Chapter 1: September 1st / 2020

It's currently 4:13 in the morning and the sun has yet to rise. The chirping of crickets fills my ears. I'm sitting at a bus stop waiting here for the bus to arrive. This bus will take me to boarding school. I don't have much luggage with me, but I do have a couple casual outfits and my essentials in a modest suitcase.

The night sky is dotted with stars, but I can't make anything out beyond the glare of the streetlights. The soft hum of an engine approaching causes me to turn my head. There, I see a black and red bus traveling in my direction. I grab my bag and stand up, waiting for the bus to arrive. I was told my bus would arrive around 5:00, but here it is.

Whining softly, the brakes slow the vehicle to a stop. The bus's door opens with a mechanical hiss, and I can hear a surprising amount of chatter coming from inside. I can see through the windows, and there is no one in any of the seats. The driver himself is obscured by shadow. I assume it must be some kind of optical illusion, and quickly walk up into the bus's interior.

My eyes search for an empty seat, and I find one near to the front of the bus. I sit down in the empty space, and set my luggage between my legs. The wheels of the vehicle move, and I hear the door close as we get moving. The interior of the bus is well lit, and I can see at least 40 students chatting away in the seats around me. The strangeness of the situation is not lost on me. I remember not seeing a soul before stepping on the bus.

I'm contemplating the possibilities when I notice a huge black horn sticking out of a guy's forehead a few rows behind me. My jaw drops when I realize there are two girls talking to one another with large feline ears adorning their head. The strangeness of their appearances didn't register when I had quickly looked around for an empty seat.

I think I got on the wrong bus.

My thoughts are interrupted when a boy my age sits down with me. His ordinary features put me at ease, but I feel dread creeping into my mind regardless. The guy gives me a little nod before glancing around at the other passengers with a nonchalant expression on his face.

"Hey, uhm. My name's Michael." I outstretch my hand in greeting.

The boy looks at me with a slight smile on his face. He takes my hand, and shakes it politely before opening his mouth to respond to me.

"Nice to meetcha. I'm Scy." His hand feels a lot rougher than my own.

My eyes move around the bus nervously. The strangeness of the situation is gradually wearing me down mentally. I clear my throat before nodding my head toward the the guy with the big horn sticking out of his forehead.

"Is... Is that normal? The horn, I mean." Beads of sweat are visible on my face as I speak.

Scy's brown eyes move to where I've gestured, and he shrugs before turning back to me. He seems unsure what I'm so confused to.

"Are you asking if it's normal to have a horn?" His tone sounds unsure of what I want to hear.

My gaze fixes upon Scy as I wonder why he's responding in such a weird way. I open my mouth to voice my concerns, but at that moment the bus runs through a rough patch of road. All the lights flicker out for a few seconds.

When the lights turn back on we are driving along a cliff's edge. To the left there is a vast chasm, and on the right a steep rocky wall. My eyes bulge in disbelief as I see big birds roughly the size of dogs flying alongside our bus. Their red beady eyes glint in the sun while sharp teeth peek out from their beaks. I shove my back into Scy, and stammer out gibberish while pointing my finger shakily at the alien looking bird.

This is most definitely the wrong bus.

"Dude, what's wrong?" Scy frowns at my nonsense before looking up to see the demonic bird creature flying by the window. He laughs a bit once he realizes I'm scared of that bird. "You're afraid of demon birds? What kind of mage is scared of those?" He chuckles before gently pushing me back to my side of the seat.

"I-I've never seen them! They're scary as hell!" My voice is a bit hushed with my own embarrassment.

I take deep breaths while watching the demon bird flap its wings. The beast glides away down into the chasm below, and I breath a sigh of relief. Scy smirks at me while I cool off, and ruffles my hair like an older brother does to his younger sibling.

"Hah, you sound like a mageless." Scy gives me a mischievous look as he says this.

I squint at him in confusion whilst wondering what that word is supposed to mean. Scy interprets my expression as something else entirely, and continues speaking to further his joke.

"If you were, I'd be sure to gobble you up." Scy rubs his belly with a wistful satisfied look on his face.

From Scy's perspective this is a silly and childish joke, but to me this is a genuine threat. I break into a cold sweat and scoot a little further back from Scy. I laugh awkwardly while rubbing the back of my head to hide my fear. I've read enough stories to guess what a mageless is.

"Man, glad I'm not a mageless... Say, what do you think would happen if a mageless accidentally wandered onto this bus?" My question's suspicious nature goes right over Scy's head as I ask it.

He holds his chin for a moment in mock contemplation before lighting up and smiling wide. He looks like he's about to tell me the best joke I'll ever hear, but I'm taking this more seriously.

"They'd probably be boiled and put into the school's mystery meat!" He shrugs nonchalantly.

My head slowly turns to face out the window, and I watch the demon birds fly beside us with cold sweat dripping down my back. The image of a big cauldron full of boiling goop flashes through my mind.

