Chapter 6: Magic, and Council

It had already been one day since the tournament, and another sundown had passed, bringing us a new night. After we had enjoyed our ‘breakfast’, we had all headed to the classroom.

The first few classes were things like language and history, as well as tactics, but the interesting stuff came after that, later into the night. After all the knowledge classes had finished, it was time for our first magic class.

Magic class, was all about blood. As vampires, we possessed the innate ability to use blood magic, a powerful type of magic, using the blood in our bodies. Using blood magic, we could do many things, like shooting blasts, made out of blood, and even make blood swords.

It could also be used for many other, more practical things, like infusing items, like swords, with blood, or even infusing it into humans, temporarily bringing them under our control.

However, doing that, would make them into mindless puppets, until the effects were over. It was useless for things like, getting information, and making them assassinate someone.

This was all stuff we had learned in the class, and now it was time for practical exercises. That meant, it was time to learn how to use it.

“Alright kids, listen well to my words, because I don’t like repeating myself,” the woman, who was our teacher said. She had introduced herself as Miss Evergreen, a pretty ironic name, considering her expertise.

“You all need to calm your minds, and relax. Then you should look into the deepest parts of your mind, until you find the Source. The Source is where all your magical power stems from. It might take you a few tries, most of you won’t even find it today, but don’t worry. It most definitely is there; if it wasn’t you would be dead. Well deader than you already are,” Miss Evergreen said, smirking at her own joke; even though no one laughed.

At her instruction, everyone closed their eyes, and started to search their minds. I sat still, for about five minutes, just calming my mind, and trying to find a state of perfect relaxation. After calming my mind, I started searching my mind.

It was a weird feeling; I could actually see inside my mind. It was a foggy place, not being able to see more than three meters in front of me. I found that I could move around in there, even though I didn’t have a physical body.

It made sense, after all, I was inside my own mind. With my mind set, I started ‘walking’. I had this weird feeling, as if something was dragging me towards itself. I decided to grab unto the feeling; I doubt anything inside my own mind would try to hurt me.

I ‘walked’ around for a while, just following the mysterious feeling, and sure enough, I came to a place. This place, was even more mysterious; it was dark, and cold. I could feel a certain power, dwelling in the air, but it didn’t seem ‘awake’.

For some reason, it felt like the power was slumbering; in a very deep sleep. I ‘walked’ around the place, trying to see what clues I could find, but there was nothing there, except cold air, and a dark, dreadful aura. But the slumbering power, was always present; always sleeping.

But then, as I spent a few minutes there, I came upon a lake. The ‘lake’, was full of some sort of energy. I tried touching it, with my invisible hand, only to feel a bone piercing cold. It immediately shook me awake, in a cold sweat.

Miss Evergreen immediately noticed, and rushed over to me.

“Did you find it? What did you see?” She asked in a quick, almost panicky voice.

“There was a lake… I tried touching it, only to feel a terrifying cold,” I said, deciding not to hide it. I didn’t mention anything about that cold, dreadful power I could sense.

“You actually found it this quick. It’s only been a few minutes, yet you already found it! Truly a genius, as everyone says!” The woman said in an excited tone.

“Well, now that you’ve found the Source, you should be able to feel it at all times. So now, you should try drawing power from it. The size of your Source Lake, shows how much Source Energy you possess. The lake will grow with time, of course. Alright, while everyone else searches for their Source, you should practise extracting power from it.

Just look into your mind, and try to draw the power out into the outside world,” Miss Evergreen said, before going back to her desk. Obeying her words, I started to try and draw power from the so called ‘Source Lake’.

I closed my eyes, and focused on the lake, trying to draw the liquid out. At first, I could feel that I got a grasp of it, but it didn’t budge. I continued to try, until finally, I was able draw some of that liquid outside.

As it came out of my mind, I could feel it dispersing, into a gaseous cloud. As I opened my eyes, I did indeed see a crimson red cloud, in front of my face. Everyone around me still had their eyes closed.

“Ah, you succeeded! Great! It’s already been three hours, so it can be considered pretty good,” she said with a slightly smaller smile than before.

“What? It’s already been three hours?” I asked in surprise. Miss Evergreen nodded, with a slightly arrogant smile.

