WHITE DARKNESS - BLACK MAGIC SAGA - BOOK 1

CONFUSSING WARMTH

The time goes slow, perhaps too slow for his sake. He hasn’t seen her in at least half an hour. Where the bloody hell is she?

It is almost three in the early morning and the party doesn’t seem like stopping. Saying to Mason he would go to the bathroom; his main goal right now is finding her. What he said to her that day in the common room has been haunting him. He doesn’t know if she misunderstood his meaning of words, perhaps she did.

I want you to fight me again.

What kind of use of words had been that? Surely she had misunderstood.

He stands up and leaves his goblet on the table in front of him. His anger is growing like f*****g tidal waves and he doesn’t know why. Is it because he can’t find her anywhere? Because he said he wanted her when he shouldn’t have? He had so many reasons to be angry with himself that he just couldn’t focus on one right now. When he has already go through all the dungeons, he decides to go up and go to his common room. He is so f*****g tired of everything that his mind isn’t functioning correctly anymore. When he reaches the Vasilka common room, he decides to go through the door that leads to the boathouse they have, perhaps siting on the edges of the dock would help his mind relax. Reaching the boathouse, he leans against one of the wooden columns and his eyes fall close. All he can see is her, jumping and dancing everywhere, how she had stopped when she saw him. Her white defined curls, pink lips, jade eyes so clear he swears they are crystal.

Fucking hell. With her.

Couldn’t he think about something else?

However, when his thoughts finally wander among other things, he hears a faint whimper echoing through the night, breaking the silence. Eisdrache paused, his instincts as a warrior kicking in. It is from the inside of the boathouse, the second dock. He turns his head to where the sound is coming from, more crying, again, some scared words he can’t really comprehend.

What is happening?

He walks to the other side of the boathouse, element ready to go out, defend itself if it has to. He continues walking, cautelous, almost sneaky. Should he go and see what is happening? Perhaps there was nothing going on.

But his mind is fixated on it.

Knows he has to go there and see what is happening.

And certainly, he didn’t like the scene he came upon.

Entering the other side of the dock, he sees a girl against a column. She is kicking and trying to fight with her hands, her dress is up her waist. The deep realisation of who she is sets deep inside of him when he can finally see her hair when the moonlight irradiates over it, as if guiding him to her. She is trembling and trying to separate herself as best as she can from the monster that has her cornered-

For a moment, Eisdrache hesitated, his mind wrestling with the situation. His initial reaction was one of surprise, mixed with a strange sense of concern. It was Leevanna Vaughan, after all, his academic rival, the one he was supposed to despise. But seeing the fear Vaughan’s eyes, something inside him snapped.

And Eisdrache’s blood rushes through him so hotly he almost exploded right there. He was taken aback, his heart pounding in his chest. It was a sense of protectiveness, a primal instinct to intervene. It was a feeling he didn’t expect, one that challenged everything he thought he knew about himself and his feelings towards Vaughan.

He goes to her.

She seems to see him, and yelps when Eisdrache’s fist goes straight to the boy’s face.

A drunken and drugged boy, malicious expression on his face until he realises he has been caught. He doesn’t recognise this guy, perhaps he is from House Faris and had followed her somehow until they reached the boathouse. A torrent of emotions washed over him. His mind raced, torn between his ingrained animosity towards her and the newfound urge to protect her. But ultimately, the sight of her vulnerability and fear overpowered his initial hesitation.

Seeing the boy, from supposedly House Faris, try to get up made Eisdrache even more furious.

With a growl, he lunged at the boy, his fists flying. The boy was taken by surprise, but he was no match for Eisdrache’s strength and skill. The fight was brutal and swift, ending with the boy slumped unconscious over the wood.

Eisdrache turned to Vaughan, her eyes wide with shock and horror as she quickly fixed her dress. She was looking at him with those big jade eyes. “Let me help you,” his voice softer than she had ever heard it. Puzzled expression written all over her face. She hesitated and then nodded slowly, not sure of what to do. She yelps again when he crouches down and removed her heels.

She looked at him, her eyes welling up.

“Why did you help me?” she asked.

Her voice barely a whisper.

Eisdrache looked up at her, this is the first time he has done it, his stone-like exterior melting for a moment. He doesn’t know what to respond to that. “Nobody should be treated that way… Even if it comes to you.”

Her eyes keep staring at him as he takes off the cape he was wearing with his costume and places it over her to protect her from the cold air. His arm embraces her waist as the other does the same but under her knees to carry her. “Even if it’s me?” she asks, voice barely audible. He looks into her eyes this time, warming her again with his magic. He has learned how not to make it so intrusive, so raw and dangerous, at least when it comes to her. He doesn’t know why yet. But it is there, that sense of wanting her.

“I will say it again,” he says when words finally come into his mind, “I’m saying please… You didn’t deserve what I did to you, it was just me and my rage. You didn’t have to go through that. I am so sorry.”