The whole bus suddenly rocks when an explosion erupts near the back. Everyone turns to stare at a big cloud of sizzling green smoke, and gasp when they see a chihuahua sized toad leaping from seat to seat.

The toad opens its mouth and lets out a loud ribbit which elicits giggles from a group of girls sitting in the back of the bus. The bus driver holds up a black wand and the toad transforms back into a fully clothed female student.

"S-She turned me into a toad!" The distraught girl points her finger at a chubby redhead sitting in the back.

The bus driver lets out a grunt, and waves his wand once more. The girl complaining about her transformation is shoved into an open seat via unseen force, and the redhead who cursed her is left unpunished. I look at Scy, my eyes wide from observing that bizarre exchange. He looks back at me and raises his eyebrow at my expression.

"W-What just happened?" I stammer, at a loss for words.

"You mean why didn't the bus driver punish her?" Scy assumes I'm asking about the school rules.

"Well... yeah..." I refrain from correcting his misunderstanding.

"That's just how it works at Moondrop Academy; As long as you aren't responsible for another student's death the school won't take action." Scy informs me flatly.

I let out a little noise of confusion before turning my attention to the demon birds outside. My head is full of questions, but I want to maintain my cover as a mage. I sigh while watching the demon birds match the speed of our bus. I admit they are sort of majestic looking once you get over the scary parts.

I'm watching the birds fly when I realize the road has a subtle incline and turns slightly to the right. I wrap my head around the terrain we're climbing and realize this must be a huge mountain with a road spiraling up its slope. My theory is proven correct moments later.

"Oh wow. It's a lot more impressive in person." Scy comments casually.

I follow his gaze and swallow a mouthful of saliva. The peaks of several towers pierce through a layer of violet clouds high above our heads. The structure is made of a purple grey stone, and vibrant violet accents. It's essentially a massive castle. Our bus keeps moving, and the castle's huge metal gates open for us.

I am in awe of the imposing structure. I examine each intricate gargoyle and appreciate the grim architecture with excitement boiling up in my chest. Stained glass windows present fantastical imagery and winged beasts populate the airspace; I feel as if I've stepped into another world. Scy has to jostle my shoulder to get me moving, but I'm quick to follow his lead off the bus.

There's a school staff member standing beside the bus' door. His arms quickly fill with the luggage of students as he accepts their bags.

"Where are these going..?" I ask the staff member while handing him my meager suitcase.

"It'll be in your dorm room this evening, unless it's contraband, of course." He gives me a bright smile as I move along.

Several other buses with the same black and red color scheme are parked around the outer edges of the courtyard. More than a hundred students in casual clothing with their personal luggage fill this courtyard. Many have unique appearances, but the majority have ordinary human bodies. I stick close to Scy as we navigates the crowded courtyard.

"I'll introduce you to my friend Jamie. He's cool." Scy says in a casual manner.

I nod to Scy in acknowledgment, but my attention is elsewhere. The mages around me are quite the sight to behold; they look like something out of a fairy tale. One has translucent butterfly wings, while another has the head of a large grey wolf. I realize I've lost Scy in the crowd. My eyes flit from person to person as I try to locate my acquaintance; He's nowhere in sight. My search is interrupted by angry shouting.

"Shut up, fart breath!" The girl calls out angrily.

Huge serpents made of green lightning fly out of the girl's emerald wand. Her skin turns a shade of mint, and her eyes tighten into vertical slits. I watch in fascination as a big guy with black goat horns adorning his head creates a shield of obsidian with the flick of his black wand. The snake spell curls up into harmless green sparks upon contact with the shiny obsidian shield.

"Fart breath?! It's sulfur, you skank!" The boy belts out a roar as his body begins to expand.

The horned guy grows in size; his clothing stretches before ripping apart completely. His body sprouts brown fur and his pupil's shift into a squished horizontal shape. His wand spits sparks and sulfuric gas. I realize I'm in the blast zone as a massive fireball roughly the size of a washing machine forms in front of his black wand. I have no time to react as the huge flaming orb speeds toward the girl standing a few feet to my right.

The world blurs as I get pushed several feet back by a deafening explosion. My ears are ringing loudly and I can't hear the voices of the students I see talking around me. I'm on my back with burn marks peppering my torso. One of my arms is completely charred. I'm grimacing and howling in pain, but can't properly hear my own voice.

Someone pushes through the crowd surrounding me, and I feel my body relax as a cool sensation floods my senses. Bright blue frost coats my body as a woman roughly my mother's age holds her pale wooden wand to my charred arm. The cold sensations fade gradually as my flesh heals in mere moments. The shock of my injuries being melted away with the woman's frost leaves me speechless. She grabs me by the collar and lifts me to my feet before stomping away.

"Stupid freshmen!" The woman voices her irritation while walking away.

