Note, this chapter contains minor scenes of blood and gore...

Five people walked through the hole in the wall. Their every step, was elegant, like they were exempted from the chaos raging around them. They were dressed differently. Four men, and in their midst, a woman of distinguishable temperament ...their attire painted them as people interrupted on their way to a party.

The woman had stunning bold eyes with dark yet scanty brows. Her delicately modelled ears framed her Elvin face in such a manner that it complimented her button nose.

On her head, gold beads that looked like there were sprinkled on her flowing black braided hair reaching down to her shoulders.

The pearls that adorned her neck, held, even though there were clearly not bound by any string. She wore a sleeveless red-flowered pattern danshiki that came down tightly to her slim waist and opened freely to her knees. A gold patterned insignia of a withering rose laid on the left side of her voluptuous chest.

Derek fought his natural instinct to steal a glance, but his eyes unsurprisingly betrayed him.He was no pervert, but what sort of man wouldn't appreciate such an artistic sight. "oh shit" he thought as he caught a glimpse of Tiny's judging face.

He played dumb and started fiddling with his shirt button while continuing to steal side glances.

"shameless" she muttered under her breath causing Derek to finally control his stares

The men, two on each side of her, wore silk gold overalls fitted for free movement, with a pair of swords crossed behind each of their backs.

Their faces were fully covered leaving only a pair of blue jaded eyes that made you feel like you could hold no secret before them. Each had the same insignia on the left side of their own chests.

"Levinack!...LEVINACK OF HOUSE THEMBEKA! show yourself or I'll start a slaughter!"` The woman shouted as she advanced forward. But there was no reply whatsoever except the cries of panicking students. Just then, one of the men came forward with a little book the size of a grown man's palm and handed it to her.

She collected the book, opened it, and started to recite an incantation in a low tone. A silver-coloured lantern that managed to look both priceless and new yet unkempt and old, glowed a white light as it materialized from its pages. She picked it up and directed it to the room.

"If you will not show your face willingly, I'll flush you out one way or another."

She stretched her hand as she directed the lantern to the right side of the room, then moved it slowly in a windershine motion, as it moved closer to the right, it became brighter, she continued moving until it was the brightest.

"Hmm, that's not right. Are you sure this thing is working?" She turned her head to question one of the men. And a nod was the response she got.

"But that's not right." She frowned.

"Transformation rune? Bring me the boy!" She ordered.

The "boy" she was referring to, the one she was looking directly at, the one whose direction the lantern shined brightest, was Derek.

One of the men, bigger and burlier than the others came forward and grabbed at him. Tiny tried to defend him but was sent flying across the room with one swing of the hand. The big man lifted a struggling Derek by his neck and squeezed gently.

His hold became tighter and Derek struggled more.

"If you do not reveal yourself I will ensure you die like a swine." the woman said.

But just as he squeezed, A soft voice was heard. It was distant, yet felt close to the man's ears.

"Let him go!"

It was so compelling. those words could not be disobeyed, they didn't leave room for defiance.

His hands lost strength as he slowly let go of the boy. He took a few steps back and knelt on the floor.

That was the power of a whisperer

"You idiot, what are you doing?" The woman got angry and kicked the man.He came back to his senses a few breathes later and appeared a little nonplussed.

A voice shouted from behind

"Derek come here!"

He looked behind and saw Mrs Carla.

"Mi...Miss!... Miss Carla! What is she doing here?" He thought. But his legs still kicked the ground as he ran towards her.

"He is running. Get Him you fools!" The woman screamed.

But just as the men moved, a rain of ice spikes attacked their advance. Derek looked on as the spikes passed over his head.

The men stopped in their tracks, two of the closest to Derek even had to somersault a few times to dodge the attack. He wondered were the sudden work of ice came from, but didnt have enough time to think about that. He had to keep his feet moving.

Derek ran to Carla in a panic. By her side, was his Psychology teacher Mr Walter in a blue long-sleeved waistcoat made entirely of feathers that lead to a large quill pen of the same colour.

It glowed brightly and it made him look ethereal. Runes floated in the air in front of him and gave a cold chill just looking at them.

"Hmm,a whisperer and a Norminer. And topping the ranks too!" The woman in danshiki murmured.

She took a few steps forward."I am Ellen of House Nathifa. I am here for the criminal Levinack of 'House Thembeka'. As decreed by the Emperor of light, all who abhor this fiend shall be tagged enemies of the empire."

"I am sorry lady Ellen I did not realize it was you. As you can see we abhor no criminal of the empire. Yet you have just attacked our 'mesiss humus', even going as far as to kill our stock. I think we deserve an explanation." Mr Walter responded rather calmly.

He even hand one hand behind his back as he spoke, giving out the air and confidence of a gentleman. But the runes still suspended in the air gave away his intent to not back down.

Ellen was stomped for words. Something did not feel right. This Norminer heard her family name but still did not concede. It made her hesitate to attack. It was either the man before her, was confident in his abilities or he had a strong backing.

If it was the former, she would love to give him a 'painful' lesson. But if it was the latter, then this assault would spell trouble for her back home. It was already bad enough she just started her current punishment, any more and she might just kill herself.

