《Witches of Mellgrah》 Chapter 1: Welcome Home ¡®I wish I were sucked into this book¡­¡¯ A faint semblance oflast-recalled thoughtlingeredinMaya¡¯s mind. Like continuing on a long-lost train of thought, it no longer made sense. ¡®What was it about, again?¡¯ The familiar hospitalsmelland the drowsiness from dozing off while reading werenothing out of the ordinary inMaya¡¯sdaily life. However, confusion struck her when she opened her eyes to find herself lying inahospital bed. ¡®Wait, this is wrong.¡¯ But she didn¡¯t get the chance to rebel as memory-filled dreams pulled her back under. Images began to flash before her eyes. She found herself in the back seat of a car, with sunlight cutting through the dusty air. Her mother turned to look at her, a loving smile gracing her face, her hazel eyes mirroring Maya¡¯s own reflection. Emotions surged within her, bringing with them a profound sense of dissonance. ¡®Where was this longing coming from?¡¯ A fleeting glance at her father in the driver¡¯s seat momentarily diverted her attention. His furrowed brow betrayed his struggle with the glaring sunlight, which made it difficult for him to navigate the road. Her focus returned to her mother, meaning to ask something. What was she going to ask? Suddenly, her father made a sharp turn and lost control of the car. What caused his reaction, she couldn¡¯t see, being too short to see over the dashboard. The next moment, she felt her insides churning and watched a smile wash away from her mother¡¯s face, replacedbya terrified expression. Her brown curls losttheir friendly shine and rose over her head in an unsettling way. It was the last thing she saw before squeezing her eyes shut, unable to confront the harrowing scene unfolding before her. Yet, the sounds of the crash lingered¡ªthe screeching of tires, the scraping of metal, and the dreadful crunching, all mingled with her mother¡¯s piercing scream, echoing and overlapping in her mind. After the horror, silence was relieving. This was not the right memory¡­ This cannot be the reason she¡¯s in the hospital right now. This Maya was older than the kid in the back seat of that car. This Maya has gotten over her mother¡¯s death. She had to, because this year, she needed to make room for mourning her father. Returning to lucidity, Maya began to piece together that this incident had nothing to do with her current state. She was twelve when she lost her mother. Flashing memories of her mother¡¯s face as she last saw her shook her tremendously. Unable to recall her face for a while now, this sudden resurfacing of repressed memories hit her with a new realization. ¡®I look just like her.¡¯ A sudden gasp in the room surprised her, and her gaze met a face she did not expect. ¡®Anna?¡¯ While Maya was still lingering in her sorrow, her stepmother walked into the room, completely unnoticed by Maya. It was her worried expression that somehow didn¡¯t suit her beautiful young face¡ªa worry directed at Maya. Anna was at her side in an instant, wiping the tears off Maya¡¯s cheeks and pushing the button to call for the nurse. ¡°Maya, sweetie¡­ Y¡ªyou¡¯re awake¡­¡± She was choking on her words while Maya was surprised by an arrangement of emotions she never thought her stepmother¡¯s face could make. ¡®Was¡­ was she crying?¡¯ Maya opened her mouth, but only incoherent sounds escaped her aching, dry throat. ¡°Don¡¯t speak, sweetie,¡± Anna said, her voice filled with concern. ¡°Your throat must be sore. Here, drink this, slowly.¡± Anna handed her a glass with a straw. Maya, presented with no other option than to accept the help, took a sip. It was tepid water, but it eased the dryness of her throat. Maya¡¯s surprise at her stepmother¡¯s reaction stemmed from her long-held belief that Anna didn¡¯t genuinely care for her. The significant age gap between Anna and Maya¡¯s father, coupled with their comfortable financial status, had led Maya to view Anna as a gold digger¡ªa poor substitute for her mother whom she could never truly accept. However, what worried Maya at the moment was that she had no recollection of how she ended up in the hospital. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡®Dad¡­¡¯ Soon, a nurse arrived and following her was a doctor. They gave her a quick check-up with Anna present; checking her pupils¡¯ response, and her vitals on the monitor, while asking preliminary questions. Maya answered to the best of her ability as it was still hard to control her voice. The nurse¡¯s eyes scanned Maya. ¡°Are you aching anywhere?¡± ¡°My right arm feels a little numb.¡± It was an understatement, as she felt a throbbing, pulsating pain coursing through her entire right side, but it was mostly predominant in her right arm. Maya was patient while they did a check-up on her, trying to catch clues about her condition. Perhaps it was unnecessary to feel embarrassed about it, but Maya was reluctant to ask. Only answering their questions with vague answers. Maya knew something was wrong with her, but she couldn¡¯t figure out what. She had a lingering feeling that there was something she needed to do. Or rather, something she didn¡¯t get a chance to do. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± The doctor pondered, rubbing his chin. ¡°Your condition seems fine, impeccable even, considering¡­¡± Maya leaned in curiously, but the doctor didn¡¯t elaborate. Instead, he began summarizing her check-up results. Realizing there was no way around it, Maya knew she had to ask directly. ¡°Um, could you¡­ could you tell me what happened?¡± Maya¡¯s voice trembled, barely above a whisper. The room fell silent. Seeing only confusion and trepidation on Maya¡¯s face, slowly, it began to dawn on them. The doctor¡¯s brow furrowed, the nurse¡¯s eyes widened, and Anna¡¯s lips parted in a silent gasp. It was clear that Maya¡¯s apparent memory loss had caught them all off guard. ¡°Oh, you don¡¯t remember?¡± the nurse spoke first. ¡°Am I dying?¡± ¡°No. Heavens, no. You¡¯re in perfect condition, miraculously so. It¡¯s just¡­ How do we break it to you? It is rare, but it happens¡­¡± ¡°You are a rare survivor of being struck by lightning.¡± ¡°L¡ªlightning!?¡± ¡°Do you remember anything?¡± Anna stepped in, hoping she could reassure Maya. ¡°Um, no, I don¡¯t¡­¡± Maya didn¡¯t know what to say. While they were explaining to her something as fantastical as being struck by lightning, she stared at them in blank disbelief. ¡®When did this happen?¡¯ Although she felt pangs of pain in her body that proved their words to be true, Maya felt as if she wasn¡¯t there when it happened at all. It was a strange feeling of having lost time, or, returning from a long past she couldn¡¯t remember. ¡®Is this how amnesiacs feel?¡¯ They informed her the root-like markings left on her skin were called Lichtenberg figures and would soon fade away completely. In addition to everything, she learned that she had spent the past four days in a coma after getting into cardiac arrest and nearly dying on her way to the hospital. Doctors were baffled about what caused it because the lightning that struck her didn¡¯t touch her heart or any vitals. All in all, what happened to her was nothing short of a miracle. ¡°Your burns are most concentrated on your right arm and your right side,¡± the doctor said. ¡°Almost like you reached for the lightning yourself¡­¡± ¡°I reached for it?!¡± ¡°Oh, no. It is just my silly theory. We don¡¯t know what you were doing.¡± ¡°Even stranger so, because I don¡¯t remember it even being stormy in the area recently,¡± the nurse chimed in. ¡°Am I fine now?¡± ¡°You seem to be,¡± the doctor smiled, offering reassurance. ¡°We''ll keep you for monitoring overnight, if everything turns out fine, you¡¯ll be discharged. You can go brag to your friends about those skin markings before they are gone completely.¡± ¡®Friends, huh?¡¯ After there was only Anna left with her in the room, Maya decided to shake off her sense of derealization and asked for more details. ¡°You really don¡¯t know what happened?¡± The truth was, Maya couldn¡¯t determine the last thing she remembered clearly. She couldn¡¯t remember anything solid for days, even weeks prior. However, she knew the reason was that there just wasn¡¯t anything worth remembering. Even now, though something eventful like this happened, in reality, it meant little in her life. It was almost like a silly interlude in her depressing reality. There was no need to become a part of another story; her life was already a tragedy. Maya was a sixteen-year-old who knew nothing but depression. For the past couple of years, she has lived in endless worlds of books she has never physically touched, all through a Kindle device. It was a gift from her father that kept her company all those years. It didn¡¯t always use to be this way. When her mother was still alive, they shared a love of books. Her mother preferred reading on paper, claiming that the physical act of flipping the page and the smell of printed paper reminded her to return to reality. But Maya¡¯s reality was that she was now an orphan. She didn¡¯t lose both of her parents in that tragic accident, but it was almost as if she did. The reason she was so used to spending time in the hospital was that her father had been in a coma there for a long time, and Maya would visit him every day. She was almost a resident, arriving right after school and leaving long after visiting hours ended. The hospital staff pitied her since her comatose father was the only family she had left. Maya barely listened to Anna¡¯s explanation, occupied by her miserable mind. ¡°You were just in the backyard. And all of a sudden, everything was white. A blinding flash with a loud thunder burned all the electronics in our house. I frantically ran downstairs to find you just walking back in like nothing had happened. You said something incoherent about how you must see someone before you buckled to the floor. I was so afraid, Maya. Don¡¯t ever do anything like that to me again.¡± Maya could see that Anna¡¯s worry was genuine, and for some reason, even though she didn¡¯t consider her completely heartless, she was a little surprised. ¡°See who?¡± ¡°I don''t know, sweetie. You weren¡¯t making any sense.¡± ¡®Was I walking and talking right after the incident? Why do I not have any recollection?¡¯ Chapter 2: Origin Story Even after hearing in great detail what had happened from Anna¡¯s perspective, Maya still had more questions than answers. However, much to her frustration, there was nothing she could do about it as her own memories were inaccessible. ¡°I survived¡­ again.¡± That innocuous and silly word at the end cost her a great deal at the therapist¡¯s office. Being misinterpreted, she was now relegated to the cold, bland waiting room while the therapist was voicing their concerns to her guardian in the office. A yawn escaped her. Maya couldn¡¯t help it. Despite being discharged from the hospital the very next day, her stay had been anything but comfortable. The white walls and the incessant beeping of the machines had left her feeling more worn out than she cared to admit. Being back at the hospital so soon after her father¡¯s funeral opened up festering wounds and brought those painful memories flooding back. On top of that was the constant feeling of being watched, making it hard for Maya to sleep. Last night, her anxiety was elevated when she noticed a shadow checking on her room through the glass pane of the door. ¡®It was that scary woman again¡­¡¯ her thoughts insisted, even though her rational mind knew they were baseless. It must have been a nurse doing a nightly routine check, but her mind jumped back to that car crash and the shadow no one believed she had seen. It had haunted her since. ¡®Trauma-induced delusions¡¯ was what the therapists and doctors labelled it. ¡®But it felt too real. There had to be someone out there. A faceless woman¡­ There just had to be.¡¯ Her father was a sane man and a capable driver, but even he couldn¡¯t explain Maya¡¯s outrageous claims.¡¯It was a wild animal that jumped on the road. There was never a strange woman that watched it all happen.¡¯ Even Maya knew how improbable her claim sounded. A mysterious woman on that remote mountain road? It seemed highly unlikely that anyone would be on foot so far from the nearest settlement. Yet, she remained steadfast in her belief, convinced by what she had seen with her own eyes. ¡°Wow! Cool tattoos!¡± A restless child from the waiting room approached her with interest, pulling her out of her thoughts. He stared at her, now faded, lightning marks. ¡®Tattoos?¡¯ The mere suggestion took her by surprise. She never thought of herself as a person who would be interested in such things. ¡°They¡¯re scars,¡± Maya corrected him, unsure if her correction was accurate considering the doctor had mentioned that it may not leave permanent marks. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°No, they¡¯re not. What kind of scars look like that?¡± he questioned her with a sceptical look. ¡°Lightning scars.¡± His eyes widened. ¡°No way! You¡¯re lying, lady.¡± The little kid was brash, but it was clear that he was intrigued. ¡°It¡¯s true. They¡¯re called Lichtenberg figures. Look it up,¡± she gestured toward his tablet lying forgotten on the seat next to him. With a shrug of his small shoulders, the kid handed her the tablet, and she quickly typed it into the search bar. As she hit the search button, a brief moment of regret washed over her. She wasn¡¯t sure how kid-friendly the search results would be. He grabbed it from her the second it loaded. Catching a glimpse of pictures of the scorched ground and burn marks on wooden planks, she let out an inward sigh of relief. ¡®Thank goodness¡­¡¯ ¡°Cool. You¡¯re right,¡± he admitted, his eyes wide with admiration. ¡°Were you really hit by lightning?¡± ¡°Yes. It wasn¡¯t fun.¡± ¡°What kind of a superhero are you now?¡± ¡°A superhero?!¡± Maya blinked, taken aback by the kid''s question. ¡°You did get powers, right? Like Spider-Man or Batman.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think Batman has powers.¡± ¡°Sure he does. He has bat powers. It¡¯s in his name, dummy. What are yours? Are they like lightning? Are you really fast, like Flash?¡± Maya wondered to herself. It would be nice if she had some kind of powers. What would they be? ¡°I don¡¯t know just yet. I¡¯ll let you know when I figure them out.¡± She knew that it was unlikely she would encounter this kid again, but she found a strange comfort in entertaining his questions while he waited for his parents. She even managed to smile, a genuine smile ¡ª something she hadn¡¯t done in a while. ¡°Is that why you are here to see a doctor? Because of scars?¡± ¡°This is a different kind of doctor.¡± ¡°What do you mean? A doctor sees you when you are hurt¡­¡± ¡°Yes. But this doctor looks at a different kind of hurt.¡± ¡°Then why are you here?¡± he pouted. ¡°My parents died¡ª¡± ¡°So, you are a superhero!¡± he exclaimed, jumping up from his seat. The dissonance between his excitement and the grim subject matter unsettled Maya. ¡°Just like Spider-Man or Batman. Their parents died too.¡± ¡°Thomas! Leave the poor girl alone,¡± the kid¡¯s mother intervened just in time, scolding her son as soon as she stepped out of the office and noticed that he was bothering Maya. After a brief apology, she led her son away, leaving the empty waiting room feel even more desolate. ¡®He¡¯s just a kid. He wouldn¡¯t understand the meaning of loss.¡¯ However, it still rattled Maya to see someone jump in excitement after hearing about her loss. ¡®¡­And my superhero name would be Sad-Girl,¡¯ she thought to herself. Even her ironic thoughts were devoid of any real amusement. In the end, she realized that she was the one who could understand where the kid was coming from. She had always lived in fantasy worlds through reading, wishing for the fantastical powers gained through struggle, not seeing the true pain the characters would go through. In reality, the only power she gained through that loss was the power to be sad. Chapter 3: Smoke Rising On the car ride home, Maya and Anna remained silent. Maya was never much of a conversationalist, especially concerning her stepmother. Anna seemed lost in thought after speaking privately with Maya¡¯s therapist. Anna seemed troubled. But it¡¯s understandable; she¡¯s recently found herself raising a teenage daughter all on her own ¡ª someone else¡¯s teenage daughter, at that. The car radio¡¯s low volume filled the silence. ¡°¡­It has been over three months since the horrible tragedy shook the nation¡­¡± Maya sighed inwardly, already familiar with the story about to be discussed. It was a narrative known to almost everyone by now due to its constant presence in recent months. The topic was school shootings, a grim reality no longer new to the people of this country. This recurring tragedy had a unique twist this time. The story involved an ill outsider, an ex-police officer in his thirties, who committed a crime at a high school. Several students and teachers were killed, and more were injured. The perpetrator or the motive behind his heinous act wasn¡¯t the main focus; instead, it was the student who stopped it. ¡°¡­We have no updates on the missing student who reportedly intervened during the incident. The injured student remains at large and the search continues. Police urge citizens to report any information pertaining to the case.¡± Indeed, months had passed and the girl was still missing, not letting this story rest. Never turning up in hospital records despite having injuries that needed attention. With a suspicious background, no one truly knew who she was and where she came from before she began attending the school. The investigation continued to widen its search to no avail. As usual, news outlets played overused sensational sound bites with ill-informed and false statements from supposed witnesses. Due to the girl¡¯s mysterious background, people speculated whether she was an accomplice or a hero, spawning wild conspiracy theories. A student vanishing from the scene was a breeding ground for speculation. Some claimed she was involved right from the start, falsely believing she already had a gun. A younger student¡¯s statement was repeatedly aired: ¡°I was there. When the bullets started flying, we all hit the ground. But then she took the gun and started shooting back. She shot him, like, eight times. It was bang, bang, bang¡­ I couldn¡¯t look. All I could do was keep my head down and hope I wasn¡¯t next.¡± It was all repeating recordings that had been circulating for months. Maya questioned how they were allowed to continue playing debunked recordings that spread misinformation. She wondered if there could even be eight bullets in a handgun that had already been fired multiple times. It was becoming increasingly difficult to discern the truth. Some people pretended they would have acted the same, some were grateful she stopped the incident, some blamed her for not intervening sooner, and Maya was tired of it all. For Maya, the news of the students¡¯ tragedy was a painful reminder, not of the students¡¯ ordeal, but of her personal tragedy¡ªfacing her father¡¯s rapid decline before passing away. As their story dominated the news, her life was crumbling. ¡®Had it already been three full months?¡¯ If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Funny how an unrelated tragedy far away can echo your own, simply because it happened roughly at the same time. And it¡¯s what everyone keeps talking about. The whole world was giving out their hearts to the victims, raising awareness about mental health and healthy relationships. Maya felt a twinge of¡­ resentment. Because of them, her suffering was silent. She felt as if she had lost her right to grieve. Her father had slipped away quietly after a long period in a vegetative state. His passing wasn¡¯t sudden or shocking; it affected no one but Maya. Despite becoming an orphan, the world¡¯s attention was fixated on saluting a dead girl. Like most, Maya had presumed the missing girl had been dead from the start. Given she was shot, fled, and hadn¡¯t sought medical attention or been found, it was a grim and predictable end to a captivating story that intrigued those who imagined themselves capable of acting in such circumstances. People either idolized her as a hero or vilified her. It was an open-ended story for everyone to write what they desired. Maya had grown weary of it all. Although she still hated it, it no longer incited anger within her¡ªit was just another story out there. ¡°¡­This summer, there¡¯s a record number of missing children in the US. Not only are horrors like this story gaining traction, but also teenagers running away from home. We need to ask ourselves: is it time to examine our education system?¡± ¡±Just teenagers being teenagers¡ªthey tend to run away from home.¡± ¡±Ohoho, I wouldn¡¯t go so far¡ª¡± Anna switched off the radio as soon as she realized what was being aired, hoping to spare Maya any additional stress of some horrible old tragedy. ¡°Doctors say you¡¯ll be well enough to start school on time, but I was thinking you should take some time off. Maybe a week or two, even a month if you want.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t skip school,¡± Maya responded with a vacant gaze out the window. ¡°It won¡¯t be skipping. I was thinking of enrolling you in a private school. The world out there is just too chaotic. Here, I¡¯ve got some pamphlets.¡± As Anna began to search through the compartments, she continued, ¡°We should be fine financially. I¡¯ll make sure you have the option to go to college later if you want.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter¡­¡± Maya murmured. Maya had felt empty inside for some time now. The feeling began to creep in after her mother¡¯s death and intensified after her father¡¯s passing a few months ago. She had yet to regain her emotions. Anna handed Maya some of the pamphlets she found in the car, then returned her focus to traffic. Maya silently pretended to read them. During her father¡¯s comatose state, Maya¡¯s school life crumbled. She neglected her superficial friendships, finding herself utterly alone. By spring¡¯s end, she rarely attended school and stopped completely after her father¡¯s death. She knew she¡¯d have to return when the new school year began, but it felt like a meaningless routine¡ªmerely a tether keeping her from fading entirely from this realm. Her mind drifted back to the story from the radio, a topic she found less distressing than school. She resented this story because it was the talk of the town during her personal hardship. Yet, in the grand scheme of things, it was merely another case of a teenager disappearing. The only difference was that this case was louder than most others who vanished silently. The sensationalism surrounding this case did a disservice to itself, overshadowing its core tragedy: a teenage girl had vanished¡ªand she wasn¡¯t the only one. Maya wouldn¡¯t have noticed the pattern if she hadn¡¯t stumbled upon Anna¡¯s hidden research. It contained newspaper clippings and printouts about similar cases of missing teenagers. Maya didn¡¯t care why a humble hairdresser who had married rich would be interested in this, and she never asked. However, it made her see the reality of the case she once despised with her very core. ¡®Did I read a horror story with a similar premise recently? Strange. I can¡¯t seem to remember what was the last book I read¡­¡¯ It didn¡¯t matter in the end. Maya wasn¡¯t reading for the joy of it for a very long time. It was just something that filled up her worthless existence. Combining all her thoughts, Maya began to wonder what it would be like if she, too, disappeared. Chapter 4: Forcing a Change Maya didn¡¯t like losing four days of summer for odd reasons. School was about to begin in just a couple of days, and even though she was doing nothing but simmering in her own depression the entire summer, she thought it could only worsen after school began. She had gradually distanced herself from her friends and felt increasingly isolated. Despite her growing loneliness, no one seemed to notice her emotional withdrawal. The loss of her mother in a car accident five years ago was a wound that never healed. While her father was severely injured in the crash, Maya escaped unscathed, a fact she could not forgive herself for. Less than two years later, her father remarried, which Maya regarded as an attempt to replace her mother. She resented her father for moving on so quickly. ¡°She¡¯s good with kids and understands a young teenage girl better than I can. I think you two can become great friends,¡± her father would often say. ¡®If you needed a nanny for me, you didn¡¯t have to marry her!¡¯ Maya would retort in her mind. Outwardly, she would simply retreat, spending hours in her room reading her mother¡¯s books. Before Maya could adjust to her stepmother her father¡¯s health declined. A foreign object from the car accident was lodged deep in his tissue. Due to its proximity to his vital organs, doctors decided not removing it would be less harmful. The foreign object didn¡¯t bother him except for setting off metal detectors. However, it ended up causing serious harm after Maya convinced him to try pistachio ice cream. They both discovered they were allergic, and the resulting swelling caused the object to shift, leading to an infection. The infection spread to his heart, causing complications that ultimately led to a drug-induced coma. One from which he never woke. He remained in a coma for a year and a half before passing away in late spring. Even before his death, Maya felt that her life was over. She neglected school, friends, and her own life, spending her days visiting him in the hospital. Now, she was in a weird period of her life; hating her life and herself, but not willing to change anything about it. Pretty much giving up. Just mindlessly drifting through days, letting herself go to waste. Maya liked being home alone, where she didn¡¯t have to put on a mask to pretend things weren¡¯t as dire and hopeless as she felt them being. It was a place where she was once happy. Her mother always kept the house pristine, but Anna couldn¡¯t seem to keep up with the dust. Now, every speck of dirt reminded Maya that her mom was no longer there. However, Anna wasn¡¯t to blame, as she was working all the time. Now, it was Maya¡¯s failure. Anna continued working at her old hairdressing job, choosing not to rely on the wealth that Maya¡¯s parents had left her. Maya was grateful for this. Or, Anna might have been avoiding dealing with a depressed teenage girl and couldn¡¯t use any money from selling her father¡¯s profitable company due to his will¡¯s stipulations. Maya had a hard time imagining Anna as virtuous. In her mind, Anna is still just a ¡®fake mom¡¯, a ¡®gold-digger¡¯, someone who considers her as a nuisance for being the only thing separating her from fortune. She hated when her thoughts would get this mean. After all, Anna was the only person she had left, and yet she felt like a stranger. Typically, Maya would loiter aimlessly around the house, reading¡ªor rather pretending to, as it had become burdensome¡ªall while counting down the minutes until her next dose of antidepressant. But today was different. It felt as though there was something more to her, a hidden layer just beyond the blinds she couldn¡¯t lift. Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. Was it from the accident? Has it left her feeling different? A sudden doorbell threw her straight into a panic attack. Visitors have always been rare in their household, but now, it was even less expected. Childishly, she hid herself, avoiding front lawn windows, pretending no one¡¯s home, and hugging her knees on the floor of her room, hoping that whoever it was at the door would leave as soon as possible. Over the years, Maya has developed an unsettling paranoia. She began to imagine a faceless woman dressed in black, bringing misfortune. It feels as if in every memory of terrible events, this woman is always lurking in the corner of her eye. In the hospital after the car accident, at the ice-cream shop where they tried a new flavour, at the hospital around the time of her father¡¯s death¡­ And now, the doorbell somehow jolted her memory and she realized she might¡¯ve seen the same woman again, just before the lightning strike. Maya¡¯s heart was racing as she began to put the pieces together. Had she been outside to face her phantom, to prove to herself that it wasn¡¯t just a delusion? Rational thought suggested that such a vague figure could easily be imagined in any crowd. Yet, her desperation to confront the apparition was understandable. If it was real, then she wouldn¡¯t have to shoulder the blame for her tragedies. Or so her therapist would suggest, accusing her of deflecting her guilt onto an imaginary culprit. Had she had anyone close to her, they would have pointed out that such behaviour was far from normal. However, Maya avoided forming close relationships out of fear that losing someone else would confirm her belief in her curse. For now, she sought refuge in books and fiction, immersing herself in tales far removed from her own reality. After the visitor at the door had given up and departed, Maya slowly emerged from her state of panic, the crushing pressure in her head subsiding. With little else to occupy her time, she decided to venture outside, to bask in the last of the summer sunshine before autumn¡¯s chill set in. She slid open the large glass doors leading to the backyard, allowing the outdoor air to fill the home. The moment her bare feet touched the soft grass, an odd sensation seized her. ¡®Thinking about it, this is where Anna said I was hit by the lightning.¡¯ Prompted by the thought, she decided to examine the ¡®scene of the crime¡¯ in an attempt to jog her memory, to make the surreal experience feel more real. She scanned her surroundings. The backyard was spacious, with a plush carpet of well-tended grass stretching out before her. It felt too large, too undefined, as though the planned pool that should have broken up the space was noticeably absent. The tall walls that bordered this secluded garden were shrouded in a cloak of greenery and bushes. The only accent was a young but already fairly big maple tree that was planted when Maya was born. This already secluded and inaccessible back garden begged the question: did she really see someone out here back then? Other than the familiar back garden, there was nothing to see that would suggest an extraordinary lightning strike happened here. No scorched grass, no damage to the tree. Maya didn¡¯t know what to expect, but there was nothing that could confirm it even happened. However, what fascinated her more during this investigation, was the feeling of walking barefoot on the ground. Of course, she walked without her shoes on here before. She spent her entire childhood running and playing on this lawn. But it never felt like this. Like it was, somehow, alive. Soft and firm at the same time, almost as if squirming under her feet, or¡­ breathing. ¡®Would an ant feel like this, walking on your skin?¡¯ Maya began making strange comparisons to this unknown sensation. She was unable to determine if it was comforting or terrifying. ¡®Did getting struck by lightning seriously mess me up?¡¯ Shaking off her apprehensions, she advanced towards the towering tree. Suddenly, her steps found an unusual firmness beneath the soft grass. Looking down, she noted no change in the landscape, yet the ground beneath her feet felt more solid as if something was concealed there. It was so vivid she imagined it was something that would make a ¡®thud¡¯ sound if it were stepped on. A sudden realization made her recoil. ¡®C-could it be?¡¯ A long-lost memory resurfaced. This was the spot where she had buried a time capsule with Leo, her childhood best friend, a decade ago. Overwhelmed by nostalgia, she impulsively grabbed a shovel. As she dug up the remnants of her past, she felt a warmth ignite within her, a spark of excitement that she hadn¡¯t felt in years. This long-lost piece of her childhood reignited a flame that had been extinguished for far too long. Chapter 5: Childhood Friend It was much deeper than she¡¯d expected. Finally reaching the old time capsule, she paused for a moment, realizing there was no way she could¡¯ve felt it from the surface. Perhaps, it was just her remembering it that manifested in her feeling it despite not truly being able to. Kneeling on the soft grass, she placed the old time capsule before her and drew a nervous breath. The scent of freshly dug earth filled her nostrils. Maya couldn¡¯t recall the exact contents they¡¯d buried¡ªonly that it was something they¡¯d once considered treasure. At this point, she¡¯d be content to find anything but a nest of bugs. She prepared herself and opened it. Inside there were some faded¡ªnow indistinguishable¡ªstickers, a handful of pretty rocks, some rough crayon drawings that were destroyed by humidity, candy and a chocolate bar that had gone bad years ago and a sterling silver necklace with an intricate rose pendant Leo had gifted her. It seems it wasn¡¯t airtight enough to preserve the contents so the only redeemable item was the necklace. Maya chuckled to herself thinking how na?ve kids could be, putting consumable items in a box underground that was meant to stay there for at least five years. However, the contents weren¡¯t what mattered. It was the thought; of what it meant for their friendship. Originally, they planned to dig it up every five years and refill it, innocently believing they would continue with this for years while living in this house together when they grow up. Planning their future way ahead. In reality, Maya hasn¡¯t thought of Leo for years. A new sadness came across her, realizing she still misses him. It was before the first five years expired, he¡¯d left her, putting a sad conclusion to that story as well. Maya picked up the necklace and cleaned it with her palms. It was still in good shape. It must be real silver. There was no hurt in keeping it. The rest of the time capsule was buried back in its resting place. She had been excited at first, but now it only felt like she had dug up a grave of her happy childhood memories. It was already afternoon when Anna came back with hands filled with groceries, carrying them toward the kitchen counter. ¡°That¡¯s a cute necklace you got there,¡± Anna noticed. ¡°Thank you. I found it this morning,¡± Maya felt awkward accepting a compliment. ¡°In your mom¡¯s old stuff?¡± ¡°No¡­ It was buried in the backyard.¡± Maya¡¯s statement was met with confused looks from Anna. ¡°I had a childhood friend who moved away when I was twelve,¡± she explained. ¡°We buried a time capsule in my backyard, like, ten years ago. I remembered it this morning.¡± ¡°How sweet. You should give her a call and tell her you found it.¡± Anna¡¯s attempt to persuade Maya to talk to other people was rather thinly veiled. ¡°It¡¯s a him. Leo,¡± Maya corrected her. ¡°Oh,¡± Anna rushed to assume from Maya¡¯s experience of never talking about boys. ¡°Did he steal it from his mother?¡± Maya chuckled meekly. ¡°He might have. I don¡¯t really know.¡± It wasn¡¯t likely that a seven-year-old bought a silver necklace all by himself. Mrs Davis would certainly have mentioned it to Maya¡¯s parents if they bought it. ¡°Well, she won¡¯t miss it if it¡¯s been ten years.¡± Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Anna was sorting out the groceries and Maya gave her best effort to help her. ¡°Has anyone paid a visit today?¡± ¡°No,¡± Maya lied. She wasn¡¯t sure about the reason herself. Was it technically a lie if she never let the person in? Fortunately, Anna seemed to believe her. ¡°Will you tell me more about this boy?¡± Anna would latch on to anything just to have something to talk about with Maya. They didn¡¯t have much in common, but Anna would make an effort to spend at least an hour of her time in the day with Maya. Maya would pretend like she didn¡¯t notice her obligatory therapy sessions. It was the time she would check on Maya and how she was doing with her meds¡ªthe bare minimum to make sure this teenager was functioning. ¡°He was just a next-door kid, the same age as me so we often ended up as playmates. We lost touch after he moved away. What¡¯s there to tell?¡± Maya shrugged. ¡°Were you sweet on each other?¡± Maya tried to hide herself blushing. Long ago, they both considered it was a given they would marry and live in this house. ¡°We were just friends.¡± ¡°Sure sounds like it.¡± ¡°We were kids. And neighbours. Not much more.¡± ¡°Mm-hm,¡± Anna clearly didn¡¯t believe it. ¡°So¡­ how did he end up moving away?¡± It wasn¡¯t surprising Anna was unfamiliar with the circumstances. After all, it had concluded long before Anna entered her life. ¡°His parents divorced and he moved to live with his mother.¡± Anna sighed softly. ¡°That¡¯s sad¡­ Breaking up a friendship because of adult stuff.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Maya looked away, pensively. ¡°I¡¯m sure there are plenty of boys at school just waiting for you to come back from summer break,¡± Anna teased her. ¡°I don¡¯t think so. Nobody knows I exist anymore.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll make friends this year.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure I want to.¡± ¡°Maya, you have to seize your life before it runs past you.¡± Anna was trying to be supportive. Maya thought she was trying too hard and it only felt forced. It was getting darker so Anna lit up a candle. ¡°What¡¯s that for?¡± ¡°When the lightning struck it messed with electricity. All our light bulbs in the house burned out. I changed some of them in rooms but those are too high up for me to change,¡± she pointed to the absurdly high ceiling of their main living space. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I called a guy, he¡¯ll fix them up tomorrow.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± They were forced to keep each other company by the candlelight while Anna was preparing dinner. There was nothing to distract them as most of the electronics that would occupy them were damaged by the lightning to some extent. Maya pondered for a moment, realizing she didn¡¯t know much about the woman she lived with¡ªher only lifeline. Initially, Maya disliked Anna for entering her life uninvited, but even with time, she never bothered to ask any personal questions about her stepmother. Her misconception that Anna married Maya¡¯s father for an easy life was falling apart lately. This woman wasn¡¯t as clueless as Maya had thought. Anna switched up lightbulbs herself, something Maya couldn¡¯t even imagine doing. She didn¡¯t keep the house as pristine as Maya¡¯s mother but Anna cleaned the house and made sure the space was liveable despite working full time. Unlike Maya who had all the time in the day but never had done any housework. She even cooked. Maya¡¯s mother didn¡¯t cook and her father was too busy as a business owner so they mostly ordered food from restaurants, but Anna makes at least one homecooked meal a day. At least she was adept in providing necessities for Maya. Feeling pressure in her brain that comes and goes these days, perhaps having some circuits fried in her brain from the incident, Maya zoned out looking at the candlelight. There was something about it, with it flickering and dancing. Perhaps it was just boredom that made staring at just about anything so fascinating. From staring at a source of light, she began seeing things in the flame. It seemed sentient. Was it trying to communicate with her? The room filled up with light as the flame grew higher. ¡°Maya. Are you okay?¡± Anna¡¯s voice sounded worried. ¡°What?¡± Maya snapped out of it, and the flames dampened, returning to normal. She looked back and forth between Anna and the candle. It was just a normal flame. She must¡¯ve imagined it. Anna narrowed her eyes slightly, then turned back toward the stove. ¡°Will you let the electrician in if I¡¯m not home tomorrow?¡± Anna changed the subject, seemingly to avoid dealing with the weird quirks of a teenage girl. Maya was slightly annoyed Anna was still walking on eggshells around her. Puberty was a thing of the past by now. ¡°Okay,¡± she agreed listlessly. Chapter 6: Suburb Hauntings Like most days, Maya had overslept when the doorbell jolted her awake. Assuming it was the electrician, she rushed to the entrance. However, when she opened the door, she was greeted by a woman in her late thirties with dark hair and murky blue eyes. One of her eyes had a distinct brown spot just under the pupil, which struck Maya. The woman was dressed in a black formal uniform, but Maya couldn¡¯t associate it with any organization she knew. Her presence, unfamiliar and unsettling, triggered anxiety in Maya, as if she was the woman from her nightmares. ¡°Hi. My name is Daria¡ª¡± the woman began. Instinctively, Maya tried to close the door in her face, but the woman caught it, surprising them both. Instant regret washed over the woman, as Maya was now visibly panicking. ¡®It was her! She came to take me away. Just like she took my parents!¡¯ Maya thought, irrational fears screaming at her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Maya, I need to talk to you,¡± the woman said, trying to undo the damage with a soothing tone. ¡°How do you know my name?¡± Panicking Maya found herself wrestling with the woman for the control of the door. Though the woman eased her grip, attempting to appear non-threatening, Maya remained on edge. ¡°Can you just listen? It is rude to shut the door in someone¡¯s face,¡± the woman was now growing impatient. ¡°It is also rude to take hold of someone¡¯s door.¡± Maya retorted, surprised by her own bravery in snapping back at a stranger. She had always thought she would just hide in a corner in such situations. The woman let go, and Maya quickly shut the door, pressing herself against it defensively, as if expecting the woman to try and force it open. ¡°Can you just let me in so we can talk like civilized people,¡± the woman called out, raising her voice so Maya could hear her through the door. ¡°You¡¯re not an electrician. Go away.¡± ¡°Maya Watergate, I am not going to harm you. I don¡¯t have much time, so can you at least listen to what I have to say and then, if you wish, you never have to see me again.¡± Maya didn¡¯t respond. ¡°What did I do to deserve such a strong reaction? You don¡¯t even know me.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Maya snapped back, uncertain of her own actions, trying to rationalize her instinctual reaction. ¡°Aren¡¯t you a bit too old to play the stranger-danger card? You¡¯re soon to be seventeen.¡± Alarm shot through Maya at the amount of information this woman had about her. ¡°How do you know so much about me? Who are you?¡± ¡°I can explain if you let me in. It¡¯s a bit unusual to talk like this. I¡¯ll be short,¡± the woman pleaded. Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. ¡°No,¡± Maya responded, shaking, fighting off a full-blown panic attack. ¡°Please, Maya. I truly mean you no harm. I am here to give you a second chance in life. Aren¡¯t you sick of it being bleak for so long? You must at least be curious.¡± ¡°Go away! I will call the police.¡± ¡°Alright. I guess I¡¯ll give you a pitch through the door,¡± the woman conceded. ¡°Goodness, this will sound even more ridiculous like this,¡± she mumbled to herself, frustrated with the absurdity of the situation. ¡°You must¡¯ve noticed there was something different about you. Something special¡­¡± ¡°Last warning.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve suffered so much. I can offer you a chance for something better. Please, don¡¯t turn it down before you know what it is. What more can you lose?¡± ¡°I am dialling the police right now,¡± Maya lied. ¡°Okay. I¡¯m leaving. But promise to call me if you change your mind,¡± the woman said, slipping a card under the door. ¡°I hope you find happiness, either way.¡± With that, the woman left. Maya sat on the floor, her back against the door, shaking uncontrollably. What had gotten into her? She had never acted like this before. When she finally caught her breath, she rushed to her room for the mood stabilizers she took with her depression medications. Then, she reached for the phone to call her therapist, as she was supposed to if she encountered episodes like this. While dialling the number, she suddenly changed her mind and set it down. Perhaps it was from that point onwards, when she opened her eyes in a hospital, that life didn¡¯t feel as realistic as it had been before. There was a constant subtle sense of incongruity. Like a character awakening to new powers, Maya constantly felt her senses needed to be recalibrated. A faint breeze gave her goosebumps as if someone was whispering into her ear. Soft grass and soil under her feet felt like she was walking on the surface of a giant creature. The heat of a candle felt tangible and malleable by pure will. ¡®Haaa¡­ I must be going crazy.¡¯ She¡¯d been taking her medication regularly but still kept questioning her reality. Due to this, she began to dread her next therapist visit. ¡®If I confess what has been happening, would I be the crazy one again?¡¯ Walking back to the door, she picked up a small piece of paper from the floor. The card looked professional and legitimate. It read: Daria Zdunowski, Conquisitrix Beside it was a phone number. There was a symbol on the back and with faint letters, visible only under an angle. It said: De Praeditos Alumni Academy. Like any sensible person, Maya searched the internet for more information. Firstly, the word ¡®conquistrix¡¯ was rather ominous. Since it seemed to be related to some kind of an academy, Maya assumed it must mean the woman was a recruiter. However, Maya could not find any institution or business under that name, or that this woman existed. Her identity had no digital traces Maya could find. ¡®Was it some sort of secret society? Or a cult?¡¯ Maya was only a little curious but knew she should stay away. Staring at the business card in her hand, Maya considered if she should keep it. If for anything, then as a proof to show her therapist. Who could keep insisting she was delusional if she had this in her possession? Someone seemingly familiar with her appeared at her door out of the blue. Someone who matches her delusions¡­ But did this woman match them truly? Maya had a vague memory of seeing a shadow of a person that day of the car accident, just before it happened. Her young mind began to associate it with dark clothing. Through her shock and daze, an image of a shadow was all she could recall. However, the woman¡¯s uniform was unfamiliar, and Maya could hardly imagine someone scouring the woods in such neat attire¡ªlet alone wearing such a distinct, identifiable item while committing a crime. ¡®Who was she really?¡¯ Chapter 7: Better Off Dead The next day, Maya couldn¡¯t get the visit from that woman out of her head. She¡¯d tossed that paper in the trash and picked it out several times by now. Finding herself unable to convey the meaning of it all inside her head. It was natural she felt different. Perhaps it¡¯s because of the new medication she was on, or perhaps it is inevitable to feel that way after unexpected trauma. The markings on her skin were almost completely gone. There was nothing to remind her that something rare as a lightning strike happened to her. It had no consequences for her. Should that be possible? How can she always walk out of things like that, unharmed? She was not unharmed. Her mind is the one always left harmed. There was nothing special about her, so how does she keep getting away? What does it all mean? Perhaps it was a wrong decision, but Maya didn¡¯t mention yesterday¡¯s unexpected visit to her stepmother. Anna was a little disappointed she did not open the door for the electrician, but Maya couldn¡¯t face anyone after the meltdown this woman caused her. It was hard to cope alone, but Maya persisted in keeping to herself. Luckily, Anna had been too preoccupied with finding an electrician who could come on short notice so they wouldn¡¯t have to spend yet another day in darkness to notice anything strange in Maya¡¯s demeanour. When they arrived, Anna pestered them with a whole series of electrical problems. Maya wasn¡¯t aware of how much their house had suffered from that incident. To avoid being a hindrance, Maya spent the evening in her room unable to stop thinking about that strange woman and the meaning behind her cryptic pitch. If it¡¯s some prestigious school, maybe she should accept it to avoid confronting all the people she ghosted in her high school. She has money. Her parents filled up her education fund, and Anna was kind enough not to spend it on herself. Maya began fantasizing about it. She hoped it was far away. Far away from all the pain and suffering, from this bright well-lit glass house with big windows, that still seemed so dark for her, after knowing her parents would never step on its polished marble floors again. Anna had already suggested switching schools. Though none of the options initially sparked Maya¡¯s interest, she now wondered if there might be merit in giving this new opportunity a try. Now, home alone again, she walked toward the landline phone, ready to call the woman to ask for more information. If it is some kind of school, she better make arrangements quickly, as the school starts on Monday, three days away. Maya reached for the phone, but a feeling of presence made her freeze. There was an undeniable feeling of someone standing right behind her. She did her best to ignore it, subconsciously grabbing the pendant of her necklace as a way to self-soothe. The shrill sound of the phone suddenly rang, startling her. Maya stared at the phone, waiting for it to ring again, to confirm she wasn¡¯t imagining it. And it did, startling her yet again. Cautiously, she picked it up and slowly placed it to her ear while turning around at a snail¡¯s pace. ¡°H¡ªhello?¡± she said into the phone, her voice timid and shaky. The voice she heard back somehow did not surprise her, despite not having heard it for years. ¡°Hello. Can I speak to Maya Watergate?¡± a worried woman¡¯s voice was heard. ¡°This is her,¡± she made an effort to sound calm and blas¨¦. ¡°Oh, goodness. You sound just like your mother.¡± ¡°Hello, Mrs. Davis. My mother is¡­¡± Maya couldn¡¯t finish the sentence. ¡°I know, sweetie. I am so sorry.¡± ¡°Are you calling about your son?¡± She could hear Mrs. Davis confounded by her assumption. ¡°As a matter of fact, yes,¡± she swallowed. ¡°He¡­ he had a car accident recently. Doctors were fighting for his life, but they say he is stable now,¡± she said the last part quickly not to make Maya worry. Maya knew that not to be true, despite his mother believing it. ¡°He¡¯s in a coma¡­ You know, an acquaintance mentioned you and I remembered that you have experience with this sort of a thing.¡± ¡®Experience!? Does she mean being in a coma or waiting for someone to wake up from a coma? Or¡­ being crushed when they never do?¡¯ ¡°Mrs. Davis. Can we speak?¡± it was a different voice coming from the speakerphone, barely audible. The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°Yes. Just a second,¡± she said to the other person and returned to her phone call. ¡°I just wanted to ask if you could come and visit him. I know he would appreciate it. It would help us all to have someone who¡¯d been through it.¡± ¡°Mrs. Davis¡­¡± they were persistent to gain her attention. ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll be right there,¡± she got irritated at the other voice for disrupting her, but something made her listen to what he had to say. Maya shut her eyes tight with a painful grimace, staying on the line as a mother was receiving the terrible news of her son¡¯s passing, unknowingly letting Maya listen through her meltdown. It was horrible to listen to, but Maya couldn¡¯t put the phone away. It was stuck to her ear in her clutching hand while tears rolled down her cheeks. She didn¡¯t hear the exact words the other person said, but it was clear from her whimpering. Maya already knew it. She knew it the moment she picked up the phone. Because Leo was now standing right in front of her. ¡°Oh, God. Maya! Are you still there?¡± she was sobbing but trying to calm herself down after just realizing Maya was still on the line. ¡°I am so sorry for your loss,¡± she mustered, barely audible. Maya quickly hung up, unable to bear any second longer listening to her cries. She crumpled up to the floor, hugging her knees and clutching her necklace. ¡°It¡¯s not real. You¡¯re dreaming. He¡¯s not there. Wake up,¡± she was whispering to herself. The face of the person in front of her changed when he heard ¡®he''s not there¡¯ and realized she meant him¡ªhis eyes widened and his eyebrows shot up. Leo lowered down watching her carefully. He looked just like Leo she remembered, but grown up. No longer a thin blonde boy, but a fairly attractive freakishly tall young man. She refused to look directly into his eyes, believing denying he was there would make it untrue. But she couldn¡¯t resist it forever. Eventually, her eyes met his dark brown eyes and they lighted up, realizing she was, indeed, **seeing him. ¡°No way,¡± he expressed disbelief. His voice was deeper than she remembered. ¡°You see me, right?¡± While hopelessly hiding behind her hands, Maya made a squeaking sound. Peeking through her fingers; unable to look away. Has she finally gone completely insane? ¡°You kept the necklace I gave you,¡± he noticed. Evaluating if she should talk to him or just pretend she couldn¡¯t see him and ignore this happening was keeping her occupied. What was a normal reaction to seeing someone who wasn¡¯t supposed to be there? ¡°I¡­ I found it in our buried treasure the other day.¡± The widest smile lit up his face. This was the final confirmation that she could, in fact, see him and hear him. ¡°How¡­ how can you see me? I did just die, you know.¡± ¡°Why are you here and not with your mom?¡± deciding to scold him, Maya shocked even herself. ¡°Well, she didn¡¯t react to anything I did so I figured it was useless. Then I felt a strange pull and here I am¡­¡± Maya was clutching the necklace, as she listened. It sounded rather fantastical¡­ ¡®Haa¡­ Have I finally started losing it?¡¯ It was too much for her. ¡°Okay. I need to wake up now,¡± Maya whispered. ¡°Wake up? But you¡¯re already awake. This is real, Maya.¡± Leo had a genuine smile on his face as if elated this much was true. ¡°It can¡¯t be. If it were, I wouldn¡¯t see you, but¡­ my mom.¡± Leo winced, then shrugged. ¡°Maybe you¡¯ll see her too.¡± ¡°Where is she? Can you find her there?¡± she looked at him with a pleading expression. Leo hesitated. ¡°I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s not exactly a place. I¡¯m just here.¡± ¡°Why are you so calm?¡± her tone was lightly accusatory. Maya began hyperventilating. It started to catch up to her. ¡®I am seeing a ghost!¡¯ ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°You just, freaking, died!¡± Maya usually didn¡¯t feel a need to swear, but this time it somehow just came out of her. Leo shrugged. ¡°There¡¯s nothing I can do about it.¡± ¡°Why not go back to haunt your body? Or, to try to get back? I¡¯m sure there¡¯s¡­ It hasn¡¯t been that long¡­¡± ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± ¡°Why not? Why don¡¯t you try? Why does everybody just die and leave me? Why not fight?¡± Maya was nearly shouting at Leo. Her feelings of frustration about her recent father¡¯s death were surfacing and somehow she found herself lashing at the spirit of her childhood friend she hadn¡¯t seen for many years. She was angry at her father for not fighting hard enough. She begged him, every day, for more than a year, to fight for her and stay, not to leave her all alone, but he died anyway. Why wasn¡¯t he here? To at least say goodbye. Why was there just someone to open her old wounds she didn¡¯t realize still hurt so much? Not knowing what else to do, Leo suddenly hugged her. It was surprisingly comforting, and she wondered why it felt so real. ¡®He wasn¡¯t really there¡­ Why can I feel him?¡¯ Feeling awkward she was just comforted by a ghost, she reached back for the phone. Determined now, she dialled Daria¡¯s number. Then, waited for the answer while receiving confused looks from Leo. ¡°Maya? Is that you?¡± Daria was quick to answer. ¡°How different?¡± Maya went straight to the point. ¡°Sorry?¡± the woman sounded confused. ¡°You said I was different. Special. Describe it. How different? Like, some kind of powers different?¡± Somehow her mind suddenly remembered that kid who told her she was a superhero. ¡°Yes. That¡¯s exactly what I meant. Can I come and talk to you in person? It¡¯s harder to explain like this.¡± ¡°Are you offering me an enrolment in some kind of a school?¡± ¡°Yes. But it¡¯s more complicated.¡± ¡°I¡¯m in.¡± Maya had no hesitation. She was ready. Life had finally pushed her enough that she felt there was nothing more left to lose. Chapter 8: Pursuit of a Fantasy Maya anxiously awaited the woman¡¯s knock at her door. She had agreed to the meeting for today because she was going out of town. She considered herself fortunate that Anna had to cover for her colleague at work, especially since it was Saturday and she wanted to keep this a secret. She alternated between pacing and sitting quietly on the sofa. ¡°Promise me you¡¯ll come with me,¡± Maya said to Leo with determination. Even the next day, he was still with her. Despite the years that had passed since their separation, his presence made her feel somewhat at ease about this impulsive decision. ¡®It¡¯s not like he has something better to do.¡¯ Her nervousness was apparent, but she was resolute. It was the first thing she said to him today, and his relief at her acknowledgement was obvious. ¡°There¡¯s nowhere else I¡¯d rather be. As far as I know, you¡¯re the only person who still knows I exist.¡± Maya had already packed her things when she woke up. Daria hadn¡¯t said anything about it, but Maya didn¡¯t want to waste more time. She wanted to be taken away from all this misery. ¡°Where are we going?¡± he asked. ¡°I have no idea,¡± she confessed. ¡°That¡¯s not the Maya I knew. She would never go anywhere unprepared or without gathering all the information she could.¡± ¡°The Maya you knew was twelve.¡± ¡°I guess we are no longer those kids,¡± he reminisced. ¡°I¡¯ve changed too.¡± ¡°¡­I suppose dying would drastically change you.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t mean dying. That hasn¡¯t changed me at all.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t talking about you.¡± ¡°What? Then who?¡± he asked, confused. ¡°I¡¯m the one who died. I died when my mother did, when my best friend left me when I needed him most, when my father abandoned me, and when my life turned into this unrecognizable mess. I¡¯ve been dead for years, I just didn¡¯t realize it. I no longer belong here.