The Dead Body

[Pocky]

Tad wasn’t the first to discover the dead body but he was the first to know how it got there.

The corpse belonged to a third year student named Detri, one that had given a lot of the first and second year students grief. He'd been a bully and a thug but also good enough at his training that nobody could get the jump on him or threaten his life. Until now, of course.

The body lay awkwardly on the concrete floor of the second level, pushed up against the wall away from the carpet runner. His arm was thrust behind himself as though somebody had twisted it and held it there. His head turned outward, sightless at the opposite wall. Eyes bugged out, tongue lolling like a dead animal. Traces of yellow powder around his lips, on his fingertips, rubbed streaks of yellow on the floor. Everybody staring at him made sure not to touch it even before the teachers arrived.

Tad overheard talk about what poison it might be and how strong the assassin must’ve been, or how silent, to get the jump on Detri. He giggled at their assumptions, marvelling at how many clues they were blind to. Footsteps at his back alerted him to yet another person's approach and he looked to see who it was. The corridor was getting pretty crowded now.

[Seragil]

IstaunVal padded silently towards the crowd gathering in the corridor, he was dressed head to toe in black, from his kidskin boots to his loose cotton pants and his long-sleeved loose tunic with the Eruditio emblem emblazoned on its back. His white hair fell disheveled around his shoulders and his amethyst coloured eyes were sharp and piercing as he took in the scene before him. When he was close enough he purposely scuffed his kidskin boots on the floor, just enough for those who were alert enough to hear. He almost smiled as he took special note of who didn't and did notice his approach.

"So, Detri finally pushed the wrong person I see." He said as he stepped around the level two Eruditio, taking special note of their lack of surprise at his appearance, this one was showing some promise, low level as he was, unlike most of those gathered who gasped then fell silent at his appearance. The lower levels could be forgiven slightly for their general lack of knowledge and experience, the few higher levels though... if a level two human had better perception skills then they, then they were in for a very bad time indeed. "Look at this corpse and take heed. no matter how bad and skilled you think you are, there will always be someone bigger, badder and more skilled than you, or at least has the confidence to think they are, and act upon it."

Detri had shown some skill but his attitude had ensured he would only have a short life in the academy. Bullies and braggarts never lasted long, if not the students then the teachers ensured it was so.

He was careful not to disturb the yellow powder on the floor as he squatted close by the body and studied it with a little interest. "So, a perfect time for a lesson then." He looked around the gathered group and arched a delicately feathered eyebrow. "Tell me, what methods were used to accomplish this assassination?"?"

[Pocky]

Most of the students identified the yellow substance by a lot of different names. Tad listened to their guesses and his eyebrows raised at one unrecogniseable poison in particular. He studied his house teacher throughout it all and waited until everyone had called out their guesses. There was a long moment of silence before he offered his.

"At least two people were involved in his assassination," Tad said quietly. Not all the students heard but his teacher was close enough. He waited for Master IstaunVal to look at him before he finished his declaration. "One in front, distracting him while the other grabbed him from behind, twisting his arm up his back. The one in front had the yellow powder and forced it into his mouth. When they let him go he tried to throw it up by sticking fingers down his throat but it was fast acting."

Tad kept eye contact with his teacher, ignoring the others at his back. "Detri terrorised everyone here. Any of us could've killed him and we all wanted to." He smiled at his master. "I know I did."

[Seragil]

Tad Rystock, young, human, ambitious, a quiet speaker, non intrusive, watchful and very clever. He had noticed these qualities before in the student and smiled ever so slightly when he spoke up. He showed potential but it was still early days.

He nodded his head in recognition and agreement in Tad's observations but singling him out, showing too much interest in him would only cause jealousy amongst this group, and the lad hadn't earned such attentive interest from him, not yet anyway. He offered Tad a small smile before he straightened up and refocused his attention on the collective group.

"So we have a joint assassination, one that required trust, strength, speed and force to accomplish. By the look of it, it would seem this was a quickly devised plan, relying on a short window of opportunity and some small knowledge of the targets routine movements. For those of you who would like to earn some extra credit, write me an essay on the pros and cons of this particular job, then, on how you would have planned this, what changes would you have made, how would you have done it better. I want two planned outlays, a meticulously planned assassination and one done quickly relying on pure opportunity."

He caught the eyes of those that showed interest then raked his gaze over everyone. " The poison used is fairly common and is covered in level one poisons, it comprises of easily obtained ingredients and it's powdered form is the easiest to make. Who can name it and list it's properties?"

He looked at Tad briefly, hoping the Erudite could answer this as well and show up the other Houses here before he looked around the group with a raised brow and waited.

