- Nevermore Academy - Caliban Hall Dormitory -
(It smells strange.)
That was the first thought that crossed William's mind as he opened the door to his single dormitory room; there was a scent reminiscent of damp earth and the fragrance of a flower, sweet and creamy like milk and cream.
William took a deep breath as he walked through the room; the pleasant, melodious jingle of the medals on his jewellery resonated with every step he took; the medals symbolising the trophies won by spilling the blood of great beasts clinked against one another on his splendid bracelet.
'This scent, Orchid would say… or, to be precise, Cattleya Orchids.'
Thanks to his keen sense of smell, William was able to identify the type of flower; a long walk through his mother's vast greenhouses had greatly expanded his knowledge of flowers and their fragrances.
(There is something else, hidden behind the heady sensation of the orchids' scent...)
'Behind all this sweet fragrance, is there a smell of... rotting flesh?'
As William spoke these words aloud, a being invisible to the human eye seemed to dash in panic across the desk, knocking over the photos, pencils and books lying on it.
(It knows I'm here!!! I've entered its territory uninvited!!!)
(I must get out of here immediately!!!)
Bruma thought, feeling the gaze of the golden-haired youth whom her princess had sent to search for her.
"Where are you going?"
Before the tiny, invisible creature could fly out of the open window where the wind was blowing fiercely, Sting's sharp, gleaming blade suddenly cut off her path with its razor-sharp edge.
"Don't hurt me, please!!!"
"I'm just a humble messenger!!!"
The words, spoken in panic, seemed to come straight from the empty air.
"Who are you and what are you doing here?"
William asked, his sword Sting in hand, pointing towards the empty air from whence the voice came; a single flick of his wrist would be enough to split the hidden being in two.
"Your humble servant is called Bruma, and I am the messenger of Her Majesty Princess Moanna of the Underworld, the Netherworld."
Bruma lifted for a single moment the enchantment that covered her body and prevented prying eyes from seeing her; she bowed and introduced herself with a simple, theatrical curtsy.
The fairy was small, about the size of a palm, with smooth grey skin, pointed ears and wings that resembled those of a moth more than those of a butterfly.
"And I come before you to enter into a Hunting Pact on behalf of my Mistress, Princess Moanna!!!"
"Princess Moanna?"
"Yes, heir to the Myrrdain Clan; they are pure-blooded Daoine Sidhe. Their daughter returned from the human world in 1944, according to your calendar."
Daoine Sidhe, elves and ancient magical creatures who separated their world from the human world, living in the depths of the earth, having withdrawn from humanity of their own accord hundreds of years ago.
(During the Second World War), thought William.
"What do you mean by a Hunting Pact?"
William pushed Sting's blade away from Bruma's body., sheathed it in his Calisto belt and sat down on his own bed; he felt no threat from the little fairy, perhaps only a little fear on her part towards him.
"We offer a reward for a service: the elimination of an ancient and dangerous threat that has escaped from our world to commit unspeakable acts in yours."
"Go on."
William took off his purple jacket, threw it onto the bed, and loosened his tie.
"You call him the Pale Man; we call him the Child Eater."
"I don't kill humans unless it's necessary."
"He is not a human and never has been; he is a monster in human form who wears the skin of his victims."
"That changes things. What does your princess offer me in return?"
William rested his head in the palm of his hand, which was resting on his right knee.
"The metal that humans covet so greedily... Gold, lots of gold!!!"
Bruma cupped her hands together and waved her fingers as if thousands of gleaming gold coins were falling from the sky and she were trying to catch as many as she could with her tiny arms.
"Oh... is that all?"
William replied without much enthusiasm.
Bruma panicked, before she saw the young hunter's vast collection of weapons before her and an idea sprang to mind: the spear made of Mithril, the Beskar sword he carried concealed as a dagger at his waist, the longbow on the wall and the dozens of runic arrows in the quiver.
"If you're not interested in gold, how about a weapon!!!"
"The Myrrdain Clan is renowned for forging magical and infallible weapons."
Bruma's tone was one of pride, that of serving one of the great remaining houses of the Sons of the Earth.
"Perfect. That's more to my liking. Where can I find your beloved beast?"
"In three days' time, the Feast of Flesh, the Yulerboc, will be held, where the Pale Man will host a banquet for himself and his friends."
"It takes place every fifty years, and it is then that the gate will allow a man to enter his territory without being affected by his barrier."
The Pale Man's Barrier separates a special dimension for his personal use; it prevents him from being disturbed by humans seeking vengeance for the disappearance of their children, and preserves the sumptuous banquet of human delicacies from the ravages of time.
No man over the age of thirteen may cross the threshold of his chalk doors, which open all around the world.
"I have one last question before my girlfriend arrives and we can't continue our conversation: why me?"
"You are the youngest member of the Stoneborn family, the one who slew the bone collector, Grishnákh, a King of the Imps."
Bruma flew to the window sill and spread her moth-like wings.
"I'll be back in three days to guide you to their lair. You need to find someone pure to open the door for you."
(Someone who isn't stained with the blood of the elder fairies, like you.)
Bruma vanished into the night with that thought in mind; it took all her willpower not to show the fear she felt standing before William, the thick scent of an elder fairy's blood permeating the body of the human before her.
Lihor's golden blood had stained William's fingers and cheeks during their encounter beneath the roots of the withered oak deep in the forest—a scent only fairies could detect, something that would never wash away, something ingrained in the soul.
"Someone with a pure heart? Where on earth could I find one…"
"Aren't you going to get changed yet, Will? It's been half an hour since we left class; you said we'd watch a film together."
"I've found her."
"Who have you found?"
Enid set her pink rucksack on the floor and walked over to the bed.
"I need a favour from you."
"Ooh, you want a favour? How odd—I remember asking you for one a few months ago and I still haven't had a reply."
William gently wrapped both arms around Enid's waist; the scent of orchids still filled the room and was irritating to his nose.
"What's the matter?"
Enid could feel William's nose against her skin; it wasn't unusual for him to do so.
"I don't like the smell in the room; I prefer you."
Enid smiled and wrapped both arms around William's neck. Sitting on his lap, her checked skirt rode up a little higher, revealing her multicoloured leggings; the winter chill was already beginning to set in.
"Now that you mention it, it smells lovely," Enid sniffed the air lightly. "What is it?"
"It's the scent of orchids, a variety called Cattleya. My mum has some at home."
"Don't change the subject."
Enid stopped William as she removed his tie; they'd agreed to spend the evening watching a couple of films—action films for Enid and horror films for William.
"The Nightshades—it's tricky now that Xavier and Bianca are on the verge of breaking up."
"I think I'll be too busy with the dance club to be able to do you a favour."
"According to Divina, they're meeting next week. We can talk about your inclusion then, OK?"
"Perfect!!! Now have a shower and put on something more comfortable."
Enid cupped William's cheeks and kissed him on the nose, then flopped down on the side of the bed; she would wait for him to finish getting changed.
"By the way, how did you manage to avoid Thornhill? I thought he was watching like a hawk to see who was coming in and out of Ophelia Hall."
William asked as he opened his wardrobe; he'd already changed his footwear, taking off his black shoes and slipping on a pair of comfortable trainers.
"Lately he's been disappearing from the dorm at night, so we can slip out and be back before he notices."
"What about Coach Vlad?"
"Bill did me a favour and distracted him for a moment."
(And there are people who still think she's just a very sweet girl; she can do a lot of things if she puts her mind to it.)
How to break the curfew at her dorm, Ophelia Hall, and sneak into the boys' dorm at Caliban Hall late at night—something strictly forbidden at Nevermore Academy and probably at any other school.