Haze of Dusk (A trilogy) Read online

  The suns-set in a soft exquisite manner. The flaring heat-waves diminishes from our sights, consuming us with a bit of novelty. Our draghorns arrive on time, ready to take us back to the castle.

  “You can’t tell anyone…about us…” he says as he pats the draghorn’s head. He has broken the strange silence that has taken over us for quite some time. “Why can we do that? I don’t understand.” I say in a trance, preparing Hendra. He harshly sighs.“I…I do not know either but…what I do know is that this is prohibited, the leaders would kill us or at least one of us. They don’t like people who are more powerful than them. This is dangerous. We cannot let anyone know. That tree, I have to destroy it…”

  “Why?” I gust out a breath.

  “It has our initials. If a word falls to their knowledge, they will find us. We cannot risk it.”

  “Would they really hurt us? I mean, this is remarkable. We can change the world. Make lakes than won’t vaporize. Create seasons. Maybe even get rid of the second sun. We can do a lot of things to help this world.” I say excited, the ecstasy gives me butterflies in my stomach; but Khysso doesn’t seem joyful at all, but terrified. “You don’t know Zorganther Srovio, do you?” I shake my head.

  “He seeks a world under his control. Our gift to him will be a threat, a fatal conspiracy. Fear him…for he is truly evil.” His words give me chills. Is that man so fearful than even powerful Khysso is afraid of him?

  The return to Doomsvell was quick. We made it on time for the great decision. We get down from our draghorns, leaving them in the front of the castle, and in union, Khysso and I stroll inside. He drags the dragon’s head for there is no way in hell I'm touching it. The great hall is filled with apprentices, walking in the room silence takes over. Everyone’s attention is now on us. Suddenly, stillness ends and the apprentices begin to cheer. I'm touch by their contentment. It mends my heart they’re overjoyed by my survival. Waiting on the center of the great hall— counting the hours before naming my quest a failure is the headmistress, and her companions.

  I courageously stand near them. I heave away the shawl from the dragon’s head, startling the people in the room. Sandrine smiles pleasurably, slightly cunning.

  “The sword,” she requests. I frown, and present her the sword. She lays it in her hands. An image flashes out. It's me striking down the sword through the dragon’s head. I scoff. I discreetly peep at Khysso. Now I understand why he said I needed to face it on my own. The headmistress shouts for Ragumus, the lower position leader, to announce my future. Is she too good for me that she can't notify the verdict?

  “Well done, Miss Zayras. Your sins have been forgiven,” the moment Ragumus speaks the people around us applauds at once—shouting my name. Some girls yell for Khysso’s attention. It’s clear they're aroused by him. “And for Srogeri’s life, it also has been forgiven,” he adds. His sight oddly meets the headmistress, then right back at me. I sigh in relief. “However…” my heart skips a beat. I dislike the word however.

  “Wizard Srogeri has permanently been suspended from instructing and from Doomsvell.” I gasp, shaking my head in dismay. No, they can’t do that, if he leaves I’ll have to face Doomsvell alone, and without him, I am beyond lost.

  - 15 -

  Haunted

  The hardest decision I’ve ever made is to let go of my dear Srogeri. I’m upset. It’s heartbreaking to watch him get on the carriage; waving farewell as if it’s our last good-bye. I didn’t think it would hurt me so much to part from him. He's the only father figure I have known since Papa passed away. And now, because of my unintelligent decisions, I no longer have my guardian by my side. Now, who will scold me, reproach my behaviors, and burn me in studies. I, Judyala, am facing the world in seclusion.

  Vaniele and Ronneto stand next to me, also unhappily waving farewell. Srogeri specifically named Ronneto my new guardian. He claimed Ronneto is like his family, after me and Jorsay of course. Except, accepting Ronneto is letting him take Srogeri’s position, and that's a preposterous idea, for nobody can take my old man’s place. As the carriage starts moving, I recall something important, and I run after it. The carriage stops, and I go in, “give this to Jorsay.” I give him a letter, panting noisily. He smiles. I press my lips on his shiny head one last time.

  “I’ll miss you, old man.” I add, my eyes water. He stiffly nods.

  “I’ll miss you too. Worry not. You are well taken care of.” What is that supposed to mean? I haul back, and the carriage moves. In a slow drift, the carriage, together with my old man, fades from my sight.

