Chapter 10

Caulin walked halfway the long silent corridor of Gramway but stopped under the horrid influence of a call from behind him. It was Hoffery. He wore a cruel thought on his face and Caulin could tell his day would not be amusing as he personally would want it to be.

“What do you want?”

Caulin shouted at him though he was not yet close to him. Hoffery shrugged unconcernedly and gestured towards the wall Caulin leaned on in wait for the caller.

“Have you forgotten my challenge, Caulin Bitch? I was under the impression that you were an illustrious champion that was so eager to fight me.”

He said and continued coldly.

“My great challenge still stands, as does a real champion. But are you a man enough to pick it up?”

Hoffery said, his face coloring slightly. Caulin wanted to move towards him to at least grant him a pathetic hiding but was halted by Jesi’s hand across his chest.

“You would dare to raise a hand at me in this school?”

Hoffery freaked.

“I know you Caulin, don’t you make baseless decisions at the mere utterances of this brat before you.”

Jesi smartly admonished. Caulin turned away from him and glared at Jesi’s direction. For a moment he forgot Hoffery was even there staring at him with abhorrence and a deadly wish.

“Caulin!”

Rannistar yelled, gesturing frantically.

Caulin whirled instantly, but he was not swift enough to completely avoid the stinging spell Hoffery had cast. Caulin’s words fell and slipped from his numbed lips as he clutched at his shoulder in disbelief. Hoffery laughed brokenly from his position a dozen yards away.

“I’m not amazed, you stupid Rannistar, your family is widely known not for honesty, but irrationality and recklessness. I hate you, asshole!”

Caulin spat and leered drunkenly what looked like death approached; he was about to reply his action with magic when Professor Dunotdare crossed the corridor from behind him. Jesi had been fast to bring him to awareness otherwise he would have undoubtedly met his premature rustication. 

“I guess school isn’t over yet. Am I wrong?”

He asked with his green eyes glittering with a doubtless desire to place them all on detention.

“You are just right sir, we are terribly sorry for breaking rules.”

Jesi pleaded urgently.

“Were you two fighting? I can see blood on your shirt Granger,”

He said, referring to Caulin as Granger.

“It was mere scuffle sir; we will go to class right away.”

Caulin said.

“Which Divisions are you guts in?”

Professor Dunotdare asked. Jesi already knew they would not go free without a crippling punishment awarded.

“Jesi and I are in Division Gwyneide.”

Caulin answered appropriately.

“What of you, Rannistar?”

“Division Lygret,”

“Well, let your Protectors know that 20 marks have been deducted from your various Divisions. I will call to check and if I find out that you duped me, you will be rusticated.”

Professor Dunotdare said and left down the staircase. Thanks to what Hoffery did, Caulin had a little blood oozing from his left shoulder by virtue of the fall from his spell.

“I’m going to make you pay for this. You caused my division the loss of 20 gorgeous marks for goodness’ sake I’m going to make you pay!”

Caulin said angrily.

“I’ve told you this before; I do not fight with pathetic Lermils like you. How can you possibly fight me when you don’t have even an atom of magic? Trust me; I’m going to kill ya,”

Rannistar said.

“You should be grateful you weren’t caught applying magic in Gramway, otherwise I don’t even have to rack my tender brains to know that you will be made to punk outta here.”

Jesi said and made right away with Caulin to the staircase. As Jesi aided his Gore Brother with ease to a sitting position, Caulin hovered anxiously, his resplendent shirt stained with red blood as he breathed hard from anger.

“Sorry bro, but you shouldn’t have started this in the first place. You know that silly twerp hasn’t any wits; it was a mistake on your part to get engaged with him.”

“Are you accusing me of getting with Hoffery?”

Caulin said; beads of perspiration dotting his upper lip as Jesi probed his wound with gentle fingers.

“Not exactly, my apologies bro; I presumed you started the quarrel since you earlier wanted to get even with him for causing your detention some time ago. Tell me then, what happened?”

