The Academy - pt. 2

Part one here: http://swanindustries.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/the-academy.html

By Rachel Vaughan

Alric sat down at his large oak desk. The tattered curtains and drapes were still pulled open behind him, displaying the familiar silver iridescent moon. There was no sound in his office; even the crows that nested outside of his windows were sleeping through the darkness that seemed to stretch on for eternity. There was a warmth that filled the room, a homeliness that lined the shelves of his personal library of knick-knacks and books Alric had collected throughout his lifetime; it was here he spent most of his time, buried under his research and academy records, reading up on myths and legends and, most nights, sleeping hunched over his worn desk. Alric sighed deeply, tasting the musk of the air at the back of his throat and coughing to clear his airways.

There was a knock at his door, its gentleness and rhythm familiar and rehearsed. 

"Enter," he ordered wearily, wiping the tiredness from his eyes and putting his glasses back on. The heavy door opened. A well dressed, well known student walked in and bowed his head towards Alric. 

"Professor Stannis," he said. His clear, well-spoken words sounded crisp in Alric's groggy mind. It was Beau Adersen who stood before him - known by each and every male and female student at the academy. Alric rose out of his seat and gestured towards a high-back chair to the left of his desk. 
"Please, Mr Adersen, do sit." Beau smiled, his pale skin pulled taught over his high cheekbones and the royal blue in his eyes seeming glassy and doll-like. It was even clear to Alric why every female student at the academy wanted to date him, and every male student wanted to be him. Beau sat back in the chair, his long legs crossed and his left arm bent on the side of the chair to prop up his head. Brushing his milk white hair out of his face, he began to speak.

"I’m sorry to bother you at this hour, Professor, but it seems another problem has... risen."

Alric looked towards him, his body leaning forward, a puzzled expression on his face. "Eh? What sort of problem?"

"The girls’ dormitory. A friend of mine called on the maid. When she didn’t answer she grew worried. She let herself into her room and discovered her dead in her bed. The cause of death wasn’t noted, but my best guess is that-"

"That it was the same as all the others..." Alric whispered. Beau nodded his head in confirmation, fiddling with the cuffs of his blazer sleeves.

Both Alric and Beau were silent, with Alric looking down at his ringing hands and Beau staring intensely in his direction. This was the fifth death to rock the academy in almost six weeks. It was becoming almost routine to all of the students and staff to hear about them.

"I thought I’d alert you, Professor. The body hasn’t been touched."

"Okay; I’ll call for an ambulance to get here as soon as possible. Thank you, Beau, for alerting me on the matter."

Beau stood and smoothed down the crinkles in his linen shirt. He shook his head and ruffled his fingertips through his hair before placing his slender, bony hands into his uniform pockets. 

"I'll be going now, then."

Alric nodded smally. Beau turned on his heels and exited the room; Alric was left alone in his office. He pulled up his jacket sleeve to glance at the silver watch on his wrist. 04:35. With questions hurtling through his mind, he pulled out a stash of records from under his desk and sprawled them out on the wooden tabletop. He flicked through the old papers and scribblings until he came to a small post-it note with a phone number printed onto it. Picking it up, he rose to his feet and wandered to the window, pulling his mobile phone out of his blazer pocket with the opposite hand. He tapped in the phone number and waited while it rang. Alric pressed his forehead against the cold glass panes of the window, looking out into the night and listening to the echoing ring of the connecting line. After a while, a voice emerged from the opposite end.

"Stannis?" a quiet voice muttered. It was husky and deep. Alric’s eyes closed and his own voice became hushed, as if he wanted no one to overhear the conversation.

"Another attack. It’s becoming too frequent... this is not something we can handle without your help. Please, for the sake of the Academy’s wellbeing, send over your best."

With a click, the line fell dead and Alric was left watching the darkness dance around the Academy's campus. Another death was something he could no longer take lightly. For the wellbeing of his students and staff and as duty as headmaster, he would go to all lengths to control the matter.

Alric sat back down at his desk and watched as the time on his watch rolled onto 5am. He scratched at his head and realised he wouldn’t be getting any sleep tonight. He sighed, slowly, and his finger nails dug into the oak on his desk, adding to the indents that had grown over the past 2 months. Rules needed to be obeyed at the Academy and an outbreak like this needed to be settled immediately. Pulling out a pen, Alric started to scribble down orders from to be put into action within the coming week. Old ways must be put back in place – the guardians must rise again.

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Part two of Rachel's story, as far as I'm aware there's still plenty more to go, so check back soon!