I realize she wasn't talking to me as she glares at the two students responsible for the magical scuffle. The snake girl is now covered in green scales, and has a snake tail sticking out beneath her skirt. The goat boy looks just as big and furry as he had been while casting the massive fireball. Neither student says anything in response.

I watch the woman move through the crowd to rejoin the staff members idly chatting near the parked buses. The sound of Scy's voice behind me turns me around, and I'm greeted by both Scy and a pale boy with dark hair. His demeanor is rather gloomy, but he smiles in a friendly manner.

"Damn, are you alright?" Scy asks with concern written on his face.

"Of course, just nearly got cremated alive." I give him a pointed look.

Scy holds his hands up as if to defend himself from my sarcastic remark. He turns to the pale boy beside him and pats the boy on the back before changing the subject by introducing his friend.

"This is Jamie. He's got freaky magic, scarier than those demon birds you yelped at." Scy smirks while saying that last part.

"Nice to meet you, Michael." Jamie's voice is quiet, but his face is beaming.

"Good meeting you as well, Jamie." I return his semi-formal greeting and offer a handshake.

Jamie accepts my outstretched hand with his own, and the feel of a skeletal boney hand on mine causes me to let out a frightened shriek. The other students glance at me with mixed reactions; Some find it amusing while others find it irritating. Jamie apologizes profusely, albeit quietly.

"Sorry, sorry. I forgot this hand is still bones." Jamie rubs the back of his head with his skeletal hand while I recompose myself.

I can feel the other students staring at my face. The pale hue of my cheeks gradually warms up into a healthy pink. My hands rub my face a couple times as I try to shake off the anxiety building up in my belly. I remind myself they're strangers, so it shouldn't be important how they see me.

"N-Nah man it's fine. I was just shocked is all." I laugh awkwardly in an attempt to lighten the mood.

Our conversation ends prematurely when a man with the head of a lion roars loudly from atop a wooden stage situated in the middle of the courtyard. His presence feels oppressive and primal, yet his golden eyes speak of intelligence far exceeding my own. The man is wearing a formal tux with a large black bowtie. He holds a microphone in a hand covered with lion's fur, and clears his throat into the microphone before speaking.

"Welcome, fledgling mages." His voice is deep and powerful as he addresses the crowd.

"My name is Professor King. I'll be explaining the entrance ceremony to you all." His voice makes his audience feel small.

"First, each of you will be called up one at a time to the stage. Once you're up here all you need to do is channel your magic into this measuring crystal right here-" Prof. King rests his large furred hand on aforementioned crystal ball.

"-and it will display your information while recording it into the school's records." He smiles as the crystal glows beneath his hand.

"Name: Gerrard King / Age: 137 / Magic Power: 87 mgl" Glowing letters manifest high above the stage.

Several students gasp in awe of Prof. King's information, but I don't understand why. I figure mgl is shorthand for some kind of magical unit of measurement, but I have no reference point for magic power levels. The reactions of the student's allude to Prof. King being exceptionally powerful.

"Line up over here, single file!" Professor King's roar gets us moving in an orderly fashion.

I stick to Scy and Jamie's sides; I'm sweating again after realizing I'll have to go up on stage and touch the crystal like everyone else. The device detects magic power, but what does it do if I have no magic power? The consequences I dream up drain the color from my face.

My fears grow larger as the line moves faster than any queue I've seen. Students walk up on stage, touch the measuring tool, then walk off with a glance up at their information. Those who tarry are pushed along by the low growling of Prof. King himself.

My face twists into a grimace when I see that snake girl from earlier walk up to the crystal. She presses her palm onto the ball with this smug look on her scaled face. I hold my breath as her info manifests. "Name: Miranda Slynth / Age: 17 / Magic Power: 62 mgl" She struts off the stage with her snake tail dragging behind her.

"What a monster... I can't imagine having that much." Scy mutters to Jamie, who's standing behind him in line, but in front of me.

"I know, right?" Jamie replies in that quiet voice of his with his grey eyes full of envy.

I keep my mouth shut for the time being, see a familiar face take the stage. His hulking body hasn't shrunk since he cast that fireball earlier, and his goat-like face contributes to a villainous look. The horned boy rests a huge furred hand on the crystal with his horizontal pupils moving upwards to check his status. "Name: David Nibuk / Age: 17 / Magic Power: 68 mgl"

I let out a low whistle, and Jamie chuckles while glancing at me. We share a look, and Scy shakes his head in sympathy for my earlier run-in with David's explosive fireball.

"You should avoid people like that. Even if their personality is good their magic can hurt you by accident." Jamie quietly advises me.

"I'll keep that in mind..." I mumble a reply to Jamie as the line moves forward.

The students magic power generally gravitates towards the 30s and 40s, but exceptionally strong ones reach up to the 60s. I watch closely when Scy's turn finally arrives. He takes the stage and transfers his magic into the orb with a fierce look on his face. My gaze moves up to the glowing text above him. "Name: Scy Walker / Age: 16 / Magic Power: 51 mgl" Jamie and I exchange a look after seeing Scy's magic power exceed the average by a significant amount.

