Realm of Monsters

Loh barged into the principal’s reception room. She glanced at the vampiress secretary sitting behind her desk. “Is he here?”

“Welcome back, Professor Noir. Lord Noir is in his office.” The secretary bowed her head and pointed to the door beside her desk.

“Perfect.”

Loh pushed the door open with her foot and strode into her grandfather’s office. He was sitting at his desk, sifting through some documents.

“It seems you’ve finally returned, took you long enough,” he said without glancing at her.

“How did you know it was me?”

“Simple,” he looked up. “You are the only one who dares enter my office without knocking.”

“That’s because I’m the only one who’s not afraid of an old man,” she crossed her arms.

“Doubtful.” Elzri swiped his finger in the air. The door slammed shut behind her.

“Neat parlor trick. Do you use it to scare people every time they visit your office?”

“I have no need to scare you. You’re already afraid, it’s why you keep talking rubbish.”

Loh’s lips formed a thin line, but she stayed quiet.

“Now, if you are quite done with your drivel, tell me why you are here. Otherwise, leave my office, I am busy.”

Loh chuckled, “Ah, right, the new school year starts in a few days. You must be swamped with paperwork. But, then again I’ve always known you to be methodical and practical. You wouldn’t have left so much work for the end. So, what are you really up to?”

Elzri tapped his finger on the desk, “Work. I’m evaluating the incoming 2nd year students. We have lost every single Great Cities Tourney for the past 6 years including this spring’s fiasco. Our constant and complete defeat at the tourney does not just reflect this academy’s failings, but House Noir’s as well. We cannot afford to continue looking weak in front of the entire Realm.”

“And by we, I assume you mean House Noir, not the academy,” Loh raised an eyebrow.

“By we I mean Hollow Shade. If the academy and one of the seven Ruling Families seems weak, then it shows Hollow Shade may not be as impenetrable as she seems. It opens the possibility for dissent within the Realm. We already have the least magi among the Four Great Cities and our relation with Undergrowth is tenuous at best. Imagine what would happen if Frost Rim and Murkton felt the same? How many countless people would suffer if war broke out?”

“You’re really worried about this aren’t you?” 

“Obviously, these are the sort of worries that a wise family leader must have if they are to lead the people of Hollow Shade. You would do well to learn.”

Loh found herself reluctantly nodding. She cleared her throat, “So, what is the plan then? Train the 3rd-years more thoroughly for the tourney?”

“If only. They’re already a lost cause, their skills are dismally average. The four magi the Great Cities send to the tourney are expected to be the best of their generation, true talents whose abilities surpass all those around them. Our 3rd-years are nothing of the sort. If we had more time, then perhaps we might have come up with something, but it’s too late for them.”

Loh sat down on a chair in front of Elzri’s desk. “So, what? We’re just expected to lose the tourney again?” 

Elzri leaned back in his own chair, “Basically, yes. We’ll be sending them into the dragon's den so-to-speak.”

“Wow, great plan, gramps.”

“My plan threw the 3rd-years out of the equation long ago. Our focus must now be on the 2nd-years. A few of them have shown promise and we still have time. We’ll single out the best among their year, then we’ll place the chosen few in the same class and give them more training and attention. Ideally, they will be ready to obtain victory by the end of their third year.”

“The plan seems solid enough. Have you managed to figure out which students to focus on?” Loh asked.

“So far I have singled out seven students among the 2nd-year class. Strangely, six of them seem to have been in the same class last year, class 1-C.” Elzri pointed to the sheets of paper on the desk.

“That’s Stryg’s class.”

“Yes, an odd coincidence to say the least. Or perhaps fate has her hand in our affairs.”

“Please, don’t go down that route. I’m not up for a philosophical debate,” she groaned. 

“Neither am I.” He lifted the first sheet, “The first of the potentials is a brown mage, an orc by the name of Kegrog. In terms of magic he is the least promising of the group, but we have little to work with.”

“I remember him, big fella. I don’t recall being impressed by his magic at all.”

“That’s because it isn’t. He has done well in his classes and his spellcasting has improved, but it's nothing out of the ordinary. Still, barring dires, he is one of the largest orcs I’ve ever seen. Only Lord Katag is larger and that man may as well be a dire orc. Kegrog’s size coupled with chromatic brown’s vigor spell-form will prove a useful combination in battle.”

“That’s if he can actually put that strength to use. Last I checked, he simply relied on his brute strength in hand-to-hand combat, there was no real semblance of martial arts.”

