Chapter 219: A weapon will serve us well

•••

As Caius walked back to Lochxen, there was a spring in his steps akin to those of one who felt proud for having broken new ground, which he had technically done. He might have even had more swagger in his walking had he not been just a bit self-conscious. The fact that it caused his still-mending injuries to ache always made him feel even more stupid, like he was hurting himself to act more pompous.

Now, in the context of what he knew of the future and the preparations he was making to deal with those things, what he just did with Lea should have been a minor, inconsequential detail that held no importance.

But that was the thing; It

was

important.

Vampires seek to evolve and it just so happens that to do so, Caius needed the blood of the aroused. As fun as it was (and it was very fun), Caius was acquiring partners and spending time with them to facilitate his Evolution. It WAS essential.

It was as essential as any other sort of preparation he might have been making. Even more really because whatever he did, whatever plans he made, it would all always circle back to this. To these relationships and his evolution.

He walked through the corridors of the First Year’s section of Lochxen and was soon walking through the cafeteria doorway.

He and Lea had spent the rest of the Study of Magical Beast double period as well as the first few minutes of Break together so Caius met his classmates still in the middle of their meal.

He could have gone to Arlette’s office, and he was tempted—both by her company and to get his hand back into Alchemy before the next and final class of the day—but he decided he wanted to spend his time here instead.

As he approached their usual table, the occupants were already looking up at him and flashing smiles. Well, Kaya, Eloise, and Aylin smiled at him. Delia looked serious. That seemed in part due to a conversation she seemed very invested in before his arrival as well as her penchant for not showing him her joy until he especially drew them out of her.

"You came," Eloise said.

"Sounding like that, one would think I’ve just never been here before," Caius said with a smile as he took his seat opposite them.

"Sure seems like it," Kaya said still smiling, "Welcome back."

Aylin was practically beaming with joy. Caius choosing to sit opposite Kaya and Eloise put him right by her side. Delia was also in this seat but was more off to the other extreme end. Not close enough to do what Aylin did which was to scoot over and grab Caius’s arm and hold him close.

She didn’t have to say anything about doing that. Didn’t have to boast about her good fortune. The smile she gave Kaya did all the talking and boasting for her. She even made a show of squeezing Caius’s arm. Like she was staking a claim.

Kaya didn’t like that. But besides frowning, she said nothing.

"So did you go to the infirmary?" Eloise asked.

"I’m healing," Caius said vaguely.

"My kisses are still available, you know," Aylin said then, looking up at his face with her icy-blue eyes wide and expectant,

"My offer still stands."

"Gods, give it a rest already," Kaya said sounding exasperated.

Aylin didn’t protest. She just scoffed and stretched the one hand whose arm she wasn’t using to grab and keep Caius close the her body across the underside of her large breasts so she could place her fingers lightly against his chest.

She did this with a pointed glance at Kaya who rolled her eyes and only said in a little whisper,

"You know you’ll pay for what you’re doing right?"

Aylin paused and then shook off whatever fear was starting to creep up so she could appear impervious to what Kaya was trying to insinuate.

"I’ve actually grown quite tolerant," she said.

"Oh, you have, have you?" Kaya asked and laughed for a while before nodding with meaning as she added,

"Very well. We shall test that soon."

Caius could just imagine what the conversation was about. He had been absent from their cafeteria table for days now but he knew what would have been discussed.

Delia leaned forward then, speaking directly to Kaya and pulling her attention.

"I’ve looked it up," she said in obvious continuation of an ongoing conversation that Caius had arrived in the middle of,

"There’s nothing that says we’re not allowed to have them. If anything, it might be encouraged."

Eloise piped up now, looking worried. Whatever Delia was talking about, she clearly was not a fan.

"It’s encouraged?" She asked.

Delia paused and reeled it back in.

"Well, not in so many certain words. But if they’re not banning it, I take that as encouragement.

All I’m saying is I want to get myself one."

"If I may ask, what is this about?" Caius asked and Delia turned her head to look at him. She was leaning forward so hard that her eyes could look at Caius and not have her sight blocked by Aylin’s body.

"What else would it be?" Delia asked raising a brow like it should be obvious what she was talking about. When she saw that Caius was not getting it, she rolled her eyes slightly,

"Weapons, of course," she said, "There’s nothing in the rulebooks that says we shouldn’t have weapons for the Mid-Semester Tests. So I’d like one."

"But it’s not necessary though," Eloise said, looking a bit jittery.

Della laughed.

"Not necessary?" She asked, "I’m sorry, have you so quickly forgotten the Beast we just faced off against?"

"I could never forget," Eloise said.

"Well, imagine facing that thing, and many more, with nothing but our fists and magic."

"Those are pretty formidable," Aylin said then and then gestured with her perfect chin at Eloise as she added,

"And if things go south, Eloise can just sing us a tune. Better yet, we can start every encounter with that and end things before they get out of hand."

"Not all beasts are as susceptible to sound as the Bullcroc," Caiua said.

Eloise nodded.

"Yeah, I checked. I’ve only seen the Bullcroc really highlighted for that. Plus, I’d rather not do that again."

"What?" Aylin said then with her eyes growing wide in surprise,

"You looked like you were enjoying yourself."

"Yeah. M-maybe a little— I don’t know..." Eloise said and she sounded frustrated. She looked torn between her joy of singing to an audience—any audience, humanoid or beast—and her dislike for combat situations.

"Lay off her, will you?" Kaya said then.

Aylin shrugged and put more of her focus on stroking Caius’s chest again.

"Thank you," Eloise said to Kaya.

"She does have a point though," Kaya said, causing Aylin to smile that Kaya would ever agree with her on something and then she wiped that smile off her face. She could not afford to show any inkling of liking for this annoying half-elf. Being cordial to get close to Caius was enough.

Eloise gasped at Kaya’s words.

"I’m sorry, sweetie, it hurts me to agree with her, but you have a talent. I’ve been talking about it for a good while now. And it hurts when you don’t seem to get it."

Delia spoke up then to return the conversation to where it should be as far as she was concerned,

"Singing won’t get us through it all though. What will serve us well is a nice weighty hammer to smash some scales with."