“Indeed, when you focus upon your Source Lake, trying to draw its power, time will pass much quicker than you would expect. Of course, this is only at first, when you just found it, and can’t use its power. It’s because your mind becomes so focused, that you won’t sense time passing. It’s completely normal,” she explained.

“I see,” I answered.

“Well, now that you have found the Source Lake, and are able to extract its power, you need to learn to use it for Blood Magic, but that will have to wait for next time. Class is about to end now,” she said.

Thus, I spent a few minutes waiting, until class was over. Since all classes were over, it was dinner time, where we would enjoy a nice, king sized chalice of blood. In the end, after class had finished, about half of the students managed to find their Source Lace, in the nick of time. Darren wasn’t one of them, but Eleana managed to find hers rather quickly, and Marinna found hers quickly as well.

While we were having our meal, we decided to talk about the magic class. Even though we were there, we didn’t know who managed to succeed or not, since we were all focused on ourselves.

“So Parmasus, did you manage to succeed? I myself, found the Source Lake very quickly,” Eleana said with a proud and haughty smile. I smiled back at her, as I said,

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“As far as I know, I was the first one to find it, and I even managed to extract the power from the Source Lake.”

Eleana’s eyes widened, at the realization that she wasn’t the quickest.

“What, you finished first? Are you sure? I found it in only thirty minutes,” she said, with an inquisitive expression. Her unwillingness managed to make me laugh.

“I only spent a few minutes, like five or ten, I’m not completely sure. But she did say I was a genius and no one had ever been as quick as me! Well, she didn’t say that no one found it as quickly as me, but she surely thought it!” I said, puffing my chest out, and pointing my chin to the ceiling. Eleana and Marinna laughed at my foolishness, while Darren only face palmed.

Now that I think about it, I did act kinda embarrassingly. But I was young, and had the personality of a child. After all, I never really got to grow up, even though I was nineteen years old. Growing up under constant beating, might make you mature, but it’s only a façade.

Without really experiencing parental love, without really having free will, or at least the illusion of free will, you won’t truly grow up. So I was still a bit of a child on the inside, but I only now got to unleash myself, and have fun.

It was a feeling I never had before. I never had friends when I lived with my parents, since I rarely even got to go out and play. With Palazar, sure I really liked it, but I was alone. There was only Palazar, old crow and I.

My days consisted of training, day in day out, and school. In what little free time I had, I spent it with the scrolls and texts. It was still a nice lifestyle though, since all the training and schooling gave me no time to truly be bored or lonely.

But now, I was suddenly surrounded by friends, people in a similar situation. There was even someone my own age here. It was a mystical feeling, the feeling of not being alone.

“Parmasus? Hey Parmy!” Darren shouted into my ear, shaking me awake.

“Huh, what?” I asked back. Darren shook his head.

“You were spacing out, staring at Eleana. Do you have a thing for her, or something?” Darren asked, causing not only me, but also Eleana to blush.

“What, I wasn’t staring at Eleana per se, I was just staring out into space. I was thinking how I finally have friends. I’m nineteen years old, yet I’ve never had a friend before, so it caught me unguarded for a bit,” I said, causing Eleana to blush even more, and Darren and Marinna to smile.

“Oh, I thought you were thinking about how much of a genius you are,” Darren said back, while hitting me on the shoulder.

“Hehe, I’m not that much of a genius, I just trained for four years straight, before coming here,” I admitted, but Darren only hit me on the shoulder again, while laughing.

“Haha, you’re too modest. No amount of training will allow you to find your Source Lake or whatever, in just five minutes! That’s talent!” Darren exclaimed.

“Yes you’re very talented, but you also have the lineage. I’ve been around a lot longer than you guys, so I know a bit. I’ve often heard about Executor Palazar, and I’ve read a bit about him too. He’s very powerful and esteemed, and he’s also one of the rare Death Seekers!” Marinna exclaimed with a weirdly proud expression, for some reason.

However, the three of us, just looked at her weirdly. We had no idea what she was talking about. Eventually, however, she noticed how we were looking at her.