Elzri smiled, “Kegrog takes a few archery classes in the martial academy during his spare time. I wondered how he managed to afford this while only being a commoner. It turns out he has a scholarship with them. The martial academy really wanted him as one of their students. You see, Kegrog was the only participant in the last twenty years to score a perfect 10 in their archery examination.”

“Well, damn,” Loh whistled.

“We have been training Kegrog wrong. Starting this year we will have him focus more on ranged combat, not melee. We’ll also help him improve his vigor spell-form over his enchanting. Lastly, Kegrog will be allowed to continue to attend his archery classes in the martial academy.”

“In other words, we’re raising one of the most potentially dangerous snipers in all the Ebon Realm, perfect.”

Elzri raised his index finger, “He’s only the first of our potentials. The next two are scions from Ruling Families. Freya Goldelm and Callum Veres. Freya wasn’t born with the Goldelm’s iconic brown magic, but she is a dual manifold mage. Her orange and white magic is among the top of her classes.”

Ezlri handed Loh a few of the student profiles, “Callum also does not have his family’s iconic black magic, nor has the hybrid vampire shown any notable mutations. Even his red magic did not seem particularly promising. Fortunately, Callum’s talent in white magic rivals Freya’s. With the proper training he could prove to be a powerful mage.”

“I guess we lucked out in having two children from the Ruling Families,” Loh read over their profiles. 

“Our luck does not end with the aristocrats. We have a very peculiar commoner, a dwarf by the name of Kithina. At first glance she seems to be a simple chromatic yellow. To her credit, her spellcasting is well above the average, just not as skilled as Freya. However, Kithina has shown a very interesting trait. She is able to multicast two spells at once.”

“I remember. When I first saw her multicast, I was stunned,” Loh nodded.

“Only magi who have attained the rank of master can reliably multicast and this girl isn’t even an adept yet. I have high hopes for her.”

“I couldn’t agree more. Any other uniquely talented magi I should know about?”

“You tell me. What is your opinion on the human Nora Azol?” Elzri asked.

“Well, she is horrid in combat. I don’t think she’s yet to win a single one-on-one duel in any of my classes. Though, in group battles, when her teammates were placed in danger, she showed a remarkable level of prowess and sheer will. Her torrent spells would suddenly rise in power, one time she even managed to create water, not simply manipulate it.”

“No small feat for a novice blue mage,” Elzri wrote something down in his ledger.

“That leaves two people. I think I can guess who you had in mind,” she smiled wryly.

Elzri clasped his hands, “The Gale family’s renown is understated in my opinion. Clypeus is only 19, yet he is already a swordmaster. He is also at the top of every single one of his classes and his green and yellow magical skills are well beyond the rest of his classmates. Clypeus Gale is without a doubt a true talent, a future mage lord in the making.”

“I agree, Clypeus has great potential. I don’t doubt he’ll be leading our tourney’s chosen four next year.” Loh sifted through the sheets, “There is only one 2nd year whose skill rival’s Clypeus’ own.”

Elzri pulled the last sheet among his stack of papers, “You mean our secret prodigy? I’ve been meaning to discuss that matter with you. After reviewing Stryg’s records I came to a few conclusions. The first being, despite his obvious magical talent, he is not skilled in every spell-form, as evidenced in his abysmal necromancy scores.”

“Yeah, he struggled with that,” Loh admitted.

“Yet he managed to still score top grades in the class thanks to his overwhelming skill with the shadow spell-form. From what you’ve told me he also excelled in drain spells. Have you begun training him in the other grey spell-form?”

“No. I decided to wait until we got back to the academy before teaching him curse spells. Our library has ample information regarding the arcane language. It’ll take some time learning and writing the arcane words, but I have no doubt that Stryg will manage.”

“What of his orange magic?”

Loh shrugged, “Honestly? The kid’s talent shows, he is a natural. More than that, I don’t think there is any 2nd-year chromatic orange who can challenge him. Hell, I’m not sure there are any 3rd-years who can.”

Elzri tapped his fingers on the table in thought, “We already knew he scored dark in each chromatic color, but it is good to hear he has shown proficient aptitude nonetheless. From what you’ve told me, the goblin hybrid has several powerful mutations, ranging from physical strength to heightened senses and durability, and even rapid healing. I’ve never seen a hybrid with so many mutations. It’s already very rare to see a hybrid with a single mutation, let alone half a dozen.”

“True. Stryg’s magical and physical traits could make him one of the most powerful magi in the Realm, maybe even stronger than you,” she smirked.

