The Whisper of the Nightingale

Chapter 39: Threats and Lies

Pushing down the urge to pull her sword out and sink it deep into her cousins chest, Raven instead looked over at Javelin, who also had stopped talking to his friend at the sound of the door opening. Their gazes met and Javelin smiled meekly at her; he looked a bit tired, but also regretful, no doubt it was concerning yesterday's events.

Raven nodded at him, silently agreeing to put it all behind them, and was about to walk over to him when Jack Tanuki nudged Dunlin's side. Together the two both bowed excessively low and shouted in a respectful tone, "Advanced Class greets Vice Headmaster Gadwall!"

The rest of the students quickly followed suit. However Raven noticed that, even though they hid it well, not all of them were pleased by the perceived leadership of Dunlin and this Jack.

"Greetings students," the youths straitened at Gadwall's response, " I found your newest addition on my way here, whom I'm sure you have all heard of by now." Gadwall smiled warmly and Raven wondered if he grasped the double meaning of his worlds. "Do you wish to introduce yourself, Junior Night?"he asked.

'Not really,' thought Raven but she shrugged and answered anyway; "Raven Night. First Year. High Spirit Novice."

Gadwall waited a moment before he realized that was all Raven intended to say. "Ah . . . well, yes, straight to the point. Good. Why don't the rest of you repeat the courtesy?"

From the Vice Headmaster no more prompting was needed; one by one they introduced themselves with name, grade and spiritualist rank. From what Raven had learnt about expected cultivation levels of students at Sky Academy, these thirteen youths really were a step above their peers. The oldest student, an eighteen-year-old boy who looked like a bear, had even stepped into the Spirit Champion realm and was approaching mid Champion, something that even the talented students of Sky Academy would find hard to pull off before the age of twenty five.

As the introductions moved along, from oldest to youngest, it was eventually time for the forth graders, but before Javelin or Dunlin had a chance, the black eyed exchange student spoke out.

"Jack Tanuki, third year, peak mid Adept." His endlessly black eyes bore into Raven, as if daring her to oppose him or rebuff his prowess. Raven however showed no reaction at all; although his cultivation was impressive for someone not yet eleven years old, Javelin had almost the same cultivation and was even younger.

Besides, she already found out about Jack's cultivation level at the banquet yesterday, so what was there to be surprised about? The next introduction however did surprise her.

"Dunlin Talon, forth year, mid Adept."

'What?' Raven's brow twitched slightly as she quelled her frown. She risked a glance around the room but no one reacted at Dunlin's statement. 'How come no one is refuting him? He's clearly only a low Adept!'

She focused her senses on his presence but no matter how hard she concentrated, Dunlin's leaking spirit essence was so light pink, it almost seemed white.

"As for Junior Hake, I assume you've already been introduced to him, since you two are roommates," Gadwall suddenly put an end to the introductions, disrupting Raven's pondering. "Your ordinary teacher is otherwise engaged at the moment so I will be over-seeing you today. I have nothing special planned so please proceed to your allocated rooms and I will be with you shortly. Junior Hake, your room is closest to Junior Night's. Show him the way, won't you?"

"Yes Vice Headmaster," replied Javelin but Gadwall had already disappeared down a corridor.

The advanced students studied Raven for a moment before they headed towards a nearby staircase. Raven had no doubts that these people had heard all the rumors about her but they were all considered geniuses among geniuses. She assumed that for them, regardless of whether the rumors were true or not, the only ting they cared about was personal strength. Right now, Raven was the weakest in the class - as the only person, presumably, below Spirit Adept level - and was therefore of Little or no concern for them.