The Wielder of Death Magic

1096 Lucifer’s Academy

Ragno, Lucifer’s realm. A new place for a fresh start. From a top-down view, there rested two imposing figures in the Academy Town, dubbed Anstro. One, the academy, built in the middle, around which the town expanded, and the cathedral, placed to the north, after crossing a river and ending on a hill. There wasn’t much in the way of protection for those two held onto stone walls as the perimeter. Those residents of the outer walls were content with nature. As a whole, the various lands and factions were somewhat separated. Forest dwellers, river folks, mountain people – numerous names for their individual traits. The town is separated into four segments; outer, middle, inner, and central.

From outer to central, the outer referred to outside the town. This meant the forests or fields could be considered the outside, well, all that was outsides in simple terms. This included a few villages built to the southwest, the working class; farmers, or otherwise, low-ranking demons. The middle sector, else the start of the residential district. It circled the academy like the other sectors, and here, there was space between houses, a buffer point for import and export. Next, came the wall separating the middle and inner, and afterward, the inner town. Here, real estate was compact and beautifully built. The streets were cleaner and more refined to the view. It had to be for the town’s administrative buildings, trading headquarters, guilds, and much of what went into a town’s lively hood. It also includes taverns, inns, and the occasional brothel. The inner sector is also the largest sector width-wise and covers an area twice that of the middle segment. From the inner to the central, there’s another wall built for separating’s sake. The tightly packed inner town would have spilled onto the academy ground if not for said separation. Built with wood and resting on grass and greenery, one wouldn’t guess after the grass rested the prominent academy, which brings the Central section, or otherwise the Academy. Not much to say about the place – used for studying and training, students from all over Lucifer’s domain come to study, and counts as one of few learning institutions scattered around.

‘Basic layout,’ Igna dropped in his chair and puffed, ‘-a weeks’ gone by,’ he turned and faced a massive window giving onto the training field. Spells were cast, students cried their hearts, some did lap, ‘-the school reopens today. The students look scared, are they afraid of another attack?’

*Knock, knock,*

“Enter.”

“Director.”

“Luci, a pleasant surprise. You’re here early. You bring me news?”

“Yes, I’ve compiled a summary of how the school works. Would you care to read?”

He gestured to the table, Luci placed the file, and stood firmly, “-before the report, I must know, how is the reparation coming along?”

.....

“As Director of the Academy, the burden of town stewardship falls under thy jurisdiction. My lord, you must appoint someone as your secretary, for it was the same for the previous director. Your duties will be split between academy and town, it’s an important position.”

Igna looked at Luci coldly, “-I asked a question.”

“My apologies,” he swallowed hard, “-building repairs are complete. The evacuees have returned, and the dead have been buried according to tradition. There’s news from the Aedric academy, the loss of their students, one of ’em was the heir to a high-ranking demon in council. They’re using their presence to pressure the academy and are trying to foil our reputation. This has caused quite some concerns as our working class are also adventurers.”

“Placing the blame of their blunder on us. How pleasant,” he puffed, “-I’ll handle the town’s affair in the evening. Send the word, I think the time’s right to make my authority known. Bring only those involved with the town’s rulership, I won’t stand for outsiders.”

Luci’s expression, ‘-he wants to say something,’ Igna observed, ‘-but can’t. What is he thinking?’

“Director, I need to know.”

“Go ahead.”

“Are you going to abandon Ragno after you’re done?”

“Pardon?”

“I investigated. I had word from sources about your actions in Orin and how you always placed the burden of work on another. Though tis, not my place to interject, the Aapith nation works differently.”

“Leaving?” he paused, “-it’ll depend on circumstances. Put your mind at ease. Ragno is home,” and spun the chair, ‘-it’s the perfect foothold in conquering the Aapith Nation. I don’t have my connections or influence. If this was Orin, I’d have called éclair for help or just pressure the other nation with our superior forces. Looks like I’ll have to go back to old-school methods. Let’s play it by ear, I’m wary of Zeus and Artanos, they mentioned getting what they needed. I checked and found nothing.’

“Director?”

“Luci, you’re a professor, right?”

“Correct.”

“Did anyone quit their job?”

“No, professors here are also members of the town’s guard force. They’re chosen from the best and have spent a minimum of five years before their certification. It’s a respectable job with good political influence.”

“Have the members meet me in the faculty office in,” a glance at the watch, “-fifteen minutes.”

“Understood,” he tipped and left.