"And here I thought he was one of us." Jamie quietly jokes.

"Oh believe me, I'm leagues beneath both of you." I disguise my honest statement as a self deprecating joke.

Jamie's turn. He walks up to the stage, leaving me standing at the front of the line with cold sweat dripping down the back of my neck. Jamie's skeletal hand rests atop the crystal ball, and his information appears. I scoff at the quiet boy's above average magic power. "Name: Jamie Schneider / Age: 16 / Magic Power: 48 mgl" I wonder they'll react after finding out my own magic powers are nonexistent.

Jamie gives me a small thumbs up as he walks off the stage. Professor King's eyes bore into my anxious self as I quickly walk onstage. I gently touch the crystal ball with a trembling hand. Audible gasps and incredulous remarks reach my ears as my information is made public. Professor King is staring up at the text with a vacant look on his feline face. I take my hand off the crystal and take a furtive glance upwards. "Name: Michael Jekyll / Age: 15 / Magic Power: 3 mgl"

I let out a barely audible gasp before stiffly walking offstage. Professor King doesn't stop me. The whispers of disbelief behind me remind me of middle school, but I push those dark memories away and keep walking.

I somehow have magic power. My cover is intact.

My gaze lifts up to meet Scy and Jamie's eyes. Jamie stands there with his mouth agape while Scy has his brows furrowed with concern. The both of them don't say anything for a minute or so.

"You... weren't kidding. About your magic power, I mean." Jamie says this with a little quiver in his quiet voice. He rubs his skeletal hand with his human one while avoiding eye contact.

"Yeah." I reply softly.

My wandering thoughts are interrupted by the firm grip of a somewhat familiar hand on my shoulder. I lift my head up to meet Scy's stern gaze. He keeps his hand on my shoulder and speaks to me in a serious tone I'm unused to hearing him use.

"You're still my friend, regardless how different our magic powers may be." Scy's words are completely genuine as he reassures me.

I'm both relieved I'm not being eaten and grateful to have made a good friend. I smile wryly while nodding to Scy. Apparently this guy has more than just a comedic side to him.

"You're a nice guy, you know that?" I compliment him.

"Dude, that's something a girl would say..." Scy laughs it off while I roll my eyes.

Jamie sighs softly at our cordial interaction before smiling between the two of us. I realize his biggest reason for befriending me is Scy's influence; He was unsure whether or not Scy would stick around after learning my magic power is abysmal.

The three of us are pushed along by students behind us, and enter the castle shaped school building. The room is about as long as a football field, but not quite as wide. Huge stone columns support a high arched ceiling, and stained glass windows decorate the walls high above. Glowing text hovering midair informs us where to go.

There's a small line in front of a big diamond shaped desk. Smooth marbled stone counters shine in the light of glowing magic lights, and four staff member's wearing uniforms hand out black rectangular prisms to the students in line. I'm not sure what to make of it, but follow Jamie and Scy up to the line without question.

"Are those magiphones?" Jamie's eyes light up with interest as he peers ahead.

"No chance. They wouldn't be handing real magiphones out, right?" Scy's rebuffs Jamie's words with disbelief.

I keep my questions to myself while the two of them murmur magical technology. We wait our turn in line and eventually Scy gets his hands on one of the black prisms being handed out. His eyes widen as he turns on the device; They are real magiphones.

"Are you serious?! They're giving us actual magiphones!" Scy is ecstatic, but I have no clue what makes these phones so special.

Jamie doesn't hesitate and graciously accepts his very own magiphone. The two of them quickly exchange contact information while I'm getting my own device from the staff member. The thing is surprisingly light and has the texture of recently frozen ice. I realize these things are made from crystal much like that crystal ball outside.

"What's your magichat tag, Michael?" Scy asks me while Jamie focuses on customizing his magiphone.

I navigate to the magichat app and give Scy my user tag. Jamie also enters the tag into his contacts, and Scy creates a group chat for the three of us. I feel myself smile as he sends an emoji representation of a demon bird to the chat. I quickly find the emojis and spam some demon fish emojis. Jamie joins in with some skeletons, and we're all quietly smirking to ourselves.

"We should probably check out schedules, huh?" Jamie speaks up.

"Good point... Oh, there's a map app on here." Scy opens up a map of the school on his magiphone.

After comparing our schedules we realize that all first years share the same set of classes; The times for our classes vary, but our schedules have several overlaps. According to the information on our magiphones today is meant to be a brief introduction to the school. This entails touring the campus and meeting our teachers. We compare schedules and settle on a route to take throughout the school.

"So first is potions. That way, right?" Scy points to a large archway off to the side of the main hall.

"It's right around the corner from here." Jamie has his eyes on his magiphone as he walks.

Sure enough, the sign for the potions class is just around the corner. The big wooden door is wide open, and the sound of bubbling fluid comes from within. Two girls soaked in something green and slimy walk out of the classroom with pained looks on their faces. Us three boys share amused expressions before entering the classroom.

