Hale Academy: University of Sui Generis (Vol. I)

Chapter 9 (b): Caged in a Glass Prison (...Contd.)

"Whoa…" she breathed wicked-awed.

"Ah", Red stated, "I should have warned you about that, it gets easier the more you visit this room. And my sisters really prefer being here than anywhere else in this large house, made of so much glass", she muttered as she made her way through the P-shaped conservatory.

The room opened into a fairytale-esque green landscape. There were steps heading up covered in green moss, decorated artfully with four-leaf clovers, clovers in general interspersed with small delicate pink stonecrop and purple Serbian bellflowers that delicately shaped a path.

They climbed the seven steps into an atrium floor that opened up into a lighted area. A living room of sorts, if you ignored the only think separating them from the outside was another floor to ceiling tall sheet of glass.

The room stood at a height of twelve feet with a glass ceiling that opened up with a floral design showcasing the evening sky, the dusky pink of the sun, creating an allure of transcendent cherry valance draping itself across the horizon, as the twilight began to set in.

Looking back down, Hikaru turned and gazed around at the spacious room. The furniture and décor artfully placed around the room, hinted at a both professional yet whimsical flair of beauty that captured your attention without even trying.

It seemed effortlessly breathtaking.

The theme seemed mostly minimalistic with a bohemian flair for the dramatics.

The décor towards the Asian aesthetic of carved wood and embroidered fabrics or maybe it was Moroccon with colorful tile and metal lanterns.

The color palette leaned heavily towards warm tones, with woods like oak and walnut, she guessed, wicker and a few rattan items and Turkish or maybe it was Persian rugs in a mix of red and gold tones. Given they were banshees, they travelled a lot, their remained little mystery as to where many of the collectibles originated from. There were several plants situated in the room. More than a little bit of flowers, gardenias, petunias, bellflowers and few she couldn't recognize even he you paid her. There were several throw pillows on the bay-window painted in white overlooking a gorgeous garden that seamlessly blended with the walls of the conservatory window. the windows were framed with sheer white curtains, there were a few white throw blankets some on hand draped over furniture and two in in a basket nearby.

As Red made her way to the three young women sipping tea at a table with high backed chairs, Hikaru eyed art displayed on the brick wall behind them, and eclectic mix of thrift-store paintings and photographs of nature and landscapes.

Focusing on the women, she watched how Red rigidly stood a few meters away and bowed respectfully towards the woman standing a few feet behind watering a few plants with a bright yellow watering can.

"Dia Daoibh", she greeted politely.

"Dia dhuit", the woman greeted her, "How are you, little one?" she asked quietly.

"Quite well Aunt Moira. Allow me to introduce you to my guest", she stated and turned enough to add Hikaru into her introduction and yet still at respectful distance of respect she offered all four women. "This is Instructor Hikaru of Hale Academy, she is my assigned mentor and nominated guardian", she introduced and then stepped back.

Hikaru took that as her cue and offered a bow, not deep enough to lose sight of anyone, but with the respect she would offer them if they had been her own elders. Crossing a hand over her heart she started;

"Dia dhuit", she greeted politely, "As mentioned, my name is Hikaru Raijin I'm an Ascendant of the Spirit of Lightning.

It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance", she greeted.

"Raijin?" Moira hummed, "Like the God of Lightning in Japanese myth?" she queried politely.

Pleasantly surprised Hikaru smiled and nodded, "Similar", she answered, and "He's the Japanese God or thunder, storms and lightning and my father", she stated bowing.

"Wow that must make you a few hundred years old", a woman piped up discourteously. She was a black-haired brunette with deep sea-green eyes, highlighted especially due to the moss green gem bodice ball gown she wore. Or so Hikaru assumed, the dress was tucked neatly beneath her and barely took up any room, unlike the other three, whose dresses seemed to be larger than their petite frames.

"Kara! That's rude, you know better than to point out a young woman's age", one of the other two women hissed at her.

She looked very similar to Red yet with startling orange-red hair that fell in waves down her shoulders, the dress she wore a midnight blue drew cadence to her and piercing blue eyes that seemed to look deep into her soul.

