The Sunwalker- Heirs of the Night

4- Vampire School

Nadja watched from afar as the Heirs and Elders said their goodbyes. All the Elders were going home, save for The Contessa and Conte Claudio, while the Heirs would stay on the Elisabetha and go to vampire school. Nadja snorted at the mere thought of vampire school. She tried to cling to that thought, but couldn't. Her mind was filled with jealousy, as she saw the other Heirs standing with their Elders. There was no one left for Nadja to part with, her entire clan was dead. She had not even a Shadow, though she would make sure to create one when she was old enough. Overcome with emotions she did not want to have, Nadja went back down below deck, away from others so she could be alone, as she always was.

After a few minutes, Nadja heard a large group of people walking and went to investigate. All the Heirs were following Conte Claudio somewhere and, without thinking, Nadja slid into the group, pretending as if she had been there all along. Their journey ended in a large room set with desks along the walls on either side of the door. It looked like a classroom, and a boring one at that. Everyone sat down by a desk and Nadja ended up behind the Dracas girls and next to Malcolm. Conte Claudio began wandering back and forth as he spoke.

"Children, you are going to learn to focus your strengths. Teach and use each others birth powers."

Nadja's eyes shot open. What? It could not be true. Though intrigued by the though of learning the other clans' powers, she absolutely refused to teach them hers- not that she knew how to anyways. Nadja was the only Belov alive, the only one with the power to survive the sun, an advantage she would carry alone, and the sole reason she was not worried if this situation turned hostile. She could always escape, or take others into the sun with her. She would under no circumstances let anyone else do that. That power belonged to her clan, in other words, only Nadja. It took her a moment to realise that the Elder had not stopped talking, so she focused her attention back to him.

"..subject number one. De-sanctification. Your teacher,"

Claudio said as he got a little boy out of his seat.

"My son, Luciano."

It was the boy with the bible.

"Hey. I've asked Signor Umberto di Nosferas to help me tonight. He's born of the first generation."

A man Nadja had not seen before walked with Luciano up to the desk at the far end of the room, where he deposited his suitcase and bag before turning and speaking to the class.

"Children, take out your notebooks."

The Heirs opened a compartment in their desks and found notebooks and stationery in there.

"Lesson number one: De-sanctification, also known as de-holification. Now pay attention, it could save your life."

Signor Umberto turned his back to them and opened his suitcase. Many of the young vampires attempted to get a good look at what was in it, but not even Nadja, who sat nearest, could see anything. He turned slowly back to face the students, bearing a cross in his hand. The Heirs pushed themselves away and hissed. Signor Umberto looked at them all for a moment before he said something to Luciano in Italian and handed him the cross. The boy muttered something before accepting it. Luciano then proceeded to wave the cross in front of their faces as he walked around the room.

"See? It's fine. See? Nothing happens. It won't do anything, it won't hurt you anymore."

Though Luciano seemed unaffected by it, Nadja didn't appreciate getting a cross in her face and would argue that it definitely did hurt. She bore silver knives and they hurt, though less than religious objects as big as that cross. Well, silver technically hurt more, but religious objects also brought both physical and mental weakness to vampires, so they were definitely worse in Nadja's mind. 

"Don't be so scared, it will not do anything to you."

Luciano lecture about the cross was cut short as Signor Umberto's suitcase fell to the floor. This caused a commotion, but the Nosferas clan put it all back to place and Luciano continued his lecture, talking about how they could read bibles and touch holy water and so on. After a while, Signor Umberto took over. Honestly, it sounded like the Nosferas clan were religious or something, the way they spoke about these things. Then, quite suddenly, Signor Umberto paused. He had stopped before two empty desks. Had they not been filled previously?

"Where are Lars and Malcolm?"

He asked sternly. Signor Umberto directed his question at the Vamalia girl who sat opposite the now empty desks. When she did not reply, he shouted at her and they left the room, probably so she wouldn't have to speak up in front of everyone. Class ended right there and everyone left the room. Nadja found an empty room where she could be alone, glad to be away from that suitcase filled with crosses and bibles. She intended to practice her knife skills, lest they fade over time. If, or when, the time came where Nadja would need to defend herself, she would be able. Her parents had made sure of that and Nadja would make sure to keep it that way.

After a few minutes of practice, something came washing over her, it felt like she had been hit by a brick wall. Her vision began to spin and everything hurt so incredibly much. She fell to the floor, feeling weak. Panic began to rise inside her as the pain mounted. What was going on and why? There was nothing here to hurt her, she wasn't even touching her silver knife. A couple minutes later, it stopped. The weakness began to withdraw too and Nadja sat up with her back to the wall. The door opened and a shadow came in and informed her that class would be continuing now. Nadja slowly got up, collected her knife from the floor and walked back to the classroom, fearing another surge of pain that never came. Back in the classroom, Luciano got them all to repeat a phrase in Italian, apparently what would make them able to desanctify holy objects. Signor Umberto went around to ensure they were all paying attention. After a few rounds of repeating the phrase, Nadja felt comfortable lessening her attention to try and write it down in her notebook. Several more rounds of repetition was required before she had gotten it down right. The doors flew open and in came the Contessa, with Malcolm in one arm and Lars in the other. She brough them before her husband, Conte Claudio, who spoke.

"When there is a crime, there is a suitable punishment. Lars and Malcolm will help the shadow vampires with their chores. For a week."

Both boys exclaimed in outrage, but shut up once the Nosferas Elder offered more.

"Be happy I don't inform your parents about tonight. Take your seats."

The Contessa let the boys go and they got back to their seats while Conte Claudio told the night's teachers to continue lecturing them.