"Oh? More visitors already?" The garbled voice of an elderly woman greets us as we enter.

The classroom stinks of chemicals and burning gas. The door to the classroom is behind several rows of seating. Each row is lowered slightly further until reaching the same level as the teacher's board and podium. The architecture reminds me of college lecture halls, except smaller scale and with more weird magic stuff.

I follow Scy and Jamie as they walk down to the teacher; She stands by a comically large black cauldron. Loose logs burn uncontained beneath the cauldron. Ashes from the burning wood mix with bubbling goop which spills out of the cauldron occasionally. The elderly woman stirring the cauldron with a big wooden spoon looks at us with a sweet smile on her wrinkled face.

"Always nice to meet new students. You can call me Professor Nan." She introduces herself to the three of us.

"I'm Scy, this is Jamie, and that's Michael." Scy introduces the three of us, and we each wave to Professor Nan.

The pot's boiling contents spill over the edge onto the floor, and in response Prof. Nan flicks her green gnarled wand at the pot. All three of us boys stand there in shock as her leg and arm melt into green bubbling goo. These parts of her body try to reform, but fail over and over. Her wand creates big bubbles of cool water which splash into the cauldron haphazardly.

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"Ohoho~ Hopefully I didn't splash any on you lovely boys!" Professor Nan laughs a little bit to herself.

The three of us are lost for words at her messy alchemy. Even someone ignorant to the world of mages like me knows she's doing things abnormally. We're all a bit on edge after nearly getting splashed by boiling green muck. I collect my thoughts before clearing my throat and stepping up beside Scy.

"It's fine, Professor Nan. I was hoping to learn more about what will be taught in this class?" I ask with as much confidence as I can muster.

Professor Nan smiles that deceptively sweet smile of hers. She makes sure to summon a big lid fit to the dimensions of her cauldron and put it over the top of the boiling goo before speaking to me.

"Well it's all about potions of course! You young'uns need to learn a thing or two about making potions as well as what they do and how they work." Her explanation is punctuated by a small explosion happening inside her cauldron.

"Oh! Whoops. You three should skedaddle while you're not soaked in stew! Ohoho~" Her words are spoken loud enough to drown out the sound of the cauldron bubbling loudly.

I turn to leave, and see Scy is pale with fear. Jamie has already backed up halfway to the door, and isn't stopping for us. I grab Scy by the sleeve and tug him a little before walking toward the door. Our pace is fast enough to beat the explosion; We hear a loud pop and splatter as green goo coats the entire classroom.

"Well, she's certainly... Something." Scy says this with an unimpressed look on his face.

"At least potions class won't get boring!" Jamie jokes while pinching his nose to block the foul stink of the stew explosion.

We all take several steps away from the classroom's open door. The stink of the explosion reminds me of rotting food left in a sink. We start walking to the spells classroom. I frown slightly at a strange sensation welling up in my tummy. I shrug it off as anxiety and keep pace with my two friends.

"Are potions normally so messy?" I ask my friends cautiously.

"Not that I've seen. Thought I haven't actually made any myself." Jamie shrugs his thin shoulders while replying to me.

Our map leads us into the base of a huge tower; Spiral stairs wind up the structure like a coiled snake. We arrive at a room labeled "Spells" and peek inside.

The room is about four times the size of the potions classroom. Desks cover a fifth of the room's floorspace off to one side while the rest is left open for practical spell demonstrations. The absence of a teacher has us wondering if we got the wrong room.

"Excuse my tardiness, students." The deep rumble of Professor King's voice startles me.

Professor King enters the classroom behind us, and steps up to the center of the classroom. He offers Scy his outstretched furred hand. Scy accepts the handshake with a smirk on his face.

"Good meeting you personally, Scy Walker." Professor King gives quite a firm handshake to Scy.

"Likewise, Professor." Scy smiles while returning the handshake.

Scy's gaze is full of respect as he looks up to Professor King, however Professor King's look is the kind you expect a mentor to give his pupil. Prof. King turns to Jamie and offers his hand to him as a show of equality between Scy and Jamie.

"I'm looking forward to seeing your magic, Jamie Schneider." Professor King's curiosity is palpable as he firmly shakes Jamie's skeletal hand.

"Thank you, Sir!" Jamie speaks a bit louder than usual as he smiles at Prof. King.

The two of them end their greeting, and I feel my throat tighten up as Professor King steps toward me. His gaze feels suffocating as he sizes me up. He moves his large furred hand to my shoulder, and I flinch at the feeling.

"Michael Jekyll. I promise you that I will guide you and improve your magic power." Professor King's words are firm yet caring.

I look up into his golden feline eyes and realize he's a kinder man than I thought. He moves his lion maw into something resembling a smirk before letting out a little growl and tightening his hand on my thin shoulder.

