Darkness Ignite

Chapter 9

Nesrin

The academy was exploding with talk since it was announced Taniser would participate. Not much changed, except for the presence of two robed figures.

The Scribes.

They were always lurking, hidden in the shadows of the hallways and present during lessons. They appeared four days after the drawing. They never spoke or engaged in any type of socializing, from what I saw. They only stood there watching us. Analyzing, studying.

It was on the second day of their visit that I came within a foot of one. I had been in the changing room, switching out of my uniform and into my training suit. I was running later than usual that day. I rushed out of the changing room as I was still zipping up the suit. It kept getting stuck, however, so I was continuously tugging at the fabric.

I wasn't paying attention when I bumped into him. This Scribe was taller and more narrow than the other one, who was a moderate height and a bit broad in the shoulders. I assumed they were male without much thought. In my head it seemed fitting. To my surprise, though, it was a woman.

"Pardon me," I said with force. It took everything in me not to make a disgruntled sound at my late arrival for combat. Guard Marty made me do extra work after the lesson was over.

I didn't receive a reply, it didn't matter to me as long as I could make it to my lesson.

She wore the same dark violet robe with a hood over her head. The robe looked heavy on her slim shoulders. Still, I doubt that it weighed her down. The fabric reached all the way from her neck to her toes. Her hand being the only skin exposed. The color of the robe was a stark contrast against her pale skin. Made her glow in an odd way.

Her eyes were something of another world. Her iris was black with a crimson red outline. The red looked like it was shifting around in swirls around the iris. I couldn't stop myself from staring, it was so strange.

Her voice was even more strange.

"If you don't agree, those you love will pay," she said. Her voice carried the sound of harsh winds and disastrous storms, but if I listened closely I could hear the whisper that underlined it. It sounded like a voice that would sing beautifully if it weren't a stranger to it.

Before I could inquire for more, she vanished. I saw no trace of her where I stood, like she was never even there.

I doubt she meant it as a threat. I believed it was a warning. From the way her eyes shined, I knew she had more to say. I wanted her to say more. But she vanished, as though she wasn't meant to be there.

That same day I was called down to the training room. I wasn't the only one. By the time I made it to the two large doors at the entrance, others were already gathering. I had the same confused expression as they did. Walking into the room didn't ease me either.

There were roughly 30 others who stood on the floor of the training room. Amongst them was Issay, one of few students who tolerated my presence. She turned to me when I approached her.

"Do you have any idea what's going on?" I asked.

"I assume the Throne Trials have something to do with this." She shook her head. She wore the same uniform as mine except her top three buttons were left undone. Her emerald eyes shifted around the room, scrutinizing everything.

We stayed like that for a while. No one knew why they were called down to the training room. However, I did notice that everyone seemed to have something in common. They were the same students that excelled in the academy. It wasn't hard to notice. They held themselves with an air of arrogance and confidence. Their backs straight, chin high, and eyes narrowed, they were wolves.