‘Now, the report,’ he opened the file, “-an academy is a place for demons of all races to come and study. Over the years, the prestige of Lucifer’s academy, bolstered by the King of Hell leading the school, brought only the more talented students – a clear hierarchy based on merit sharpened the quality of the students. Au fil du temps the vision changed from quality to ranking – such, the Aedric aristocracy got into the Academy’s pockets. Lucifer, forced to accept their demands – was faced with a tough decision. He opted to allow the prestige of the aristocracy to remain, after all, the nobles want but their wealth and superiority to be displayed. To counter their plan and allow the fine quality of breed, he instate the Merit system, which, allowed anyone to enter after passing their exams. Some say, the idea came to the director after he had a trip overseas.” Igna lifted his gaze, ‘-sounds awfully like Claireville Academy,’ and returned, “-the students, depending on their abilities and craft, will be placed into two factions. Intellect and Practical; the former is based solely on a person’s wit and ability to overcome mental quandaries. These students are referred to as Academics and are led by the Arch-Demon, Skeptor of the East. The Practical students are those with combat abilities; we say gifted but is the dumping area for commoners who entered the academy through the merit system. These students are referred to as Students and nothing else. Some have gone on to become well-known fighters in the Aedric army, and some are under the employment of the other Kings of Hell. As a domain built for fostering new blood, Lucifer opposed creating an army of his own, and instead, in line with keeping the balance of power, allowed the other kings to send and take troops per the chosen’s discretion. As for the Academics, many of them are advisors in noble courts, and as a whole, the Aapith Nation lives off one another. Academy ground, when viewed from above, can be seen as a mirror if a line was placed diagonally. The Southwest L shape building has reflected the northeast. The middle holds the training yard and gymnasium. Southwest and Northeast, the Academics and the Practical. Coincidently, the director’s office is built in the Academic quarters, as for other administrative buildings, they’re built around the academy and within the Central Sector. As for those influential within the courts and academy, director, such is up to thee for discover,’ the report drifted onto the table, a gust shuttered the window, ‘-this place is a bad joke. Even here there’s the deal of politics and family bloodlines. I do suppose greed, envy, and pride to be more prominent – we’re in hell. Good thing I have experience dealing with this sort of thing. Decades of being a nobody to ruler has granted me the best gift anyone could wish for – knowledge and experience. Skeptor of the East’s a man not of the academy. Most likely someone sent by the other school to observe our activities. The Academic unit is for nobles and the other for commoners. He did steal the idea of Claireville Academy, or was it the other way around? I don’t much care for the answer,’ he stood, pressed the cigarette, threw on the suit-jacket, and headed to the faculty office. ‘-Five floors,’ he examined both buildings, ‘-they resemble one another, yard for the students and a library for the academics, albeit the library is behind this building,’ he walked through the corridors and watched through the windows – there, in the yard, a talented young man swung his sword intently, ‘-a the third year?’ he stopped momentarily, ‘-a fire burns deep within. I remember him, isn’t that the kid from the battle?’

“ARDE!” muffled a distant scream, “-we need to shower, come on.”

“Yeah, yeah,” he rested his sword, “-I’ll be there.”

‘He’s popular with the ladies,’ Igna narrowed, ‘-yeah, look at the admiration on the girl’s faces, even the boys. He’s the real deal,’ and before Igna knew it, he was leaned out the window and watching youth in action, ‘-aren’t those?’

“Damned pests. I thought they died in the battle. Why are they still alive?”

“I heard someone new is here to replace the old director.”

“The academy is washed anyway, there’s no prestige left, not after that fiasco. My father told me to consider transferring.”

“You going to transfer?”

“Hell no,” they laughed, “-we’re at home here. We don’t care about prestige, long as we can look down on them, it’s worth every penny. Anyway, let’s go, lord Skeptor’s returning today.”

Igna reopened his eyes, ‘-no prestige, Skeptor. Are they that dumb to accept such a trivial scheme? I’ll have to gauge Skeptor first – he strikes me as someone who’s bitten more than he can chew, or otherwise an idiot with a thirst for power. The Academics’ are no good either, well, if they want to harass the practical, it’s fine by me. One must strive to better oneself, and if they don’t realize said lesson, I doubt this place would have been standing for all this time. Lucifer, you were conniving until the very end, nothing brings people together like a common enemy, the Academics and physical how very simple and effective.’

The faculty room, built on the third floor on the western wing, carried a sense of pride. The halls leading there were covered in shelves that displayed previous alumni’s achievements. There were pictures shared with Kings, ‘-who are these faces?’ he exhaled.

“Why are we convening here, you people have your own quarters to discuss school matters. We’re still unsure about how the academy will move forward. How will the administration take responsibility for the whole dead thing.”

“I understand your concern, however, you must realize, lord Skeptor, we were ordered by the Director to meet. Therefore, by his authority, we obey.”

“I don’t care,” he thundered, “-this school has been run for generations with a clear separation of class for the betterment of the students. Tell me, Luci, where were you when the battle broke, I’m thankful for my quick wit, without me, this place would have been overrun by monsters and my students placed in jeopardy.”

*Click,* he slid open the door, Igna entered with an otherworldly aura of confidence. A mixture of class and refinement was about his presence, the bi-colored pupils intently scanned everyone present, he kept lingering pauses at the ladies and short but powerful burst towards the men.

“WHO IS THAT?”

Igna flat-out ignored the outburst and walked at his pace, he joined Luci’s side and stared down the room.

“LUCI!”

He looked at the rude personage emptily, “-who might that be, Luci?”

“Skeptor of the East.”

“I see, Skeptor of the East,’ he ignored the imposing figure and looked towards the others, “-good morning, professors. Starting today, I’m the new Director of the Academy, Igna Haggard, you can call me Death,” a cold, heartless mist befell the atmosphere, ‘-this might be fun.’