"However. You must put your best effort forward." His words carry a threatening tone.

"Y-Yes Professor King!" I stammer and straighten up in response.

Professor King lets out a low chuckle that sounds more like a lion purring than a man laughing. He nods to me before turning to stand in the center of the classroom. He folds his hands in front of him and looks at us as a group.

"I'll be guiding each of you through improving your magic this year. See you tomorrow in class." Prof. King's words are followed by a group of girls entering the classroom.

Us three boys take our leave with a positive impression of our spells class teacher. Scy's stomach grumbles while we're moving down the spiral staircase; Jamie smirks and checks his phone's map before licking his lips.

"We can get something to eat in the food court. Usually this would be around lunch time on a normal school day." Jamie explains to us.

"What kind of school has a whole food court?" I ask incredulously.

Scy shrugs while Jamie moves to the front of our small group, his phone guiding him. The other two are too hungry to worry about the impressive scale of our new boarding school; I quickly change my priorities to match theirs when my stomach rumbles. I jog to catch up to the others.

It's a short walk to the food court. The room is about the size of the main hall, but instead of empty floor space it's furnished with rows of round wooden tables. The sides of the food court art filled with different stalls and carts. It reminds me of a mall, except there are stands specifically labeled as no-charge school provided meals. The boys and I are impressed with the size of the room, but only take a few seconds to appreciate it. We're all famished.

My nose perks up at the scent of meat grilling. Scy leads the way to a nearby freebie food stall, and orders himself something to eat while I fantasize about hamburgers and cola. My attention turns to the stall as Jamie orders something.

"I'll have the demon squid calamari sandwich." Jamie asks for one of the items listed on the menu.

My jaw drops when a huge fried tentacle between two slices of bread is slapped onto a plate for Jamie. They give him soda, but the brand is not familiar to me. I gulp, saliva drying up as I realize the food here is not what I expected.

"Can... Can I have the..." I anxiously trail off while staring at the menu.

"I'll take the demon bird drumstick." I settle for demon bird.

The man working behind the counter grabs something out of a heated case beside him, and sets it on the plate for me. I feel my mouth salivate again at the sight of a comically large fried drumstick. The food smells delicious, and I graciously accept the soda he offers.

I see Scy waving me over to a table nearby, and promptly head over. Jamie is already digging into his demon squid sandwich when I take a seat beside Scy. Looking over, I realize Scy ordered a big bowl of macaroni and cheese. The noodles look a lot bigger than normal, and it smells delicious. I take a mental note to try it next time I eat here.

"Demon bird, huh?" Scy comments while stuffing a big spoonful of cheesy pasta into his mouth.

I take a bite of the fried demon bird leg, and feel the meat hit my tongue. It's a delicious greasy meal, and reminds me of fried chicken from back home. The names of the dishes put me off at first, but now I've accepted the food as more than edible. The three of us all take a while to eat like starved dogs before actually talking to one another.

"I didn't realize they had pasta... But this bird is good too." I reply to Scy between mouthfuls.

Once we've sated the majority of our hunger we start talking to one another about the day thus far. Jamie seems interested in potions class, but has his reservations about Professor Nan. Scy is eager to learn magic in spells class with Professor King. I'm not sure what I want yet, but I worry what my parents will think when they find out I never got on the bus to my boarding school.

Lunch was pleasant and filling. We each dump the remains of our meals into trash cans provided before setting the trays into a neat stack. Jamie takes out his phone and opens up the mapping application. We agreed beforehand to visit the botany class next.

The halls are surprisingly empty in the west wing of the castle. Our botany class is at the top of a tower adorned with a glass dome. We climb spiral stairs up to the top, and enter a humid room resembling a greenhouse. Flowers grow from beds and pots set around the edges of the room. There's several small trees growing from planters around the center of the room.

"Ohhh... Hello students." The elderly man's voice is slow and draws out his words.

The old man has a long white beard reaching to his stomach, and a bald head. He squints at us with a distant look on his face. We're unsure how to react to his slowed down speech.

"Are you the botany professor, sir?" Scy asks the elderly man.

"That, I am... Call me... Professor Arborl..." His slow reply gradually leaves his mouth as he moves ever so slightly.

At this point Jamie and I exchange bored looks before whispering to Scy. He nods before speaking to Professor Arborl politely.

"Well, we'll see you in class Professor." Scy smiles and waves before leaving with Jamie and I.

Professor Arborl slowly reacts to our departure. His wrinkled old hand waves back at a gentle pace. It's similar to the way a tree's branch would say in a calm breeze. Once we've all left the classroom we sigh loudly.

"I thought I was going to start aging if we stayed there any longer..." Jamie looks impatient as he quickly walks down the staircase.

Scy and I follow behind him with similar sentiments. My expectations for the instructors at this school have been blown out of the water by their eccentric personalities. Professor King is the most normal, yet he has a lion's head instead of a human head. I'm still disgusted when I recall Prof. Nan's presence, and Professor Arborl behaves more like the plants he teaches about than a person. I have no idea what to expect for our other teachers.