¡± The doorbell rang. Her head shifted in the direction of the sound and the corners of her lips twitched into an attempted smile. She took a deep breath. Her life was about to change. She was stepping into an unknown story. It could be a grave mistake, but there was nothing left for her here. Maya welcomed her guest, a woman with different coloured eyes, into her spacious yet barren home. Leo curiously leaned forward¡ªuncomfortably close to the stranger¡¯s face¡ªstudying her up close as if trying to determine whether she could perceive his presence. She passed through him as if he were nothing but air and continued inside, where Maya led her to take a seat. Maya avoided Leo¡¯s gaze, but from the corner of her eye, she caught him shudder and slump dejectedly. It was clear: the woman could not see him. ¡°As you may have suspected, there are hidden powers in the world. They mainly go unnoticed by ordinary people. However, occasionally, special individuals awaken to these mysterious forces, becoming blessed and gaining the power to influence them.¡± Daria spoke in a calm, unwavering tone, and you couldn¡¯t help but believe it was the absolute truth. Up close, she wasn¡¯t as intimidating as she seemed, even kind¡ªor at least passionate. Upon closer inspection, Maya noticed that Daria had a face that looked seasoned despite her youthful appearance. Her eyes were soft and inviting, yet they seemed to hold a concealed tragedy. Overall, Daria appeared as someone who had witnessed many hardships in life. ¡°Our world is governed by four basic elements: Fire, Water, Earth, and Air. Occasionally, these elements choose a special existence to embody them.¡± ¡°So, this is something otherworldly?¡± ¡°Yes. And it¡¯s real and tangible. You gain actual power to control the elements.¡± ¡°But if this is real, why haven¡¯t I heard of it before? Can I see you do it?¡± ¡°I welcome a healthy dose of scepticism, but I cannot show you.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because in this world, traces of it remain only in fiction.¡± Maya had already suspended her disbelief since she was experiencing unexplainable events. However, what Daria was explaining wasn¡¯t quite what Maya had anticipated. ¡°This isn¡¯t a new phenomenon. Throughout history, people chosen by the elements have maintained the world¡¯s natural balance. That¡¯s until they were exiled. Mankind decided to reject such individuals, deeming them wrong and evil. You¡¯re aware of some of the history, Maya. There was a time when these people were relentlessly persecuted and eradicated.¡± If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°Are you talking about the Witch Hunt?¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re saying that you work for a school of witches and that I am a witch?¡± ¡°More or less. Though these days, most prefer the term ¡®mages¡¯.¡± Maya took a deep breath. It seemed solid enough¡­ for a fiction book premise. ¡°So, is it some sort of a secret society?¡± Daria chuckled. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to be so interested after you¡¯d slammed the door in my face.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that. I¡¯m just not in a good mental state lately.¡± Daria gave her a warm look of understanding. It seems her presence itself was quite calming in how patient and supportive she was, as if she was very used to talking to people with fragile mental states. Maya couldn¡¯t believe that this soothing woman made her fall into a panic attack yesterday. Even though they were talking about something unbelievable, the woman was answering her questions calmly and with confidence as if they were just having a debate about a work of fiction. ¡°You can call it as such. It is so secret you wouldn¡¯t be able to find it anywhere in this world.¡± She chuckled softly. ¡°I have quite the unfortunate task of recruiting young souls touched by the Elements with nothing but my words.¡± ¡°Are you telling me you actually believe all this snake oil?¡± Leo interjected, almost inserting himself into Maya¡¯s face to gain her attention. So far he had been quietly listening because he was curious, but it seems he wasn¡¯t willing to entertain this idea further. Left with no choice, Maya ignored him. She couldn¡¯t talk to a person that wasn¡¯t really there, else she might appear insane in front of her guest. ¡°As I¡¯ve said, I have no way of proving it to you here. Whether you believe me or not is entirely up to you.¡± ¡°But there¡¯s a way to prove it?¡± Maya thought about photographs or video recordings, but quickly dismissed the idea knowing it wouldn¡¯t be enough to convince a person in the age of computer-generated images. ¡°Yes, of course. If you come with me you¡¯ll wield the proof with your own hands as much as you like. During the dark times, humans rejected us and we had no choice but to flee or perish. So we created our own world. A world where mages are free¡ªMellgrah.¡± ¡°Is that how it¡¯s called?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Maya repeated it with her inside voice. She thought it sounded quite awful, weirdly rolling on the tongue. ¡°Did the person that named it not like it to give it such a name?¡± The woman chuckled again. ¡°Contrary to the way the name sounds to you, it is a beautiful land. People easily fall in love with Mellgrah¡¯s scenery; its lush valleys and jagged mountain ranges. It may be a small land, but it is rich in culture brought by mages from all over the world finding refuge there. It¡¯s only natural its name does not come from an English word. It is an ancient language. You¡¯ll easily learn to navigate through many different languages there eventually.¡± ¡°Is Latin one of them?¡± ¡°It is. While no one speaks it, it has its rich presence.¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you reject it? Isn''t it the language of the Christian Church that burned witches during the Inquisition?¡± ¡°Clever girl,¡± Daria began, ¡°but Latin is much older than Christianity, rooting itself far into the Roman age of paganism. Let¡¯s set that aside for now.¡± She paused before continuing. ¡°What I am trying to tell you is that, despite witches leaving this world and its ties, from time to time, someone new is chosen by one of the Elements. Someone deemed worthy. Someone in need, desperate for a fresh start, another chance. They bestow their blessings, allowing me to find and recruit them.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re saying that I¡¯m chosen by one of those Elements?¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± ¡°Which one?¡± ¡°That, we can¡¯t be sure of just yet. You need to undergo a testing ritual where we will determine which element gifted you.¡± Maya thought for a second, glancing at Leo. Nothing about the powers Daria was talking about fit with what she was seeing. ¡°What about Spirit?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Is there a Spirit element?¡± ¡°There¡¯s something similar. But that¡¯s a completely different story. The Spirit doesn¡¯t choose people. There are no such powers that allow it to be controlled. You could say it is a basic building block for all of us. In our core, each of us has a ¡®spirit¡¯ and it is not bendable like others are.¡± ¡°But there could be powers, like passive ones?¡± Daria seemed to realize where her questions were heading. ¡°I know you miss your family. And perhaps they are with you in a sense. But I don¡¯t think you should hold on to them. They would be happy for you to turn a new leaf in your life.¡± Maya appreciated her attempt to console her, but no words from a stranger could lessen that ache. In the end, it wasn¡¯t even what was on her mind at this moment so her words only served as a painful reminder. ¡®Of course, they would like for me to move on, but it is easier said than done.¡¯ ¡°To summarize, an unknown element chose me and wants me to go to the school in this separate world and sent you to tell me all this and take me there?¡± ¡°Ideally, it would be preferable you go to one of Mellgrah¡¯s esteemed academies for young mages. Those are the only places where you can learn magic. I myself am a recruiter for the Academy of Amellan. It is a beautiful town in the mountains and the most prestigious academy in Mellgrah,¡± Daria¡¯s voice held a note of pride, her back straightening slightly. ¡°I work for them but I wouldn¡¯t deny you the right to be introduced to other academies if you¡¯d prefer. Although we are already in a tight spot since the trimester starts this Monday.¡± ¡°Where do I sign up? Or wait,¡± Maya realized she was rushing. ¡°What are the payment requirements?¡± ¡°No payment. You just need to come with me. This is a bit last-minute, but if we leave in a couple of hours, we¡¯ll arrive by tomorrow evening.¡± Maya considered it. Her instincts were right; she almost let this opportunity slip ¡°Okay. I¡¯m ready. We can go immediately.¡± Daria glanced at her watch, or rather watches, as two were on her wrist. ¡°I¡¯ll give you time to pack.¡± ¡°I¡¯m already packed.¡± Daria looked at her sceptically, but Maya returned from her room with a suitcase to prove her point. Daria blinked, surprised again by Maya. ¡°Great. Then we can leave now,¡± Daria said, sounding slightly unsure. Maya had thoroughly intrigued her. ¡°However, you need to understand that if you come with me, you can never return.¡± ¡°What¡¯s there to return to?¡± Maya realized this might be the most impulsive, potentially dangerous decision she had ever made. Entrusting her life to a complete stranger to pursue some fairy tale¡­ ¡®What¡¯s the worst that could happen?¡¯ Chapter 9: Road Trip with a Stranger Dear Anna, this is goodbye. Thank you for taking care of me. I know it wasn¡¯t easy or fair. The ties that hold us are weak and burdensome. I¡¯ve decided to forge my own path to see where it takes me, and I¡¯m giving you back your freedom. Take it. From this moment on, consider me gone. Don¡¯t look for me. You won¡¯t be able to find me. Live a good life. Sincerely, Maya. ¡®Should I have explained it better?¡¯ Maya, sitting in the passenger seat next to a woman she¡¯d known for only a day, pondered her farewell note to Anna. It was short and ambiguous, something Anna could easily misinterpret. Maya worried Anna might see it as a darker message, something Maya had thought about but never acted on. In the end, Anna would get all the fortune Maya¡¯s father had worked hard for, but Maya wasn¡¯t sure if Anna would try searching for her out of obligation. Despite how Maya was portraying her in her mind, Anna wasn¡¯t an evil person. She¡¯d be concerned. Maya only hoped Anna wouldn¡¯t spend too much time trying to find her¡ªbecause she never will. Maya and Daria journeyed across the country, with Leo, visible only to Maya, sitting silently in the backseat. Having rarely travelled, Maya often found herself disoriented, unsure of their exact location. The experience of exploring unfamiliar places with a stranger was both unsettling and intriguing. ¡°Where¡¯s she taking you? What if it is some kind of den where she sells you into slavery?¡± Maya could only glance at Leo in the rear mirror. Thinking it¡¯d be better if she didn¡¯t reveal her secret ability to Daria just yet, she couldn¡¯t respond or react to him. Maya sighed silently. She had her doubts about trusting a stranger so easily, but the same reason she could see him made her believe her story to be true. She needed to believe everything would turn out alright, in the end. Soon, the time for her medication came. The moment Daria saw her try taking her medicine, she grabbed it out of her hand, asking about it. ¡°It¡¯s my prescription drugs. For depression and anxiety.¡± ¡°You shouldn¡¯t take it anymore.¡± ¡°It¡¯s my medicine. It is the only thing that kept me going all this time.¡± ¡°Trust me. Exercise and a healthy diet with socializing are all the medicine you need. You¡¯ll have plenty of friends who are just like you to support you. If you turn out to need them all that much, there are natural remedies.¡± ¡°Does this thing mess with my magic or something?¡± ¡°It¡¯s best you start getting used to living without it.¡± Maya was speechless. A hint of anxiety began catching up to her. The situation was extremely nerve-wracking and now she was learning that her only lifeline was being taken away. Can her mind handle it without her medication? Daria sighed deeply. ¡°Let¡¯s give it a try tonight. If it becomes too much for you, I¡¯ll return the medication. This is a crucial decision, and I don¡¯t want you to regret anything because of the influence of prescription drugs. In my experience, many of the children I recruit are often overmedicated by a flawed healthcare system. The shared trauma is understandable, but they usually adapt well without the medication. You should trust yourself more.¡± The trip was long, and they had way more to go. After the whole day of travel, they settled in a motel. Daria was on her phone a lot, and her not considering Maya would try to run away gave Maya a positive feeling. In an unknown place, far from painful reminders, she felt liberated. Unable to sleep, she decided to hang out by the pool. ¡°You really believe she¡¯s taking you to some magical place?¡± Leo was sitting beside her. They were soaking their feet in the water. Or rather, she was. He was only pretending to as the water denied his existence, not producing any stir on the surface where he moved his feet. It was an unusual feeling seeing someone touching the water but not interacting with it. ¡°Why not?¡± she responded. ¡°Has every instinct of self-preservation died inside of you? Didn¡¯t you hear what she said to you? It sounds ridiculous.¡± The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°So does seeing dead people.¡± ¡°This has some basis in reality. There are people reporting seeing ghosts. There are no people claiming to be witches and control elements or whatever.¡± ¡°How do you know? And besides, she said it¡¯s not here.¡± ¡°Then where? Where¡¯s she taking you?¡± ¡°Somewhere¡­ else.¡± ¡°I hope it¡¯s worth the risk.¡± ¡°Maybe, I¡¯ll just wake up tomorrow safe in my bed, and everything will be how it used to be. Making this just one ridiculous dream.¡± ¡°Maybe. Or maybe you¡¯ll wake up tomorrow still in this motel with a strange woman waiting to take you ¡®somewhere you can never return back from¡¯,¡± he quoted Daria. ¡°When is this ¡®back¡¯ you¡¯re talking about? Back yesterday to popping pills and staring at walls? Or a month ago doing the same? Or a year ago, still the same? ¡®Back¡¯ is somewhere I wasn¡¯t able to go for a long time.¡± It was time for her prescription drugs, but Daria threw them away. She hoped the drugs weren¡¯t the ones that kept her so calm through this. Otherwise, tomorrow could be an entirely different story. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for being harsh,¡± Maya apologized for dragging the mood down. ¡°It means a lot that you¡¯re with me.¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s quite something going through this insanity with you.¡± ¡°I should set some milestones¡­¡± Maya changed the subject. ¡°If I live and this all turns out to be real, I want to completely rewrite my life. First, I want to make some friends and connections. So that¡¯s my goal for the first day¡­ Leo, do you think I can become popular?" ¡°Hmm¡­ You weren¡¯t popular before?¡± ¡°You were my last real friend, Leo. How¡¯s that for popularity?¡± ¡°I always thought you were naturally loved. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m here to help. I was the most popular guy in my school. It¡¯s really easy¡­¡± Leo continued rambling about his popularity while Maya rested her head on her knees and softly smiled. He still goes on without an end, bragging about his friends from school who were no longer connected to him or her. ¡®Curious. I expected him to miss his old friends and life since he is no longer living, but it is as if they never mattered.¡¯ Leo cheered her up. She¡¯d forgotten how funny he was. Before she realized it, she found herself laughing at his ridiculous stories and bantering as if they were back to being children. They always thought they would be together forever. ¡®I guess this is one way. As a ghost, he can always stay with me.¡¯ Despite her acting and Leo¡¯s belief, accepting this whole story wasn¡¯t easy for Maya. Outwardly she was calm and accepting, but inside she was scared. ¡®What insanity has compelled me to do this?¡¯ That¡¯s right. There was nothing back home. She had no point to go back to. Unbeknownst to her, since she left the house, it became the place she dreaded returning to. If she were told this trip was cancelled and she had to return, that might as well mark signing her death sentence. If not her body, her soul would surely die off living there for any longer. There would be no hope of rewriting her tragedy and reinventing herself. ¡®There must be many terrible homes out there, but how many are this empty and lonely?¡¯ Soon enough, another morning came and they were back on the road, already driving for almost the entirety of the next day, only making short stops to stretch their legs. The sun was getting low by the time they went off-road. Meandering on a dirt road through a forest, Maya could feel her blood pumping. So far Maya had been fairly accepting, but now things were beginning to look more and more shady. Still, she said nothing. They were reaching deep inside the forest, it looked like even the rover was struggling on this poor dirt road. Daria stopped the car in the middle of nowhere. Meticulously checking her watches and syncing them up. There were two watches on Daria¡¯s right wrist, nestled side by side. One was a timeless antique piece, while the other was a sleek, modern analogue watch. Maya wondered about the story behind them but felt too shy to ask. She noticed that the antique watch was always early, leading her to assume it was broken and perhaps cherished for sentimental reasons. ¡°Last stop. I hope you haven¡¯t changed your mind?¡± Daria announced, giving Maya space for the doubt she knew she must have by now. ¡°No,¡± Maya said, insecurely. ¡°Then give me your phone.¡± Maya carefully placed her device in Daria¡¯s outstretched hand. After quickly scanning it, Daria opened the window and flung it outside. ¡°Hey!¡± Maya was shocked by her careless action. ¡°You¡¯ll get a new one,¡± Daria said, then sighed slightly in preparation for what was to come. ¡°Here we go.¡± Before Maya could protest, Daria slammed the gas pedal. The car lurched forward, accelerating rapidly. Maya, terrified, grabbed onto anything within reach. Her fear intensified as she saw the path abruptly end¡ªleading straight into a solid rock face. ¡®No, no, no¡­¡¯ Daria showed no intention of slowing down, and Maya screamed. Suddenly, a chilling thought flashed through her mind: ¡®Was a car crash in the woods always where I was supposed to die?¡¯ Believing she was finally caught by the fate she was never supposed to escape, Maya squeezed her eyes shut and clutched Leo¡¯s hand, bracing for the inevitable impact. Chapter 10: Mellgrah The crash never came. When Maya finally gathered enough courage to open her eyes again, they were back on the dirt road driving through a dense forest. With her heart still pounding in her chest, Maya hurriedly looked back to catch a glimpse of a rock wall they had come from. It was like they turned back instead of going straight through it. She looked around in confusion to see nothing appeared different. Did she imagine it? While Daria was busy with the interface of a device Maya thought was a car radio but was no longer so sure, Maya¡¯s eye caught the shape that was showing itself through the treetops. It was a giant stone statue of a woman with her arms spread wide to embrace the sky, rising high above the trees. Maya¡¯s eyes widened. It was colossal; the size of a skyscraper. It reminded her of that giant statue in Rio de Janeiro, but this wasn¡¯t as rigid and stiff. It looked elegant and slender. Almost impossible for something standing so high and proud to look so gentle and fragile. She thought to herself that humans could never build something of this scale that wouldn¡¯t collapse upon itself. The hands of the statue woman were long and fine, there was no way they could project themselves through the air like that without some kind of support. But there they were. In fact, there were four statues, all women spreading their arms lovingly to the sky, forming a circle. Rising above the forest like protectors wrapped in verdure and vines, creating a home for birds and small animals. Maya wondered what they would look like from the sky; emerging from the forest in gowns made of moss. ¡®They¡¯re beautiful.¡¯ The scene filled her with hope and serenity. All her doubts left her body. ¡®This was real¡­¡¯ They were no longer in the old world. ¡®Mellgrah really knows how to leave the first impression.¡¯ Seeing Maya curiously gazing up, Daria smiled softly.¡°This is Vale of Pylae. The great entrance into this world. Those statues are of Destinae, great mages who helped create this world and sacrificed themselves to open the gateway for the rest of us.¡± ¡°They died for this place?¡± ¡°Yes. It wasn¡¯t easy to create an entire world. But they persevered and demonstrated the true power achievable when the witches joined their powers. They created a peace for us¡ªa free world.¡± ¡°Who created the statues?¡± Maya was wondering. Just the fact that the witches had the power to create an entirely new world boggled her mind. ¡°The first witches that walked these lands. To honour them so that their sacrifice would never be forgotten. It was a unique time. A lot of impossible acts were achieved then, and a lot of powerful mages were forged from the hardship of the time.¡± ¡°Is no one powerful enough to create such statues now?¡± ¡°No one alone. But if many join their powers, it should be possible. However, there is no need for such statues today,¡± Daria was smiling kindly, happy to explain it to Maya, and still focused enough to drive through thick woods. ¡°This is also a lesson for you,¡± she continued. ¡°It was the difficult times that brought out the great power that was inside them, just like the Elements chose you for your suffering it brought out unimaginable things from them. That¡¯s why most mages are so proud of the pain they endured¡ªbecause it tempered the power within them. Pain shouldn¡¯t be something that paralyses you but rather rises you up.¡± Maya thought the passion Daria spoke with was beautiful. She sounded proud to be a witch. ¡°We can no longer go back through where we came from?¡± Maya asked, still unsure how they got here. Did they go through that rock? ¡°You can¡¯t. The Elements have granted me a special power that allows me to pass through worlds. So, I can save more mages like you and bring them here.¡± ¡°Can I get that power?¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid not. It¡¯s not something that can be achieved. When Elements choose you, they grant you their power. The power that had chosen you is the one you possess. You can¡¯t change the power and this one is incredibly rare. You will, of course, be tested for it, but you shouldn¡¯t get your hopes up. Now, that you¡¯re here, this is your home.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. I wouldn¡¯t want to go back anyway. This place looks beautiful.¡± You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. ¡°You haven¡¯t seen anything yet,¡± Daria chuckled. They drove through a forest for a long time, reaching a mountainous area. All the while, Daria gave her tour speeches about the world, history, and tradition. It was clear she had told these stories many times before. Maya glanced back at Leo, comforted by his presence. He was as amazed as she was. He finally believed it. As dusk settled, they approached the city walls enclosing a small, medieval-looking town. The last remnants of daylight lingered. The town, built primarily of stone, was beautifully illuminated by cressets in baskets atop poles, their warm, flickering light. It was as if she had travelled centuries into the past. As she exited the car, a refreshing crisp mountain air filled her lungs. Maya gawked at her surroundings, barely noticing Daria¡¯s instruction to wait. The scenery, ambience, and smells were overwhelming. The town looked so ancient yet vibrant. She glimpsed people walking up the stone-paved paths between the densely packed stone buildings. Patches of green were squeezed in between buildings, adding life to the otherwise stone-clad town. The paths were wider than she expected for a medieval town, but too narrow for motorized traffic, so they proceeded on foot. It was intriguing to see people in modern clothes wandering through the 15th-century ambience. Amellan was situated in a fairy-tale-like forest area on a gentle incline at the highest point of a hill, with jagged mountain peaks in the background. The air was so crisp with a gentle sweet taste that Maya felt like this was the first time in her life that she breathed in fresh clean air despite never having considered that something was wrong with the air before. The town, perched on the sloping side of a hill, stretched upwards. Rooftops seemed to compete to peek over each other, welcoming a newcomer. High towers in the distance observed silently from the highest peak. Maya, who mostly relied on her imagination to construct described worlds, found herself at a loss compared to reality. ¡®This was simply breathtaking.¡¯ Daria promptly returned and led her up the main path, asking her to wait in front of an administrative building. This location marked the transition of the town from a densely packed, claustrophobic core to a more open area laden with greenery, including trees, and detached buildings of a later period. Although the architecture resembled Victorian style, she couldn¡¯t quite pinpoint a direct comparison. It was an entirely unique place, shaped by its own circumstances. ¡°It¡¯s quite a sight for first-timers, isn¡¯t it?¡± a girl, barely noticed by Maya, remarked. Maya vaguely remembered Daria asking this girl to accompany her, but she was too absorbed in her surroundings to respond. ¡°Yes. I don¡¯t know what to expect, but certainly wasn¡¯t this.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll get used to it quickly.¡± ¡°It¡¯s hard to believe.¡± A group of students around Maya¡¯s age came down the adjacent street, chatting and laughing, evidently excited from a recent group activity. They were dressed in a uniform that seemed to be a mix of martial arts attire and modern workout clothes. Suddenly, one of them spotted Maya, and the group came to a halt, all eyes on her. Feeling uncomfortable under their scrutiny, Maya instinctively reached for the hem of Leo¡¯s sleeve for reassurance. Maya had forgotten how to deal with people her age and suddenly felt very vulnerable. After a brief discussion among themselves, the students moved on. A girl from the group waved to Maya¡¯s companion, who waved back. ¡°They are just returning from the last practice before school starts. You missed it, but I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll manage.¡± ¡°Practice?¡± ¡°Like a workout. We need to stay in shape to bend,¡± the girl explained. Maya noticed she was wearing the same uniform, implying she had also attended the practice. ¡°Oh.¡± This made Maya anxious. She hadn¡¯t been physically active for a while and had lost her appetite, causing her to be in poor shape. ¡°It looks like they¡¯re having fun.¡± ¡°It is fun. You¡¯ll meet a lot of new friends. Everyone¡¯s wonderful. It¡¯s a great community.¡± A new group of students passed in the same manner as the previous one, with the exception of a few stragglers who walked alone. She imagined they were out of shape, like her, and moved sluggishly due to exhaustion. The last girl stopped and looked her way for an extended moment. ¡°¡­I¡¯m so grateful the elements chose me and gave us a chance. You¡¯ll see. You¡¯ll overcome your trauma in no time. Everyone here is supportive and friendly. Well, except for that girl. I¡¯d advise you to steer clear of her. She¡¯s the rotten egg.¡± From her tone, Maya sensed this warning wasn¡¯t a joke. There was a clear dislike toward that girl in the distance. Up to this point, other people had merely acknowledged Maya as a newcomer and quickly moved on. However, this time, the girl she was warned about stopped and stared in Maya¡¯s direction. Their eyes inevitably met for a moment. From what Maya could see, the girl was undeniably attractive. Tall, slender, and contrary to her initial assumption, fit with a perfect figure. However, for someone showing such interest, her expression was oddly blank and hard to decipher. The girl tilted her head, studying Maya unabashedly, which made her feel self-conscious. ¡®Is this what being made a target feels like?¡¯ Maya quickly averted her gaze, regretting her mistake. It was foolish to ignore the warning from the girl beside her. Unlike her curiosity prompting her to investigate, her common sense was always slower to respond. The warning hinted that the girl was a senseless bully. Responding to provocation was a huge mistake; there was no correct reaction. Maya knew the drill; avoiding their gaze could be seen as defiance, and looking down would make her an easy prey. Having been an outcast in the past for her gloominess, Maya felt her goal of making friends just became more challenging. As she turned back to the girl, ready to speak, the door opened behind her, interrupting the moment. ¡°They are ready for you in there,¡± a woman invited her inside. Chapter 11: Appraisal Ritual ¡°See you when the classes start,¡± her companion gave her a warm smile before scurrying away. There was nothing left but to follow inside. Of course, she tossed a short glance at the scary girl and felt relief to see she was gone. Inside, Maya was met by a group of women in a foul mood. She was able to catch glimpses of them whispering to themselves about Maya¡¯s late appearance. ¡°I¡ªI¡¯m sorry.¡± Feeling insecure and unable to find Daria in sight, she stuttered as she quietly apologized, unsure herself what for. ¡°We have never accepted an applicant this late,¡± the leading woman grumbled. ¡°But, oh, well, what can we do? Since you¡¯re already here, let¡¯s begin.¡± Following her guide, Maya arrived in a spacious but empty room. The light was dim, creating a mystical ambience. There was a chill in the air and she was met with a distinct pungent smell she couldn''t recognize but felt at once foreign and familiar. Maya was directed to kneel at the centre of the room, where a ring was dented into the worn-out stone slab. From there, she had made a conclusion the room was even more bizarre than she initially thought. It looked like it was in its entirety carved inside of a stone and the rest of the building was built around it. It appeared like a ceremonial room for some ancient ritual that has been used for centuries. Moments after, women in ceremonial-looking dresses walked in. ¡°May Light follow.¡± They greeted her quietly before proceeding with their tasks. While kneeling on the cold floor, Maya watched them pour water out of a beautiful amphora onto the floor where it encircled her through the dented ring. Another one gracefully arranged a ring of pebbles around her, pouring it out of a specialized bowl like they were a most precious thing. Two of them carried in a contraption made out of wood holding a ring enveloped with beautiful wind chimes, placing it carefully above Maya. And the woman that led her in here, who seemed to be in charge, lighted up candles around the room. ¡°Let¡¯s start the evaluation process,¡± she announced. Internally preparing to witness the magic for the first time, Maya couldn¡¯t shake off her nervousness. Leo was gazing around curiously. ¡°In the absence of the High Priestess, I will take over the lead.¡± Four women in total, each taking their position encircling Maya while the leading one began chanting in an unknown language. The rest soon followed chanting in unison. Maya wasn¡¯t sure what she was expected to do so she continued to kneel quietly on her spot. Soon, the chanting women reached a point of beautiful harmony and began to move graciously in a trance-like dance. Then suddenly the whole room began to react as subtle vibrations began responding to their invocation. The circle of water was rippling, the pebbles began to softly bounce off the floor, and the flames danced and flickered while the chimes began to sing, creating melodic tunes to follow along. Her eyes widened. ¡®What does it mean? Are they all my elements?¡¯ The performance continued, becoming louder and louder with chaotic torrents of proof of magic filling up the room. Maya was amazed. She wanted to greet the Elements and join in on the play. Priestesses chanted louder and louder until suddenly stopping with a final unison shout. As they stopped, all the turbulence stopped with them. Flames dwindled, water turned calm, and pebbles halted. Leaving only the melodic sound of stirred wind chimes to resonate through the room for what seemed like one moment lasting forever. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. ¡°The Elements have chosen,¡± the leading priestess proclaimed. ¡°Maya Watergate, the venerable Element of Air has taken you under its wing.¡± ¡®Air?¡¯ Maya was surprised and somehow disappointed, feeling that they got it wrong. Haven¡¯t all four elements danced just moments prior? If they named any other element she would have accepted it, but Air? Perhaps it was a disappointment because she was expecting something special. After all, she was looking at Leo who no one else was aware is in the room with them right now. Was seeing Leo not a power but a delusion? ¡°Are you sure?¡± Maya blurted out. ¡°Yes. We are sure. The Elements are never wrong.¡± ¡°What does that ensue?¡± ¡°You have a special affinity to the Element of Air. The wind is your domain.¡± ¡®What can you do with wind?¡¯ They must¡¯ve seen her expression which put them in a sour mood. ¡°Show some gratitude and respect. You¡¯ve received a great honour being chosen at all. Not many get a chance for salvation. Elements are all equal. And praise the Light for leading them to you.¡± ¡°Sorry.¡± Maya held her head down and proceeded to the next room to get officially enrolled as a student of the academy. ¡°Aren¡¯t they a bit insensitive? Never knew a salvation would be so pissed for no reason,¡± Leo mumbled to himself. So far Maya hadn¡¯t had the greatest experiences. Suddenly she missed Daria ¡ª a woman she only knew for a couple of days. It was to be expected a fresh start would be a difficult battle. All she needed was to endure until things were better. A guide led her to an office where a lady behind a desk was hastily collecting papers and shoving them into a folder. Just like everyone she encountered in this building, she looked stressed and in a rush. Maya felt like her own matter was only distracting her from her real job. ¡®What kind of hours do they work if they are here on Sunday evening, and a new student is not their main concern?¡¯ The woman was quickly filling up some forms while mumbling to herself. ¡°Maya Watergate¡­¡± She suddenly looked at Maya. ¡°Do you wish to change the name?¡± ¡°Ch-change my name?¡± Maya was stumped by the offer. ¡°It¡¯s a fresh start. Some choose to change the name. It can be whatever you want. I will change all documents to refer to you with your new name.¡± ¡°How very inclusive¡­¡± Leo mumbled, then added: ¡°You should try ¡®Maya the Great Backyard Princess.¡¯¡± It was an inside joke, referencing their childhood games where they¡¯d pretend her backyard was their royal domain. ¡°I will keep my name. Thank you,¡± Maya hurriedly answered, before Leo could say something that would inevitably make her react. She felt the woman¡¯s relief, as it would mean she would have to do more paperwork if she changed the name. The woman rummaged through the office collecting some more papers. ¡°Oh, so an air mage,¡± she glimpsed at a freshly received paper. ¡°One as myself.¡± Maya wondered if she was good at it if her job was working in an office. Not knowing how to respond or even if she should start a small talk with a person who already appeared busy, Maya kept silent. After stamping papers and asking Maya to sign multiple documents, the woman finally handed her the filled-out forms in a folder. ¡°Everything you need is in there.¡± She paused thinking and scratching her chin. ¡°Aha. Garbs. I¡¯ll be right back.¡± It took only a couple of seconds and the woman was back with a pile of neatly folded clothes. She put it in Maya¡¯s arms and added a messenger bag on top of it all. Maya couldn¡¯t help the criticizing thought that it would be more useful if she gave her the bag first so she could put all the things inside. ¡°Here¡¯s the voucher for the tailor to prepare your uniform. This will suffice for tomorrow.¡± The woman handed her a new piece of paper and patted the clothes she gave her. Then she opened a red velvet box with a beautiful intricate silver broch. ¡°This is the academy emblem. Don¡¯t lose it. The rest is waiting for you outside.¡± With everything piled up in her arms, Maya was unsure of what to do now. ¡°Oh. Your dorm is out on the main path and to the left. Find the building with your letter ¡ª Delta Major, female dorm.¡± She pulled the folder underneath the clothes and pointed it where the symbol was written, before putting it on the top of the pile in her arms. She showed her which key was for the main entrance and which was for the room, before hooking them on one of Maya¡¯s fingers, which were just under everything she was holding in her hands. ¡°The school starts tomorrow at 9 o¡¯clock.¡± Then she clapped her hands, satisfied. ¡°You are now officially a citizen of Mellgrah and resident of Amellan. Welcome! May the Light guide you.¡± Chapter 12: First Impressions By the time Maya left the building, it was pitch black outside. Her suitcase sat waiting by the exit, and she suspected it had been rummaged through. ¡®Was it like border control?¡¯ With a sigh, she wished she had someone to help her. How was she supposed to manage the suitcase with her hands already full? She glanced at Leo, who could only offer a shrug in response. ¡®Why can¡¯t ghosts carry things? It would be great if Leo could help.¡¯ As she tucked her belongings under one arm and grasped the suitcase with the other, Maya reflected on the unpleasant events of the day. After all the hype about the grand Elements being her saviour, she hadn¡¯t expected to be treated like an inconvenience. ¡®At least the office woman seemed nice.¡¯ Perhaps it was overly optimistic to expect things to proceed smoothly. Though it was a world of magic, it was also very real. The staff was busy preparing for the new school year, and the unexpected addition of a new student to the mix only added to their workload. Daria, her should-be guide, had left her. Despite being busy even before they reached Mellgrah, Daria had numerous places to visit upon arrival. It seemed unreasonable to drag Maya along, so Daria had given her a short farewell in case they didn¡¯t meet again soon. It was equally unreasonable to expect the other student to wait and introduce Maya to the place. The only thing left was for Maya to become acquainted with the place herself. She received brief directions before exiting the administrative building and stepping into this unfamiliar place alone. The streets were dark and devoid of life, as if they had never been lively before. There was no one to ask for assistance and Maya felt as though she shouldn¡¯t be out there either. This sense of unease motivated her to find her dormitory building as quickly as possible. ¡®Is it some kind of a curfew?¡¯ The town¡¯s layout wasn¡¯t built in an orderly fashion, so, although it looked picturesque, it was difficult to navigate. The only comfort she had was Leo being by her side, despite that comfort only being an illusion. There was nothing a ghost could do in the face of danger. The dorm complex was close to the administrative part she just arrived from. This part of the town was less packed and had many detached dorm houses. They had somewhat of a cottage feel. Although they had several floors Maya suspected not too many students could occupy one, so that¡¯s why there were so many, making it harder for her to orient herself. Not to mention they were marked by Greek letters Maya was unfamiliar with. Eventually, she found a building marked with her symbol. Still, she wanted to double-check. Spotting the ominous girl from earlier, smoking against the building, only increased her uneasiness. Hidden behind a high neckline, the girl¡¯s alabaster skin starkly contrasted against her dark clothing and raven hair. Maya could see that, despite still wearing parts of her training uniform¡ªhigh-waisted, wide-leg pants secured by a tight sash belt¡ªshe had a distinct fashion style. Her worn-out Docs suggested a mix of punk and goth influences with an explicit preference for the colour black. Despite priding herself on not having prejudices about people, Maya felt intimidated by this person, about whom she had been warned. Especially after the girl glanced at her as if she had just shown up to her party uninvited. As Maya fumbled to retrieve her folder, it slipped from under her arm. The folder opened, scattering papers everywhere. ¡®Oh, no.¡¯ The girl didn¡¯t seem to pay much attention to her before but now, with an annoyed click of her tongue, she realized she couldn¡¯t ignore the mess Maya had created. Embarrassed, Maya kept her head down as the girl took a final long drag from her cigarette and extinguished it on the brick wall. Then, to Maya¡¯s surprise, the girl approached the crouching Maya who was nervously gathering the scattered papers. ¡°Hi, roomie,¡± the girl put on an oddly cheery tone that didn¡¯t suit her. ¡°W¡ªwhat?¡± Maya replied, looking up at the girl in confusion as if expecting her to be speaking to someone else. Up close, Maya noticed that the girl was strikingly beautiful. She was tall and slender, with a doll-like face that seemed almost unreal. However, her appearance was contrasted by an air of disdainfulness. Despite the smile on her face, her eyes gleamed with a cold intensity that made Maya feel as if she were seen as a vermin. The girl rolled her eyes, bent down to pick up Maya¡¯s key from the ground, and presented it to her, pointing out the keychain with the room number. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. ¡®Had she noticed it from such a distance, in poor lighting?¡¯ ¡°We¡¯re roomies. C¡¯mon, pick up your shit. I¡¯ll give you a tour.¡± Maya wasn¡¯t sure whether the girl was being rude or if this was just her way of being polite. She also noted the girl¡¯s impatience when she abruptly started helping her gather her belongings, despite showing no intention of offering assistance just moments ago. It was as if she couldn¡¯t stand how long it took Maya to gather her things herself. The girl grabbed what she could ¡ª ending up with most of the papers that were collected from the ground ¡ª and continued inside, expecting Maya to follow without further prompt. ¡°I¡¯m Elena, by the way,¡± she added, as Maya struggled to manoeuvre her suitcase over the porch steps and the doorstep. ¡°Nice to meet you. I¡¯m¡ª" ¡°Maya Watergate,¡± she interrupted, waving a paper that clearly stated Maya¡¯s name, not bothering to face her. Following the gentle sway of Elena¡¯s silky hair, they entered a dormitory hall through a heavy wooden door. One side opened into a large living area, while the other led to a staircase. Maya was fascinated by the ornate doorframes of an older-era house. This was a stark contrast to her own modern, minimalist home where every element adhered to the principle of form follows function and wasn¡¯t approached with such meticulous care. She had never handled a doorknob that seemed more suited for display in a museum than for everyday use by students. ¡°The ground floor¡¯s for everyone to use,¡± Elena spoke. ¡°To the right is the common living area. Straight is the kitchen and dining area.¡± She lazily pointed her fingers in both directions and continued toward the stairs uninterested in activities that could be going on in those rooms. As they passed, Maya caught a glimpse of the common area. It was a large open space, slightly lower than the entrance lobby. In a house like this, it was likely formerly a sitting area. Flanking it were additional rooms, separated by columns and a single step. One room seemed to be the aforementioned dining room, while the opposite room appeared to be a study. There was a group of girls watching TV, with others engaged in conversation. ¡°The housekeeper¡¯s quarters are down in the basement.¡± As they ascended the grand staircase, Maya looked around curiously, while Elena moved forward unperturbed, having seen this Edwardian hallway countless times. Maya was eager to ask questions, but she restrained herself for the moment. Upon exiting a room, a girl noticed Elena and tried to get her attention. Despite surely seeing her, Elena didn¡¯t respond. ¡°Is it almost done? You sure are taking your sweet time,¡± the girl commented. ¡°You can¡¯t rush a masterpiece,¡± Elena responded with a forced smile and continued upwards, unbothered. ¡°It better be one, if it takes this long,¡± the girl retorted, annoyed. ¡°If you want a rush order it¡¯s going to cost ya¡¯ more,¡± Elena added lazily, not tending to hide it was only a way to milk more money out of her. ¡°If you keep swindling your customers, soon you won¡¯t have any!¡± she was glowering after Elena. ¡°I knew I shouldn¡¯t pay you in advance,¡± the girl grumbled to herself returning to her room. Elena and Maya didn¡¯t stop until they reached the third floor where the stairs ended. By then, Maya was out of breath. ¡®No elevator?¡¯ she thought, but she already knew the answer. This was an old house converted into a dormitory; accommodating an elevator would be too much to ask. The last floor, nested right under a steep roof, bargaining with it for usable space, was a completely different story than the previous two. It contained only two doors instead of four: one leading to a roof terrace, and the other that they were currently approaching. Here, Maya almost bumped into Elena when she abruptly stopped in front of the door. ¡°I need to ask you some questions before I let you in,¡± Elena decided. ¡°Okay,¡± Maya agreed, aware that she had little choice since Elena still held her key. Turning her full attention toward Elena for a moment, she stubbed her toe on the last stair as she was pulling on her suitcase. ¡°Ouch,¡± Maya winced in pain. Elena gave no response. Looking back up, Maya saw Elena simply watching her. From this angle, in the dim attic light, Elena appeared somewhat scary, seemingly directing a harsh glare at Maya. ¡°What is it?¡± Maya asked, feeling uneasy. ¡°I haven¡¯t decided what to do with you yet,¡± Elena replied evenly. Something about the way she said it gave Maya chills. ¡°Say¡­ are you a person of faith?¡± she asked. ¡°Huh?¡± Maya was taken aback. ¡®Was this a test?¡¯ ¡°Are you religious?¡± Elena paraphrased, but her tone didn¡¯t seem patient. Considering being in a world of witches, Maya responded carefully. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t go to church. But I guess I believe there is a God¡± ¡°A political answer,¡± Elena was amused. ¡°I¡¯ll take it you¡¯re not religious. Good.¡± Maya exhaled, relieved. ¡°Why do you ask?¡± ¡°My old roommate tried to perform an exorcism on me,¡± Elena said nonchalantly while unlocking the door. Maya felt a sudden surge of unease. ¡®Is that a normal thing for witches? Should I follow this girl into this room? Come to think of it, this floor doesn¡¯t look like it was meant for accommodating students. It was an attic, not a living space.¡¯ ¡°Wait¡­ ¡®Old¡¯ roommate?¡± Maya almost shivered, feeling slightly alarmed. ¡°What happened to her?¡± Elena opened the door, revealing deep darkness inside. ¡°Oh, nothing. I just sacrificed her to the Dark Underlord.¡± Then, like on cue, she turned back to Maya, with the widest smile and hungry eyes, gesturing for Maya to enter first. Maya could feel every hair on her body standing on end. Fear coursed through her veins, making her blood run cold. She wanted to run but her body was stuck in place. Chapter 13: A World Built By Orphans Elena burst into laughter, amused by her reaction. ¡°Relax. I¡¯m just messing with you. I couldn¡¯t miss this chance. It laid out perfectly.¡± ¡°Uh-huh,¡± Maya still couldn¡¯t gather back her ability to speak properly. ¡°Having an old roommate was true, though. It just wasn¡¯t exorcism related. She was an obnoxious piece of shit and we didn¡¯t work out,¡± she talked while entering the room and switching on the light. ¡°Welcome to The Attic.¡± ¡°Just to make sure. You didn¡¯t sacrifice her to anyone?¡± Elena chuckled. ¡°No, silly.¡± She purposely left some ambiguity in her tone, as it clearly wasn¡¯t the normal way she talked. ¡°She¡¯s insane,¡± Leo noted. Fearing he might be right, Maya ignored Leo¡¯s comment and entered the room. To her surprise, the room was huge. She imagined it was at least double the size of a standard room from previous floors. Students here live in this luxury? She didn¡¯t expect this much from a house looking this old. The loft was irregularly shaped but with symmetrically arranged mismatched furniture. One half of the room, to their right, was slightly smaller due to space stolen by the bathroom adjacent to it. It created a small niche entrance space, opening up first to the left side of the room which was incredibly messy and cluttered. There were two dormer windows on each side, protruding from a steep roof. Under one of them, closer to the entrance, on each side, was a working desk, and under the sloping part of the roof, just in between the windows, was a large wooden bed; too large for a single bed, but not quite wide enough to be a double. ¡®They must be old and custom-made craftsmanship; not in the standard sizes we have nowadays¡­¡¯ On the back of the room that ended with a gable, was a giant old wardrobe, designed to fit the slanted space. Mirrored to the other side, as well. Between them was a large window, just opposite the entrance door. Between the two wardrobes was a deep window seat accommodated with some pillows that made it a perfect spot to relax, but already claimed by Elena¡¯s clutter. The left-side wardrobe, too, was overtaken by the mess; unnerving sketches were carelessly taped on its surface, the mirror attached to one door was smudged and, alarmingly, there were knives left sticking from its wooden surface. Maya quietly gulped and let her gaze move on. The two halves of the room looked nearly identical¡­ excluding an easel and the unsightly clutter consisting of clothing articles, sketches, crumpled papers, and art supplies. Maya looked at the pens and pencils, brushes and paint tubes, canvases; empty and painted, sketchpads, and jars with different contents, imagining they were all something a well-established artist would have around. At first glance, Maya noticed the sketches and drawings ranged from impressive to deeply disturbing. Her eyes were drawn to the few detailed landscapes and anatomical studies, but quickly skimmed over those that could only be described as stuff of the nightmares. Elena¡¯s artistic flair, combined with the eclectic mix of old, mismatched furniture, lent the room a unique character. Maya felt as if she were intruding on a carefully crafted artist¡¯s sanctuary. As if aware this would be much to process, Elena didn¡¯t interrupt Maya as she stood and gawked at her surroundings. She dropped Maya¡¯s things that had ended up in her hands onto the empty bed of the clean and pristine half of the room, then tossed herself carelessly onto the mess covering her own bed while grabbing a sketchpad. ¡°You¡¯re an artist,¡± Maya finally uttered her observation, unsure herself if it was an attempt to begin a conversation. ¡°And a slob,¡± Leo interjected. ¡°You¡¯re very perceptive,¡± Elena complimented her sarcastically. But then stopped herself, like it was to remind herself not to be mean toward her new roommate and continued. ¡°Among other things. It¡¯s useful for earning a buck or two as an alternative to shitty jobs they give us.¡± Stolen story; please report. ¡°Jobs?¡± ¡°Yeah. You ain¡¯t stayn¡¯ here for free. There are no parents to finance you.¡± It reminded Maya of the harsh reality that she no longer had parents. Her distanced look was noticed by Elena. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I had lost my parents, recently.¡± ¡°Well¡­ get over yourself,¡± Elena said coldly. Maya was stumped by her harshness. It pushed her closer to tears. Did she do something to deserve such a lack of sympathy from this girl? ¡°Yes. You heard me. You are not special.¡± She was annoyed by Maya¡¯s hurt looks. ¡°Everyone here has lost someone. Either parents, siblings, Aunt Lizzy, or pet turtle. That¡¯s why we¡¯re all here.¡± Maya was stung by her brutal and unexpected reaction but realized her egocentric way of thinking. Elena was right. Daria told her everyone here was chosen by The Elements because they suffered. It was being inconsiderate. Elena has lost loved ones too. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she said sincerely. ¡°It was insensitive of me. You must¡¯ve lost parents¡ªpeople you cared about, as well.¡± To that, Elena clammed up. It was surprising how it seemed that those words somehow struck the girl and she was beginning to get angry. There she goes assuming things again. But this time Elena said it. She said everyone lost someone. ¡°Yes, Richard was such a good turtle. The way he died still haunts me,¡± she was giving out fake sobs. Maya wasn¡¯t fooled. This was a girl who would rather throw insensitive jokes than reveal any vulnerability. ¡°You must¡¯ve cared about them a lot,¡± she continued with assumptions that only irritated Elena further. She sighed in annoyance before putting on a face. ¡°Congratulations!¡± she cheered loudly. ¡°You met the anomaly of this place. I¡¯ve never lost anyone.¡± ¡°Th¡­then why are you so angry?!¡± Maya snapped. ¡®This girl¡­ She must live for conflict.¡¯ Everything Maya speaks she has to turn on its head. ¡°Oh? So even a pushover like you has its limits.¡± ¡°What is your deal? Has anything you¡¯ve said so far been the truth? Do you just enjoy pushing people around¡ª" ¡°I¡¯ve never lost anyone because I never had anyone to begin with. Leave it at that.¡± Now, when Maya was getting triggered, Elena went on the opposition and was as cool as a cucumber, as if she was stating simple facts. She gave a snide smile seeing Maya get insecure again, losing her bearings and getting an urge to apologize once again. But the smile quickly died out, and Elena turned away from her, continuing to work on her sketch. ¡®Never had anyone to begin with? What does that mean? Everyone has someone, even if it is only your parents who gave birth to you. Right? Clearly, she hasn¡¯t fallen from the sky. She came from somewhere. Children don¡¯t just come from nothing to the age of teenagerhood.¡¯ ¡°I don¡¯t understand. What happened to your parents?¡± ¡°Hell if I know. I know literally nothing about them.¡± ¡°B-but, how can that be?¡± ¡°What exactly? Having no parents? How could a whiner like you ever understand? Everything about you screams ¡®sheltered.¡¯ It''s about time someone burst your bubble, or you won¡¯t be able to survive here.¡± Elena was being mean and dismissive, but Maya couldn¡¯t help but somehow pity her. If she was telling the truth, if she never had anyone, it must¡¯ve been incredibly lonely. She couldn¡¯t imagine the loneliness of recently becoming an orphan herself, having followed her whole life. ¡°Spare me the pity and the puppy eyes. I¡¯m just saying that if you want to whine about your parents, do it somewhere else.¡± ¡°Elena, I¡¯m sorry,¡± Maya said, but Elena didn¡¯t care about her sheepish apology. They were left in an awkward silence. ¡°So, how did you end up here?¡± Maya was curious. She received a strange look. ¡°Is that a sensitive subject?¡± ¡°Not really. I ran into Daria and simply tagged along.¡± Maya didn¡¯t know what she expected to hear, but that simply couldn¡¯t be it. Remembering how she struggled to accept Daria¡¯s proposal ¡ª and possibly would never accept it if she weren¡¯t in such a heavy state of derealization ¡ª Maya would never dare to follow a stranger based on such a bogus story. ¡°There has to be more to it.¡± Elena made it sound as if she came here on a whim, simply because she had nothing better to do. If that were true then it was somehow sad in its own way. ¡®I guess I also had nothing better to do when I made my decision.¡¯ ¡°Had we enough of sob stories? You know, you don¡¯t have to stand here like you¡¯re waiting for a bus. It¡¯s your room. You can unpack or, whatever.¡± Chapter 14: True Magic Maya stood there for a couple of moments longer, wondering how was she going to get along with this girl. Elena was unpredictable and difficult to talk to. It felt as if anything Maya tried to say was the wrong thing to say. ¡°This is a pretty nice room,¡± Leo said, reminding Maya he was with her. There was nothing else left to do but to familiarize with her new living space. Maya sat on her bed to check the softness, determining it would suffice. The bed was a bit smaller than she was used to, but still plenty of space for one person. Leo lingered awkwardly as if wanting to sit somewhere. He tried to pull the chair from her dormer window desk but was unable to grasp it. He sighed and sat down on the bed beside Maya. The room had a quaint feeling. Maya quite liked it. She entered the compact bathroom on her side of the room, its size reduced by a sloping roof. A bath shower was cleverly placed under a dormer window, creating standing room. The window¡¯s translucent glass offered privacy, while the toilet and sink occupied the remaining space. After storing her toiletries in the small cabinet over the sink, she returned to the room. Now focusing on her suitcase, she smiled happily realizing a photograph of her with her parents wasn¡¯t taken away from her, but then frowned realizing her Kindle was gone. She pinned the family photo on the sloping part over her bed. After looking back at her belongings, she discovered something she hadn¡¯t put there when packing. It was a small box containing a smartphone. ¡°It¡¯s useless. There¡¯s no internet. It probably only serves as a glorified tracking device,¡± Elena commented. Then mumbled to herself while getting up. ¡°They could¡¯ve just gotten us flip phones. It would¡¯ve made no difference.¡± After a short inspection, it seemed like a normal smartphone, however, none of the familiar apps were installed. Instead, there were basic replacements. Fortunately, the function to make calls and messages was available. In Maya¡¯s phonebook were already a few entries for emergency contacts, and a camera function was still available. They have entered a different world after all. It¡¯d be strange if the same services they are used to were available. Maya wondered what other changes she would have to adapt to. ¡°You know, because they decided to cram so many of us this year, and turned this space into a room, you can be honoured to be in the only room on the entire campus that has its own mini-fridge,¡± Elena announced proudly, opening the fridge that was placed near room entrance, revealing it was only stocked with liquor. ¡°Is this like a hotel minibar? Only the drinks aren¡¯t ¡®mini¡¯¡± Le commented. ¡°I pity the person that had to carry it up those stairs.