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

Chapter 6 (b): A Wolf’s Howl (...Contd.)

The room had descended into silence for a barely a few seconds, before a raucous yet oddly chilling laugh reverberated around them.

"You're right", she answered, and "You're not anything like your father", she laughed a manic sound echoing. "You're exactly like that stupid girl my daughter was. Headstrong and stubborn", she huffed pinching the bridge of her nose, she sighed again. "Knocked up by that asshole", she muttered recalling a past he had no way of knowing. "Ah… how hard I tried to school you against him, killing all those people", she sighed disappointedly. "What a waste of time, and when I finally thought I'd bought that wenches trust to raise you, she went and told him where and how to find you", she sighed looking to where Bartimaeus pulled the dagger out of his body and set it on fire, "And now this man is your guardian, ugh… don't make me laugh", she huffed, "How much money will it take to get rid of you?" she demanded.

Bartimaeus hummed and turned to Sasha, "Is she asking to buy me?" he asked confused.

Sasha nodded wordlessly, mentally he was looking at every memory he had with a whole new perspective, on a certain level he felt something akin to shock.

"Ah", Bartimaeus, "I can't take it though", he answered confused.

Sasha nodded, "Because of Zen", he noted absentmindedly.

Why did he have to be right? That Brat…

"Well", he paused, "And other factors", he answered simply despite how the rune burned on his shoulder.

Sasha hummed, "We should go", he said eyeing his grandmother.

The woman laughed, "If you can", she said taunting him snapping her fingers amused.

Sasha and Bartimaeus blinked exchanging a startled glance; they turned just in time to see his grandmother leave through a door Sasha had always believed was a closet. Running to it, he opened the door hurriedly only to be met with a brick wall.

"We've been locked in", Bartimaeus informed not moving from the spot and looking at everything in the room.

"That old woman tricked us", he gruffed, "I always knew there was something off about her, but to think she was hiding me from her daughter's husband—my father?" he wondered.

"Well she was mostly telling the truth, though there were a few lies thrown in, to sound truthful", he answered.

"Well she's a very good actor", Bartimaeus muttered.

"She was acting, well yes, even I can see that, now. But how do you know?" Sasha asked searching the room for any additional hidden routes.

Bartimaeus hummed, "She didn't sound different the whole time she spoke, I mean her pitch, not the sudden transformation from strict formidable grandmotherly persona into apparently crazy psychopathic serial-killer", he added still shocked. "I wonder why she wasn't found out before though? No one is that good an actor", he looked around the room and walked towards the desk searchingly. "Then again, it wouldn't have. She's a pathological liar", he hummed. "Her entirety is made up of lies", he answered simply.

"I don't understand, 'her entirety', what does that mean?" Sasha asked baffled.

"Well", Bartimaeus paused, "I can see people's souls, auras", he corrected and then seemingly nodded to himself, "Yes, auras", he repeated and then continued, "When a person is telling the truth, the aura around them is lit up", he paused, "Do you understand what an aura is?" he asked curiously.

"Uh… yes, a supposed emanation surrounding the body of a living creature and regarded as an essential part of the individual", he answered almost dutifully.

Bartimaeus nodded, "Yes, an aura", he agreed, "The first time I met you, the aura that surrounded you and the other five Ascendants were a white color. The color of purity, innocence", he answered.

"Six other Ascendants", Sasha corrected.

"I'm sorry?" Bartimaeus asked.

"Besides me, there are six other Ascendants", he clarified.

"Ah", Bartimaeus nodded, "Yes", he paused again, "Well then, how do I put this", he tapped his upper lip with his left index finger, "Six of you were innocent", he answered, "The seventh wasn't", he hummed, "His aura is a stark golden color", he answered.

Sasha sighed heavily collapsing on his grandmother's chair he huffed instantly recognizing who the man was talking about. "That's not remotely surprising anymore", he huffed, "He'll definitely be one of us that masters his Ascendant abilities within six months whilst we'll all be struggling for a year", he grumbled.

Bartimaeus hummed, "I couldn't say. Most leaders shine red, and the gifted lot that masters it in six months usually shine with a soft silver color", he hummed, "Anyway, your grandmother shined a distinct Dark Green color, it's not a bad color, but the connotations of the color usually belong to ambition, greed, jealousy. The lighter color that's not clouded with Darkness, means, growth, wellness, fertility, safety and harmony", he explained.

"The darkness, what color is that?" Sasha asked curiously. "Black?" he asked pointing out the obvious.

"No", Bartimaeus answered shocking Sasha slightly, "Black would be an obvious color, but black usually has some positive implications, such as strength, authority, elegance, formality, authority, rebellion, and sophistication. Black is required for all other colors to have depth and variation of hue. It's actually quite a prestigious color, however people always associate it with evil and darkness", he sighed, "But that's human. I've learned, discrimination based on color, just seems normal", he shrugged accepting.

Sasha sighed, "Can we escape?" he asked too tired the intricacies of being human.

"Quite easily", he answered, "Do you have anything you might need, or will you be coming back for it?" he asked.

"If Ana did as I requested, nothing here holds any value", he answered.

Bartimaeus nodded, "Maybe information on your father, or whoever 'he' is supposed to be?" he asked.

"How good is your magic?" Sasha asked.

"Good enough", he answered.

