Volume 2, Chapter 11: Kelaila Shadow and Hidden Intentions

“Hmm, interesting. It seems that the globe cannot determine your affinity, though I can see that you have magic in you,” the superior of the administrator said. “Perhaps you have a variant of one of the four common affinities, though the globe should have told us of which affinity the variant belongs to.”

The thin man with the mustache—the superior—muttered to himself for a while. “The globe does not seem defective either.”

“Ahem,” the younger administrator coughed loudly, trying to catch his superior's attention.

“Ah right, right,” the thin, older man said, turning toward me. “The administration shall put you as undetermined for now. It could be that you have a unique magic that is blocking the globe's magic. Anyway, Alzeroth has told me of your role as a bodyguard for student Calina, so we need not really determine your magic, as you will be a special student, an exception you could even say.”

“Ah, thank you,” I said in a polite tone, while thinking of the disaster I had narrowly avoided. It was a good thing, for I had doubts about taking on the majority of the mages in Shail Kingdom. That would have been plain suicidal.

There was a fierce light in the older man's eyes as they look upon me. “I would, however, love to help you find out what your magic is. Sadly, I do not have the time. Perhaps, later...when I am free...”

“Ahem.”

“Right, right. That will be all. You three may go obtain your class schedules and find out your dorm rooms now. It should be fairly quick, I believe.”

<><><><><>

“Fairly quick,” turned out to be a relative term. It took another hour for Phan Tsu and Calina to obtain their class schedules and for the three of us to obtain our academy-provided housing rooms.

All of our rooms, as it turned out, were near each other. Phan Tsu had room 324, Calina had 327, and I had 328.

As for me, I did not have a class schedule because I was a special student. Instead, I would be accompanying Calina to her classes.

There were, I found out, no distinction between the academy rooms. Almost all of them were single rooms with a bed, a set of drawers, a chair, a work desk, and a small bathroom. Likewise, my room was no exception.

The prim woman whom we had spoken to for our rooms had also said that every student is only allowed to wear academy uniforms. No other garments were acceptable, because each student will be provided four sets of academy uniforms, even sleep wear and shoes. This rule was to be effective immediately the day after tomorrow, when classes would begin.

Ah yes, it also seems that each academy room can only be opened by the designated student living inside it. The doors were designed to imprint each student's unique magic signature, which was done through a flat circular disk of a silver hue given to each student. After the imprinting was done, the disk would no longer be needed.

An interesting magic, I must admit. I was curious as to how it worked.

I sat down on the simple chair inside my room. But before I could ponder about what to do next, I heard a knock on the door. I had a pretty good idea as to who it was before I even opened the door. After all, I could count the number of students who knew me here on one hand. That, and I had never been to this place before. Hah.

“Hello, slave.”

I looked at the expressionless girl in front of me, contemplating on what she wanted. Her short black hair was as neat as ever and there was a small hair-clip in the shape of a wolf affixed to the side of her hair.

Yes, as I said before, I am a very observant dragon.

“Hello, Calina,” I said politely. I figured I should no longer keep on calling her mistress as that would attract attention. It would be unwise to do so when I had dark plans broiling in my mind, all of them geared toward vengeance.

Calina softly sighed at that. “I suppose I should tell you the real reason I brought you here as my bodyguard. It would leave a distasteful feeling if you were to die without knowing why.”

“Die?”

“Father,” she continued, undeterred by my question, “is in a conflict with a few other northern nobles. Fearing that I could be in danger, he has tried multiple times to assign bodyguards for me.” Her grey eyes turned hard as they looked into my own green eyes. “I declined them all. Still, he kept on assigning bodyguards. Finally, I became fed up with it and chose my own guard, namely you, since I had heard a bit about you.”

There was a small pause before she continued. “It is disgusting that there are so much rivalry between father and the other nobles. This was the cause of my mother's illness too.”

Calina fell silent, unwilling to supply more information.

I ventured a guess. “Assassins?”

She hesitated, a little unsure, before nodding briefly. It made me believe that assassins were probably just a small part of what she was not saying.

“You must guard your life too, since you have chosen to accompany me. It seems to me that you are not deterred by names or insults. I have tried multiple times and given you many chances over the past few days to make you leave me.” Calina gave a small, weak laugh. “You, however, are stubborn beyond belief. Or you could be just uncaring. I do not know what to make of you.”

Calina walked closer toward me, until we were barely apart from each other. Then she went on her tip-toes and laid a small kiss upon my left cheek. There was a hint of a blush on her face as she half-attempted to avoid my eyes. “Right...also, you need not guard me. I give you free reign over yourself. You decide.”