¡± ¡°You place your pity in strange places,¡± Elena said and grabbed one of the bottles, already opened, and slugged straight out of it. Maya was a bit concerned as this appeared to be a habit but decided not to comment on it. After all, it seemed like criticizing what she used the fridge for was an easy way to start an argument with Elena. Instead, Maya kept herself busy by putting her clothes in the wardrobe. With the first-hand uniform she received added the shelves still looked empty, reminding her of how hollow she felt. The side windows had a view of the rest of the campus buildings that were seemingly haphazardly arranged, and probably too close to each other. Out of the big window on the back wall, she could, just barely, make out the giant city walls that were close enough to their building to be illuminated by the light coming out of their room. Maya felt the enormous scale of them, realizing they reached just high enough to meet their window, on the third floor of the dorm. This meant they could see over the wall, out to the distance and the world beyond. However, right now, Maya could see nothing but the opaque darkness. ¡°Why does this town need such giant walls?¡± Maya asked curiously. Elena glanced up from her sketch, her gaze incredulous. Maya tensed, fearing she¡¯d angered her roommate by interrupting. Then Elena¡¯s eyes became indifferent and she shrugged.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. ¡°To protect us from monsters, of course,¡± she said in an apathetic tone. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Maya asked carefully, expecting it to be another mean joke. ¡°Vicious vampires are lurking out in the night. And who knows what else¡­ apparently,¡± Elena sounded disinterested, what didn¡¯t feel in place to what she was saying. ¡°They didn¡¯t warn you?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think I got the usual treatment, arriving this late. They seemed very busy,¡± Maya explained, still waiting for Elena to deliver her punchline. ¡°Personally, I don¡¯t think the wall¡¯s doing shit. More of an exaggerated border, a way to keep us inside and declare what¡¯s the protected zone and what isn¡¯t. The protecting part is done by watchmen of the Night Guard and Hunters. But it goes with the medieval schtick they seem so hot on,¡± she went on. ¡°But I guess, you better hope the wall works too. Because it¡¯s within jumping distance of our window, which is broken and can¡¯t be properly closed. Meaning, if the glass is somehow an obstacle for monsters, it can easily be opened from the outside.¡± Maya made an unconscious step backwards, away from the window. Elena laughed, but it didn¡¯t feel like a joke. ¡®Vampires? Monsters? Didn¡¯t they say it was a perfect utopia for witches?¡¯ ¡°She has to be lying,¡± Leo assured. ¡°There must be a different purpose for the wall.¡± ¡°Wow, you really followed them thinking this was some magical land where nothing bad happens? It¡¯s going to be so easy to mess with you if you¡¯re that gullible.¡± ¡°Daria told me this was created as a safe place. You¡¯re lying about monsters,¡± Maya argued back. Elena laughed. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re going to be so much fun to watch unravel. Vampires are real, and they¡¯re out there¡ªand who knows what else. You bought their fairy tales about a perfect world and it¡¯s no one else¡¯s fault but yours.¡± Maya¡¯s frustration grew as she faced this cynical and cavalier individual. ¡®This person is someone I have to live with from now on?¡¯ ¡°She¡¯s just being mean to you. Probably doesn¡¯t like that she no longer has this place all to herself,¡± Leo said. Maya pressed her lips together. She feared that if she didn¡¯t stand her ground now, she would forever be ridiculed by her roommate. ¡°You also bought their fairy tales, or else you wouldn¡¯t be here,¡± Maya said, hiding her trembling hands. Somehow, rebutting Elena felt terrifying. ¡°I knew it wasn¡¯t what they were selling. I just had to get away from some¡­ things¡­¡± Elena decided not to specify. ¡°That¡¯s the thing. They find you desperate enough to accept anything, even buying a one-way ticket to nowhere. They¡¯ve done it to everyone here.¡± ¡°You¡¯re saying they tricked us?¡± ¡°Obviously.¡± ¡°And what for? What do they gain from this deception?¡± ¡°Well¡­ I don¡¯t know just yet. I¡¯ve been here long enough to notice holes in their grand story. You¡¯ll notice too, if you have brain and eyes. You¡¯re quite lucky to get the introduction through me, who isn¡¯t going to sugar-coat everything like the rest would.¡± ¡°Seems to me she¡¯s bitter-coating it instead,¡± Leo added. ¡°How long have you been here?¡± ¡°I was amongst the first of new arrivals. So, the whole summer, basically,¡± Elena said nonchalantly. ¡°So you know a lot about this place?¡± ¡°Not as much as you¡¯d think, and not nearly as much as we should.¡± ¡°But you know how to use this¡­ magic?¡± Elena looked at her for a moment. ¡°Not really. They were meticulous about not exposing us to it until the school began. For everyone to have a ¡®fair start¡¯, and whatnot, no matter what time they were brought. The fancy appraisal ritual they do is the first and only magic first years were allowed to witness. All we did was exercises to get in shape.¡± ¡°So this girl also has no clue what magic looks like even though she has been here the whole summer,¡± Leo grumbled. ¡°Is this whole magic thing just a cheap trick?¡± ¡°However,¡± Elena smiled slyly, ¡°I found a way around restrictions.¡± She paused, reconsidering. ¡°Wanna see?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Maya was blithely curious. ¡°Then¡­ feast your eyes on this.¡± Elena picked up a cup with dirty paint water and placed it on the floor in the middle of the room. She waved her arm to Maya, suggesting she move away. Maya obeyed while Elena took her position distancing herself from the cup taking a lot of free space. Elena took a deep breath and corrected her posture as if she was about to take some yoga position. Then, she made some theatrical movements which Maya was unsure if they were necessary or just part of the performance, before relaxing, suggesting it was over. Maya looked confused. Nothing happened. But Elena seemed satisfied. With a movement of her chin, she gestured to Maya to go and check it out. Maya did it cautiously, half expecting Elena would scare her while she did it. Even after getting closer, still, there was no noticeable difference. It was still a cup of murky water. Then Maya picked it up and realized what was different. The water didn¡¯t swirl from her moving the cup and was extremely cold to the touch. It was frozen solid. Chapter 15: Disagreeable Roommate She looked back at Elena for confirmation that this was real. Elena was smug as if Maya¡¯s reaction was within her expectations, being proud of this moment. Besides that strange ritual, she didn¡¯t understand what was happening, this was the first time Maya witnessed, this¡­ magic. It blew her mind. ¡®To freeze water in a second without even touching it¡­ What else can magic do?¡¯ Curious about his reaction, Maya glanced at Leo. He was sitting on her bed, clearly impressed. However, she quickly averted her gaze. ¡°How did you do that?¡± ¡°Magic,¡± Elena stated the obvious with a hint of amusement. ¡°Yeah, but how did you learn how to do it?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t want to know. Besides, you¡¯re Air. It won¡¯t mean much to you even if I explained.¡± ¡®So Elena¡¯s element must be Water. With her icy personality, it does suit her.¡¯ While Maya contemplated the new possibilities that magic could bring, an awkward silence fell over them. ¡°Want some?¡± Elena, seemingly feeling the discomfort, offered her bottle to Maya. Maya shook her head. Besides the underage fact, Maya didn¡¯t drink¡ªespecially not straight hard liquor from the bottle. If it wasn¡¯t for the scent, Maya would have suspected Elena was just playing a prank with water. The idea of someone voluntarily drinking straight spirits was unthinkable to Maya, even more so for a teenager. She contemplated whether she should report it. ¡°Suit yourself,¡± Elena continued drinking. ¡°How are you going to live with this girl? She¡¯s so messy and clearly an alcoholic,¡± Leo was worried. ¡°Is everyone in this world a total basket case?¡± ¡°Um¡­ isn¡¯t it a bit late for that now? The school starts tomorrow.¡± Elena took another sip in protest. ¡°You worry about yourself.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think drinking this is good for you.¡± Elena sighed. Her gaze turned stern, a clear shift from her previously nonchalant demeanour. ¡°Listen,¡± she began, with an air of presence Maya hadn¡¯t expected. ¡°I¡¯m being nice and patient with you since I know you¡¯re new and this all must be pretty overwhelming.¡± Elena put the bottle down. ¡°¡­But we ought to set some boundaries and rules,¡± she began counting off her fingers. ¡°First, I enjoy drinking and I don¡¯t want to receive life counselling from you. Second, if you touch or try messing with my shit, I¡¯ll know.¡± She took a moment to make eye contact with Maya, her expression unyielding. ¡°We don¡¯t have to be friends, but keep in mind I can be real unpleasant. So you don¡¯t want me as your enemy.¡± Maya blinked at how quickly Elena turned serious. She was already being unpleasant, but apparently, she hadn¡¯t been trying to be just yet. ¡°You don¡¯t have to force a small talk, I am fine with silence¡± Elena continued. ¡°If you don¡¯t touch me I won¡¯t touch you, so we can live together as long as you respect those rules.¡± Taking in Elena¡¯s words, Maya asked carefully, ¡°Is drinking something you normally do?¡± Maya didn¡¯t mind her occasional drinking, but Leo seemed to be right about her roommate being an alcoholic. Elena wasn¡¯t celebrating anything, she was simply drinking, and that worried Maya. ¡°Since we¡¯re roommates, there¡¯s no point in hiding. But don¡¯t poke your nose where it doesn¡¯t belong,¡± Elena¡¯s tone turned dark. ¡°I won¡¯t hesitate to use you for target practice,¡± she added, nodding at the knives protruding from her wardrobe frame. Maya felt shivers. ¡°Okay¡­¡± Maya couldn¡¯t figure this girl out. She didn¡¯t know if she was unfriendly or just socially inept. And she knew concluding that would be rich of her. ¡°Anyway¡­ looking forward to our life together, roomie,¡± Elena smiled again as if she hadn¡¯t just threatened her life. ¡®I swear, this girl might just give me a heart attack one day.¡¯ ¡°Maya, are you okay?¡± Leo was concerned. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± she whispered under her breath. Elena was starting to look quite intoxicated so she didn¡¯t even catch her whispering to herself. And to add to the mix¡­ ¡®Is it just me¡­?¡¯Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! ¡°So, Elena, where are you from? I can¡¯t pinpoint your accent,¡± Maya asked, forcing a smile. She decided to change the subject, matching Elena¡¯s pretence of normalcy. Maya began to suspect Elena¡¯s peculiarities stemmed from cultural differences. At first, Maya¡¯s lack of sensitivity to accents had masked this. But as Elena¡¯s intoxication deepened her accent, the theory gained credence. Elena¡¯s unique pronunciations and word choices now clearly hinted at her foreign background. ¡°Oh, you noticed?¡± Elena was derisive. ¡°Seems you deserve more credit. It doesn¡¯t matter where they¡¯ve plucked you from. We are all ¡®citizens of Mellgrah¡¯ now.¡± She waved her hand dismissively. ¡°Don¡¯t concern yourself about it.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re not even going to tell me where you¡¯re from? You¡¯ve practically read my whole file, but I can¡¯t know the same about you?¡± Maya countered. ¡°Hah¡­ Persistent, aren¡¯t we? Then, I¡¯ll give you a hint and let you guess¡­ My homeland makes really good potato juice.¡± With that, she took another swig from the bottle, her fingernails tapping against the glass to create a soft melody. ¡®Potato¡­ juice¡­?¡¯ Maya was impressed by her tolerance, as it took almost a quarter of the bottle before any signs of intoxication appeared. Examining the bottle to estimate the alcohol content, she noted the unfamiliar letters and assumed the clear liquid was vodka. This gave her an idea. ¡°Russian?¡± she asked cautiously, afraid of making an assumption based on a stereotype. ¡°Just because I¡¯m drinking vodka, doesn¡¯t give you the right to assume¡­¡± Elena started, seeming upset, but couldn¡¯t maintain a straight face. ¡°You got me,¡± she admitted, smiling. ¡°Za tvoyo zdorov''ye,¡± she said, raising the bottle as if toasting, and took a large gulp, finishing the bottle. Maya shivered at the mere thought of drinking pure vodka. Her only experience with hard liquor had been a small sip of whiskey, taken in a misguided attempt to comprehend why people turn to alcohol for solace. The whiskey had scorched her throat, making it nearly impossible to swallow, and did nothing to ease her pain. ¡°But don¡¯t consider me a typical Russian. I haven¡¯t set foot in the motherland for ages.¡± ¡°Huh? You travelled?¡± ¡°You make it sound as if it was a leisurely activity,¡± Elena mumbled. ¡°Like where?¡± Sigh. ¡°Here and there. Cruising through Europe, mostly.¡± ¡°But you¡¯re an orphan, and what, like 17?¡± ¡°Yeah, probably¡­¡± ¡°Probably?!¡± It didn¡¯t feel like it was Elena¡¯s attention to admit, but it rather slipped up. Then, Maya recalled her mentioning she never had anyone to begin with. ¡®If that wasn¡¯t a lie, did she mean she was actually abandoned at an orphanage as an infant, with no trace of her family or even a way to determine her exact age? Is it possible for such things to still occur in this day and age?¡¯ ¡°So you don¡¯t even have a birthday?¡± Maya felt a bit sad for her. ¡°Of course, I have a birthday! It¡¯s just not the day I was born¡­ Ugh. It¡¯s gross talking about this.¡± Discomfort was clear on he face. ¡°How about you? Have you travelled somewhere interesting?¡± Elena redirected the conversation. ¡°No. I am familiar with many fictional places but have never left Massachusetts.¡± ¡°Really? Your parents never took you to Disneyland or something.¡± ¡°I suppose they were busy. But I never requested to go. We had a vacation home in the hills. I used to love it there, but haven¡¯t been in a long time,¡± Maya recollected the happy times she spent there. She glanced at Leo. He remembered, too. ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Not since my mom died. It was in a car crash near there, so it brought a lot of pain. And I had no one to hang out there with.¡± ¡°What, you only hanged with your mom?¡± ¡°No,¡± Maya chuckled, emptily, hiding her pain. ¡°I had a childhood friend that moved away around that time,¡± her gaze fell. ¡°I found out he died a couple of days ago.¡± ¡°That¡¯s rawgh,¡± Elena¡¯s slurring words became more noticeable. Not that she expected sympathy from Elena who already showed she had none before, so she wanted to move on from talking about something that reminded her of pain. There was one thing she still wanted to ask Elena. ¡°Can I ask you something about the Elements? The strange ritual they did. It¡¯s been on my mind ever since they introduced themselves as priestesses. Is this like a religion? Do we have some sort of special prayers?¡± Elena laughed. ¡°You got the right idea. But no. There¡¯s an entire doctrine and a set of gods and Elements aren¡¯t them. If anything they are just tools. They all do their own thing and praying to them won¡¯t change shit.¡± Elena did her best to explain, but her words began sounding more and more incoherent. ¡°...Not that it would, otherwise,¡± she added to herself. ¡°But why you¡¯d had to go and spoil my mood talking about shitty gods.¡± Elena seems to have a strained relationship with religion. ¡°It¡¯s getting late. We should get some sleep,¡± Maya suggested. Time flew while they talked and Maya suspected the rest of the house was asleep for a long time already. Elena looked at her annoyed, at first, but realized she was tired. She sighed in the acceptance of her proposal. ¡°What was the point of her getting hammered before sleep?¡± Leo complained. Maya wished she could answer him, but she was holding back, having decided she wouldn¡¯t let people know she could speak to ghosts. That could potentially creep people out more than Elena¡¯s menacing stares could. Elena stood up, taking a moment to steady herself. She cleared a space on her bed by tossing the clutter onto the floor, and then she began to undress. Maya was surprised, but didn¡¯t object. They were both girls, after all. She just looked away as Elena changed into something more sleep-friendly. However, a sudden realization hit Maya. Elena was braless, and all Leo needed to do for a glimpse was to walk there. She found herself feeling jealous, wondering if he wanted to see her. After all, the girl was built like a goddess. Despite Elena¡¯s intimidating, cold, and unpredictable demeanor, her attractiveness remained undeniable. Maya realized that living with someone so effortlessly beautiful might chip away at her already fragile self-esteem. She couldn¡¯t help but feel she¡¯d never measure up to Elena¡¯s level of allure. Elena put on an oversized men¡¯s shirt, which was both surprising and entirely expected. ¡®Of course a girl like her would have a boyfriend. She must have boys falling at her feet.¡¯ Elena retired to bed, and Maya felt a twinge of irritation at Leo¡¯s apparent fascination with her roommate. Pushing the thought aside, she headed to the bathroom to prepare for sleep. They had previously established that bathrooms were off-limits to Leo, offering Maya a moment of privacy. Chapter 16: Reality Check Maya was awakened by a bell-like ringing echoing in the distance. The sunlight was seeping through the windows on her side of the room. She felt relieved the bells woke her, realizing she forgot to set an alarm. Feeling tired, not having gotten much rest from sleeping in a new bed and the excitement and anxiety for what¡¯s to come, she first searched for Leo, but he wasn¡¯t around. She found it strange. He had been the first thing she would see when she woke up for the past two days. Perhaps, he was mad at her for ignoring him last night. She felt a panic attack was on the verge and wished she had her meds. ¡®You¡¯re going to win today,¡¯ she told herself. Not knowing what exactly she was going to win, but knowing she had to start her day optimistic. Elena slept through the bells ringing. She was sleeping prone with her face dug into the mattress. She probably pushed away her pillow in the sleep, but now was reaching for it to cover her head murmuring angrily for being woken up. In no time, Maya got dressed and ready to go. After clipping on a silver broch with intricate academy emblem she stopped, admiring the design of her new school uniform. It didn¡¯t fit quite right, but it was only a temporary solution until she got a new one made. But Elena wasn¡¯t showing any signs that she intended to get out of bed. Maya decided to wake her up gently. She didn¡¯t want Elena to miss the first day of school, and besides, she could use a guide. ¡°Wake up. The class is about to start,¡± she said softly. Elena murmured something dismissive. Maya realized she had to be more persuasive. Walking to her, looking for a way to nudge her without getting her too angry, Maya realized Elena still had a bottle clutched in her hand and reeked of alcohol. ¡®Seriously¡­¡¯ Maya tried to get it from her, but as soon as she pulled on it, Elena automatically gripped it tighter. It succeeded in getting some reaction from Elena, as she turned to give her a warning look. ¡®Don¡¯t take candy from a baby.¡¯ ¡°C¡¯mon, I need you to show me the way.¡± Elena made a sigh of surrender and rolled out of bed, sliding to the floor like a slug. ¡®It certainly was a way to get out of bed.¡¯ Then she got up and froze for a second disoriented. She wasn¡¯t just hangover, she was still drunk, Maya realized, watching as Elena began stumbling her way toward the bathroom swigging from the bottle, realizing it was empty and carelessly letting it drop to the floor. Instead of the bathroom, she ended up going to the fridge and pulling out another bottle. Immediately, Maya jumped to grab it out of her hand but was met with similar resistance as earlier. Maya was surprised at how strong Elena was for a slim girl, especially in a state like this. ¡°You can¡¯t be drunk on your first day of school,¡± Maya protested. ¡°Better drunk than hangover.¡± Knowing how to be stubborn, Maya wasn¡¯t letting go of the bottle. Elena gave her an angry look before giving up and waddling her way into the bathroom. Maya put it back in the fridge. As soon as there was a sound of water running from the shower, she heard Leo behind her and almost jumped out of her skin.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡°You do realize she¡¯s still drunk?¡± Leo said. ¡°Yeah. She drank half of that bottle all by herself. No wonder.¡± And Elena, though relatively tall for a girl, wasn¡¯t of large build, so it must¡¯ve hit her hard. ¡°Christ, Russians are insane with their drinking habits.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think she drinks that much just because she¡¯s Russian.¡± ¡°I know you¡¯ve been through some shit, but I don¡¯t see you drinking up your sorrows.¡± ¡°You know, we need to establish some kind of signal for you. My heart won¡¯t be able to survive the jump-scares.¡± ¡°Sorry. I forgot I don¡¯t make much sound.¡± ¡°Where were you?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. I wanted to give you some space.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know where¡¯d you been?¡± ¡°Just aimlessly wandering around. Only when you acknowledge me, do I feel like I¡¯m actually here.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ Sorry for ignoring you before. I don¡¯t want her to think I¡¯m a weirdo that talks to herself.¡± ¡°You¡¯re afraid she¡¯ll think you¡¯re a weirdo? Look around. She has knives stuck in the wardrobe frame. I don¡¯t know how you are going to survive being her roommate.¡± ¡°What, you think I¡¯m too sensitive to live with someone like her?¡± Maya was offended. She didn¡¯t like that he thought she was so weak and delicate. ¡°I didn¡¯t say that.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going downstairs! Meet me there?¡± she yelled to Elena in the bathroom through the door. There was no response, just a sound of water splashing. ¡°You think she¡¯s okay?¡± she whispered to Leo. ¡°You want me to check?¡± ¡°No!¡± she reacted too fast. ¡°Whatever. Let¡¯s just go,¡± she moved on realizing she overreacted. It was the first day of school. Instead of starting a junior year in high school, she was beginning as a freshman again. But, freshman of a special magic school. It was like she was living through the stories she would read. Stories on her Kindle that were taken away from her. ¡®No. Don¡¯t feel sad about it. This time you¡¯ll have friends, and your days will be filled up with activities you won¡¯t have time for reading.¡¯ She made her way downstairs. The whole dorm was buzzing with excitement as the girls were getting ready. She passed a couple of girls on her way down, but they seemed too busy with doing their own things to acknowledge her. When she got to the ground floor, bumping into some girls who were hanging at the bottom of the stairs, she was shocked at how crowded it was. Maya felt very out of place, squeezing through them to get to the kitchen and grab something to eat. Both the small breakfast room and the kitchen, adjacent to it, were crowded with girls hunting something to snack on. She didn¡¯t know where to begin and was left standing there feeling lost. ¡°Want some coffee?¡± a girl with a coffee pot offered her. She had a dark caramel skin and frosted curly hair. Through Maya¡¯s estimation, the girl looked a bit older than her. She had to speak loudly to be heard. ¡°If you manage to find yourself a clean mug, I¡¯ll pour you some,¡± the girl was clearly aware Maya was new and offered her some kindness. ¡°Thanks,¡± Maya looked around for a cup but ultimately gave up. ¡°I don¡¯t think I saw you around before. Are you new?¡± ¡°Yeah. I arrived yesterday.¡± ¡°Yesterday?! Oh, dang, this must be a total shock for you.¡± ¡°It is a bit overwhelming, I won¡¯t lie,¡± Maya was honest. ¡°I remember it being that way when I first got here¡­ I¡¯m Jenny, by the way.¡± ¡°Maya. Nice to meet you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m in room 23. You can come by whenever you want if you need help. I kind of took responsibility to be a spokesperson for Delta Major House,¡± Jenny said. ¡°Great. Thank you.¡± Jenny smiled and left. Maya managed to wrestle for a croissant, so she wouldn¡¯t have to face this adventure on an empty stomach. Waiting for Elena, hoping she¡¯ll catch her on her way out, wasn¡¯t looking so plausible after the dorm was beginning to get emptier and there was no sign of her. Maya decided to just follow the crowd to get to her destination. They are all going in the same direction, anyway. Chapter 17: It’s Haunted Upon exiting the building, Maya was surprised to see Elena leaned against the wall and smoking a cigarette. Despite being in a school uniform, Elena¡¯s cleaned-up appearance still conveyed her recalcitrant style. Her wardrobe consisted mostly of black, including an obscure band t-shirt in place of the standard white button-up shirt from their uniform. The black uniform blazer was casually tied around her waist, and her plaid, black-grey uniform skirt had been tailored into wide leg shorts that gave the appearance of a skirt. She had swapped the usual uniform shoes for Docs. She painted her lips a dark crimson colour and threw on a choker as an only effort to spruce up. More wasn¡¯t necessary; her large eyes and long eyelashes were naturally attractive. In the daylight, Maya could see that her eyes were not dark, but ocean blue. Despite her seemingly casual approach to personal style, she looked incredible. Her tall stature and slender build made almost anything look good on her. Maya noticed others also took liberties with their school uniforms, so it wasn¡¯t strictly prohibited. Although, no one had altered it to Elena¡¯s extent. Maya was paying special attention to what others were wearing since she would have to place an order for her uniform later. ¡°Took you long enough,¡± Elena muttered, extinguishing her cigarette against the wall. Her grumpy mood seemed to be her default state. ¡°I didn¡¯t see you come out.¡± ¡°How could you? Cramming with those girls is simply not worth it. Let¡¯s go,¡± she was still impatient. ¡°You were waiting for me?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that what you wanted?¡± ¡°Yes. But I thought that since you ignored me you had your own friends to go¡ª¡± ¡°I prefer being alone,¡± Elena cut her off and started walking. ¡°Meaning¡­ you don¡¯t have friends,¡± Maya concluded. This didn¡¯t come as much of a surprise. Tolerating her seemed like a demanding task for extended periods of time. Elena stopped and gave her a warning look. Maya knew it was a bit unfair to go at her like this. ¡°I don¡¯t need friends. And, frankly, I am beginning to regret waiting for you.¡± Elena started walking faster, not paying attention to whether Maya was following anymore. Their path was going slightly uphill and Maya was struggling to keep up with her long strides. ¡°Wait. I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to offend you.¡± Elena stopped. ¡®Thank Heavens,¡¯ Maya thought. Elena, however, still wasn¡¯t paying attention to Maya. Her gaze was fixed on the other side of the road as if expecting something. A male dormitory complex was situated across the road. Maya inferred this from the throngs of guys emerging from there. It seemed the accommodation was arranged gender-specifically: boys on the right side of the road and girls on the left. One particularly attractive guy, Maya noted, was heading straight towards them, a smirk playing on his lips. As he peeled away from his group, another member patted his shoulder. Elena¡¯s smile broadened as he approached, and she melted into his arms as he kissed her. Feeling awkward, Maya averted her gaze, only to notice the envious glances of other girls passing by. ¡®Was dating this guy the reason she had no friends?¡¯ ¡°Who¡¯s your friend there?¡± her boyfriend asked. ¡°My roommate,¡± Elena corrected him. ¡°Maya.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you, Maya. I¡¯m Keith,¡± he replied politely, offering her a handshake and a bright smile. The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Despite herself, Maya¡¯s heart fluttered. ¡°Nice to meet you, too,¡± Maya said as she shook his hand, careful not to stare at his dazzling appearance too openly. Keith was dazzling, indeed. Well-groomed, he wore his school uniform properly as a standard model. His handsome face was framed by dark hair, his bright green eyes captivating; making him resemble an idol. Maya was caught off guard to be conversing with someone so charming, especially through Elena. The stark contrast between the two made it impossible for Maya to pair those two off. Elena was a living mess. Maya didn¡¯t know too much about her, having met her just last night, but she was certain she wouldn¡¯t be considered of good standing. On the other hand, the guy she was dating looked like an unironic prince. The sight of them together seemed to make other girls envious. Maya began to wonder how much effort Elena put into maintaining the relationship. As they continued to walk, Maya intentionally lagged behind. She didn¡¯t want to intrude on their time together. They didn¡¯t seem to notice, but she didn¡¯t need them to. Ahead were the towering walls of a citadel. Although shorter than the city walls, they were still impressive, with massive metal gates welcoming students. This was The Amellan Academy; a city within a city. She had thought the town was the heart of this place, but she was mistaken. The true heart of Amellan was The Academy itself. Maya had never seen anything like it before. ¡°Oh, God. I¡¯m so excited,¡± said a stubby, auburn-haired girl walking next to Maya. ¡°It feels like we¡¯ve been waiting for this moment forever.¡± She spoke with a distinct foreign accent. ¡®Italian, perhaps?¡¯ Maya pondered, unsure if the girl was addressing her. ¡°I just arrived last night, but I share your anticipation.¡± ¡°Really? And you¡¯re not lost? I was so lost on my first day. It was such a shock, you know? One day you¡¯re hearing all these stories, and the next, you¡¯re living them,¡± the girl was ecstatic. Maya thought her enthusiasm was endearing. ¡°I¡¯m still disoriented, but I¡¯m trying not to show it.¡± ¡°You¡¯re doing a great job then,¡± the girl laughed. They had just entered the gates, taking in the vast, beautifully manicured courtyard. Freshly cut grass carpeted the enormous space, a grand building standing across the way. The courtyard was bordered by arcades, creating porticoes on all sides, with a fountain serving as the centrepiece. Opposite the entrance stood a large, imposing academy building that towered above the walls. Its many annexes blended an interesting mix of neo-styles with a unique flair of its own. Maya lost sight of the short girl in the crowd. She felt disoriented amidst the swarm of students who seemed to know their destination. Unsure of their year, she hesitated to follow the crowd. She regretted not catching a moment to read the file they had provided her. As she scanned the crowd for a familiar face ¡ª a short list ¡ª she noticed a few students who looked oddly out of place. Not in the way she felt herself to be. They simply stood and observed, attracting no attention. ¡®They weren¡¯t just lost, they weren¡¯t even there¡­¡¯ Maya realized, ¡®Just like Leo.¡¯ A chill ran through her veins. Was she seeing other spirits? They didn¡¯t appear translucent as one might expect of a ghost, and neither did Leo. They looked no different from the other students, except some were in pyjamas or not wearing a school uniform. However, something felt off about them. Their expressions were vacant, as if they were oblivious to their surroundings or simply indifferent. Maya¡¯s attention was drawn to one girl, slightly ahead of her. She was staring blankly into the distance. When her gaze met Maya¡¯s, she raised her eyebrows in surprise. Suddenly, someone bumped into Maya, apologized, and moved on. ¡®That¡¯s what I get for standing in people¡¯s path.''¡¯ She looked for the girl again, but she was no longer there. ¡®What am I even doing? Should I allow other spirits to know I could see them?¡¯ Reality snapped back into focus, and a feeling of hopelessness washed over her. She didn¡¯t know where to go. Just then, Leo came to her rescue. ¡°Follow me,¡± he said confidently. Following his lead, she entered the grand academy building. Its splendour, a mixture of stone, wood, and marble, was breathtaking. However, there was no time to admire the opulent entrance hall. ¡°Did you see other ghosts there?¡± she inquired quietly, no longer concerned about who might hear her. After all, no one seemed to be paying her any attention. ¡°You could see them? I didn¡¯t mention it earlier because I thought you might not be able to. But this place is packed with the dead,¡± Leo shared, a hint of concern in his tone. ¡°What do you mean packed? There were only a few of them in the courtyard.¡± ¡°Few of what? Who are you talking to?¡± Elena¡¯s voice suddenly sounded behind her. Maya stopped with her mouth agape, not knowing how to respond. How did Elena appear so abruptly without her noticing? She searched for the right words but came up empty. Elena watched her with suspicion. ¡°Girls, we don¡¯t have all day. Take your seats.¡± A woman, presumably a teacher, urged them forward, gently guiding them towards a large hall. The entrance ceremony was being held in an impressive auditorium with a sloping floor and semi-circular seating, spacious enough to accommodate five hundred students. Maya was relieved when interrupted and pretended to be busy looking for seats to avoid Elena¡¯s gaze. She scrambled to think of an explanation, berating herself for not preparing one for such situations. They ended up sitting next to each other, but fortunately, Elena didn¡¯t bring it up again. Chapter 18: A Grand Speech ¡°In the 15th century, over a hundred years after the Black Death decimated Europe, began humanity¡¯s darkest age. The Witch Trials.¡± A voice came from behind as a woman giving a lecture made her appearance. Her powerful, attention-demanding voice silenced the auditorium. The students¡¯ gazes followed her as she leisurely made her way down toward the podium while speaking. ¡°Religion has twisted superstitious people and their own ignorance in the difficult times of uncertainties sow the seed that spread like a fever and conquered Europe.¡± As the woman made her way through the rows of students, she passed near Maya who noticed she carried a smell of sweetness reminiscing of the burnt scent of lavender. ¡°Its victims are predominately innocent women and their crime ¡ª being a witch. And under the wrongful prosecution fell countless humans and witches alike. It didn¡¯t matter that true witches were unlike their twisted perverse definitions, it shackled us with fear and restricted our own nature. At those times it was easiest to blame witches for everything. The Plague, the cows not giving milk, and that cute widow next door not giving you any attention. Must be a witch if she is so able to resist your charms.¡± Surprising student laughter at her last remark roared through the auditorium, as the imposingly elegant woman gracefully arrived at the podium for everyone to gaze upon her. Appearing to be in her late thirties to early forties, she had an air of a benevolent mother figure. Her formal and professional black attire with her chestnut hair in an elaborate French twist, and the way she carried herself like a noble, evoking respect, suggested she was a person of high status. ¡°In those turbulent times, a single man seized the opportunity, ascribing himself falsified approval of the Inquisition to increase his credibility and spread misogynistic panic to rectify his own hatred for women through the work named Malleus Maleficarum. Known as the Hammer of Witches or Witch Hunter¡¯s Bible.¡± Maya listened intently to the lecture, puzzled as to why she¡¯d never encountered this information in her previous schooling. ¡°Hundreds of thousands of people were burned at stakes. Mostly women, and from them, widows who had nobody to vouch for them. It was a cruel procedure as anybody could be accused of anything and no proof was truly needed.¡± The woman paused for a moment, her eyes gently closing as if she felt the pain and desperation of those times. When she continued, her voice didn¡¯t lose its power. ¡°Simply being put on the trial would already mark the end. From there, a series of obscure and cruel tortures would force you to confess. If the confession wasn¡¯t extracted, followed death. And if you confess to whatever vile crime they put in your mouth, a most brutal punishment would ensue and, often times, an execution.¡± Maya knew the Inquisition was brutal, but these stories seemed like an exaggeration. ¡°The grass is greener in your neighbour¡¯s garden? They must be a practitioner of black magic. If your wife only gave you daughters? It must be that old hag at the edge of the village¡¯s sorcery, she had always been giving you strange looks with her lazy eye. And there were the true mages, caught in the crossfire of that madness and robbed of any sense of safety.¡±If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Her gaze swept across the auditorium, taking in the sea of attentive faces. ¡°Now, imagine being alive in those times, and imagine receiving a blessing that saves your life being seen as vile and unholy. Being chosen by the Elements would seem like a curse. Our way of life, culture and society where a woman was seen as the leading figure and powers unexplainable to man were threatened. And most importantly, we were unable to fulfil our calling in aiding humanity. Rejected and unfairly prosecuted, was there any choice but to flee?¡± It seems witches hold a strong grudge toward religions, especially Christianity. ¡®But we all came from the world without magic. There must be half a thousand students sitting here. Some had to be religious.¡¯ Maya wondered how they were facing this sudden change. ¡°Under these conditions, in the year 1514, the history split¡­ Mages have power. There was no reason why we couldn¡¯t build our own haven. Since magic was declared an abomination, we can simply take it away. And therefore, Mellgrah was created. A world of our own, where we can prosper better than humanity ever could.¡± ¡°Yet, ther¡¯s still no internet,¡± Elena shouted. This time it was a student¡¯s remark that caused a couple of laughs. The lecturer didn¡¯t seem to appreciate the interruption. ¡°What use is the knowledge if you don¡¯t put an effort into acquiring it? The Internet is a pollutant. An aspect that you miss about it, you are better off without. It seems certain individuals are not yet familiar with the concept of gratitude, but it is okay, we are all still learning. Here, there was no plague, no famine, no wars, and on top of it all, you received a gift of magic.¡± The lecturer skilfully dodged the criticism. She seemed like a strict woman but had a level of patience that comes with an experienced teacher. But the look she directed at Elena was of warning not to challenge her again as her tolerance has its limits. Staying composed in such a situation evoked reverence. ¡°And what about the ¡®monsters¡¯ behind the walls?¡± Elena refused to be put in place. The room got unsettled. Nobody liked to be reminded of danger. Elena was glaring back at the lecturer, confident, calm, but spiteful. Maya admired her bravery but thought it to be foolish. You don¡¯t want to taunt people who are in charge of your life now. Pulling on Elena¡¯s sleeve Maya made an effort to make her back down, but Elena ignored her. She seemed to enjoy infuriating the authority. Glaring back at the lecturer with spiteful glee as if she had an equally good reason to do so. ¡°As we took the condemned magic from the human world, we also took the burden of magical creatures. You can call it being a bigger person, as we have the power to defend ourselves. Something we can¡¯t say for the small-minded humans.¡± She composed herself and continued with scary calmness. ¡°You have nothing to fear as long as you respect the measures put in place to protect you. It is but a minuscule price to pay for greatness.¡± The lecturer paused, her gaze gracefully landing at the audience. Her expression softened slightly as she spoke again: ¡°Children, don¡¯t succumb to arrogance, as thus far, you don¡¯t have a full grasp of this world. We have your best interest in mind. Respect the elders and you¡¯re bound to succeed. We are a small nation, we thrive as a community. You must first learn how to crawl before you can run. I promise all you¡¯ll ever need is patience.¡± A gentle smile appeared on her face, gracing everyone with its beauty. ¡°You have all been chosen by the venerable Elements and bestowed power upon you. You are all of equal worth. This is but a start for you, and your first step for achieving greatness. With our guidance, you will become the next leaders, warriors, entrepreneurs; bright young minds who will carry our culture and society into an even brighter future. Just as you were always meant to be.¡± Something about her voice was so powerful and it filled Maya with hope. It was clear she was passionate about her role and saw potential in each and every student in this room. ¡°My name is Amanda Lefebvre, the Headmistress of the Amellan Academy as well as the town of Amellan. I am your highest authority here. Welcome to the academy.¡± Chapter 19: Paper Castles Her introduction felt as if she was stating that disrespecting her wouldn¡¯t go without consequences. ¡®The Headmistress?¡¯ As her speech ended, students began to clap and cheer. It seems she was greatly respected. She allowed a moment or two of this before she pacified the auditorium to begin explaining some smaller details and technicalities about how the classes were conducted. As she talked people carrying boxes entered the room and quietly stacked them on the podium counter. Maya listened attentively as this was her first chance to be introduced to the workings of the academy. The course was made up of two parts. The theoretical part was held in the morning in a classic form where students were divided into classes and listened to lectures in the designated classrooms. After that was an hour-long lunch break after which followed the practical part of the study. There they would be divided into smaller groups by elements and taught the practical part of manipulating the elements. Besides the main part, there were a lot of extracurricular activities and assignments to keep them busy and fill up their time. ¡°¡­All this will further be explained by your homeroom teachers. Now, please form a line so I can hand you your files containing written information you need to know.¡± As students began to form a single line, Maya wondered if anyone was going to help her distribute the files. Surely there were too many students for this not to take the whole day. Those who stood in line early now had an opportunity to chat until everyone received a file and they were dismissed from the auditorium. As usual, Maya was late to react so she only secured her spot in the latter half of the line. She had observed the Headmistress. As a student approached her she immediately started searching for the file without any difficulty as if she knew how they were organized inside out. Oftentimes, she handed them their file even before they reached the counter. ¡®Did she know each student individually? Did they all know her? If so, why did she give herself this grand introduction?¡¯ It was surprising to Maya how fast the line was moving and the room had already begun to fill up with a clamour of the students chatting. At the line, Elena was a couple of spots ahead of Maya. It was just about getting her turn and Maya perked up her ears with interest, barely able to hear. ¡°Miss Petrova. I would be more careful if I were you. Your situation was quite delicate, and I wouldn¡¯t risk getting on my bad side,¡± the Headmistress was warning her, but Maya felt as if she was putting in a lot of patience for Elena. ¡°Sorry Amanda, but Elements chose me, just as they chose everyone else,¡± Elena was sardonic. ¡°I guess they wanted somebody to defy you.¡± Maya was surprised at how disrespectfully Elena talked, even recklessly using the Headmistress¡¯s first name. It made her wonder what brazen expression Elena was making, but all she could see was Headmistress Lefebvre¡¯s scornful expression, as she moved on to the next student. ¡°Miss Hubbard¡­¡± the Headmistress said as she was handing a file to the next student. Maya was nervous. It was almost her turn. She searched the crowd for Leo but didn¡¯t find him. ¡°Mister Barton,¡± she handed a file to the boy in front of Maya. He thanked her and left. Maya smiled nervously as the Headmistress¡¯s gaze landed on her. ¡°Miss Watergate,¡± the Headmistress gave her a warm smile as if they knew each other well as she started rummaging for her file. Maya was sure she¡¯d never met this woman before. If she made an effort to familiarize herself with each of her students even before meeting them, it was deserving of even more respect.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡°Come, sit here.¡± Now, she was even more surprised as the Headmistress gestured at the chair next to her, suggesting she join. ¡°Your arrival was at the last minute. I apologize for not having completed your file just yet. Keep me company while I do it.¡± The Headmistress opened Maya¡¯s file in front of herself, then with her elegant hands picked up a pen and a file she then handed to the next student in line, who was confusingly glancing at Maya sitting there awkwardly. ¡°I believe, all this might still be a shock to you. The last student before you had at least a week to settle in. How are you adjusting?¡± she began with small-talking. Impressed with her multi-tasking abilities and her genuine concern, it took a moment for Maya to respond. ¡°Good. I think.¡± ¡°Wonderful. Can you pass me a file that says Wallace from that box, please?¡± she pointed at the box next to Maya. Though not as effortless as the Headmistress would have done it¡ªand likely slowing her efficiency¡ªMaya managed to locate the file and pass it to the next student. The simple act of being helpful lifted her spirits. ¡°Campbell¡­ ¡± The Headmistress pointed at the right box without even lifting her gaze off the paper while writing something quickly. As Maya handed the file over, the Headmistress offered the student a couple of warm words of encouragement. ¡°Now, only to assign you to a group¡­¡± she tapped her chin with her pen, thinking. Glancing at the next student, a shy-looking slim girl, the Headmistress smiled again and retrieved the file herself as it was in a box nearer to her. ¡°Miss Rivera. Just a moment please.¡± The Headmistress quickly copied something from Rivera¡¯s file into Maya¡¯s then closed them both, satisfied. ¡°Group Zeta, room 134. You two are classmates,¡± she handed them their files simultaneously. ¡°Go. Get acquainted with each other.¡± Maya and the girl walked away together, leaving the Headmistress and the podium. ¡°I¡¯m Maya,¡± she introduced herself. ¡°Stella¡­ ¡± The girl seemed awfully shy, so Maya knew she would have to take the lead. ¡°So, how long have you been here?¡± Maya started the conversation. ¡°About two weeks.¡± An awkward silence ensued. Maya¡¯s limited conversational skills were becoming evident in this situation. ¡°What¡¯s your element?¡± Maya asked curiously, grasping for a conversation topic. The girl seemed distracted. She was looking past Maya and timidly waved at someone. Maya turned to see three other girls beckoning Stella to join them. ¡°Um, sorry. Its Air. But, um¡ª¡± ¡°Where¡¯d they throw you in?¡± Elena suddenly asked, startling Maya as she playfully grabbed her shoulders from behind. ¡°Um¡­ Zeta.¡± ¡°Shit. I can¡¯t get rid of you, can I?¡± It seemed they have somehow ended up in the same class. Maya glanced at Elena, unsure if she was joking or truly displeased. Stella fidgeted uncomfortably, clearly eager to escape the conversation. Maya shot her an apologetic glance. This caught Elena¡¯s attention, who turned to Stella with a look of surprise¡ªas if the shy girl had materialized out of thin air. ¡°You Zeta, too?¡± ¡°Y-yes,¡± Stella answered timidly. Neither asked a follow-up question and Elena just seemed like she was shamelessly evaluating her. Maya was panicking, trying to quickly think of what to say but her brain refused to cooperate. ¡°Well, bye¡­¡± Elena finally said, her tone unwarrantedly dismissive. "Elena!" Maya exclaimed. ¡°What? If she wants to go, she should go. No one¡¯s gaining anything with her standing here like that.¡± Stella quickly left, embarrassed. ¡°I was trying to make a friend,¡± Maya admitted. Elena laughed. ¡°It was going so well.¡± she sarcastically wiped off a tear. ¡°Anyway, I think they¡¯ll stuff us in classrooms now, wanna play hooky and go with me to the back gardens to watch the second-year do magic?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a good idea to skip class before we ever went to a class.¡± ¡°You¡¯re such a buzz-kill. But whatever. I could use a nap. Let¡¯s go,¡± she said with fake enthusiasm and they went searching for room 134. Chapter 20: Zeta Group ¡°There you are!¡± As students were moving to their designated classrooms, the stubby girl from earlier found Maya again and rushed towards her. ¡°Sorry, I lost you down in the courtyard. I was gazing around and didn¡¯t even notice we got separated.¡± Surprised to see her again and have another chance to make a friend after it didn¡¯t go quite well with her classmate, Maya was delighted. Elena continued, uninterested. ¡°No worries. I was also distracted,¡± Maya said, glad the girl remembered talking to her. Then she glanced at the group of students that were with her. ¡°I was so excited, I forgot to ask for your name. I¡¯m Andrea.¡± With a smile, Maya introduced herself to Andrea and the group. Compared to the very sociable Andrea, the rest seemed quite the opposite. There was a strange shy duo of a plain-looking Caucasian guy named Isaac and a rather tall Asian girl referred to as Linda. They both smiled politely at Maya. And finally, there was an exceptionally pretty blond girl named Sarah who showed no interest in Maya whatsoever. ¡°I felt bad for losing you. Especially after you told me you just got here yesterday and must not yet know anyone. But what was that about in the auditorium? Do you know the Headmistress personally?¡± Andrea clasped Maya¡¯s hands. It seems Andrea was a very tactile person as well as a chatty one. ¡°Um¡­ No. It was my first time meeting her,¡± Maya gave a shy and honest answer. ¡°Andrea, I don¡¯t want to be late for our first class.¡± It was Sarah who voiced her complaint. It looked like she truly didn¡¯t want to be here. Despite her being grumpy at the moment, Sarah seemed like an otherwise confident cheerleader type. If not yet, she would become very popular at school, Maya concluded. ¡°Fine, fine,¡± Andrea said to Sarah. ¡°Which group are you in?¡± she asked Maya continuing their conversation. ¡°Zeta.¡± ¡°We¡¯re Beta. I hope I¡¯ll see you around.¡± ¡°Likewise.¡± Sarah practically dragged Andrea away before she could say anything else. Now Maya was alone in the hallway, realizing the class must have already started. She ran quickly searching for the right room and entered in a rush. Their classroom was situated in the east wing on the second floor. It was an old room, yet well-maintained. As Maya entered, the scent of aged wooden furniture enveloped her. The space exuded an old-fashioned charm, with numerous artefacts displayed in glass cabinets lining the walls. Heavy wooden desks stood in neat rows, appearing as permanent fixtures. Maya sensed this room was full of history. Searching for Elena in a sea of twenty faces that stared at her because she¡¯d just burst into the room, she found her sitting right by the door, which was at the back of the classroom. The desks were individual, so she had no choice but to search for an empty one. And just the luck, the only free seat was in the front row at the completely opposite end of the classroom. ¡®That¡¯s what you get for being late,¡¯ she thought to herself. Maya, a studious person, thought the first-row seat was an ideal place to be. It was easier to pay attention from there. However with her insecurities of having a late start, she didn¡¯t want to draw attention to herself and be noticed and picked on, so this spot didn¡¯t feel comfortable for her situation. Fortunately, the teacher wasn¡¯t there yet. There was only Leo sitting on the teacher¡¯s desk looking at her under his brow tutting at her as if he was the teacher scolding her, looking to get a laugh from Maya. ¡®Curse him. What if I¡¯d actually laughed? The whole class would think I¡¯m insane.¡¯ Just as she sat down the teacher entered from the cabinet situated behind the blackboard, almost ceremoniously, like he was peaking and waiting for the perfect moment.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Settle down,¡± he quieted the class first. ¡°I am Professor Crumpet. I¡¯ll be your homeroom teacher.¡± Prof. Crumpet was looking fairly young for a person whose hair was already partially greying out. Either he had exceptional genes that kept him looking youthful, or was unfortunate enough to already start to grey out in his twenties. He had a faded British accent and introduced himself as a history teacher. However, today as their homeroom teacher he would introduce them to the curriculum. As he named the subjects they would be learning, Maya found them quite mundane. It wasn¡¯t too different from what they would study in high school back in the old world, only a couple of odd ones that would be considered essential for new witches. Like Element Theory, History of Witchcraft instead of World History, Herbology and Magical Creatures. Luckily, it seemed it was only for the first trimester in order for them to adjust easily to their lives in Mellgrah. From the second trimester, students would start picking the subjects according to their own sensibilities. From there on, they could get introduced to subjects such as Astrology and the affect celestial bodies have on their powers, Alchemy, Latin, Comparative Symbology, Ceremonial Magic, and so on. Maya couldn¡¯t follow all those magical terms, but he got them excited for it. The relaxed manner he talked in and perhaps because he was a young teacher wishing to be closer to his students, Maya got an impression that he was very approachable. A knock on the door interrupted the class and another student, or perhaps the teacher¡¯s assistant, entered, asking for Maya Watergate. Startled by her own name unexpectedly being called, Maya sheepishly raised her hand to answer. With teacher¡¯s approval he walked toward Maya and handed her some documents, stating in low tone that they were sent by the headmaster. However, as the classroom was quiet, no doubt everyone heard it. Maya felt the stares of her classmates and heard their whispers. ¡°The headmistress again?¡± ¡°What¡¯s this girl to the headmistress?¡± ¡°Thank you, Kasper,¡± Prof. Crumpet said. ¡°Let me finish my introduction and we¡¯ll come right over.¡± *¡®*Why am I becoming associated with the headmistress? It was just some papers to complete my file.¡¯ Maya looked over the papers she received while the teacher continued speaking. She had brought the file she had received yesterday as she never found a chance to look over that as well. ¡®Would you look at that¡­¡¯ Maya discovered she would have benefited greatly if she looked at her file before and been much better prepared for today. With both files combined, she had everything she needed. There was her school schedule as well as classes and groups she was in, joined by the names of teachers, supervisors and mentors. There was also a guardian system where each student had an adult responsible for them and it was a name she recognized ¡ª Daria Zdunowski. There were also rudimental academy floor diagrams with marked all locations of interest such as classrooms, teacher cabinets, cafeteria, library, etc. It was apparent it was a huge complex and would be quite hard to find your way without these pointers. The next one was a scheme of the entire town with similar pointers. There were written guidelines and basic information for someone who has just found themselves in this new and foreign world. Everything that would be so useful to her if she¡¯d only looked in there. Being so absorbed in the new information she discovered in her file, Maya almost missed when the class started getting up to follow Prof. Crumpet outside. He was doing his best to familiarize them with the academy and it seems he was taking them to visit the Student Council. ¡°¡­Generally all student activities go through them and whatever advice you need, they are your first stop,¡± he was speaking. ¡°Of course, as your homeroom teacher, I provide any counselling you may need, and if you have difficulty you¡¯re always welcome to my office. However, students often choose to come here first if they have a problem, and if a matter is simple enough the council will handle it. You can always recognise council members by their golden academy emblem.¡± Prof. Crumpet led them inside of student council room where they were expectedly received by the members who were present inside. ¡°This young man is your year¡¯s representative,¡± the professor suggested to Kasper, the boy who dropped Maya¡¯s papers earlier. ¡°I imagine he is quite overworked today and could use more members so feel free to sign up if you believe council work is something you¡¯re interested in.¡± Kasper greeted them politely. However, it seems the attention was stolen elsewhere. Among the council members, there was a particularly handsome student. It was Keith, Elena¡¯s boyfriend. Maya overheard some of the girls from her class whispering about his looks. But then he unexpectedly smiled at Maya, no less, making Maya the target of some envious remarks. ¡®Did he just smile at me and not Elena?¡¯ Hastily looking behind herself not to be mistaken, Maya realized Elena wasn¡¯t with them at all. ¡®Where is she? Come to think of it, more students were missing from their class. Was this tour optional?