Jesi said. Caulin winced and clenched his teeth as Jesi wiped the blood with his handkerchief, but then he felt relaxed, as Jesi bound up the wound with another handkerchief. Caulin, with a reassuring touch of his friend’s hand, rose and descended several steps towards his class on the sixth floor since the elevator had become faulty.

            He had come to see a friend in another class on the seventh but did not even get what he wanted only for him to cause a 20 mark reduction in Gwyneide’s. Jesi followed suit down the steps.

“You haven’t yet told me what actually happened.”

Jesi said.

“He only wanted me to challenge him in terms of strength. He is so proud of himself that’s all,”

Caulin said.

“Why then did he cast a spell on you?”

“To get me hurt of course, what do you think?”

“Well, sorry all the same. Just try not to get into his trouble.”

“Will you stop talking to me like you were my father? I hate to feel the instructions of a father because mine was never present and I just found out that he is dead and was even killed by Drakeizar. But I’ve promised myself that I will focus on nothing else until I avenge his death. The Escapee Magrid will take it from me definitely.”

Caulin said.

“You mean to tell me that Drakeizar murdered your dad?”

Jesi demanded.

“Dummy, that’s what I just said.”

“When was that?”

“I can’t tell precisely but it was before I was born or just when I was born. I never saw him anyway.”

“Be careful not to make any precipitate decision with this issue. I will help as much as I can to avenge him but sorry all the same.”

“Thanks for your hand bro, until I bring Drakeizar down, my heart shall never breathe. For now, I’m dead inside.”

Caulin said and entered headfirst into the class.

Ariadne’s icy gaze swept him from head to toe and back again. She said nothing but smiled sweetly. By this time Hoffery Rannistar was already in class and had seen Ariadne smile at Caulin. Undoubtedly Caulin was going to pay for that.

Caulin felt a bit at ease after he inhaled a considerable amount of fresh air making in through the window. Circumspectly, he thought of something and took a quick action at that.

“I will be right back, bro,”

He said and exited his desk and left for Adne’s.

“Well, Ariadne, I see you’ve been making the further acquaintances of one of our newest fools in this class,” he said easily.

“The Rannistar dude, I believe?”

She asked.

Caulin swallowed hard, unsure of how to take Adne’s words in.

“Yes, Hoffery Rannistar, You can’t imagine the mess he caused our division today. He made Professor Dunotdare take away 20 marks from our total score. It irks me terribly.”

Caulin said and darted a quick glance at Rannistar, but he only shrugged and smiled funnily.

“He did that?”

Ariadne said. Caulin nodded, his faint smile almost lost by the pain of the wound he acquired.

“Come with me,”

Caulin suggested. Ariadne set down the book of potions she had been hiding and reading secretly; Caulin had recognized it anyway. She pulled hair off her face with a cold composure and rose from her desk, following Caulin smartly.

“If you will excuse me, Adne,” Caulin murmured,

“I have just recalled checking up something with Jesi. May I?” He said politely.

“Sure, boy,” She said. Caulin scorched to the class and to Jesi directly.

“Do you remember seeing Professor Quist today? I don’t think I ever saw him,” he said.

“I learnt he never comes to campus until his time to teach is up.”

“From whom did you hear that?”

“That crazy son of a bitch, Jaime Owls,” Jesi said and laughed.

“So, where does Professor Shade Quist rest before his time catches for teaching?”

“I can’t tell you that because I have no idea.”

“Alright I’ll see you,” he said and rushed out to meet Adne.

“Hey, wait, what are you going to do?” Jesi shouted after him but quite unfortunately, Caulin was gone before his words could take effect on his damn ears.

“Rannistar did this to me a few minutes ago, He messed my shoulder but he will pay definitely,” Caulin said.

“Is that what you brought me out for?”