After saying that, Calina left in full haste, not even looking back once.

My left hand consciously went toward my left cheek, at the spot where she had kissed me. It had been a chaste kiss.

“Hmm...” I spoke softly to myself, “I had not expected this.”

I closed the door to my room and went back to sit down on the chair. I had a small appointment tomorrow to undergo measurements for my uniform, but Calina's revelation had left me much to ponder about. I was missing many pieces of information about the political situation the northern region was in. The most important question, however, was—

Would this affect Malice or even the eastern region of Shail Kingdom? Perhaps the rivalry between the northern nobles was only a herald, an undercurrent to something far greater?

Ashes. I dislike lacking information.

<><><><><>

Night passed by quickly with a meal at one of the many cafeterias of Shail Mage Academy. The softness of the freshly baked bread, the savory taste of the potato and chicken soup, and the grilled beef were a delight.

I found out from the many stares our group received that Phan Tsu and Calina were a famous duo around the academy. Collectively, both of them were known as the “Master and Pet” duo among the various students. The two of them were also included in the Mage Academy's few unique magic users—mages who were blessed with unique magic.

My white hair and Phan Tsu's array of wooden puppets ranging from doll sizes to three feet did not help decrease the many stares. “Dog,” “Pet,” or Phan Tsu, had also dyed his bright pink hair into a jet-black color after Calina had commented that she did not like his new hair color. She also said that long hair did not suit him, so he had cut it short.

It seemed to me that Calina had become much more friendlier. Was the cause of it due to her confession as to why she had chosen me as her bodyguard? Oh well, there was no use wondering at such small things.

Through some of the conversations I had, I discovered that Phan Tsu's unique magic was the ability to animate wood, a variant of the common earth magic affinity, with just a touch. There were limits such as the wood must remain in contact with him and that once it goes past a certain size, it would be impossible with his amount of magic.

Calina's unique magic was Augmentation, a magic where she could strengthen her own power or boost the magic of others. There were limits to this also, but Calina had not explained it fully.

This was, more or less, how the night went before we all went back to our rooms.

<><><><><>

{271 Days Remaining}

“Is this really necessary for taking my measurements?” I asked in an indifferent tone while the female tailor measured my half-naked body; to be precise, my waist.

The woman currently measuring my waist was a big-breasted female of perhaps twenty-six or so. She had bright, blonde hair and a pair of glasses nestled on top of her high nose. Her light blue eyes were sparkling with amusement.

“Of course,” she said, her hands deftly touching my chest and waist. The tailor then proceeded toward my shoulders. “I heard about a slight disruption that occurred yesterday at the administration. Was it you?”

I was about to answer, but the woman cut me off before I could even begin.

“That was a rhetorical question, love. You are the only student with white hair in this academy.”

“I see.”

“Haha, I like your attitude, love,” the tailor said, her free hand slapping my ass.

“...”

“I see you do not like that,” the tailor said, her hands ruffling my hair similar to the way one would do to a pet dog. “Oh gosh, how is your hair so silky!”

“Please. Do not do that again.”

“Hah, you are so shy, love,” the tailor said, putting away her measuring tool. “Alright, I am finished with you now. Your sets of uniform shall be delivered to you just like all the other students this afternoon.”

That was how my morning appointment with that female tailor of the Mage Academy went. She had been, to say the least, a very direct woman. Befitting of her pretty and confident appearance, I suppose. But what did I know?

Women are strange creatures. Trust me on that.

<><><><><>

After that morning appointment with the tailor, I went to the academy security building to claim back my longsword, which they had confiscated for the time being. The Mage Academy's security force were known as Enforcers and each of the academy's guard had the power to quell any troubles or conflicts they saw.

It took quite a while before I received my weapon along with their express permission and a warning to not draw my weapon on academy grounds. It took even further to convince them to grant permission on whether I could do practices with the weapon on academy grounds.

All that said and done, I practiced the Wandering Flame style at an isolated place of the academy grounds, near one of its many forest. The academy Enforcers had reluctantly given permission to practices on the condition that I could only do so in isolated areas, away from crowds.

After practicing, I used the “free reign” Calina had given me, and left the academy grounds to head toward the nearby southern town. It was the place where Veena would be lying low waiting for me. I knew that I looked suspicious in leaving the academy, but I had told Calina that it was for personal reasons, and that I would most likely be back in two weeks.

Calina had agreed, but there was a forlorn look on her face, though she tried to hide it. She was most likely assuming that I would never come back. I was not sure where she got that idea from, but oh well, I did not have much care for it.