Hikaru inwardly shuddered.

"Vivian, breathe!" The fourth and final woman ordered quietly. Her eyes like Moira were a darker green set in an equally pale face, and given the aforementioned names, this one evidently Alice.

"So you're a goddess?" Moira asked finally as they all settled again.

"In certain sects I could be defined as a child of a god, that is true", she agreed vaguely.

Moira hummed, "Tell us about this school, this Academy", she requested offering her a seat.

Hikaru sat down, idly noticing Red still standing at attention a few paces behind the chair, still in full view of all the women, she hummed;

"What would you like to know?" she queried.

"Everything", Moira answered, "Anything", she clarified.

"Well", Hikaru started accepting the tea from Alice, "The school was opened officially in 1989, on June 22nd during the start of The Summer Solstice. The founder a Mr. Hale, first name unknown", she stated, "Was the seventh Ascendant of the first seven Ascendants Batches. According to our Ascendant History, the first Ascendants were found in and around 1959. Not a good a year to be gifted", she stated amused, "History of Witchcraft has existed before the nineteen hundreds, the Salem Witch Trials were conducted in the sixteen hundreds, and King Solomon the first of the sorcerers was said to have existed in circa 990 BCE. But we of all people know the history of humans better than most. Which brings us back to the establishment of the school; it's a safe haven for those who have led a discriminatory lifestyle, and a place of acceptance. It's a learning Institute that covers a wide variety of fields to pursue a career in anything from Doctors to IT professionals. We don't cater to just one particular department", she answered.

"But there are other schools in the world, why should we send her to this school in particular?" Moira asked seriously.

"There are several children who of their coming of age are chosen as Ascendants. If Red chooses to not attend the school, I will leave without a fight. But if she chooses to attend, nothing short of a meteor strike will separate me from my charge", she started, "I would like to point that out first. To answer your question, there are plenty of schools that would offer your child a better platform for higher learning achievement I'm sure. But she will be acknowledged forever as Mundane or Normal. A non-magick", she answered simply.

"So if she is not an Ascendant, she has no magic. The Banshee bloodline won't awaken in her?" Kara asked quietly.

"I'm afraid not. The balance that renders some children to forever remain non-magical will be blessed and come upon effect. It is a choice, which is why we do not lie when we state a child after their coming of age will be blessed. Magic or not, all children are precious. We agree, do we not?" she queried rather sharply.

All four women nodded quietly, somberly. They sat in silence sipping their tea as they let that tidbit settle in their minds.

"What is an Ascendant?" Vivian asked after their moment of silence.

"Borrowed Power", Hikaru answered, "Power from a supreme being, a being that no longer exists or some believe to have been myths of old", she answered.

"Like?" Kara asked confused.

"Dragons, Quetzalcoatl, demons, gods, goddesses, creatures of old, forgotten almost. It's the spiritual power that transcends from a realm of the existing being, into the Ascendant chosen. This power is called Ascendant power", she explained.

"So what she becomes a dragon? If she agrees to be an Ascendant?" Kara asked, "I'd pay to see that", she huffed amused.

"No", Hikaru answered sighing heavily, "It's borrowed power. And power isn't stored in the shape of the body, but in the soul of the body, the personality, the essence of the creature or Supreme Being", she explained. "If she were to be something like I am, a 'Ascendant of Raijin'", she stated, "She will be in control of lightning and have a really crackling personality. The good and the bad of being like Raijin, but not Raijin. We do not become Supreme Beings; we are merely something very similar to their children and vessels. We have their power, but our bodies can only accept a fraction of that power. It would be about 200 percent more powerful than any person who is an Elementalist of Lightning but it would still be just a fraction. Makes for powerful children that cannot be tamed. The school provides a safe haven for that kind of power and a way via mentors like me and teachers of the occult, priestesses and other Ascendants to guide these children", she explained, "That is why you can send her to another school but she will be mortal, mundane. This will be the last chance offered by nature for Red, to be a child of Magick", she explained as succinctly as she could.

