Realm of Monsters

“The Ebon Hollow?” Feli tilted her head. “You told me a tribe’s name is significant. It holds an important meaning.”

“That’s right,” Stryg said weakly. His mouth was dry. “Can you get me some water?”

“Of course,” Feli nodded. She got up and went for a nearby pitcher.

“Ebon Hollow? Like the Realm?” Loh smirked.

“Yes, I like it,” Stryg’s mouth set in a hard line.

“Very few claim the name Ebon. Like the Ebon Sea, the Ebon Tower, or Ebon Legion, the name Ebon signifies the power of an entire Realm. Are you sure you want that name? Others may not take too kindly to its use,” Loh explained.

“Most people don’t take very kindly to me anyway. What difference would it make? Besides, a tribe’s name is supposed to inspire fear and power.”

Feli brought him a glass of water, “Here you go.”

He tried moving his arms, but quickly realized his right arm was in a cast, and his left was covered in bandages.

“Dammit,” he cursed. With a groan of pain he forced himself to sit up.

“Stryg, stop. You need to let your body heal. Let me help you,” Feli said. 

She brought the cup to his lips. Stryg took a few tentative sips and leaned back down. 

“Thanks,” he muttered.

“You’re welcome,” Feli smiled.

Loh was honestly surprised he could move at all. The white mage who had overseen Stryg’s healing, said that he was severely injured. Even with healing spells he shouldn’t be able to talk, let alone move.

“So, why Ebon Hollow then?” Loh asked.

“Well, the ‘Hollow’ part is because I ended up here in Hollow Shade. This city has changed my life completely. Stryg the sylvan goblin was born in Vulture Woods, but Stryg the mage was made right here in this city. I owe this place a lot. As for the ‘Ebon’ part, well, my eyes are sensitive to light. During the exam...”

“Callum’s bright spell,” Loh winced sympathetically. 

“I didn’t even know he was a chromatic white. Cheeky bastard. But, yeah. The surge of light blinded me. My eyes felt like they were burning and then suddenly they didn’t. Everything turned dark. It was the first time since I gained my night vision. Then something happened. I could see in the strangest way. Everything looked as if it had been drawn with silver outlines, but the world was still dark, it was Ebon, it was beautiful,” Stryg finished.

“Very poetic of you,” Loh chuckled. “And now? Does everything still look that way?”

“No. Everything is back to normal. Nothing seems particularly dark, so I suppose I still have my night vision at least. I thought you said my eyes didn’t react to light.”

Loh shook her head, “No, I said your pupils don't react to light. I still don’t think they do. When you were brought into the infirmary your eyes were wide open. Your irises were larger than normal, but now they look ordinary again. Well, as ordinary as lilac eyes can. My best guess is that your irises reacted to the strong blast of light from Callum’s bright spell.”

“Larger irises?” Stryg furrowed his brow. “Have you ever heard of anything like this before?” 

“Not that I can think of. The library archives may shed some light on your condition.”

“Is he sick? Is it a disease?” Feli’s brow furrowed.

“I don’t think so. You can rest easy on that. It’s most likely just a mutation based on his hybrid nature. An innate defense-mechanism to protect from large exposures of light, perhaps? I know of other species that have similar traits against natural dangers. A mutation for eyesight is quite plausible. But, I have to do more research into the subject,” Loh explained. 

The drow brushed her white hair away and turned her blue eyes on the goblin. “There is something else I need to find out about, first. Stryg, at the end of the exam, you cast a flame spell and clearly botched it, as evidenced by your burnt arm. Why didn’t you tell me you were a chromatic orange?”

Stryg looked at his bandaged hand. He could feel the burns underneath. He remembered the shards of rock that were flying towards him and how he blew them away with fire.

“I didn’t know I was,” he muttered.

“What do you mean you didn’t know?” Loh crossed her arms. 

“How was I supposed to know?” Stryg frowned.

“The same way you knew you were a chromatic black and grey. The chromatic identity examination. You know, the one with the chrome-probes you took at the beginning of the year, like everyone else,” Loh rolled her eyes.

“They didn’t tell me I was a chromatic grey. Only a chromatic black.”

“What?” She leaned forward, “Tell me exactly what happened with the identity exam.”

Stryg closed his eyes and tried to recall. “I was taken to this room with a bunch of these crystal orbs, the chrome-probes. They then told me to place my hand on one orb. The clear crystal turned black and that was it. They said the test was over and that I had passed. I never thought much more about it.”

Loh clenched her fists, “They didn’t let you finish the exam. Stryg, when you first cast a grey drain spell in my class I assumed the academy records had just accidentally mislabeled your chromatic colors, that they had unintentionally left out you’re a chromatic grey as well. But, it seems I was wrong. Someone did this on purpose. Stryg, do you remember who was in charge of your test that day?”

