I’m still thinking about how to impress my advisor so he’ll teach me more advanced breathpainting techniques, while I walk to my Demon Foundations class. Continually being treated like a kid by everyone irks me and makes me restless. I know I’m getting stronger but I need to get stronger faster. I worry that by the time I’m strong enough, the trail will be cold.
I look around the familiar yet unfamiliar lecture hall and do a double take. Am I in the right place?
It’s still the same high domed, frosted glass ceiling with intricate cloud swirls glowing orange from the afternoon sun, and silver veined marble floor. Even the white and silver cushioned timber seats are the same, but instead of facing an elevated marble stage in neat rows, the stage is gone and the seats are in rings of ten.
Were the seats movable? I push against the nearest one and it doesn’t budge. The seats are fused to the floor, as though they’re trees sprouting from the marble ground.
I’m pretty sure Elder Sage Herman who specializes in thera alchemy and esscent misting couldn’t have done this. I sweep my gaze to find the culprit and I freeze. It’s Julian.
His long silky black hair’s half pulled up in a bun, and his white outer robes, and black inner robes are pristine. He’s smiling and nodding at students as they walk in and find seats.
He’s still as perfect as the last time I saw him, which was weeks ago. I never figured out how he knew that the squirrel was my creathure, but ever since our confrontation, I’ve been too ashamed to try that stunt again. Since he’s the highly esteemed Grand Elder Sage I thought I wouldn’t see him again so I’m shocked to find him in my classroom. He couldn’t have been… demoted to teaching? Visiting Sprouts from other sects at that?
The moment he sets his crisp winter sky gaze on me, I look away.
I head to an empty seat.
“Hi, I’m Lilian.” A girl in green and gold takes the seat to my right.
I don’t love this new arrangement which makes it hard for me to stay invisible.
“Hey.” I open up a book to make it clear I don’t want to talk.
The girl blinks at me before turning to talk to the other Sprouts who’ve joined our ring.
I’m pretending to read while my eyes track Julian who is walking to the center. Everyone is chattering about the new seating arrangement and possibly new instructor.
Julian arranges his long slender fingers into various formations. A hush falls on the rowdy Sprouts as I feel the seat below me rotate to face him.
My heart thumps with fervor as my suspicions that Julian terramimed these seats are confirmed. Although I’ve heard of such tremendous power, it’s my first time experiencing it firsthand.
“Good afternoon Sprouts. I will be taking over for Herman for the rest of the month. I’d like to gauge everyone’s current understanding. Please discuss everything you already know about Demons in your groups.”
The moment the seats are turned back, everyone is squealing with frenzy.
“Holy sun, the Grand Elder Sage is so powerful!” a redhead across from me exclaims.
“Yeah he did that so easily!” the Sprout next to him says.
“I wonder when I’ll ever be so strong…”
“You? Never!”
“Hey!”
“Ahem,” The girl to my right – Lilian, clears her throat. “Let’s focus guys. So, what do we know about Demons?”
“They used to be humans!”
“They probably died a horrible death or have some strong obsession which is why they stick around instead of peacefully moving onto their next reincarnation.”
“The longer a Demon stays a Demon, the more evil it becomes.”
“There are three types of Demons!”
“Well, technically there are more than three, but only three that we’ve learned about.” Lilian corrects.
The redhead rolls his eyes, “Okay, there are three types of Demons that matter. Senthos, Dreadspawn and Vorathix.”
I’m doodling in my book as I listen to the others review what Elder Sage Herman has been teaching us.
“What are you drawing?” Lilian is leaning over me.
“A Vorathix.” I respond without thinking.
“You’ve seen one?”
I shrug. I don’t really want to talk about how I saw one munching on my father’s heart. They would either be horrified or think I’m lying.
“You haven’t said anything yet. Is there something you’d like to add?”
I shrug again. Lilian narrows her eyes at me but doesn’t push it. She turns back to everyone else. “Do you know anything about the other Demons?”
“Why, are you trying to go to the underworld?” the redhead waggles his eyebrows.
Lilian rolls her eyes. “I’m not suicidal. But just because other Demon types haven’t left the underworld in centuries doesn’t mean they never will. Shouldn’t we be more prepared?
“Yeah, might as well prepare for the sky to turn green and oceans to dry up while you’re at–” The redhead shuts up and his cheeks match his hair as he looks up with wide eyes. I turn around and find that Julian is behind me.
“Lilian makes a good point about being prepared. But why haven’t we taught you about the other Demon types yet?” Julian’s voice is warm and rich, pleasing to the ear. Hearing it so close to me makes me shiver.
“Because we’re Sprouts?” Lilian guesses.
“What’s the simplest answer?” Julian hints.
“Because you don’t know?” Lilian gasps.
“That’s right,” his smile is helpless. “The original Sages were so focused on eradicating the Demons they didn’t stop to differentiate and study them. Only after they fled to the underworld and humans could flourish in peace did the Sages slow down enough to notice their differences. But by then only three types continued to risk being hunted to show up to the human realm. There are some observations and theories of other Demon types gathered by the original Sages in the library if you’re curious but unfortunately there’s no concrete verified information. But when other Demon types show up again, maybe you can be the first to study them, and then come teach me.” He winks.
Lilian blushes and looks down.
Julian nods then resonance strides to a ring of Sprouts clear on the other side of the hall to say a few words. The way he moves so quickly without a pattern to chime in on conversations makes me realize he’s listening to every discussion. Nothing misses his crisp winter sky eyes and I feel embarrassed at my previously cocky attitude in thinking I could get away with spying on him at my current skill level.
I force myself to tear my gaze away from his perfect form and back to my open book. I wonder if he’ll teach me terramiming or resonance striding if I ask him to be my master.
No. I push away the temptation worming its way into my heart. Julian is a Guardian. I need to find a Hunter to be my master. Preferably one who specializes in tracking and killing rather than peeping at my emotions.
Actually the fact that this whole Sect specializes in peeping at and manipulating emotions and memories really rubs me the wrong way. Maybe it’s because I have too much to hide. I’m itching to get out of here and the last thing I need is to settle down here for the next several years by taking a master here.
I’m headed to the Harmonic Wave Sect next month, and that’ll be a much better place to settle down to learn all the tracking and energy art forms.
I rub the outline of the coin I wear around my neck through the thin fabric of my uniform. It used to be my mother’s. The hard coin next to my chest is a constantly reminder that I’m here with a purpose. I must get justice for my family who was wrongfully murdered and cursed.
And if there’s anything I’ve learned since their deaths, it’s that the world respects the strong and tramples on the weak. If I want justice, I have to become strong and do it myself.
Driven by vengeance, I know that if I die before I succeed I may very well become a Demon myself. That’s why I can’t let anyone find out why I’m really here. The Sages would never willingly raise a venomous snake. So I need to stay unnoticed for the next month and find a master who isn’t going to spy on my emotions. So definitely not Julian.
Because he’s the flame and I’m the moth, but I’m smarter than the inexplicable pull drawing me to him. I have to be.
