When she’d gotten to the K building, she raced up the staircase as if her life depended on it. She gazed out the glass window of the hallway, the light green clouds kissed the lilac sky in longing, as the breeze swept over the wondrous scenery of her city. How she would miss Crimsroseyn, she thought. There were tall, cityscapes that went on for miles, and mansions that multiplied and multiplied. Crimsroseyn was one of the wealthiest cities in the Vampriclands. Scarlett had seen beyond her city, and she never longed to go back.
She looked ahead as a group of other Vampric students walked into a room with two armored fairy soldiers on both sides of the entrance. Scarlett recognized that they held JK-A guns. Jaqez Semi-killantric automatics. Jaqezium was a toxic substance that blinded its victims. It was a type of laser. Very deadly. Rarely, did the public ever see or use those types of guns. Part of Scarlett wanted to hold it in her hands. She’d never seen one in real life before, only on wandtube, or in books. But the other half of her was worried. Why did they have so many guns? Must have been Fey culture. The Vampric mostly trained with knives, and swords. Guns, they’d barely touched. Although that never stopped Scarlett from purchasing them, and building them. The royal Fey guards were so defensive. On edge. But why? It made her wonder.
She squared her shoulders, with a slightly lifted chin, and moved gracefully past the seats. She took the one on the far right, crossed her right thigh over the left and folded her hands. She turned her head slightly and analyzed the room.
Numerically speaking, there were twenty-four plastic black chairs that stood in rows of twelve by two, in the center of the room. The windows boarded, the green fire of the torches lit up the dimness. The glow of the fire cast over Scarlett's worried expression. The flames danced in her eyes. She sat stiffly and counted the heads of every single person. No Liveria. No Silas. Alone. Like how she once was, last year. Her fingernails caved into her hands. Her jaw clenched.
She analyzed all of the Vampric that were picked. Quickly she noticed that just like her, they were mostly Vampric students that shared the same rankings as herself. Students that only had a year left out of the thirteen years you were supposed to spend learning at Shylack.
Almost suddenly, the two back doors had shut heavily, with a clang.
The commotion made heads turn. The Vampric students were as silent as the moments before death. It revealed a smug Lucian, as he strutted through the doors with his head high. His smirk was painted across his face, as a black sheer cloak draped behind him. He proceeded to stride forward. His royal gear was plastered in organized jewels, the collars of his long-sleeved dark shirt decorated in silver flecks. Lucian’s dark jeweled belt had gleamed, as he walked to the front of the small room. The elegant shimmer of the torch highlighted his face-structure, the point of his left ear decorated in random silver piercings.
When Lucian met eye-contact with Scarlett, she expected him to look away, but he didn’t. Neither did she. Until, he finally did. “Congratulations.” He announced. The crisp and raspy tone of his voice echoed and bounced off the walls. His tone was direct, like he was used to speaking to crowds. Like he was used to order. He began to pace slowly, with his hands gracefully crossed beneath his back.
“You were all chosen specifically, for an important reason. You have a purpose. Most of the Vampric that are in Shylack's Vampric soldier program did not make it. Before we release this information, understand that we possess your records.You should know that you all belong to the Kingdom of Endlaysha now, according to the electronic waiver that you and your families signed at the beginning of the year. Atticus, reference the contract. Now.”
The royal guard behind them cleared his throat. His voice was stern. “According to the contract, it references section eighty-five out of two hundred of the Shylack Academy handbook. It states that, In any circumstances, in an event of harsh calling, Vampric soldiers in training that contain high percentages must be drafted for any events necessary if and only if the lives of others are or will be in danger.”
Lucian smoothed his hair, and cleared his throat. “Thank you.”
“You all belong to the Kingdom of Endlaysha now.” She pretended not to be so affected by Lucian’s words. She couldn’t have been upset. She knew what training as a Vampric soldier meant, she knew that she was allowed to get stationed off early, if necessary. She just didn’t think it would ever happen. She couldn’t believe that they were being drafted. She had to leave Liveria. To leave Silas. The room still fell silent. She wasn’t ready.
His eyes met Scarlett’s for half a second, “No questions? Excellent.” He paused, and his eyebrow lifted the same time that his forehead creased. His expression was hard, as he clasped his hands together firmly. “The country is in danger. Over the course of the year, terrorist attacks have slowly increased. Ultimately to our knowledge, the Undetermined are behind a majority of these attacks. Since the rebellion of Mendeleev and his actions, there’d been a sensitive position available. And the Undetermined have unfortunately filled that space. There are secret groups every day attacking innocent villages and cities. And it will
