know where you’re going to end up.” Luke said nonchalantly. “I once fell in and landed straight in the middle of a card game that some dwarves were playing. School seemed to think it was funny.”

Luke gave a withering look around at the corridor.

“You’ll learn to just accept it.” Elevyn said, a lot less calmly. “They are easy to spot once you know what you’re looking for.”

“Like what?” Will asked as they started walking again.

“Reflections are a good tester. The illusion will always show in a reflection.” Elevyn said looking around at the windows. “Sometimes though. You’ve gotta really look at the air. Something about it causes the dust not to settle. So, it’ll just hover in mid-air.”

“Right?” Will wasn’t entirely sure if he could do all of that, along with everything else he’d probably be expected to do.

“Just stick with us for the first few weeks. And you’ll soon start to see them.” Elevyn said, stopping at a small bronze door. She took one more look around the corridor to make sure they hadn’t been followed. Then she opened the door.

As the three of them entered what looked like a disused classroom. Will was taken aback by the presence of other people. He guessed that he should have expected this, the school was massive, and it was highly unlikely that Luke and Elevyn would be the only ones to sneak out. He just thought that he might get an easier time on his first day.

Aside from Elevyn and Luke. Three others were waiting for them. Another dark skinned Southron girl, though this one looking older than them by a good couple of years. Another girl, this one having a mean look about her, like she was trying to find the best way to do the most damage to Will with the least amount of work. And finally, a pale skinned and bespectacled boy, maybe a year or so older than Will and Luke, who looked like he would rather be in a library than out here at night.

“Anyone else coming, Leola?” Elevyn asked looking around and addressing the other black girl. There was something else there though, like she was differing to her, taking Will by surprise. He’d assumed that Elevyn was the leader, but he was clearly wrong on that.

“No.” Leola said, closing the door behind them. “Vicky and Scarlet are out at the greenhouses with Master Ash. And Tommy is still working off his sentence with Master Leto.”

Will just stared, none of the names meaning anything to them.

“Will. This is Leola. She’s our leader. The pale faced ghost over there is Aidon Books. And the one giving you the death glare is Rosa.” Elevyn said indicating each in turn. Will followed, though kept quiet. He was new here and he didn’t want to rock the boat. Not until he’d found out who was who in this group, and where they sat on the hierarchy.

But if he thought that he’d be able to sit back and not draw attention to himself, then he was dead wrong, as the mean girl had seemingly fixed him in her crossbeam.

“So,” Rosa said, her lip curling upwards. “You’re the fresh meat?” She had the unfortunate look to remind Will of his now deceased stepfather. “What are you doing here, boy?”

“Leave him be Rosa.” Elevyn said, taking a step so that she was in a position to stand between Will and Rosa, if need be. “It’s like his first day here. He’s only going to be lookout tonight.”

This was clearly not going to be enough for the mean girl, as she jumped off the windowsill that she had been inhabiting, and strode towards Will, a stubby, and rather nasty looking wand in her hand.

“Is he mute as well?” Rosa said, a wicked grin on her face. “I asked him the question. Not you, little miss prissy perfect.”

Luke shot up at this, drawing his own wand. “Say that again.” Luke said, his face going as red as his hair.

“Oh, you’re going to fight me, Horn.” Rosa said, an ugly snort of laughter coming from her. “Be careful, orphan. Or I’ll do more than break your nose this time.”

“No.” Will said, no longer feeling nervous. He was liking the girl less and less by the second. It was orphan comment that sprung him into action. He wasn’t entirely sure how he felt about Luke, especially since he’d used him as target practice. But being an orphan himself, he was not going to stand by and let Rosa continue to run her mouth without a fight.

“Well, I’ll be damned. He speaks.” Rosa said, turning around to face Will. “Well then little sorcerer. Take out your wand.”

“I… erm” Will started. He didn’t have one. He was supposed to only be the lookout tonight. He wouldn’t get his wand until tomorrow morning at the earliest. If he wasn’t thrown out before then that is.