¡¯ Maya wouldn¡¯t know because she wasn¡¯t listening to the teacher, too occupied with her files. ¡®So she was dating a council member. No matter how you look at her she seems to be a person to stir up trouble. How did that come to be?¡¯ Shaking off distracting thoughts, Maya decided to attentively listen to every professor¡¯s words from now on. After a short tour, they returned to the classroom. Missing students were in there waiting and they continued final introductory lessons together. Chapter 21: Lunch Break When one o¡¯clock hit, Maya knew exactly where to go. She¡¯d seen where the school lunch hall was marked on the floor plan of the building. When the professor released them, she walked to Elena, who looked like she had just woken up ¡ª which could easily be the case. ¡°Wanna go to lunch together?¡± Maya asked. Elena was still a little dazed and wiping off her drool, like she was just getting back to reality. ¡°Okay,¡± she said with a dry voice and began coughing. ¡°I think I swallowed a bug.¡± ¡°I hope you still have some room for lunch.¡± Elena looked at her, confused at first, but then narrowed her eyes and smirked. ¡°Pfft.¡± It seems Elena found her joke unexpectedly amusing and was looking at Maya like if this snarky little comment had won her approval. Since they were on a break, Maya hoped to meet the rest of her classmates, but they all just passed by them. She couldn¡¯t help but feel like she was being shunned for being the headmaster¡¯s pet. After all, it was like she had just appeared out of nowhere with no one to vouch for her and receiving special treatment from the highest authority. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s not you, it¡¯s me. Hanging around me won¡¯t get you many friends,¡± Elena said. Maya returned her gaze to Elena, not expecting her to show this level of self-awareness to admit it. ¡°Why do they all dislike you? Did you do something to them?¡± ¡°Is that really something you haven¡¯t figured out yet? I¡¯m not fun to hang out with. Anything I do offends people.¡± ¡°But they all laughed at your jokes at the hall earlier.¡± ¡°Because I¡¯m funny,¡± she said, ironically. ¡°You don¡¯t seem too bad to me,¡± Maya tried to cheer her up. ¡°That¡¯s because I haven¡¯t been a mean bitch to you, just yet.¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t?¡± Maya teased her. She was mostly mean and derisive, but Maya concluded Elena may not have amazing social skills, just like Maya herself, making her tolerant of her mistakes. They got together to the ground floor of the central part of the building where the lunch hall was. Maya was overwhelmed by the food choices. They had a variety of food from all over the world to pick from. Most of it she¡¯d never even seen before or knew what it was. Everything looked homemade and healthy, and they could eat as much as they wanted to. ¡°The choice is amazing,¡± Maya said. ¡°They¡¯re probably just showing off because it¡¯s the first day,¡± Elena mumbled. Maya was indecisive while Elena just filled her tray up with bizarre food combinations. Piling from the buffet, sweet, sour, salty; all flavours would meet on her plate. Ending up with a plateful of meat with a side dish of sliced oranges she stocked from the dessert section. At Maya¡¯s judgemental looks, she argued it could easily be considered gourmet if this was a nice restaurant. ¡®Has she ever been to a nice restaurant? I don¡¯t think their portions would seep out of the plate,¡¯ Maya thought to herself. While they were looking for a free table, Maya began to accept that they would have to join an occupied one as the hall was already crowded. It wasn¡¯t a loss as it would give Maya a chance to meet more people. However, while Elena was walking unbothered toward one table that had some free space, students sitting there suddenly looked frightened as they noticed her approaching. ¡°Here, Elena. You can have this table,¡± one of them said, almost bowing as if not wanting to disrespect her. Maya watched them in confusion as they scurried away, looking for another free table.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°Are they¡­ scared of her?¡± Leo said with a hint of worry. ¡°Maya¡­¡± Elena just sat there without saying a word or acknowledging the weirdness of the situation. Maya stood there for a second longer, bemused. ¡°What was that about?¡± ¡°No clue. I guess there¡¯s a lot of rumours circling about me,¡± Elena responded as she casually adjusted a strand of her hair that was getting in her face. ¡°But, hey, a table for ourselves,¡± she pointed at the fortunate outcome with a wide smile on her face. Maya was amazed at how unfazed she was about it. Familiar voices came from the background. ¡°Look, there¡¯s Maya. Their table¡¯s almost empty, let¡¯s sit with them.¡± Cheerful Andrea decisively walked toward them, Ignoring Sarah¡¯s protests. ¡°Hi! Can we join you?¡± Elena paused eating in surprise. To her, it was more unexpected that someone wanted to join them than students running away trembling in fear. ¡°Of course,¡± Maya smiled happy to see her. Andrea introduced both herself and the rest of the group to Elena. Witnessing the preceding scene, Maya felt it was a brave act. There was no need for Elena to reciprocate the introduction, as everyone likely knew who she was. Still, she did, albeit nonchalantly bypassing the handshake. While the rest were friendly and polite, Sarah was quietly demanding they sit somewhere else. ¡°Don¡¯t be silly,¡± Andrea cheerfully dismissed Sarah. ¡°There¡¯s plenty of room for us here.¡± They took their seats, while Sarah hesitated for a moment but ultimately gave in. Andrea initiated the small talk as they ate. Maya was surprised by Elena¡¯s pleasant responses to the questions, contrary to her expectations of dismissiveness or rudeness. However, Sarah was in a bad mood and spent the meal quietly chasing salad around her plate with a fork. From being lunch-break buddies, Maya had learned that Sarah and Isaac were from LA and Wisconsin, respectively. Andrea was the one starting and leading the conversation so it flowed quite smoothly. Even when Sarah appeared uninterested in participating, Andrea would speak on her behalf. ¡°How about you two?¡± Maya inquired about Andrea and Linda as it was clear they had foreign accents. ¡°I¡¯m from Italy. Linda is, well, from China. Who would¡¯ve guessed,¡± she joked a bit about Linda being Asian. ¡°Ha, ha. A Chinese girl from China,¡± Linda didn¡¯t seem fluent in English. Maya wasn¡¯t sure if she was making a sarcastic joke or trying to clarify that she was, in fact, from China. Although it seemed like Linda was being dragged along the ride by Andrea because she was too shy to interact with people on her own, Maya found her rather relatable. There was kindness and pure support in her eyes even though they just met. ¡°Where you from, Elena?¡± It was Linda who asked. ¡°Russia, mostly,¡± Elena was more interested in eating than their conversation. ¡°Mostly?¡± Elena didn¡¯t elaborate further. ¡°Isn¡¯t it weird that we¡¯re freshmen again? Like, were starting high school all over again,¡± Maya changed the subject before it could become awkward, having prior experience in interacting with Elena. ¡°What¡¯s a freshman?¡± Linda asked. ¡°It¡¯s a term to describe someone new. Like, a first year of high school,¡± Isaac explained. Although Isaac didn¡¯t seem too interested in any of the interactions the girls had so far ¡ª only answering when being addressed ¡ª he did seem like a perfect translator for Linda. He would quickly explain things to her when catching her having a tough time understanding as if he was very used to it. Isaac was of geeky nature, and Maya couldn¡¯t exactly say he was winning in any department such as looks or charisma ¡ª perhaps having her standards unfairly raised after first meeting people like Elena, Keith and Sarah ¡ª but he seemed like a person you could quickly get to know if you tried. ¡°This isn¡¯t high school,¡± Linda said. ¡°You¡¯re right. But what do we call it? Magic school?¡± Isaac realized. ¡°How about Elementary school?¡± Andrea suggested, giggling. ¡°Get it?¡± she got overly excited. ¡°Like, we study Elements here.¡± They chuckled at her pun. Sarah laughed a bit too hard and received some raised eyebrows, mostly from Elena. Sarah sneered at her and turned away. At this point, Maya was certain that it was Elena that Sarah had a problem with. ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± Linda admitted, causing another round of laughter. ¡°It¡¯s just a silly joke,¡± Isaac assured her. He was still amused but didn¡¯t think it necessary to explain, leaving Linda puzzled. ¡°I like you guys. Let¡¯s hang out after school! We can discuss clubs and study groups,¡± Andrea proposed. Maya was all for it, but remembered she had a prior engagement. ¡°I have to visit a tailor. This is a temporary uniform.¡± ¡°Perfect. We can go thrifting! I¡¯m excited. Let¡¯s meet downtown after our assignment!¡± ¡°Thrifting? But I need a new one. They told me to look for a tailor.¡± ¡°Oh, you misunderstood. Here, all clothes from the old world are in thrift shops, whether they¡¯re second-hand or expensive brands. The costly designer clothes are made by Mellgrah brands and sold in their own shops. I just thought you might want to buy some since you only arrived yesterday.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°Furthermore, tailors are commonplace here. They¡¯ll adjust anything for you. You can even purchase the fabric and have them make you something from scratch. You¡¯ll see. Since the influence of Vetus Orbis is limited, fashion in this world follows its own direction. We¡¯ll show you everything trendy!¡± ¡°Sounds great!¡± Chapter 22: Penthouse Treatment While everyone still had at least half of their plates full, Elena had already finished up with her meal. It was rather remarkable considering how much she stuffed her plate in the first place. Perhaps it was because she grew up as an orphan that she eats as if someone will take it away. When she lifted her eyes from the table, Maya noticed Keith sneaking up behind Elena and covering her eyes with his hands. It was rather cute, but Elena wasn¡¯t surprised in the slightest because Maya¡¯s look had already given him away. ¡°You¡¯re shit at sneaking, Keith,¡± Elena said, and he leaned over to kiss her. ¡°I could feel your dazzling aura all the way from across the room.¡± ¡°I tried my best. There¡¯s no fooling your beastly instincts.¡± ¡°Beastly, you say? Is that what you would call the one you love and adore?¡± ¡°I guess calling a kitten beastly would be an overstatement,¡± he chuckled. Seeing grumpy Elena suddenly being lovey-dovey with her boyfriend was a striking contrast. ¡°Hi, guys. Do you mind if I steal this one for a moment?¡± he asked the rest of them. ¡°You need to pay for her, first,¡± Andrea joked. ¡°She¡¯s my pimp. Better pay her up,¡± Elena laughed. ¡°How much do you ask for her?¡± Keith played along. ¡°A million dollars.¡± ¡°That¡¯s going to take me a while to count,¡± he said, smiling. ¡°You can take her for free if you promise you¡¯ll both come to my party this Saturday.¡± ¡°What kind of party?¡± Keith asked, seemingly reluctant. He must be receiving so many invitations. ¡°Just a party. To celebrate the beginning of our education at magic school. I call it: Yay, we¡¯re witches, bitches.¡± The lunch table squad laughed. ¡°You¡¯ve got yourself a deal,¡± Keith said with a grin, and they departed. ¡°Andrea,¡± Sarah said, clearly annoyed. ¡°Are you going to invite everyone under the sun?¡± ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s the point of having a party ¡ª making friends,¡± Andrea pointed out. ¡°I¡¯m already counting you, and you are going,¡± she said to Maya and smiled. ¡°But you didn¡¯t have to invite Elena,¡± Sarah persisted in her complaints. ¡°Why not? She¡¯s popular.¡± ¡°No. She¡¯s unpopular,¡± Sarah corrected her. ¡°There¡¯s a big difference.¡± Maya stared from one to another, trying to discern the source of Sarah¡¯s hostility to the idea. In the end, she asked: ¡°Why do you hate Elena so much?¡± Sarah looked at her like she just heard a cockroach speak. ¡°Sheesh¡­¡± Leo leaned back in a chair with his hands behind his head as if he were in a theatre watching a drama unfold. ¡°Maya, you couldn¡¯t have ventured into a better group.¡± ¡°Did I say something wrong?¡± Maya asked. Andrea sighed. ¡°She¡¯s just in looove with Keith.¡± ¡°ANDREA!¡± Sarah was outraged.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°What? We all are. He¡¯s the hottest guy in the school. Calm your nerves. You don¡¯t need to be so but-hurt all the time,¡± Andrea defended herself. ¡°Seriously. What¡¯s with you today?¡± ¡°How are you so sure he¡¯s the hottest? I mean, it¡¯s the first day of school,¡± Maya tried to loosen up the situation. ¡°I¡¯m sure. Look around you. There¡¯s no one as delicious as him,¡± Andrea said with a wide grin as she clasped her hands. ¡°Ugh,¡± Leo interjected. ¡°I don¡¯t see what you girls see in him. He probably spends more time in front of a mirror than any of you,¡± Isaac commented. ¡°My guy understands,¡± Leo said, attempting to pat Isaac on the shoulder. Maya was trying hard not to be distracted by Leo. ¡°I appreciate when a guy puts effort into his appearance. And Keith¡¯s posterior is quite appealing,¡± Andrea sighed dreamily and giggled. ¡°Good Lords!¡± Sarah exclaimed. Unable to bear the conversation any longer, she abruptly stood up and stormed off. People were leaving the cafeteria little by little. Soon, Isaac and Linda excused themselves and Maya was left alone with Andrea. Maya wondered if those two were an item. They seemed close. ¡°Sarah used to be Elena¡¯s roommate,¡± Andrea explained casually. ¡°That¡¯s why there¡¯s some tension between them.¡± ¡°Oh, that explains a lot,¡± Maya said, appreciating Andrea¡¯s clarification. ¡°What happened between them?¡± she asked curiously. ¡°You know,¡± Andrea talked while stuffing her mouth with desserts, ¡°it¡¯s hard to be the one who tries so hard with appearance and being liked, while living with someone like Elena¡ªwho doesn¡¯t try but still succeeds.¡± Maya could sympathize. It wasn¡¯t pleasant to admit, but Maya was envious of Elena¡¯s effortless beauty. Especially since she got to see up close how little regard she gives it. It should be noted that Sarah also looked incredible. Those two opposites, Maya would say, are the most attractive girls she met in her life. This school was full of pretty people, and those two standing out among them spoke volumes. While Sarah was a typical ¡®pretty¡¯ girl ¡ª blonde with sparkling amber eyes, slender build, conscientious about her makeup and hair not having a spec out of place ¡ª Elena looked like she stumbled into looking so great. Two vertically placed beauty marks under Elena¡¯s eye were quite memorable and a constant reminder her face needed no foundation. Sarah¡¯s face seemed to follow the formula of the golden ratio, each feature harmonizing in spotless symmetry. But Elena¡¯s face had a captivating quality despite her brilliant blue eyes almost being too big for her face. Sarah¡¯s cute white and pastel pink outfit, carefully picked to abide by academy rules, seemed like something Maya would soon see other girls imitating. And, although Elena¡¯s fashion sense wasn¡¯t for everyone, she could probably pull off even a plastic trash bag. It was a quality some people possessed, which Maya had long tried to decipher. Both invoked feelings of envy and admiration. Thinking about it left Maya with a sudden urge to readjust her wild curly hair and remembered every spot and unwanted blemish on her face. ¡®Are those two even teenagers?¡¯ Maya sighed. ¡°Elena doesn¡¯t seem to be particularly popular, and Sarah wasn¡¯t exactly going out of her way to befriend me.¡± Andrea pondered for a moment. ¡°I guess a friend of your enemy is your enemy as well¡­?¡± Maya gave her a questioning look. But it seemed Elena did cast a wide effect area for people¡¯s dislike and Maya simply got caught inside of it. ¡°I can¡¯t say with certainty what happened between them, since I arrived a little later,¡± Andrea began, ¡°but Keith seems to be at the heart of their animosity. They both had eyes for him and it led to numerous fights. I heard it got so intense that it kept the entire dorm awake at night.¡± Andrea got distracted for a moment before continuing.¡°Eventually, Sarah requested Elena to be removed from the room. They relocated Elena to a large room in the attic of Delta Major House. It¡¯s practically a penthouse. Needless to say, that probably didn¡¯t sit well with Sarah. Elena just seems to have a knack for things working out in her favour.¡± She was quick to add, ¡°Don¡¯t take this as me talking behind her back. I enjoy hanging out with her. But, she can be quite dramatic at times¡­¡± It seems Sarah won the case to kick Elena out of the room, but then Elena got rewarded in return; with both a bigger room and a boyfriend. That would be infuriating. ¡°So, Elena having a roommate before was true¡­¡± Leo said, listening to their conversation intently. ¡°Although falling out over a boy sounds boring¡­¡± ¡°¡­So, how did you end up hanging out with the lone queen Elena?¡± Andrea¡¯s question returned Maya from the plain where she began finding herself relating to Sarah a little. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m her roommate.¡± Andrea dropped the fork she was eating with, along with her jaw. ¡°NO WAY. You¡¯re living in that huge room? You got to tell me what it¡¯s like.¡± ¡°Um¡­ I don¡¯t really know what other rooms are like to compare it,¡± Maya felt useless. It was a cool room, but they all could be, as far as she knows. ¡°Oh my gosh! We absolutely have to move our party to your room!¡± Andrea exclaimed enthusiastically. ¡°Er¡­ I don¡¯t think Elena will agree to that.¡± ¡°She agreed to come. I don¡¯t see the problem,¡± Andrea said, still enthusiastic about her proposal. ¡°Then¡­ I¡¯ll try to arrange it,¡± was all Maya could respond. Chapter 23: Beware the Danger For the second part of their classes, the first-year students had gathered in the main academy courtyard. The academy complex featured several courtyards, each with a different purpose. The first was the entrance courtyard, located at the citadel gates, the academy¡¯s main entrance. It was the grandest courtyard, boasting a beautiful fountain and serving as a space for school assemblies and student breaks. The second was the main courtyard, a large grass-covered field at the heart of the academy. Enclosed on all sides by arcades and galleries, this space allowed for easy surveillance and provided direct access to changing rooms. This courtyard was primarily used for the practical classes of freshmen and occasionally served as a game tournament arena. Lastly, there were several smaller courtyards used for various purposes, some of which were off-limits and reserved for professors during their breaks. Besides these courtyards, the maze-like academy building also included exquisite back gardens with numerous pavilions and greenhouses for specialized classes. Maya had learned all this information from her files and was excited for her first magic practice class. Students were required to change into robes given to them beforehand and walk barefoot. The grass was warm from the sunlight, prompting Maya to wonder about practice sessions during cold or rainy weather. The training uniforms were similar to those she had seen students wear before. They consisted of off-white garments made from naturally processed linen, designed to fit various body types. The tops were meant to fit snugly, tightened around the waist with a band. On the other hand, the pants were loose, allowing for easy movement, but tightly secured at the waist. ¡°That reminds me of my judo uniform.¡± In the changing rooms, Maya was startled yet again. ¡°Leo!! This is the girls changing room!¡± she whisper-shouted at him ¡°Relax. I waited until you were dressed.¡± His confident remark left Maya blinking, thinking how would he even know. ¡°Anyway, that reminds me of the good old days. Did you know I was a black belt in judo?¡± ¡°Really? Then you know how to tie this sash?¡± she suggested the one she was struggling with. ¡°Um¡­ You know ghosts can¡¯t tie anything.¡± Maya could only chuckle while she was left to struggle on her own. His comment confirmed her suspicion that the outfit might be inspired by martial arts garments. However, since she wasn¡¯t versed in that field, she could only speculate. ¡®Black belt is for the highest level, right?¡¯ she thought to herself. Well, their belts didn¡¯t adhere to standard martial arts colours. Instead, they were color-coded by element. Fire was salamander orange, Water was denim blue, Air was jade green, and Earth was light yellow. As a child of Air, Maya wore a green belt, which complemented her eyes, making them seem more green than brown. As indicated by their attire, they were grouped by elements into small teams. Their supervisors briefly explained the training process and assigned them mentors. These mentors were junior-year students, each responsible for a few trainees. They were provided with plans and guidelines and left to manage independently while the supervisors observed from a distance. ¡®Hm, students teaching students¡­¡¯ The uniforms made it easy to differentiate between mentors and supervisors. While similar in style to the freshmen¡¯s attire, the third-year students acting as mentors wore cinnamon brown outfits, and the supervisors wore black with more intricate fabric details. There was a noticeable difference between the temporary uniforms worn for one year and the ones kept after graduation. Maya understood that not only were the freshmen being observed by the supervisors, but the mentors¡¯ performance in training their trainees was also being evaluated. ¡®A rather strange system¡­¡¯ It seems that students in this school have a much bigger role in educating each other and responsibility in management than Maya was used to. Proven by how student council members were revered at the same level as teachers.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. However, Maya found it suspicious that there were significantly fewer third-year students compared to first-year students. Each third-year student had multiple trainees, even after some senior students were recruited to help. *¡®*Do some third-year students have different assignments?¡¯ A dark-skinned girl in a black uniform, holding a clipboard, approached Maya and two strangers. They stood where they had previously been directed. Without looking at them, she read their names from the clipboard to confirm their presence. After each name was called, they responded, and the girl marked their attendance on the clipboard. The group was made up of three girls. Burcu, a hot-headed Turkish girl, already seemed irritated. Samiya, an Arabian girl, had an expression Maya couldn¡¯t read. ¡°Alright. Everyone¡¯s present,¡± said their mentor in the black uniform. She continued to jot down notes on the clipboard, fulfilling obligatory record-keeping tasks. Maya found herself intently studying the double sash the girl wore. She sported both an orange and a green sash, each neatly wrapped around her waist. It wouldn¡¯t make sense she would just grab whatever was at hand, but it wasn¡¯t impossible if one was worn out and she used an extra one to reinforce them. Maya tried hard to construct an explanation in her head. However, this theory didn¡¯t explain two elemental pendants, or tassels. These served as an identification badge, a detail Maya had noted was common amongst all senior mages. ¡°My name is Tanya. I will be your mentor,¡± she introduced herself while filling up the paperwork. After she quickly finished up with it, she finally looked at them. Her gaze stopped at Maya, and she quickly glanced back at the clipboard, as if she wanted a confirmation for not mistaking her for someone else. ¡°Maya, right? Where are you from?¡± ¡°Massachusetts,¡± Maya answered. ¡°Oh, never mind,¡± she dismissed her earlier thought. ¡°I thought I might have seen you somewhere before, but your name doesn¡¯t ring a bell. I suppose you have one of those faces¡­¡± ¡°A basic white bitch face?¡± Burcu interjected, earning a puzzled look from Tanya. Maya could imagine Tanya mentally noting Burcu as ¡®that¡¯ person. ¡®That¡¯ implying someone who might be challenging to work with. Tanya explained the arrangement: third-year students mentor freshmen. However, due to a shortage of third-year students, she and a few other senior students stepped in as mentors. As a fourth-year student, she wore a black uniform, distinguishing her from the third years. This explanation piqued Maya¡¯s interest in why the seniors needed to intervene. Before Maya could come to a conclusion, they moved on to that day¡¯s lesson. ¡°Let¡¯s begin with some basic moves,¡± Tanya suggested before demonstrating a simple move that included waving arms side to side, elegant and graceful. The girls repeated and they all kept repeating it until everyone got it right. ¡°Great. Now include your torso. Move your body with you. Imagine you¡¯re moving the air in front of you. But keep your feet grounded for now. You don¡¯t want to allow the air to take control of you. You need to control it.¡± They would amplify their moves and keep repeating until everyone succeeds. Or at least that was the formula. ¡°Alright, girls. You''re doing great. Now keep repeating it until you make the air move. I need to check on those girls. I¡¯ll be right back.¡± Girls exchanged confused looks. The other group of girls have orange waistbands, meaning they¡¯re Children of Fire. They quickly quit repeating the moves as they feel silly doing it. Maya continued, determined to succeed. ¡°Why¡¯s she teaching fire-benders? Did she confuse us with another group?¡± Burcu complained. ¡°I think she¡¯s bipartite,¡± Samiya said. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Maya was confused. ¡°It means she''s chosen by two elements, and has bipartite affinity,¡± Samiya explained. ¡°And that means she has to teach two groups? No one else has to teach two groups,¡± Burcu continued complaining. Tanya returned. ¡°Sorry, girls. Their mentor¡¯s sick today. I promise I will devote all my attention when she gets better. But why have you stopped practicing?¡± ¡°It¡¯s stupid. Nothing¡¯s happening,¡± Burcu grumbled. ¡°Nothing will happen if you just stand still. Typically, it takes about a week to succeed at any magic. Sometimes even longer. I know it¡¯s frustrating, but you need to be persistent to achieve your Awakening before the Initiation Ritual in two weeks.¡± ¡°What¡¯s an Initiation Ritual?¡± Maya asked. She was overwhelmed by all the new information. As everyone turned to look at her, she realized it was something she was supposed to already know. ¡°Sorry. I just arrived yesterday. I¡¯m not up to speed with everything yet.¡± ¡°Yesterday?! And they just threw you in like that,¡± Tanya became suddenly frustrated. ¡°Sorry,¡± she calmed down to explain it to Maya. ¡°If you hadn¡¯t had your first instance of using magic by then, you¡¯d be sent to the Slums. But it¡¯s otherwise just a cute ceremony.¡± ¡°Slums!?¡± ¡°We call it that. It is a town named Holoton, where they send failed mages. It offers education for those at the bottom of the food chain whose greatest achievement will be to clean the floors of Elador.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Maya could feel the pressure now. ¡°So, you girls need to work hard. And no slacking. Your failure is my failure, and I would like very much to be offered a job here next year.¡± Chapter 24: Numbers Don’t Add Up Tanya demonstrated more advanced moves involving the entire body and jumps to maintain their interest. Meanwhile, Maya noticed that other groups were losing their enthusiasm and were discouraged by their lack of progress. No one had achieved anything yet, nor did they know what success was supposed to look like. Eventually, a group of sophomores arrived on the field in unique uniforms, drawing everyone¡¯s attention. They occupied the central part of the courtyard, which was set up for a sports game. ¡°Alright, girls. You can take a break now to watch the game,¡± Tanya announced. First-year students sat on the grass to watch the game. The players were in position and Maya watched with curiosity. The field was marked with metal hoops on poles at each end, and large water basins were arranged around the perimeter. ¡°It¡¯s Tachde-tu,¡± someone said, identifying the game. Each team had eight students, two bearing each elemental sash. The team captains already held a ball each. The balls were small enough to fit in one hand, yet appeared hard and rigid. One was light, the other dark in colour. The game seemed to be a modified form of handball played with two balls on the field. Maya wondered if elemental powers would be used. The referee blew a whistle and all hell broke loose as the game started. The game indeed included elemental manipulation, which amazed the first-year students. For the first time in their lives, they were seeing elements fly through the air, disobeying laws of physics they were familiar with. They watched in awe. The game itself was brutal. It required a lot of attention, skill, agility and luck. After the initial shock and confusion, Maya began to glean into the game rules by observing. The game''s principle was simple on the surface: to throw the ball through the enemy team¡¯s hoop to score a point. However, the addition of two balls added complexity. One ball represented a point for the team, while the other was a negative point for the opposing team. Scoring was achieved with the light-coloured ball, but teams needed to be vigilant. The opposing team could simultaneously deduct that very point by scoring with the dark-coloured ball. To win the game, a team needed to accumulate a certain amount of points. However, given the possibility of subtracting points, the game could extend indefinitely. A certain differential in points was required to mark victory. Roles in the game were determined by elemental affinity. The Fire element was mainly used for propulsion to accelerate the ball, designating those players as attackers. Earth was used to set up the field, such as providing a ramp for the attacker and making it harder for the opposing team to intervene, making these players assistants. Air and water were used for defence and support. Air players could act as attackers as they could also propel the ball and keep opponents on their toes with feints. Water appeared most valuable in defence. It could interrupt the ball¡¯s trajectory and ¡®catch it¡¯, which was much harder to achieve with the other elements. The key to the game was teamwork. It was a dangerous game, with risks of serious injuries and burns. Only the best could keep up with the pace and chaos. You had to be vigilant of various hazards while assisting your team, and also keep track of two balls. As Maya watched, her awe grew. The more she understood the game, the more she became convinced that she wouldn¡¯t survive five seconds on the field. Keith played for one of the teams as Water. He was a skilled mage, which gave Maya the impression that being part of the team for this dangerous game was a highly regarded achievement. The team members were certainly proud and honoured to demonstrate what ¡®bending¡¯ truly is to the newcomers. Whenever Keith scored a point, crowds of girls cheered and called his name, and his team patted him on the back. Maya soon recognized Keith¡¯s popularity. He was not only the most attractive guy around, but also a member of the student council and a bender skilled enough to be on this game¡¯s team. No wonder he was respected and well-known by everyone. ¡®It seems even defence can score.¡¯Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. As Keith was being celebrated, he smiled at Elena, who was seated in the section of the courtyard designated for Water freshmen. She wasn¡¯t making a fool of herself cheering desperately for his attention, but simply offered a coy smile when he looked her way. She gave out a radiance of reserved allure. It struck Maya once again that this misfit girl was dating the most popular guy in the school. Maya was left wondering if they would ever look cool as the players here. Using magic was truly something that looked incredible. While Maya quietly marvelled at the game, Tanya sat on the ground next to her. ¡°How are you holding up?¡± she asked with a hint of concern. ¡°I¡¯m adjusting. I still can¡¯t believe something like this could be real, and I¡¯m looking at it.¡± ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s pretty cool. Feels amazing when you¡¯re the one actually doing it.¡± Tanya¡¯s statement led Maya to question if Tanya was also a player. This thought evolved into a consideration of whether it would be considered cheating, given that she was bipartite. Overall, Tanya joining her seemed opportune, so Maya decided to seize this chance to ask what was on her mind. ¡°I probably should know this already,¡± she began. ¡°But why are there fewer third-year students than us, freshman? Don¡¯t they recruit the same number of students every year?¡± Tanya quietly looked at the ground. She lingered for a moment and then said: ¡°Over the past few years, the vampire attacks have gotten more frequent and ferocious¡­¡± Then, she suddenly looked at Maya putting a hand over her mouth. ¡°Oh, gods. Have they even told you about vampires?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard about them¡­¡± ¡®At least Tanya showed a normal level of consideration compared to Elena.¡¯ ¡°But no one had informed you properly?¡± She seems to have gotten the answer from Maya¡¯s look. ¡°Ugh... Their unwariness is getting on my nerves. It¡¯s frustrating how they hold off information from the students at times.¡± ¡°What did you mean attacks? I thought we were safe within the walls.¡± Tanya looked at her with a hint of regret. ¡°Sometimes they attack in large groups and guards aren¡¯t able to fend them off.¡±She shifted slightly and looked at Maya intensely. ¡°Listen up. You need to know this¡­¡± Tanya grabbed Maya¡¯s hand. ¡°¡­The bells. If you hear bells ringing during the night, run here. Within the Academy gates is the safest place. Anywhere else you have no one to protect you. They are fast and they are strong¡ªferocious fiends. You can¡¯t hope to fight them. Your best chance is to run and run where everyone else¡¯s running. If you stray alone, you¡¯re an easy target. Guards will group to the Main path, so that¡¯s the safest route.¡± Maya¡¯s eyes widened, her pupils trembled. The sudden warning felt like a slap across the face. ¡°Does it happen often?¡± ¡°The attacks are supposed to be extremely rare. However, when I was a freshman, they occurred three times in a year. They claim that such a frequency of attacks had never happened before. Now, only about half of my generation remains, with nearly a third vanishing within the first year.¡± ¡°A third?! What happens to them? Do they eat them?¡± ¡°Feed on them? Sure. Also kidnap, kill and turn them. Whatever they feel like.¡± Tanya gives Maya an apologetic look. She felt someone had to break the severity of the situation to her. ¡°Even outside the attacks, disappearances aren¡¯t too uncommon. I said today that I am replacing a sick girl for another team, but the truth is¡­ she¡¯s missing. We can speculate, but it¡¯s most likely she was taken by vamps.¡± Maya turned pale. ¡°¡­After us, they recruited more and more,¡± Tanya continued. ¡°I think this year has seen the highest number of new students in the Academy¡¯s history. They were even accepting students a day before classes started,¡± she said, gesturing towards Maya as living proof. ¡°The issue is that there aren¡¯t enough juniors to train everyone. Typically, the senior students have completed all their classes and are permitted to explore the world. It¡¯s a transition year where we find our own path and prepare to sustain ourselves before our guardians¡¯ financial support is cut off. I¡¯m fortunate that they still need me here.¡± Not only did she learn that vampires prey on students, but also that in just three short years she would basically be left to fend for herself in this world. Maya¡¯s anxiety-prone brain has received a detrimental shock. ¡°This all sounds terrifying,¡± Maya admitted. Tanya felt bad for scaring her like this. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Living here and having magic is a dream come true. Things are not that bleak. Just don¡¯t mind me, I was unlucky and am scarred by the circumstances. I don¡¯t want you to think that this is usual.¡± ¡°I¡¯m, so sorry.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. You seem like a nice girl. As your mentor, I will try to prepare you to the best of my abilities. If you ever feel like in danger, even outside school, feel free to come to me.¡± Chapter 25: Existential Crisis Instead of being filled with wonder and delight from witnessing magic in its full scope for the first time, Maya was filled with anxiety about information she had just learned from Tanya. As the classes were over, and she was leaving the academy grounds just like the rest of the students, right outside the gates, Maya was digging through her file for Daria¡¯s address. Frustrated and terrified by the new-realized dangers, all the papers slipped out of her hands. Being rather unsuccessful in catching them before the wind carried them away, Maya almost stumbled and fell. Some of them got away and she just gave up and sat down on the warm pavement, trying to calm herself down. Throughout the day, the danger hinted on, really began to sink in. This was the place she was stuck in. And, besides everyone already having been through hard times and trying to turn a new leaf, death and danger could be more commonly placed reality than she was ready to face. ¡°You really like tossing those papers around,¡± Elena arrived from behind, with a couple of papers in her hand, that flew in that direction. ¡°Almost as much as you like appearing out of nowhere.¡± ¡®Seriously. She almost got Leo run for his money*.¡¯* ¡°I just like arriving last. What''s got you so on edge?¡± Elena collected a couple more of the papers nearby, solely so she could glance at them while sitting next to Maya on the pavement in silence. Maya didn''t answer. She needed a bit of quiet to collect her mind. It took every speck of her energy to keep calm without her meds. They were watching people leave the Academy. They would give them confused looks for sitting on the ground but the way Elena looked back at them made them wary of approaching to check if they were alright. Soon there was no one passing anymore. But one girl was standing in the distance, watching them. Maya couldn¡¯t see her clearly, as she was far and the sun was shining from that direction. A distinct shadow cast from her on the pavement should be fairly distinguishable. But there was no shadow. Maya touched her necklace, which usually worked to make Leo return to her from wherever he was. ¡°Are you okay?¡± There he goes again, asking questions when she is unable to answer. His appearance confirmed it¡ªno shadow was cast from him either. After Maya gazed at her again, the girl in the distance, somewhat glitched and her head got bent down in the unusual position. Leo¡¯s gaze followed the direction Maya was looking at. There was no longer anything there. She had faded away in the sunlight. That jerking motion, a glitch, terrified Maya. She looked at Elena to see her looking at the ground, playing with her keys. Elena noticed her gaze. ¡°You better, now?¡± ¡°Maybe. Thank you.¡± She appreciated Elena sitting with her in the quiet like this. She didn¡¯t expect it from the girl who showed nothing but being insensitive to others. Elena gave her a meek smile that quickly faded away, as if there was something else on her mind. ¡°Where¡¯s Keith?¡± Maya asked. ¡°Working.¡± ¡°Already? The first day?¡± ¡°He¡¯s a second-year. This is nothing new for him.¡± ¡°Oh. Are you guys getting along?¡± Maya felt something was bothering Elena. The last time she interacted with her she left the lunchroom with Keith. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t we?¡± Elena was confused by Maya¡¯s assumption. ¡°I just thought¡­ I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m trying to make conversation.¡± ¡°You need to work on that,¡± Elena narrowed her eyes. Maya felt this short moment of appreciation had faded. Elena was back to being mean. ¡°So, why are we sitting on the pavement?¡± Elena asked. Maya chuckled inwardly at Elena¡¯s ¡®act first ask questions later¡¯ demeanour that led her to casually sit on the ground following after Maya.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. ¡°I need to talk to my guardian. I¡¯m not sure I belong here,¡± Maya admitted. ¡°You can¡¯t just go back.¡± ¡°You were right. They did trick us into coming here. If I knew the dangers I would¡¯ve never come.¡± ¡°What dangers? Vampires?¡± ¡°They killed half of the senior year.¡± ¡°So there¡¯s danger¡­ Like there¡¯s none of that back in the old world,¡± Elena pointed out. ¡°There are sharks, meteorites and random serial killers. Nowhere is truly safe. Do you know how people protect themselves from the uncertainty of their fate?¡± ¡°How?¡± ¡°They tell themselves: ¡®Not gonna happen to me¡¯.¡± ¡°Real comforting.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing to worry about. You¡¯re far more likely to get killed by a seagull, or a mosquito.¡± ¡°A seagull?¡± It felt to Maya like Elena was just spouting made-up facts. ¡°Yeah. What do you know? Maybe there¡¯s a vampire seagull.¡± ¡°Are you drunk again?¡± ¡°Oh, please,¡± Elena shook her thermos bottle. ¡°I¡¯m always drunk.¡± Maya¡¯s eyes widened as she realized what must be the contents of it. ¡°Havens, you¡¯re unbelievable.¡± Maya got up, frustrated. ¡°C¡¯mon. It¡¯s just life. We¡¯ll all die at some point. The sooner you accept that the sooner you get over it. Here you get vampires instead of seagulls. The odds stay the same. You shouldn¡¯t be afraid of making your death spectacular. You only get to do it once.¡± ¡°Like you¡¯re making yours? There¡¯s nothing spectacular about liver failure.¡± ¡°Pfft. Like I¡¯m going to live that long. Do you know how long does it take for liver disease to manifest? I¡¯ll sooner be killed by a vampire seagull.¡± ¡°How can you joke about this like that!?¡± ¡°Dying is something I¡¯ve come to terms with. When you accept your mortality, it¡¯s easy to joke about.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you a bit too young to accept your mortality?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not an idiot, Maya. I know that what I¡¯m doing isn¡¯t exactly contributing to my longevity.¡± ¡°Why do you do it then?¡± ¡°Because I won¡¯t live long enough for it to catch up to me.¡± Suddenly, Maya was horrified by a realization. ¡°Are you dying?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t we all? Just at a different pace,¡± Elena chuckled to herself. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Maya was solemn. ¡°I didn¡¯t know. But I still think you shouldn¡¯t be doing this to your body. You should cherish it for as long as you have.¡± ¡°Pfft!¡± Elena burst into laughter. ¡°You¡¯re making me into some sort of a terminal patient.¡± ¡°Are you not?¡± Maya was confused. Elena¡¯s previous words were certainly misleading. ¡°I¡¯m as healthy as one could be,¡± Elena smiled brightly. ¡°So you just have an awfully pessimistic outlook on life that leads you to be so carefree. What a terrible oxymoron.¡± ¡°You think you live in a world where things make sense?¡± Elena was amused. A silence fell on them. Maya couldn¡¯t get Elena¡¯s strangeness out of her mind. ¡°You really believe that?¡± She returned to what they were talking about. ¡°That you won¡¯t live long.¡± ¡°Some people just aren''t made to grow old,¡± Elena replied simply. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you have been through in life, but that¡¯s a really messed up way of thinking.¡± ¡°You know, what¡¯s messed up? When you die, you¡¯ll probably shit yourself, and somebody¡¯s gonna have to clean it up. And there¡¯s nothing you can do about it. Cause you¡¯re already dead. Ha, ha.¡± ¡°You, also, need to work on your people skills,¡± Maya was disgusted. ¡°My people skills are great.¡± Maya realized winning an argument against Elena was impossible. ¡°Do you know your way around the town? I¡­ I really need to see my guardian,¡± she said changing the subject. ¡°Who¡¯s your guardian?¡± ¡°Daria Zdunowski.¡± ¡°Huh? How can she be a guardian? Whatever. I love my little visits to Daria,¡± she made a sly smile. ¡°But catching her is like catching a tooth fairy. The best bet you have is to try her office.¡± They returned to the Academy and went to the faculty hall in the eastern wing. Elena seemed to know her way around there. On her way, they passed one girl standing at the side of the corridor. The girl was standing still, like a piece of furniture, staring blankly forward. Maya avoided looking at her, knowing she was a ghost. It was still an unnerving fact to find out that Leo wasn¡¯t the only ghost she could see. They got stopped by a guard. ¡°What are you girls doing here? School time is over.¡± ¡°We¡¯re looking for Daria. She¡¯s her guardian,¡± Elena said. The guard was kind enough to check if Daria was in her office. ¡°Sorry, girls. You¡¯re not in luck today.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s looking for Daria?¡± The Headmistress emerged from the door next to Daria¡¯s supposed office. It was the biggest door at the end of the hallway. ¡°Miss Watergate,¡± she smiled. ¡°I¡¯ve been meaning to summon you. You can come in. I can step in for Daria for now¡­ And Miss Petrova, I highly doubt that you have an urgent matter for Daria. She doesn¡¯t have time for your games, nor do I. You should turn to your guardian.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I wasn¡¯t planning on seeing your face, anyway,¡± Elena said and promptly left. Chapter 26: Perhaps I Overreacted The Headmistress¡¯s office was a grand testament to a bygone era. High ceilings crowned with ornate plasterwork gave way to walls lined with towering bookshelves, their dark mahogany wood glowing in the soft light. It was a large and comfortable room, lined with file cabinets, and precious artefacts. The well-maintained, ornately carved furniture added to its charm. Through a separate door, Maya could glean there was also a private library adjacent to the office, stacked to the brim with bookshelves as if walls were made out of them. It was a peaceful little corner where the Headmistress could seek shelter and relax during her workload. The air carried the subtle, comforting scent of polished wood mingled with old paper that stimulated Maya¡¯s senses. Despite its size and the numerous objects, the space was surprisingly dust-free. Maya wondered if someone could live here indefinitely without ever feeling bored. ¡°Do you enjoy books?¡± the Headmistress noticed her interest. ¡°Yes. I had a large collection of books on my Kindle, but I¡¯ve never seen this many physical books, especially ones this old.¡± ¡°Have you never been to a public library?¡± the Headmistress chuckled. ¡°I had the entire collection available in my hand. I guess I never thought of visiting the actual place.¡± Maya felt a little embarrassed, realizing the absurdity of it. ¡°If you¡¯re impressed with my humble private collection, then you¡¯re going to love our vast triple-decker student library on the Academy premises. It¡¯s straight from the main entrance. It truly is magnificent. However, I assume books aren¡¯t what you wanted to talk about.¡± ¡°Yeah¡ª Yes¡­¡± Maya paused, thinking it would be best if she said it honestly. ¡°I don¡¯t think this place is for me.¡± The Headmistress¡¯s wistful expression somehow saddened Maya, as if she had just hurt a kind-hearted woman who only wished her the best. ¡°I am sorry you feel that way.¡± Maya couldn¡¯t meet her gaze and was left standing staring at her nervously interlocked fingers. ¡°It truly is unfortunate. I wonder what changed your opinion since I last met with you¡­ However, you do understand that it is impossible to leave? Were you not properly informed beforehand?¡± ¡°I¡­I knew that¡­¡± ¡°I assure you, Elements chose you for a reason.¡± ¡°Maybe they made a mistake. This doesn¡¯t feel like it was meant for me. I haven¡¯t left my house for years and all of this is too much.¡± ¡°Sweetheart, that is the exact reason they chose you. A second chance,¡± Headmistress said with a wistful smile.Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°But I was never told of vampires¡­¡± Maya¡¯s voice trembled. ¡°I apologize. It must¡¯ve been an oversight on Daria¡¯s side. However, if that is what worries you, I assure you, you are safe here. This place is not as bleak and frightening as you may have imagined. Within the perimeters of the walls is the safe zone.¡± ¡°They can just climb it. Right?¡± ¡°Rest assured, there are rigorous measures taken, and you are in no danger as long as you respect the curfew,¡± Headmistress began, her voice steady and reassuring. ¡°I have talked about it in class today: vampires are here because humans are defenceless against them. We, on the other hand, are very capable of protecting ourselves.¡± She leaned forward, looking at Maya intently. ¡°And very soon you will be too. Until then, the walls and guards are here to protect you,¡± She leaned back, folding her arms across her chest, ¡°Attacks are a rarity, and the ones that do happen are because students don¡¯t follow the rules that are here to protect them. It¡¯s all adequately explained in the files I provided.¡± ¡°But Tanya¡ª¡± Maya quickly paused, reconsidering. ¡°My mentor said her generation was ravaged by vampires. If there are far fewer third-year students than first-year ones, it can¡¯t be that rare.¡± Headmistress sighed softly. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t listen to rumours,¡± there was a hint of concealed anger in her voice. ¡°There are all kinds of them spreading around here,¡± she composed herself. ¡°The reason there are more new recruiters is because we simply recruited more this year. Given our stability over the past few years, we felt comfortable accommodating more of the chosen individuals. With more resources than ever, it would be selfish not to provide these chances for a better life,¡± the Headmistress stated simple facts. ¡°And as for Miss Sherman¡¯s generation,¡± she continued with a poised expression. ¡°We simply weren¡¯t in luck. It was a human variable that was at fault. And, perhaps myself, for not finding a solution fast enough.¡± Maya listened attentively. She could feel the Headmistress¡¯s regret for the loss of life. ¡°Let me explain,¡± she continued. ¡°A few individuals spread panic and disinformation, fostering distrust. They attracted a considerable following, and in their paranoia, they violated protective rules and met unfortunate ends. Despite my best efforts to reassure them of their safety here, my influence was limited. If they chose to flee, we couldn¡¯t offer much assistance. My priority had to be the safety of those within these walls. Students here are not imprisoned. You¡¯re free to leave, but until you¡¯re ready, there¡¯s little outside to appeal to you. After three years of education, we¡¯re confident in your ability to fend for yourself. We only have students¡¯ best interests at heart, striving to mould you into well-rounded individuals. That¡¯s our aim. Unfortunately, Miss Sherman, though an extraordinary mage, succumbed to the pervasive unrest. I had hoped she had mellowed over the years, but if she frightened a new student, I must have been mistaken.¡± ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t believe Tanya had any ill intent,¡± Maya said, suddenly feeling frightened that she might have put another student in a tough spot. Remembering Tanya¡¯s hope for a position in this academy, Maya regretted that she might have jeopardized it. ¡°I am quite familiar with Miss Sherman¡¯s character. It may be understandable that she can¡¯t view the situation objectively, so I would suggest taking her words with a grain of salt. After all, misinformation was the root of many problems a few years ago.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± Maya nodded, glad that she understood Tanya a little better. The Headmistress smiled to ease the tension. ¡°You are safe,¡± she continued and squeezed Maya¡¯s hand across the desk to provide comfort. ¡°You have magic and a new family to take care of you. And if anything is bothering you, you can come to me, whenever you feel the need.¡± Chapter 27: Precious Commodity ¡°I am sorry for wasting your time, Mrs. Lefebvre. I guess, I am just overwhelmed with a lot of new information,¡± Maya was convinced and felt bad for even having a problem about this. ¡°I assure you, there¡¯s no need to apologize. Your concerns are perfectly valid and understandable,¡± the Headmistress said soothingly. ¡°I apologize for your receival being so rushed and insufficient. You had to absorb everything faster than everyone else. It¡¯s normal to feel a bit overwhelmed. I regret not having the time to explain everything to you properly from the outset. But I¡¯m glad we gave you an opportunity as I can see you¡¯re a bright young woman. You¡¯ll find your footing here in no time.¡± As the Headmistress smiled kindly, Maya truly appreciated her words. How many people had such faith in her? ¡°Here,¡± she said, reaching out to take Maya¡¯s phone that had been nervously clutched in her hand, resting on the imposing office desk. Swiftly, she typed in her number. ¡°It is my contact. You can call me at any time. You needn¡¯t restrain yourself.¡± Maya nodded, feeling rather burdened that the Headmaster herself would give her her own private number and permission to call her at her leisure. ¡®Does she do that for all students?¡¯ ¡°Now, there is another matter I wanted to discuss with you.¡± Still staring at her hands, Maya was a little surprised. It was she who sought out the Headmistress, not the other way around. ¡°I haven¡¯t gotten a chance to assign you a guardian yet,¡± Headmistress began. ¡°As a person responsible for bringing you into this world Daria¡¯s name is there by default. Assigning a guardian is a sensitive matter and I cannot approve it without their consent. And since you arrived so late, regrettably, I have no one prepared for you in advance.¡± Maya took a deep breath and continued listening. ¡°However, I¡¯ve been thinking,¡± the Headmistress elegantly connected her fingertips before laying out her preposition. ¡°I haven¡¯t assigned a ward to myself for years now due to my overflowing schedule, but it is too valuable of an experience to miss out if it is just a single ward. What do you say?¡± ¡®The Headmistress as my guardian?!¡¯ ¡°Of course,¡± the Headmistress continued, ¡°As my substitute and vice-headmaster, Daria sometimes takes over my duties. You could view this as joint guardianship. Having someone provide a student¡¯s perspective on attending my academy would be immensely beneficial to me. Rest assured, I would fulfill all my guardian duties adequately.¡± ¡°I am really honoured, but I don¡¯t want to be a bother. I¡¯m sure you are busy all the time. I am fine with Daria being my guardian.¡± ¡°You must understand, Daria spends most of her time in Vetus Orbis searching for children that have been chosen by the Elements.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not just summertime?¡± ¡°Oh, how convenient it would be if it only happened during summertime,¡± the Headmistress chuckled. ¡°Elements choose quietly and Daria is one of few people who can recognize it so we rely on her greatly,¡± she explained. ¡°However, she is also my close confidant,¡± the Headmistress added. ¡°We have worked closely together since our academy days, and she assumes the headmaster position whenever I am absent. So, no matter how you look at it, we are a package.¡±Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! So the Headmistress was saying that if she did not write her name in those documents, she would still take that role at times. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± she reassured Maya. ¡°You need a guardian here. I won¡¯t let you be without one. You needn¡¯t worry about my time. We will both benefit from this arrangement. Your insight will help make everyone¡¯s time here more pleasant.¡± The Headmistress was quite persuasive. ¡°Of course, if you¡¯re uncomfortable with it, I can look for other suitable guardians among families that regularly assume such roles." ¡°Oh. Th¡­then, if it¡¯s okay with you¡­ Thank you." The Headmistress smiled warmly. But somehow Maya felt as if she had achieved what she desired in the first place. ¡°Is there something else you want to talk about?¡± ¡°No. Sorry. I¡¯ve wasted enough of your time already.¡± ¡°Alright then,¡± she said, kindly escorting Maya to the door. ¡°Also, I want you to be cautious with your roommate. She¡¯s a troubled young woman. I¡¯m confident she¡¯ll rehabilitate here, but if she shows signs of veering towards a dark path, let me know immediately. I don¡¯t want her to pull you down with her if things escalate. Do you agree?¡± ¡°Um¡­ Okay,¡± Maya affirmed, insecurely. Then she gathered the courage to ask. ¡°Why is she like that?¡± The Headmistress stared into the distance thoughtfully. ¡°Some had it rougher than others. She didn¡¯t grow up very civilized. But I am doing my best to show her that the world isn¡¯t as cruel as she had learned it to be. I even assigned her our best guardians to show her a loving family.¡± Despite her stern outer look, the Headmistress proved to be quite a considerate woman. ¡°I just want you to be careful around her. She is repeating the patterns of those troubled students I told you about. I am trying my best not to let it play out like it did with them.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°If she exhibits any extreme ideas, please, I am the first person you should tell.¡± ¡°I will notify you.¡± ¡°I have great faith in you,¡± the Headmistress let her out with a comforting smile. ???????? Maya quickly left the personnel wing of the academy. In the courtyard, a few students were practising, still under the impression of today¡¯s first lessons. She rushed not to bother them and approached Elena who was smoking by the gates. ¡°Were you waiting for me?¡± Maya was surprised. ¡°I wanted to hear what Amanda said.¡± Elena flicked away the cigarette bud and walked with her. ¡°She calmed me down. She was very kind and motherly.¡± To Maya, Amanda gave an impression of a regal but benevolent woman. It was clear she cared about the lives of her students. ¡°Yeah, right¡­ She¡¯s an evil bitch. There¡¯s nothing motherly about her,¡± Elena responded harshly. Her words took Maya aback that needed a moment to collect herself. ¡°She may seem cold, but she has to manage the entire school and the town. You can¡¯t expect her to make sure that every individual person likes her.¡± ¡°Whatever. Did she say anything about me?