“There is a lot more you need to know. Do you have any idea what Chess is in Gramway?”

“No, nothing like that before,” Adne said.

“It is the name of a cult comprising 10 wizards and a witch; summing up to 11,” Caulin said.

“A cult…and what do they do?” Ariadne asked.

“I have no freaking idea. But for all I know, they can pose a threat to what we want and that is questionable. That implies we have to put them in their place to prevent any funny interruptions.”

“How did you get to know all these things over a short period?”

“I will tell you that later but for now, I need you to know that the leader of that cult is the Rannistar you seem to defend so much. He is a threat,” Caulin said and turned away from Ariadne Rooney.

“Go back to the class and make good plans for the Gore Trio, I will be back before class ends.”

He said and made to the washroom. Ariadne hurried for the class to find out anything possible. Rannistar was on her desk when she got to the class. Why would Hoffery leave his own desk for her desk? Surprisingly he was searching frantically for something in the face of her sight; of course, it was unbeknown to him. With a measure of wrath spelt out on the graceful face of Ariadne, she paced to the desk and watched to see what the Rannistar boy was actually in need of. But quite gormlessly, the reflexes of Hoffery Rannistar could not do him any good by noticing the presence of Ariadne.

“Such a gorgeous intruder; man, I’m going to have to ask you to leave my desk,”

Ariadne said silently.

“Hey smart ass, that’s fun. I love to have fun too,” he said in a surly manner.

“What the hell do you want with my desk anyway?”

“You and Caulin are up to something, I got to find out. Tell me what it is and maybe I will prevent you from getting hurt.”

“Look here Rannistar, you are in my desk and you have no right to be there. In this case you are answerable to me. Tell me then what you want with my stuff,”

Ariadne spat out, drawing the attention of almost half the class. Rannistar rose from the desk and paced out, not too far out but quite a distance.

“You borrowed a book from Professor Grave’s Library two days ago. It’s about potions. Let me have it now,” he said imperiously.

“What if I fail to do that?”

“Well, that will be at your funeral,” Rannistar said and turned to the class.

“You all should know what Caulin and Ariadne are up to, it has been allegedly stated that they are after one of the treasures hidden in the undergrounds of Gramway School. Don’t you think they have to be stopped?”

Hoffery announced.

He had said it bluntly. It was actually true that there were numerous historic treasures lurking beneath Gramway but that was definitely not what the Gore Trio was after. Now the class was staring at Ariadne with stunned expressions evident on their faces.

“What is this nonsense you are making up?” Ariadne queried.

“What you call nonsense is actually the crime you two are up to, dummy girl.”

“But wait, if Caulin and Adne are really after Gramway’s treasures, why didn’t you report them long time ago if what you say is true?” A boy called Carlfo demanded, pulling the flashlights onto Hoffery.

“Hey! Wait; are you questioning my decisions or what? You don’t tell me what to do asshole,”

Rannistar retorted; Adne, otherwise called by a few paced to her desk and put it to use. Hoffery glanced at her casually and looked at Jesi.

“You know what, Rannistar? I understand you are a genius in fabricating stories to terminate the fabric of someone’s reputation. Everyone knows Caulin has got a great reputation to maintain, I’m not surprised you would lie to damage it.”

Jesi explained fervidly.

“And what business is all these of yours?”Hoffery and glanced uncertainly at the class, then continued.

“You are just the son of a bitch who chases ghost around, what good word do you have to offer?”

“You treacherous dog,” Ariadne spat, rising from her seat.

“How dare you?” She said.

“Silence,”

Jaime owls said, turning toward Rannistar.

“What do you say? All of you should shut up already. If you want to kick your asses, do it in your fucking homes where your parent can stick their cruel eyes on ya. Get outta here for fights and no more sounds,”

He said. Jesi reclined, Adne too, Rannistar walked out of the class. At least the noise level in the class had been considerably regulated by the tactless thwart, Owls.