Chapter IV.XXVII (4.27) - Basil’s Party

  “Duck!”

  The boy did not, in fact, duck. A metal rod slammed into the back of his head, dropping him from the top loft and smashing down into the food table. The bowl of spiked juice shattered, drenching everything and everyone in a scarlet liquid. Well, almost everyone.

  “Should have listened when I said ‘duck,’” a student scoffed, lounging back on the villa’s sofa. She’d cast an elemental spell and kept herself entirely dry. “Can’t believe they thought they were going to hit the pinata with that throw.”

  Finn gaped at the wreckage, on his knees, utterly soaked in red. His hair fell forward, dripping, while his jaw quivered. Kizu admitted to himself that maybe this was too much for his little brother to handle. Perhaps he ordered slightly more revenge than he’d bargained for.

  Thankfully, it was at that moment that Sene arrived.

  Heads turned when she entered the villa and the volume of everyone in sight quieted to muttering. And it was understandable why. The school’s number one student’s distaste for them all was a palpable emotion. People averted their eyes from her gaze as she scanned each person, a scowl on her face.

  “Sene?” Kizu said, approaching her. “I didn’t expect you to come.”

  “That would be an appropriate assumption based on my past actions.”

  “So why today?”

  “I am here to support my vice president’s endeavors. The Student Council should be seen as a united group and an example to those at the academy. Also, this party has been sanctioned with the academy’s blessing. Only fitting for me to be here.”

  “Oh. Well thanks! Ione hasn’t arrived yet. But Faible is somewhere around here.”

  The scowl on her face flashed to utter contempt before she got her emotions back under control.

  “Yes. The gnome. Good. I’m glad he’s enjoying himself.” She flicked her eyes over to Finn. “You’re upset about the drink spilling?”

  With a snap of her fingers, she cast a spell that peeled off all of the juice from the carpet, furniture, and nearby people. The spell floated in the air for a few seconds, like a writhing snake. A flick of her wrist, and the juice flew out the back door and hit the sandy beach with a sploosh.

  Someone outside cried out in outrage, but Sene decided to ignore that. With a wave of her hand, the student who’d fallen stopped moaning and then she turned her attention back to Kizu.

  “Now then. What am I supposed to do here?”

  “Ah…socialize?”

  “Woah there, hold up Kizu!” A random person stumbled forward out of the crowd of students. His shirt was open in the front, exposing a ripped set of muscles on his thin frame. He swayed slightly, drunk, and sloppily bowed in Sene’s direction.

  “Basil?” Kizu guessed.

  “The one and only! And don’t you go spouting off this nonsense about the party being solely a matter of socialization!”

  “Your pinatas are gone now,” Kizu pointed out.

  The second, and last, pinata had been leaking out all of its contents for the last few minutes. Hundreds of candy slugs writhed around on the floor, having spilled out from the hole in the paper mache cyclops head’s neck. Kizu couldn’t help being oddly disappointed they didn’t leak out of its eye. It felt wrong for them to ooze out from a neck-hole.

  “You seriously believed that the pinatas were the limit of my party game arsenal?” Basil shook his head, disappointed. “Oh, Kizu. How poorly you truly know me.”

  “You have another activity?” Sene asked, eyeing him with distaste…though her eyes did linger for just a moment on his exposed abs.

  “Of course!” His grin spread ear to ear. “Kizu, you have absolutely no idea what I’ve set up here. The silly pinatas were simply the appetizers to a seven course meal of delight and alcohol.”

  Kizu did not like the glint in Basil’s eyes.

  The student who’d fallen finally got back to his feet. Despite Sene’s healing, he was still pretty shaky.

  “Th-thanks,” he said to her with a rueful smile.

  There was a bit of a blush on the boy’s cheeks, though from drinking or Sene, Kizu couldn’t say. And Sene didn’t appear to notice in the slightest. His next words though did snag her attention.

  “I…don’t suppose you’d consider being part of my team for the competition?”

  “Competition?” Her already stiff posture straightened and she immediately shifted her focus over to the boy. “What competition? Who’s competing? What are the rules? Stakes?”

  “Ah, now you’ve ruined the surprise!” Basil tutted and shook his head. “Yes, yes. I may have arranged for a special event. A medley of magic. We’ll team up in groups of five.”

  “The Student Council will of course need to represent our academy,” Sene decided. “Kizu, as vice president I appoint you to find our fifth member. Furthermore, should you deem it necessary to switch out the gnome, you will find no protest from me.”

  This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  Kizu rolled his eyes. “Ione isn’t even here.”

  “She will be,” Sene said succinctly.

  “What makes you so sure of that?”

  “Because you are here.”

  Kizu opened his mouth to ask what that was supposed to mean, but Basil cut him off.

  “Sene has a point. You know I am quite good with people. It’s my most charming characteristic. I made note of everyone in the academy over the last two years. And in that time, Ione never once reached out or bothered befriending anyone. And there were some who definitely attempted it too. The best conjuring student in the academy on day one? Her other ranks don’t matter much with an accomplishment like that. And she completely blew off every single person without fail. Myself included.”

  Sene narrowed her eyes at him. “You’re that shapeshifter.”