"What do you mean 'no criminal'. Are you telling me the wavelength lantern is wrong? or that I can't even detect a little 'change form' rune?"

"I do not know about the wavelength  lantern but you can check if it is a 'change form' rune." Mr Walter answered.

Just then one of the cloaked men in gold whispered something into Ellen's ear.

"Really? Are you sure? Then if it's not a 'change form' rune, Why do the wavelengths match?" She questioned the man that whispered to her.

Ellen knew she had wronged, but she was not going to back off now. Not after all the destruction so far. She needed to save face, not just for herself but for her family name.

"Ahemm!" She coughed.

"I have determined that he is not Levinack but since the wavelengths match, I will be bringing him for questioning as well as the both of you."

"I apologize again my lady, I'll have to be rude and reject your invitation. Besides House Nathifa is known as the House of 'pain' for a reason." Mr Walter responded.

One of Ellen's eyes twitched a little. Anyone that knew her well, knew that this was a sign she was holding back her anger. The same anger that resulted in her current predicament. She looked at Mr Walter and the urge to beat him senseless welled up inside her. She was about to attack when a thought hit her.

"What house are you from? And Why does the boy have Levinack's wavelength?" As she talked, a blue coloured quill pen connected to a jacket of feathers just like the one on Mr Walter's body appeared on her. Except it gave out sparks from time to time. It looked like she was wearing a coat made from lightning.

"That's none of your business." He responded.

"You know what, it does not matter, I'll milk it out of you."

Her quill pen moved in the air and runes that sparked appeared. She raised her hands and spoke two words.

"Rain kisses."

Snakes made purely of electricity shot out of the runes attacking Mr Walter.  But he did not move, all he did was send out the runes in front of him and they turned into big boulders of ice crashing at the snakes while some others rushed at Ellen. She took several steps back in surprise and made defensive runes that blocked the attack.

Her fingers moved with flashing speed again as her lips moved.

"Inundatio Caro!"

Waves of electricity like a flood to shore rushed from beneath her feet engulfing all in sight. All the students touched by the waves, whether dead or alive, instantly turned to dust.

Derek looked as the destruction approached and was speechless for words. He saw the wave reach where Aesir laid on the floor and panicked.

But before it reached him, Mr Walter grunted a little. And with a wave from his hand, runes flew out like birds, forming a huge wall of ice that stopped the assault.

"Lady Ellen I'll employ you to please desist from your actions before you inevitably regret what is about to come." Mr Walter advised.

"I'll stop when I have your pen crushed beneath my feet."

"What are you buffoons standing there for? Attack!" She commanded the men in gold overalls.

There brought out their swords and attacked.

"Walter, you have to stop holding back. We have to get out of here and hide him. If the House of Nathifa is here, then the other elder families are sure to come." Carla chastised Mr Walter.

"I know, damn it. Take him and leave, I'll hold these ones here."

Miss Carla picked Derek under her armpit like she was carrying a rugby ball and proceeded for the exit but before she reached it, Derek kept beating her back for her to stop. she stopped and looked behind her. She saw Tiny dragging Aesir over with one hand over her shoulders screaming for her to wait. She wanted to keep going but seeing how Tiny was trying her best to reach her, she grunted a little and decided to help them. She slung Aesir like a bag of potatoes over the shoulder of her free hand and headed out the cafeteria to the car park.

Derek and Tiny could not believe their eyes. Aesir alone was twice her size and weight, yet here was the slender Miss Carla treating two grown teenage boys like empty sacks of yam.

There reached the car park and got into Miss Carla's car.

"Ahhhhhh!!!" A high pitch scream as Miss Carla threw the fainted Aesir into the back seat of her car.  Tiny panicked.

"Don't worry Augustina, it's just Madeline hiding back there. Am I right!?

"How long have you known I was here?" A voice answered from inside the car.

"Since I left you dumdum." Miss Carla answered.

Miss Carla and Augustina got into the car. Miss Carla turned on the engine and proceeded the car to the main road. When six men with gold overalls landed in front of the car.

"Shit, shit, shit....Why now?" Miss Carla cursed wildly.

"Derek, can you hear me?"

"Yes, Miss Carla," Derek responded.

"I am going to tell you a few things now. you must follow my instructions accordingly. Do you understand me?"

"ummm, no, but okay?"

"Take this. Go back to the orphanage. Enter my room. You will see a gate. Find Bast, she'll explain everything to you. Tell her Maria sent you." As she talked, she was already out of the car.

"Wait...Miss Carla but we can't drive!" Derek answered.

"Don't worry she can." Pointing to Madeline.

"Hey! Maddy, I know you use my car at night to go clubbing." Miss Carla addressed a surprised looking Madeline.

"Now go! The gate won't be opened for long."

Madeline took her place in the driver's seat and turned the car to pass a saver route but one of the men in gold overalls blocked their path.

This Miss Carla was not like the woman they had come to know. She moved. She was fast. Inhumanely so. they saw the man thumble out of the way like a rag doll before they noticed she had kicked him.

"Am your opponent now!" she declared creating a path for the car to escape.

"Please be safe." She whispered taking one final glance at the receding car.

"