Petrichor

The rain fell in sheets, drumming a relentless rhythm against the roof of the small toolshed near the church. It was a makeshift sanctuary, chosen simply because it was closer to the scene of the tragedy than the infirmary and dry enough to lay Meline down with dignity.

Inside, the silence was unbearable. The hammering of rain drops against the roof was the only sound that reverberated through the shed. 

It was a grim affair.

In the center of the room was a corpse covered by a white sheet, a rather poor choice as a red stain seeped and spread through the fabric turning it a dull shade of maroon, denying any semblance of grace.

Beneath the sheet lay Meline Joy, a girl whose ginger hair, usually perky and bright, was now a matted mess of mud and blood.

It made no sense.

Meline was a prodigy, so strong that Headmaster Chernobog had once asked her to refrain from using her full power during sparring. However, he didn't even need to ask as Meline was the kindest person in the Academy and yet there she lay, felled without a fight.

A friend, a student, a beacon of kindness; brutally murdered. 

Nearby was Noah, sitting like statue on an overturned crate, staring at the white cloth slowly turn crimson.The blood on his hands and cheeks had dried to a flaky rust color, his gaze plastered to the motionless body of his lover, unwilling to let go.

The others tried their best to avoid looking at the symbol of their negligence. The security breach was alarming, but it was the least of their worries. 

Kami sat beside Noah silently, his hand wrapped around his friend's shoulder in a show of solidarity. The poor young lad had no idea of what to do except hold his friend. Perhaps his touch was the only thing keeping Noah from drifting further into the abyss, anchored in reality.

The mood was damp, just like the earth under the downpour.

Silver stood by the door, watching the rain blur the lights of the Academy in the distance as he lit a cigarette, shielding the flame with his coat. The smoke curled inward, mixing with the smell of petrichor, a pleasant smell mixed with a terrible memory. The rain which was seen as a symbol of bounty was now a symbol of loss. 

The heavens cried along with Noah it seemed. 

He could still feel her choking out blood in his arms, as her body grew cold by the second and the light finally left her oh so beautiful eyes. The eyes he saw his whole world in. How long had it been since they took her from him?

Oh.

They didn't take her anywhere. She was lying right in front of him, while Kami tried to comfort him. Noah lifted his head to see the slight pooling of moisture and concern in Kami’s eyes, concern for his well being. But what could he do aside from appreciate it? He didn't want to live anymore. 

The silence snapped.

"She was murdered.."

Noah muttered. His voice was flat, devoid of the earlier hysteria. 

"She didn't just die. She was taken..."

The statement hung in the air, heavy. Just then, the door creaked open as Headmaster Chernobog entered, his massive frame filling the small space. Behind him was Arachna, her usual sharp demeanor softened.

Chernobog scanned the room immediately, looking for a long moment at the covered body before switching his gaze towards the broken boy. The toughness of his position dissolved like leaves falling into an a vat of acid. He sighed, a sound like old stones grinding together.

"How did it happen, Noah?" Chernobog asked gently, cutting straight to the point.  "You were the last person with her. You must have seen something."

Noah flinched, his shoulders jerking at the thought of it. The memory was a jagged shard in his mind, causing him to bite his lip until a bead of fresh blood appeared and trickled its way down his chin.

He looked trapped, his eyes darting around the room, seeking an escape from the question.

Chernobog hesitated upon witnessing this. He was a man of wisdom, having faced many tragedies in his long tenure as headmaster, and he knew that pushing a traumatized child could shatter them completely. He opened his mouth to offer comfort. 

However, before the words could escape his throat, someone else took charge.

"Noah. You saw it." The voice cut through the tension like a razor.

It was Aureli.

The flamboyant instructor, usually the jester of the faculty, stepped out of the shadows uncharacteristically. His playful grin was gone, replaced by a terrifying focus. 

In that moment, he didn't look like a teacher. He knelt in front of Noah, forcing the boy to meet his golden, honey pot eyes.

"You saw it" Aureli repeated, his voice low and hypnotic. "I know you're torn apart inside. I know you want to scream. But you can't save her now. You can only avenge her."

Silver, watching from the door, narrowed his eyes. 

' Avenge.'

It was a dangerous word to give a grieving child. It was fuel for a fire that might burn the boy alive.

What a sick bastard, He's manipulating him. 

Silver thought, taking a drag of his cigarette.

Twisting the knife to get the intel. Ruthless.

Silver despised it, but respected the efficiency.

"Please tell us" 

Aureli urged, his voice softening into a counterfeit warmth. 

"Stop it!"

Vanessa lunged forward, aiming to grab Aureli by the scruff of his neck! Her patience snapped as a bottomless rage overtook her vessel. She had been standing in the corner, watching with growing horror, until it was too much for her to handle.

"Can't you see he's in shock?! He's a child, Aureli! You bastard! You're breaking him!"

Aureli didn't even blink as he turned his head to stare at the elf, looking right through her skin and bones alike.

A chill ran down Vanessa’s spine. Up close, his beauty was disarming. His hair was the shade of night, perhaps even darker than the sky outside, yet adorned by eyes of blazing gold. It baffled her. He was a charmer, his tongue usually like an answer to any riddle, glazed with honey or spice depending on the situation. But now? It was sharp and indifferent, devoid of any compassion. 

How could he be the same person who was complimenting her every moment when they had first met, mock-cry over her attention. But now? It was as if he had erased her presence.