¡± ¡®Can this girl read minds?¡¯ ¡°Why would she say anything about you?¡± Maya knew she wasn¡¯t a good liar, but she tried her best. ¡°Cause I¡¯m your roommate and a thorn in her side. It seems like a great opportunity to recruit you as her little informant.¡± ¡°She didn¡¯t mention you,¡± Maya fumbled, nervously. Elena looked at her suspiciously. ¡°Okay, then¡­ Oh, yeah. I didn¡¯t tell you. We should probably go downtown for job picking. We were supposed to do it right after school.¡± ¡°What!? Why didn¡¯t you tell me sooner? You let me sit around on the pavement and visit the headmistress¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m not here to think for you. What does it matter, anyway? We¡¯ll go now. It¡¯s just some petty jobs.¡± Chapter 28: My Place in New Life ¡®How fitting she would just abandon me after making me late.¡¯ Maya grumbled to herself as she walked to the agreed meeting spot with Andrea. After signing up for part-time jobs, from which they had limited options, Elena left to meet Keith. At least she could always chat with Leo when alone, but she met up with Andrea before it was necessary. Downtown Amellan wasn¡¯t large, and most student-interest locations were clustered near the dormitory complex. It appeared that all the tailors and thrift shops were on the same street. From a distance, she spotted two familiar figures. Andrea was cheerfully waving from afar with Linda at her side. Shortly after, Maya joined them. The Headmistress, now her guardian, had given her vouchers to fill her closet, allowing her to shop to her heart¡¯s content. Their first stop was a tailor¡¯s shop to order Maya¡¯s new uniform. There were a few tailors in town, but this one specialized in school uniforms. Upon arrival, they took Maya¡¯s measurements and discussed the uniform¡¯s style. It seems the uniforms can vary slightly in design, as long as they maintain the main black and white theme with some greys in between. Black symbolized prestige and represented witches. Maya thought their uniforms were impressive, but she preferred lighter tones. However, white symbolized purity, divinity, and mourning, so an excessive use of it could send mixed messages. Choosing a uniform was overwhelming for Maya. The dizzying array of styles and accessories, from blazers to bowties and cravats, required for different seasons and occasions, made the process complex. The staff diligently worked to find the perfect uniform for her. The popular fashion in Mellgrah had an old-fashioned touch, with accessories like bowties, antique brooches, intricate jewellery with large gemstones, long gloves and hats still in use. The student uniforms reflected a balance between these traditional elements and more modern styles. The standard uniform consisted of a white button-up shirt, a black tie, a black blazer adorned with an academy emblem, and a dark grey plaid skirt or trousers. In the end, Maya ordered a variety of items: two lengths of pleated skirts, trousers, blouses, sweaters, cardigans, blazers, and shoes. She also found additional pieces and accessories in thrift shops, where she had more freedom with colour choices. Andrea played a key role in encouraging Maya to expand her wardrobe, as these were the clothes she¡¯d be wearing most of the time. Although Maya opted for grey over black for a lighter look and incorporated some brown and beige for less integral items, she couldn¡¯t help but notice the unique ways in which other students customized their uniforms. Andrea would dress very cheerfully and colourfully. Of course, she respected set colours for the main parts but would wear bright socks, cardigans and overlays. Linda, on the other hand, respected the set colours but opted to wear trousers rather than a skirt. Perhaps it was because she was surprisingly lanky which was even more pronounced by standing next to stubby Andrea. From what she saw before, Elena was also rather relatively tall and slender, but she seemed to wear wide-leg shorts instead of skirts, with high-thigh socks, and her uniform was almost fully black with white only in minor details and threading. Sarah was the complete opposite. Being the only one Maya saw wearing a white version of the uniform skirt that was usually grey or black, and pink overlays complimented with plenty of accessories. Maya could swear she saw nothing black on Sarah today except maybe shoes. ¡°Is it true, Maya?¡± Andrea¡¯s question pulled Maya out of her thoughts. They were sitting down at a caf¨¦ Andrea praised as a place with the best desserts and were enjoying some cake with coffee. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°That Elena lived her whole life as an orphan. Sarah said so. I assumed she was a child of some government official and that¡¯s why she isn¡¯t intimidated by the authority.¡± ¡°I heard she was a secret love child of some celebrity,¡± Linda chimed in, stirring sugar into her coffee. Maya felt uncomfortable speaking on Elena¡¯s behalf, especially when she wasn¡¯t sure of the truth herself, but it seems Andrea forgot she asked her for input as continued the conversation. ¡°I wonder how she ended up here.¡± ¡°Well, I did once hear her say she was running from some secret society that wanted to sell her body parts, but I think she was just pulling our leg.¡± Linda seemed to be comfortable here. Maya felt like she was watching a different person while those two were making their exchanges. ¡°I heard she murdered a man and was running from the police.¡±If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°That clearly sounds like an exaggerated lie. Did Sarah say that?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t remember.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard a lot of wild rumours about her, especially from guys.¡± ¡°Did Isaac¡¯s dorm buddies speak?¡± Maya stared through their exchanges, puzzled. ¡°Linda you understand English?¡± Maya suddenly asking made them both stare at her. However, Maya couldn¡¯t help it, realizing Linda¡¯s sentences were too complex for someone she thought struggled with English. ¡°I speak English, yes.¡± ¡°Huh, I thought you were struggling.¡± ¡°I did get an English scholarship and moved to the US last spring. I still struggle with some concepts and pronunciation, though. And sometimes I can¡¯t find the right word. But I understand perfectly.¡± ¡°I got you completely wrong. You even talk a lot more than you did before.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ It¡¯s just¡­ hard to get a word in with many people and loud places.¡± She did talk rather quietly, but it seems when comfortable, Linda can talk quite well. Perhaps it was just a more private environment of only three of them that let it shine through. ¡°Eek! OMG, It¡¯s Kasper!¡± Interrupting them, Andrea almost glued herself to the coffee shop window, intently staring outside. ¡°The one selected to be the first year¡¯s representative in the Student Council!¡± He must¡¯ve just passed down the street. It was quite an unexpected overreaction on Andrea¡¯s part. ¡°Huh? When was he selected? I don¡¯t remember any voting.¡± ¡°It was on the notice board last week. You could nominate anyone in the council room.¡± ¡°But how can the whole first year pick someone when we hardly know each other?¡± ¡°Well, since he was selected it must mean he¡¯s pretty popular, right? Oh, I want to hang out with him. He¡¯s so cute. I heard the Student Council¡¯s no joke. They have a ton of responsibilities. And Elena¡¯s boyfriend¡¯s also on the student council. He¡¯s a second-year representative and a vice president. Maureen said that being in the Student Council¡¯s the greatest honour at the academy¡­¡± ¡®Andrea¡­ That girl can talk into oblivion.¡¯ Maya sat back and sighed, smiling. ¡®I guess I could get used to this life.¡¯ Although it was just hours ago that Maya had an anxiety attack about the newfound dangers, things around seemed to be rather peaceful. Sun was slowly setting and the curfew was approaching. When it arrives she would hand her safety into the Night Guards¡¯ hands until another morning arrives. And she was no longer alone. Her goal for the first day to make friends was a success, and now she was sitting in a caf¨¦ with a friend, laughing at the other friend gushing over a passer-by. If days continue to pass in this fashion, it would be a nice life, indeed. ???????? The first day was just the trial and no student succeeded in using magic. Today, however, expectations were high. You could feel the air becoming thick from the fierce competition. Everyone wanted the honour of being the one who does it first. It was sure to get you an opulent amount of prestige and mark your name for this generation. Maya¡¯s body was sore, and her muscles hurt, but she pushed through it. Clearly, she wasn¡¯t giving away her spot in this competition. If she were to change her life, why not strive for a big chunk? If for nothing than to show Leo she could do it as well. But these movements engage muscles she wasn¡¯t aware she had, let alone used them for years. ¡®Ugh, mages in stories never move this much¡­¡¯ Leo wasn¡¯t helping her either. As he had accepted to hang around her even when she couldn¡¯t react, he dedicated himself to giving his best to support her, putting in his suggestions of what she should do differently. To no one¡¯s surprise, it ended up only annoying her because she couldn¡¯t tell him to stop in front of other people. ¡°I tried that already!¡± Maya blurted out and smiled nervously after she received a strange look from Burcu. Perhaps she should take a short break for now. Sitting down in the grass, pretending to casually observe the others. However, she was truly focused on the places where the deceased lingered. The more she focused, the more layers peeled off. When she wasn¡¯t paying attention, they would blend in, not seem out of the ordinary. But the longer she observed them, the more ghostly they seemed. Some of their clothes would look more unusual and out of place and even time. For one guy, she was sure his clothes were from the 19th century. But it was only when she looked harder. It seems she has to actively focus to perceive. It was making her head hurt a little. Maya wondered when this strange ability had begun. Had she seen other spirits, like Leo, before she arrived in Mellgrah, but simply did not recognize them as ghosts? As she continued to study them, the more she felt that they were aware of her gaze. They seemed to exist in their own bubbles, but Maya¡¯s attention was causing them to break free and look around. Petrified, she quickly looked away. ¡®Is this how you get haunted or possessed? You allow them in, unknowingly?¡¯ Sudden screams of excitement pulled her out of her thoughts. Maya snapped out of her trance. ¡°Do it again,¡± someone said. Maya followed the crowd that was forming a circle around Sarah. Basking in the attention, Sarah did as they asked. In one swift move, she pulled a flame off a torch. Though it disintegrated in the air, she moved it from its original place towards herself. This was not something she could achieve by merely fanning air at it with her hands. Everyone was jumping in excitement. Maya felt exhilaration, too. ¡®The Awakening.¡¯ Sarah was the star of the day. Her popularity soared, and soon her name became known to all who hadn¡¯t heard it before. However, the spotlight didn¡¯t remain solely on her for long. Several others also achieved their Awakening. By the end of their lessons, there were eight new mages, all safe from the Slums. That left 473 still to go. Chapter 29: Afterhours Academy Cleaning the academy in the after-hours was the best option left out of the least desirable ones. Since both Maya and Elena got their spot there, they have partnered up for the job. It was the chance to get to know parts of the academy she wouldn¡¯t be obliged to visit otherwise. While students cleaned classrooms and club rooms after themselves, the cleaning crew ¡ª also consisting mostly of part-timer students ¡ª was responsible for cleaning hallways, bathrooms and all the other spaces students and teachers share. They started with sweeping the entrance courtyard which gave Elena a chance to fish out a fistful of squared coins that filled the bottom of the fountain. Tetradym was the name of currency here ¡ª Tetra for short. Its characteristic was squared coins. So what Elena was doing right now was stealing tribute to other people¡¯s wishes. At first, Maya thought it was part of their agenda for the day. After all, someone has to clean up the coins otherwise they would clog the entire fountain, right? But seeing Elena quickly hide the ones she already gathered when someone from the cleaning staff came to direct them to clean the library, she realized it was plain out stealing. Good thing she didn¡¯t join in, in her foolish belief. As they entered the library, the musty, comforting scent of old paper and well-worn bindings filled the air, a smell as familiar and inviting as an old friend¡¯s embrace. Towering bookshelves, arranged in rows upon rows, stretched out over each level, each one teeming with volumes of all shapes and sizes. Their colourful bindings held promises of the unique worlds concealed within their pages. The library was one of the most visited locations during school hours, but now there were just the two of them in there. Located in the main building, taking up enormous space, with a vast study area and peaceful atmosphere, its silent heartbeat echoed through the three expansive floors. The soft, warm glow of the lamps bathed the extensive space, casting playful shadows that danced upon the polished wooden furniture across the three decks. Rows of mahogany desks, each with a traditional brass and green glass table lamp, stood empty. Maya guessed soon enough, as they progressed further into the semester, this place would start being occupied at this time as well. After some gawking at the impressive space and the lofty book collection that swept Maya off her feet, it started to feel very quiet and lonesome. ¡®The Headmistress was right. It truly is something to marvel at.¡¯ However, Maya had no time to admire books right now. There was a lot to clean and she did not want to be yelled at. It seems silence bothered Maya a lot more than it did Elena, so Maya decided to initiate some small talk. ¡°So¡­ The first benders today. Pretty cool, right?¡± ¡°Sure¡­¡± Elena was uninterested. ¡°I¡¯m surprised you didn¡¯t do it today, as well.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve seen you use magic before anyone else. Since it doesn¡¯t seem like anyone¡¯s aware you can do it already, I thought you were going to do it the first day.¡± ¡°¡­Like I¡¯m not already hated enough,¡± Elena scoffed.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡®Is that something that would facilitate hate rather than awe?¡¯ ¡°Okay¡­ Maybe not the first day. But today. You already did it. Why not show it?¡± ¡°It took me weeks to figure it out on my own. I¡¯m not just going to pretend that I¡¯m natural at it for useless brownie points. Sometimes it¡¯s better to lower people¡¯s expectations.¡± ¡°You¡¯re talking about people¡¯s expectations, and I¡¯m worried if I¡¯m even going to be able to do it before Initiation¡­¡± ¡°Do you always have such high expectations of yourself?¡± ¡°They¡¯re not high. I don¡¯t want to end up in the Slums.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the second day of school¡­¡± Elena rolled her eyes at Maya already stressing about it. It seemed Maya¡¯s worrywart personality wasn¡¯t resonating well with annoyed Elena. Making a step backwards to soak her mop again, Maya accidentally tripped over her bucket with water, spilling it. ¡°Crap¡­ If we hadn¡¯t been late for job picking, we wouldn¡¯t be stuck with this crappy job,¡± her frustration escaped her. ¡°What does it matter? We¡¯re free labour anyway¡­¡± ¡°We could¡¯ve gotten a job in the greenhouse or stables.¡± ¡°They¡¯re probably just shovelling shit or doing the same thing as we are. If you like dealing with shit, don¡¯t worry, we have to clean bathrooms, too. You can start from men¡¯s.¡± ¡°Eww. You¡¯re taking the men¡¯s room.¡± Elena stopped in front of the doors belonging to the restricted area of the library. ¡°So, you¡¯re okay with cleaning shit, but not shit and cum?¡± Elena chuckled to herself as Maya made a disgusted face. ¡®What does she think goes around in the bathrooms¡­ On second thought, it better to not think too deeply into it.¡¯ Fortunately, Elena didn¡¯t give her a chance to think further as she had just pulled out a set of pins resembling a makeshift lock-picking tool. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°What does it look like I¡¯m doing?¡± ¡°Breaking into the restricted area¡­?¡± Maya stated exactly what she was doing. Elena continued picking the lock without answering. ¡°Stop that! We are not allowed in there.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious as to why?¡± ¡°There must be a good reason,¡± Maya was trying to rationalize. ¡°Yeah. Secrets¡­¡± ¡°Why do you insist on breaking every rule there is? We get it¡ªyou¡¯re a rambunctious rebel. Now stop it. You proved your point,¡± Maya was trying to talk her out of this, knowing they would both get in trouble if caught. ¡°I¡¯m not trying to prove anything. I simply want to reveal what¡¯s behind door number one.¡± There was no reasoning with this girl. ¡°You feel awfully confident doing all of this in front of me. What makes you trust that I won¡¯t tell on you?¡± Elena stopped. She didn¡¯t like feeling threatened. Her oddly calm reaction sent chills down Maya¡¯s spine. Elena looked her dead in the eye. ¡°I trust you¡¯re smart enough to see how unwise that would be.¡± Maya may not have intended for her statement to be a threat, but Elena¡¯s sure was. ¡°I won¡¯t tell on you. But someone could walk by at any moment,¡± Maya still tried to talk her out of it. Elena continued picking the lock. ¡°That¡¯s why you¡¯re keeping guard.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not. What am I supposed to do if someone shows up?¡± ¡°Whatever you want. Just don¡¯t act suspicious.¡± There was a click sound, and by Elena¡¯s grin, Maya concluded that she succeeded in picking the lock. Then, Elena pushed the door, which didn¡¯t budge an inch. ¡°Well, you tried. Let¡¯s just go.¡± Elena rolled her eyes as if it was a useless endeavour to doubt her lock-picking abilities. Using more force, she pushed the door with her shoulder. And¡­ the door opened. Chapter 30: Sinister Side The door opened revealing a dark dusty room with rows of bookshelves stacked too closely to each other and piled with dusty old books and scrolls. It looked like a place hosting obscure medieval manuscripts no one had any use for. ¡°Okay¡­ We¡¯d established you can pick locks,¡± Maya said curiously gazing inside. ¡°Not alarming at all¡­ Let''s go now, before we get in trouble.¡± Maya was getting intense sinister vibes from the dusty smell and cold air that hit her from the inside of the old archive. Elena, seemingly unfazed by the cold, rummaged through her bag for a witchlight. This was a magically charged crystal-like stone with mystical engravings. Maya recognized it from their class earlier in the day. The stone emits light by converting ambient energy into light. It wasn¡¯t an item easily obtained, and Maya was certain Elena had received it from Keith. The academy had a merit system that rewarded students¡¯ efforts. It was the only way to acquire magical artefacts so students were encouraged to perform well and compete for the rare rewards. Merit points were rewarded through all kinds of contributions, and in this case, Keith was awarded a witchlight for being the top student at the end of the first year. Maya was eyeing such wonderous items and strived to have a chance to win them herself. ¡°If you¡¯re really going in there, at least, promise me you won¡¯t steal anything,¡± Maya tried to bargain with her, remembering her robbing the fountain earlier. ¡°Just one small souvenir,¡± she made a sappy expression, pleading like a child. ¡°They¡¯ll know it was us. We¡¯re the only ones here.¡± ¡°Judging by the amount of dust just on the floor, I¡¯d say nobody has been in here for years. I doubt they¡¯ll realize something¡¯s missing.¡± ¡°Elena, I really don¡¯t think this is a good idea.¡± ¡°Keep guard,¡± Elena ordered and went inside closing the heavy door behind herself. ¡°She¡¯s too reckless. You should seriously reconsider hanging out with her¡ªshe¡¯ll land you in some serious trouble,¡± Leo opined when they were alone, his eye twitching seemingly from sheer annoyance. ¡°Is there anyone in there?¡± Maya asked in a low voice. ¡°Her snooping is disturbing the dead, Maya. This is serious,¡± he, too, was whispering for no apparent reason than to match Maya. ¡°They can¡¯t do much to her, but if they find out about you, they¡¯ll make you pay for her misbehaviour.¡± Maya was worried about Leo. He seemed extremely unwell and was twitching from worry. Like, physically twitching, in a mechanical abnormal jerky movement he didn¡¯t seem to be aware of. Something in the manner of that girl she saw before¡­ ¡°Are you okay?¡± she worried. ¡°No. I¡¯m telling you. Here are some angry ghosts.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t see them.¡± He was shaking, staring blankly in the empty space. There was something very wrong. His jerking got aggressive and out of control. Like he was having a seizure. ¡°Leo!¡± He fell to the ground on his back, shaking uncontrollably. His eyes turned into his skull, showing only whites. Maya was panicking, calling his name while kneeling on the cold floor and trying to calm him down. But, it was like he was there and wasn¡¯t at the same time. Like a broken projection, he was glitching a couple of inches here and there.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. ¡°Stop! Please¡­¡± she began to beg. Maya didn¡¯t know who or what, but was convinced someone was doing this to him. It was like he was suddenly being possessed. A new voice startled Maya from behind: ¡°Don¡¯t worry. He¡¯ll be alright.¡± It belonged to that girl ghost she saw the day before that startled her. She was standing over Maya who, now for the first time, could see her clearly. Big green eyes under a head of wavy brown hair collected in a loose bun lowered to Maya¡¯s level. As the ghost girl squatted down with Maya, she could tell they were about the same height and about the same age. ¡®Pretty, like a fairy,¡¯ her thoughts couldn¡¯t help themselves. However, Maya was left momentarily stunned for a strange reason. Pretty much nothing in the appearance was alike, but the thought of Maya¡¯s father suddenly invaded her mind. It was like her soft-spoken and reassuring words reminded Maya of the faint British accent her father would pick up whenever he would return from a business trip in the UK. Only her accent wasn¡¯t faint and no one else with a similar accent triggered such memory. ¡®I must¡¯ve been frightened out of my wits to suddenly miss my dad.¡¯ ¡°What¡¯s happening to him?¡± Maya¡¯s voice was desperate. She had forgotten her own decision to pretend like she couldn¡¯t perceive other ghosts in fear of what they could want from her. ¡°It¡¯s how he died. The trauma permanently corrupts us. He may not even be aware he is re-enacting it.¡± She had a rather indifferent demeanour toward someone who was spasming on the floor right in front of her. Or Maya was simply unable to read her giving away any emotion. ¡°How do I help him?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t. Just let him go through it and he will be back. It does no harm. It can be a bit disturbing to you, but so would be seeing the dead, wouldn¡¯t it?¡± she gave her an ambiguously meaningful look. Maya didn¡¯t know how to answer. Since it was too late to pretend like she couldn¡¯t see her, she was now beginning to wonder if this girl was one of the ¡®angry ghosts¡¯ Leo just talked about. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t tell the others. I know a bit about being hunted by the dead¡­¡± the girl smiled softly. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°A friend.¡± The girl also wasn¡¯t invulnerable to glitching. Maya didn¡¯t notice it with Leo until now, but other ghosts seemed quite prone to tics and involuntary or plain-out impossible movements. Maya would attest them to incredibly realistic but insanely buggy holograms. However, the girl, although more frequently plagued by them, seemed more stable. Almost like she could control it for a certain period of time. She didn¡¯t seem lost and confused like the others. Just as suddenly as it befell him, Leo recovered from his seizure and was now standing next to Maya without ever having stood up as if nothing had happened, confused. ¡°Who¡¯s she?¡± The girl was gone as soon as he asked and before Maya got a chance to get more answers. It could be considered rude, but ghosts don¡¯t have manners or care about such things. ¡°Wow. Getting ghosted by a ghost¡­¡± He frowned. It seems he was unaware he scared Maya out of her skin just a moment prior. Maya was about to comment, but then a sudden voice made her jump back. ¡°What¡¯s up with you?¡± Elena stood there, staring at Maya crouched on the floor. While Maya was still panting from shock earlier, the heavy door to the restricted library archive opened and Elena exited without Maya having registered it. ¡°You¡¯re really jumpy. What, you saw a ghost or something?¡± Maya couldn¡¯t acknowledge the fact that Elena was joking, because she did in fact see a ghost. More of them, actually. And it was now a normal thing for her. But she couldn¡¯t think fast to come up with something to say that wouldn¡¯t make her seem even more suspicious. Elena sighed. ¡°Okay¡­ If you hate cleaning that much, I have something to make it up to you.¡± ¡°Please, don¡¯t tell me you stole something from in there.¡± ¡°Not that. Follow me.¡± Chapter 31: Hidden Horizons Elena led her to a different part of the academy complex. It was one consisting of a gymnasium and practice halls. Upon entering they were stopped by a guard, but were quickly let through after showing him the cleaning-duty staff badges they wore around their necks. Already from there, they could hear the music playing so Maya knew this part of the academy wasn¡¯t empty. Then, Elena made her way to the back and up some utility staircase in the personnel section. It was obvious Elena had no intent of cleaning as they made their way to the observation gallery that stretched high up on the side of the dancing hall that produced the music they heard. The gallery was closed off with windows and dark, as it wasn¡¯t supposed to be in use at this time, and Maya admired the figures of girls in leotards as they were preparing for their dance lessons, unaware they were being observed. ¡®I wonder if I will ever be able to look as graceful as they do¡­¡¯ But the dancers weren¡¯t what they were there for. They continued on the gallery until they reached the adjacent hall with a different activity. There were no elegant dancers there. Elena stopped there and leaned on the railing. Obscured by this dark space she suggested at the sight. ¡°Nice view, right?¡± Maya glanced down to witness a sight that was both surprising and delightful. A group of fairly hot guys were warming up for what seemed to be an intense training session. Their nice physiques were accented through their synchronized movements, their muscles glistening in the light. It unexpectedly piqued her curiosity. It¡¯s not often she could allow herself to observe well-built guys and relish in the view, unseen from a private spot. ¡®Whoa! Do I really enjoy something like this?¡¯ Maya¡¯s thoughts intruded. ¡®In truth, they are nice to glance at.¡¯ The space they secretly intruded on was a Warrior¡¯s Practice Hall. These guys will become the most elite warriors in the future. In a few years, they will be patrolling the walls and keeping them safe. ¡®It¡¯s reassuring they go through a rigorous training in advance.¡¯ ¡°See how easy it is for us to get here and¡­ appreciate the scenery,¡± Elena chuckled. ¡°Makes you think this job isn¡¯t too bad?¡± ¡°Huh¡­ yeah.¡± It was a nice gesture, but Maya began to wonder what gave Elena the idea. ¡°I used to come here to study muscles,¡± Elena winked. It was a strange statement. ¡®Is Elena some kind of a pervert?¡¯ But then Maya remembered Elena was an artist and felt silly.Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! ¡°¡­So, you brought me here to spy on hot guys working out?¡± ¡°Sure, you can spy on them, but I also wanted to tell you that you can audition for dancing lessons,¡± she gestured toward the space they passed through prior, ¡°and get out of working twice a week.¡± ¡®Was it really showing that much that I was annoyed at her for getting this job that she would do this for me?¡¯ ¡°Being a prestigious dancer doesn¡¯t sound too bad. They even travel for competitions sometimes so you can even get out of classes.¡± That sounded more like something Elena would like more than Maya. ¡°I have two left feet. I could never pass such an audition.¡± Maya thought about how Elena would be able to get in there with no effort required. She had a flawless figure just like those girls. The only hindrance to her coordination could be, of course, alcoholism. ¡°Your choice.¡± Elena smiled and Maya was dazed by the realization that this was the first time she saw Elena make an effort to be nice to someone. Otherwise, she would seem completely indifferent whether you curse at her or give her compliments. ¡°Does being able to do this make it up for the shitty job?¡± ¡°Maybe a bit¡­¡± Maya blushed. She was judging Elena for her rebellious ways before, but now she appreciated it. Maya would never even think of doing something like this on her own, let alone be able to discover this secret spot. ¡°But why are you doing this?¡± Clearing her throat, Elena looked away. ¡°I know I tend to be inconsiderate. I wanted to make it up to you somehow¡­ I actually want us to get along,¡± Elena admitted reluctantly. ¡°Wow¡­¡± Maya stared at her dazed. ¡°I don¡¯t know you very well, but somehow this feels like a rare occurrence.¡± ¡°Oh, shut up¡­¡± she shrugged it off and faced the training session. ¡°Those are the best warriors in the academy. They¡¯ll later become Watchmen, Guards, or even Hunters. The coach is a multi-martial arts expert.¡± ¡°Does Keith also come to these?¡± Elena laughed at the absurdity of Maya¡¯s question. ¡°Does Keith¡¯s face look like something he would allow being punched? He works out for the appearance, not to actually use those muscles.¡± ¡°That¡¯s harsh¡­¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t untrue.¡± ¡°Still, I don¡¯t think you should demean him like that.¡± They were in a light-hearted mood, but Maya still felt uncomfortable Elena would talk like that about him. He made it into the Tachde-tu team, so it can¡¯t be he isn¡¯t athletic. ¡°I¡¯m not complaining. I don¡¯t need him to be a macho man. I kinda like that he¡¯s a bit of a coward even. It¡¯s¡­ safe¡­¡± Elena seemed to have gotten lost in thought for a moment. ¡°Anyway, if someone needs punching, I will be the one to do it. But don¡¯t tell him I called him a weakling, his ego will suffer.¡± ¡°You¡¯re ridiculous¡­ and, some would argue, already insane.¡± ¡°But you like hanging around with me,¡± Elena smiled. ¡°I can¡¯t decide, just yet.¡± Maya was getting confusing vibes from Elena. Sometimes it would seem she wanted nothing to do with her, and other times it felt like she was trying to be her friend. ¡°So¡­ you like being a man in a relationship,¡± Maya continued, chuckling to herself. ¡°I would¡¯ve never guessed you for a tomboy.¡± ¡°A good-looking tomboy,¡± Elena joked. Maya joined in laughter. She liked that Elena was self-aware. She wished she could be like that, too. ¡°Watch this,¡± Elena said suddenly, letting go of the railing and straightening herself up. ¡°I¡¯m going to audition.¡± ¡°For dancing lessons?¡± Elena gave her a smirk and left Maya alone in the gallery. She didn¡¯t go back to the dancing hall. She made her way down to the warrior¡¯s fighting arena. Chapter 32: Battle Maniac ¡°Hey! What are you doing here?¡± One guy confronted Elena as she approached them. He was the buffest among them and, clearly, overly proud. ¡°I came to audition,¡± Elena stated calmly, with an almost friendly smile. Guys laughed. ¡°She must be lost,¡± a different guy said. He was the tallest one. ¡°Dancing hall¡¯s next door,¡± the first guy pointed in the direction of the adjacent hall. ¡°I know.¡± Elena was being rather patient. Guys slowly realized she was being serious about this. ¡°This is warrior training. No place for girls,¡± the buff guy emphasized. ¡°Then, what are you doing here?¡± Elena asked mischievously, placing her hands on her hips. the rest of the guys seemed impressed by her quip. She raised an eyebrow as if she didn¡¯t find it something nifty enough to be worthy of their reaction. ¡°Ugh, dude, she got you good,¡± the tall guy shook his shoulder. The buffest guy was pressing his lips together. He wasn¡¯t happy about this. ¡°No girls are allowed here. Get out or we¡¯ll kick you out.¡± He seemed married to this idea of excluding girls. ¡°I''d love to see you try. I¡¯m not leaving. I came here for an audition.¡± ¡°Girls can¡¯t audition for warriors. You¡¯re too weak. We don¡¯t joke around here. You will get seriously hurt.¡± ¡°Weak? Amanda says women are superior,¡± Elena knew full well she was challenging them. ¡°This isn¡¯t a place for girls. It is for guys only. Get out!¡± he was persistent. ¡°Are you generally afraid of vaginas or are you only afraid a girl¡¯s going to kick your ass?¡± It seems Elena was annoyed she was reminded of being a girl so many times within the past minute and unsubtly began to provoke. ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of anything.¡± ¡°Then prove it.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need to prove anything to you.¡± ¡°Then, I¡¯ll audition, and if I fail, you can get back to rubbing each others¡¯ dicks. But if I win, your ass is the first one I¡¯ll kick.¡±Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. He laughed. ¡°You could never beat me, sweetheart.¡± ¡°I bet I could. While eating a sandwich, even.¡± Her statement both infuriated and intrigued him. ¡°Oh, yeah? Then prove it. You don¡¯t need to audition to know you don¡¯t belong here. I¡¯ll show you right now,¡± he began to pump himself up, as if he was preparing for an actual battle. ¡°Then go make me a sandwich.¡± Elena gave him a cheeky smile that didn¡¯t fail to infuriate him further. ¡°Get in the arena. I¡¯ll show you,¡± he sounded serious, now. ¡°That¡¯s what I like to hear.¡± Elena smirked as she had succeeded in luring him into fighting. What gave her the confidence she could take the strongest-looking guy wasn¡¯t exactly clear. It was easy to believe she was insane beyond comprehension. However, Elena¡¯s unbothered attitude changed to astute once in a battle ring. They took their positions in the fighting arena ¡ª which was just a bunch of mats arranged on the floor. Elena kicked off her boots and stripped her cleaning jumpsuit and was in a tight black tank top and dark peg-leg trousers. Some of the guys whistled while she did it. She seemed used to being objectified like that. But it wasn¡¯t like she was revealing a lot of skin. ¡°Okay, then. Ready?¡± Surprisingly, the buff guy she pissed off still showed some precaution, not wanting to hurt a girl. Elena didn¡¯t bother to answer. She wasted no moment and attacked first with a high kick to his face. He stumbled back, shocked, then turned angry. He did not expect her first move would be a lightning-fast kick. He charged back at her, and Maya could swear she saw a smile break on Elena¡¯s face. ¡®She¡­ enjoys this¡­?¡¯ The guy tackled her to the ground and Elena took the fall, but managed to slip away before he could pin her properly on the floor as if it was an opportunity to get him to the ground instead. However, he wasn¡¯t letting her get away easily and pulled her leg from under her as she crawled away to get her footing. Losing her footing, Elena fell flat on her chest and instantly rolled to the side to evade him catching her there and somehow delivered a nasty kick to his ribs with her knee. This didn¡¯t look like a proper fight. It was a strange scuffle. It seemed like the buff guy¡¯s goal was to pin her to the floor but Elena was simply too slippery for it to go his way. In the next moment, they were both back at their feet. It has already lasted for far longer than he expected it to and he was now infuriated and no longer cared if he hurt her. It showed in the flurry of punches he threw at her next. Elena guarded with her arms, however, he was the buffest guy in here, indeed, and one of the punches broke through and hooked her straight in the face. Elena stumbled back, pressing her palm to her mouth. Maya gasped quietly in the dark. It was truly insane. It felt like it landed solidly. ¡®Why would Elena put herself in a such situation?¡¯ The guy gave her a breather for a second. Or gave it to himself as he was panting rather intensely. Catching her was quite a workout, as she showed to be fast with him in comparison. When Elena removed her hand, Maya caught a glimpse of blood in her mouth. It seems her lip was split. However, Elena wasn¡¯t the least bit discouraged. Perhaps even more motivated. She swallowed the blood and got ready to go again. The guy was shaking his head in disbelief. His pride wouldn¡¯t allow him to stop now if she wasn¡¯t giving up. ¡°I think this was enough. Let¡¯s not go any further,¡± one of the more reasonable guys tried to stop them. ¡°I¡¯m not ending at an impasse,¡± Elena said coldly. ¡°Come on, Chris. What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± he tried to reason with the buff guy, but it didn¡¯t reach him. His gaze was dead set on Elena, taking this very seriously now. Chapter 33: Battle Maniac II It seemed those two were in a silent agreement and Elena went first this time again. Using a different approach didn¡¯t sway him as he was more prepared. But Elena spiced it up with a hook. He evaded her fist, however didn¡¯t account for her knee that followed suit. Failing to land it right, she used the momentum to jump on him, climbing on his hip and planting her elbow into his clavicle. It seems like Elena allowed herself to be caught just to land a single hit, so what followed could only be expected. Chris grabbed her before she could slip away and ran her out of the fighting arena, right into a wall. Force of it was frightening to Maya who was observing from the gallery and he allowed Elena to fall to the floor gasping for air he just knocked out of her. It looks like it ended rather suddenly and unceremoniously. Chris was now getting down to pin her to the floor while Elena was still trying to get her bearings. Everyone was convinced it was a done deal when Elena¡¯s legs suddenly wrapped around his neck as he was leaning down. If she still had that much strength she could¡¯ve landed a nice kick to his face, but what she did instead was far more sinister. Caught in a snare, she directed his face straight into the concrete floor, slamming it rather brutally. Maya gasped. They all gasped. Technically, it was his own fault for carrying her outside the fighting area with a mat in a bloodthirsty desire to crush her into a wall. But she used no restraint with this move. He got completely disoriented. Unable to get up, he gave up trying. It was the first time Maya saw a human behaving dazed like that¡­ She knocked him out, and therefore, won the match. Elena walked back to the fighting area, panting and wiping blood off her chin, where the rest of them stared in shock. She took the fighting position, ready to go again. ¡°Who¡¯s next?¡± Everyone stared at her in bewilderment. ¡®S¡ªshe wants to go again!?¡¯ The loud scratching of the hall entrance startled everyone. ¡®It was about time someone showed up. Weren¡¯t they left unattended for too long?¡¯ The coach returned, oblivious to what had just transpired. All warrior trainees, except for the one on the floor and Elena, stood in a line, greeting their superior like under some military regime. The coach nodded at them and only then noticed a strange scene. One of his trainees was passed out on the floor and an unfamiliar girl was standing barefoot in the fighting arena. ¡°Who did that?¡± the coach didn¡¯t seem pleased. The guys seemed ready to rat her out immediately, but Elena spoke before they could.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°I did,¡± she acknowledged it. ¡°I would like to be trained by a master.¡± He blinked at her confused. ¡°You¡¯re a girl.¡± ¡°I see that as an advantage. Harder to kick me in the nuts.¡± The coach chuckled, amused. ¡°Why do you want to be trained as a warrior?¡± ¡°Dancing isn¡¯t really my thing.¡± He laughed. ¡°You¡¯re cute. I like you. But I can¡¯t accept it. We are not playing around here. You could get seriously hurt.¡± ¡°I grew up on the streets. I can take getting hurt. Better than these soft guys.¡± She gestured toward the guy on the floor while licking the blood off her lips. ¡°Okay,¡± the coach was impressed. ¡°You can hang around. But keep up with your dancing lessons, so you don¡¯t fall too far behind.¡± Elena frowned. She was still being underestimated. The coach delegated two guys to take the fallen guy to the infirmary and began preparing for the lesson. Elena approached hum. ¡°You think I¡¯ll give up?¡± ¡°Warriors Practice is challenging, even for the ones with the strongest will.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t this demonstrating enough of my will?¡± ¡°I commend you for going against one of my strongest warriors, but don¡¯t make it a habit of hurting your comrades. I¡¯m raising warriors, not savages. Now, wipe that blood off and start warming up.¡± With that, Elena became a Warrior Trainee. Despite the initial resistance, it seemed the majority of the trainees were still accepting of their new member, or at least curious. ¡°This will be interesting,¡± one of the trainees commented while another patted Elena¡¯s shoulder. Their de facto leader seemed to welcome her and instruct her on their drills. Maya was watching their training begin from above, hidden in the secret spot. After being accepted, Elena looked up and winked at her. Maya was still in shock. Elena demonstrated an incredible amount of strength. Now it made more sense. If she was capable of defeating a guy twice her size, then what power must her boyfriend hold for her to cower in his shadow and rely on his protection? It would be rather unfair on him. But then again, do other people know how strong Elena was? She couldn¡¯t imagine your girlfriend being stronger than you would be a desirable thing for a guy. ¡°You know, she brought you here out of her own selfish reasons?¡± Leo said. Maya was startled, again. ¡°Gods, Leo. How long have you been here?¡± ¡°She might¡¯ve presented this as trying to make you feel better for getting a shitty job, but this audition was her goal.¡± ¡°Well, obviously.¡± Maya knew that already. ¡°Maya, don¡¯t let her play you like this.¡± ¡°How did she play me here? Into watching her audition? She wouldn¡¯t care if I weren¡¯t here.¡± ¡°Yes, exactly. She doesn¡¯t care.¡± ¡°Yes. Maybe, she was planning to go to this audition all along,¡± she pretended like she just figured it out. ¡°My point exactly.¡± ¡°She didn¡¯t need me here. But¡­ she brought me anyway, to try and cheer me up. Perhaps even for moral support.¡± Leo was stuttering. ¡°I¡¯m starting to think she might actually want to be my friend,¡± Maya said. ¡°No. Don¡¯t buy into this. Don¡¯t make your life into a chain of breaking rules and getting in trouble.¡± ¡°Why not? I¡¯ve been obeying rules my whole life. Maybe I want my life to be something more interesting.¡± ¡°What rules? Please, Maya, only the ones you set yourself. You have perfect parents that gave you anything you wanted and put no restrictions on you.¡± ¡°Had,¡± Maya was hurt. ¡°Now I have nobody but a ghost that keeps trying to parent me.¡± Chapter 34: Mind Games There was a certain sense of privileged gratification in walking to the academy beside the hottest and most popular guy in school. Thanks to Keith and Elena meeting every morning on the main path to walk together to school, Maya also had that satisfaction. This morning was the same. However, he didn¡¯t meet Elena with that irresistible smile as soon as he saw her, but a serious expression as his hand gently reached for her face while he focused on the split lip she got in yesterday¡¯s fight. He sighed. ¡°Maya¡­ What trouble did this one get herself into, now?¡± ¡°What are you turning to her for? She has nothing to do with it.¡± ¡°How do I kiss you when you come to me like that?¡± Maya remembered Elena called him a weakling yesterday, but Keith was the reasonable one here. It was not normal to walk around with such an injury. It was not normal to get it in the first place. Who would ever want to be punished in the face and who would deserve to be called a weakling for not wanting to? ¡®Keith, you got it rough,¡¯ Maya sympathized with him. ¡®Elena doesn¡¯t seem too bad but she has a couple of marbles cracked. And that¡¯s coming from someone who talks to dead people.¡¯ Maya was satisfied to a point, remembering Elena wanting to be her friend. Herself and Keith were in the same boat. They were laboured to guide Elena to the right path. Only if she were less stubborn. ¡°Why are you so interested in fighting, Elena?¡± Maya remembered Elena¡¯s expression from yesterday. Even wearing a bruise on her face, she conducted herself as if it was something to be proud of. Elena gave Maya a blank look. ¡°Because it¡¯s dangerous to be weak,¡± she stated, as if it were the most obvious fact in the world. Maya blinked at her. ¡®There isn¡¯t anything wrong with her statement, but why do I feel the need to disprove it?¡¯ ¡°Do it in moderation,¡± Keith said. ¡°There are ways to get strong even without your face having to suffer. I¡¯d rather you were interested in becoming a priestess than a warrior¡­¡± As they walked, Keith and Elena continued bickered because he made the mistake of bringing up religion in front of Elena. ¡®Come to think of it, I received a notice yesterday to visit the temple after classes¡­ I wonder what¡¯s that all about.¡¯ During today¡¯s lunch break in the cafeteria, Maya sat with the Beta group, while Elena joined Keith and his friends. News of Elena¡¯s success in the warrior training had spread, as Maya heard many students discussing it throughout the day. Their table was no exception. ¡°I don¡¯t get it. How¡¯s she so popular?¡± Isaac commented. ¡°Not many are as badass as her. I mean, how many of us can set our minds on such a thing and be brave enough to try for it? If had only a drop of her courage, I¡¯d ask our year rep out,¡± Andrea was daydreaming. ¡°I thought girls can¡¯t be warriors,¡± Linda said. ¡°Apparently they can if they impress their coach,¡± Maya said. ¡°What she did isn¡¯t something hot, yet I see too many people drooling over her today,¡± Isaac continued to complain. ¡°Who could blame them? She has the body of a goddess,¡± Linda was looking in Elena¡¯s direction with a dazed expression. ¡°She has no boobs,¡± Sarah emphasized while stabbing at her plate. It seems she was the only one interested in food today. ¡°Clearly that¡¯s not stopping her.¡± ¡°C¡¯mon, guys. Nobody really wants to be with her. She¡¯s pure evil,¡± Sarah argued. ¡°Are you all in love with her?! Can¡¯t I have a second of peace today?!¡± Sarah had a point. The entire school buzzing about Elena was getting a little annoying. Everyone had forgotten that just yesterday some had managed to use magic for the first time. The one to do it first was sitting right beside them, and everyone was focused on something Elena did that was completely unrelated to magic.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Maya wanted to chat more about it, but Sarah rushed away after eating as usual. Perhaps even faster today. The rest of them decided to use the rest of their lunch break in the library, discussing school clubs to join. Maya got off a little earlier, wanting to prepare for the practical lessons in advance, and ran into Keith and Elena in the main hall. Perhaps out of pity for seeing her alone, Keith waved at her to join them. ¡°Hi, Maya. How are you doing?¡± Keith was always polite to her. Perhaps not just to her, as he was the type of person who wanted to get along with everyone. He was an excellent example for Elena to try being a little nicer. She was lucky to have him. Before Maya could answer, a group of guys passing by interrupted them. ¡°Oh, look who¡¯s here. Our little warrior Elena. Congratulations on becoming the first-ever female warrior trainee in Amellan history. It¡¯s a pleasure having you.¡± It was a senior student. Him being well-built but not having seen him yesterday, Maya assumed he was one of the trainees who missed yesterday¡¯s practice and its spectacle. To Maya¡¯s surprise, Keith seemed a little exasperated. No wonder, that was the subject he was hearing about the whole day. Elena on the other hand didn¡¯t seem to mind. ¡°Be a little more proud of me, will you?¡± ¡°I thought we agreed on you going for Tachde-tu try-outs next year, not becoming a warrior¡­¡± ¡°You guys are too cute, planning so far ahead when she hasn¡¯t even passed the conditions for the Initiation yet.¡± It was the tall guy Maya saw among the warriors yesterday who said it. ¡°I heard you kicked Chris¡¯s ass, yesterday,¡± the one that spoke first continued. In all truth, he did seem moderately impressed by Elena. Maya was grateful he didn¡¯t meet her with the same hostility she received yesterday since this guy seemed to be more senior and of higher status among trainees. ¡°She did not. I let her win, Boss,¡± Chris defended himself. Maya recognized he was the guy Elena fought yesterday. ¡°Did you know your girlfriend was this strong?¡± Chris¡¯s protest went unheeded as the ¡®Boss¡¯ patted Keith¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare break her heart¡ªshe might break something of yours in return,¡± he joked. Keith laughed nervously. He seemed quite uncomfortable. These guys weren¡¯t the bunch he would usually fraternize with. ¡°Tell me, how did you do it?¡± he turned to Elena. ¡°When I first heard the story I imagined you to be a strong muscly princess warrior type, but Seeing you now, you seem quite thin, so I know the sheer use of power wasn¡¯t the case here. So how was this brute force of a man get his ass handed to him?¡± The guy had a point. Seeing them up close, Maya couldn¡¯t deny they seemed a little imposing. School uniforms couldn¡¯t hide that muscles were hiding beneath. They were expected to be strong. Elena on the other hand¡­ Well, with Maya in comparison she did look taller and stronger, but she still had to look up to meet their gaze. And Chris was built like a bear especially. He looked stronger than their ¡®boss¡¯. But Maya suspected Boss had something else up his sleeve to earn his title. Even Maya was looking at Elena expecting to hear the answer she would provide. Seeing it play out, she still didn¡¯t understand how Elena won that match. Before speaking, Elena glanced back at Maya as if she could feel her burning gaze. ¡°To be honest, I was also surprised¡­ Him looking the toughest, I expected more of a challenge, but the guy was too predictable.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± It certainly wasn¡¯t the answer they expected. ¡°Haven¡¯t you guys noticed? At first, I thought he was going easy on me so that was the reason he broadcast every move before he made it. But even when he got quite mad, it was still the same.¡± ¡°What are you going on about?¡± Chris questioned. ¡°The fact that you¡¯re so simply wired that, when I look at you, I feel like I can see into the future.¡± Elena spread her fingers like she reached something profound. ¡°Are you calling me dumb?! Do you want to see¡ª¡± Chris was getting worked up, but restrained himself being patted on the shoulder by the Boss as a subtle reminder to keep cool. ¡°All you have over me is a bigger build. It¡¯s clear you don¡¯t know how to use your fingers for anything but to make a fist. And that alone isn¡¯t enough to defeat me because I can see through your every move.¡± Maya was slowly realizing Elena had a knack for finding points that infuriated people. It seemed like what Elena was saying had nothing to do with their match yesterday. It made sense for her to push his buttons yesterday when she wanted to prove herself, but right now, they were in the academy¡¯s main hall. ¡®Was she looking for a fight?¡¯ ¡°¡­A guessing game with you would be no fun.¡± ¡°Yeah right, then ¡®predict¡¯ how many fingers am I holding up behind my back. You can do that, right? With how easily you can predict my every move.¡± Chris dared her and hid his hands behind his back. It felt a bit childish. He probably showed something rude, but Elena decided to play dumb and scoffed. ¡°I¡¯ll prove how easy to read you are. Even Maya here can do it. She¡¯s great at this game.¡± Unexpectedly, unassuming Maya¡¯s shoulders were grabbed by Elena and then she found herself pushed forward. After being just a silent observer, now directly facing Chris, she was stumped at suddenly being involved. ¡°Huh?¡± Chapter 35: Comes With Knives Confused, Maya barely realized she had been biting her nails the entire time and retracted her hand as she suddenly became the focus of attention for all parties involved. ¡°Oh¡­ Right. Sure.¡± It was an unexpected turn of events to throw Maya into the mix and push her to play this childish game when Chris most likely just wanted to flip her off in a creative way. However, it would only work in Chris¡¯s favour and disprove Elena¡¯s claim of him being predictable so he agreed even if they were put in an awkward position. ¡°Okay then, Maya. How many fingers am I holding?¡± Maya looked at Leo behind his shoulder, who lit up with excitement from being offered this opportunity to feel useful, while the rest of the guys moved behind Chris to make sure there was no cheating involved. Ending on a sour note with Leo yesterday, Maya felt bad. Not to mention guilty for having a fallout with him after he had experienced something so terrifying, although himself unaware of it. Letting him participate was her way of making up for it. ¡°Four,¡± she repeated after Leo. From their sudden stares of amazement, Maya could tell she hit right on the spot. ¡°Man, Chris, you really must be that predictable,¡± one of the guys said with utmost amusement. Chris, on the other hand, was confused about her getting it right. What were the chances? ¡°Lucky guess. Go again.¡± It seemed he was now interested enough not to stop the game. Or at least didn¡¯t want it to stay at proving Elena¡¯s point exactly. Elena, however, had a satisfied grin on her face. ¡°He¡¯s holding a rock¡¯n¡¯roll sign,¡± Leo said. ¡°Two,¡± Maya paraphrased it. Chris reluctantly revealed it to be true. Guys began jumping in disbelief. ¡°No way. This can¡¯t be a coincidence!¡± ¡°T¡ªthen, let¡¯s see if you can do it for the third time.¡± Chris paled a little. He was now determined and also worried. Perhaps beginning to question whether Elena had a point. After the initial correct guess, Elena seemed to have lost interest and wasn¡¯t showing as much growing amazement as the rest of them. However, she was still standing behind Chris. ¡°He¡¯s flipping Elena off with both hands,¡± Leo said. No wonder Elena was rolling her eyes. ¡°Seven.¡± Maya fluked on purpose, bursting their bubble and disappointing everyone present, including Leo. ¡°I guess it doesn¡¯t work every time,¡± Keith concluded. ¡°S¡ªsorry guys¡­ I guess it was just a freaky case of luck,¡± Maya said. Not only she was proving Elena¡¯s claim that Chris was predictable, but she was also turning suspicion on herself for being able to guess correctly. Having this ability of hers wasn¡¯t something she should risk being found out on such a meaningless game. It was only Chris who felt a rush of relief when Maya failed to repeat the miracle the third time. ¡°Now you,¡± Chris turned toward Elena. ¡°How many fingers?¡± As Chris turned toward Elena, everyone else shifted along to see behind him and Maya found herself surrounded by the group of curious guys. She saw Chris was making an okay sign and threading it with the index finger from the other hand. He did it for giggles from guys, but Maya¡¯s disturbed face gave Elena an idea of what it could be. ¡°Ten. You¡¯re holding all your fingers behind your back,¡± she said in a snarky tone.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. Chris gave her an annoyed look for ruining the fun with logic. ¡°What? You¡¯re too much of a coward to play fair even a silly game like this?¡± His bitterness was showing through. ¡°I¡¯m not interested in childish games.¡± ¡°Has she just dumped this on you because she didn¡¯t feel like playing?¡± Leo criticized Elena. ¡°We¡¯re having fun and you can¡¯t even play along. If it¡¯s not dirty, you won¡¯t participate?¡± Their arguing was clearly about more than just this silly game. ¡°I¡¯m not the one who decided to play dirty. I just¡­ how did you put it?¡± she scratched her chin, pretending to think. ¡°Played along.¡± ¡°Bitch, you broke my tooth on the concrete floor!¡± Chris yelled. ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s not get carried away,¡± Boss intervened noticing things could escalate from here. Elena and Chris were giving each other threatening glares. ¡°And now your face looks more symmetrical. You¡¯re welcome,¡± she sneered. This drove him over the edge. He jumped after Elena, but the guys caught him before he could reach her. Elena didn¡¯t even flinch. ¡°Calm down, Chris. What got into you? You¡¯re only embarrassing yourself by going after a freshman girl.¡± ¡°Good thing you stopped him,¡± Elena snickered. ¡°It would be worse having his ass kicked again. This time in front of the whole school.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to break your every bone, you, fucking bitch!¡± he was spouting declamations. ¡°Come on, Elena. Don¡¯t provoke him. Let¡¯s just go,¡± Keith said, justifiably worried. Maya joined Keith in trying to get Elena away, while the rest of the guys held Chris down. People began to turn their attention. Maya was truly afraid for Elena. Chris was a big guy, and he could break her in half if he got loose. There was no doubt that the lucky outcome from before wouldn¡¯t play again. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. He¡¯s just playing tough. He doesn¡¯t have the balls for doing shit,¡± Elena claimed. Elena allowed them to lead her away. But she didn¡¯t believe Chris would actually do anything to her in front of all these people. ¡°You better not show up on the next practice or I will kill you!