Her eyes keep looking at him.

He can feel her change auras against him, now against his chest. She is warm now, warm again next to him. The line between friend and foe blurred, and a spark of something new kindled between them.

The next morning Leevanna was seated on her bed, legs crossed and mind thinking. Lhu was still asleep on her bed. The party had ended at almost five in the morning. Leevanna is so confused. The previous night’s events replaying in her mind. She felt a strange mix of relief and confusion. The image of Vailant, her sworn enemy, coming to her rescue was still fresh in her mind.

Before this incident, she had viewed him as nothing more than her academic rival, a threat to her, a cold and distant figure who was always on the opposing side.

But his unexpected act of bravery painted him in a completely different light. Moreover, his genuine concern for her well-being, despite their past animosity, when he ad attacker her, stirred a sense of gratitude and a newfound respect within her.

As she had watched him fight for her, a storm of emotions whirled within her. First, there was shock. She was startled to see Vailant, her adversary, rushing to her aid. This unexpected act of bravery left her stunned, her mind reeling as she tried to make sense of his actions. Then came a surge of relief. As Vailant’s fists connected with the boy, each hit seemed to chip away at her fear. She felt a weight lifting off her chest, her breaths coming easier as she realized she was no longer alone in her plight.

But intermingled with the relief was a sense of confusion. Why was Vailant, of all people, defending her? This question gnawed at her, adding a layer of complexity to her already tumultuous emotions.

And finally, as she watched Vailant stand over her assailant, a spark of admiration ignited within her. She saw a strength in him that she hadn’t acknowledged before, a fierce determination that commanded respect. It was a whirlwind of feelings, a mix of shock, relief and confusion. She didn’t understand any of it. And then the words he said to her. All those confusing mix-signals. Was he really sorry for attacking her that day after the duelling? What did he meant by letting him burn with her? What did he meant by wanting her?

I want you to fight me again.

She can’t understand his words.

But then it comes the memory of him using his element to warm her skin in a cold night.

When he had turned her around against the table to face her and caressed her waist so delicately. The way his lips almost brushed hers. She can’t comprehend why he is doing all of this, can’t quite grasp the meaning of it.

Men are just so confusing for her.

She decided to keep her distance from Vailant for the time being, needing time and space to process what had happened between them. She spent the morning in quiet solitude, taking a walk through the Nivercier forest to clear her mind. The crisp air and the peaceful silence of the woods offered her a sense of calm and clarity. She then busied herself with her daily duties, trying to keep her mind off the incident. She tried to act normal, to keep her emotions in check, but the memory of Vailant’s actions kept creeping back into her thoughts.

For the next days she managed to avoid him as much as she could, making excuses for herself when Lhu asked her if she wanted to spend time with the group, saying that because of the tournament she hadn’t presented some homework. She knew Lhu was seeing right through her lies, but Leevanna also knew Lhu would think that it was still because of the attack after the duelling. Leevanna had been receiving counselling from Madame Pamela for a couple of days and she had pretty much forgotten the incident, but it was best for her to make it seem to Lhu as if she hadn’t quite really got over it.

It went one week, then two, like that.

Studying religiously until it was time for her to eat. She wanted to spent as much time alone as she could. She was also reading the book Leyla had given her, trying to learn more about the Zephyr she had collected from the cave that day of the task.

All had been alright until the middle of December, when she had been in the Banquet Hall doing homework with her usual group of friends that her little peace had gone to hell.

At first everything had been fine, she was resolving Mathamancy problems and doing her essays that she started hearing some murmurs near her. Freya looked at her. They came from a group of students from House Faris. Leevanna at first tried to not pay so much attention, it was nothing to do with her. But Freya kept looking at her and them Lhu and Thea did.

Perhaps it was about her.

“What is it?” she asked without stopping her writing.

“Oh, nothing,” Thea started curling her hair with her finger. “You have really pretty hair, you know that?”

“Thea,” a warning tone in her voice.

“What?”

“I know you’re lying to me,” and now she stopped writing. Eyes going up to look into her friend’s. “What is it?”

Thea looked at Freya, and then at Leevanna again.

“It’s nothing really,” said Lhu for her. “Nothing to worry about.”

“What is it?”

She was getting exasperated at this point. If it wasn’t so important then why weren’t they saying anything about it? Specially Freya who loved to gossip. Leevanna knew something was happening. It was at that moment that Rhazel opened his mouth, “House Faris is talking about your legitimacy inside the tournament,” getting himself slapped on the back of the head by Thea and then Freya.

Leevanna stared at him, and then divagated her eye throughout the Banquet Hall, catching many looks in her direction, mainly from House Faris, some were from men from House Vasilka, but about which she didn’t worry.

“And why didn’t you tell me?” she frowned.