He didn't look at her. He stared right through her. There was no emotion on his face, terrifying Vanessa for a moment. His focus was entirely on Noah, treating the elf as if she were nothing more than a piece of furniture.

The dismissal stung as Vanessa took another step, ready to physically pull him away from the disconsolate Noah.

"Let him."

A hand clamped onto Vanessa’s shoulder. It was Arachna.

"How can you just let this be?!" Vanessa protested.

"Trust him" Arachna replied, her voice low but firm and unyielding.

Her crimson hair was tied in a ponytail that reached her hips. She was gorgeous, but not the kind one could easily compliment; there was a sense of raw power in her stance. Her sapphire eyes, sharp and cold as a winter moon, bored into Vanessa. The Elf had always thought sapphires were like the ocean, serene and calm. But Arachna’s eyes were a blue moon, the kind that shone brightly on a lonely night, illuminating even the darkest cave.

"Noah is his student. Aureli knows what he's doing. If we don't get the description now, the memory will repress. We lose the lead. Unless you have a better way?"

Vanessa hesitated, looking at the witch’s stern face. She felt the weight of her outsider status crashing down on her. She pressed her lips together, her heart aching for the boy.

"As a matter of fact, she does."

Silver flicked his cigarette into the rain, walking towards Arachna and pulling her away from Vanessa. 

"Hey what are you-"

Arachna almost fell back as Silver stood between her and Vanessa. The elf looked up at Silver, feeling protected. 

"Go on."

Silver stared deeply into her eyes giving Vanessa the courage to step forward. His belief in her caused a warmth to rise within. 

"Get up you bastard. This isn't the way to handle this."

Silver walked over to Aureli and grabbed him by the shirt near his shoulder. Aureli was unmoved, like a heavy boulder. He flicked his hand away before standing up and brushing the dust of his knees, staring daggers at Silver, enraged at the disrespect. 

"We can settle this later. For now, respect the situation Aureli."

That was the first time Silver had called him by his name in such a way. The tone of his voice caused something to churn within Aureli as he stepped aside and let Vanessa approach. She gently sat beside Noah and put her hands on his cheeks, pulling his face towards her until his eyes turned from Meline to meet her gaze. 

"Noah... what did you see.." Vanessa's eyes shimmered with the same violet hue, causing Noah to fall into a trance.

"There was... a shadow" Noah whispered.

"A shadow?" Aureli pressed "A person?"

"No" Noah shook his head, tears spilling over again. "It wasn't... natural. One minute she was kissing me. The next..." He choked on a sob. "The next, her throat just opened. There was no blade. I didn't see a knife. I just saw a shadow standing at the top of the stairs, and then the blood... it just exploded."

Silver straightened up, as the rain intensified.

 Remote laceration? Or an invisible weapon?

"Did the shadow speak?" Vanessa asked gently.

"No. It just watched. And then... it dissolved."

"I believe you" Vanessa said instantly, placing a hand on Noah’s head "I believe you, Noah. And we will find it."

Noah crumbled. The adrenaline that had been holding him together vanished, leaving only grief. He launched himself forward, burying his face in Vanessa's chest, sobbing uncontrollably. This broke Vanessa, causing her to hug him tighly.

"Why Meline?!" he wailed. "She was good! Why her?! She wouldn't hurt a fly! She always tried to make everyone happy! Why her?! I loved her so much!!"

Vanessa held him, looking over the boy's shaking shoulders. She made eye contact with Silver.

Meanwhile, Aureli looked upon Noah emotionless. His eyes were cold, calculating. There was not a single wrinkle on his face as he watched the young boy fall apart. The jester mask was completely gone.

Suddenly, the sound of running footsteps splashed through the mud outside.

Ezekiel burst into the shed.

His shirt was untucked, his long hair loose and wild, a mess of dead grey plastered to his face by the rain. He had run all the way from his home the moment Arachna’s telepathic summons reached him, frantically looking around the room, stopped in the doorway, chest heaving. He took in the scene in a single, horrified glance: the bloody sheet, the grim-faced colleagues, and his favorite student sobbing in Aureli’s arms.

The grey in Ezekiel’s eyes swirled with a storm of emotions, dread, sorrow, and a fierce, protective rage. He had sworn to protect these kids, and now his failure was staring him dead in the face. The irony was not lost on him.

"Get it together, Sapphire" Silver said quietly from the corner "They need you. Don't lose it now."

Ezekiel took a shuddering breath, nodding as he swallowed his spit, forcing his face into a mask of stability. He walked over and knelt beside Noah, taking the boy from Vanessa.

"I've got you" Ezekiel whispered, hugging Noah tight "I'm here."

Aureli walked over to Silver and Chernobog, his mind racing with calculation.

"Remote shadow manipulation" Aureli murmured, his voice low so the students wouldn't hear. "Or a cloaking spell. Either way, this wasn't a student grudge. This was an assassination. But the motive remains unclear."

"Keep Meline's passing a secret" Chernobog ordered, his face grave. "If there is a predator inside the walls, we cannot let them know we are hunting them. Move the body to the stasis chamber in the infirmary for further inspection. Tell the students she has been transferred home due to illness and let Ezekiel know he must bring Noah to my office for his memory wipe. We can't let news of this incident out."

Silver looked out into the rainy night. The Academy, usually a beacon of safety, now looked like a fortress under siege.