¡± Chris threatened, yelling after them. ¡°You can try. But it¡¯s more likely you¡¯re going to have the rest of your teeth for dinner,¡± Elena daringly winked at him. They haven¡¯t gotten very far from where Chris was being healed back by the rest of the warrior guys. Being the biggest one amongst them, he was allowing them to stop him. Perhaps that is why they weren¡¯t making a serious effort, never expecting he would seriously go for a girl in front of so many people. In their wrongful assumption, Chris managed to get loose from their grip. There was no stopping him. The ones who tried only ended up dragged along as he charged. In his blind rage, Maya was the first one Chris reached. He pulled on her furiously to get her out of his way, toppling her to the hard marble floor. The world awkwardly tilted on its axis and her head rebounded off the floor, sending a sudden shockwave of pain. Her vision blurred. Suddenly, everything loomed above her and people¡¯s feet dominated her field of view. One pair of shoes separated from the rest as the group of guys lost control of Chris from shock and surprise. Barely able to make out the screams and gasps of the bystanders from her head ringing, Maya felt the floor shake. Then there was Elena, face-to-face with Maya as she too was knocked to the ground. Their eyes met for a brief moment and Elena¡¯s lip curled into a snarl as her head whipped back to the target of her ire¡ªChris. A fist sprung toward Elena¡¯s face, but she was no longer there, aptly sliding out of the way. Maya could barely comprehend what was happening, but she recognized the glister that shined through her foggy vision as one from a knife Elena had just pulled out of her boot. Barely coming to her senses to sit up as bystanders, alongside Keith, came to pull Maya to her feet, she forced her vision to focus. Shouts and commotion were filling her ears. She couldn¡¯t follow. While being pulled to safety, feet dragged along the floor, Maya could finally see clearly. Elena, atop Chris, knife in her hand, barely stopped by the joined efforts of multiple warrior trainees, just inches short from cutting his face. Maya gasped. Things have escalated beyond reason. The only fortune being warrior students brave enough to jump in before there could be bloodshed. Keith and Maya could only stare in disbelief as authorities showed up to apprehend them. ¡°She really made a mess of things,¡± Keith muttered as he held his head in his hands. Maya glanced at him. He didn¡¯t seem physically hurt. Keith¡¯s usual composure had crumbled, leaving him visibly shaken. His eyes darted between Maya and the unfolding chaos, torn between concern for her wellbeing and disbelief at his girlfriend¡¯s actions. ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t know what to do,¡± he confessed, his voice barely above a whisper, as their gazes were on the spectacle before them. Elena¡ªwho had seemed untouchable and always ready with a witty comeback¡ªhad now flipped, resembling a wild animal consumed by madness. She thrashed against the grip of those restraining her, her face contorted with rage as she hurled Russian expletives at Chris. The faculty members struggled to drag her away, her fierce resistance making their progress slow and difficult. As Maya watched the scene unfold, a chill ran down her spine. The realization hit Maya like a ton of bricks: Elena was¡­ dangerous. Potentially lethal, even. Maya began to question whether should she really continue trying to be her friend. Chapter 36: Reap What You Sow Maya no longer saw ghosts the same. Perhaps she just refused to look too close, but now after she had noticed they carry the traumas of their deaths she couldn¡¯t unsee it. When she passed through that specific hallway in the faculty wing, where one ghost girl was permanently stuck frozen in place with a petrified expression, Maya knew she had been reliving her final moments and inadvertently giving Maya a window into her death. But that wasn¡¯t the thing that troubled Maya¡¯s mind right now. Sitting in front of the Headmistress¡¯s office, Maya could listen in on yelling coming through the thick hardwood doors. Inside were Elena, her guardians, the warrior''s practice coach and, by the sound of it, Daria. Maya didn¡¯t hear the Headmistress. Perhaps she was absent, so Daria stepped in her place. After all, Daria was Amanda¡¯s right-hand woman. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I will have to terminate you from warrior training, as well,¡± the Coach said. ¡°That¡¯s not fair!¡± Elena complained. ¡°It¡¯s my fault for allowing you there in the first place. This goes to further prove it¡¯s not a place for women.¡± ¡°This wasn¡¯t warrior¡¯s practice. This was school lunch!¡± Elena emphasized. ¡°Why was he even called here, Daria?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t allow my disciples to carry their conflicts outside the training sessions and attack each other.¡± ¡°He was the one to attack me! And he attacked a girl that had nothing to do with all of this! He should be the one terminated!¡± Elena was seething. ¡°Elena, you carried in and attacked a student WITH A KNIFE on the academy premises!¡± Daria¡¯s voice was stern. ¡°So what?! I shouldn¡¯t defend myself? I should¡¯ve just let him kill me!?¡± ¡°YOU HAD A KNIFE TO HIS THROAT! Who was going to kill who, there!?¡± Daria was outraged. She seemed to have little patience for Elena. ¡°I wasn¡¯t gonna hurt him,¡± Elena argued. ¡°I had to stop him somehow. He¡¯s a big guy. I had no advantage¡ªotherwise, he would have crushed me.¡± ¡°Weapons are forbidden! What were you thinking, carrying a knife around? You brought this on yourself. It¡¯s only by pure luck no one got hurt,¡± Daria said. ¡°No one got hurt?! Look at my face! Why am I being punished for him being a sour loser?! It¡¯s not fair! I EARNED MY PLACE IN WARRIOR¡¯S PRACTICE!! You took my knife and handed out punishment chips. How far do you have to go?!¡± ¡°Elena, sweetie,¡± a calm voice contrasted Elena¡¯s screaming. ¡°Be respectful and accept your punishment.¡± It must¡¯ve been Mrs Trento, Elena¡¯s guardian. ¡°It is better you no longer involve yourself in this type of trouble. Warrior¡¯s Practice isn¡¯t a place for a girl like you. Now, let¡¯s go to the clinic to get that checked out.¡± ¡°NO! Stop treating me like your fucking child! I earned my place there. I won¡¯t stand by this!¡± Elena sounded desperate. ¡°You are punishing me for standing up to bullying!¡± ¡°Elena, stop making things up. This wasn¡¯t some bullying,¡± Daria said. ¡°It¡¯s school violence.¡± ¡°It is,¡± Elena argued. ¡°In fact, I¡¯m being bullied right now! I want to keep training. That¡¯s my only demand. Throw in more punishment chips, do whatever else, just don¡¯t take this from me. Otherwise, I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m¡ª¡± she was struggling to make up a threat. ¡°I¡¯m going to jump off the Academy¡¯s tower. I¡¯ll show everyone how the Academy treats victims.¡± The room was left in shock and disbelief. ¡°Elena! Don¡¯t say things like that!¡± Mrs Trento warned her. ¡°I am serious. If you don¡¯t want to scrape a student pancake off the pavement, don¡¯t take this only thing from me. I¡¯ll have no reason to live.¡±This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. Maya could hear sobbing. It must¡¯ve been Mrs Trento. ¡°Stop using your empty threats to create drama where there¡¯s no need for one.¡± Daria wasn¡¯t easily dismayed. ¡°You think they¡¯re empty? Are you willing to put money into it? Think about how of a warm welcome it would be for Amanda when she comes back to it raining students.¡± ¡°Do you hear yourself, Elena!? What lengths are you willing to take just to get your way? Can¡¯t you see that we can¡¯t let you go to a dangerous practice with a student you were in a conflict with? Not as a punishment, but as a protection.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need your useless protection. I have no problem facing him there. If he can¡¯t cope with seeing my face, he should be the one to quit.¡± ¡°She¡¯s a fierce one,¡± a male voice, one that didn¡¯t speak until now, commented. It must¡¯ve been Mr Trento. ¡°This is the only thing I am asking for. The only thing that¡¯s making me happy. You don¡¯t want this on your conscience. Please. I¡¯m even begging, now,¡± Elena continued. ¡°Can you please leave the office, so we can discuss this matter,¡± Daria asked. ¡°But¡ª¡± ¡°You rested your case,¡± Daria interrupted her. ¡°Leave it to us to decide. Now,¡± her voice was firm. Elena left the office with a dissatisfied expression. Seeing the state of her got Maya worried. Half of her face was swollen up and bruised to the point that her left eye was half closed. That combined with the cut on her lip from yesterday and all the blood that rushing from her getting worked up and yelling inside, made it look even worse. ¡°Why are you still here?¡± she was vexed by seeing Maya there, sitting in front of the office. ¡°I¡¯m not going to just abandon you when you need me the most. That¡¯s not what friends do.¡± Elena stared at her, momentarily stumped. ¡°We¡¯re not friends. We are roommates. And I don¡¯t need you,¡± Elena answered coldly. ¡°You were there for me when I had a hard time. I¡¯m returning the favour.¡± Maya stood up, unconsciously reaching to grab Elena¡¯s sleeve, unsure if for balance or combating an unpleasant feeling of Elena turning away from her. Elena evaded her. ¡°What? When was that?¡± she sounded genuinely surprised. ¡°The first day. When I had a meltdown. You sat with me on the pavement and tried to comfort me. Remember?¡± Maya was left dejected, standing awkwardly. ¡°That was just out of personal curiosity, not because I consider you a friend. I might¡¯ve let you believe that for the sake of easier management.¡± ¡°Easier management??¡± Maya¡¯s mouth was left agape. ¡°If I¡¯m already being forced to tolerate you, I might as well make it easier for myself,¡± she clarified as her attention turned to her nails. ¡°Well, you¡¯re ruining that for yourself, right now.¡± Heaviness welled up inside of Maya. It was harder to breathe, but she couldn¡¯t allow herself to relent. ¡°I won¡¯t be so easy to ¡®manage¡¯ now when I know the truth.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know shit.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. I don¡¯t, and I certainly don¡¯t get you. Do you want us to get along or not? Why do you keep contradicting yourself?¡± ¡°I just decided it wasn¡¯t worth the effort.¡± Elena met her eyes, her expression showing no emotion. It stung. ¡°Not worth the effort?! What effort? You are the one that¡¯s a handful here. You told me you had no friends, and yet, you refuse a chance of friendship. I¡¯ve only seen you make an effort to create enemies for yourself. How can you live like that?¡± ¡°I never wanted to be your friend! I never asked you to!¡± ¡°I guess, I shouldn¡¯t bother.¡± ¡°Finally, it came to you,¡± Elena sneered. ¡°Why are you like this? Why are you so hostile to everyone? Without friends, you¡¯re going to end up very lonely.¡± Maya grabbed her sleeve this time around. Elena shook her off. ¡°Thanks for the therapy session, but you¡¯re not the one to talk to me about loneliness. You¡¯re the one desperately clinging to me,¡± she retorted. ¡°As if you can only befriend the first person you encounter here,¡± she added, scoffing. ¡°You¡¯re not the first person I encountered!¡± Maya felt the need to point out. But she was left speechless otherwise. Elena rolled her eyes. ¡°I just thought you could use someone besides your boyfriend.¡± Maya clenched her jaw to stop it from trembling. ¡°Who¡ªby the way¡ªyou also criticize¡­ I was trying to be considerate and¡ª¡± ¡°No one asked you to,¡± Elena cut her off. ¡°Stop using me to boost your ego. It¡¯s not your job to decide if I need saving.¡± Elena¡¯s gaze was as cold as the bitterest winter. ¡°You think you¡¯re being considerate, but you¡¯re only belittling me with your self-righteous, judgmental views. You think that having had parents, while I didn¡¯t, justifies your condescension? Get off your high horse. Trying to fix me won¡¯t make everything wrong with you go away!¡± Chapter 37: Reap What You Sow II Maya blinked. She gave all her efforts not to burst into tears. Elena¡¯s words hit straight to the core. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m better than you,¡± she said timidly, fighting tears from emerging. ¡°I know you¡¯re angry, but you don¡¯t have to be so cruel.¡± Her voice trembled. Maya couldn¡¯t fight the tears, anymore. They were interrupted by doors opening. Mrs Trento with her husband walked out of the office and kindly placed her hand on Elena¡¯s shoulder with motherly concern, oblivious to Maya being shaken up from their argument. ¡°Let¡¯s get you to a clinic, now.¡± Elena brushed off her hand. ¡°I¡¯m fine. If you want to take someone to a clinic that badly, take her instead,¡± she suggested to Maya. ¡°She smacked her head. Might even have a concussion.¡± Elena redirected Mrs Trento¡¯s concern off herself, then turned her back to them, leaving Mrs. Trento blinking confused. Maya couldn¡¯t believe Elena could be so disrespectful toward adults. Finally, Daria came out of the office as they watched Elena walking away. ¡°Are you alright, Maya?¡± It seemed that Daria was the only person here that worried about Maya. She nodded, insecurely. ¡°Come in then. Mr. and Mrs. Trento, I¡¯ll get in touch when this is resolved.¡± Maya entered the office and Daria led her through the side door into another office adjacent to it. It was smaller and less sumptuous, but cosy. However, it looked like it wasn¡¯t much ¡®lived in¡¯. ¡°I apologize for not giving you a proper introduction on your first day of school,¡± Daria said. ¡°I wasn¡¯t aware that Amanda had assigned me as your guardian.¡± This was the first time Maya had seen Daria since she¡¯d dropped her off at the school. ¡°It¡¯s alright. The Headmistress talked to me instead,¡± Maya said, but didn¡¯t believe her own words. She didn¡¯t like how Daria, her only anchor here, disappeared on her first day. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what she was thinking,¡± Daria started. ¡°I¡¯m not suited to be a guardian. I am frequently absent and you need someone who can give you all their attention.¡± ¡°The Headmistress told me that already. She told me to consider her as your replacement when you¡¯re absent.¡± ¡°She did?¡± Daria was genuinely surprised. ¡°I guess signing herself as your guardian would be too inappropriate, so she used me as a substitute.¡± ¡°Why would that be inappropriate?¡± ¡°If she¡¯s acting Headmaster of Amellan and candidate for election for the Rectoress of Academia, her attention should be devoted only to her duties,¡± Daria explained but saw Maya didn¡¯t understand. She exhaled softly, deciding not to bother her with details. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. That woman can manage the entire academy with the town and still have her time to intervene in the business of the ruling council of Mellgrah. I can ask her to assign you a proper guardian.¡±Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. ¡°You don¡¯t need to trouble yourself.¡± ¡°Okay then. I won¡¯t treat you as a child and try to involve myself where I¡¯m not needed, but feel free to contact me if you need any help.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°I would also appreciate it if you didn¡¯t mention this incident to Amanda. Let me handle it.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Maya nodded. ¡°But can I ask why?¡± ¡°She had broken some serious rules. If Amanda had been here to handle this, she would¡¯ve expelled her. Weapons are prohibited on the academy grounds and harming another student gets you instantly expelled.¡± ¡°Are you covering this up?¡± Maya realized the severity of the repercussions that Elena should¡¯ve been faced with. ¡°Why are you doing this for her?¡± ¡°The first week hadn¡¯t even passed. It would be a tragedy to take away the chance elements gave her so soon. And it¡¯s not just for her. The other student broke the rules as well,¡± Daria was compassionate. ¡°I feel responsible. Back in the Vetus Orbis, I should¡¯ve found her much sooner to prevent some bad things from happening to her.¡± ¡°How can you be responsible for that? You couldn¡¯t even know until elements chose her, right?¡± ¡°It¡¯s much more complicated than that¡­ Look, Maya, I know you¡¯re a smart girl and a good person. Can I ask you to watch out for Elena not carrying any more weapons? I need her to keep away from trouble.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure how can I stop her. We fought just now. I don¡¯t think she wants to do anything with me.¡± ¡°She¡¯s just angry. She¡¯ll come around. I¡¯m just afraid that I won¡¯t be able to do anything if something like this happens again.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you just take away all her knives? She has a full room of them,¡± Maya suggested, followed by feeling a shred of guilt for the meddling suggestion. If someone would get rid of Elena¡¯s knives, Maya would certainly feel more at ease, however, she was aware Elena wouldn¡¯t be happy. ¡°If I do that, it would blow this incident out of proportion. It requires an official request to search a student¡¯s room. And then the news comes to Amanda.¡± ¡°But everyone saw them fighting. Everybody knows. You can¡¯t keep that from her.¡± ¡°She doesn¡¯t get bothered by words circling around. If you don¡¯t mention it to her, it won¡¯t matter. Leave it to me to explain to Amanda.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t tell her,¡± Maya said. ¡°¡­Are you going to allow Elena to continue training as a warrior?¡± she was curious. ¡°I have to reassess over it. It is unconventional to have her train for a warrior in the first place, and it is obviously creating conflicts. I don¡¯t think I should allow it.¡± Maya¡¯s gaze scanned her feet, knowing she should confess listening in. ¡°I heard some of your conversation and her threats from earlier.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ I¡¯m sorry you had to hear that. Sometimes, she can be overly dramatic.¡± It felt like Daria knew Elena well. ¡°It¡¯s nothing to worry about. She doesn¡¯t really intend to do anything she threatened about.¡± ¡°She obviously cares about it. I think you should let her continue.¡± Elena took a great risk only earning herself an audition to Warrior¡¯s Practice. In that fight with Chris there, the outcome could¡¯ve gone either way. She was acting tough and cocky, but Maya could tell Elena gave her all. Daria narrowed her eyes. ¡°I appreciate your opinion. However, it is up to me to make that decision. If you don¡¯t have anything else for me, I suggest you return to your practice, it has already begun.¡± Chapter 38: Amellan Temples It was already late in the practices and Maya went straight to the locker room instead of the infirmary. While changing she found more bruises she hadn¡¯t noticed from her fall. Even where Chris had grabbed her left a mark on her skin. It was nothing in comparison to the bump she felt on her head, well hidden beneath her hair. The ringing in her head hadn¡¯t yet ceased and Maya began to suspect she might actually have a concussion. Having insisted she was fine she didn¡¯t want to be a bother now. Maybe she should¡¯ve allowed someone to at least check up on her. Alone in the locker room, she began to reconsider whether she should even show up now. ¡®It¡¯s not like I can use magic, anyway¡­¡¯ Sighing, Maya¡¯s gaze caught a glimpse of the highest school tower through the locker room window. It is the tower Elena used in her threat to harm herself. ¡®It really is high up. Was she being serious? Would she really do something like that?¡¯ A silhouette up in the tower caught Maya¡¯s attention. It made her feel as if she was being watched by it. It quietly retracted where it was no longer visible. Maya wondered if it was a ghost. They seemed so helpless and trapped by their state. ¡®Is that what death was like?¡¯ Her thoughts returned to that ghost girl. She seemed to understand more about their state, which Maya didn¡¯t notice as the case with other ghosts. Unlike Leo, whom she felt longed to be alive, the girl must¡¯ve been dead for a long time and had gotten well used to it. Perhaps she should try to learn more from her. After all, she did say some quite vexing things in passing. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry,¡± Leo said. ¡°Ah!¡± Maya almost jumped out of her skin. He does it to her every time. ¡°Sorry¡­ again.¡± ¡°What are you sorry for?¡± ¡°For being unable to do anything. Seeing you get hurt. And¡­ there¡¯s nothing I can do. It¡¯s driving me insane.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t think I know you? Four years we were apart may seem a lot, but you haven¡¯t changed that much. You¡¯re still the same girl that hides her pain like you¡¯ll be punished for it.¡± ¡°Leo¡­ You were right about Elena. She never cared about me. Even said so herself.¡± Leo hesitated. Maya knew he wanted to say ¡®I told you so¡¯ but held back since she was in a bad mood. ¡°What are you going to do about it?¡± ¡°Nothing¡­¡±If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°Nothing?!¡± ¡°What can I do? If she doesn¡¯t like me, that¡¯s fine. I have other people who want to hang out with me. In fact, I am even invited to a party this weekend,¡± she indulged in self-praising in hopes it would make her feel better. ¡°Oh, crap! I haven¡¯t told Elena that the party¡¯s at our place.¡± ???????? After rushing to the field, her mentor, Tanya, having heard what transpired earlier, didn¡¯t reprimand Maya for being late. In fact, she even ordered her to rest and observe for today. This in return made Maya receive some not-too-kind glares from the other group members. They seemed especially bothered whenever Maya would receive special treatment. ¡°Did you used to be some kind of royalty?¡± Maya didn¡¯t know what she did to deserve such scornful comments when Tanya would turn her focus to the other group, but she couldn¡¯t deny having received certain privileges that others didn¡¯t. The Headmaster herself was her guardian and the dorm room she stayed in would be considered a penthouse among dorm rooms. Not to mention, having Tanya as a mentor was considered the best option one could pick with her impeccable skills and unique insight thanks to wielding two elements. ¡®Am I truly blessed?¡¯ Perhaps she would find out during her next temple visit. As she had received a notice to come after school, Maya made her way toward the temple ground. It was a secluded but beautiful area behind the academy grounds. Temple of Light they called it, but it consisted of pretty gardens with four rounded temples around a small plaza. Temples resembled buildings of ancient times and one of them was more grandeur than the rest. For the place of worship, it didn¡¯t look like it was often visited and the atmosphere was somewhat modest and more friendly, even though it didn¡¯t seem like a place someone could venture in freely. Soaking in the ambience, the temple complex was truly like a hidden world with a flare of mystic romanticism. For a moment, Maya expected fairies instead of priestesses to show up. Maya didn¡¯t arrive alone. Beside her were a handful of freshmen girls Maya had speculated to have already succeeded in Awakening. They were all invited under the guise of temple work, but Maya suspected she was invited for a different purpose since Maya hadn¡¯t connected to her element yet. Among them were Sarah and a girl named Lisa whom Maya recognized as the one who kept her company for a short time when she had first arrived in town. Although Maya had lunch with Sarah for three days now, Sarah still seemed rather unapproachable and too haughty to start a conversation with. Not to mention she didn¡¯t seem to want to do anything with Maya outside school. And Lisa¡­ Maya was under the impression she was snubbing her. No wonder, since she was warned by Lisa about Elena the first day and then proceeded to somehow become associated with that exact Elena. After they entered the grounds, Maya thought she saw a glimpse of her mentor Tanya in the distance. ¡®Does she also do temple work after school?¡¯ Maya didn¡¯t get the chance to interact with the rest of the group because she was soon separated. As the Head Priestess came to greet them, soon after priestesses in pastel green gowns led other girls away while Maya was told to wait at the plaza. While others were being directed to their tasks Maya was observing the four elegant stone statues adorning the plaza. They were of four androgynous figures in long flowy gowns. One held a spikey golden orb close to its chest. The gold glistened in the sunlight, looking like a small sun or a star being carefully cradled in the statue¡¯s palms. Another one held its eyes covered with its palms as if mournfully refusing to look at the world, while golden streams trickled from underneath their fingers like tears. The next one was more lively, with its elegant hand gripping a golden trident and the gown and long hair sculpted in a way Maya could almost feel a strong wind it was trying to resist. The last one was calm in contrast, with a long golden sceptre in its hands. Looking at its face, Maya almost felt like the statue was looking directly at her even though it had no eyes or defined features of the face. Then, Maya realized she wasn¡¯t alone. Chapter 39: Daughters of Light While Maya was looking at the statues, the beautiful priestess was quietly observing Maya with an enigmatic smile. Having her eyes set on a living breathing human after intently looking a the statues irradiating with grace Maya found her looking even more sublime. With her platinum hair that shined in the sun and golden embroidery and accessories adorning her body, she truly looked like a descended Greek goddess. ¡°May the light follow.¡± She gently bowed her head to Maya and beckoned her to approach. ¡°Come, little chick. I believe we haven¡¯t gotten acquainted yet. I am the Head Priestess of Amellan¡¯s Temple of Light. You may address me as Lady Kiana.¡± Maya greeted her and introduced herself. ¡°Usually, each newcomer¡¯s arrival is blessed by me personally. However, you arrived so late I haven¡¯t gotten a turn to meet with you. Inviting you here with the next priestess¡¯ candidates seemed like an opportune moment.¡± The High Priestess was talking while leading Maya through a beautiful garden. ¡°Call it, sort of, a mandatory theology lesson. After you establish a connection with your Element, you are free to sign up to become a candidate as well. If it would interest you¡­¡± Maya realized her summons for temple work was a pretext. In truth, the head priestess wanted to personally introduce her to the religious system, as Maya had missed the official introduction due to her late arrival. Being personally invited by the head priestess felt like a great honour to Maya. The day was warm and beautiful. Maya and Lady Kiana sat in a gazebo nestled within a tranquil temple garden, sipping tea with an enchanting sweet fragrance. The wind rustled through the leaves of ancient trees surrounding them, carrying a distant hint of burning incense. As Maya ran her fingers over the weathered surface of the stone bench, its coolness grounded her, connecting her to the unknown timeless history of the place. ¡°I know this may all seem very strange to you,¡± Lady Kiana began. ¡°After all, it¡¯s an entirely new set of customs and rules, not to mention unfamiliar gods and forces that are at play that could make your head spin. I want you to relax. We are just having a chat.¡± Her relaxed demeanour and empathetic voice helped Maya be more at ease. ¡°I may be a High Priestess but my role is merely of a messenger,¡± Lady Kiana continued. ¡°I¡¯ve heard the Headmistress herself is your guardian so I am nothing but a humble existence in her presence.¡± She tilted her head slightly, her eyes shimmering with curiosity. ¡°Tell me, how much have you heard about our gods so far?¡± ¡°I know nothing of gods, only that Elements aren¡¯t them. Did I disrespect them in my ignorance?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about gods. To be frank, I doubt anyone who isn¡¯t in the role of a priestess fully understands gods, either. They aren¡¯t that important, anyway.¡± Maya was taken aback. ¡®Did the High Priestess just say gods aren¡¯t important?¡¯ Since Maya didn¡¯t follow any religion before, she couldn¡¯t say she was too inclined to follow a new doctrine now. However, her ability to see ghosts of dead people had her interested if answers could be found with the gods witches worship. Lady Kiana¡¯s gaze was fixated on Maya as if she was carefully studying what kind of reaction her previous statement would unfold. ¡°Are you interested in gods?¡±If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Maya looked at her, vexed by the question. ¡°What if I said no?¡± The priestess laughed. ¡°As I¡¯ve already said, I invited you for a chat. If you don¡¯t want to chat about religion, we can change the subject. But it would be hard for me to believe you don¡¯t have any questions. Feel free to ask. It can be anything related to mages that is on your mind.¡± ¡°If gods aren¡¯t important, as you said, what is the purpose of priestesses?¡± Lady Kiana smiled. ¡°Ah, perhaps that was exaggerating. It is not that gods aren¡¯t important, but they aren¡¯t crucial in your everyday life. If you are a priestess, they¡ªand reading their will¡ªare very important. But I don¡¯t like to burden students with such concepts if they aren¡¯t interested in entering the world of divine will. Witches were always oppressed by other religions in history, it would be very hypocritical of us to enforce our own, wouldn¡¯t it?¡± Maya thought Lady Kiana had a point. It seems witches value free will. ¡°Priestesses are dedicated to the spiritual side of the Elements. Because we are closer to gods, we can better read the flow of magic and devote ourselves to Elements, rather than gods themselves,¡± she began explaining. ¡°We also hold rites and ceremonies and are integral in the culture of mages as the only ones with a licence for ritual magic. So it¡¯s a prestigious position.¡± She chuckled, continuing. ¡°Perhaps sometimes you can say we take the role of doctors of the spiritual. Temple premises are sacred grounds. People come here to meditate and strengthen their inner connection to their Element. Rarely it is to invoke the will of gods.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°Are you familiar with the world order of Mellgrah?¡± ¡°Do you mean in a political sense?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t say that I am.¡± ¡°Mellgrah is a triumvirate, regulated by three main forces and their heads,¡± Lady Kiana drew three equal circles with her finger on the table surface. ¡°One in charge of Civics has the title of Gouverness of Mellgrah; Military is lead by the General of Hunters; and Education is managed by Rectoress of Academia.¡± As she spoke, she poked her imaginary circles with her finger. ¡°They are this world¡¯s highest authority,¡± she continued. ¡°However, in reality, there is one position above,¡± she covered the table with her palm. ¡°Rectrix Suprema.¡± Lady Kiana looked at Maya intently. ¡°It has been symbolically left vacant for centuries, to honour the time of peace and prosperity. It is a position only a Prima should take,¡± she said and relaxed leaning back in her seat. ¡°It¡¯s not to say no one besides Prima had that position before, but it was only temporary when direction was crucial.¡± ¡°So, you see,¡± she continued. ¡°Although we are an integral part of culture and rule of magic, Priestesses aren¡¯t anywhere on the triarchy. Even though, locally we hold great authority in our designated regions. Priestesses would fall under the direct jurisdiction of Rectrix Suprema. Unfortunately, the time of Primas is behind us.¡± Maya was very interested in the way Lady Kiana spoke. ¡°What are Primas?¡± Lady Kiana smiled as if she anticipated this question. ¡°Have you studied about Lady Anastasia, creator of this world?¡± ¡°Not in detail, no¡ªat least not yet.¡± ¡°She was a Prima. In the past, in great times of need, Elements would choose an all-powerful vessel that we call Prima Maga, the reincarnation of the First Witch. Primas are not constrained by a single element, their power goes beyond our restraints.¡± ¡°Is Tanya, my mentor, a Prima then?¡± Maya asked, intrigued. ¡°No,¡± Lady Kiana shook her head. ¡°Although incredibly rare, people can have a bilateral affinity. Primas, on the other hand, possess all Elements.¡± ¡°Including Spirit Element?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Maya widened her eyes. ¡°Is it possible for a witch to wield only Spirit?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t say I¡¯ve heard of such a thing. But as I¡¯ve already stated, the time of Primas is behind us. Lady Anastasia, in her selfless sacrifice for creating this world, gave up on her ability to reincarnate as a Prima in the future. The price for a peaceful world was the abolishment of Primas, and the so-called element of Spirit.¡± Maya wanted to slap herself. Listening to Lady Kiana, she almost allowed her head to get big. Her Appraisal Ritual clearly stated her element as Air. And seeing ghosts doesn¡¯t necessarily have to mean a lofty ability to ¡®bend¡¯ Spirit. It was only her innate desire to feel special that was pushing that idea into her mind. Her ability may not even be related to elements, but something¡­ different. ¡°I¡¯d like to learn about gods witches worship,¡± Maya decided. Lady Kiana smiled. Chapter 40: Gods of Old ¡°Do you know why we have four temples at the temple ground?¡± Lady Kiana turned slightly, looking toward the temple plaza. ¡°One for each element¡­?¡± ¡°A common misconception,¡± Lady Kiana spoke in a relaxed manner. ¡°Our powers manifest in a way that we can divide into four elements, and in rituals, we use them as such as they were made to cater to one element each, but no, that is not the reason. Why would one of the temples be more grand than the others, then? In truth, they are dedicated to four deities.¡± ¡®So there are four gods¡­¡¯ Maya listened attentively. ¡°To be honest, I am a little bored of delivering the usual tirade, so let me try something a little different.¡± Lady Kiana leaned back as if she were preparing for a long lecture. ¡°Witches believe in four deities¡­ God of Light; God of Repose; God of Storms¡ªor sometimes called God of War; and God of Sky¡ªalso known as God of Dreams or Time.¡± Maya took mental notes of their names and began to imagine what they were like. ¡°You met them at the plaza.¡± Lady Kiana chuckled. ¡®She must mean those four statues I was observing.¡¯ Earlier, while she was looking at the statues, Maya was trying to discern the element each represented. Now she knew why she was having trouble; they weren¡¯t meant to represent elements. ¡°It seems arbitrary, right? However, in the Dark Ages, those gods had different faces. They were known as Four Bleak Goddesses.¡± Maya¡¯s eyes opened slightly wider. It sounded rather dreadful. ¡°They are the same gods?¡± ¡°Yes. Like most religions, deities get tweaked over time to be more culturally appropriate. But it doesn¡¯t mean they themselves have changed.¡± ¡®If that was what they were known as, no wonder the head priestess didn¡¯t feel inclined to force belief in them. It would be a fruitless venture.¡¯ ¡°Would you like to hear more about that perspective?¡± Maya carefully nodded. In all honesty, she was curious about the witches of the past. They once roamed the world she was born in, and then were suddenly lost from history. Following a religion wasn¡¯t something she was very familiar with, but since Lady Kiana took a somewhat academic approach as if offering her a history lesson, Maya wished to know more. ¡°The one that is worshipped the most, God of Light, is just another name for the Goddess of Death.¡± ¡®Death?!¡¯ Maya felt chills go down her spine, feeling the weight of revelation pressing upon her. The once majestic garden gazebo seemed to take on a more mysterious and foreboding aura. ¡°Although death is her domain she is also the god of creation, as there cannot be death if there is no life. She dictates beginnings and ends.¡±If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. The choice of Goddess being named after Death rather than Life gave Maya an unsettling feeling that the gods they revered were not benevolent figures. ¡°God of Repose is the one we have twisted the most. Her original name was Goddess of Nil. She is known as goddesses of nothing, of annihilation, anomalies, irregularities¡­ or, nowadays, could be called goddess of glitches,¡± Lady Kiana joked. Not reacting to the priestess amusing herself, Maya furrowed her brows. The concept of Nil was more difficult for her to grasp. ¡°Her domain is absolute and utter annihilation, a state of no existence. A complete contrast to her sister who keeps the vicious cycle of life and death, she wants to erase existence itself¡ªlife and death, respectively. Even afterlife. And therefore she has domain over all things that break that balance,¡± she paused to take a sip of her tea. ¡°In other words¡ªmagic.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. We may have a purpose to keep the balance, but we were initially created to break it.¡± The high priestess chuckled to herself. ¡°And then there were born their younger sisters that feed on that conflict,¡± she continued. ¡°The Goddess of Corruption. Her domain is conflict and change, so her new face still suits her quite well¡ªGod of War and Storms. Through her twisted games, evolution is possible. She¡¯s not the one to sit still, and her natural order is to invoke chaos.¡± Lady Kiana¡¯s casual tone as she spoke of the Goddess of Corruption, left Maya feeling a sense of unease. Now Maya began to grasp that those gods ancient witches worshipped weren¡¯t there to protect and nurture them, but were rather more akin to cosmic entities that force them into survival. ¡°And there comes the last sister, the one that preys on all things with guaranteed ruin, Goddess of Decay. Her domain is erosion and ruin. Her other sister may be the chaotic one, but she reigns over true chaos, the state of absolute entropy. She may seem passive but she is absolute and unchanging.¡± As Lady Kiana spoke of the last goddess, Maya felt her spirit crushed. Although she had announced their bleak nature, before she spoke of the last one, Maya somehow hoped that at least one of them would resemble the image of a loving god. ¡°I am not sure how she got the title of God of Sky and Dreams,¡± Lady Kiana pondered for a moment. ¡°At least Time suits her well because with time everything comes to ruin. Dreams are an illusion and through them, you cannot achieve change unless you act and inactivity forebodes decay. There is also an affinity to celestial bodies that are generally ascribed to her, so there the ¡®God of Sky¡¯ comes from.¡± Hearing about the nature of all four of their gods, Maya couldn¡¯t help but feel horrified. ¡°And there they go, fighting each other, none able to prevail over the other. In their bitter stalemate, we thread our existence.¡± Lady Kiana smiled wistfully. She had left Maya in silence with her thoughts racing. ¡°So you see, those aren''t gods that seek our worship. In fact, they wish for our very own destruction, and often we even have to fight against them to preserve our fragile existence,¡± she smiled. ¡°But they all represent concepts we should naturally face and could never win against. The only way to fight one is through borrowing the strength of another one. So we pray to all of them to never win, or lose. That is the only relationship we can have with gods.¡± ¡®That¡¯s¡­ certainly a unique view on gods,¡¯ Maya thought to herself. ¡°Goddess of Death gives us life, but also takes it. Nil gives us magic, but also wants us to destroy ourselves with it. Corruption incites us into moving, but keeps removing solid ground from under our feet. And, Decay motivates us to persevere while slowly spending us. New names only focus on more positive aspects of theirs. But neither is exactly wrong,¡± Lady Kiana concluded. Deep in thought, Maya couldn¡¯t see how her power was related to those aspects of gods. ¡°Did I frighten you?¡± ¡°Um¡­¡± ¡°There are also Lesser Gods that are related to rather specific concepts,¡± Lady Kianna added casually. ¡°For example, God of Beasts, God of Flesh, Dragon God, and so forth. Perhaps I should describe them more as Daemons, or Spirit Kings.¡± ¡°Daemons?¡± Maya¡¯s pupils shook. The more Lady Kiana talked, the more sinister concepts came out of her mouth. ¡°That doesn¡¯t necessarily mean they are evil.¡± Although she talked in a reassuring voice, her eyes had a dark gleam. ¡°They are only called upon in rituals specific to their domains. As practitioners of dark magic are often enthralled by them, as a result, they are often seen as synonymous. But I digress¡­¡± Chapter 41: Mistaking the Sun for a God Maya¡¯s tea had gone cold, untouched. It was hard to stomach how Lady Kiana spoke of such terrifying concepts so lightly. Perhaps if she looks at her more like a historian than a practitioner of religion she spoke of, it would suit her demeanour more. Maya didn''t expect to receive the lore about the darker ''true'' faces of their gods or that it would be so elaborate and more detailed than the one they follow nowadays. ¡°I see you must be wondering why would I speak of our gods with old names that may sound like blasphemy,¡± Lady Kiana saw right through her. ¡°Because my role isn¡¯t to convert you into our fate. I am simply talking about our history and helping you understand why humans would misunderstand us.¡± She returned to her academic approach. ¡°If we worship gods with such dreadful names in times when Church was in reign, it is only natural they would be afraid. To people back then was unimaginable to affirm such horribly-sounding gods, let alone treat one¡¯s gods with reverent aversion.¡± Maya began to fiddle more and more with her hands. Although Lady Kiana started by telling a story with a hypothetical tone, after she was done with explaining, Maya couldn¡¯t help but feel as if the bleak side of gods was the one the High Priestess firmly believed in. ¡°Witches have always lived for themselves. As gods¡¯ creations, we don¡¯t owe them anything. Being thankful is our own choice and everyone¡¯s relationship to gods is their own. However, I wouldn¡¯t look at life so negatively. Existence itself is a miracle. To them, we may be a colony of ants, but we still prevail.¡± ¡°Lady Kiana¡­ do you not like gods?¡± ¡°Did I sound like I carry ill will toward them?¡± she elegantly scratched her chin with her finger. ¡°Certainly, they do not sound like gods you can adore, but on the other hand, you can¡¯t hate them either. I think they are great teachers. Just how our gods¡¯ true nature lays in the shadows, who knows what else might not be as it seems on the surface.¡± ¡°But that is not what gods really are like, right?¡± ¡°I wonder¡­¡± ¡°It¡­ it can¡¯t be.¡± ¡°Oh, my¡­ I guess I better refrain from sharing this in the future.¡± The priestess chuckled to herself softly, shaking her head. ¡®Should someone in a such position really be so frivolous and eccentric?¡¯ She did mention that she would try a different approach than usual. It must mean others didn¡¯t receive such unorthodox lessons and know nothing of the dark side of their gods. Thankfully so. Who could live on without feeling depressed after knowing the gods that created them could be evil? ¡°You don¡¯t actually want people to follow your fate?¡± The High Priestess chuckled. ¡°On the contrary. However, it just wouldn¡¯t feel fair to indoctrinate all students who arrived from the modern world to worship gods they never even heard of, let alone such bleak ones. Faith and religion are a choice. One you are left to decide on yourself. In the end, it¡¯s not like it matters whether you worship our gods or not. They¡¯ll still look at you the same.¡±If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. Maya struggled to form a clear opinion of Priestess Kiana. The woman exuded an aura of benevolence and otherworldliness, yet seemed oddly disconnected from reality. Maya couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that this ethereal demeanour was merely a fa?ade, concealing something inscrutable beneath¡ªand that hidden depth somewhat scared Maya. Lady Kiana focused on the person who waved at her from the distance, seemingly reminding her she had other duties for today. ¡°Now for a pop quiz,¡± she said ecstatically, clasping her hands. Her mood was in complete contrast to Maya¡¯s and it unnerved her. ¡°Why is one of the temples more grand?¡± Maya thought for a moment and gave an answer. ¡°Because this temple is dedicated to the God of Light.¡± ¡°Correct. As I mentioned before, we do not want one god to prevail over the others so at each temple there are spaces dedicated to the other gods even if the temple as a whole is meant for one of them. Next question. Since this is a Temple of Light, which goddess do we worship here?¡± ¡°Goddess of¡­ Death?¡± Maya answered insecurely. ¡°Correct. And the most rightfully so. Since Goddess of Death is the one we need the most.¡± From her last statement, Maya finally confirmed her wariness of the priestess to be just. Who can say something like that, not only with a straight face, but with a beaming smile? Maya didn¡¯t quite like the High Priestess because what she spoke was hard for her to understand and it gave her the creeps. In a way, she hoped everything she said about gods was a lie. ¡®What kind of beings would create us only to wish for our destruction?¡¯ Coming here, she was hoping to get answers, but left with deep unrest from learning that gods watching over her could be evil. ¡®No. It can¡¯t be. Elements are a representation of gods¡¯ powers, and elements have chosen us and given us a second chance in life. Therefore, gods must care about us.¡¯ Deriving her own conclusion, a strong sense of relief washed over her. ¡®Was¡­ Was this a test?¡¯ Maya wondered to herself. Since she wasn¡¯t interested in theology and the mandatory temple work didn¡¯t require them to be devoted worshipers, Maya decided to cut her visits to the temple to a minimum. Maya looked at the tea she hadn¡¯t touched, feeling glad she didn¡¯t. The High Priestess beckoned someone behind to approach them. ¡°You already know Tanya? If I remember correctly, you mentioned she was your mentor?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Tanya joined them, bowed respectfully to the High Priestess and was instructed to walk Maya out. ¡°May light follow.¡± Lady Kiana sent her away with those words. Maya was quiet, still under deep impression from Lady Kiana¡¯s lecture. ¡°I understand temples aren¡¯t everyone¡¯s cup of tea. From how pale you look, I¡¯d guess you¡¯d come from a s¨¦ance and not from some light lessons,¡± Tanya tried to lighten the mood. ¡°It isn¡¯t an experience I¡¯d want to relive.¡± Tanya laughed. ¡°Well, Lady Kiana is a bit eccentric. I wouldn¡¯t take her too seriously, though. She likes to have fun in strange ways simply because she can.¡± ¡°Do you think what she said was true?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what she said to you, but I¡¯d say it¡¯s fifty-fifty whether it was true or not.¡± ¡°You seem to know her well.¡± ¡°I am a rather frequent resident here. So much that they almost accept me as an unofficial priestess.¡± ¡®It must mean she doesn¡¯t do anything related to temple work, then.¡¯ ¡°Why do you come here?¡± Maya wondered. Tanya scratched her chin and looked into the distance. ¡°¡­Because God of Light took my friends away, so I often come here to curse at him.¡± Maya chuckled, unsure if she was joking. Happy to have lightened Maya¡¯s mood, Tanya smiled. ¡°If you ever need extra lessons, this is where you can find me.¡± Chapter 42: Nothing Personal The following day at school, Maya discovered that her reputation within the Zeta group had been tarnished due to her association with Elena. Despite her best efforts, no one showed interest in spending time with her. Her peers had already formed cliques that seemed impenetrable to Maya. She couldn¡¯t push her friendship upon Elena either, as she hadn¡¯t shown up in school, nor did she come back from her night out. Upon returning to her room the previous day, Maya found Elena dressed up, her bruises covered, and preparing to leave. They didn¡¯t speak, and Maya assumed she was going on a date with Keith. It would be a lie if Maya said she wasn¡¯t worried about Elena a bit. However, she reassured herself that Keith, being a responsible boyfriend, would take care of her. After isolating herself from her peers in Vetus Orbis, they eventually stopped inviting her to socialize. Five years of ¡®not feeling like it¡¯ took a toll on her social life. It became difficult to discern if she was unlikable or if she had merely faded into the background. Maya believed things would change once her father awoke. She intended to start being present, to stop avoiding people, hoping she would have the mental capacity to engage with others¡¯ lives and start making friends. But, things didn¡¯t turn out the way she hoped. This was her chance for a fresh start. Mellgrah students all start from scratch. Although, the rest of them had a little bit more time for introductions over the summer, her late start wasn¡¯t going to stop her. This time she was determined. This time no one knows about her unlikable characteristics, so she can change herself however she likes. Right? She won¡¯t be her old gloomy self. It was what she thought, and what fuelled her excitement. ¡®You will start living.¡¯ However, she was unfortunate to end up in a room with Elena. It was short-sighted of her to attempt to befriend Elena. In the effort to please the unpleasable, she had to invest so much time that it hampered her chances of making other friends. Besides her lunch squad, she had no one to chat with during classes. ¡®Crap.¡¯ What was she thinking? If being friends with Elena was such a regrettable thing, she felt sorry for her. If others shared the same sentiment, then Elena was in the same situation as her, ostracized because of an unintended reputation. Elena was merely a victim, pushing people away to justify her loneliness. After all, she didn¡¯t consider the consequences of her actions. Today, Maya was trying to hang out with Stella¡ªthe girl she met the first day when their groups were distributed. But Stella didn¡¯t seem too keen on hanging with Maya and it ended up feeling rather awkward, so Maya resulted in chilling alone for the last break before lunch. Standing in the hallway in front of her classroom, Maya was listening to Leo trying to entertain her so she wouldn¡¯t feel left out. But she did feel left out. She was hanging out with a ghost! ¡®What would be more miserable, being all alone or with ghosts?¡¯ A group of students, including Keith, were passing by, each carrying boxes. Keith stopped to greet Maya. ¡°Maya, how are you? How¡¯s your head?¡± he asked. ¡°I¡¯m good. How about you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, thanks.¡± Keith smiled politely. Maya¡¯s curiosity was piqued. ¡°What¡¯s in the boxes?¡± Keith glanced at the group that had continued without him. ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m not sure. We¡¯re moving them at Professor Milford¡¯s request. As a class rep, I sometimes get tasked to transport boxes to get out of class,¡± he joked. ¡°That sounds fun. I didn¡¯t think being a class rep meant you¡¯re teacher¡¯s errand boy.¡± Keith laughed. ¡°What else would it mean? Anyway, where¡¯s your usual partner in crime?¡± ¡°I meant to ask you the same thing. She didn¡¯t come to class today. Is she okay?¡± ¡°You¡¯re her roommate. You tell me.¡± ¡°I thought she stayed at your place.¡± Keith looked at her in confusion. ¡°No,¡± he stammered, his mind racing. ¡°Are you saying she didn¡¯t sleep in her bed last night?¡± he sounded alarmed. At that moment, Maya realized Keith had no idea what she was talking about. Elena hadn¡¯t stayed with him last night.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡®Where did she stay? She was all dressed up¡­¡¯ Maya feared she had revealed something she shouldn¡¯t have. ¡°Oh, sorry¡­ She¡­ she did¡­ I confused it with the other night. I¡¯ve been so stressed and haven¡¯t been getting enough sleep. It¡¯s like my days are all blending together.¡± Relief washed over Keith. ¡°You really had me worried there. Don¡¯t do that to me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. She slept in today. I assumed she¡¯d show up later.¡± ¡°Maybe you should stop by the infirmary just to double-check your injury. You¡¯re making me worry.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, really. Things have just been a bit chaotic lately. I¡¯m still adjusting to living here.¡± ¡°Okay, if you say so. Anyway, I need to deliver these to the greenhouse. The class has started. I think your professor is already in the classroom.¡± ¡°Wow, I lost track of time. Sorry. Bye.¡± Maya rushed into the classroom under the professor¡¯s disproving look. Muttering an apology, she slid into her seat. The professor continued with their lecture, but Maya couldn¡¯t stop thinking about what she¡¯d just found out. ¡®Elena didn¡¯t sleep in her bed, nor was she with her boyfriend. Where was she? Why was she getting all dressed up, last night? And why did she just cover for her?¡¯ A creeping fear began to form in Maya¡¯s mind. The world was a dangerous place at night. What if Elena hadn¡¯t reached her destination? Her thoughts were interrupted when the classroom doors opened yet again, disrupting the lecture. This time, it was Elena. ¡®Speak of the devil¡­¡¯ Elena quietly took her seat at the back of the room. Maya glanced her way. Elena caught her gaze, rolled her eyes, and quickly looked away. Her face still looked battered, but it no longer looked horrifying after the swelling had subsided. The professor cleared her throat, forcing Maya to return her focus to the lecture. When the class ended, Elena disappeared before Maya could approach her. It was lunchtime, so Maya decided to find the Beta squad. ¡°¡­You should come. The location is the attic room of the Delta dorm building¡­ Yeah, that big room¡­ It¡¯s her room... What does it matter?¡± Maya caught a part of Andrea¡¯s conversation, trying to convince one girl to come to their party. After realising it, Maya quickly pulled Andrea aside. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t invite more people. I haven¡¯t even talked to Elena about having a party in our room.¡± ¡°Why not? It¡¯s been like¡­ what¡­ three days already?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t found the right moment.¡± ¡°There she is now. Go and tell her,¡± Andrea pushed for it. ¡°I can¡¯t, Andrea! We got into a fight. We should move the party elsewhere.¡± ¡°But I¡¯ve already told everyone we¡¯re partying there,¡± Andrea whined. ¡°Sorry.¡± ¡°Wait. What fight? Didn¡¯t she, like, protect you from those guys yesterday? When did you find time to get into a fight?¡± ¡°She wasn¡¯t protecting me. I was caught up in her mess. I had nothing to do with it.¡± ¡°I heard you ate the floor. That sounds like you were very much involved.¡± ¡°No. Ah! Can¡¯t you cut me some slack?¡± Maya was frustrated. ¡°Sorry. I can¡¯t retract invitations. But I¡¯m sure she wouldn¡¯t mind. What was yesterday¡¯s fight about, anyway?¡± ¡°You seem to know a lot about it already.¡± ¡°I know rumours, but you¡¯re the one that knows knows the real story.¡± The rest of the squad joined them at the table, catching parts of their conversation. ¡°What does it matter?¡± Sarah interjected. ¡°Elena tried to stab a guy. Nothing surprising there. You¡¯re just giving her the attention she craves by talking about it.¡± ¡°She did it for attention?¡± Isaac mistakenly took Sarah as a reliable source of information. ¡°No,¡± Maya corrected. ¡°She protected Maya from those guys,¡± Linda claimed. ¡°No. No one was attacking me,¡± Maya was exasperated by how everyone seemed to have their own story in mind. ¡°She got into a brawl with one of the warrior guys at her audition. I guess he didn¡¯t like losing to a girl and wanted to humiliate her. They started throwing insults and it escalated. I was just in the way when he attacked her. That¡¯s it,¡± Maya quickly explained. ¡°Boring. It¡¯s clear she belongs in juvie. Why do you always talk about her?¡± Sarah complained. ¡°You have something more interesting to talk about?¡± Andrea asked. ¡°She¡¯s right,¡± Maya jumped at Sarah¡¯s defence before they could start arguing. Maya was so used to conversations turning into conflicts with Elena she felt she had to always dampen similar situations. ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about her. What have you guys been doing? Have you all had your Awakening?¡± ¡°Sarah did. But I feel like today¡¯s a good day for it,¡± Andrea was positive. ¡°Yeah. I feel like I¡¯m just on the verge of it,¡± Isaac as well. ¡°You guys are stupid. You can¡¯t feel you¡¯re on the verge of it. You either do it or don¡¯t,¡± Sarah discouraged them. ¡°And what if we don¡¯t?¡± Linda was worried. ¡°You go to the Slums,¡± Sarah had no sympathy. She must¡¯ve believed that if you¡¯re superior it is just meant to be. ¡°I¡¯ve heard some horrible things about it. We better all succeed before the Initiation, or I¡¯ll get angry if someone gets sent away. We¡¯re squad for life now!¡± ¡°That¡¯s sweet, Andrea. But we can¡¯t control that,¡± Isaac answered. ¡°I don¡¯t care. I can¡¯t part from you guys,¡± Andrea sniffled. She was getting sentimental. ¡°Why am I hanging out with you? You¡¯re all so lame and mopey,¡± Sarah complained. ¡°Oh, don¡¯t be like that. You love us, too,¡± Andrea said, throwing herself around her shoulders. Chapter 43: Echoes of the Unseen After finishing lunch, they were making their way to the courtyard together, still in a playful teasing mode, continuing their friendly banter. They have established themselves as a solid group of friends already. Maya was relieved all the stress of not being liked within the Zeta group finally subsided. The days were still warm and the stone of the academy glistened under the sunlight. The gentle glow illuminated patches of intricate carvings and weathered bricks. At places, ivy clung onto the walls, creeping upwards towards the sky. The tower, touched by the same warm sunlight, stood out against the clear blue sky, a silent sentinel overlooking the academy. Its high windows gleamed, reflecting the sunlight. Its shadow fell across the courtyard, a cool respite from the warm day. As the sun journeyed across the sky, this shadow danced slowly across the stone¡ªa silent sundial marking the passage of the day. ¡°Isn¡¯t anyone going to comment on the harvest we¡¯re forced to do this weekend?¡± Isaac begun. ¡°Harvest?¡± Maya felt as if she were constantly out of the loop. ¡°Corn harvest, yeah,¡± Isaac clarified, then added. ¡°In the fields outside the Walls.¡± ¡°Outside!?¡± Maya was alarmed. ¡°During the day. No monsters then,¡± Linda calmed her down a bit. ¡°I¡¯m so excited. We¡¯re going to see the outside world,¡± Andrea saw it in a completely different light. ¡°There¡¯s nothing outside but trees,¡± Sarah grumbled. ¡°And corn fields, apparently,¡± Andrea pointed out. ¡°I can¡¯t believe they are making us work in fields like some dirty farmers. Isn¡¯t the work we are already doing enough?