The beasts classroom is within the same tower as botany, therefore we arrive at the spacious classroom rather quickly. The huge room is nearly the size of the botany classroom, however, it's floorspace is filled with desks and caged creatures. The monsters and unfamiliar specimens are off-putting, but the instructor himself is by far the most intimidating thing in the room.

The unsettling professor is completely covered by a dark red cloak. The crimson fabric rustles constantly, and the movements of tiny living creatures disrupts the man's true form. Scy and Jamie are both just as shocked as I am, and we all hesitate to speak to the man. There are swarms of black shelled beetles spilling out from beneath his feet as he walks a few steps toward us.

"Welcome, students." He speaks in a chorus of tiny garbled voices.

The three of us stand there, horrified by the sound of our teacher's words. He doesn't seem too surprised by our reaction, and chuckles to himself while crossing one of his arms behind his back. He uses his other arm to raise a false hand to his face. The hand is not really a hand at all, but rather a mess of little black bugs clinging onto one another. I feel my stomach churn in disgust at the sight.

"You can call me Professor Bagu." His many voices speak in unison to us.

"N-Nice to meet you, Professor!" Scy stiffens up as Professor Bagu takes a couple steps closer.

Professor Bagu lets out another low chuckle, but it sounds more like a thousand insects squeaking in maniacal delight. We all shiver at the sound, but Scy is sweating bullets due to being in such close proximity to Prof. Bagu.

"You'd best run along before you soil yourselves. I'll see you tomorrow during class." His voices carry a sinister tone as dismisses us.

We turn around and speed walk our way out of the room without further urging. None of us bother saying goodbye; It looks more like a retreat from a monster than a departure from a professor. None of us talk during the whole walk. Scy and Jamie are both worrying over possible nightmares tonight, but I'm preoccupied by a strange tight feeling in my gut. The sensation reminds me of twine being coiled into a big ball. I'm thinking this is the result of that terrifying professor's presence, but I can't be sure.

We regain our normal demeanor by the time we reach the battling arena. This is where our health class is scheduled to take place for the foreseeable future. Several other first years are running laps with frightened looks on their faces. Some other students look dog tired and sweaty as they leave the arena.

"Hey you three- Get running!" All three of us hear a loud voice come from behind us out of nowhere.

I nearly jump out of my own skin before feeling a harsh swat on the middle of my back. I start jogging away from the attacker before looking over my shoulder to see a woman with glasses and dark hair following us with a frosted broom. Scy looked shocked, but was running the fastest of us three. Jamie was looking downright scared, but he maintained a jogging pace.

"Oh I didn't even notice- It's the runt!" The lady's harsh words stab into my ego as she follows me specifically.

I yelp as she smacks my back with the broom again. Her harsh words aren't as bad as the broom, but they still sting. I grit my teeth and try to put my all into escaping her pursuit, but she keeps up effortlessly. This goes on for nearly two full minutes. I can feel my back getting a bit sore from the abuse while my energy depletes rapidly. My determination is useless in the face of her healthier body.

"Hah, at least you tried." Her words cut into my confidence again.

My chest is burning. My heart is pounding so hard it hurts. My lungs feel like they're on fire. I've already collapsed onto the ground. Scy and Jamie aren't spared, and the two of them get chased around to the point of exhaustion. Their efforts lead to prolonged suffering rather than success. I sigh and slowly sit up.

"What a bitch..." Scy mutters while dragging himself over to me.

"God damn it... Health is going to suck..." Jamie's seething voice lacks energy as he joins us.

We all sit there trying to catch our breath for a few minutes. Thankfully our unnamed professor doesn't bother us after driving us to exhaustion. We all wonder what her name might be, but agree not to push our luck any further, and bail instead of approaching her.

We're dog tired by now, and our appetites are slowly coming back to us. Thankfully the next classroom is the last on our list to visit. The route takes us up into the east wing's tower. Climbing the spiral stairs is excruciating for after having sprinted around wildly. Each of us is groaning by the time we reach the tomes classroom.

"Oh? New students?" The voice of a mature woman causes all of us to turn our heads.

There's a rather tall woman around my mother's age standing there with a book in her hands. Her big round glasses are highly reflective, making her grey eyes nearly invisible behind the lenses. She clears her throat before gesturing for us to enter her classroom. We slowly stumble our way inside whilst giving our thanks.

"I can tell you've come from health class... Hahah." Her voice is rather pleasant as she comments on our exhausted states.

"Since you're all dog tired I'll be keeping this brief. You'll refer to me as Professor Thaulmer." She speaks in a very serious tone as she says this.

All of us nod our heads lazily while offering her weak smiles. Scy stands up off the chair he was sitting in, and greets her with a small formal handshake. Jamie and I are impressed when he takes the time to wipe the sweat of his hand for her.

