IMPERIAL ACADEMY

Gathering Clues

"A witch? Has he gone mad?" A student muttered.

"He must be delusional. A witch cannot enter the academy," another student said. Alex watched as they muttered and whispered among themselves, but none of them was willing to believe a word of what he had just said.

"You have to believe me. It was a witch. I saw it," Alex remained adamant on his claim, but the other students did not share his opinion. Bruno still stood in silence. He, too, didn't know what to think.

"I say the school expels this cursed boy at this instant. If we allow him to remain here, he will bring more disaster upon us!" Kevin suddenly declared and got the voiced out support of other students, especially the first-year students.

"No… I didn't do this… you have to believe me," Alex said to them. Then, he saw other teachers approach the scene, including Professor Dora, who had voted for him to remain in the school. She looked like she had just woken up from her slumber, and had headgear on.

"No one shall be expelled tonight," Master Orion suddenly said, as he walked onto the scene. He gazed at the dead boy and sighed, and then his eyes roamed towards Alex.

"Get up," Master Orion commanded him, and Alex obeyed.

"With all due respect, Master Orion, you cannot risk the safety of other students just because you want to keep this… thing… in this school. The students here would feel safer if he was gone," Kevin blurted out, and some other students agreed.

"An investigation will be carried out to determine the cause of death. Until then, you should all return to your rooms and not speak of this incident. Failure to obey me will result in severe punishment. Have I made myself clear?" Master Orion asked, and the students grumbled as they returned to their rooms one by one.

Bruno left as well.

"You really think it was a witch?" Master Orion asked Alex, who nodded.

"Yes, Master Orion. I saw it. It struck me with black lightning. Isn't that something that witches alone do? But how did a witch get into the Academy? It doesn't make sense. I wouldn't even believe my claims," Alex said to Master Orion with frustration in his voice.

"The other students want you out of here. In order to remain here, you must prove that you didn't commit this particular murder. Otherwise, you will be expelled," Master Orion said to Alex, who raised his brow.

"What do you mean 'this particular murder?' Have there been more?" Alex asked Master Orion, but the older man walked away without giving a response.

"Go back to your room, Alex," Master Orion yelled at Alex as he disappeared. Alex sighed, and left the scene as sentries came to take the boy's body away. While he walked back to his room, Alex was lost in thought. First, it was that strange meeting with the very voice that had been calling him since he turned sixteen, and now he has been accused of murder? Alex was confused. How would he expose a witch? He simply had no resources for that.

Alex returned to his room and found Bruno sitting on his bed. He adjusted himself as Alex approached. Alex let out a sigh.

"I suppose you do not believe me as well," Alex said to Bruno and sat down.

"Where were you, Alex? When I woke up, you weren't here," Bruno questioned him.

"I went for a walk," Alex replied to Bruno. Bruno shrugged his shoulders.

"I know that's a lie, Alex. You're hiding something from me. But it's okay. And for the record, I don't think you killed that boy. It doesn't make sense. The killing follows the same pattern, but it appears you interrupted something. Or you stopped something from happening," Bruno said to Alex.

"I don't understand. What do you mean by pattern?" Alex was confused. Why was everyone talking in riddles?

"There have been two murders in this school this month. Both victims were male, and both of them had their hearts harvested. The blood moon is coming tomorrow, and with it comes an enormous amount of energy that witches can utilize. I think that the witch you saw was making plans regarding this blood moon," Bruno said to Alex and sighed.

"Where did you get all of this knowledge?" Alex asked Bruno.

"When you look like me, you should at least be smart. Plus, my mother has ears within the school as well," Bruno said with a grin.

"But what does the witch want to do with the energy? And how did it even get into the academy in the first place? There are wards to prevent that, aren't there?" Alex asked Bruno.

"Look, I don't know. But most blood moons are used to break people out of some sort of containment, especially those cast by very powerful mages." Bruno explained, and suddenly, Alex's eyes lit up.

"Like Master Orion…" Alex muttered. Bruno gazed at him.

"What is it, Alex?" Bruno asked. Alex sighed.

"Look, ever since I turned sixteen, a voice has been calling to me. I believed it was all in my head until I encountered that voice tonight, here in this school. But it told me that it was imprisoned by Master Orion and needed me to set him free. It called me The Dark Knight, and said I'm destined to destroy the world," Alex replied.

"Dude, we have to go back and talk to him. Maybe the witch is trying to set him free," Bruno said to Alex. Alex lay down on his bed and exhaled.

"Master Orion has sealed the place off. He said it was off limits. I can't break any more rules, especially now that I have the entire academy against me," Alex groaned. Bruno nodded.

"I understand. But we must go back. It's the only way to get answers. Don't you agree?" He asked Alex. Alex thought about it for a moment. What could go wrong? Solving this mystery was the only way for him to remain at school after all.

"Let's go," Alex said to Bruno and led him out of the room. They carefully returned to the building but on getting there, Alex saw the chain that closed the gates.

"Damn it. I can't break the chain without Master Orion knowing," Alex groaned. Bruno thought for a while and tapped Alex's shoulder.

"I don't know what I'm doing exactly, but just trust me," Bruno said to Alex and chanted a spell. Then, he suddenly phased through the gates.

"Come on!" Bruno said to Alex, who chucked and phased through the gates as well.

"Where did you learn that?" Alex asked Bruno.

"Oh, my mother taught me," Bruno said while Alex led the way. He was envious of how close Bruno was to his mother. He wished his own mother was still alive.

"We're here," Alex said and pulled the cloak off the painting, exposing it. The energy rose again, saturating the room.

"The Dark Knight. You have returned," the rusty voice said to Alex. "... And you brought a friend…" the voice added and Bruno shuddered.

"There's a witch in the school. I saw it. Do you know anything about that?" Alex asked the voice in the painting. There was a moment of silence at first and then came a wicked chuckle.

"There are people working close at hand to set me free, Dark Knight. And our methods are bloody. So, if you do not want another dead kid to turn up in the middle of the night, you will set me free," the voice said to Alex. Alex was surprised.

"What? You're behind this?" Alex muttered.

"A contingency plan in case you refuse to set me free. The blood moon rises tomorrow, Dark Knight. There is one more heart to take. You can save the victim if you release me. It's all on you, Alex!" The voice said and started laughing.

Alex was too stunned to speak. So many things were happening at the same time. And he was having trouble keeping up. Just then, Bruno covered the painting with the cloak.

"I know who he is. We must leave, now!" Bruno yelled at Alex, and they quickly dashed out of the building.