“What?” Rosa said, clearly mocking now. “What, you don’t have one little sorcerer.” Then, as quick as a flash, she pointed her stubby stick at Will. “Despolso.” Rosa said lazily, flicking her wand equally so.

Will felt as if a hook had attached onto the back of his clothes and then was yanked suddenly backwards, only stopping when he felt himself collide painfully with a metal suit of armour at the other end of the room.

The clattering and banging that erupted when the steel hit the ground, Will was sure, was enough to wake the entire school. Not that this seemed to bother Rosa, who was advancing on him whilst he was down.

“Repellit.” Elevyn said, and Rosa collided with an invisible wall that Will knew hadn’t been there a few seconds before. “At least give William a chance to defend himself Rosa.” She nodded over to Luke, who shrugged noncommittally, before tossing his own wand towards Will.

Scrambling to pick up the wand, Will immediately realise that this was going to be a lot more difficult than pointing the tool and muttering a few nonsense words. The wand, was, well, it was actively resisting him. Like it knew that Will was not it’s true owner, and was unhappy that it was being used by someone other than Luke himself.

“Now then little boy.” Rosa said though notably a lot less confidently now that Will was armed, and was able to defend himself. “Let’s see what that freak Hunter has brought us. Hisseretourner.”

Will knew what was about to happen, and had ducked the second the spell had come out of Rosa’s mouth. Even so, he could feel the heat of the curse sear the hairs on his neck.

But now Will was on the floor, and scrambling in any direction he could. It was this that made Rosa’s previous attitude return, and she advanced towards Will triumphantly.

All he’d managed to do this whole time was to, rather successfully, back himself into the corner of the classroom. The others were looking on, willing to intervene if Rosa tried to do actual damage he hoped. But seemingly unwilling to do much else.

Forgetting magic altogether. Will, closed his eyes, and held his hands above his head, hoping to block the blow that would almost certainly be aimed at his face.

Which was when, a jet of water spurted out of the end of the wand, hitting Rose directly in the face, and sending her cartwheeling backwards.

Rosa landed flat on her face, as Will got slowly to his feet, staring awkwardly at the wand. Not entirely sure how he had done what he had just done. Not that he had much time to think on that issue, as Rosa was getting up, her black hair even blacker, water running from every part of her body, and a look of absolute murder in her eyes.

She advanced, wand raised in fury for the humiliation.

That was when a loud, deep voice sounded from the classroom door.

“That’s enough!” The deep voice sounded, followed by the thunderous sound of something slamming into the ground.

Turning, they saw the form of Hearthfast striding towards them, in his hand, the dwarf clutched his large battle-axe, the blade glinting ominously in the moonlight.

“What can we do for ya, Dwarf?” Luke asked, trying to sound jovial. But staring intermittently at Will, waiting to see if anymore magic prowess was going to show itself.

The sound of the voices was muffled to Will, who began thumping his ears, trying to dislodge the residue water that had gone into them.

“What you can do for me, young master Horn, is get to bed.” Hearthfast said grumpily as he strode past Will and straight towards Rosa. “Is that how we treat newcomers here, girly. Setting on them whilst they’re unarmed?”

“He has a wand doesn’t he?” Rosa said, still spluttering slightly from all the water that had hit her. The water had left a mark on her face, and her eyes were bloodshot from the water that had hit them.

“Aye he does now.” Hearthfast said. “But before, when you sent that boy careening into that fine piece of armour.”

“I… I…” Rosa said, now it was her turn to stutter.

“I, I, what?” Hearthfast asked the soaking wet girl. “I’d suggest you go back to your chambers before Master Barrows hears of this.”

Clearly, whoever this Master Barrows was. It was someone who put the fear of the gods into Rosa, as she gave Will one last vengeful look, before scampering off, leaving a trail of water in her wake.

Once they had sworn to Hearthfast that they were indeed going to go straight back to their room. Will, Luke, now back in possession of his own wand, and Elevyn strode down the main stairs. It seems that Elevyn had a room right near them, as the others had long since peeled off towards their own beds.

“How’d you do that, Will?” Elevyn asked eagerly.

“What?” Will asked, he wasn’t being dim this. Some of the water was still his ears and he was only just getting his hearing back.