¡± Sarah complained. ¡°Would you rather you had nothing to eat this winter? Everyone has to put in the work,¡± Isaac countered. ¡°Aren¡¯t there peasants who do this kind of work? Why does it have to be us? And who eats corn anyway?¡± Sarah persisted. ¡°Quit complaining,¡± Linda said. ¡°Oh, no. We¡¯re going to be so exhausted afterwards. The party, guys¡­ Don¡¯t you dare miss out,¡± Andrea was only worried about their gathering. At one point, Maya felt drawn to look up at the tower. As she craned her neck to see, suddenly, something heavy fell, hitting the pavement with a sickening thud. A horribly mangled body lay before them. Maya screamed in horror placing her palm over her mouth, in complete shock at what she¡¯d just witnessed. Everyone stared at her confused. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Andrea placed her hand on her shoulder with a worried expression. Maya was confused by their looks and all the attention being directed at her. ¡®Didn¡¯t anyone else just see that?¡¯ She quickly looked back to where the body should be, but there was nothing. It was a ghost. A re-enactment of death. Not only was she unsettled by the sight she was just subjected to, but was now also panicked as she didn¡¯t know how to explain her reaction to something no one else saw.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Other people in the courtyard quickly lost interest and returned to their business. But Maya could feel some had their attention still fixed on her¡ªa few of the dead souls. ¡°What the fuck was that about?¡± Sarah asked. ¡°S¡ªsorry,¡± Maya apologized timidly. ¡°Don¡¯t you ¡®sorry¡¯ me. You were screaming like a lunatic. That requires some explanations,¡± Sarah pressed. ¡°Leave her be. She is having a tough week,¡± Linda came to Maya¡¯s defence. ¡°We all have tough weeks, but we don¡¯t suddenly start screaming. I swear, if she contracted some kind of madness from Elena¡ª¡± ¡°You can¡¯t contract madness,¡± Isaac interjected, tired of Sarah¡¯s constant complaints about Elena. ¡°Who¡¯s mentioning her now, huh?¡± Andrea pointed out. While they were bickering, Maya stepped away to take a breath. She was still disturbed by what she saw. It was only a matter of time before her window into the world of the dead became a hindrance. At first, Maya didn¡¯t want to think of it as a curse since having Leo around helped her cope detrimentally. However, seeing other ghosts and their deaths was more than she could chew. It scared her to think this was something she would have to learn to live with. People quickly forgot, but ghosts that saw her react to someone dead seemed wary of her. It was making it difficult to focus on her Elemental Practices while feeling their gazes. ???????? ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to help me? It¡¯s your job, too!¡± Maya hollered after Elena after she noticed her pass through the dark hallway across from where Maya had been cleaning floors during the after-hours. No doubt, Elena hoped she could avoid her, but Maya rushed after her. Elena let out a long sigh of annoyance. ¡°Can¡¯t,¡± she dismissed her. ¡°I Have Warriors Practice.¡± ¡°I thought Daria banned you from it. Did she change her mind?¡± ¡°No. But she will. And if the coach wants me there, it¡¯s not up to her.¡± ¡°He didn¡¯t seem to want you there yesterday.¡± ¡°He changed his mind.¡± ¡°When??¡± ¡°You sure have a lot of questions,¡± Elena was annoyed. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± Maya began. ¡°Oh, right,¡± she looked down, remembering. ¡°Not friends¡­¡± ¡°Glad that¡¯s clear.¡± Having already turned her back to Maya, Elena began to walk away. ¡°Keith asked where you were last night,¡± Maya quickly added before Elena could slip away. Elena stopped, her back still turned to Maya. Maya knew this would provoke a reaction, but she couldn¡¯t see Elena¡¯s expression. ¡°Did he ask that on his own, or did someone suggest he should be wondering?¡± Elena¡¯s tone was cold and intimidating. ¡°I thought you were with him,¡± Maya confessed. ¡°Where were you?¡± ¡°That¡¯s none of your business.¡± Elena resumed walking. Just from her gait, Maya could tell she was pissed off. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I told him that I mixed up days. He doesn¡¯t suspect anything!¡± Maya cried out after Elena, hoping it would fix this situation. But Elena left her standing alone. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Elena,¡± she murmured to herself, knowing her apology wouldn¡¯t reach Elena, even if she had shouted. ¡°She brought it upon herself. If you¡¯re cheating on your boyfriend, at least befriend one person who can tell on your whereabouts,¡± Leo commented. ¡°We don¡¯t know that,¡± Maya argued. ¡°I could¡¯ve followed her.¡± ¡°No, Leo. I don¡¯t want you to do things like that. It is an invasion of privacy.¡± ¡±Right¡­¡± ¡°Wait¡­ Don¡¯t tell me you follow her around?!¡± ¡°No! Why would I ever do that? It¡¯s not like she¡¯s even that attractive. You¡¯re way prettier.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡®What is he talking about?¡¯ Chapter 44: Divine Abduction Like every morning, town bells woke her up. Maya had learned they were signalling the overnight train from Elador arriving at the transport terminal, and not meant as a waking bell as she initially thought. However, it arrived like clockwork every morning, serving many Amellians as a morning bell. Maya jumped out of bed and was soon getting herself ready. She had already gotten used to the routine, to this life, and to Elena drinking herself to sleep on the opposite side of the room. Maya realized she liked more those nights when Elena was out. Then, she wouldn¡¯t have to watch her do this to herself. And now, when they are on a non-friends basis, she has to restrain herself from any comments. There was oppressive silence between them, and, while it was deeply bothering Maya, Elena seemed to enjoy not being bothered. However, Maya still tried to be her friend in secret. She could never believe anyone was ever worth giving up on. No matter how bad of a person you may seem, no matter if you cheat on your boyfriend and drink yourself to sleep, Maya wouldn¡¯t give up on trying to make you a better person. Everyone should be able to change, otherwise, she will forever be a depressed lonely girl who has nothing the future holds for her. She didn¡¯t want to believe it was inescapable. Maya drew all the curtains, letting the sunlight fill in the room. It was a beautiful day. Elena protested. She was suddenly pulled from her dreams by the harsh rays of sunlight, then stumbled and fell off her bed trying to quickly pull back the curtains and return to the state of darkness. She was growling, muffled and peeved, with her face buried in fabric on the floor. Luckily, her fall wasn¡¯t hard. The pile of her laundry¡ªshe would discard everywhere¡ªaccommodated for a soft fall. ¡°Good. You¡¯re up,¡± Maya said, her tone devoid of warmth. Still facing down, Elena flipped her off. However, she somehow mustered the will to sit upright in her pile of mess on the floor. As she attempted to pull herself up, her hand knocked over a nearby bottle. Noticing it still contained some liquid, she reached for it and poured the remaining contents into her mouth. Elena scrunched up her face, making a sour expression. ¡°Ugh. It¡¯s warm.¡± Apparently, clean vodka sterilising her insides wasn¡¯t the thing that bothered her. It was the fact that it was room temperature. Elena stumbled to her feet, intending to walk towards the bathroom, but her movements were unsteady. Fearing another fall, Maya instinctively stepped in to support her. The amount of Elena¡¯s weight Maya had to bear made it clear that Elena was in no condition to walk on her own. As Maya wasn¡¯t particularly sturdy herself, they almost both fell to the ground. However, Maya managed to, somehow, drag her toward the bathtub where she let the cool water pour down, soaking Elena in an attempt to sober her up. Maya expected Elena to protest and complain, but instead, she simply curled her legs closer, hugging them with her arms, sitting in silent self-pity under the stream of cold water. A small part of Maya hoped this might serve as a kind of punishment, but Elena¡¯s unfazed reaction to the frigid water left Maya somewhat dazed. ¡°Why do you bother, Maya?¡± Elena mumbled, her tone distant. ¡°You have nothing to gain from this.¡± Maya looked at her, troubled. ¡°I¡¯m not doing this for some kind of gain,¡± Maya said, pitying Elena for having such a warped worldview. ¡°I simply can¡¯t watch you do this to yourself.¡± ¡°You can turn away,¡± Elena gave an impassive suggestion. ¡°As if it were that simple¡­¡± Maya sighed. ¡°How are you so persistent? No one would still be around after the things I¡¯ve said to you.¡±A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Maya wondered if Elena needed her to turn her back on her because she never had anybody who cared for her and felt more comfortable not learning it now. Maya sat solemnly on the edge of the tub and began to speak. ¡°My father once told me that if there¡¯s someone that refuses help¡ªeven though they are in clear need of it¡ªthey are the ones I should help first.¡± Maya smiled wistfully. ¡°Because that means they have already given up on themselves, so I can¡¯t give up on them, too.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re just a god-damn obedient daughter, is that it?¡± Maya looked down, trying not to let Elena¡¯s words prick her heart. ¡°Through the course of months, I watched my father slowly slip away from me,¡± Maya began. ¡°There was nothing I could do to prevent that. No matter how good of a daughter I was, how well I behaved or did at school, how much time I invested sitting there beside him, watching and wishing for the moment his eyes open to look at me and tell me we were going home¡­ he still left me,¡± Maya inhaled, heavy. ¡°And I don¡¯t want to watch another person slowly die in front of me. Not if there¡¯s something I can do about it!¡± ¡°For the love of horny angels, aren¡¯t you overreacting a bit?¡± Elena mumbled. ¡®Horny? Did she mean to say holy?¡¯ ¡°I swear on my father¡¯s grave. You can resist me, you can curse and fight me, but I will not give up on you that easily.¡± ¡°You couldn¡¯t have found yourself an easier target? So you don¡¯t have to set yourself up for failure.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t fail. Not this time. I refuse to. Elements have given you a chance, and if that means nothing to you, it means a lot to me. It has to. If there¡¯s a force that decides to save us, I will not let it be in vain. Even if I have to make sure of it myself.¡± ¡°Dude, it¡¯s not up to you to decide,¡± Elena rolled her eyes. ¡°Why have you given up on yourself?¡± Maya pressed. ¡°Growing up without parents must¡¯ve been tough, but I don¡¯t see it as enough of an excuse for doing this to yourself.¡± Elena didn¡¯t answer right away. After a short silence, she lowered her head, letting the water push her hair down to hide her face away and asked: ¡°Do you know what nuns in orphanages tell kids who ask about their parents?¡± However, Elena didn¡¯t wait for Maya to answer and continued with an even voice. ¡°They tell them: ¡®God is your true father¡¯, ¡®you should let Jesus in your heart,¡¯ yadda, yadda.¡± Maya almost sighed, being fooled for a moment Elena would say something serious. ¡°Doesn¡¯t that sound like a set-up for Stockholm syndrome?¡± Elena continued, suddenly lifting her head and looking straight, but still refusing to meet Maya¡¯s eyes. ¡°God takes you away from your parents making him all you ever had, turning you into his loyal servant. Giving yourself to your captor, mind and soul.¡± Elena started lazily swinging her head from side to side, playing with the weight of water enveloping her hair. ¡°This sounds just the same to me,¡± she continued. ¡°Only this time god takes the name of Elements.¡± Elena suddenly raised her arms upward, as if trying to grab the water falling on her, letting it scatter on her palms. ¡°No matter how you call them, all gods are cruel. And I will not bow to them.¡± She lowered her hands but stayed facing upward, letting the water hit her face. ¡°I think it is enough of an excuse. I have plenty more, but being kidnapped by a god alone sounds like just enough of a reason for drinking.¡± Her words were difficult for Maya to comprehend. ¡°So, you¡¯re doing all of this to spite God?¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m just telling you that the Elements don¡¯t give a fuck about your personal growth.¡± Maya had a hard time understanding what Elena was rambling about. She felt idiotic for trying to, considering her drunken state. There wasn¡¯t any profound meaning in her slurring words. ¡°Alright,¡± she gave up. ¡°I¡¯m going to let you take a shower. Meet me downstairs when you get ready¡­?¡± It was somewhere between a statement and a question, but she hoped Elena would take it more as an order. However, this morning on the ground floor, instead of the swarming energetic atmosphere, she was beginning to get used to, Maya was met by a sombre one. It carried an underlying shock to her prior experiences and expectations. Everyone seemed to be in a state of distress and disbelief. She could¡¯ve sworn she even noticed some girls crying. She cautiously made her way from the bottom of the stairs, where she was standing for far too long, soaking up this unexpected and unfamiliar situation, and went to the kitchen. Scared of even asking someone what was wrong, she quietly observed. A group of older girls sitting there, of whom she recognized Jenny noticed her confusion and handed her a piece of newspaper without a word. Maya looked at the cover with big red letters saying: ¡°HUNTERS HAVE FALLEN¡± Chapter 45: Dark Day Maya was puzzled. ¡®Hunters?¡¯ She heard this word being tossed around but did not fully understand what it stood for, except that they were a force that existed¡­ somewhere. What does it mean by them being gone? She couldn¡¯t grasp the weight these words carried but knew she was supposed to know what it meant. She opened up the papers to search for the article, in an attempt to figure out what it meant, only to discover that every piece revolved around the same topic. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Elena descending the stairs, her face mirroring the confusion Maya herself felt. As Elena approached, she cautiously observed their surroundings. Spotting the headline, she snatched the paper from Maya¡¯s hands. Maya watched as Elena¡¯s expression morphed from shock and disbelief into absolute dread. ¡®Elena?¡¯ ???????? It was a sunny and warm September day. On their walk toward the Academy, Maya felt worried for Elena. This morning she felt her acceptance, or at least deciding to tolerate Maya and her persistence for friendship. But ever since the news they received downstairs, Elena has cut herself off from the world. First, she tried to go back upstairs. But after Maya had stopped her, she had been walking beside her like an undead, not responding to any stimulus. Even ignoring Keith when they met him, and just continuing straight on, like on an autopilot. ¡°She heard about it, right?¡± Keith walked alongside Maya, watching Elena¡¯s back as she walked ahead. ¡°Yes¡­¡± Maya was surprised at how accepting he was of her behaviour. ¡°Keith? Can I ask you a possibly stupid question?¡± ¡°Ask ahead.¡± ¡°What exactly are Hunters?¡± He stopped surprised by her question. Maya heard Elena mention them. Lady Kiana also said General of Hunters was one of the triumvirate responsible for the Military. But what purpose does the Military have in a supposedly peaceful world? Keith organized his thoughts before explaining. ¡°They are a class of elite warriors, specialized for vampire hunting.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Maya understood their connection to vampires, but her curiosity delved deeper. If they were synonymous with the Military, how could they simply vanish? It was akin to declaring the Government or Academia had ceased to exist. Such institutions might evolve or transform, but they¡¯re rarely obliterated entirely. And to add to confusion¡­ ¡°Did people really care about them so much?¡± Maya understood patriotism, but for people to feel deeply for one institution more so than another was vexing. ¡°They care about what happened to them. They all got slaughtered by vampires. A whole secret city had been attacked and destroyed. The entire order was disrupted. They were supposed to protect us from vampires, and now they are all gone.¡± It dawned on her that ¡®gone¡¯ meant dead. People weren¡¯t mourning an institution, but the loss of individuals who had stood as their protectors.If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°That¡¯s horrible.¡± She looked at Elena¡¯s back walking in front of them. ¡®A Class of warriors¡­?¡¯ It was now obvious the whole school was disrupted. On every corner, Maya could hear people talking about Hunters. About theories how did it happen, and about the consequences. She heard questions being asked: ¡°Who¡¯s going to protect us now?¡±, ¡°How did they do it?¡± Rumours began to spread. She stopped herself in front of one segment of a wall taped with fliers, news articles and clippings. COORDINATED VAMPIRE ATTACK ON CASTRA: ESTABLISHMENT LOCATION - BEST KEPT SECRET IN MELLGRAH¡ªnot so well kept as it turns out OUR GREAT PROTECTORS HUNTERS EXTERMINATED HOW IN DANGER ARE WE NOW? SECRET ORDER OF WARRIORS LEGENDARY GENERAL OF HUNTERS HAS FALLEN CASTRA IN A COMPLETE RUIN WHO WILL PROTECT US FROM THE DARKNESS? NIGHT IS DARK AND WE ARE ALL ALONE She examined the headlines, accompanied by chilling photographs of an ancient-looking city in ruins. Collapsed city walls and billowing smoke from piles of rubble dominated the scene. The low-quality black and white images gave the illusion of historical photographs, but Maya reminded herself¡ªthis devastation was frighteningly recent. ¡°That place was heavily glamoured. You couldn¡¯t see it even if you walked right by it.¡± Maya overheard students say. ¡°Did the whole city fall, just like that?¡± ¡°How can a city full of people who live to kill vampires get taken by a surprise by¡­ a vampire attack?!¡± ¡°...And they were all there? What, they left us all unprotected so they could have their gathering?¡± ¡°How did they know where it was? Nobody but hunters knows the location¡­¡± ¡°Do vampires have bombs? How did they destroy the walls?¡± Those were all the questions Maya wondered as well. Students were assembling in the school courtyard, seemingly oblivious to the fact that class had already begun. It was like everyone had forgotten their heads. The beautiful, sunny day seemed at odds with this grim news. To Maya, it felt inappropriate for the terror that was consuming them, as if the gods were mocking their misfortune. ¡®¡­All gods are cruel.¡¯ She remembered what Elena said earlier. Having decided to largely ignore the story about gods from the priestess yesterday, this made her believe that she could be right. ¡®What am I thinking? Am I going to blame the weather for this? The weather doesn¡¯t know today should be sad, nor the birds singing in the trees. The Earth keeps spinning despite their sorrows. It can¡¯t afford to stop for humans¡¯ pain.¡¯ Professors got out to call students to classes. They weren¡¯t upset at everyone¡¯s disobedience. Just like the Earth, they had to continue doing their jobs despite what they may wanted. It wasn¡¯t just their minds that felt haunted by this tragedy, so were the dead. The entire courtyard felt haunted; living and the dead. Haunted by something sinister, obscene, something not even Maya could see, but could only feel. Nothing looked different, dead were still standing still, idling expressionless, but felt nightmarishly violent. During one of their morning periods, a priestess in a beautiful pastel green gown visited the class. Maya wondered what they thought of the will of gods in the face of such events. True gods were seen as much different than the lesson she received yesterday. But perhaps on a day like today, the God of Light wasn¡¯t too unlike the Goddess of Death. They announced a Memorial Ceremony being held for the fallen hunters in the evening. In the Requiem, they will release their souls to havens and all students will be participating. She went further on to explain that the dress code was formal/ceremonial white, as white was the colour of mourning in witches¡¯ culture. Maya glanced over at Elena. She had laid her head on her arms, resting on the desk. Contrary to Maya¡¯s expectations, Elena wasn¡¯t sleeping. As Maya looked at her, Elena met her gaze, her expression¡­ empty. It wasn¡¯t the purposeful emptiness of defiance. Instead, it was dangerously vacant, as if all meaning had been lost. Elena seemed to have lost something crucial to her identity. Eventually, Elena looked away and took a sip from her Thermos bottle. Without a word or asking for permission, she simply stood up and walked out of class. Chapter 46: Growing Powerful Throughout the day, they were all reminded, many times, to carry on with their student duties, but many of them took this excuse to slack off. Not many people showed up to the Elemental Practice at all, and even fewer of them took their lessons seriously today. The girls from Maya¡¯s group didn¡¯t bother showing up. Maya felt like she was the only one in the entire courtyard who was actually trying. She had no intention of being sent to the Slums. Tanya was there to guide her, but her mind was noticeably absent. ¡°Like this?¡± Maya was trying to catch her attention. ¡°Yeah, sure.¡± Maya had purposely done the completely wrong thing to test if Tanya even paid attention. She sighed softly. ¡°Tanya, you don¡¯t have to be here because of me.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°I can do it alone. It is just the same as every day. I will repeat it until I succeed.¡± ¡°It¡¯s no problem. I still have my fire group to instruct, as well,¡± she looked at the spot in the courtyard where they were supposed to be. ¡°Oh¡­ they left,¡± she realized, letting her arms flop down. ¡°You can go, too. I won¡¯t tell on you.¡± ¡°Thanks. It means a lot.¡± Tanya patted Maya¡¯s shoulder before leaving. Maya could swear Tanya looked like all her hopes and dreams were crushed. It was understandable she was especially shaken. After all, many of her friends were taken by vampires, and now, the ones protecting them from said vampires were gone. Maya was left to repeat the simplest move that worked for other girls. It was so basic. Why couldn¡¯t she do this? ¡°You¡¯re doing it wrong.¡± Maya jolted in place. The sudden voice startled her even more considering it wasn¡¯t Leo but the ghost girl she spoke to before. ¡°What do you mean? I¡¯m doing the right movements,¡± Maya claimed, assured she was doing exactly as instructed. ¡°But not taking the right approach,¡± the girl pointed out. ¡°It is not your hands that will move the air. It is you.¡± ¡°And who¡¯s moving my hands?¡± The girl¡¯s laughter, gentle and delightful, filled the air. ¡°I once grappled with the same problem. It¡¯s the innate force within you, that you must harness and lend it to your hands.¡± Maya kept standing there, confused. ¡°Here,¡± she instructed her. ¡°Stand like this.¡± She stood upright, palms joined in front of her chest, taking slow breaths with her eyes closed. ¡°Control your breathing, calm yourself,¡± her voice was soothing. Maya imitated. ¡°Now, feel the air around you. Feel the particles. Feel the power that flows through them. They want to obey you. You are their master. Do you feel it?¡± ¡°What is it supposed to feel like?¡± Maya asked with her eyes closed. ¡°Electrified.¡± ¡°Okay. I think I can feel it.¡± Maya felt it almost like tingles. She felt there was some connection there. ¡°Gather them up. As many as you can. All around you. Don¡¯t try to move them, just let your power flow through them.¡± Maya took a deep breath. She imagined her power as some mystic invisible force expanding from her and catching the air around her, as if she was electrifying the air, communicating with particles¡ªif something like that was possible. ¡°Now, you need to understand the fundamentals. There¡¯s a balance in all things, and you can slightly disrupt that balance¡ªthat¡¯s the core of manipulating elements.¡± Maya found the ghost girl¡¯s advice helpful. Though she couldn¡¯t be much older than Maya, she spoke like an expert. Clearly, she had manipulated air before and had a level of mastery. Having a personal trainer from the other side was an unique advantage. ¡°What is your name?¡± Maya inquired. ¡°Focus,¡± the girl continued, ignoring the question. ¡°Instead of forcing the particles to move, I want you to imagine manipulating pressures instead. Air naturally moves to the place of lower pressure, and you are the one that decides where that is.¡±You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. ¡°How do you know so much about this?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve told you. I had the same problem,¡± she said then chuckled. ¡°Only I had to overcome it four times. Arguably, five.¡± ¡°What does that mean? You forgot it?¡± Maya was puzzled. The girl laughed. ¡°As if such a thing would be possible watching students go through it over and over again for years.¡± ¡®Hmm¡­ Must be accumulated knowledge.¡¯ Maya felt the girl purposefully avoided introducing herself, so she decided to go first to encourage her. ¡°My name is Maya,¡± she said, but the girl didn¡¯t react. ¡°How about you?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tell you when I see you move air,¡± she smiled. Maya appreciated the ghost girl¡¯s help, though she didn¡¯t understand the reason behind it. Concentrating intently, Maya tried to visualize the process as instructed. Interestingly, she realized, no specific movements had been prescribed. ¡®Was that the point?¡¯ She lent the power to her hands and did the same movement she was repeating the entire time, only this time she interpreted it as creating a space of low pressure instead of dragging air along. Nothing happened. But something felt different, as if the air was waiting for clearer instructions. Maya repeated it immediately, curious as to what that feeling was. And there it was. The air moved. It was but a faint breeze, but it was her creation. Ecstatically, she jumped up. The ghost offered her a kind smile as if she had known it would happen all along. A feeling of validation surged through Maya; a ghost believed in her. A quick survey of her surroundings revealed that no one had noticed her achievement. Neither Tanya nor any supervisors were present to acknowledge her success. Disappointment washed over her. This was her Awakening, yet there was no one there to document it. It was as if her accomplishment amounted to nothing. ¡°Well, nice to meet you, Maya. My name is Anastasia,¡± the girl beamed. ¡°Anastasia?¡± The name had a ring to Maya, as some important name, but her thoughts got interrupted by shouting in the background. ¡°We all know you have no powers. Why don¡¯t you just leave and stop wasting everyone¡¯s time?¡± Sarah¡¯s derisive remark was directed at Elena. ¡°Why are you here? Worried you¡¯ll be easily surpassed?¡± Elena retorted with equal venom. ¡°That¡¯s already happened, princess. Even those who haven¡¯t awakened yet are better than you.¡± ¡°Shut your trashy mouth!¡± Sarah snapped. ¡°You¡¯re jealous because you know they brought you here by mistake. Even that entertaining warrior bullshit of yours; nothing but a desperate attempt to save yourself from the Slums.¡± Elena crossed her arms as Sarah continued spouting. ¡°I bet Hunters died just to prevent a piece of human garbage like you from ever joining them. You belong, and always will, at the very bottom.¡± ¡°You must be right,¡± Elena responded flatly. ¡°They all killed themselves because of me. You¡¯re flattering me, Sarah. I never knew I held such power,¡± Elena twisted her words. ¡°That¡¯s not what I said! You¡¯re not important. You¡¯re nothing! And soon, you¡¯ll be out of our¡ªtalented mages¡ªway.¡± ¡°Is that a challenge?¡± ¡°For what? A stabbing contest? Civilized people don¡¯t solve their problems with knives. Go back to the jungle you came from, you feral fiend.¡± ¡°A bending duel,¡± Elena ignored her insults. ¡°You can¡¯t bend, you idiot. Knives don¡¯t count.¡± ¡°Fine. Show me how it¡¯s done. I don¡¯t need to use elements to win a bend-off against you.¡± Elena continued challenging her, taking her stance. Sarah scoffed. ¡°This is pathetic.¡± ¡°Accepting your defeat?¡± Elena was taunting her. ¡°C¡¯mon, give me some of that fire of yours. I wanna see how bendable you are.¡± ¡°Stop embarrassing yourself. This is truly getting sad.¡± Sarah looked around noticing the people were turning their attention to them. ¡°I guess I should cut you some slack. After all, you never had parents. You must be starved for attention.¡± Elena was still, but her gaze got a little colder. ¡°Take your position, Sarah. So I can fairly make you eat dirt.¡± ¡°I still can¡¯t wait to watch them drag you away to the Slums,¡± Sarah declared and turned away, ready to leave, believing she had won this argument. However, Elena wasn¡¯t going to let her bask in victory. As if she had done it many times before, Elena drew water from a nearby water basin, bringing it forth in a whip shape. The yelling had already drawn everyone¡¯s attention, and now they all stood stunned by Elena¡¯s ability. Her stance was impeccable and her magic flowed smoothly. She held it in position for an extended period without much fluctuation or loss of control, like a seasoned practitioner. For someone who, as far as they knew, was using magic for the first time, it was an impressive sight. Even Maya was taken by surprise. She knew Elena could use magic, but the most impressive thing she saw her do was freeze a cup of dirty water. Oblivious, Sarah soon noticed the strange atmosphere and followed everyone¡¯s gaze, only to be met with a soaking surprise. With a complacent smirk, Elena threw a puddle in her face, soaking her from head to toe. Sarah lost it and let out a hysterical scream. In just a moment, her hair and make-up were ruined. All the effort she must¡¯ve put in this morning was wasted in just a moment¡¯s notice. As Sarah stormed off, Maya¡¯s sense of accomplishment dwindled. Regardless, she admired the cleverness of showcasing your talents when everyone was watching. Although many were absent that day, it created fodder for weeks of gossip. Elena was sure to become a legend. Maya turned back to Anastasia, expecting her to have vanished as she often did. To her surprise, Anastasia was still there, seemingly engrossed in the drama that had unfolded across the courtyard. However, something was amiss with Anastasia. Her eyes held a trace of fear, and she seemed frozen in place. Suddenly, her head twisted at an unnatural angle, dropping as if it were no longer attached to her spine. It hung limply, held only by unbroken skin and neck muscles. Suppressing a scream, Maya¡¯s face reflected pure terror. She had never witnessed this up close before ¡ª the re-enactment of Anastasia¡¯s death. Without uttering a word, Anastasia vanished. Chapter 47: Requiem for Lost Souls In the evening, students of the academy have gathered in the spacious back gardens for a farewell ceremony of the departed hunters¡¯ souls. They had died somewhere far away, and Maya couldn¡¯t hope to encounter them. However, souls that were trapped in this place felt like they were in mourning as well. Not yet having an opportunity to assimilate with the sight of the beautiful back gardens, Maya was taken in. It was truly impressionable, with age-old trees that endured through time and beautifully ornamented cast-iron greenhouses and pavilions resting in the background of lush late-summer vegetation. The air smelled like ripe grapes ready to be turned into wine. It was odd how this massive group of people could be so spontaneously quiet. To add to that, it was surreal with everyone being dressed in white fabric whose lightness resisted the approaching darkness of dusk that wanted to swallow them. The light of the paper lanterns illuminating the gardens seemed to magnify as sunlight dissipated. Maya couldn¡¯t help the thought that white somehow did fit for the funeral more. She was in a white dress borrowed from Jenny, as she didn¡¯t have any appropriate white clothing on such short notice. It was a bit too big on her, and too tight around her bust ¨C which Maya saw as a win. Their Headmistress has been absent for the past couple of days as she was on a trip to Elador, as she was elected as the Rectoress of Academia. Now she was back, and instead of being in a celebratory mood, she was faced with a sudden tragedy. As she was delivering a commemorative speech for the lost Hunters, she announced her new title. ¡°Our headmistress now holds one of the three head positions of this land. Or one of two ¡ª as Hunters have been lost.¡± There were whispers, here and there, in an otherwise respectfully quiet crowd. Maya couldn¡¯t help but give kudos to the Headmistress. She has kept herself incredibly composed in the face of such tragedy. But even Maya could tell her voice was wavering at times. It couldn¡¯t have been easy. It was such a large number of casualties. An entire city was wiped off from the face of the earth. And such an important institution that had kept them safe. Maya wondered if it affected her even more as she had made promises that they were safe here. ¡°¡­I beseech you not to lose hope. Mages have endured greater catastrophes and have always risen stronger.¡± Her speech was touching, respectful and inspiring. ¡°¡­May God of Repose give eternal rest to their souls.¡± Before the end of the ceremony, students were allowed to release paper lanterns into the sky. Red ribbons representing deceased souls were tied to them to be led on their final journey and released to the heavens. It spoke of magnitude as each of countless lanterns served as a vessel for a handful of such ribbons. some have even written messages on them to ease the distress of their souls on their journey to the final rest.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. After releasing her paper lantern, Maya watched them climbing up, looking like a large school of jellyfish until they were high enough to be just splotches on the starry sky. It was a beautiful ceremony. Perhaps it was the quaint solidarity of the crowd at this funeral that impressed Maya more than the sight of sparkling lights growing smaller and smaller, devoured by the quiet dark sky. Maya thought back to Elena. She had no idea where that troublesome girl was at the moment, but she had no doubt she was hiding in the darkness and drowning her sorrow in the liquor. A white ribbon tied to her wrist not being a distinct enough indication to find her after oppressive night has swallowed them. It was a bit ironic that they were all outside after dark like this, after their valiant protectors had been eradicated. From Maya¡¯s perspective, there was no difference at all. They still had guards to protect them. She hadn¡¯t been here for long¡ªnot even a full week¡ªbut she¡¯d never seen a semblance of a Hunter. Was it because they were all there, far away, being slaughtered? ?????????? Away from the ceremony, there was a rustle in the quiet of the night. The curfew was already in action, but tonight, many were slow to return to safety and the strong ones along the main path had their hands full. The creature didn¡¯t like the time of its free reign and was disturbed by the roaming humans with dejected expressions. The little creature, just like many residents like it, was always free to roam around as it pleased. Witnessing from the shadows all the indiscriminate things people do, unaware eyes are watching them. In this town, no one could own them. Humans; some were kind and gave offerings, and some were cruel and chased them away. But strays were there to stay. Avoiding human presence, the little stray stumbled into a quiet part with a lonesome light starkly illuminating the darkness and calling forth prey. It had already feasted on a scrupulous praying mantis and was eyeing mindless winged creatures above, waiting for them to get low enough to be caught. An acrid and lingering scent of burnt tobacco wafted through the air and tickled its small nose. It didn¡¯t favour that smell. A sudden movement nearby startled it and the stray learned that it already had an audience for a while, not noticing the quiet stillness of a black-haired human. Stray carefully gazed at the eyes of the uninterested human to evaluate the level of threat, but was surprised to find a faint sense of familiarity. The stray did not care for humans that paid it no mind, but this one was similar to itself, with eyes that saw what they were never supposed to. But unlike Stray who quickly forgets, they have to pretend to never have seen it. A curiosity overtook it, finding another stray that had a form it should not, it carefully approached the human. Giving out a soft meow that humans tend to react to. Gaze cold as ice landed on it, and the human smacked their lips in annoyance. They¡¯re becoming too familiar with humans, forgetting there¡¯s no obligation for them to indulge creature¡¯s fickle whims. What does this creature want from her, staring with those expectant eyes? Is it pitying her? Thoughts were written all over the cold human¡¯s face. ¡®Get away!¡¯ The girl hissed at the creature, terrifying it to its core that it sprung into a run. One stray to another, she has always been on the same level. Little did she know, she¡¯d already caused another misfortune. Chapter 48: Bleedroom Returning back with her friends, a creature darting across the alley caught Stella¡¯s attention. She would¡¯ve recognized those spots anywhere. It was her favourite stray cat. Concerned about it being so frightened by something, Stella excused herself from her friends and went after it. ¡°Lawrence? Here, kitty, kitty¡­¡± It was the name she had given it after secretly adopting the cat. Pets weren¡¯t allowed in the dormitories, but no one could stop Stella from taking care of it outside. She grew fond of this especially skittish creature that seemed to make her the only exception among humans and allowed her to approach it. Stella followed the cat across the neighbourhood. She was worried about it, now especially. Cats would often vanish during the night, never to be seen again. Since she was very fond of Lawrence, she didn¡¯t want to let anything happen to him. Chasing the cat led her quite far away, towards the large mansion. Despite being nestled within the bustling town, the mansion always appeared gloomy and lonesome, protected by its tall, unwelcoming sharp fence. It was like a fortress within a fortress, an off-limits part of the town, constantly guarded from intruders. This was the residence of the Headmistress. Given her high status and increasing importance in the land of Mellgrah, tight security was essential. The mansion seemed distant, like a celebrity¡¯s house ¡ª a large dwelling for few, with an ecosystem of its own. The mansion was far removed from what Stella knew in her previous life. It¡¯s no surprise she felt hesitant to enter, even without the imposing restrictions. However, she saw Lawrence had entered, climbing the mansion¡¯s backside portico overgrown with vines. The cat was notorious for climbing to heights from which it couldn¡¯t descend. ¡®No one will notice if I just go in quickly and get him.¡¯ Stella, filled with anxiety, climbed the towering fence to reach the quiet, neglected back of the mansion. Meanwhile, Lawrence ventured further. Fortunately, Stella was a competent and fearless climber, having spent most of her childhood scaling trees and various structures on her family farm. She carefully ascended the portico roof, edging her way towards the wall draped in a tapestry of vines and foliage. She cautiously picked her steps, wary of vegetation that could prove to be a weak anchor. Her goal was the upper windows, one of which served as Lawrence¡¯s perch. Stella was pushing her limits, having never climbed this high on a vertical wall before. There were few spots to leverage her body and she began to question how she would manage to carry the cat back down. After all, she needed all her limbs just to support herself. ¡°It¡¯s dangerous¡­ Come with me. There are no longer many who will protect us,¡± she whispered. Upon reaching her feline companion, Stella found Lawrence to be uncooperative. He was rubbing himself against the stone wall and acting cute, causing Stella¡¯s anxiety to increase for fear of him slipping and falling. Stella was extremely cautious when attempting to reach Lawrence. She was not just concerned about the cat getting injured, but also about getting caught herself. There was a faint light coming from the next window further away, and she could now even hear faint voices. ¡°It¡¯s getting rapidly worse¡­ the cause¡­¡± The voice resembled the one of the headmistress. ¡°¡­free for the picking¡­ too far¡­ can¡¯t travel¡­ Castra¡­ I could¡¯ve used it.¡± Unable to resist her curiosity, Stella leaned in to hear better. However, she still couldn¡¯t discern who the headmistress was speaking with or what they were discussing. ¡°Get four. Whoever you can find as long as they are not on my list of prospects¡­ quickly.¡± ¡°As you wish.¡± Finally, upon hearing a raspy male voice, Stella realized he was standing much closer to the window than she had anticipated. This realization filled her with panic. ¡°Come, Lawrence. Quick,¡± she hurriedly whispered at the cat as she grabbed it. Stella was becoming rapidly aware she wasn¡¯t safe outside in these dark areas as night had already fallen. Losing her patience, she pulled the cat toward herself. The cat, in response, clawed at the stone windowsill out of protest and fear. She managed to pull it away, but the cat retaliated by clawing her skin. She stifled a cry of pain, knowing any noise could give her away. But descending with a terrified, squirming cat proved impossible. Soon, the cat decided to escape, shaking Stella off and jumping down. Stella gasped as she watched the cat tumble down, clumsily landing before it darted away as if on fire. She was left in pain and defeat. The cat had escaped quickly, but Stella feared it might have been injured in the fall. There was no hope of finding it again that night. Lawrence would have to wait until morning.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. Forced to give up, Stella was on her way back to the dormitory. ¡°Stupid. Stupid.¡± Stella shook her head while mumbling. She had been scratched badly by the cat and it was really starting to sting. To return as quickly as possible, she took a shortcut through some less frequented alleys. She had traversed them many times before, enough to navigate them with her eyes closed. One of the lights must have gone out, which was why it seemed darker than usual. Stella hurried towards the light from the adjacent street. However, a shadow suddenly blocked her narrow path. The shadowy figure was unmistakably a man, although on a slightly shorter side. That was all she could discern in the dimly lit alley. ¡®A guard?¡¯ It couldn¡¯t be. A guard would¡¯ve said something after noticing a student outside so late. This figure seemed to stand still and wait for her. But it had to be a guard on patrol. Who else would be outside in the night? And why was she so scared? Despite her rationalization, Stella¡¯s gut feeling was telling her something was very wrong. ¡°I see you¡¯re returning from your little adventure,¡± the figure spoke in a raspy voice. Stella was startled when he suddenly addressed her. She noticed him having an unusual accent, somewhat exaggerated, foreign. Hearing him stopped in her tracks. Guards wouldn¡¯t talk to her in that tone. ¡°Pity about the cat, but you won¡¯t have to worry for long.¡± At her instinct¡¯s command, Stella pivoted and broke into a run. The figure was still far away. She can still make it to the main path. But she had only made a couple of steps before something yanked her back and everything turned black. First, she became aware of the pulsating pain and ringing in her head. Then, she realized she was lying on a cold stone floor. It was dark, but she was sure she was no longer outside. Attempting to decipher her surroundings, Stella realized she wasn¡¯t alone. Three other students lay on the floor before her in the round, windowless room. Its vaulted ceiling and heavy buttresses cast deep shadows, making it hard to locate the exit. The stagnant, chilly air suggested they were in an underground cellar or a crypt of sorts. However, the room had a distinctive scent. Bronze bowls filled with smouldering incense littered the floor, emitting an unusual sweet smell that seemed to envelop her. Mixed with it was the harsh scent of something akin to chlorine bleach. But beneath these odours, there was masked a more concerning smell. Though Stella couldn¡¯t identify it, the scent was repulsing and alarming. Stella was numb from the cold. She could barely feel her fingertips and toes, which she knew wasn¡¯t normal. A disconcerting chill permeated her body, and she couldn¡¯t identify its source. She felt something cold against her skin and reached to touch it. She was puzzled to discover a thin gold chain tightly coiled around her neck. Under normal circumstances, she could break such a delicate chain with ease, but her numbness had delayed her awareness of it. Following the chain¡¯s other end with her eyes, she saw it led to the room¡¯s centre. From this vantage point, she noticed other students in a similar state ¡ª unconscious on the floor, each with a thin gold chain around their necks. A soft moan signalled that one of the students was regaining consciousness. However, Stella froze in fear when she noticed something move in the shadows behind them. As she tried to sound a warning, a hand abruptly grabbed her jaw, forcing her to turn her head away. Suddenly face-to-face with an unfamiliar man, Stella instinctively knew he was from the alley. His closeness was unsettling. His dark, bulging eyes studied her, while his sharp features and hollowed cheeks concealed his age. His youthful appearance contrasted with his ancient gaze. When she noticed the canines beneath his grin, everything clicked. She wanted to scream, but his firm grip held her jaw shut, reducing her cry to a muffled whimper. His strength was overwhelming and painful. From the corner of her eye, she noticed similar figures emerging from the shadows, each one approaching a student. However, she couldn¡¯t observe further as the man lifted her effortlessly, her limp legs dangling below like decorations. Stella was in a state of delirium. Her vision was blurry, and she was dazed, making it difficult to comprehend the situation. She was aware of her pain but couldn¡¯t identify its source or muster the strength to resist. As he held her immobilized, he brushed his fingers through her hair, severing a lock with his sharp nail. The hair fell into an incense-filled brazier and ignited, filling the room with the pungent smell of burning hair. Others, presumably, were experiencing a similar fate. Then, she noticed another figure. A woman in a long black gown held the ends of a golden chain binding all four students, with an orb in her other hand. Had she been there all along? ¡®The¡­ headmistress?¡¯ An idiotic rush of hope came over Stella as if she laid her eyes on her saviour. But the woman paid her no mind. She held on tight to the golden threads and began chanting softly in an unfamiliar language. Stella could feel the man¡¯s breath as he held her tightly from behind, tilting her head to the side. It almost felt like a lover preparing to plant an affectionate kiss on her neck. But instead, the kiss was sharp and painful. He had no care for her skin; it was merely an obstacle to what he desired beneath. So, his fangs ripped into it viciously. Stella grew weaker and more lethargic. The soft chant around her started to sound increasingly like a lullaby. ¡®I know¡­ this is all just a dream.¡¯ No longer feeling her body, she didn¡¯t even realize she was back on the cold floor, sticking to it in the pool of her own blood. Her eyes were looking up, toward the looming figure of a woman whose face was obscured by the shadows. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, sweetie. It will be over soon,¡± the Headmistress¡¯s calming tone pierced through the darkness that was taking her. It was the last thing Stella ever heard. Chapter 49: Of Different Opinion Maya¡¯s first weekend in the new land had arrived and due to the unfortunate events, the harvesting event that was supposed to be today was postponed to next week. Still, the situation was sombre, but Andrea was working all day to convince everyone that the party was going to happen. Maya had a difficult task, which was the fault of her own ¡ª to inform Elena the party was happening right here, in their room, in just a couple of hours. ¡°I forgot to mention, Andrea¡¯s party is at our place tonight,¡± Maya attempted to sound casual, realizing there wouldn¡¯t be a better time to tell her. ¡°What? When did I agree to that?¡± Elena was surprised, searching her memory. ¡°Are you okay with it?¡± Maya asked sheepishly. ¡°I¡¯m not. Move it somewhere else,¡± Elena waved it off with a hand. ¡°I can¡¯t. I told Andrea I would see you agreed to it. But she had already spread the word that the party was here, so I felt bad telling her no. Besides, it¡¯s too late now.¡± ¡°So you forgot to tell me on purpose,¡± Elena narrowed her eyes. ¡°What does it matter? You agreed to hang out and our room fits us all.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like people going in and out of my room.¡± ¡°It¡¯s my room, too. I should have a say in this. You¡¯ll survive a few hours, and maybe you¡¯ll, god forbid, have some fun. And you can look at it this way: your vodka is going to be closer to you.¡± ¡°¡­And available to everyone to serve themselves. I don¡¯t like sharing my vodka,¡± Elena pouted. ¡°I¡¯ll buy you a new one,¡± Maya was desperate to make her agree. ¡°Is Sarah coming?¡± she asked suddenly. ¡°Yeah. I think so.¡± ¡°Okay, then.¡± Maya didn¡¯t expect Elena to agree to this so easily. ¡°You just want to brag to her how much better your room is, now?¡± ¡°I should thank her for that,¡± Elena grinned. ¡°Then, can you clean your mess a bit for tonight?¡± ¡°What mess?¡± ¡®Is that her strategy? To pretend it doesn¡¯t exist. Or is she truly clueless?¡¯ ¡°Can you clean it at least enough, so our guests have somewhere to sit?¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with sitting on the floor?¡± ¡°Tell me you aren¡¯t serious,¡± Maya was in disbelief. ¡°Well, you¡¯re being too neat! You should mess up your part a bit, so it looks more uniform. Keeping it too pristine only emphasizes my slightly untidy half.¡± Maya chuckled at her curious retort. ¡®Slightly was putting it too mildly.¡¯ After that, Elena did make some effort to at least hide her clutter. Although it resulted in her wardrobe and the space under her bed becoming even more cluttered. Maya was satisfied to see this minimal effort. After a week of trial and error, she felt she was starting to understand how to communicate with Elena. Fortunately, the large party that Andrea had planned fell apart due to unforeseen circumstances. Some confirmed guests even cancelled at the last minute. As a result, only five girls ended up sitting on cushions on their room floor. ¡°¡­I tried to invite them both, but Isaac seemed to prefer a guys¡¯ night out. Many said it was crazy to have a party right after a funeral. But I planned this party before the funeral was even announced. Maybe it¡¯s because it¡¯s just us girls hanging out, not a big party¡­" Andrea continued. This was the only saving grace in an otherwise awkward setting. Next to her were the quiet Linda, who listened to Andrea¡¯s monologue as if it was gospel, and Sarah, who had been eyeing their room enviously since she arrived. At least they brought some drinks to mix with Elena¡¯s stash. ¡°Sarah said you girls had alcohol¡­¡± Elena was unusually quiet, despite her resources being consumed by guests she didn¡¯t wish to entertain. The tension between her and Sarah was noticeable, even without words, following a major argument the day before. Fortunately, alcohol was beginning to loosen them up, leading to casual conversation. Maya, unaccustomed to drinking much, was taking small sips, concerned about becoming too intoxicated. Anticipating that Elena would likely over-indulge, she thought to remain sober enough to ensure things stayed under control. After the atmosphere got more laid back and after they had enough of gossip Andrea suggested. ¡°Let¡¯s play marry, fuck or kill.¡±You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. Maya was intrigued, but she never experienced this type of hangouts and didn¡¯t know this type of game. Maya and Linda exchanged confused looks, as neither of them knew how to play, while Elena was busy sipping her vodka out of a bottle. ¡°You need to explain what it means,¡± Linda said. ¡°It¡¯s simple. You choose who you wish to marry, fuck or kill between three guys we specify,¡± Sarah explained. ¡°It will be super fun,¡± Andrea was excited. ¡°OK, Sarah, who would you marry, fuck or kill between¡­ um¡­ Keith¡­ Your hunter guy¡ª" ¡°What hunter guy?¡± Maya interrupted. ¡°Ooh, Maya doesn¡¯t know this story yet,¡± Andrea said, her eyes twinkling. ¡°About her meeting a hunter this summer. It¡¯s really good. May I tell it, Sarah?¡± she asked, clasping her hands in excitement. Sarah rolled her eyes and motioned to go ahead. Maya was undeniably curious. It was the first chance to have an account of those renowned hunters. ¡°It was the time of Summer Fair and a carnival was in town. So people would stay out even at night to enjoy festivities¡­¡± As Andrea was recounting the story she was getting more and more enthralled. The Summer Fair must¡¯ve been entertaining. Maya felt unfortunate to have missed it. ¡°Of course, Sarah attended, going for a midnight stroll,¡± Andrea continued. ¡°You know, the fare was guarded by guards and hunters, so there wouldn¡¯t be any incidents, but I guess there are blind spots if you deviate a bit further away¡­ So Sarah was on her way¡­¡± Andrea idly hummed as if she was embodying the story and a person walking. ¡°When, all of a sudden, a vamp attacked her and snatched her away!¡± Her gestures were overly dramatic. ¡°And there was this magnificently handsome hunter that jumped out of nowhere and saved the day¡­ He was like: ¡®I¡¯ll save you, milady¡¯ and fought the vampire fiercely and, of course, won. Um¡­ They then had a passionate embrace where they protested their love for each other and he promised he would find her again! But unfortunately, he never did.¡± Elena burst into laughter. She must¡¯ve already known this story and Andrea¡¯s version amused her, thoroughly. ¡°It didn¡¯t happen exactly like that,¡± Sarah clarified, feeling embarrassed. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. The important thing is that, according to Sarah, he is super hot. So just imagine a hot mysterious hunter guy. Like one on those naughty calendars, but holding a sword, or something, instead of gardening tools.¡± Elena was still laughing and Linda was amused as well. ¡°And who is the third person?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s say¡­¡± Andrea thought for a second. ¡°Adam Blair.¡± ¡°I expected you¡¯d suggest the year rep,¡± Maya gave her a cheeky smile. ¡°No, no. I don¡¯t want to share Kasper with anybody.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s easy,¡± Sarah said. ¡°I kill Adam, fuck Keith and marry my Hunter.¡± ¡°You¡¯d marry some random guy you saw once?¡± Maya was surprised. ¡°He isn¡¯t random. Andrea made it sound over the top, but we really had a moment. He¡¯s strong, kind and really understood me. We were connected by fate, like soulmates. He will find me again someday,¡± Sarah sounded so convinced. Elena sniggered to herself. She appeared not to pay attention to them and was amused by something else, but Maya knew she was just being mean. ¡°What about you, Elena?¡± Linda asked. ¡°Me?¡± Elena was surprised they wanted her involvement. ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll go with it. Tough luck for the hunter guy since they are gone¡­¡± Sarah frowned. ¡°I guess¡­¡± Elena continued. ¡°I¡¯ll marry the dead guy, since it is equivalent to marrying no one. Keith, I already fucked, so it would be no fun to choose him, now. So, he has to go,¡± she gestured with fingers cutting across her neck. ¡°And that leaves Adam to fuck.¡± ¡°What? You¡¯d kill your own boyfriend?¡± Maya was baffled. ¡°You¡¯re weird as shit,¡± Sarah commented. ¡°If you don¡¯t want Keith, give him to Sarah,¡± Andrea joked. They laughed. Sarah¡¯s laugh was more of a nervous kind. ¡°I¡¯d rather kill him,¡± Elena said with a hollow persisting smile. They laughed again. ¡°Alright, Maya, you¡¯re next.¡± Andrea clasped her hands. Since it was her turn, Maya suddenly got all nervous. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I only know Keith personally. Other two not so much,¡± she was trying to avoid answering. ¡°Imagine the Hunter as a random prince on a white horse,¡± Andrea clarified. ¡°It¡¯s what I do. We can¡¯t be sure if he ever existed, anyway.¡± ¡°Endlessly handsome and too perfect for the world,¡± Elena faked swooning. ¡°He¡¯s real!¡± Sarah argued. ¡°Okay, okay,¡± Andrea calmed them down. ¡°And Adam¡¯s a cute guy from our class; really sweet, extremely smart too.¡± ¡°Then¡­ umm¡­¡± Maya was hesitant. It¡¯s just a game. There is no reason to be nervous. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll kill this mysterious guy, since we don¡¯t know anything about him,¡± she paused before saying the swear word. ¡°¡­f-fuck Keith, and marry the smart guy.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Andrea said. Maya was feeling extremely insecure, but Andrea¡¯s confirmation made her feel better. She realizes she was fearing some kind of judgement from them and sort of expected them to have comments on how she chose wrong. ¡°You, Andrea?¡± Elena encouraged them to continue. ¡°I would actually choose the same as Maya.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Sarah was surprised. ¡°I just have a thing for intelligent sweet guys. Being married to one would be awesome.¡± ¡°Linda?¡± ¡°I would kill Adam, marry Keith and fuck the mysterious guy,¡± Linda was strangely confident for a quiet girl. ¡°Look at her!¡± Andrea was intrigued. ¡°The shy ones are the dirtiest. But you¡¯re right. The mysterious guy probably has girls throwing themselves at him left and right. He¡¯s bound to have some experience. I change my mind. It would be a waste to kill him. I¡¯d fuck him and kill Keith. Sorry, Elena. Oh, wait. You choose to kill him, too.