  I miserably walk back to Vaniele. She places a hand around me, comforting my inner troubles. We walk back to the castle, “are you alright?” She asks in a whisper.

  I shake my head. “I don’t think I can do this without him here,” she sighs.

  “Your new schedule is ready. Do you want to get it?” I know her intentions. She's trying to take Srogeri out of my mind, but I easily give in for the excruciating pain I feel penetrates me, reminding me it’s my fault my old man is gone.

  My new schedule is absolutely different from Jorsay’s, better fitted for a girl like me. Although I still have self-defense and battlefield training with the kcowls, enemy identification was replaced by healing meditation, a class with yoga practice to aid our healing and chakras understanding. I assume it’s because of my healing background why the leaders figured I should work on my healing abilities as well, but I have nothing to complain about. I hate enemy identification. Instructor Heckso talks too much.

  Vaniele walks me to a room in the kcowl sector at the end of the hall, a room far from my friends or any of the boy’s dormitory. The section is so protected, after a certain hour, a castle guard protects my area. No boys allowed. Of course, because I’m a girl things change, and sharing a room with the boys is out of the question. But reality is… I’m happy I no longer have to stand Osys’s snoring, Ramuso’s weird sleep walking, Onnet’s psychotic orderly behavior, Ikumus’s nasty attitude, and Corr’s sleep talking. Hearing him call Casandree truly hurts. “No way, all this is for me!” I say astounded by the enormous room. Vaniele sighs.

  “We don’t have anything smaller, and since there is only one female in the kcowl division we really have no choice. Sorry…”

  I hum a wheeze.

  “Sorry! No way. This is…I feel like a princess.” Vaniele giggles. I sit on the queen-sized bed. I’m filled with happiness for the room assigned to me is no other but the same flowery room I relaxed in after the deathrow battle, and unlike any other apprentice, it's all mine. They made some changes. The bed is bigger. The sheets are fancier, but all for the better. “However, in case another female comes to Doomsvell with powers of a sorcerer or wizard, you are then going to have to share.” I smile overlooking her words. I head to the walk-in-balcony to be impacted by my view. The bottomless ocean is at still, gleaming the reflection of the suns.

  “Wuh-hoo. Look at this vista!” I yell out, breath taken. She follows, and stands next to me. She points at a balcony on the third floor. “I’m over there… we might just meet.” I laugh, for the distance is rather lengthy. I profoundly inhale the aura of sea.

  “I love this view.” I whisper. I gaze at the perfect sea in a trance. I’m overjoyed by the gravity of the breeze. Vaniele joins my silence, letting the whistling of the air befriend our outlook.

  I wake up late. I'm refreshed and ready to start a new life as Judyala. Because of my age and high sorcery, I no longer need to take any of the basic learning. But because I’m a recruit, I still have to take Khysso’s class, but I don’t mind because not only have we related, but we share a secret. Also, I can spend time with Ramuso. I wonder how he’s doing without me? I dress up in my better outfit, clothing brought by Vaniele. I specifically told her my dress-like. I assured her, NEVER skirts or dresses, thanks to Onnet’s perverted ways, I'm traumatized by wearing skirts. I’ll wear them in Duolic, where the temperature is just too hot for long outfits.

  I dressed up i
n Judyala’s trend, with an open shoulder tunic that brings a silky strap around my hip, and a pair of black hose with soft yellow-shoes that match my silk girdle. Strangely, I seek attention. I want people to look at me and say. ‘No-way, she’s really not a boy.’ I’m trying to look as feminine as possible, so I let my hair down, and put a tad of lip coloring.

  Arclaw communication is my first unusual class. I enter and stare amazed to find the small room is crowded. The learners are noisy, but as I step in, silence takes over the apprentices, “Judyala come sit here!” a boy screams.

  “No sit here!” another boy, a tad older, and more handsome yells.

  “No way, sit with me,” a third boy exclaims, in union girls ask me as well. I chuckle. I’m stunned by their like towards me. Is this the way is going to be? I awkwardly smile. “Let Miss Zayras sit wherever she wants,” a sweet voice says. I frown, and look behind. My eyes widen to face our instructor. I’m petrified by her. She rises with a sweet smile, welcoming me—Casandree's face builds a deep rumble within my tummy. I’m again feeling sick. I gaze around the room in panic. A familiar girl shyly waves at me. I rush to the only apprentice, out of many I recognize, Azania.