“You already have a lot with the tournament and all,” said Lhu catching her attention. “We just wanted for you to concentrate in that and not some stupid and foul gossip going around.”

“What is the gossip about?”

This time it was Thea who answered her, “They are saying you supposedly enchanted all of the ones who voted yes so you could break the rules.”

“Thea!” reprimanded Freya.

“She had the right to know!”

Leevanna just kept darting her eyes everywhere. How could she have enchanted all of the student body, including Stouvania, to vote for her if she had it prohibited and certainly wasn’t morally right? She hadn’t done anything; she didn’t understand why someone would start saying that about her. Who could have possibly started it? Her eyes examined the Banquet Hall again until she found certain group of boys and girls giving her quick glances and the talking between them.

Among them was Lila White.

Lila was known for her hyper fixation with Freya, she even had the same haircut as Leevanna’s friend and tried to dress similarly. The difference through, between the two, was that Freya just spread rumours she had one hundred percent confirmed and backed it up with evidence, Lila just said whatever it occurred to her mind.

Levanna knew Lila has tried to enter the tournament but had been disqualified by the third round of duels because she had been cheating by using an amplifier for her magic. Perhaps she was just bitter about Leevanna getting ‘her place.’

“And why is she talking shite about me?”

Freya sighed, “She thinks that proving you enchanted all of us to vote for you she is going to take your place inside the tournament, I read her mind before when she asked me about the trousers I was wearing last week,” her nose wrinkled in disgust. “This gossip has been going on for weeks and nobody seems to stop it. I have tried to, but if someone catches me doing something to a student inside House Faris, they can say I am abusing my power coming from the royalty and even expulse me.”

Leevanna nodded slowly.

That wasn’t fair. It certainly wasn’t. So, getting already angry, Leevanna snapped, “Could you shut up? I’m trying to study here.”

Lila and her group of friends all looked at each other and she said, “Well, why are you hearing us in the first place?”

“Because you can’t talk properly, you yell,” Leevanna stared at her with all the iciness she could think of. But Lila tried to not seem intimidated by this. “And if you’re going to spread rumours about me and my legitimacy inside the tournament, just please be quiet about it that some of us are trying to get their qualifications.”

Lila just stared at her. “Well, it is true then,” Lila smiled. “That you enchanted half the student body.”

“Has anyone ever told you that every time you speak your lack of a brain is very much evident?” Freya snorted at Leevanna’s comment and Thea just tried to hold on her laughter next to Lhu. “So just shut up.”

Lila opened her mouth to say something else, but then her eyes caught something far more interesting. Being backed up by her girlfriends, she walked towards Vailant, who was with Orya Lukova a few metres away from them. Something inside Leevanna churned when her eyes saw him. All of the friend group, including her, made their sense of audition go even further so they could listen to the conversation.

“Ugh, there she goes,” Freya mumbled sardonically as she saw the black-haired one move to Vailant’s side.

Lila would try, and fail, again, to ask Vailant on a date. She was wearing a skirt and blouse, similar to one Leevanna had inside her closet. “Eisdrache, hi,” he abruptly cut off his conversation with Orya and turned around to see the girl who was speaking to him with a frown. “I was wondering if you wanted to go with me and some friends to Ayrith next weekend.”

“Can’t you see I’m a little busy right now?” Vailant raised an eyebrow. Inviting her to f**k off.

“Oh, I… Hi,” she waved to Orya, who supressed a smirk. “Well, I was thinking after Ayrith we could do something else… more private… if you understand.”

Vailant just kept looking at her, bored expression on his face.

“You think I would shag with someone so dull as the range of a teaspoon who is viciously attacking with foul gossip someone from my house who is part of high royalty?” everyone was looking at them interact, the hall silent. “I swear, what is with you and your lack of brain, woman?” Vailant grabbed his book and saying Orya he would see her later, he got up and started walking to the exit of the Banquet Hall, his eyes colliding with Leevanna’s for a split of second before fully going through the doors and disappearing.

And she doesn’t notice, but Freya looks at Lhu and they both have a sparkle of glance nobody but them could understand.

Leevanna blinked. Couldn’t she be at peace just for a second?

Two days later, it was Wednesday and Leevanna was eating lunch with her group of friends before her class of Magical Work. Rhazel was in a competition with Thea to see who of the two could eat more grapes in thirty seconds, to then fight if half-eaten grapes counted for at least half a point — Rhaz was also arguing if the two grapes on his mouth he had been chewing counted at least for a point. Mason was speaking with Freya and Vailant about some reports in the Sentinel Daily about a recent scientific advance. Lhu was reading Kiss Life Magazine.

It was fairly a good morning. She was reading about her class of today, scribbling on her notes to ask the professor questions later. She was excited about this topic.

In that moment, Lhu gasped. “No way!”

