Two days had passed since Markus had advanced to the learner stage. To his disappointment, he was still trying to fill up his essence reserves.
As it turned out, refining essence was a process that not only took time but the body needed to practice for a long time to be efficient at it. Consequently, Markus was slowly filling up his essence and could do nothing about it except wait.
Miss Fallie had been in frequent contact, as it was important for a newly evolved wind user to remain calm and focused. As a wind user, one needed to control essence and to surrender control of their essence, forming a balance. However, when one makes a qualitative change, they can be controlled for a time by the wind. The rich feeling of power was intoxicating and often made newly risen learners arrogant. At the same time, they become complacent and forget to exert control over their essence internally and themselves.
Thankfully, Markus was supervised however… there was also a voice inside his head which kept him sane and regulated. One could not truly be influenced by the whispers of the wind if there was another entity whispering in their ears.
Therefore Markus was grounded and nothing substantial changed- only his ego which seemed to thrive from his advancement. Naturally he was still aware of his weakness in front of experts and especially elites, however, he was one step closer to them. One step closer to not being subject to their will.
Wednesday afternoon, representatives of Viscount Juren, Jack's father, arrived with a sealed letter, directed to the headmistress.
He was a man with short crimson hair in his early twenties. Standing tall at 180cm with sharp features and a toned body in a formal suit, he entered the headmistress' office and handed her the letter with both hands and a bow, showing respect.
"It has been a while since you graduated has it not? Micheal? What has your father demanded?" she asked, picking up the letter with one hand.
"The letter contains the details. May I meet the boy who did that to my little brother?" he asked with a fierce and menacing look in his eyes.
"No." she said firmly, opening the letter.
It read:
"Dear Headmistress Charlotte Windbourne,
I have received news of a violent act against my youngest son, Jack Juren. Distressed, I rushed to the hospital to which he was taken from your infirmary only to find him in a state I do not have the heart to recount on this parchment.
I ask that justice be delivered and the person responsible be expelled! Should this prove… difficult, I shall accept a substantial consequence to befit this action.
I hope this matter may be resolved soon and we can move on.
Should this not be the case, I must pursue further action in the spirit of justice and relocate Jack Juren to another academy capable of protecting its pupils and delivering justice.
Yours Sincerely,
Field Juren."
"Your father did not even include formalities. Not even hoping I have been well- how rude." she said, messing with Micheal.
"How do you respond?" he asked with a clenched jaw.
"The student responsible acted in self defence. We have taken statements and concluded our own investigation. Your brother and his friends started the instigation and even worse, began to be violent first. The student responded, although perhaps to an extent that was not entirely proportionate. Nonetheless, he cannot be held completely responsible." she said with conviction.
"You keep referring to him as the student. Do you fear that we do not know his name is Markus Windwave? Twelve years old, black hair, 145cm, wind user. Recently returned from an undisclosed private training camp and advanced to stage 2 mere hours after violently beating on my brother. I thought only flame users had to develop themselves through brute combat." he spoke slowly and coldly, offering details he should not be aware of.
"Your father is very informed." she said with a raised eyebrow.
"My father knows nothing about this. He is more interested in diplomacy whereas I am… far more interested in results." he said with a twisted smirk on his face
"I do not suppose that is why you asked to meet Markus? To create results?" she asked with a serious tone and expression.
"Since you seem to have no interest in justice, I shall bear the burden." he said, approaching the headmistress who sat down at her desk and tried to tower over her.
"Let me make this perfectly clear. You are not to lay a finger on Markus Windwave. There are factors at play here far bigger than your entire bloodline- a bloodline which you are risking every moment you get involved in this. So take heed of my warning and quit this. For your sake and mine both." she said with a grave expression on her face.
"... it would seem that even an elite such as yourself is scared of the situation, meaning a master is involved and potentially one with political influence if he can 'wipe my bloodline'. Fine, I shall lay this to rest." he said with a clenched jaw.
Micheal turned around and walked out.
He was escorted out and left the academy. However, that night…
"Markus, I need you to listen to me very carefully. There is someone outside, a group of people actually, several experts and some learned, all flame users." the voice said with a weird calmness
'WHAT!?' Markus said, panicking already.