  “Wow, you are so striking,” she says breathless as I sit next to her. I sneer with a tug of my body. What now, are you going to try kissing me too? I partly smile, doesn’t she feel ashamed. She did kiss me. Maybe I should sit somewhere else.

  “Can I have everyone’s attention please.” Damn it. It's too late. Casandree’s voice is sweet. I exhale, upset by her. Her presence only reminds me of her easiness. The rage towards her makes me grind my teeth. The memory of her, and Khysso’s love affair incenses my nerves. Casandree turns the hourglass that sits on her desk.

  “My name is Instructor Sellias. This is a fourteen day half an hourglass class commanded by the high leaders to learners with less than three months. Here, we will learn a tad about the enemy’s life, because to demolish your enemies, one has to know everything about them.” She goes straight to the point. Azania takes out her book, but I’m not going to bother, anything this woman has to teach is crap. How old is she any-ways? Same as Corr, twenty-one, and she’s already an instructor. Doomsvell sure must be desperate.

  “Today, you are going to learn about the arclaws and their relations with one another,” she gently slithers a hand on the white wall behind her. A male arclaw appears, near him a nude-female arclaw with beautiful wings. The boys begin to chat among one another. “She has boobs!” a kid jokes, every boy laughs at his comment. If it was another instructor, he would’ve been put to a stop. But Casandree is utterly kind. It doesn’t matter what any pervert says, she giggles and heads to give an explanation. Her kindness infuriates me. I know it’s all an act, bitch. Why does Corr love her anyway? She's a fake. Well, he doesn’t know it yet, but that’s why I’m his friend. I won’t give up until he knows that inside that petite, blonde, attractive woman is a devious whore, who’s taken by Khysso…Khysso that hog. How I hate him.

  “These two arclaws are husband and wife. When in battle, you will see the couple fight in union. The male always protects the female. To these male arclaws the female signifies their lives and exceedingly love. Arclaws take engagement seriously, consequently, one has to be very careful to attack the female.” She explains drawing everyone’s attentions, even mine. “Why not the female?” A female apprentice behind us asks. “Because the man is the power in the relationship.” The boys immediately cheer celebrating the man’s power.

  “That’s the way it is.” A boy yells proudly. I grimace.

  “Wait, wait,” Casandree giggles. “The man is the power, and the one to deeply fall in love. It’s quite interesting. The male falls in love first than the female arclaw,” the boys now quarrel, shouting how love is for dimwits. As for the girls, they listen carefully, in love with the idea. I watch interest in what Casandree presents. She elucidates their love behaviors with an illusion.

  “From his young years, the male arclaw envisions his future wife, even if they never met. They will search for the woman in their dreams, and once found. They encircle her a few times, identifying the woman. Then he claims the woman as his soul mate.” She says in a stupor.

  “Soul mate, that is so romantic,” a dreamy girl utters.

  “Romantic, ah, makes me want to puke!” another boy shouts in the class, every male agrees. I chuckle. Their manly behavior is irritating. “Arclaws believe in their soul mates. When they meet this soul mate, they finally can unleash their kept aroused feelings. For an arclaw only has one partner, and one only.” This brings commotion to the room. Don’t talk to a bunch of kids about sexual pleasures, if not they go wild. “You’re telling me the masculine arclaws only sleep with one female all their lives…creatures… more like scums,” an older human fellow is quick to say, accelerating the boys, but insulting the girls. “Now you know girls. That boy is an under skirt lover, do-not date him.” Azania points at him. The boy stands infuriated.

  “Why don’t you shut your mouth, elf girl?”

  “HEY! Why don’t you shut your mouth, Jerk!” I aggressively shout back, I was dying to say something to the rude pricks. The fellow anxiously chortles.

  “N-no problem, j-just kidding…he-he…” he sits down somewhat shaky. The classroom falls soundless, eyes descend on me. Why is everyone so freaked by me? Am I that intimidating? “Class please, no aggression,” Casandree says in her undertone voice. She acts clearly too sweet. Stop trying bitch. I glance at Azania. She timidly smiles and bows down her head. I widen my eyes. Oh lord, please don’t think I like you. I’m merely defending the girl’s right, grotesque girl.