There was no need for me to attend any of the academy classes because my status as a student was special, an exception. To be blunt, the academy administration did not give a shit about me.

The academy grounds were extensive, so depending on your walking speed, it would take about two hours to get there. All of the academy lands, however, are not used for buildings and other necessary faculties. Having such large grounds, there were still forests close to where the academy borders ended, and where the surrounding towns began.

It took only a short moment of traveling unseen and at a quick pace before I arrived at the southern town.

I activated the bond Veena had created between the two of us. It was a bond of servitude, which she had called a “Dark Fealty.” It had take some time getting used to this bond; in a way, the bond felt as if I had grown a new hand, or even a new appendage. A strange feeling, I must admit. It was comparable to the time when I had just been hatched as a newly born wyrm.

Upon activation, the bond told me of Veena's location, or at least the general direction she was at. Her Dark Fealty would also stop her from doing any harm toward me, her master. And in the event of my death, Veena would also die along with me.

Following the bond's sense, I arrived at one of the town's inn and asked the middle-aged innkeeper for the patron named Veena—there were no need for different names since the name Veena itself was a fake name. Her real name, or so she had told me, was Kelaila Shadow. (I shall, however, continue calling her Veena, for the most part).

I knocked on the door.

“It is open,” Veena's voice came from within the room.

Veena had no need to confirm who I was, as the bond went both ways. The differences, however, were that I could harm her if I chose to and that if she were to die, I would not die. I know, it was quite a convenient bond.

Opening the door, I found the female assassin entirely naked, her legs crossed in a way that barely covered her sex. She was on the edge of the bed, sharpening a dagger on a small whetstone. The motions made the muscles on her lithe body flex outward and her small breasts slightly bounced, accompanying those motions.

And what should have been an otherwise unmarred and graceful body, there were multiple thin, white scars tracing her golden-brown skin. They covered almost her entire body, except for her back where there was a large tattoo of a shadowy snake wrapped around a dagger. The only reason I saw this from my perspective was that the female assassin had gotten up from the bed to pick up the laid out daggers on the table.

After that initial observation, I did not pay her naked form anymore heed, nor did I pay attention to some of the more brutal scars on her body. Though I was a little curious about it, to be honest.

Veena went back to sit down on the bed after obtaining another dagger, her body faced toward my position where I was standing in front of the door. She turned her head slightly upward toward me, but continued slowly sharpening her dagger, as if attempting to taunt me. “So, my Dark Master, why the sudden need to see me?”

Her body shifted, but I remained indifferent to her spread legs, which revealed a small tuft of red hair above her sex.

“Starting today, we shall begin eliminating the organization known as Malice.”

Veena's large, slit-like eyes, which had a twinge of golden in them, widened considerably. “Surely you do not think the two of us could do such a feat...”

I ignored her doubts. “For now, we shall remain in this town for tonight. It is too late to do any real traveling.”

I turned my back toward her and proceeded to leave the room.

“Wait! Are you not curious about my body.”

“Why would I be, Veena? In the end, you are only a tool, whose goals aligns with mine."

There was a palpable silence as she took in my words. “I see. Will you at least listen to my story?”

The female assassin was mistaken if she thought I was a priest to confess her life story to me. I was neither her comrade nor her family. In fact, I was not even a human, though she seems to have temporarily forgotten about this fact.

Still, I decided to listen to her story. After all, it could contain some clues, and I was a bit curious. Her personality, I was beginning to think, was strange, perhaps even insane. She had been so vehement toward me a while ago, and now she was acting somewhat docile.

“Alright,” I said.

<><><><><>

My true name, as you already know, is Kelaila Shadow.

At first thought, without any knowledge of the darker and more secretive aspects of this kingdom, you would not know that the name Shadow comes from a long line of assassins. You would only think it was a strange name.

If you truly knew of the name Shadow, you would fear it, for the Shadows were an elite branch of Malice, the assassin organization you seem to have a grudge with.

That said, I was born to this family of assassins, and my training began when I turned six.

= = = = = = = = = =

“Before we even start any training, Novice Kelaila, I must blood you. Do you understand?”

“Yes, father,” I replied as any obedient daughter would.

I felt a sharp stinging sensation—father had slapped me. It was hard enough to put me off balance.

“It is master to you, Novice Kelaila.”

“Yes, master.”

“Good. Let us proceed then.”

Father—no, Master—left for a while and brought back a small boy. I recognized him instantly; he was the boy whom father had adopted; my brother, who was a year older than me.

