Realm of Monsters

Stryg pushed the study room’s door open with his foot. His arms were taking longer to heal than he had hoped. Kithina and Callum sat around a small table piled with notes. They glanced up at his entrance.

“Just on time, Stryg. How did your exams go?” Callum asked.

“Fine, I suppose,” Stryg sighed. “Except for Ismene’s class, she barely let me pass, something about having problematic meditation skills. My chromatic black class was alright. I can’t cast necromancy to save my life, but my shadow spells are top of the class. As for Tauri’s exam, well even though I couldn't participate because of my injuries, she let me pass on account of having the highest grade in class.” 

“And Loh gave us a tie for her exam, since we were all indisposed after your fall,” Callum smiled sadly.

“How are your arms feeling?” Kithina asked.

“Well, as you can clearly see from my cast and bandages, I still can’t use my arms, so not great Kitty, not great,” Stryg shook his head.

“Who said you can call me Kitty?” Kithina frowned.

“Who said you had to ask me redundant questions? Yet, here we are,” Stryg plopped down on a nearby chair.

Kithina crossed her arms, “I was just worried about you. You don’t have to be such an a-” 

“Let’s not fight, shall we?” Callum interrupted. “In about an hour we’re going to have to walk into Rime’s class and present our project, as a team. We are going to have to work together if we want any chance of getting the top score and winning that first place prize.” 

“Right, teamwork,” Kithina nodded. “As in trusting and being honest with each other. Like, I don’t know, telling us you’re a manifold mage.”

Callum winced, “Okay, I understand you’re mad. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you that I was a chromatic red and white. I didn’t want people to know. You see my family is… complicated.”

“Everyone’s family is complicated, that doesn’t mean you should keep relevant secrets from your team,” Kithina scowled.

“Honestly, I don’t care about your family or your secrets,” Stryg spoke up. “But, endangering the success of our battles by withholding vital information is bordering on betrayal.”

Callum sighed, he deserved that he supposed.

“Oh, please. As if you’re one to talk Mr. ‘I go solo into a grove full of enemies,’” Kithina rolled her eyes. “You didn’t even tell either of us that you were a tri-manifold mage. We literally had a conversation of how useful fire spells could be right before we fought Clypeus’ team and you said nothing about being a chromatic orange.”

“That’s different,” Stryg said.

“How so?” Kithina raised an eyebrow.

“I didn’t know,” Stryg muttered.

“What? You’re actually saying you didn’t know you were a chromatic orange?” Kithina chuckled.

“Why do you think I got my hand burned?” Stryg raised his bandaged arm.

“Ooooh,” Kithina mouthed.

He turned to Callum with cold eyes, “And next time you decide to fire off a bright spell, give me more than three words as a heads up. Or I won’t say a word when I come after you.”

Callum swallowed, “Duly noted.”

He would have punched the hybrid vampire straight in the nose had it not been for the fact that Stryg had learned something new about his eyes, of which he still wasn’t sure. That and his hands were indisposed at the moment.

“Now that we’ve cleared up all of the fun stuff we can get on to the project? I already have the speech prepared. Kithina are you ready to turn in the essay?” Callum asked.

“Well, Plum was supposed to have given me her notes on some revisions, a few days ago at the festival, but I still haven’t seen her. I had hoped she would drop by today, but she hasn’t so far. I’ll just have to finish the revisions myself. It won’t be nearly as good as Plum’s, but I can crank something out in the next half-hour.”

“Perfect. That only leaves us with the practical part. Stryg, are you sure you can do this?” Callum asked.

“Of course,” he said confidently. 

“The original plan was for you to use shadow spells to form the shape of a dragon on the wall. How accurate can you cast those shapes without your hands?” Kithina asked.

“Don’t worry, I have an alternative plan,” Stryg grinned.

“Which is?” Kithina and Callum asked simultaneously.

“Something easier than trying to cast shadow shapes without my hands, I think.”

“Stryg, we literally just talked about telling each other important and relevant information to each other,” Kithina protested.

“And you also talked about trust. So, trust me on this,” he stared at her. 

He didn’t wish to tell them his plan, because he was worried that they might try to talk him out of it. In concept, his plan could work. He just had never tried it before, nor had anyone he knew. But, he was used to being the odd one.

“Alright, I’ll trust you Stryg,” Callum sighed. “You deserve that much after I kept my own secret. And I think so does she,” Callum glanced at Kithina.

“What have I done?” Kithina placed her hand over her chest in.

“I heard you shot Stryg with a wind spell,” he said softly.

“Uh, ehh, um,” Kithina glanced between Stryg and Callum. “Oh, gods, fine, but don’t fuck this up for us. I can’t afford to fail,” she groaned.

