Oracle (Book I)

African Vampire

**Author's Note: Somehow the actual CHAPTER 26 (this one) got left out. I hope it makes sense to any readers who choose to go back to it now. My bad! My apologies. --ST**

"Take note. See it in your minds. Pupil Bossa has demonstrated strength and power, magic supplementation and complementation, and neutralization. Will anyone else challenge her?" Professor Armat untied the student in the sparring circle and handed her up from the floor as Bossa turned and walked toward Caprice and Nezzle who stood on the short stairs of the pit.

Professor Su nodded appreciatively.

"Speed. Strength. Masters of calling forth and molding ether, metaphysical energy. An intriguing and profound heritage and cultural legacy. That is a Suhnghati vampire."

"So what makes them so different from usual vampires?" someone asked.

Su winked. "That's a lesson for when we reach blood drinkers."

Her pupil muttered, "We're not having a full lesson on them, so why'd you say we were skipping ahead to vampires..."

Bossa pulled out her wand as she came towards them. As she started to point it at a shelf of towels a few feet away, someone stepped into the sparring circle, quieting the light chatter of the class. It was the young man Professor Volkorn and Professor Earithean had watched at the placement examination. Caprice recognized his long black hair and black eyes; instead of the cloak he'd worn then, robes of some black, air-light material fell around his body in curtain-like folds. The directness of his gaze and something else in those eyes, the way he carried himself, made Caprice think he was too old to be a student here.

"Bossa of the Blood Apple."

Bossa's lips curved as she stopped in her tracks. She turned around and took the few steps back into the circle. Facing her opponent.

"This school is pretty big. Yet you've heard of me. And you're still standing there. Inside the circle of challenge." Summoning her sword in her right hand's grip and her wand in her left hand, she took up a stance. "Wanting to try your luck?"

At his side, his hand curled around around the edge of his robes. A short sword bearing a black grip formed from the length of fabric in his hand. His dark eye smoldered.

"Absolutely," he purred with a fierceness. He flew at her swiftly, trailing a streak of billowing darkness.

Instead of swinging her sword, Bossa jabbed her wand at him, firing off a targeted series of flashy spells and hard curses. Her opponent grabbed the fall of his robes and swept the spells up, effortlessly dousing them.

"I've seen her do magic with a wand. If she's a vampire, how's that possible?" Avin Taymore said as he raptly watched on. The ringing of crystal striking metal sounded as the sword fighting started.

Nezzle replied, "She channels her power through it but it's a wend--a false wand. Her lineage gives her what is called a charmed touch, meaning she can perform some magic as a witch would despite the more vampiric nature of her abilities."

"Can't it become one, a wand, if she keeps using it that way?" Caprice asked, gaze on the fight.

"Very insightful, Miss Bilberry." Caprice started as Professor Earithean joined the conversation by Betiding in beside her.

Bossa parried a sharp blow and lunged forward. "What's your name anyway?"

"You can call me Ashe," he said, smoothly evading her next series of strikes.

Tripping backwards, Ashe smiled broadly as he fell and Bossa landed on top of him. The only thing separating her blade from his throat was the tip of his own.