Tears of Dusk

Isyd walked forward with no hurry, unbothered by the weight of all the gaze turned on him. Kewin threw Jadwia a worried glance as he carefully stood between her and the angry Izaak Kazkan.

Isyd took note of the situation. He’d been aware of Izaak’s resentment from the events of a few weeks ago and his involvement in the events that had led to it. Isyd had briefly considered tying off the loose end he represented, but after he had first dealt with his mother, he hesitated to do the same with him. The heir to the Kazkan House may have deduced a thing or two about Isyd’s role in taking down his father, but he was barely an adult at the end of the day and thus was limited in terms of the threat he could pose. That being said, there was no reason for Isyd to let him run wild like a hurt dog.

“You are a difficult man to catch, Wybrany,” Izaak drawled.

“I’m here now,” Isyd said. “What do you need me for?”

Izaak didn’t answer immediately. He stared long and hard at Isyd as if trying to decipher something on his face. Isyd looked calm, but not arrogant, imbued with an unnerving stillness. The young nobleman glanced around, taking in all the eyes set on them, before stepping toward Isyd.

“I know what you did, Wybrany!” He spoke in a low voice, for only Isyd’s ears. “Do not think for a second that you are somehow untouchable simply because everyone keeps chanting your praises. I know the role you played that night, you and this girl and your masked friend…”

“Well, I could say the same thing about you, Senior,” Isyd answered in the same tone. “Your mother played a dangerous game, and she paid the price. Now, it is certain that she couldn’t have done it all alone. In fact, it is obvious that she must have insiders within the Academy… Tekla was one, maybe there were others… Maybe we should be thankful that the Academy’s investigation didn’t go any further… Maybe we should let it all slide… You have a chance here to move on and turn a new leaf, Senior.”

Izaak’s eyes twitched and his smile turned sardonic. “So, you think you are above it all, eh? You have overstepped, Wybrany! I am a Kazkan, a szlachcic, and you are nothing! I’ll make you pay for what you did to us. You’ll rue the day you made an enemy out of me; you and this girl will not know another moment of peace in this Academy!”

By the end of his sentence, he was no longer whispering. Isyd barely stopped himself from rolling his eyes and instead simply nodded respectfully. He stepped around Izaak to approach Jadwia, Kewin and Klara. Isyd usually avoided the Common Rooms, but he’d been waiting for Jadwia to step out of her isolation and had rushed here as soon as Naeht had warned him.

“Who brought that one around?”

Izaak’s jeer stopped Isyd on his track. The young nobleman was pointing at Kewin, and everyone had turned their gaze on him. Taken by surprise, Kewin paled visibly and took a trembling step backwards, as if physically shoved back by the weight of the attention.

“Don’t you know that it is bearer of bad luck to have his kind around?” Izaak continued. “The boy is Disgraced; he has no place here! Remove him at once!”

“It’s true! What is he doing here?” a young man said in the crowd.

“We can’t have him around!” another said.

“… they cause ill fortune…”

“… bad luck…”

“… stealing the Grace of others…”

“… a disgrace…”

There were a few Pupils who even made the hand sign to ward off misfortune. Isyd stepped in front of Kewin, immediately silencing the whispers. His gaze had turned icy and his tone had shifted.

“He’s part of my Ring, this is all you need to know.”

“The Academy is for prospective Artyst only, Junior!”

“Where was this energy when your brother, Olaf Kazkan, brought along his own retainers past the Gates?”

“That was one thing and this is another… I’m saying this out of concern. After all, with all the Arts going around, the Academy can be said to be dangerous for the weakest of us. An accident happens so quickly and the Disgraced must know this most of us all…”

The air turned suddenly dry but before Isyd could say anything, Arael Lwieserce put a hand on Izaak’s shoulder.

“Izaak… enough!” he said in a warning tone.

Izaak Kazkan said nothing more. He was satisfied with having made his point. He shrugged and laughed coldly.

“Relax, Arael! I was just giving advice to my Juniors, that is all! Remember this, Wybrany, you may be Blessed by the Grace, but the same can’t be said for everyone. Luck is something of a rare occurrence and nobody knows for certain when it will run out. Better watch your steps…”

As he said that, Izaak’s eyes lingered not on Isyd, but on the people who stood behind him: Jadwia, Klara and Kewin. He then turned on his heels and left the Common Room. It was only when his steps disappeared through the door that the tension in the room finally dissipated and the Pupils around returned to their occupations, not without throwing worried glances in Isyd’s direction.

Arael Lwieserce had not followed his Ringmate and instead approached Isyd.