"That woman wouldn't hide information about my father here", he hummed, "Not unless she hid in plain sight, Ana would have known, but after what I asked her to do, there's no doubt she would have escaped by now. Ana is a master assassin and a trained Venerer; also we're trapped here on the off chance she's still on the property—"

"The property except for the magic-circle your friend Ana drew is destabilizing", Bartimaeus interjected, "I suppose your mortal grandmother infused this place as a safe spot and unless she stays, it would self-destruct", he informed.

"Typical", Sasha exhaled heavily. "And so how much time do we have left?" he asked.

"Hm", Bartimaeus closed his eyes and counted to himself, "About ten minutes give or take, judging by how little time we have, something of value must have been hidden, it will take too long to search the house, so please come here", he said.

Sasha frowned and walked towards him, "What are we waiting for, exactly…whoa…" he blinked startled at the sudden feeling of vertigo taking over and found himself outside his family home, he wobbled dangerously, and almost passed out from the inexplicable traveling, he was gently directed and then felt as if someone had wrapped a warm fuzzy blanket around him.

"You'll be safe here. Give me a moment", Bartimaeus said and moved away from him, the difference was immediate, where he'd felt almost stifled with the heat in his arms, accompanied with vertigo-like teleportation that rendered him dizzy—something he guessed Zen felt every time Hale Magic worked, Sasha felt almost stable, looking up he found himself in Ana's magic circle, with his red-trolley suitcase, and Bartimaeus standing in front of the now disintegrating building.

The man, his mentor was chanting something, in a language similar to what Zen had called Dova-zul– something or the other, and yet still impossible to discern. He blinked as darkness crept closer and closer, the last thing he saw before passing out was Bartimaeus walking back to him, a bundle of something in his arms.

*

Bartimaeus looked down at the human Ascendant unconscious in the circle, stepping into the same space, he turned, and "Have you borne witness?" he asked thin air.

The air shifted and a cloaked figure stepped out, removing their cloak, blonde hair fell in ringlets, familiar blue eyes greeted them, "I have", Ana answered simply.

"Are you the boy's rightful guardian?" he asked.

"I am", Ana nodded, "It was his mother's wish, I've watched over him for a long time. Hiding it from that wrathful woman was starting to get difficult.

Difficult, but for him so very much worth it", she answered quietly.

"Would you like to meet him one last time?" Bartimaeus asked patiently, humans often needed time before departure.

Ana crouched, "I would have liked to, but the circle won't allow me entry", she answered quietly.

"You keyed it for him alone didn't you?" Bartimaeus stated.

"Yes", she said handing him the vial of his blood.

"Keep it", he said.

Ana listened and pulled her hand back warily, "With your predilection is that wise?" she asked confused.

"It's the only way you'll be able to find him", he answered simply.

"I see", she paused, "Is he safe? Are you his guardian, is he your master?" she asked quietly.

"None of that. He is safe though, protected by one who has a golden aura", he answered quietly. "My master has me on a tight leash, and even if he let me go, no harm will come to him when the one with the golden aura will be beside him", he answered. "Who are you to him?" he asked cautiously.

"His father's sister. I was hired to stay by his side since infancy. I kept my distance until he turned twelve and then applied to his grandmother's office. Venerer offices knew she was dangerous. His father has been trying and failing to get close if he came out now, she might kill them both", she paused, "It would also take me too long to contact him, the house is well up in smoke, and there are eyes everywhere, he's already on the run", she informed him.

"Will you follow him?" he asked.

"No I'll be following her", she hummed, "The life of a spy, it never ends", she smiled tightly.

"If he wants to talk to you?" Bartimaeus asked.

Ana smiled softly, "It would be best we never hear from each other again.

Unless we manage to kill that old—there's not a curse strong enough for her", she grumbled.

"My people have a word", he said.

Curious Ana hummed, "Yeah? What is it?" she asked interested.

"Signidvajdhejs", he answered simply.

Ana's eyebrows flew to her forehead, "What does that even me?" she laughed, "How do you even spell that?" she asked.

Bartimaeus hummed, "It's spelled S-I-G-N-I-D-V-A-J-D-H-E-J-S", he answered, "It's a culmination of all curses, my sister came up with it, after she realized the word bastard didn't have much impact and was an insult to bastards worldwide", he answered.

Ana stared at him, she raised her index finger, "First of all that word didn't sound as if it had a single letter 'D' in it, so it actually has two is astonishing. And it's said 'signi-vaj-hejs'", she stated, "Why Signidvajdhejs", she asked.

"Yes", he answered simply. "Well my sister was really pissed off at her uncle", at her confusion he continued, "We're not related biologically or by the creed", he clarified, "But she's my sister, and well she was frustrated, after a fight she ranted for some time and finally screamed, 'You, you, you, Signidvajdhejs' which obviously made no sense to us, and we live in a realm that has survived and seen the world of humans change for a very, very long time. But it had an impact, and it became a thing. To the cruelest, crazy annoying, for the heaviest insult we could think of that seemed insulted to the preexisting curse, we started using Signidvajdhejs", he answered, "It's gibberish", he finally answered.

Ana nodded, with an 'Ah' of understanding, "Well then", she smiled down at his charge, "Please keep him safe, and tell him I love him. Hopefully", she said pulling her hood up, "As soon as it's safe, I will use this–", she patted her pocket, "–to contact you again", she said and cloaked herself out of sight.

Bartimaeus hummed and as he felt her disappear and cloaked himself and his charge in flames and transported them back to Hale Academy.

Humans could be so similar sometimes…

xXxXx

(End of Chapter 6)