Moira hummed, she put her cup down and stood back up, "How long does this power last?" she asked as she sat back down.

"Indefinitely, till death", she answered.

"With the exception of being a child of a God. How does it work for you, if you were a child of a God, weren't you already magic?" Vivian asked quietly.

"Not all children are born with magic, and even demigods aren't. Some of us even live with some magic but with less power are discriminated against. I exist from a different realm. The rules may be flexible but they are still heavily applied. Power is power, if I hadn't chosen my Ascendant gift, could you imagine a powerless child of god amongst other children of gods?" she asked seriously.

Kara swallowed audibly, "I don't think I want to", she confessed somewhat weakly.

"So what kind of Ascendant is our baby sister?" Alice asked.

"I don't know", Hikaru answered, "It takes several months for Ascendant to understand what chooses them, which borrowed power they Ascend into. I couldn't determine what she will become until she actually becomes it", she answered quietly.

"But it will be a borrowed power", Alice whispered quietly, the truth the others hadn't realized yet.

Hikaru opened her mouth in affirmation when someone crisply stated:

"Borrowed power is still power!"

Red stiffened and Hikaru's gaze sharpened, she was up and out of her seat in seconds, in front of Red and shielding her, her eyes swept the room and settled on a woman behind her.

The woman was tall, her piercing blue eyes shaped identically to Red's and her long red hair that fell down her back swept across her hips as she walked, she smiled softly at her everyone in the room, it stood at a contrast to the truly severe look on her face, her pallid skin tone, reminded her of every ghost story she'd ever read.

As she walked into her room, the mermaid-style sequined midnight blue floor-length dress left very little to the imagination, hugging each of her curves in ways that accentuated her allure and voluptuousness in a way that men would covet. The woman definitely gave off the air of the Fae, with her exquisite beauty. And she knew how to wield it, as she sashayed into the room; each step dramatically used to emphasize a point of seduction.

Hikaru bowed low enough to respectful, but didn't move an inch away from Red, she straightened and eyed as Moira stood up offering her chair to the woman, the other three sisters all stood in front of Red to her right.

Moira settled behind the woman, easily having her chair transformed into a throne. All four women including Red curtsied and waited as she waved her hand.

"At ease, my children. Please sit", she offered the chairs.

Vivian and Kara immediately sat down, the latter picking up her discarded book and the former a piece of embroidery.

"I'll go make a fresh pot of tea", Alice addressed and slinked out of the room. Moira strayed closer to the bookshelves, never once offering her back to her sister.

"Tráthnóna maith", the woman greeted her politely.

"Good Evening", Hikaru answered in kind. It was odd, the greetings seemed to be deeper in language, that despite the English the translation runes were working on, they came across more clearer than the rest of the words. It was baffling.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, as I understand it, with the Ascendant gift my child will be magick?" she inquired.

"That is true", Hikaru answered easily.

//Finally someone who understood the basic truth...//

"Excellent!" she clapped her hands somewhat delighted if one went with her expression alone.

"Okay..." Hikaru trailed off confused.

"Then we must prepare for her graduation! Moira!" she called sharply.

"Yes Saoirse", she stepped forward curiously. "It will take some time though?" she wondered, "When do you need to return to The Hale Academy?" she requested.

Hikaru turned to Red.

"Uhm..." she blinked owlishly, she shrugged mouthing wordlessly.

Hikaru turned and face to her fully, "We can leave whenever you want", she stated quietly.

Red exhaled and swallowed audibly, "I'd like to graduate?" she frowned even as she answered her mother.

//But you don't care?//

Hikaru paused and then relaxed, "Then we will stay for your graduation ceremony. I won't leave your side", she promised bowing to Red with her fist across chest, a sign of fealty to the young Opsimath. "If nothing else, I may not know him very well or at all, but that kid terrifies me a bit", she muttered the last part alluding to Zen. To which Red smirked and nodded, and if it weren't for the fact that she was standing right next to the redhead, her words would have been drowned out by the five loud banshees screeching in the background.

//They seriously are loud!//

xXxXx

Translations:

Dia dhuit >> Hello