“Of course. I remember those I’m not fond of. Helps with my anger meditation. It was Byrel.”

“The front desk’s secretary?” Loh narrowed her eyes.

“Yep, she never liked me. The feeling’s mutual,” Stryg sighed.

“So, what you’re saying is that the same drow who sabotaged your chromatic identity exam is the one who gave you your climbing equipment today?”

“Yes? Oh, shit,” Stryg said in dawning realization.

Feli, who had decided to stay quiet amidst the magic-talk, spoke up, “Wait, are you implying that-”

“She’s been trying to hurt you from the beginning,” Loh surmised. 

Loh hadn’t made a mistake with the climbing rope after all. Standing by at this point would be the only mistake she could make.

Loh strode to the door. “This ends now. Byrel will have wished she had never set eyes upon my apprentice.”

“Wait, I’m coming with you,” Stryg said. He painfully rolled to the edge of the bed and tried to place his feet on the floor.

“Stryg! You shouldn’t get up!” Feli yelled.

“Stryg, sit down!” Loh commanded.

“If someone has been trying to hurt me behind my back then I’ll sure as hell be there to end it,” he argued. “Feli help me up.”

“Stryg, I don’t know if you should,” she mumbled.

“Feli,” he said with clear determination.

Feli said nothing, but helped him to his feet. His vision swam, the world became blurred. He wobbled and almost lost his balance. Feli stepped in and held him up by the shoulder. His leg practically screamed in agony, but at least with Feli’s help he didn’t need to place any weight on it. He grimaced in pain, he could bear it.

He took slow labored breaths, “I’m ready.”

“You’re determined I’ll give you that,” Loh admitted. She glanced at the young woman, “Are you sure you want to help him with this? He can barely stand.”

Feli sighed, “If I let go now he’ll just fall and he’s stubborn enough to crawl his way to you.”

The door opened to reveal the resident white mage.

“You’re awake? What do you think you’re doing, human? Put the patient back down. His wounds are incredibly severe!” He shouted.

“I’m fine and we were about to leave,” Stryg said.

“Fine? You fell over 60 feet. In what world is that fine!” He waved his hands in exasperation.

“A white mage once told me I heal quicker. I guess she was right. I’ll be fine,” Stryg winced.

“Miss Noir please talk some sense into him,” the white mage pleaded.

Loh stared at Stryg for a moment, “Be honest, can you handle the walk over?”

Stryg nodded slowly, “If Feli helps me.”

“Okay. But, if you fall at any point I’m sending you right back here, do you understand me?”

“I understand,” Stryg swallowed.

“Miss Noir,” the white mage whined.