Brother was bounded with thick ropes and was forced to kneel in the center of the underground arena, an area of the underground facility we were in. His clothes were ragged and there were remnants of tears on his face.

“Kill it, Novice Kelaila,” Master said, handing me a small dagger. The dagger felt cold to the touch on my naked hands. Holding on to the hilt, I could feel the deadliness of the small weapon.

“It?” I replied hesitantly. “Brother?”

Master reaffirmed bluntly. “It is not your brother. Now, kill it!”

My six year old mind was dumbfounded at the unexpectedness of it, at the suddenness of it. “No! I won't, father! That is cruel!” I shouted.

I felt another sharp stinging slap on my face.

“No,” I said softly, small tears streaming down on my face.

Minutes passed before father finally gave up on slapping my face for my disobedience. How many times he had slapped me, I could no longer keep count. In front of me, still tied in thick brown ropes, brother was crying. He was crying for my pain. His pain. Our pain.

Master—father—sighed briefly. In a cold voice, he spoke, “If you do not kill it, I shall torture it for days and days and days, until you will regret not killing it. Then I shall sell it as a slave.”

At that point, something broke in my mind. Even back then, I knew of the word slave and torture. I came from a long line of assassins, after all.

I held the dagger tightly in both of my small hands. Then I stabbed my brother in the stomach. Scarlet blood, brother's life, soon drenched my tiny hands.

“Very good, Novice Kelaila. Very good. But there is one thing you did wrong, Novice Kelaila.” Master pointed toward brother's, no, its neck. “The stomach is not a very good target. I, myself, prefer the neck.”

I knew what Master expected of me. Once more, I thrust the dagger into its body, the neck, to be precise.

All during this time, the small screams of agony from it, were let out before they became gurgled as its neck was wounded. Its round, soft-brown eyes also stared at me.

Lifeless and accusing, those eyes looked to me.

“Good,” Master said, a large hand on one of my shoulders. “Well done, Novice Kelaila, well done indeed. Now, let us start the training.”

“Yes, Master.”

= = = = = = = = = =

Soon after my adopted brother's death, my first kill and blood, I killed some more “its” after undergoing intense training. It was at the age of twelve that I killed six more.

All of the other Novices Master was training were put in a closed arena. And though Master never said it, I knew that I was the main novice. None of these Novices, after all, came from the main Shadow family. I was the sole child and heir.

Twenty Novices were put inside the closed arena, and only three came out.

I knew that I had killed the most Novices. I had kept a close count. It was expected of me.

The results of my training spoke for itself. The arena battle was over in an hour, and I had only been wounded slightly on my left arm, a small cut which I ignored all throughout the battles.

In the end, there were no words of praise from Master.

The result, it had been expected of me.

= = = = = = = = = =

It was at the age of seventeen that I no longer kept track of my kills. All of my sympathies for the dead had been wrung out. You could even say I was proud of my skills in the dark arts of assassination. I had nothing else to be proud of, after all.

There was no need to look at myself in the mirror. I knew I had multiple scars, and the Shadow tattoo had already been permanently inked onto my back. I was scarred, and would never be considered a beauty.

But there was no need to care about my body. I knew that I was broken. I no longer felt empathy or even sympathy for another human's death. The only comfort I took was from my skills in swordplay and assassination. I felt a need to win, to overcome everyone and everything through these motions. There was an unspoken joy of silence in executing these motions.

Yes, the only one I cared about was myself.

= = = = = = = = = =

It was not long after that I grew bored of my tasks and murders. The sole interest I had was in improving myself.

Thus, on a rainy night, inside the room where father often frequented, I killed my only parent while looking straight into his slightly surprised eyes. We had been holding a conversation about the family's Dark Fealty, which father was going to use to bond me to a rich noble.

Something inside my mind further broke down, as I cut short father's ambitions and life. I could only laugh at his death. Master—no, father—had been such a large presence in my life.

My mother, I never knew.

It was thus that I fled the house, killing a few more servants who tried to raise the alarm. Along the way, I was somehow wounded on my left leg, but I paid it no mind. It was only a flesh wound.

In the safety of the soothing darkness of the forest, I threw away the Shadow ring—my father's. Then I laughed loudly into the night air.

My life had become my own.

<><><><><>

“Well that is the end of my story, my Dark Master. Not to worry though, I cannot kill you like my father. I would, however, like to spar with you.”

“I see. I will think about it,” I said calmly.

I am sure now, I thought to myself.

The female assassin in front of me was slightly insane, but I could work with slightly insane. And somehow, I had the feeling that she would not harm me, nor would she betray me.

I had a lot to think upon.

Volume 2 (Chapter 12)