“Oh, you don’t know what a Death Seeker is? That’s understandable, you’ve only been around for a few years. Well then, let me explain! The Death Seekers are a special kind of vampires. They are able to manipulate souls and control people, and they can even open the gates of Nefaris, and bring out the demonic beings of Nefaris. However, there aren’t many Death Seekers who can do this. I have no idea if Palazar is one of them,” Marinna explained.

I listened intently, as she explained. I really got more and more surprised by the day. There was so much I didn’t know about Palazar, which was weird, since he had treated me like I was his own son. But, a father may hide many things from his son.

Like that mission he spoke of. I still had no idea what it was about, whether it was dangerous or not. But for now, the only thing I could do, was go to this school, and graduate. Then I would try and become an Executor. But it would still take a few years, until I graduated.

While we were talking, a small group entered the feeding hall. There were five males, and one female. The female stood on the side of the one who seemed to be leading them. Young man, in his early twenties. He wore golden coloured clothes, matching his golden hair, as he confidently walked in our direction.

Yes, in our direction. Although, we had no idea who he was.

“Are you Parmasus, the fledgling of the Executor Palazar, and protégé of Nabalu?” He asked in a cold voice, but he didn’t seem threatening. He even seemed to be friendly in his own, weird way.

“Why yes, I am,” I answered to him, a bit interested in who this fellow was. I doubted he was here to seek trouble, I mean there shouldn’t be many people willing to seek trouble with someone with high standing, for no reason.

“I see, that’s good. My name is Basilio, and I’m from the Student Council. I’m here, to extend you an invitation, to join us. For further information, I ask that you come visit us tomorrow, after you’re finished with class. Will you come?” He said, with a very professional tone, as if he’d done this countless times before.

“The Student Council? It does sound interesting, so I’ll come,” I answered, and Basilio nodded his head, then turned back to where he came.

The next day, school passed, and I found myself outside the Student Council Office. There was a big door, twice as tall as me. I found myself a bit nervous, to even knock. However, after standing there, for a few minutes, I finally found the courage, to knock.

Only after the first knock, the door opened, and there stood a young female.

“Welcome, Mister Parmasus, please, come in,” the girl said, as she lead me inside. Inside the room, there were several desks, with people in front of them, as well as a few just standing around. The girl lead me over to a lone desk, at the end of the room. Behind the desk, a young man sat.

He seemed well groomed, and of high stature, as if a position of power, was only natural to him. He raised his head, with a smile, as he saw us coming towards him.

“Ah, you must be Parmasus,” he said. I nodded my head, to confirm.

“Yes that would be me,” I said.

“Hmm, you look, awfully young. Not what I was expecting, but then again, you never know what to expect with our kind. Well, as you probably know, I’ve summoned you here, to invite you to join our little Council. Since the new school year just started, it means that we need to recruit new members. And you’ve built yourself quite the rep, in the past few days. You also have status, so you meet all of the requirements. So what do you say, will you join us?” The young man asked.

“I might. What exactly would I have to do, if I join up?” I asked.

“Well, that depends on what position you get. If you become a secretary, you can expect a lot of paperwork, or you could join the fund managing team. You see, we get a fund from the school, which we use for various things every year. The fund managing team are in charge of the money.

Or you could join the disciplinary committee, who are in charge of making sure no one breaks the rules. Basically, it’s the militia of our school. But for now that doesn’t matter. You don’t actually get to choose. We will examine your skills, through a test, and what we know about you, and then your position will be decided,” he said. It seemed interesting enough, and I didn’t really mind not having control of where I would end up. It gave it an element of surprise.

“Alright, I’ll join you,” I finally decided. The young man, who still hadn’t introduced himself, smiled at my decision.

“Great! Well then, follow Julie here, and she’ll take you to the test. There are already a few others there,” he said, and I followed Julie, into a side room. Inside the room, there were already two others, writing something on a scroll.

Julie led me to a seat, and then gave me a scroll, as well as a pen. Thus, I proceeded to take the test. There were various questions and problems on it, testing both my mentality, as well as my math skills. There were also a lot of grammatical problems, testing my language skills. In the end, however, it didn’t take too long to finish, and I gave it back to Julie.

She was quite impressed at me being able finish it so quickly, and told me to come back tomorrow, for the results.

End of chapter 6.