“It seems you have a habit of angering your Senior, Junior Wybrany,” Arael said softly.

“Kazkan was the one who started it,” Klara said. “You can’t blame Isyd for simply responding!”

Arael didn’t deign to look at her. His attention remained on Isyd.

“I couldn’t let Senior Kazkan harass my Ringmate without intervening,” Isyd said. “Certainly not as her Ringleader. Surely you understand that, Senior…”

“Oh, I understand! The Kazkan… the Kazkan have always been known for their commanding attitude and forwardness. Still, you should be careful Wybrany. Your heart thrums with Vigour, but sometimes Temperance may be a better course of action. Izaak is a szlachcic after all.”

“I believed that in the Academy, we were all Pupils…”

Arael’s smile did not light his eyes. “Do not pretend to be naïve and not understand how the world works, Wybrany. Not all szlachcic are as… calm as I am. In fact, most are like Izaak and his brother, or even more vindictive. I think you know that which makes your persistence in vexing them even more puzzling. Surely, you know that you have little to gain by making them your enemies, not after refusing the protection offered by the other Paramount Rings and their Ringleaders…”

“I am not sure what you want me to say, Senior. Are you worried about me? Warning me? Threatening me?”

“I guess I am simply intrigued by you. Just like many of us are… In the end, I will repeat my advice, Young Wybrany: do not make enemies of those who could later help your rise later on. The Academy is not everything there is.”

With this last warning, Arael turned away and was about to leave. Isyd’s words stopped him.

“I was sincere earlier in my answer, Senior,” Isyd drawled. “I truly believe that in the Academy, we are all Pupils. We are all here to learn, no matter what our stations were before entering. You speak of helping me rise? I agree with that, but I wonder about everyone else. How high could they rise if given the help…”

Arael looked confused for a moment. His eyes darted to Kewin and Jadwia still standing behind Isyd. In the end, he just shrugged, dismissing Isyd’s words, and left the Common Room.

Isyd turned to face his friends. He wanted to apologize somehow to Jadwia and Kewin but he wasn’t sure what to say or what exactly he was apologizing for. Thankfully, Klara spoke first.

“You know for a fact that Kazkan will try something,” she said with a sigh. “He’s petty that way. Do you want me to speak with Aaron? He’s my Ringleader and he probably will know what to do.”

“You can if you want, but I am not really worried,” Isyd said. “I know how to defend myself and I will now keep an eye out for him.”

Klara nodded. Isyd could see in Jadwia’s frown that she wasn’t entirely reassured. Kewin’s stare was distant in a way that worried Isyd more. He could still feel the weight of the other Pupils’ eyes and thus so could Kewin.

“This was scary… Are they always like this?” a voice said.

The four Pupils turned to the young boy who had arrived with Klara. Only now Isyd realized that he didn’t wear the usual uniform reserved for the errand children of the Consultation Office.

“God, where are my manners…,” Klara said. “Guys, this is my younger brother Oliwer! He’ll join the Academy this semester. Oliwer, those are my Juniors: Jadwia Lichtfreund, Kewin Udachur and Isyd Wybrany!”

“Nice to meet you! I heard so much of you in her letters! I’m looking forward to studying with you!”

Now that she mentioned it, Isyd could see the resemblance between the two. The boy had a youthful and joyful face, with frazzled blond hair and freckles on his nose. Most noticeable were his bright and wide blue eyes, identical to his sister’s.

“Nice to meet you, Oliwer,” Jadwia said. “I don’t know if I should say this but… well, aren’t you a little young to join the Academy?”

Klara had a little laugh. “I was saying the same thing! But he was insisting and apparently, my parents have acceded.”

“I’m going to be 15 years old soon!” Oliwer protested. “Plus, I’m of the 2nd Opening already!”

“Already? Wow!” Jadwia said. “You must be very talented, then!”

“More than my sister for sure!”

“Alright now, let’s be serious here, Small Bean…” Klara drawled, ruffling his hair. “You have a long way to go before you catch up to me!”

“Just watch! I’ll do it in no time!”

“At least you are motivated,” Jadwia said with an affectionate smile.

Isyd, who had been watching on the sideline, approached and offered a hand to Oliwer.

“Welcome to the Academy, Oliwer! I hope we will have the opportunity to study together!”

“Oh, thank you! I’m looking forward to it! My sister spoke of you in her letters! She said that you were so talented! And Blessed by the Grace! I hope you can teach me stuff in the future!”

There was a calculated glint in Isyd’s eyes and his grin grew a little bit more.

“You don’t say… Tell me, Oliwer, would you like to join my Ring?”