“I don’t plan on failing,” Stryg said resolutely. 

~~~

Stryg and Kithina stood at the front of professor Rime’s class and watched Callum speak from the podium. Like always, his words were eloquent and his voice soothing. The speech concerned the inherent magical nature of dragons.

Were the draconic beings a chromatic or elemental species? Callum went on to explain how dragons didn’t simply cast orange flame spells, but actually breathed fire naturally, based on the evidence compiled by an ancient explorer. 

This would suggest the work of natural magic, not a spell. Yet, all natural magic users belonged to elemental species. Therefore, dragons were potentially the only known chromatic and elemental species in all the Realms. 

Callum thanked the drow professor and the entire class for listening. The speech was met with great applause from the students. Based on the looks of the female students, Kithina had a hunch that they weren’t clapping because of Callum’s words, rather his handsome face. Professor Rime simply clapped his hands once.

“A strange if not unlikely take on the dragon species, Mr. Veres. Still, I suppose it has… originality,” Rime said. “Although, if your research is indeed true, couldn’t dragons simply be the first chromatic species to not just be mageborn but also natural magic users? They wouldn’t have to be an elemental species. Their breathing of fire could simply be another use of the chromatic flame spell form.”

Callum opened his arms, “Well, you se-”

“I’ll take it from here,” Stryg spoke up.

Callem turned to Stryg, “...Alright, then.” 

“Good luck,” Kithina whispered.

Stryg nodded and switched places with Callum at the podium.

“Go on then,” Rime stared at him with pale blue eyes.

Stryg glanced between the students in front of him and professor Rime behind them. “As Callum said before me, the reason we believe dragons are both chromatic and elemental species is because the evidence we found in ancient records. Those records show that a dragon’s fire varies in color. The fire generated by the chromatic orange flame spell form is, as implied, always orange. 

Stryg continued, “The reason being that flame spells are created by a mixture of fire elemental mana and orange mana. The only way a fire could vary in color is if it was created through pure fire elemental mana, a feat only capable by an elemental species. And another thing. A dragon’s fire breath is said to come from within the dragon’s throat, something that not even an orange mage could accomplish.” 

He took a deep breath. 

Spellcasting in concept was simple, an image and a will. Stryg hoped Loh’s words were true now more than ever. He closed his eyes and focused on the image he wished for. The heat, it’s size, and it’s shape. He then thought of Rime’s irritatingly smug face. It was easy to be angry at the prejudiced drow. His will to shock the upstart Rime was enough. Like a long forgotten friend, the orange mana appeared at his call. The energy flowed out of his heart and coursed through his chest, into his neck, and to his mouth.

Stryg whistled a twist of flame from his lips. The orange fire washed above the students’ heads before evaporating. They all screamed in shock and fear. 

Rime shot up from his seat, “What is the meaning of this!”

Stryg licked his burnt lips. The burns weren’t severe, but it still spoke of his lack of experience with orange magic and casting from his mouth, not his hands. The experiment was painful, but definitely worth the look on Rime’s face. 

“I was simply demonstrating the difference between a dragon’s natural fire and a chromatic mage’s flame spell. My fire was only orange in color and the fire didn’t come from inside me, the mana simply manifested above my lips,” Stryg coughed. 

The heat had singed the inside of his mouth too. Perhaps he should have thought this through more. 

Rime narrowed his eyes, “That will be all, you three may take your seats.”

“Gladly,” Stryg sighed in relief. 

His mending leg still ached and he rather sit down than stand in front being stared at by all.

~~~

As soon as the academy bells rang, Stryg, Callum, and Kithina walked out of the classroom.

“No first place prize, huh?” Kithina sighed.

“We passed despite being assigned the most difficult project topic, that's what’s important,” Callum smiled. “Not to mention it was funny seeing the look on Rime’s face.”

“Yeah, I don’t know if the whole thing was worth it,” Stryg grimaced. His lips still stung.

“You should go to the infirmary for that,” Callum said.

“It’s fine. I rather not go to the infirmary if it’s not necessary. Besides, I have some ointment at home.”

Kithina turned to her friends, “Well, we finally did it guys. Our first year is finally over. We’re officially 2nd-years.”

“I thought our 2nd year starts in the autumn, after the summer break, no?” Stryg tilted his head.

“Technically it does. Though, Kithina’s point still stands. We should celebrate,” Callum clapped in agreement.

“That sounds amazing. Now that I’m done with classes I can finally remove my self-imposed sobriety rule,” Kithina laughed in joy.

“I could go for a drink, but I pick the place this time. I don’t want to go to some whack restaurant again,” Stryg said.

“Fair enough,” Callum smiled ruefully.

“Oh, there’s Plum,” Stryg spotted her back from across the hall.

“Hey, Plum~ We missed you at the festival,” Kithina called out.

The bespectacled drow turned around and froze at the sight of the trio. Her blue eyes were red from lack of sleep or tears, Stryg wasn’t sure which. He hadn’t seen her since before the fall, he guessed she had already heard of the incident from Kithina.

“Plum, are you okay?” Stryg asked.

“Am I...okay?” Plum twitched.