"Nice to meet you, Professor Thaulmer." Scy's voice is drained, but he gives her respect nonetheless.

"I appreciate your manners, Scy Walker. You three can go rest, I'll see you tomorrow afternoon." She gives up a kind hearted smile before gently waving us out the door.

Professor Thaulmer's pleasant personality leaves us feeling refreshed, albeit hungry. Scy and Jamie quickly move in the direction of the food court, but I stop to catch my breath. I feel that odd knot in my belly giving me a nauseous aching sensation. They give me concerned looks as I explain that I would rather rest in the dorms.

"Are you sure you don't want to come with us?" Scy asks me once more to join them in the food court.

"Sorry, but I really need some rest. I'm feeling completely winded." I laugh weakly as I hold the side of my belly.

"Fine... Just be careful." Scy gives me a gentle pat on the back before walking off with Jamie.

I watch the two of them walk away before clenching my jaw in pain. The twisted up feeling inside me is getting worse. The pain fades away, but the pressure in my gut remains. I pull out my magiphone and quickly check the map for the boy's dormitory. It's situated in the north wing of the school.

It's dark out when I arrive at the dorms. The courtyard surrounding the dormitories resembles a quiet park, and puts me at ease. The dorms are divided into three buildings. The boy's on the left and the girl's on the right, while the teacher's residence is situated between them.

I enter the large wooden doors leading into the boy's dormitory. The scent of pine logs burning in a cozy hearth fills my nose; It's a pleasant atmosphere. There's a help desk right beside the entrance, and a man with oddly red skin leans over the counter to get a look at me. He's rather sweaty looking, and carries a stern look on his face.

"You here for the first time? I'll need your name, if so." The man asks me with a frown.

"Yessir- My name is Michael Jekyll!" I straighten up and step in front of the counter.

"Got it... Here's a room key and your luggage. You got any friends who might ask to room with you?" He sounds bored.

I give him Scy and Jamie's names. He notes their names down before handing me a bronze key with a tag attached. The key feels strangely cool to the touch; I wonder if it's somehow enchanted, but don't bother inquiring.

"Only one of your friends will be able to room with you. You both get a key." He says.

"Understood!" I put on a serious expression as I reply.

"Good. Shoo." He gestures off down the hallway with his hand.

He turns away from me and starts reading a book while leaning back in his chair. I ignore his unprofessional behavior and make my way down the hall.

The key I hold is labeled 207. I notice the rooms on this floor are all labeled with a one as their first digit, so I naturally move toward the stairs. The stairs make my legs ache.

"Hey, look who it is!" The voice calling out to me sounds unpleasantly familiar.

I look over to see David Nibuk exiting a dorm room. His hulking goat body hasn't returned to normal, and he's grinning with that goat face of his. His horns nearly bump into the doorframe as he squeezes through to approach me.

"You're that little runt I nearly scorched up!" David lets out a husky laugh as he stands over me.

"...Yes, that's me." I reply evenly to his words.

David's expression turns sour as he leans over toward me. His hot breath stinks of sulfur, but I don't recoil from him.

"You should've let yourself turn to ashes. We don't need sissy mages like you." David's voice is loud and aggressive.

"I will improve-" I start talking back.

The heavy impact of huge black fur coated fist sends me to the hardwood floor. My suitcase slides across the floor beside me. His grinning goat face leers over. I grimace in pain and hold my stomach, the sensation of a knot has been replaced with aching pains and burning lungs; He knocked my breath away with that sudden punch.

"Don't talk back to me, runt." He's squatting next to me now.

My eyes water as I hold back tears. I can feel air slowly coming back into my lungs, but the pain does not fade so easily. He grabs the collar of my button up shirt and brings his face close to mine.

"Stay outta my sight, or better yet, go home." David threatens me sternly.

He releases me after giving his last warning, but his oppressive aura remains. I watch helplessly as David walks down to the first floor. I slowly stand up once he's out of earshot.

I pick up my discarded suitcase before making my way to room 207. I fit the key into the lock, and open the door to my new living quarters.

The room is generously furnished. There's a set of bunked beds, a closet, couch, coffee table, and a television.

I shut and lock the door before slumping down on the floor. Tears start to flow down my cheeks freely as I stare up at the ceiling. The world of mages is far too hostile for me, but I have no idea how to escape unscathed.

I stand up and walk over to the bottom bunk before laying face first onto the bed. My suitcase drops beside the bed, but I don't care. I just want to sleep.

I roll over onto my back and clap my hands together; The crystals illuminating the room quickly fade out, bathing the room in darkness. I strip down to my underwear in the dark before getting under the covers of my comfortable bed.

My hands drift down to my stomach as I relax. I can feel something different within me now. That knotted tight feeling has vanished since getting gut punched by David; In its place a warm fuzziness remains. It also hurts, but that's a given.

I let the quiet dark room and the comfortable bedding gradually lull me into a deep sleep.

My body and mind need rest.

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