"They are here to harm you… possibly kill you. Judging by the element and secrecy, it is because of what you did to that kid Jack." the voice informed him.
"So what do I do?' Markus thought with a panic settling in.
"Two options really. You either run or fight. Logically speaking, you should run. You are a wind user so you have a chance to escape- even if it's just barely slim enough to be achievable. Alternatively, you can fight. Make a ruckus and stand your ground until reinforcements come. The choice is yours." the voice said before fading out.
'I should run, right! I have to! They are two ranks above me!' Markus opened his eyes and looked to the wall on his left, leading to an open field if broken.
It was normal to flee. Logical even. However… there was a voice in his head which told him to take a stand.
It was not the mysterious voice belonging to another.
It was his own voice. It was his…
Ego.
So Markus sat up on the edge of his bed and looked at the door. He knew he was facing mortal danger and yet there was a smile on his face. He was getting noticed already.
He let essence flow through him. As a stage 2- learner- his essence had taken a qualitative change. Becoming sharper and more powerful. Markus felt his muscles and bones strengthened.
He then let his essence converge like a shell. He did not control it, only letting it flow and trusting it to protect him. Instead he focused on charging up a wind blast to create a big boom and raise the alarm. After that, it was a game of attrition.
From the security office, a few officers were chatting.
"Hey, Rodrigo never checked in. Would you check in on him, he was around the dormitories–"
BOOM!
"You heard that right– it's from the dormitories! RAISE THE ALARM!" one the guards shouted as another pulled a red lever from behind a glass panel.
FVOOOOP. FVOOOOOP. The alarm began blaring in rhythm.
Five experts of different elements rushed to the dorms and saw a massive dust screen around the boys' section. Within the dust, flashes of red glowed through and were extinguished by loud bangs that mimicked gunshots.
One massive comet like ray was shot through and a powerful blast was released in response, deviating the attack. Multiple attacks shot into one spot and hit that spot, yet they continued elsewhere, as if trying to attack something that somehow kept evading them.
Then a bright red flash whizzed through and grabbed the target.
Markus flared his legs in the air as he was hung up by the throat by Micheal. The young man had used his blood art to catch up to Markus and finally lay his hands on him.
"The chase is over little mouse." he said, his arm flaring up.
Markus' essence flowed quickly to form a shell around his neck to protect him from the heat but it was to little avail.
Markus flailed and kicked. He slammed his fists into Micheal's arm but the essence difference was too great. The chase was over and Markus was trapped like a mouse in a cage, his life about to be snuffed out.
He sensed the guards were coming but they would be too late. He needed to fight back, release himself somehow.
Unlike when Bailey had grabbed him and he had managed to slide his shell under, this time he only had a support layer which if he ditched in trying to escape he would be turned to coal.
He could not physically fight back. So he would stun his opponent through words.
"Bet you're really proud of killing an imperial vessel?" he said with a grin on his face.
.
Micheal faltered for a moment thinking of the weight of those words. Moreover, it clicked- what the headmistress said about this being a matter bigger than both of them. They were raising and training an imperial vessel.
"What..---" was all he could manage to say before a sword cleaved his arm clean off, dropping Markus to the ground.
"You need to keep such matters secret, Markus Windwave." said the headmistress, Charlotte Windbourne, as her whirlwind blade cleaved Micheal's arm.
Her long white hair settled down as she stepped off the wind paths.
"You- DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING! NURTURING AN IMP—" was all he managed to shout in agony and anger before she ran her shortsword right through his throat.
Blood gushed out from his neck like a burst pipe, getting on both Markus and Charlotte. He watched in horror as he landed on his backside- the sword tearing through his throat and the blood… so much blood…
Charlotte then grabbed the body and severed hand and stepped through the paths again, a flash of white fading away by moving at an incomprehensible speed.
The guards finally made their way through the dust screen only to find Markus bloodied. Meanwhile around him there were several corpses, all with their throats slit and dead on the scene.
He had survived the wrath of the Jurens. But the Jurens will not survive the consequence of uncovering the treachery centered around Markus Windwave.