[Pocky]

Tad, who knew what the powder was because he'd seen streaks of white where it hadn't been mixed properly, lowered his eyes and looked away. He wasn't going to call out the answer here in front of everybody. It was enough that he'd demonstrated his perception for the teacher about two assailants, it wouldn't be good to be too obvious.

Another student, from the Libramen house, responded correctly, then asked: "Not everybody from your class is here. Do they get the assignment as well?"

Tad rolled his eyes where nobody would be able to see except for the Master. Who cared if other students got the assignment or not? Better that they didn't. Typical Libramen, bent on fairness. A ridiculous concept for an academy of assassins. It was the house for those who couldn't get into a different house. A catch-all for those who wanted to be an assassin but who had no special skills or abilities. Maybe one out of the entire house would make it out of here as anything remotely useful. The others would spent their whole lives here, or they would have to flee if they weren't interested in staying, because knowledge of this place and who was in this place condemned them. Obviously some escaped to tell stories about the academy, otherwise Tad wouldn't have heard about it and come here.

His mind wandered just long enough for him to become slowly aware of a prickly sensation of being watched. He turned his head and looked at the other students, some of them leaving the scene while others came out to have a look. A couple of them glanced away from him. His gaze found his Master next.

[Seragil]

Istaun'Val ignored the Libraman's question, he had clearly stated the extra credit was available for those who were interested and how those who were could obtain it, he had no interest or intention in repeating himself nor had he said anything about it being available for those taking his classes only. He looked at the Libraman with distaste and impatience, his eyebrow raising slightly as the student stared back at him.

"Everyone get back to your usual tasks and classes." He selected two level five students to pick up the corpse and deliver it to the examination room, no point in wasting a perfectly good body after all. As the rest of the gathered students started to disperse he moved closer to Tad, taking the opportunity to study him as the young student wandered the twisted paths of his own mind. When the lad finally focused on him Istaun'Val smiled.

"Come, I shall escort you to your next class, and we can speak as we walk."

[Pocky]

Tad stood tall and puffed out his chest when his teacher invited him to spend more time with him. "Thank you, sir," he said. A stealthy glance around himself revealed that nobody else was in the area and couldn't see his special treatment. His muscles relaxed and he let down his guard. As they walked, he smiled with satisfaction that neither of their steps scuffed the floor, though once or twice he thought he could hear his own stepping.

He took in a breath to speak but released it slowly. His master had requested his presence and so he waited for the conversation to begin from the other as a sign of respect.

[Seragil]

He walked silently beside the student, the silence itself a test. So many couldn't handle it, they had to fill it up with chatter. he liked very much that Tad didn't. His stealth was excellent for a level two, beyond excellent actually, most still sounded like a herd of cattle when they moved.

"What do you wish to achieve within these walls?" he asked into the silence. Tad was wasted were he was and IstaunVal was intrigued to see how far the young student could go. if Tad was eager, he would help him, train him and help him skip a few levels.

[Pocky]

"To be the best," Tad said with barely a pause. He looked sideways at his teacher, concern on his face as if expecting retribution for answering so quickly and thoughtlessly. "It seems a thing anyone would say but not everybody knows why they are here. Some come because they have nowhere else. Some because they are sent here. I've always been smarter or better than the people around me. I heard of this place and knew that would end. I can't learn anything unless I'm with those who know more than me."

He usually didn't talk so much and IstaunVal would know it.

[Seragil]

IstaunVal continued to walk beside his student. He doubted Tad's answer was either thoughtless or flippant but instead showed a certain amount of knowing ones self. Most who entered through the Academy doors were looking for notoriety or riches, both of which were attainable here. Tad it would seem was one of the few who came to hone their skills, to challenge themselves and in the end better themselves. It would be interesting to see how much he could learn, to see how far he could go and what he could achieve.

They walked in silence until they approached Tad's next classroom. When he finally spoke he did so quietly so that only Tad could hear and not the few who walked past them and watched them with slightly wide eyes and obvious curiosity. "You show promise and true talent. I like that you're quiet, watchful and don't feel the need to boast of your skills. When you do upstage those around you, you do so with finesse and without boasting."
 
He stopped walking and leaned his back against the wall and looked at Tad. " I don't usually bother showing interest in lower level students but as I said, you show surpassing talent. With extra training you could be placed amongst the mid levels or above at the end of year exams." The left side of his mouth curled upwards as he offered Tad a half smile, his purple eyes flicking over him quickly before looking at him directly. "Unless you're happy staying where you are. The mediocrity of your current classmates makes you shine all the brighter after all."

[Pocky]

"Thank you," he replied softly, acknowledging the compliments that were cast his way. Tad continued to listen with interest but the final statement earned IstaunVal a curious look before it was taken over by disappointment.

"I only now said that I cannot learn unless surrounded by those who know more than me." His eyes narrowed on his teacher and he frowned. "Was that to make me feel less important?"