Red Mountain Chronicles: The Illusionist

Chapter 24

       "Monsters. Demons. Heretics. Mankind had many names for us, and have throughout history, tried to wipe us out." Mrs. Hatathle leaned back on her desk to face us all. "Almost— if not all of you— know this to be common knowledge."
        "However, as much as we like to think we know about these events, it is important to learn them in order. This will help you understand how our society is shaped, and teach us to learn from mistakes that are generations old."
         As much as I wanted to pay attention to the professor, I couldn't help the feeling that my ears were burning. I looked around the class and low and behold, although there were a few paying close attention, people were sneaking notes and whispers amongst themselves. I almost felt like I had to give them credit for how well they covered up the fact they weren't paying attention.
     And we all know what they must be talking about. I don't mean to seem self absorbing, but it was the best explanation I could come up with. Mostly because of that scene last week in the library. And that was certainly going to be mentioned in some conversation. I decided the best thing to do was pay attention to the Professor.
      She went on. "But Mother Nature is also to blame for our migration as well. Therefore both of these factors had an affect on us. The witch trials. Colonization. Spanish Inquisition. The Black Death."
Wow. All of that caused us to migrate?
      "Humans weren't able to speculate our absence because during these events, there were many casualties. Therefore it is believed that the numbers that left actually perished."
      "Now, even though we left to avoid this oppression doesn't mean we were any better," she added. "We did many things against our own kind as well. Were-people, sirens, elves. The list goes on, even including specialized abilities, such as shape shifters." And at that moment, I wished she didn't pause. Because when she did, someone's hand shot straight up. And the teacher called on them.
      "It was also the other way around, wasn't it? Like back in the Five Nation Era?"
      Mrs. Hatathle looked down at the ground. "You are correct. Back then, we were controlled by... certain individuals that did... unmentionable things to their people."
      Another hand shot up, and with a sigh, she again allowed them to speak. "I don't really remember what I read about it, but wasn't it ruled by a whole family line that had the same specialized magic?", someone asked.
     "Yes it was. And they even went so far to 'keep the bloodline pure', that they married within their family," she added, trying to sway the conversation in a different direction. "These practices, we now know, are unhealthy." She then called on another hand that came up.
       "How many people did Fernando Del Sol kill under his rule?"
        The professor attempted to redirect the subject. "Alright we're getting a little off track—"
"I heard he made traitor's loved ones appear on a cliff to lure them to the end of it. Is that true?", someone asked.
"Actually," another student chimed in. "I heard that he made the torturers appear as a criminals loved ones."
Are they talking about light wielders? Did this person actually do any of those things?
Unfortunately, the conversation did not seize. It instead, got even louder. Before I knew it, everyone was talking, and all that I could hear over the chaos was: "Astreya the Cynical", "Fernando Del Sol", "Luciano I, IV, and V"— all of them who, from my understanding, did terrible things. Could all of these people do something so nefarious? Was this taught to them? What was it all for? The discussion kept on.
"And on top of that," a familiarly loathed voice said. "Fernando started the tradition of Blood Day at the Great Chasm."
"Did you think it was because of the inbreeding?" A classmate pondered.
Keyne spoke up again. "No way! Fernando was the first of them to rule."
"Maybe it was Castor Syndrome.", someone suggested. "I've heard he was always making illusions. That isn't healthy."
"Castor Syndrome or not, it showed his true nature, as well as others like him. The raw form of light wielders.", Keyne concluded.
"He was sick," another defended.
"Are you a sympathizer? That family killed millions!"
"Of course not," they said. "What he did was wrong—"
"Not just what he did," he continued, "but what his whole bloodline did. And other illusionists? Some argue they were just as bad. The Moonlight Killer? The Lux family?"
Fortunately that's where Mrs. Hatathle drew the line, because she threw her hands out and shouted "Silence!!", and those words, to my dismay pushed the whole class back in their chairs. And I mean, quite literally. I felt a gust of wind push me farther in my chair, and saw everyone simultaneously fall back into theirs. I was stunned. I was still new to this world, but from what I knew, that was a wind spell. A specialized spell that a non wielder could not perform. Someone like the Professor.
And I guess I was right about that fact because she then grabbed a handkerchief from her pocket and wiped her nose, which appeared to be bloody. "We are not going to discuss Illusionists right now. Yes, what the Del Sol's did was terrible, but it is not the right time to talk about them. Class dismissed."
But one person in particular had to speak up. "Professor H, please. Wouldn't it be better to just tell her?" Keyne stood up, gesturing towards me. "She needs to know at some point. Why not now?"
"You know well enough that if we are abbreviating last names, it should be me that gets to since my people were here first. And no, you have said quite enough."
"Are you sparing her feelings? You know what her kind di—,"
"Mr. Keyne!", she snapped. "See me in my office." She then directed her attention to her frozen class. "You are dismissed."
And, while quietly muttering to ourselves, we all began to pack up and file out of the room. Knowing that getting up too quick could draw negative attention for obvious reasons, I waited. And while I was waiting, Mary, Aggie, and Iggy came up to me.