“Keep the bed ready, he’ll be back soon enough, one way or another. I won’t take long,” Loh pushed the white mage aside.

~~~

Miss Byrel was writing her last document for the day when she heard a dreadful sound.

“Byrel, you bitch!” Loh shouted from a nearby hall.

The guards at the entrance looked up in surprise.

Byrel dropped her pen. “P-professor Loh? What happened?”

“Take a guess,” she glared. 

Loh stepped aside to reveal a bandaged Stryg leaning on Feli. He hissed with what little strength he could muster.

Byrel shot up from her chair, “Professor Loh, I don’t understand. What is this about? Is that student okay?”

Loh walked up to the front desk, “Is that right? So, it’s just a coincidence that you were the one in charge of the climbing equipment. And it was also a coincidence that you begged me to allow you to hand out the equipment from your front desk instead of the testing cavern, so that you could get more work done, yes? Or was it just so you could tamper with a climbing rope away from prying eyes?”

Byrel shook her head vigorously, “Professor, I would never do such a thing. I have always regarded the safety of the students of this school highly. If there was a problem with one of the ropes there must have been something faulty with the material. I admit that perhaps I may have not looked at each rope with great care, but I would never tamper with one either!”

“So, you’re saying I should believe you over him?” Loh asked.

“Professor, I have served this academy faithfully with all my heart for the past ten years. Why would I lie?” Byrel said in exasperation.

“I see,” Loh nodded. “Let’s see if those words hold once you're under a purple mage’s mind spell.”

She frowned, “Professor, I am not

a criminal. You can’t subjugate me to a mind interrogation. It’s against the law.”

“Byrel, you have worked here for so long and yet you fail to realize the power of names. I am Loh of the Great House Noir. Do you know who Lord Elzri Noir is? Do you know what that name means?” 

Byrel blanched.

Loh stepped right up to her. “It means I can do whatever I damn please in this academy, including forcing a commoner into a mind interrogation. I will ask you once and know that if you lie to me, I will place you in a dungeon so deep that not even rats will set foot in. I will have you tortured for the rest of your long and miserable life. The only sounds you will hear are your agonizing cries as your flesh is cut with such perfect precision only to be healed and cut again, over, and over again.”

Loh took a step back and smiled brightly, “Now then, did you tamper with Stryg’s rope?”

Byrel’s mouth gaped like a fish, yet no words came out. She dropped to her knees and placed her head on the floor, “I am so sorry, please forgive this foolish servant!”

Stryg could only watch Loh in admiration. To make another kneel with just words, this was true power.

 Loh clenched her fists, “So, you admit to tampering with the rope.”

“Yes, I was just-”

“Shut up! Did you prevent Stryg from finishing his chromatic identity exam back in autumn?”

“...I think so. I don’t remember very well,” Byrel admitted.

“You don’t remember endangering a student’s life, so much for highly regarding the student’s safety, huh?” Loh sneered.

“I would never injure a student. I just stopped the goblin from wasting time. He had already tested as a chromatic black,” Byrel said without looking up.

“Did it ever occur to you that Stryg was a manifold mage? That his other chromatic colors could accidentally go off, endangering his life? Like the grey magic that briefly paralyzed him or the fire that just today severely burned his hand. It’s why we have the exam in the first place. To make sure the students know their chromatic colors and can learn how to control them safely.”

“I-I could barely believe a goblin could be a mage, let alone a manifold mage. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to endanger him.”

Loh chuckled, “So, like how you didn’t mean for him to fall off his rope and almost kill him?”

Byrel glanced up at Stryg, “Those injuries are from the fall, but how? He was supposed to have fallen into the water.”

“Do you think 3 feet of water can protect someone from a 60 foot drop?!” Loh snapped.

Byrel blinked. “3 feet? I was told the water was 20 feet deep.”

Loh pinched the bridge of her nose, “It was supposed to have been. But, the water magi failed to reach their goal. You would have known this had you actually gone down to the cavern.”

Byrel’s face paled, “Please, forgive me. I never wished to injure a student. I just wanted him to fail. A goblin will only stain the honor of this prestigious academy.”

“A student? A goblin?” Loh laughed. She kicked Byrel in the face, sending the woman crashing into her desk. “You almost killed my apprentice!”

Byrel groaned in pain. Her glasses were cracked and her nose was broken. Blood gushed all over her mouth and blouse.

“You think you can try to kill my apprentice and get away with it!?” Loh yelled.

“I-I didn’t know h-he was your apprentice,” Byrel mumbled through broken teeth.

“I don’t give a damn what you knew or thought, you imbecile! You attacked the one under my care. There is no escape for you,” Loh seethed. “Stryg, you’re the one she attacked. I’ll let you decide her fate.”

Feli held him tightly, afraid to speak up in the face of Loh’s wrath.

Byrel crawled on her knees towards Stryg, “I am so very sorry for what happened. I never meant to kill you. Had I known you were her apprentice I would have… I understand your wish for vengeance. I have no excuse. Do with me what you will, fire me, banish me, flog me, but please don’t let them take me to a torture chamber, please, I’m begging you. I’ll do anything.”

Stryg stared down at her, “We only banish or flog our allies, not our enemies.”

Byrel’s eyes widened in fear.

“But, we don’t torture our enemies either,” he said.

Byrel bowed, “Thank you, thank you!”

“We kill our enemies,” he finished.

“What? No, please no!” Byrel screamed. “I have a d-” 

Loh raised her hand, a grey symbol appeared over her palm. Byrel gasped for air and clenched at her throat. Her eyes rolled up, she fell unconscious. 

“Guards, put her in a holding cell,” Loh commanded.

“Yes, Miss Noir!” The two guards nearby said in unison.

“What was that?” Stryg asked in wonder at the fading grey symbol.

“A highly advanced curse spell. I’ll teach it to you when you are ready.”

“What about Byrel?” Stryg asked.

“Don’t worry about her. I’ll have her fed to the wall's shades first thing at sunset, tomorrow. You won’t have to see or worry about her ever again. Feli, take him back to bed, he needs to get some rest. He still has a few exams in the upcoming days.” 

“Yes, Miss Noir,” Feli said.

Loh ruffled Stryg’s hair, “Fate is kind it seems. I’m glad we share all three chromatic colors, Stryg. I’ll be able to teach you everything I know now.” 

He frowned at the gesture. “I’m not a child.”

Loh grinned, “No, you’re my apprentice and I don’t care who knows anymore.”

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