Leevanna rushed to leave her book and go with Lhu. She started reading next to her Kiss Life Magazine as her hand fled to her mouth in a rush.

A NAGI HUNTING!

Dearest readers, specially my men demographic, due to a recent and rather anonymous parchment arriving at my window, I care to inform you and warn you, as incredibly distressed I am, that snake-like woman are in a hunt of the most edible bachelor. Miss Lila White, a rather ambitious girl has been recently discovered to be a Nagi in disguise and seems to be in the look-out for her prince charming who would liberate her from her curse. A Naga (Nagi its feminine) is a being with the form of a humanoid snake, or in some cases, the lower part of a snake and the upper, humane. Lila’s mother, secret to many, had been r***d by one, and she had been born with the curse of it, only concealing it by charms and potions.

Miss White had been using illegal spell work to disguise herself and pass as a normal girl at Gleaxsiara Institute of Fine and Obscure Magical Arts. Incredible amount of various plants such as Ispollad, Pixie Hogweed and even crushed fairy wings, she has been concealing herself to be in the lookout of the heir of the Vailant family. Eisdrache Vailant has recently been accosted by several witches who are in the hunt for their knight in shiny armour, but is surprised and rather horrified that such a disgrace od breeding has even been able to step foot in such a prestigious institute…

Eisdrache Vailant watched as his friends read the recent article Lenira Akeets had written in Kiss Life.

His eyes fixed in one girl in specific, who was laughing and laughing as she read the breaking news.

She had a pretty laugh.

Two days later, on Friday after the duelling class, Eisdrache agreed to meet Orya outside the chateau, near the forest, so they could do some training for both of them.

Orya hadn’t been inside the five first who won the first task, so she was a bit infuriated by that. They had arranged meeting before meeting by the entrance of the forest even before the first task, so she could teach him to perfectionate tactics, and she could practice all she wanted with him so she would be ready.

Eisdrache arrived at their usual spot by the entrance of the forest with a bottle of water that he later started drinking, thinking about all the stuff they would do just knackered him. “Oi, ready to train?” he said when he saw her sat on a rock, but then he noticed something else, she was crying. Silently, but crying. He rushed to her side, and she looked directly into his eyes, letting him inside her memories and thoughts.

The first one was about a conversation with her father, who was a general inside the army, he was congratulating her for entering the Paragon Tournament, and Eisdrache thought it had nothing wrong, that until he saw the next one: “You will marry him, Orya, he’s your best option right now,” her father said to him. A picture of a man between her hands, her eyes shedding inconsolable tears.

Eisdrache recognised him, he was one of the archdukes from Oskea, but he was… He was like twenty years older than Orya, who was seventeen. She was a girl still; how could her father marry her to a grown-ass man who had nothing to do with her. Was that even legal? He had heard the king marrying one of his great granddaughters to a general twenty years older and the girl was just fifteen, and that just seemed complete bullshit to him. A marriage should never be forced, it was out of love, or that is what his mother always said to him.

Orya was begging, on the floor, her hands clasped as a sign of prayer for her father to listen.

But that wasn’t everything.

That man, called Silas Hunter, had r***d Orya when she was younger and assisting her father in some army stuff. He had come in her father’s office one time and forced himself on her. Orya was yelling and pleading, explaining the situation to his father, but there was nothing he could do, Silas had been the one who had asked specifically for Orya to be wedded to him when she reached the majority of age, and it had been approved by the king himself, there was nothing but death to separate them or liberate Orya for such intrusive and horrific event.

It wasn’t fair.

Eisdrache knew it wasn’t, but he just didn’t know what to do.

Exiting Orya’s mind, Eisdrache just looked at her as she sobbed unconsolably, head between her hands. “I’m sorry Orya, I—”

“No!” she yelled when he tried to grab her. “You know what?! You men think you can force yourselves on us as if we were nothing, just a sidekick to use whenever you want! You think we are just objects to f**k and marry when you want to and how you want to!” her eyes filled with rage. “D’you know why woman go into the army at such young age?! So they can prove themselves to f*****g men! I understand know why Leevanna entered the tournament, so she could prove herself as worthy as a man! And oh I hope she destroys you and all men living on earth! I hope she never forgives you for what you did to her! I hope she sees you as a f*****g repulsive monster all her life!”

“Orya—”

“f**k off! Don’t f*****g touch me!”

And with that, she left running inside the castle.

Eisdrache stood there.

Not knowing what to do.

What to say.

If he should follow her or not.

He didn’t know anything at that moment.

So he sat on the rock Orya had been before and meditated her words one by one.

I understand know why Leevanna entered the tournament, so she could prove herself as worthy as a man!

Was that true?

And if it was… Had he attacker her for the same exact reason she was fighting against?

I hope she sees you as a f*****g repulsive monster all her life!

Eisdrache ran a hand through his head.

Fucking hell.