"You doing okay?" Mary asked.
I nodded. As good as you could be after you find out you are associated with tyrants, terrorists, and who knows what other evil things. I looked up at her. I could tell that she knew I wasn't okay, because of the smug face she gave me along with knitted eyebrows. She wasn't going to pester me. And that I was grateful for.
I took my attention to the siblings, or should I say twins. They both were silent, looking down at the ground. I knew that look. It was a look that someone gives when they have nothing to say. And I didn't expect them to. Because if I was in their shoes I wouldn't have anything to say either. It felt like the equivalent of being a descendant of Hitler. Or, according to what I just heard, worse than a descendant of Hitler.
       As the crowd began to thin, I packed my things and got up, still relieved that I didn't need to wear the cuffs for many of my classes. This class was one of them. And considering what could've been, that was fine by me. As we filed out to leave, I heard Keyne's feet storming out the other exit. But I tried to not pay him any attention.
Unfortunately that didn't stop him from finding me outside of class.
"I hope you caught all that. Vegas, was it?" He yelled toward me, mockingly.
Vegas? Really? I shook the thought out of my head. Don't engage. Don't engage...
"You know, I still find it hard to believe that, a scrapper like you, could possibly be a light wielder."
I had no idea why lately my usually patient self has suddenly seemed to disappear, especially with this pain in the neck. So I still had no idea why it was still so hard for me to shake the feeling of wanting to knock his teeth out. But I couldn't engage, because the twins were watching me to see if I would do anything rash. So I walked the other direction, but Keyne was following right behind me.
"You see," he continued, "because as nefarious as they are, that would mean you are very powerful in a way. And a threat to me. And I still consider you a mere human."
The twins looked at me, watching to see what I would do. And that urge kept itching...
So I faced him to hear what he was going to say next. Not to fight, but to hear what he had to say.
He walked right up to me, making sure to glance at my wrists. "It's gonna be really hard to figure out if you're someone to be trusted or respected. I guess there's only one way to know for sure."
He stopped just two feet in front of me. "I'm going to give you a chance to prove yourself. You can either not face me, and continue to be pushed around. Or you can gain my respect by showing me what you really are right now. Your choice."
I stared back at those squinted blue eyes to try to figure out if he had an off button. And why he was always messing with me of all people. Did he not have restraint? Or maturity?
If I was back home in my own element and he was just a normal human, I wouldn't take his bull the same way I was right now. In fact I stood up to bullies in the past with no hesitation.
But this situation was different. The person taunting me was not a normal kid, he was a wizard. A wizard with much more experience in magic, and would probably win in a fight for that very reason. I am not a normal girl, I am a witch. A witch with an ability other mages fear. I was not being cheered on, I was being watched. And the consequences would not be a slap on the wrist and a trip to the principal's office, it would be something much worse.
"So," Keyne started. "What's it gonna be?"
The only way I could stand up for myself was through my words. So I used them.
"First off, I don't need to prove anything to you. As far as I know, you're no one special."
His jaw clenched, and I saw a vein stick out of his forehead. I heard a few gasps around us, so I glanced to see we built up quite a small crowd. I continued.
"Secondly, humans don't need flashy magic to be intimidating. And for that, I don't care if you compare me to them."
Then, I saw a slight glint in his eyes. But perhaps it was my imagination. So I continued again.
"After all," I said softer and casually, "we left. Not them."
I saw that same glint again. Now it was starting to not seem like my imagination. But that same urge was telling me to finish him. So I finished what I had to say.
"And one more thing. It doesn't matter what you think of me, you already know. I mean, you said it yourself that I am, in a way, more powerful than you."
And in that moment, he snapped and started to storm toward me, with electricity running through his fingertips. But then he stopped, along with his lightning. And he seemed to be looking over my shoulder. I turned around, and low and behold, it is the Headmaster himself.
"What seems to be the problem?" He asked, authoritatively.
"Nothing, sir," Keyne responded, immediately looking at the floor. Guilty as ever.
Professor Ambrose looked at me, and I shook my head. "We were just leaving."
He leaned on one leg, clearly not convinced. But he didn't question further, and instead turned around and walked away. He seems like he's everywhere.
And with that, Keyne began to walk away too. But he glanced back at me. I knew what it meant. He was trying to tell me 'it's not over'.
And I couldn't agree more. This wasn't over. I have never felt such a loathing for a person.
I am usually the composed, mediating, passive person. I have worked very hard to calm myself down— and all for a good reason. I was a violent child when I was little. And I was given the worst treatment in school because of it. And I didn't understand why because it felt like it was the natural thing to do. But with the help of my mother, I overcame my urges.
And now, with this insufferable brat, all my urges are coming back again. And this scared me. And it made me even more angry because now I have to retrain myself again.
And he was the problem. He was trying to make me into a violent mess.
But I won't let him. And I certainly won't let him make me use my powers to lash out. Because me using them would make me the villain.
If he wants to fight, I will make it abundantly clear that he's not gonna crack me. I won't be the villain for standing up to myself.
Not again.