  “Ah, yes. Another failure,” Basil admitted sheepishly. “Regardless! Anyone paying any attention to Ione can see you connected with her in some way.”

  Kizu blinked and thought back to his early interactions with Ione. The first time he’d heard about her had been after Krimpit kicked him out of class on their first day. She’d thought it amusing. After that, she’d simply been around. A constant companion in all his low ranked classes. Except…she never really interacted with him in Music F. The only F class with her where he’d built some measure of friendship with other students.

  Before Kizu could form any sort of response, the front door opened and Ione moseyed inside, as if on cue. Basil, Sene, and Kizu watch her as she slumped down on the couch and sighed dramatically. A few of the other conversations in the room paused as they glanced over in Ione’s direction. But she lacked the presence of her twin sister and conversation resumed this time with barely a hiccup.

  Basil smirked slightly, as if his point was proven. Kizu ignored that.

  “Hey, Ione,” Kizu said. “We have to get in a team of five for some competition. Sene thinks the Student Council should team up. Are you good with that?”

  Ione gave a massive yawn that lasted several seconds. “Sure thing. Is there a prize?”

  “Come now! Is that all you all care about?” Basil cried out in mock outrage.

  “A prize?” another student asked, tuning into their discussion. More and more heads started turning back to them as the word spread through the room, killing conversations.

  “Yes, yes,” Basil said in an overly exasperated tone. “I suppose this is as good of a time as any. You all have twisted my arm!”

  He hopped up onto a coffee table to better survey his audience.

  “Come one and all! Let us all participate in the first of the annual Kaga Games!”

  Everyone crowded around him. Those outside, catching wind of the announcement, entered, cramming the party into one room. At least a hundred people inside a villa living room meant to house a family of five. Curiosity was palpable on them all as they all shouldered forward to be within hearing of Basil.

  “First! To all those begging for a prize, I have come prepared.” Basil reached into his open shirt and drew out a scroll. He held it aloft for all to see. The golden seal glimmered in the light. The image of a top hat and curly mustache pressed into golden wax.

  “That’s the headmaster’s seal,” Sene said. Her words set a muttering throughout the gathering and Basil beamed under the attention. His skin literally started sparkling.

  “Yes! As some of you may have already surmised. This is indeed the seal of the Shinzou Academy headmaster! Should you present this object to him, you will be permitted a two hour private tutoring session under his tutelage. With every manner of subject on the table for discussion.”

  The muttering turned louder, more excited. Kizu caught several people talking about the secrets the headmaster knew and the connections he’d built. A couple hours in the room with the powerful mage could apparently do more than just help with a subject or two’s ranking. He was a font of opportunity.

  “How’s this divided up?” someone called out, shouting to be heard over everyone. “I heard you say earlier groups of five. Do we need to split up the two hours?”

  “Ahh, worry not my delightful eavesdropping friend! Two. Hours. Each.”

  That sent them into a frenzy, people started grabbing their friends and forming groups on the spot.

  “I don’t understand the prize,” Kizu said. “I’ve met with the headmaster before. What’s special about that?”

  “You had a session with the headmaster?” Sene turned on him. “What did you discuss? Magic? Your family? Why did he want to see you? There must be a good reason for it. He never meets with normal students. I’ve met with him three times in my entire academic career and that is because I am the Student Council President.”

  Instead of answering, Kizu spotted Faible on the outskirts of the crowd and moved to snatch him up to explain their plan. The gnome, grateful for his help navigating through the throng without getting trampled, readily agreed to their Student Council team plan. Kizu was searching for a fifth member. There were definitely options for them. People were battering themselves at Sene, attempting to convince the number one student to join with them. And she completely ignored them all.

  Kizu scanned the students, looking for someone he knew. He spotted a few of his friends from Music F, but they’d already grouped up. Harumi had teamed up with a few nervous looking first years.

  Kizu’s heart skipped a beat when he noticed the hulking half troll Gob Lucas with his usual gang. Tip, Weston, and, of course, Ulrich. Kizu’s old enemy stood early at a height with his troll bloodied friend. They loomed in a corner. Kizu would need to have words with Basil about inviting people who’d maimed him into his home. Then he spotted Harvey among them. Kizu’s heart still twisted at the betrayal of their friendship. He looked away.

  No one stood out to him. Aoi might be a good option, but he couldn’t find her anywhere.

  Kizu was about to choose one of the random classmates who’d approached Sene, then his eyes caught on someone. Finn looked absolutely overwhelmed and was shaking as he glared up at where Basil stood on the table.

  “Hey, do you want to win this prize?” Kizu asked him.

  Finn blinked and tore his eyes away from Basil. He paused, clearly teetering on the edge of spitting venom at Kizu.

  “Yes,” he reluctantly admitted.

  “Okay. Join us.” Kizu stretched out a hand to his brother.

  Finn’s jaw clenched and he ground his teeth, but he took the offered hand and they joined Sene, Ione, and Faible.

  “And now!” Basil said. “If I can once again have all your attention! Without further adieu, allow me to introduce the first game!”

  Fifteen Blood Curse Academia chapters (7 weeks) ahead of Royal Road on Patreon!