The crowd grew rowdy and was starting to either side alongside the girl on the stand or against her.
Zofia Makanov, I had heard about her but had not seen her until then. She was a gorgon-type creature, with the ability to hypnotize people into thinking that she was right. Of course, if you had a strong will you would be exempt. Most aren't like that.
Aside from her abilities, she was objectively beautiful: long and luscious strawberry-blonde hair alongside diamond eyes. She looked of Russian descent if it wasn't already obvious from the name.
"First the Veil is discovered, and then not even a few months later, this?" Zofia said, waving her arms around in an informative manner. "How long are we going to let this academy and its people act like we are idiots?! We may only be teenagers, but we have a right to know if we are in danger!"
The Veil? What is that?
"Zofia," a male student interjected, "the school is a place housing us until we learn how to fully control our abilities and powers. What right do we have to question what they do outside the academy grounds?"
"He's right!" a female student yelled.
The people siding against her weren't afraid to voice their own opinions. If this were to play out how she wanted, the school would have factions on whether or not you support the school's decisions or not.
"They're hiding stuff from us, and you're okay with that?!" one of the students siding with Zofia said.
"Exactly," Zofia shouted confidently. "No matter how much authority they have over us, as the future generation, we deserve to know!"
She has a point, to be fair. As much as I respect Valerius, it does seem like they're hiding too much.
"Everyone who sides with what I say, come. Come stand beside me as we voice our position!"
A group of people, a fair number in size, started walking toward where she was standing, standing slightly behind her. The rest continued standing where they were, forming another group.
"You there. Pretty boy!" she called in my direction. "What are you?"
"Me?" I pointed toward my face, "I'm, uh… I'm a vampire. Jacob Lavua."
"You're the famous vampire everyone keeps talking about! A lot of people despise you. Resent you… Not me, however. I couldn't care less! Be free! Be wild!"
A few chuckles echoed from the crowd behind her. Not all were so kind.
Zofia extended her hand outward as if she were in a theatrical performance. "So, Jacob Lavua… Do you stand with them—" she gestured toward the group who remained silent—"or…with us?"
I could feel everyone's eyes on me, awaiting my response. My skin felt tense as if all the eyes were pricking at me with tiny needles—they judged and were expecting a response befitting how they felt.
My throat grew numb, and the air began to get dense. It was hard to breathe. I glanced toward the facility at the edge of the courtyard, where Valerius and a group of other teachers started to form up, observing the ever-increasing number of irritated students standing in groups.
Valerius himself gave no hint of fear or concern toward the matter. Instead, he gave a slight grin. I couldn't tell what he was thinking, nor did I have the time to worry myself with it.
I focused my attention back on the two groups. "I believe…" I began slowly, thinking carefully about my next words. "I believe we deserve to be in the know, yes, but…it's not like shouting for them is going to make that happen."
Zofia didn't boo, nor did she give an applause. However, the crowd behind her booed. One of the men from the group sneered as he said, "Typical fence-sitter."
"Now, everyone. Just because he doesn't want to join our side doesn't mean we have to hold animosity towards him," she said as she stepped toward me. She leaned in, seductively looking into my eyes as she whispered, "Then how do you suggest we get them, vampire?"
My face formed a deep crimson. "…I…Uh."
And just like that, I knew—I was pulled into something much bigger than I could have imagined. There was no walking away now, even if I wasn't affiliated with either side.
Zofia smirked. "You're adorable."
Adorable? What-?!
Then, with a sudden turn, she faced her group once more and raised her voice. "That's enough for today!" she declared, stretching out her arms again. "We've made our stance clear. If they won't speak to us now, they'll have no choice when we grow louder."
Her followers erupted in cheers and scattered laughter, some still glaring at the group opposite of them. The tension never cleared—it merely thinned, leaving remnants of anger.
I stood still for a moment, scared and wondering if I was even allowed to take a breath. As the groups started walking past me, I could see their intense stairs. They eyed me up with a mix of curiosity and disdain.
As the students dispersed, Valerius made his move. Steady. Deliberate. His footsteps seemed to even echo on the grass. He approached me, his hands behind his back, eyes locked with mine.
"You speak as if you're curious, but bound," he said with his usual smooth voice. "But be warned, while that in itself is good—balance cannot be anything but a sharp blade. Fall to one side or the other, and you may find out how sharp a blade it really is."
After giving one last smirk, he proceeded onward, leaving me not even a response.
I exhaled slowly, my chest enclosing my palpitating heart. My hands trembled at my sides.
"Perfect…" I mumbled to myself, trying to calm myself. "Now I'm everyone's problem…"
***
I barely slept.
It seemed as if whispers followed me throughout the halls, trying to guide me into a situation deeper than I was already in. Zofia's words echoed through my brain, seemingly unable to escape, like a broken record unable to pause. "Be wild," she said. Yeah, like I can do that.
Just as I was slipping into my morning routine, trying to blend in with the crowd, an announcement came from the intercom.
"Jacob Lavua, please come to the Headmaster's Office," a robotic voice called.
With my heart pounding, I obeyed. It's not like I could have done anything else. Valerius could find me if he wanted. Easily.
I entered his office with a heavy chest. "Yes, Sir Valerius?" I walked down to where his desk was, sitting down in the chair slightly ahead of it.
"You've been selected, Mr. Lavua, to join me in a mission," he said, his hands laying flat on the tabletop.
"A mission? Why me?"
"You said it yourself that I wouldn't give answers to just anyone. Trust has to be earned, especially in this day and age," he said as he pulled a tablet out of his drawer. It then projected a map of a city.
It was technology I'd never seen before. It looked something out of a video game, or one of those fantasy novels you'd find in the school library.
"This is Boston, Massachusetts," he continued. "We will be going there."
I blinked. "Boston…?"
"Yes, Mr. Lavua."
"Why?" I called out, my voice shaky. I didn't like the way he had said 'we'.
"One thing," he said, his voice suddenly low and melancholic. "Have you ever killed anyone before?"
I stiffened. A pause hung in the tightly knitted air before I answered, "N-No, sir."
He smiled faintly.
"Then Boston will be your awakening."