“I know this doesn’t look too great, but I’m on the mend, no need to worry,” Stryg wiggled his bandaged arms.

She strode up to Stryg, “How can you ask me that? How dare you ask me that!?”

“What?” He furrowed his brow.

Plum slapped him across the cheek. He hadn’t expected it, not from her. Stryg looked at her as if she was deranged.

“You wanna know if I’m fucking okay, you bastard

Kithina stepped in and blocked her fist, “Plum, relax okay? We both know Stryg can be a handful, but I don’t think violence is the best way to go about dealing with him. Why don’t we calm down first, yeah?”

Plum shook her off, “Calm down? You’re defending him? Kithina, he killed her!”

Callum closed his eyes and cursed under his breath.

Kithina looked at Stryg questioningly, “What’s she talking about?”

“I’m not sure, I’ve killed at least a dozen people,” Stryg shrugged.

“She’s referring to Miss Byrel,” Callum sighed. 

“The secretary?” Kithina asked.

“I didn’t kill her, the shades finished her off,” Stryg corrected.

Plum screeched a wretched sound and charged him, but Callum grabbed her from the waist and pulled her back.

“Let go of me!” She screamed. 

“I’m sorry, but I can’t do that,” Callum held her tight.

“He killed her! He killed her!” Plum struggled to escape.

But Callum was a half-vampire, she couldn’t overpower him. Plum stopped thrashing and gripped Callum’s arms tightly. 

“He killed my mom,” Plum whimpered.

“...What?” Stryg’s eyes went wide.

Kithina slowly turned to Stryg, “What did she just say?”

“The instigator of Stryg’s ‘accidental’ fall was Miss Byrel, the front-desk secretary and Plum’s mother. She was sentenced to execution for the attempted murder of a mageborn student,” Callum explained.

“Wait, you already knew?” Kithina asked in shock.

“She was a criminal who tried to kill our friend, her sentence was obvious. There was nothing to be said,” Callum admitted.

“She wasn’t a criminal! I don’t know what she was thinking, but she wasn’t a criminal. Had I known what she was doing, I would have stopped her,” Plum cried. “She was hurt and broken, her mind wasn’t in the right place, but she didn’t deserve to die.”

“Let her go,” Stryg said solemnly.

Callum nodded reluctantly and released Plum from his hold. Plum stumbled to her feet and pushed Callum away.

Stryg cleared his throat, “I didn’t know she was your mother, Plum. And for that I’m… sorry. But, you have to understand she was my enemy, she made that very clear. Even if she hadn’t tried to kill me now, there was no guarantee she wouldn’t later. In fact, it was likely she would. What do you think I should have done? You cannot let your enemies live, that’s an obvious truth of the world.”

Plum looked at Stryg, tears in her eyes. “Obvious truth? You’re saying she deserved to die? I saw what the shades did to her. They killed her just like they killed my dad. Both my parents had the same look of terror when the shades descended upon them... I can still hear their voices screaming in my head. No one deserves to die like that. I heard what actually happened.”

She gripped his shirt, “You had a choice Stryg. You could have spared her life, but you didn’t. You snuffed out her light without a second thought. I thought you were different from the rest. You grew up being punished for being different, you suffered under the hands of cruel people. I thought you were like me. After everything we’ve been through this year, after everything I told you, my secrets, my life. I thought you would understand what it was like for others to live in this wretched Realm. That you hadn’t suffered alone. I thought you would understand even an ounce of empathy.”

Stryg opened his mouth, he wanted to say something, anything. But he didn’t know what to say.

“Now I see the only obvious truth,” Plum sneered. “You’re more broken than anyone. You can’t understand empathy, because you have none. You don’t have a heart, only an empty void, bereft of love and anything good in this world. No matter how much power and wealth you amass, you’ll never fill that hole. You will never truly be accepted by others. You’ll always just be the odd one out, the freak.”

Stryg swallowed the lump in his throat, “Plum, stop it.”

She looked down at him, “Or what? You’ll kill me too? Go ahead, show everyone here what you really are.”

“I don’t have to kill you to shut you up,” he warned.

Plum laughed in derision. “What, do you think you're being merciful, being my friend? You don’t get it, do you? You always thought the ones around you were the problem, the danger, the threat. But, you are the monster and this cruel Realm deserves you. This whole damn city can burn down with you for all I care. I wish we had never met,” Plum shoved him and walked away. 

Kithina grabbed her shoulder.

Plum slapped her hand away, “Get away from me!” 

“Plum,” she called out weakly.

“You sided with him, don’t talk to me ever again,” Plum snapped.

“Let her go, Kithina. We can’t help her,” Callum said.

“But…” Kithina frowned. 

“You guys go drink without me. I think I’ll just go home and get some rest,” Stryg stumbled away.

“Stryg, wait,” Kithina reached out, but Callum held her hand gently and shook his head.

“We’ll go out drinking some other time. We’ll wait for you, Stryg,” Callum called out.

He didn’t respond.

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