“The water spell. Who taught you?” Elevyn asked eagerly.

“No one.” Will said honestly. “A week ago, I didn’t even know I could do magic.”

Elevyn raised an eyebrow at that. “Really.”

Luke looked between them, annoyed that Will seemed to be suddenly taking all of Elevyn’s attention. But he didn’t say anything.

“I just really wanted to fight back. And then wand sought of did the rest.” Will said. Even though the wand was not his, it had obeyed without question when his life seemed to be at risk.

“Well.” Elevyn said, suddenly stopping at the next door, marked ‘5L’. “This is my room. If you wanna… never mind. See ya in the morning.”

With that, she headed inside, closing the door quickly in their faces.

Will stared at the door. Before realising that Luke had already begun walking again.

“So, erm.” Will said as he rushed to catch up. “Elevyn seemed impressed with what I can do.”

Luke grunted at this. Not saying a word. He seemed to be forcing himself not to turn around.

“Do you think?” Will started, but Luke cut him off.

“It wasn’t the charm you did that impressed her, Will.” Luke said as they walked back to their shared room. “It’s the fact that you did it without speaking.”

“Can’t anyone do that though?” Will asked.

He didn’t need the shake of the head from Luke to realise that what he had done back there. As well as what he had done back at Harthpoint was really unusual.

“No.” Luke replied. “It’s not impossible. All the Professors can do magic without saying the words, few of the older students as well, Leola can I think. But it takes like years of practice to do that kind of magic.”

Will didn’t say anything. He didn’t want to admit that this was not the first time he had done magic without actually saying the words aloud. The explosion curse he’d done still weighted on his mind too much for that. And it weighed more the heavier now knowing he’d done it at a much higher level than he’d previously thought.

Then. He heard something that sent all thoughts of his new skill out of his mind.

It was a voice. A voice that Will had never heard in his life. And afterwards, would pray he never heard again.

“Come… Come to me. Come to the depths. Rip… Tear… Burn… Kill.”

“What!?” Will shouted, looking around, he was standing in the middle of the corridor. Luke was turning around to stare at him, a puzzled look on his face.

“Sorry?” Luke said, his eyes staring at Will. But Will wasn’t paying attention. He was staring around at the corridor. The voice had seemed so close. But now, unless this was some kind of joke, and it was a very unfunny one if it was, then both he and Luke were alone. “Will?”

“Didn’t you hear it?” Will said, looking around at the walls. Straining his ears for any sound of whatever had spoken. But it was no good. The thing whatever it was, was silent.

“Hear what?” Luke asked, now looking around as well.

“That voice.” Will said.

“What voice. There’s nobody else here.” Luke said.

Will stared. What Luke was saying made sense; they were completely alone in this dark corridor. But something about the way his roommate was looking at him, told Will that his initial suspicions had been correct. He had heard something, or someone. And that Luke clearly didn’t want him to admit that, at least not out in a public space.

But clearly seeing that he was getting nowhere on that particular issue. Luke decided to change the subject.

“Thanks for sticking up for me with Rosa.” Luke said, more to the floor than to Will. “When she called me an orphan.”

“Are you? An orphan I mean?” Will asked. He guessed he was.

“Yeah.” Luke said. “I know me Da was a sorcerer. They burnt him. Me Ma was also one, I guess she had to be, given that magic only goes down the female line. But she died a few years afterwards.”

Will wanted to ask how. But he knew instinctively that he’d probably end up on the ceiling again, and this time for a lot longer, if he asked that question.

So, he turned the conversation back to an easier subject. His odds of survival against Rosa.

“Is Rosa the kind of person to hold a grudge. Say if you douse her with water using a borrowed wand?” Will asked, a guilty look crossing his face.

“A grudge?” Luke asked rhetorically and returning back to his old self. “Will. She’ll be looking to get back at you for the rest of your time here. The only way you could have made it worse, is if you’d done what you did in front of the entire school.”

“Great.” Will said, not looking forward to whatever the angry girl who’d had a lot more magical experience that he had, had in store for him.