  “I will illustrate how the male arclaw acts when he finds his soul mate,” she points at the wall. An image of a female and male arclaw appears outside the wall. In a strange pattern the male begins to walk around her in circles. Casandree explains in their body language, this means he’s claiming her as his woman. If the female arclaw is to do nothing, it means she rejects him, but if she circles him the opposite way, it means she accepts him as his soul mate, and that same jiffy, they both encircle one another. When that happens, their body is proposing marriage, and when their lips touch for the first time, it means marriage has been confirmed. That’s if done around their fellow's arclaws.

  Casandree assures when a female arclaw rejects her soul mate it’s because she’s too young, and is not ready. Otherwise, she regularly accepts as she feels within her, she is meant to be with him, bringing out scandalous desires. “The love these arclaws persevere is called spellbound, an absolute captivation that never fades. The male and female release their clutched pleasures. Giving their innocence to one another, and ultimately, remaining together forever.” Casandree explains as if she also desires the love they contain. Reality is… any girl would love to have that. A man who sleeps with nobody but his soul mate, and finds no sexual sensation for anybody but her, that’s just too good to be true. Staring deeply at her, I recall how Khysso was on top of her. My stomach suddenly hurts. That whore, for sure there’s no innocence in her.

  “What if one of them dies?” Azania asks, severely into the topic.

  “That’s why we have to pay close attention, and it is why when in war, we CANNOT kill the female first. If done so, the male becomes angry. When a male arclaw finds rage, he consumes more power and killing him will become a difficult task. When in war, always aim for the masculine. The females also consume rage. Nonetheless, their fury is not as influential and dangerous as the male. In conclusion, children and female arclaws should be the last to be killed.” Casandree states, I frown. Children, we have to kill children too. That’s monstrous.

  “When a male loses his beloved, he will seek the world with vengeance, and never remarries as no other arclaw exists for him. If a female loses her beloved, she becomes critically ill. For days, a fever consumes her. She loses her appetite, and at last, she dehydrates gradually dying—committing suicide. Nevertheless, if she has children, she will raise her ch
ild, and then when he or she mates, the mother ends her life with depression. At long last, when in war… kill the masculine, and if the female survives, may she then take her own life by self-suicide.” I press my lips together. The arclaws appear to have more feelings than humans. Why are we against them again? Oh yes, they eat our flesh.

  The new class ends leaving everyone eager. The boys are still thrilled by the blast they had talking about sexual pleasures. They got to act like the good jerks they are, and express their dirty thoughts without being punished. “This is some class, eh?” Azania says as I pick up my two manuscripts.

  I nod,

  “about what you did…thank you.” She says hardly hearable. I half smile, let me explain before she thinks something it is not. “I—”

  “Judyala,” someone interrupts me. I swivel to see nearly fifteen boys waiting to speak to me. First in line is the rude older boy I battled with. I scowl. “Ah, yes…”

  “Hey, I’m sorry about earlier. And you too, Azania. I was overexcited,” the fellow says to me and Azania as we prepare to leave. “I’m Johnny, by the way. Ah, Judyala. Can I walk you to your next class?” He asks coolly.

  “I was going to ask her first,” another boy screams from behind. And in union they debate who will take me to my next class. What’s going on here? Is this a normal way to react? I’m feeling highly confused. Are they acting this way because I came back from the dragon’s cavern, or because I’m a female sorcerer? This makes no sense. “No thanks, I can walk myself.” I shun the crowd, and hurry away from the weird boys. Azania walks at my pace, giggling.

  “What is wrong with those fellows?” I breathe out. Azania still giggles.

  “You are popular with boys.” I grimace. What does she means by that? I was never popular with boys back in Duolic, well, not as if there were any.

  “Zayras!!!” A familiar voice yells as I stroll down the study quarter with Azania. I smile widely to see Ramuso. It’s the first time since my leave I bumped into him. “Ramuso!” I say excitedly. He’s with some other kids from his previous class. I wonder if they’re his new company. Now that I’m a girl things are likely to be different. This means no more trouble making Ramuso, but then… why do I feel hurt with the thought— Azania resumes to the classroom, I doubt she wants to be late to Khysso’s class. Ramuso stands next to me, and awkwardly smiles. Normally, he rests a hand on my shoulder. Our distance expresses oddity.