The Hunter Academy

~Çhapter Sęvęnty-Thręę~

"So, what's our priority here?" Julian asked once we all set up in my room, taking usual lazy positions.

"Hmm?" I asked as I pushed the spines slightly closer together, refusing to bend the spine.

Artemis rolled her eyes. "I believe he means 'what's our next move'?"

Lucas raised an eyebrow pushing on the bridge of his glasses. "What do you mean 'what's our next move'?"

Amara threw a chunk of metal in the air and there was a simple flash of light.

I laughed. "God damn it, Amara!"

Zac sighed. "One day, you're going to kill us all."

She rolled her eyes. "It would just blind you temporarily, or-"

I didn't hear her exact words, but I'm pretty sure she said 'or permanently'. Lovely.

So, I sat up in my bed, my legs crossed and the page bookmarked. "It depends, doesn't it?" I yawned.

Julian tilted his head to the side like a puppy. "And?"

I turned to him. "What?"

Apollo seemed to let out an agitated sigh, but Artemis answered. "Why does it depend?"

"Well," I started slowly, "Are we going to focus on what's in the Sub-levels or about our fellow students, Silvana perhaps, our teachers?"

I paused for a second, opening my mouth and promptly shutting it when I found nothing to say.

"To be fair," Lucas began, "most mysteries are connected, one way or another, we should start with one and slowly the puzzle will solve itself."

"Sounds logical." Artemis drawled dryly. "But our life isn't a God damn mystery book!"

I shrugged. "Either way, I think we should concentrate on Victoria and what's in the Sub-levels."

"You're willing to sacrifice the lives of others!" Julian burst, before he froze, placing a hand over his mouth.

My eyes narrowed to slits and I swung my body over the end of the bed, staring directly at him.

"Julian, is there something you'd like to share with the whole class?"

He looked like he was about to cry with my death stare, however it was Artemis that sighed.

"Charades over, Julian."

Zac lunged and grabbed Artemis' jacket lapels. "What the hell did you do, Hemlock?"

She laughed. "There's something up with this school, something freaky.

She reached into her pocket and let a piece of paper fall to the floor.

Amara stooped down and picked it up. I peered over her shoulder as her eyes widened, everything looked like gibberish to me, but it obviously meant something to everything else who stared at the letter.

"Why," Amara's voice shook with anger, "why didn't you warn us, tell everyone? Why the hell are you even here!"

"We're not here because we want to be." We all turned to Julian. "Our parents sent us here like everybody else."

I raised an eyebrow and he laughed through his nose quietly.

"Now," I began, "someone tell me what the hell it says!"

Zac handed me the notebook I used when we studied together since I still hadn't learned Huntarius properly, I knew phrases and could say stuff, but I wasn't as fluent as I should be.

I'm usually a fast learner when it comes to languages, but I guess I just wasn't passionate enough to learn right now.

But, it basically says,

Dear Artemis,

If you've found this letter then you've also probably shown it to someone else already.

I know that you hate me and I act uninterested all the time, never showing any form of affection, but I need you to investigate Victoria and her school.

Something is wrong with that school, I know something is.

I know that you owe me nothing, but Victoria's doing something in the Sub-levels to the students.

I just hope it isn't too late and that she hasn't started with her Ink Magic yet.

I don't understand, or took my investigations far enough, what Victoria's doing.

Camila.

I furrowed my eyebrows. "But the inks faded, the papers crinkled and old. When she write this?"

"I don't know," Artemis answered truthfully, "but Victoria is dangerous to whatever degree and I think she's doing something in the Sub-levels and that the strange way some students are acting are connected."

Amara nodded. "It makes sense, I mean Victoria is kinda creepy. And remember that Blood Magic book, that's gonna have something to do with what she's doing and the students."

I raised an eyebrow and hummed to myself in agreement, it was weird generally. The way Camila completely acknowledged the fact she's cruel and heartless, it wasn't a human trait to admit things like that and so far Hunters seem to fall into the same category in the way they act and do things.

They don't own up to the fact they're killing real people with lives and families - although I guess I'm quite the hypocrite by saying that - while also maintaining the firm belief that we're the good guys.

Doesn't it sound weird?

It kind of sounds like brain washing actually, but through generations and through idiots - like how people still seem to believe the world is flat.

The thing is, hypnosis and brain washing usually only works to focus people, not make people do anything they don't want to do.

A problem in the theory of brain washing, but it might not be brain washing at all. Maybe it's all down to how stupid people can get.

Killing is in no way right with the exception of absolute defence - again, aren't I such a hypocrite.

I've just given up on myself at this point, I'm a killer. Moving on.

Plus, what did Camila mean? And, from the age of the paper, pit could've very easily be written when Camila was in school since Hunters don't age the same way as Humans once we hit a certain age.

She also mentioned Ink Magic, so imagine what other things Victoria could do with Blood Magic.

I realised I was pacing and quickly paused, before blowing up my cheeks and sighing, falling back onto the bed, ignoring the slight bounce as I did so.

"Archer, your brain's in overdrive again." Zac sat down next to me.

"Okay, okay," I took in a deep breath.

"Well," Artemis started, "I don't know about you, but I think the Sub-levels should be the first destination."

"Yeah," Amara agreed.

"Great."

"Dragging me into illegal activities again."

I nodded. "Should we plan tonight and go tomorrow or-"

"We're going now," Zac interrupted.

"For once I agree with Zachary, we'll take everything as it comes."