The Academy

Chapter 4: SIAMESE

Yup, that's right, I actually updated Academy! You should be proud. It's been months and months and months. Though unfortunately, this isn't too long. Still. Enjoy.

Kiki doesn't look to good, Lilac remarked. The lights above us swung and everything in the room seemed to be shaking.

"Your powers of observation astound," I replied tightly, facing the door. "Kiki, I'm going to throw them back for a few seconds. When I do, undo the locks so I can get out."

"That's suicide!" Kiki cried. Then her voice lowered. "… Fine. But if you get yourself killed, I swear…"

I felt around for my telekinesis and then pushed against the force hitting the door. One was big; the other was smaller and thinner. Regardless, both went flying back with a satisfying crunch that only I heard. As promised, Kiki opened the door, and I snaked out with Lilac on my heels. When the door closed again, I saw Penelope next to me, eyes hard with determination.

"You idiot!" I hissed, mortified yet pleasantly surprised at the same time. "What do you think you're doing here?"

Her voice was a little shaky, but I knew she'd made up her mind. "I will fight."

I placed a hand on her shoulder and thought to her, Very well, but if you get hurt, I want you to run away.

She didn't even seem startled at the telepathy. "Don't be an idiot," she said quietly. "I may be young, but I'm a warrior."

I sighed and didn't argue, instead watching carefully as Lucifer and Jake stood up in front of me, a little dazed. Lucifer recovered first. His eyes flashed with recognition. "You're the one Kiki was with," he said.

I nodded.

"Her twin."

I hesitated and didn't respond.

"… Hm. Bothersome." I blinked. That was the word I usually used for annoying people. "Well, let's see if you can stand up to Jake."

The guy was huge. Black hair, brown eyes, beefy muscles. One hit and I'd be a goner.

"Leave Jake to me," Penelope hissed.

Didn't she say it took three Elites to pin him down? But she looked determined, so…

I could see her nails had lengthened and thickened, and her canines were jutting out of her mouth as she pounced on Jake, dodging his first clumsy swipe with a lightning-quick sidestep. I turned my attention back to Lucifer.

His smile was amiable, but his eyes were anything but. I shivered; his anger was ice-cold, unlike my Council's red-hot fury. "You remind me of a gnat," he pronounced, flipping a black book open in front of him.

I'm a bug? And not just any bug, but a gnat. They're really annoying, those things. Especially when they fly into your mouth and then—

I tensed when he stopped flipping the worn, gray pages and looked back up at me.

"You were stupid to fight me," he sneered.

I hissed, "Lilac!"

Here.

"You know what to do, yeah?" I let the two knives slide out of my sleeves and held them in each hand. She didn't have to respond.

I charged Lucifer, knives aiming for his book. He dodged with lucid grace and with a flick of his fingers I felt something slam into my mental shields. I winced, and strengthened my shields while I analyzed what he'd done.

Counterattack is mental, thus he probably tortures people by taking precious memories and twisting them up. Can probably make the brain malfunction and kill someone. Can use his magic to hurt people. Doesn't have any visible weapons besides the book. Very fast—