“That’s what worries me, Loh. That boy has gifts beyond exceptional. That’s why I read every single note his professors remarked about him and my conclusions were not promising. Stryg has shown time after time aggressive tendencies, an inability to work with others, and a lack of empathy bordering on sociopathic inclinations.”

“Oh, come on. Stryg is not a sociopath,” Loh laughed. “He’s from a Sylvan tribe, the most war-like people in the Realm... From the stories he’s told me it sounds like he was abused and neglected growing up and Stryg doesn’t even realize it! He isn’t a monster, he’s just... damaged and maybe a bit awkward.”

“Do not let your own feelings of the past cloud your opinion of the boy. Childhood damage can warp people in ways one would not expect, we both know this to be true.”

“What are you saying?” Loh frowned.

“Stryg one day could hold great influence and power within this Realm. You asked for my help because you wish for that power to not endanger our people. But, if Stryg turns out unwittingly to be a danger to the Realm, how would you stop him?”

“Stryg would never be a threat to us.”

“Loh, consider all the possibilities.”

“Fine,” she sighed. “For sake of argument, if a person with Stryg’s abilities were to become our enemy, then we’d handle him the same way anyone handles a more powerful opponent, in large numbers.”

“You forget what his power signifies. Who is to say he won’t have powerful allies willing to protect him? To use him for their own gain?”

Loh shook her head, “Okay, let’s assume everything we do from this point on fails spectacularly and Stryg becomes a threat to Hollow Shade. Even if all else fails, he would eventually be defeated the same way every powerful mage who wasn’t killed by his enemies were. Time. No one is immortal, give them two hundred years at best and they die like anyone else.”

“That is a defeatist mentality, Loh. I taught you better than that.”

“No, I’m just not paranoid enough to believe my own apprentice wants to kill us all. He’s a good kid at heart... unlike most of us.”

“Possibly. But, good people can break like any other. Also, you did not consider Stryg’s incredibly rare healing mutation. That alone will most likely grant him a longer lifespan than any of us. Who knows how long he could live, 300 years, 400?”

“So, what’s your point?” She furrowed her brow.

“My point is we need to be careful on how we proceed with your apprentice. Stryg should stay hidden until he is ready to face the world’s dangers, I’m not sure the tourney is the best place for him. Sending him to Undergrowth for the tourney next year may not be very prudent. The last thing we want is war with the other Great Cities.”

Loh shook her head, “Stryg is more than capable of staying out of trouble when he wants to. I trust Stryg and I believe in him. If you trust me then trust him. In other words, do me a favor and stop worrying so much. What’s more important right now is finding him suitable teachers to train him in his other chromatic colors. Without proper control he risks exposing his abilities by accident.”

“Finding the right teachers has proven a more difficult task than I previously believed. Still, I have managed to find three. I would have had four, there was one promising high-master green mage in Undergrowth, but House Thorn got in my way and got to her first.”

“Figures, the Thorns are always getting in the way,” Loh grumbled.

“I can’t blame them, Hollow Shade’s Ruling Families did take their rightful legacy. Not that it matters, I think all seven Ruling Families would agree they would do it again if given the chance.”

“Why am I not surprised?” Loh laughed. “Did you even find any promising teachers who can keep a secret and are actually loyal?”

“You’d be surprised,” Elzri waved his hand, the door swung open. “You can bring him in now.”

“Yes, my lord,” the secretary nodded from her desk. She got up and left.

“You knew I was coming?” Loh asked.

“I had some watchers placed at the major gates of the city, so yes, I did,” he smiled.

The secretary returned a moment later. She stood next to the doorway and bowed, “I have brought him as requested.”

A handsome drow dressed in a dark purple jacket walked in, “Good afternoon, Lord Elzri.” He glanced over, “Hello, Loh, you’re as beautiful as ever.”

She slowly turned to her smiling grandfather, Bastard.

Loh took a deep breath and stood up, “Hello, Vayu.”

~~~

Feli slipped under the blankets and found Stryg’s sleeping face next to her. She poked him in the cheek. His closed eyes scrunched up, his brow furrowed, and his mouth twisted.

Feli giggled, “Wake up, sleepyhead.”

“I don’t want to,” he mumbled.

Stryg pulled the naked Feli closer and nestled his head between her breasts.

“We can’t stay like this forever, you know,” she played with his long hair.

“Why not? I like it here.”

“Because there is something I need to tell you.”

He cracked one lilac eye open, “Which is?”

Her lips curled, “Happy Birthday, Stryg.”