A Darkness With No Name // Book 1: The Warriors of Light

4: Edward Murray Knows Everything

Song for this chapter: ‘Ain’t It Fun’, Paramore <3 It symbolises the fact that Ian is out of his protected world, and has to fight to survive.  YEPP

Ian woke up blearily.  At first he was disorientated as he stared at the unfamiliar ceiling, but then the events of last night came tumbling in one after the other, and he squeezed his eyes shut at the sudden headache.  He realised that he must be in some sort of infirmary, as he glanced at the countless beds all around him.  He heard his door squeak open and looked to see a sleep-rumpled Lucas peer in, his hair flat on one side.  Upon seeing Ian awake, he came in and sat on his bed.

“So Robin how’s your head?”

Ian glanced haughtily at Lucas, and said in a posh voice, “I do not answer to that name, Sir.”

Lucas grinned, and suddenly lunged at Ian, tickling him.  Ian gave a small scream instantly smothered by the pillow which he fell face-first into, as he laughed hysterically, unable to stop.  Lucas stopped suddenly, hands hovering over Ian, and whispered, “Will you answer now?”

“No.”

“Very well.”  And Lucas started tickling Ian again.

This cycle continued till Ian was breathless and Lucas had fallen off the bed from laughing too hard.  He looked at his watch.

“Shit Yan, we’re going to be late.”

“That…is your…fault,” Ian managed to say in between heaving gasps.  Lucas wiggled his fingers threateningly, causing Ian to shrink away, begging for mercy.

Ten minutes later, Lucas was sitting alone on Ian’s bed, dressed and styled.  And Ian was still in the bathroom.  “Yan!  It’s almost time!  We’re going to get our asses in detention and it’s not even your first week here!”

Ian came out of the bathroom at that point, running his fingers through his stubborn hair, which stuck up as soon as Ian’s hand stopped combing it.  Lucas stood up and ruffled Ian’s hair, giving it the perfect excuse to tie itself in knots again.  Ian huffed at Lucas, who was laughing, and through the sip of water he had left in his water bottle at Lucas’ perfect hair.  The sight quiff drooped like a wilted flower.

To cut a long story short, they were both spectacularly late.  They were supposed to be outside Headmaster Murray’s office at 8:30.  It was a little over 9:00.  Shit. 

Lucas fidgeted with his hair while Ian stared dreamily at whorls in the wooden door until a stern voice said from inside, “Enter.”

Lucas nudged Ian sharply in the ribs, and went to open the door. Ian grabbed his hand and stopped him.

“Wha-” started Lucas, but stopped suddenly as Ian reached a hand and straightened his quiff. 

“There, that’s better,” whispered Ian, then, as if realising how close to each other they were, he quickly turned around and opened the door, leaving Lucas staring at the air where he was standing, looking like a fish plucked out of water.

Ian felt his heart rate slow down slightly as he entered the huge office.  The domed ceiling soared high above him, light streaming in from the glass ceiling.  A gold inscription written in cursive on the wall stated: Triumphos lucem tenebras, et tenebras erit ligatum et in saecula.  The floor was covered with gold tiles, the walls painted white with gold spirals rising up from the ground.  A wooden cabinet stood to one side, holding inside it a blinding circle of whiteness, streaming out of a spherical orb.  In the middle of the room was a dark mahogany desk, and sitting behind it, on one of those huge black leather chairs that just scream I’M-POWERFUL at you, was a man.