¡± Andrea giggled. ¡°Alright, guys. We should acknowledge this: Elena is the only person that would fuck Adam,¡± Sarah stated for some reason. She received a bunch of confused looks. ¡°And nothing about you is special,¡± Elena answered eerily calm to Sarah¡¯s clearly low blow. ¡°Why are you pointing that out?¡± Linda asked Sarah. ¡°Maya and I choose to marry him, so that would also consider fucking him, right?¡± Andrea tried to deflate this pointless argument before it could escalate. ¡°That¡¯s not how it works,¡± Sarah claimed. ¡°So you don¡¯t sleep with the person you marry?¡± Linda was confused. They were starting to take the game too literally. ¡°This conversation took a weird turn,¡± Elena commented and leaned back taking a sip out of the bottle. Chapter 50: The Same Destination ¡°Then, let¡¯s change it. I suggest we play truth or dare,¡± Andrea was ready. She received grumpy noises from Elena. ¡°So do you have a better suggestion?¡± Sarah snapped. ¡°You know what? Why not? I¡¯ll go first,¡± Elena agreed. Maya worried Elena might use this opportunity to antagonize Sarah further. ¡°Andrea, isn¡¯t that a masculine name in Italy?¡± Maya was relieved. ¡°It is,¡± Andrea answered. ¡°But I don¡¯t think you know how this game works. You don¡¯t really want to ask yes or no questions.¡± ¡°Did your parents want a son?¡± Elena asked again. It was oddly insensitive. ¡°You¡¯re supposed to ask: truth or dare?¡± Sarah mixed in. ¡°Andrea wasn¡¯t my given name. I chose it when I arrived here¡ªI felt it suited me better. They always used it as a nickname for Andreina¡­¡± Andrea paused, a sudden realization hitting her. ¡°Oh God. Do you think they actually wished I¡¯d been born a son?¡± ¡°What would she know? She¡¯s just a sad little orphan girl,¡± Sarah inserted with a rancorous tone. ¡°Aren¡¯t we all, technically? We all lost our parents,¡± Maya dampened her accusation, trying to calm the situation down. ¡°I didn¡¯t lose mine. I still hope they pulled through somehow¡­ after I was gone,¡± Andrea admitted. ¡°What do you mean? How did you get here then?¡± Maya realized she knew nothing about the tragedies that led them here. ¡°I have a younger sister, Loretta. We grew up in a rural area of Italy and were never well-off. It seemed like a miracle when we both received English scholarships to study in the UK. However, someone had to stay behind to care for our parents. I chose to decline the opportunity and remain at home. Loretta went on to study abroad, but we lost all contact with her.¡± Andrea looked down, saddened by her memories. ¡°It was all a scam. Loretta never made it to the UK. She vanished without a trace, and I¡¯m certain my parents held me responsible. As the older sister, I was supposed to protect her. I thought I was making a noble sacrifice to give her a chance at a better life, but it turned out, I sacrificed her. Loretta was beloved by everyone¡ªsweet and charming. I was the stubborn, blabbering one. Sometimes I wonder if my parents wished it had been me who disappeared instead of her.¡± Andrea¡¯s mood sank. ¡°With time, my parents got sick and I had to drop out of school to take care of them. It was hell. I had to work hard to provide for us and would get home to constant complaining and belittling by very people who depended on me. When they approached me with this absurd story of witches and magic, I went with them without hesitation. One part was to run away from it all, and the other part was in hope I would end up where my sister was taken. To see her again¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m so sorry for your sister,¡± Linda said. ¡°Me too,¡± Maya squeezed Andrea¡¯s hand. ¡°But did you leave your sick parents?¡± ¡°I know it¡¯s scummy. But I couldn¡¯t take it anymore. They were taking a piece by piece every day. I felt there would be nothing left of me but a shell. They have people in the village who would take care of them.¡± ¡°Parents can be bad, but I would give up everything to have mine back,¡± Linda said. ¡°I guess if we are sharing, I will share my story as well.¡± Linda took a deep breath. ¡°We moved to America last spring in hopes of a better life. But we haven¡¯t made it out yet and lived in a bad neighbourhood. Their English wasn¡¯t good. They learned slow.¡± Maya could feel Linda wanted to share her story with someone for a while. ¡°This summer they got mugged and shot dead out of a misunderstanding in some dingy alleyway.¡± Maya and Andrea shared a look of understanding with her. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry,¡± Maya was becoming rapidly aware of how tragic everyone¡¯s lives were. ¡°I had to choose between being deported back to China to live with my awful conservative grandmother or go here,¡± Linda was fidgeting with her hands. ¡°I hope I chose right,¡± she looked up at them and smiled faintly. ¡°I¡¯m glad you chose this,¡± Andrea said, grabbing her hand. ¡°I didn¡¯t hope for it to be real, but I am happy it was. I think it¡¯s worth it to be awarded with magic for our miserable lives,¡± she was feeling for Linda. ¡°What about you Maya? How did you get here?¡±The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. Maya nervously scratched her arm. She would always become anxious whenever recalling her past tragedies. ¡®I guess I still haven¡¯t gotten used to it.¡¯ ¡°I lost my mother in a car crash a couple of years ago. This spring my father died from complications caused by the same crash. It was a heart infection from a shrapnel that was left inside of him.¡± It was the first time she had to recount to someone out loud what she had been through. Linda¡¯s hand on her shoulder was so comforting for Maya that she almost let her emotions surge and let out a tear. ¡°I know this isn¡¯t helpful, but there¡¯s a bittersweet poetry to it. It¡¯s as if he died from a broken heart after losing his love,¡± Andrea said softly. ¡°That could have been the truth¡­ had he not remarried.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ Sorry,¡± Andrea looked down to her feet. ¡°I didn¡¯t click with my stepmother and had no family left,¡± Maya continued. ¡°I felt like everyone was dying around me. Things got too weird and after my own accident with lightning I thought: what¡¯s there to lose?" ¡°Did I hear it right?¡± Elena¡¯s interest suddenly spiked. ¡°Accident with lightning. Care to elaborate on that?¡± ¡°Oh, that. It was strange. It still feels unreal.¡± Maya looked at her palm where the markings used to be. ¡°I don¡¯t remember how it happened. They said I was struck and it did no damage. I had a Lichtenberg mark left on my skin for some time. But it completely faded away by now. I don¡¯t feel like it happened and can¡¯t tell you much about it,¡± Maya got introspective. ¡°What about your story, Elena? How did you get here?¡± Since they were sharing, it was a great opportunity to learn more about the mysterious Elena. ¡°Honestly, I would like to know as well.¡± It seems the other girls were curious as well. No wonder from how many wild rumours have been around. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll tell my story if you¡¯re that curious¡­ I am an amnesiac.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°They just found me one day kneeling in a crater on a landfill but-naked without prior memories. So this world of magic doesn¡¯t feel any stranger than everyday life.¡± It sounded unbelievable, but Maya began to question herself. Did Elena ever specify she was an orphan? She had said something in the sense that she doesn¡¯t know her parents¡­ ¡®Oh, did I just assume¡­?¡¯ ¡°Oh, I get it. If you don¡¯t remember anything, learning that the world has magic isn¡¯t particularly strange if you never knew that there wasn¡¯t supposed to be any.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Elena winked. ¡°Wait¡­¡± If she doesn¡¯t remember what is ¡®normal¡¯ her prior words and conduct don¡¯t align. ¡°When exactly did that happen?¡± ¡°Um¡­¡± Elena cocked her head to the side with a finger on her chin as she was glancing at the ceiling. ¡°A few months ago?¡± ¡®Was that a question?¡¯ ¡°You adapted quite well.¡± Maya started to observe her more attentively, not wanting to question her, but she felt something was not right. ¡°She¡¯s obviously pulling your leg,¡± Leo said. Maya almost answered his retort before remembering that she was the only one able to hear it. Leo has been strangely absent tonight, but it was probably because what they were talking about was making him uncomfortable. ¡°That¡¯s a really¡­ unique story.¡± ¡°Are you serious, Andrea?¡± Sarah was shaking her head. ¡°It¡¯s obviously a bunch of baloney. She never lost her memories and never has been more than a gutter rat. No wonder her parents threw her away. They must¡¯ve known she would grow up into this lying conniving fraud.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s keep it respectful,¡± Linda said. Sarah¡¯s statement created some tension, especially since Elena said nothing in her defence, being busy opening another bottle. Perhaps it was a good thing Sarah burst their bubble, but she didn¡¯t have to be so mean about it. ¡°Elena can really drink, huh?¡± Andrea was suddenly impressed noticing how much Elena had drank all on her own. Maya thought it wasn¡¯t something worth marvelling at so she didn¡¯t want the attention to go in that direction and asked: ¡°What about you Sarah?¡± ¡°Like you don¡¯t already know all about it,¡± Sarah scoffed. ¡°What do you mean? How would I know?¡± Maya was confused. ¡°You expect me to believe Elena hasn¡¯t told you all about it already, just to slander me?¡± Maya looked at Elena for support, but she was lying back drinking, not paying any attention to them. ¡°She hasn¡¯t.¡± ¡°You never told me how you got here either,¡± Andrea mixed in. ¡°I¡¯m not gonna do it now, either. I¡¯m not into this sharing of our sap stories. It¡¯s pathetic.¡± ¡°We all shared ours. Was yours that bad?¡± Linda said. ¡°Shut up!¡± Sarah snapped at her. Everyone was slightly tipsy, and Sarah didn¡¯t want to share her story. They agreed not to pressure her. ¡°Let¡¯s continue with our truth or dare. I like how we are bonding,¡± Andrea said drunkenly. ¡°What are your biggest fears?¡± They weren¡¯t playing the game correctly, but no one seemed to care. Sarah was still sulking off to the side, so they decided not to disturb her. Elena was also on the sidelines, only partially engaged in the game while savouring her vodka. ¡°I never really thought about my fears. But I guess vampires or whatever¡¯s lurking outside that we need this much protection is pretty high up.¡± Maya lied. She was afraid of that for sure, but it wasn¡¯t her biggest fear. Her biggest fear was that her parents¡¯ deaths were in vain. ¡°I¡¯m afraid of heights,¡± Andrea said. ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m keeping as far away from this big window. Thank gods It¡¯s dark or I don¡¯t think I would be able to handle seeing over the wall.¡± ¡°It¡¯s because you¡¯re so short,¡± Linda said. They chuckled. ¡°What about you Linda?¡± Andrea asked. ¡°My fears are more of an existential kind. I think it¡¯s too late to start those kinds of subjects. What about you, Elena?¡± Linda skilfully deflected. ¡°Seagulls,¡± Elena said insincerely. Perhaps she wasn¡¯t even listening and said a random thing that popped into her mind. They laughed, again. ¡°Do you even know what we are talking about?¡± Andrea asked, still laughing. Chapter 51: Mushroom Picking I She found herself in a forest. It was unfamiliar. No matter how far she ran or in which direction, there was nothing but dead blackened trees. She heard a deafening sound of the sky screaming. Something was coming after her, swooping from above like a predator catching prey. Out of pure terror, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to look up. She could feel it. It was just about to grab her. Maya woke up with a hammering headache. This must be what a hangover feels like. Her whole body was tense, and it seemed like she slept with her head in an uncomfortable position. Her memory of how she got to sleep was hazy and it seems she slept like a dead since. Now, slowly opening her eyes to face reality, only to almost shit her pants seeing Elena right in front of her face, watching her. ¡°Crap!¡± Maya shot up and the headache caught her right away. ¡°What are you doing?¡± She massaged her neck to ease the tension she felt there. Elena lingered before answering: ¡°You know, you mumble in your sleep. It¡¯s a bit freaky.¡± ¡°That¡¯s freaky!? What about watching someone sleep this closely? Or at all?¡± Elena seemed completely hangover-free. Maya thought that was unfair considering the vast difference in the amount of alcohol consumed between them. ¡°Well, I hoped to make something out of it. And, I wanted to take my turn in rude awakening.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t wake me,¡± Maya was confused. ¡°Um-hm¡± Elena was acting suspiciously. ¡°C¡¯mon, let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°It¡¯s Sunday. The only day we aren¡¯t forced to go anywhere. Where do you think we are going?¡± Maya hoped Elena had just forgotten which day it was. ¡°We¡¯re going to take a stroll through the woods. Hurry. They¡¯ll leave without us.¡± ¡°What? It¡¯s too early for your tricks and games.¡± ¡°It¡¯s almost eleven,¡± Elena stated, flatly. Maya jumped. Did she sleep that long? ¡°How are you not hangover?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t do hangovers.¡± Maya knew this either meant she drank again, or she just got good at managing living with a killing headache. She groaned. ¡°Can you take mine away, too?¡± ¡°Stop being a wuss. You barely took a couple of sips last night. You really must be determined to pull a hangover out of your ass.¡± Elena was grumbling. ¡°Welcome to the ¡®cool kids¡¯ table. Now get over it and get your ass ready or you¡¯ll be going in your pyjamas.¡± ¡°But where are we going?¡± ¡°I told you already.¡± ¡°Sure, take a stroll through the woods. You can¡¯t be serious. What for?¡±This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. ¡°We¡¯re going to pick mushrooms,¡± Elena said casually. ¡°Mushrooms!? I¡¯m so confused.¡± Maya rubbed her bleary eyes. ¡°What¡¯s so hard to understand? We¡¯re going out into the woods, we¡¯ll take a little walk, catch some air, and the best part is ¡ª it counts as work. They¡¯ll pay us for it.¡± ¡°Wait. Outside? Like, outside the Walls??¡± Maya was alarmed. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°No. I can¡¯t. Are you insane?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the middle of a day¡­¡± Elena rolled her eyes at Maya¡¯s irrational fear. ¡°There¡¯s nothing scary there. You even got a warrior trainee on your side,¡± she pointed at herself proudly. ¡°Besides, you¡¯ll have to get out there eventually.¡± In the end, Elena won the argument and Maya was dragged out of bed. They joined a group of ten or so students, supervised by a Biology and Forest Ecosystem teacher and two guards. It seemed this was a part of senior extracurricular activity but juniors were welcomed as well. ¡®For a girl who regularly skips class, she sure does find strange activities to be interested in,¡¯ Maya thought. Since Elena was such a slacker, it did track that she would be well-versed in easy ways to make money around here. After overcoming intense nervousness about going outside, realizing it was just a regular forest that hardly had anything magical or unusual about it, Maya also learned she was an absolute anti-talent for searching and even just walking through a forest. She hated it. It seemed like every step she took she would get tangled in another spider web. It didn¡¯t help that she was afraid of spiders, resulting in her annoying the rest of the group with screaming every five seconds. Furthermore, she would also annoy Elena by calling her over to check every mushroom she sees, because, as a complete amateur, Maya didn¡¯t know which ones were good to pick. And, because of her hangover, they were slower than the rest lingering at the back of the group. ¡°I¡¯ve told you already, no green mushroom is good. It¡¯s not a freaking plant. Edible mushrooms aren¡¯t green. If it looks funky or has vivid colours, just leave it.¡± ¡°What colours are supposed to be good then?¡± ¡°Brownish¡­ and white¡­ mostly.¡± ¡°This one¡¯s brown,¡± Maya pointed at one. ¡°If you look underneath the cap, it¡¯s mottled,¡± Elena somehow knew even without looking underneath. ¡°Am I supposed to look under them as well?!¡± Elena rolled her eyes. She had enough of Maya¡¯s false alarms. ¡°Why don¡¯t you just relax and enjoy the nature? You¡¯ll still be paid if you don¡¯t find any.¡± It was her subtly suggesting she stop trying. Maya wasn¡¯t too happy about it. It made her feel useless. She continued to sulking for some time, before running into a bouquet of small brown mushrooms. Elena arrived reluctantly after being called over, ready to tell her off but stopped when she saw what Maya had found. ¡°No,¡± Elena said. ¡°But¡ª¡± Maya was feeling hopeful after Elena¡¯s initial reaction, but her dismissal surprised her. ¡°I told you, just to pretend you¡¯re looking.¡± Even though Elena was talking to her, she didn¡¯t pay attention to Maya. Her gaze tracked away until it met with another guy from the group and they exchanged looks and subtle nods. ¡°You know him?¡± Maya asked. ¡°Who?¡± Elena seemed oblivious now and Maya was questioning if she really saw that exchange or if was it her imagination. ¡°Let¡¯s go. They¡¯ll leave us behind.¡± They continued. Maya paid attention to the guy who circled back and fell behind. He crouched down at the spot where Maya found those mushrooms and put them in his backpack. It stood out to her because they were given baskets for carrying picked mushrooms. She didn¡¯t know what that was all about, or why Elena pretended not to know him, so instead of losing days on fruitlessly wondering, she decided to ignore it. Spider webs were still a problem and Maya came up with an idea of combating them. It involved grabbing a stick and swirling it in front of her face as she walked to catch the webs before she got tangled in them. ¡°You know, we aren¡¯t that type of witches,¡± a voice from behind surprised her. Chapter 52: Mushroom Picking II A cute-looking guy with an English accent matched her pace and caught her off guard while she was waving a stick. ¡®Not what type of witches?¡¯ Maya was confused for a moment. ¡°We don¡¯t need wands for casting,¡± he elaborated further after seeing Maya¡¯s expression trying to understand his joke. ¡°Oh.¡± Maya laughed belatedly, feeling silly for not getting it right away. Perhaps she was too tense this whole time. ¡°I didn¡¯t even realize it looked like that.¡± ¡°I just couldn¡¯t help but to make that connection,¡± he chuckled. ¡°But otherwise, ingenious idea. Do you mind if I walk behind you so you can save me from spiders as well?¡± Maya blushed at his flattery. She couldn¡¯t remember when the last time she received a compliment was. At least it was clear what she was trying to do with the stick. She imagined she must¡¯ve looked ridiculous to the others. ¡°Not at all. You can keep a look for mushrooms while I take care of spiders.¡± This way she could be someone¡¯s hero while compensating for her anti-talent. ¡°That¡¯s a great idea. I¡¯m Adam, by the way,¡± he offered his hand for a handshake and Maya shook it clumsily, introducing herself. ¡°You¡¯re one of the girls Isaac has lunch with, right?¡± ¡°You know Isaac?¡± ¡°We live on the same floor and hang out sometimes.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great. I was worried for Isaac being subjected only to female company,¡± she said light-heartedly. Adam chuckled. ¡°Well, he¡¯s extremely fortunate. But he has a few of us, guys, to rub it in our faces.¡± ¡®Was Isaac being seen as a ladies¡¯ man by his male friends?¡¯ ¡°You can join us for lunch if you¡¯d like.¡± ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m not bitter about it. Just joking. Besides, I¡¯m not sure I would fit your legendary reputation by sitting at that table. That might be too much pressure for me.¡± ¡°Reputation? What do you mean?¡± He stopped like her question dumbstruck him. ¡°You guys managed to sit two opposing queens at the same table, on the very first day of school.¡± He must mean Sarah and Elena. ¡°I wasn¡¯t aware that was a significant event.¡± ¡°Do you not know the drama between them?¡± ¡°I¡¯m aware they don¡¯t like each other,¡± Maya said. ¡°Not that there¡¯s some drama the whole school knows about.¡± ¡°Oh, you weren¡¯t here this summer? It was a bitter rivalry between them to win over Keith¡¯s heart. It seemed like every other day one would overtake the other on the leading board. They kept us on our toes. People even bet real money on it. It was fun.¡± ¡°Sounds like you guys lived through a real-life soap opera.¡± ¡°Yeah. It was insane. It cooled down a bit after Elena had won, but your squad had awakened whispers about it, again.¡± ¡°Well, I think you should admire Andrea for it. She was a mastermind, of sorts, there. I was just a means to get Elena there, it seems. But it was all just a pure coincidence, though.¡± ¡°Coincidence or not, it made your group sort of popular. You¡¯re like a celebrity. I feel nervous just talking to you.¡± ¡°Oh, stop it. I¡¯m still just a loser who got caught in all that,¡± she didn¡¯t know how to take his flattery. ¡°Don¡¯t put yourself down. If anything, I¡¯m the loser wasting your time chatting you up. All of that aside, you still seem like a really interesting and down-to-earth person.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say you¡¯re a loser. But if you insist on it, we could create our own loser club.¡±Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡°Sounds great.¡± Adam gave her a bright smile. Their guides warned them to keep their eyes open. As the terrain got a bit rougher, they drifted apart focusing on their balance. Maya felt proud of herself for lasting this long walking through the woods and this erratic terrain. The last week of training really showed some effects, but she expected to be exhausted for the rest of the day. Feeling like she¡¯d seen something in the corner of her eyes moving in the distance, Maya slowed down. It was blue, so it stood out like a sore thumb even with her not getting a good look. Someone must¡¯ve gotten separated from the group. Knowing how easy it was to get lost, she wanted to make sure they had someone in their line of sight to orient themselves. However, she didn¡¯t take into account that by wishing to be mindful of that person she was separating herself from the group. Since she could still hear them rustling and talking, she thought it would be okay. Perhaps it would be better if she went over there and warned them. Trying to locate them, looking in the direction where she thought she saw the person, she noticed something odd about them. It was a guy. He seemed to wander off aimlessly. But he was also wearing something that she could only make out as blue pyjamas. Maya froze. It was a ghost. Before she could start looking for her way back, something seemed to make him notice her and he slowly turned to face her. Maya gasped. The other half of his body came into view and revealed his blue and white pyjamas were stained with crimson red. His neck appeared to be ripped open by some vicious animal and torn to shreds, and the side of his head was scraped to the point of revealing the whites of his skull. She almost screamed in terror as his bare feet, muddied to his ankles, started waddling toward her. As she stood frozen in shock he was rapidly approaching. Until he stopped, right before he was about to reach Maya. She saw the look of terror in his eyes, like he was afraid of her. Then, like a strong gust of wind, something swooped him away. He was gone, as if he¡¯d never existed at all. In Maya¡¯s mind echoed a faint sound, a screech the sky she heard in her dream, as if something about this situation had triggered her to remember it again. She was standing there petrified with her heart trying to jump out of her chest while clutching the necklace Leo gifted her. He appeared beside her and just as she was about to cry to him about what she¡¯d just witnessed a different voice startled her from behind. ¡°I saw you met your future husband,¡± Elena commented jokingly. Maya was so out of herself that she couldn¡¯t comprehend what she meant by those words. Could Elena have seen him as well and made some sick and twisted joke? Elena tilted her head, confused by her distress. ¡°You know¡­ Adam Blair,¡± she clarified after Maya¡¯s expression left her unsatisfied. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Maya felt a sense of relief. Elena was referring to her talking to Adam earlier. It just dawned on her he was the Adam they were talking about last night. Of course, Elena knew nothing about the ghost. Keeping track of reality was becoming increasingly difficult for Maya. ¡°Nothing. We better catch up to the rest before we get lost.¡± Quickly calming herself down, Maya began walking in an attempt to avoid Elena¡¯s eyes from peering into her distress. ¡°It¡¯s that way.¡± Elena pointed in a different direction without moving from her spot. Exasperated, Maya changed her direction and began to head back. ¡°Um, Maya¡­¡± Leo started. They were approaching the group and someone¡¯s scream directed everyone¡¯s attention. Maya and Elena picked up their pace to meet everyone gathering at the small ridge. Down from that point, a horror awaited them. People¡¯s gasps and screams filled her ears as they reached it, and a horrible stench assaulted Maya¡¯s nostrils. She paled at the sight and hands grabbed her and pulled her back. It was Adam. He acted quickly and pulled her away so she could get herself together, away from the horrible sight. It seems he registered her falling into a panic attack even before she did. No wonder it was so hard to breathe. Maya felt grateful he rescued her. She saw it only for a moment, but it was enough to scar itself in her memory. Now she knew the striking difference between seeing mangled ghosts and the true horror of rotting dead bodies. Under that ridge were discarded bodies. Multiple, human bodies. ¡°It must be the missing students,¡± Adam said after a long pause. Maya looked at him, having managed to calm down a little but still pale as a sheet. ¡°I heard four students have gone missing the other day. I guess we all already knew what happened to them, but seeing it¡­¡± Adam shivered. ¡°Adam¡­¡± Maya hesitated. ¡°Was one of them wearing a blue pyjama?¡± ¡°Huh? I guess.¡± Adam couldn¡¯t understand why it would matter to Maya what they were wearing. Seeing a ghost of one of the victims wandering wasn¡¯t the main focus to her either. It was what it meant that deeply disturbed her. It had seemed Elena¡¯s past remark about the inside being as safe as the outside the walls bode true. If a student was taken in their pyjamas, they could have hardly ventured outside and were, in fact, taken from within the safety of the town borders. It was the protection of guards that was making the difference! Suddenly Elena¡¯s headstrong insistence on training as a warrior seemed like the soberest choice a helpless student could make in the face of such realization. And, as her roommate, Maya was ever so slightly safer. They couldn¡¯t talk more. Students were directed to return to Amellan and they walked in silence, each dealing with their inner distress alone. If the God of Light was truly just the Goddess of Death, they must be having a ball time. Chapter 53: Legend of Lady Anastasia Today¡¯s lesson brought them back to medieval Europe. A time of fear and paranoia, where life felt like they were living through the punishment of gods, and a bitter war of Humans against Witches. Prof. Crumpet skilfully presented them with the image of that time through his storytelling. He didn¡¯t just line up dry facts and sequences of events through numbers and places they¡¯d never even heard of. No, he spun it into plausible real-life experiences of common folk, stories of significant events through lenses both of the victims and the perpetrators. Starting from the religious Inquisition of heretics that cascaded into the Witch Hunt which led many to be cruelly tortured and consequently executed for many centuries. Perhaps it was surprising he didn¡¯t take the stand to strictly vilify the humans that victimized witches. Some were evil, as there always was evil, but some were simply fearful and made horrible decisions in their ignorance. Then, he went on to explain Primas. ¡°In the past, a special kind of mage would be chosen by the Elements in a time of great hardships. Prima Maga. Her task would be to spearhead through hardship and lead mages to a better life. In possession of great wisdom and forethought, no other could be more suited for the task. Inside of her would be the reincarnated minds of her predecessors, with their knowledge and experience, who would help her lead. She would have the power of all four Elements as well as the power of the mysterious sacred Fifth Element, one we call Spirit, and would be the most powerful mage among them all.¡± And at last, such demanding, most difficult times, created a prima who was above all that came before her. It was Lady Anastasia. A prima with power beyond comprehension, who had handled an impossible task no one could dream of and created a completely new world for her sisters and brothers. Ostracised, mages gathered around the young Prima. They had a simple choice: perish or find a different place that wouldn¡¯t devour them following simple-minded ambitions. Through their joined effort they became the architects of an entirely new world, and her power¡ªwhich rivalled gods¡ªcreated what was thought impossible. Because their ambitions were as great as the gods themselves, they knew sacrifices would be just as great. Many of her acolytes selflessly sacrificed everything, their bodies and souls, to create a sanctuary for witches and open the door to lead them there. Their willingness to sacrifice everything for future generations they knew they would never meet, allowed witches to be here today. ¡°Lady Anastasia herself made a detrimental sacrifice. Her wish was that she be the ¡®Last Witch¡¯ to sacrifice herself for the world. And consequently became the last Prima we would ever see.¡± As the lesson was winding to an end, Maya sheepishly raised her hand. ¡°Yes, Miss Watergate,¡± the professor acknowledged her. ¡°How did she die?¡± He seemed a little stumped by the question. ¡°She sacrificed herself for our world.¡± ¡°I meant, what did that sacrifice entail?¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid I am unable to tell in detail. Our records speak of her sacrifice, but we do not know the intricacies of the magic she had used. Only that the price was great. Only Lady Anastasia herself would know what has transpired.¡± ¡°I understand. Thank you.¡± ¡°I apologize for not being able to give you a better answer. But asking questions is good. It gives me joy you show interest. Does anyone else have a question?¡±Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. As such, classes passed in regular order. Perhaps, it was slightly noticeable on teachers¡¯ faces before they would start their lessons that they were painfully reminded by the certain empty seat that one of the students of their class would never attend again. It was Stella Rivera, one of the victims, the girl Maya tried to befriend on several occasions but never quite succeeded. And then, came the time for the school assembly. The Headmistress wanted to address the incident from yesterday. Throughout the day, the word got spread, and soon everyone knew the fate of the missing students before they knew they were considered missing in the first place. ¡°Lately, it seems we¡¯re having funerals every other day¡­¡± Maya stood in the crowd, quietly waiting to hear the announcement while listening to the people talking around her. ¡°¡­Yes it was horrible. However, some students did react rather strangely¡­¡± Next to her, Maya overheard a group of gossipers who were recounting their first-hand experiences from yesterday¡¯s trip into the woods. ¡°Yeah? Who?¡± ¡°First, it was that junkie guy. You saw, right? The way he started shaking and ran away like he was guilty¡­¡± ¡°No way!¡± ¡°He¡¯s one of the students that went missing last year¡­ Yeah, Hunters brought them back¡­ If you ask me, something isn¡¯t quite right with that bunch. They just feel¡­ empty.¡± ¡°Nah, man. It¡¯s because they¡¯re drugged up all the time. It has nothing to do with that incident. They chose to get cooped up and high. He was probably just tripping there.¡± ¡°Then what about that freshman girl? The one dating Keith Spencer.¡± Not trying to listen in particular before, Maya perked up her ears after hearing Elena was the subject of their conversation. Come to think of it, Maya doesn¡¯t know what Elena¡¯s reaction was like even though she was standing right next to her when they reached that ridge. She was too blinded by her own panic attack and soon after Adam brought her away. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°You saw her reaction, right?¡± ¡°No. I was busy seeing four corpses in front of me. What did she do?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the thing. Nothing. She did absolutely nothing. It was like seeing corpses was nothing eventful to her. I just happened to look in her direction when my stomach turned and I looked away. That new girl that she hangs around screamed in shock, but she just looked at her like she was overreacting.¡± ¡°No way.¡± ¡°I swear. Our eyes met at that moment and there was no emotion on her face. I felt like she could¡¯ve been the one that killed them herself and not bat an eye¡ª¡± ¡°Is your friend okay?¡± Maya flinched at Adam¡¯s voice, feeling like she was caught red-handed eavesdropping. He was standing near her talking to his own friends so she didn¡¯t expect him to suddenly talk to her. ¡°I get what they are saying. I also coincidentally looked at Elena when we found those bodies and¡­ Her expression was a little weird.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°It¡¯s like they said. Her face was rather blank. I¡¯d say she wasn¡¯t the least bit horrified as the rest of us. I know everyone deals with shock differently¡­ Maybe she¡¯d seen dead bodies before. Do you happen to know anything?¡± Maya felt it was rather strange he would inquire about it. If you think about it, most people here probably saw someone die. They are all traumatised kids in need of counselling. And Maya was the one person who sees souls re-enact the way they died almost daily. ¡°I know many of you are disheartened. Barely one week passed and we were struck with such tragedies¡­¡± The Headmistress started with her speech, saving Maya from answering. ¡°I know it is especially hard on our youngest ones. The whole world has suffered the same loss and it was only a matter of time before our enemies learn we have lost our watchful protectors. Perhaps it was unavoidable they would brazenly use this chance while we struggled to cover our weak spots and mock our loss. They have gotten us at our low, but we will show them we do not despair. This will not happen again! The number of our guards is being reinforced and the night patrols will not have blind spots. I also beg for your cooperation. Obey the curfew, obey the rules. Keeping the town safe is not an impossible task if we all work together.¡± Chapter 54: Comfortable With Heights ¡°¡­The funeral for the deceased will be held tomorrow after classes,¡± The Headmistress was finishing up her speech. ¡°It is truly a pity they didn¡¯t get the chance to live longer with Elements¡¯ blessing. May God of Repose deliver their souls so they could be reborn into a happier life.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think the ¡®God of Repose¡¯ is into recycling,¡± a voice beside Maya mumbled, prompting Maya to whip her head toward the person she wished to see for the past couple of days¡ªAnastasia. Standing next to Maya, Anastasia was blending into students as if it was where she always belonged. It seems she had made a cross comment at Amanda¡¯s delivery that differed from the usual ¡®Eternal rest to their souls¡¯. Anastasia gave Maya a soft smile as if she knew Maya was desperate for her time and attention. And Maya almost showered her with all the questions then and there, before awareness of her surroundings returned to her. She shouldn¡¯t talk to a ghost in front of all these people. Like she knew exactly what was stirring in Maya¡¯s head, Anastasia quietly turned her head and looked at the highest academy tower. Maya nodded and she smiled, once again, before vanishing. ¡®Gosh, how come she¡¯s so pretty?¡¯ Maya shook her head. ¡®What am I thinking about?¡¯ During the after-hours, instead of working, Maya ran to the staff room and grabbed the master key, before setting herself to the main school tower. It turned out she didn¡¯t need the key. It was already open. It was, perhaps, always open, so the bell could be rang in the case of emergency. Before stepping inside, Maya became aware that this would be considered breaking the rules, which was not so becoming of Maya. ¡®Sorry, Elena. You¡¯ll have to forgive me for slacking off today. You do it to me all the time anyway.¡¯ Stone stairs spiralled upwards around heavy ropes hanging to the ground floor, seemingly endless from Maya¡¯s perspective. As she climbed, the ground receded and her horizon expanded, glimpsed through small, repeating windows along the tower¡¯s structure. Finally, she got to the last level where it opened up to the spacious wooden-decked room, at least compared to the confined stairway. She realized this also served as a watchtower with big openings on all four sides overlooking, not just the Academy, but the town as well. A massive wooden structure of beams carried the roof and a giant cast-iron bell on a level ahead accessible only by a ladder. The view was beautiful despite it being a cloudy twilight with clouds prematurely snuffing out the sun. Maya could see the tall mountains in the distance. As the town was already situated on a hill, and the tower was the highest point, it was multiplying the dizzying effect of the height, but Maya found it somewhat pleasant. This looked like a place where someone would want to hide from the world. It was something new she learned about herself. It seems she was rather fond of heights. Maya leaned over to the opening to see if she could find anyone down there. It was quiet. Turning back, she noticed Anastasia standing in the middle of the room. Unlike earlier today, she seemed slightly distressed.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. Maya took in a deep breath. She didn¡¯t know how to conduct herself in front of her. ¡°So, are you the one who created this world?¡± Anastasia nodded solemnly. ¡°I am the last prima before¡ª¡± She twitched and reset her position. ¡°Sorry¡­¡± It seems she was struggling with those involuntary ticks. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me before?¡± ¡°I¡ªI¡­ Maya, I still need to tell¡ª¡± She twitched again. It was like those times before she went into the death re-enactment. But this time she disappeared completely. Was it because she was trying to be considerate and not let Maya see that horror up close, or was she simply too unstable to hold on to her existence to the extent Leo was? After all, she was a much older soul than Maya had anticipated¡ªcenturies old. ¡°Okay¡­ I¡¯ll wait for you some other time,¡± Maya spoke dejectedly into the wind. It seems hundreds of questions she had would have to wait to be answered. It was out of their hands. Her mind returned to those colossal statues at the entrance into this world. They were Anastasia¡¯s acolytes. But why wasn¡¯t she with them? Is her statue somewhere else in the world, rising even taller? It was odd being able to communicate with the spirit of an important and celebrated person; someone who has places and streets named after them; someone who has history books written about them; someone in whose honour was created a holiday. And she was there to personally help Maya learn magic. Why was someone as unworthy as Maya seemingly the only one who gets the honour of communicating with the most important person in the entire witches¡¯ history? Waiting for a couple of moments more while sitting on the floor facing the scenery, Maya finally accepted Anastasia wasn¡¯t going to return and clutched the rose pendant from around her neck. ¡°Christ! Are you trying to get me killed?! This is so far up!¡± Leo appeared and was startled by the vast dark horizon opening up in front of them. Maya chuckled. It seems she had gotten back at him for all the times he made her jump out of her skin. ¡°Afraid of heights?¡± There was absurdity in a ghost fearing death. ¡°O-of course not! I¡¯m not afraid¡­ Just¡­ uncomfortable¡­¡± He looked to the side, squeezing his arm. ¡°Do you think it was a good decision coming here?¡± Maya asked. ¡°Why did you come here? Are you thinking of jumping?¡± There was worry in his voice. ¡°No. Not here. Like here in general. To this world.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. But you always had a habit of jumping head-first into situations and it would usually work out for you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a lie.¡± ¡°I swear. I always admired that about you. Your bravery,¡± he sat beside her. ¡°Shut up. You¡¯re making things up, now,¡± she didn¡¯t want to believe he was sincere. ¡°And never could take a compliment, as well.¡± She gently hit him in the shoulder with her fist and he pulled her in a bear hug. Just like they did as kids. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Maya. You got me. I¡¯ll warn you in case of any danger,¡± he whispered as he held her tightly. Maya¡¯s face turned into a grimace. He knew her so well. Last week was incredibly taxing on the anxiety-prone Maya. Perhaps it was strange she struggled with fear of danger and death after spending so much time in Vetus Orbis wishing she did not exist. She knew she was afraid of pain, but now she also knew she truly wanted to live. Making this erratic decision to come here was out of her pure desire to shake herself awake and start clinging to life. Unable to understand herself at first, she knew now she was just looking for a reason to live. It was a rather strange thing to need. And she still wondered if she had found it. Chapter 55: Corn Ordeal The first week has been incredibly hectic. Mostly thanks to her roommate. But Maya felt Elena had quieted down with her unruly behaviour at some point. Almost as if she had been feeling down lately. Maya felt it in adults too. As if finding those students dead, especially after learning Hunters were lost, put incredible pressure on the question of their future safety. It was still unclear how they were taken with all the measures in place. ¡®Did they sneak outside? If so¡­ Why?¡¯ That was hard to believe considering the pyjama boy was one of the victims. Who, in their right mind, would go outside willingly, dressed like that? Maya didn¡¯t know other students, but Stella didn¡¯t seem like someone who would break the curfew, either. Maya tried not to stress herself constantly thinking over the dead victims, but it was harder said than done. The fact was that she had an advantage over most. Not only would she be aware of the danger before most, thanks to Leo sticking to her almost constantly, but she also had the potential to grow stronger much faster. Her secret personal instructor was the creator of the world herself and the most powerful witch the world has ever known, after all. She had the least reason to worry among everyone. Maya¡¯s flaw was that she wasn¡¯t very good at fighting, but that matter came last because she would always have enough time to run away. It seems pressure was high on the Headmistress as well. She had been strengthening the safety measures and making trips to Elador, the capital, to negotiate more support. Maya believed in her ability and expected she would fulfil her promises. All in all, it was harvest time. Fear or not, it was true that Maya would eventually have to go outside the wall. Today, instead of classes, students were packed into strange hybrids between rovers capable of traversing rough terrains and buses to carry many passengers, and taken outside the walls as a workforce. Well, students who were confirmed to have succeeded in using magic. The rest had to stay and practice for a chance to continue attending the academy. Farther out, outside the town walls, there was an agricultural establishment. It was less fortified but with a higher level of security considering the manpower currently guarding it. It truly needed it ¡ª it was their bread basket. Guards won¡¯t have to be spread so thing after the harvest. It is fortunate enough that such a large establishment only had to be guarded periodically. Perhaps even vampires weren¡¯t stupid enough to destroy the food of their food. Even though Amellan crop fields were only supplying the town with a portion of food supplies ¡ª the rest was coming from other industrial and agricultural towns specialized specifically to feed the nation ¡ª it needed to be guarded during the night just in case. If there were a catastrophe, the town could survive for some time on its supplies, so it was important to keep them safe. Today, they drafted the freshmen students to harvest corn. It wasn¡¯t all that there was in these fields, but that was their task. The method was rather crude. Each student would receive a basket and harvest corn cobs by hand. At least the system was somewhat optimized. One row ¡ª one student. And some were assigned as transportation ¡ª to collect filled baskets and bring back empty ones. It all required cooperation and made Maya feel a sense of community. For many, just like Maya, this was the first time they were doing something like this, so it took some time to get things running smoothly. After they did, it was like a well-oiled machine. A sigh could be heard in the row next to Maya where Elena was harvesting corn. ¡°I guess we¡¯re the winners, so we get to do hard work,¡± she made a snarky remark. Maya wasn¡¯t critical of the system. It made sense to put in some work. They were already receiving everything for free. Even though she didn¡¯t devalue the experience, Maya couldn¡¯t help but wonder: ¡°I thought they would have machines for such work.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need machines if you indulge in child labour.¡± ¡°We¡¯re hardly children.¡± Other than occasional menial exchange, they weren¡¯t talking much. Not that Maya needed it, as Leo was already giving her funny anecdotes, making it difficult not to laugh out loud at them. Elena was being lazy and doing sloppy work, so she began to fall behind. Maya was truly engrossed in the task. Maybe this kind of task was a great way to unite everyone and create a feeling of togetherness. It could also help people appreciate the effort put into the task even more. However, the question remains: will she remember this experience the next time she has lunch with something that contains corn?Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. Her wandering thoughts were interrupted by the sensation of something small hitting her. It was as if a drop of rain had fallen on her but the sky was clear. Just as she was about to dismiss it, it happened again. Maya could have been wondering for a long time if Leo didn¡¯t notify her about what was happening. ¡°It¡¯s Elena. She¡¯s messing with you.¡± Maya looked back straight at Elena who started laughing. It was corn, she was throwing corn at her. In return, Maya ripped out a fistful of corn from a corn cob she was holding and retaliated. Elena skilfully avoided each one, even if Maya had thrown more at once. Then hiding behind a corn stem, she threw more Maya¡¯s way. They were laughing like idiots while having a corn fight. However, Elena started throwing corn at other unsuspecting people, and Maya joined in. They tried not to laugh at the confused expressions on their victims'' faces as they looked up at the sky, wondering if it was raining. Eventually, the victims realized what was happening and joined in on the silly game, pulling more people into the fun. However, there was always someone who took it too far and ruined the fun. This time it was already-grumpy Sarah. Elena enjoyed messing with her in particular, but she was the one refusing to join in the play. One too many people messing with her and she snapped and threw the entire corn cob at Elena. Expectedly, Elena dodged it, but the game was over now. That thing wasn¡¯t for playing. It was like throwing a rock if not worse. The game turned into a war and Elena returned in equal measure. It bounced off Sarah¡¯s shoulder and hit someone behind. Someone who wasn¡¯t willing to forget it and tried to hit Elena with another corn cob. It was thrown poorly, and it flew by someone who misread it as being meant for them. The game became a bloodthirsty battle. Soon, the air was filled with dangerous projectiles flying everywhere and Maya was holding on for dear life. The guards had to intervene and break off the fight, looking for the ones starting it. If it stayed on a playful tone, they could''ve brushed it off, but now, everyone pointed at Maya and Elena. They were packed into a rover and taken back to the Academy for a talk with the headmistress. Maya was having a sense of deja vu, waiting outside the office while Daria and Elena were screaming at each other inside the office. This was the kind of situation Maya was supposed to keep Elena away from. Not join in. ¡°People depend on those crops! Your little game just wasted a whole lot of it. And for what?¡± Daria was furious. ¡°If people need it, why don¡¯t they pick it themselves.¡± ¡°You¡¯re part of those people! It is what¡¯s going to feed you this winter, Elena. We are a small community! We all need to contribute and do our part. If we all acted like you, we would starve or die a miserable death!¡± ¡°Community my ass! It¡¯s just some low-ass excuse to justify using us as free labour! We have our rights! We don¡¯t deserve to be treated as cattle,¡± Elena was slurring her words. ¡°What are you talking about? Since when did you become an advocate for social justice?¡± ¡°Your cult sucks! You won¡¯t silence me!¡± Elena was incoherent. ¡°What are¡ª¡± Daria was confused. ¡°Are you drunk?!¡± ¡°No¡­ Are you?¡± ¡°Lords have mercy, are you insane? It¡¯s the middle of the day!¡± Daria was in disbelief. ¡°I need to lower your allowance, so you can¡¯t afford any alcohol,¡± she decided. ¡°Noo! You can¡¯t. Please. I¡¯ll never forgive you!¡± Elena cycled through pleading and threatening. ¡°You leave me no choice, Elena. This can¡¯t go on.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t stop it!¡± ¡°Someone has to!¡± Daria sounded desperate. ¡°You¡¯ll make things worse!¡± ¡°Look at yourself! You¡¯re wasted and it¡¯s not even noon yet,¡± it was saddening Daria. ¡°Okay. Go ahead then. Less money won¡¯t make much difference. I¡¯ll just substitute it for food. Or steal it. Who knows, actually. Even I can¡¯t predict the lengths I¡¯ll go to.¡± ¡®She really loves alcohol,¡¯ Maya thought to herself, then corrected her posture in the chair as she saw someone approaching. An assistant was bringing in an unexpected person. ¡°Keith!?¡± ¡°Hi, Maya. What¡¯s going on?¡± he sat down beside her. ¡°Am I in some sort of trouble?¡± he asked in a low voice. ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t know.¡± He craned up his head after hearing Elena and Daria yelling inside. ¡°What did she drag me into, now?¡± he sighed. The woman who brought him, after some hesitation, finally knocked on the office door. ¡°Sorry for interrupting, Lady Zdunowski. I¡¯ve brought you Keith Spencer.¡± Daria opened the door to let him in. ¡°You called my boyfriend to play my mom?!¡± Elena was outraged. ¡°I¡¯m not his property. You can¡¯t do this. Fuck you, Daria!¡± ¡°Then do you prefer I call your guardians in?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t! That creep will show up.¡± ¡°Creep?! Elena, I don¡¯t want to force you to accept strangers as your parents but you should at least have some respect for people who financially support you. Now, please wait outside.¡± Daria¡¯s gaze fell on Maya. ¡°I apologize, Maya. You are free to go. I know you aren¡¯t responsible for this fiasco.¡± Elena wasn¡¯t cooperating. But she was pushed out of the room and the door was shut in her face. She stood there growling. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Maya was unsure of what to say. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Let¡¯s just go,¡± she snapped in malcontent. ¡°She asked you to wait,¡± Maya reminded her. ¡°It¡¯s just a matter of speech. What she really meant is: Get the fuck out of my face," Elena grabbed Maya¡¯s wrist and continued to drag her out of the building. Before they exit the hallway. Elena stopped for a second like she was catching her balance. ¡°It¡¯s not just me. The floors are tilted, right?¡± ¡°Yeah. The Academy is on a hill,¡± Maya said. In this part of the Academy, the floors were tilted, slightly. It had confused her before. ¡°But, it¡¯s slopping to the wrong side.¡± Chapter 56: Macaroons ¡°Maya! Did you hear? I did it! I did it!¡± Andrea was happily prancing around Maya when they met to have lunch together. ¡°I awakened! I¡¯m a witch!¡± Remembering, a smile crept up on her face. Maya was truly happy for Andrea. So far, from their squad, only Linda hasn¡¯t succeeded in awakening. It did worry her, but she had faith in Linda. It seems most students have already succeeded by now, and there was still time for more as the Initiation was happening at the end of the week. Putting a delicious macaroon in her mouth, Maya was sitting at her desk in their room, doing revisions of today¡¯s lessons. She had been diligent in her studies, not because she had always been a model student but because it was also important to familiarize herself with this strange new world she knew close to nothing about. The history, the rules, politics, and culture ¡ª they were all new. She was but a toddler here. However, it seemed it was hard to focus today. Macarons were from Keith. He arrived today to pick up Elena bearing gifts. It is a popular pre-packaged set in a renowned cake shop Downtown. Andrea goes mad over them, and Maya secretly wished she¡¯d have a chance to try them. It was for the both of them to share, but Elena passed it to Maya, saying Maya could have them as Elena isn¡¯t fond of sweets. ¡®How can a person not like sweets?¡¯ Come to think of it, there are a lot of things gluttonous Elena doesn¡¯t like, after all. Besides sweets, Maya learned milk was also off the table, also thanks to Keith. He¡¯d drop by their table at lunch, being all lovey-dovey, bringing her a box of milk that dropped extra from a vending machine. ¡°Gross,¡± Elena flatly pushed it away. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t avoid it. It¡¯s good for you.¡± Keith was the only person who would fearlessly rebuke Elena. And ever since last week¡¯s incident, he was held in even higher regard, as if he had tamed a dragon. ¡°Third¡­ A third guard has passed your window, just now.¡± While Maya was studying, Leo was focused on observing the new security measures put in place. Since their window was so close to the wall, they could catch a glimpse of guards passing by on their patrols. ¡°Three in an hour? It doesn¡¯t sound too bad.¡± However, there was no way of telling if that was good or bad since Maya knew next to nothing about vampires that lurk outside. She had tried to talk Leo into going outside to look for them and check what they were like, but he refused. ¡°It¡¯s dark¡­ I don¡¯t want to go alone¡­¡± ¡®What was the point of having him as a cheat if he was such a scaredy-cat?¡¯ However, since Maya had another opportunity to talk to Amanda. As a headmistress dealing with a crisis, her schedule was hectic, but she had made it possible to converse with Maya and fulfil her guardian duties, albeit short. And the Headmistress has always made an effort to make Maya feel safe. Maya had given it some thought and started blaming Elena for being so frightened by the newfound danger last week. It was Elena who planted the idea that they were tricked into coming to this world. But thinking rationally, it wasn¡¯t like the old world had no dangers. She may have been far from it, hiding in her own private world in denial and solitude, but even her parents were taken from her. The danger was sometimes much closer than one would assume. For her parents, it was Maya herself. It was due to her own poor decisions that they died. Her mother died in a tragic car crash because Maya insisted they return to their vacation home to pick up a stuffed animal they had forgotten. Her father died because she wanted his attention and forced him to try ice cream they were both allergic to. As a result, she had shut herself away from making choices again. Bearing consequences was too overwhelming. ¡®If I continue as I¡¯ve been doing, being chosen by the Elements will go in vain.¡¯ Therefore, there were some decisions she had to make. But first, she wished to talk to Anastasia. Ever since Anastasia implied it was where she could be found, Maya had been showing up at the tower to no avail. Maya wondered if her unorthodox power had an aspect that allowed her to strengthen a ghost¡¯s connection, or if was it strictly passive. ¡®I want to ask Anastasia about my ghost-seeing ability.¡¯ Grunting to herself, she was frustrated there was no one else to ask. However, it was due to her being unwilling to ask anyone who could look at her strangely for it. Whenever she attempted, there was never a hint of anything like it existing.This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. All of the colourful macarons she was munching on were tasty, but now, there was only one left. The green one. Maya reluctantly reached for it. Leaving it for last because the colour didn¡¯t look appetizing, she was still too much of a sweet tooth to abandon it completely. ¡°Is it apple flavour?¡± There was no point in prolonging it. Who knows, it could be the tastiest one. Maya relished in its sweet flavour. It was delicious indeed. But she couldn¡¯t help but feel that something about it was vaguely familiar. Is it some exotic fruit? Maya was too unassuming. All of the vampires in the world weren¡¯t a danger as much as she was to herself, right now. And then the horror hit. There was a reason the flavour was so unfamiliar yet felt too distinct to forget. It was because the flavour was pistachios¡­ ???????? Leo sat on the window sill, staring at the darkness outside, secretly exasperated by Maya¡¯s boring decision to study. She always did like receiving compliments for being smart, yet she was equally fun-loving and imaginative, often dreaming up creative games and ideas that her father eagerly supported. A smile played on Leo¡¯s lips as he recalled a time when they¡¯d spent days constructing a massive paper dragon. Maya¡¯s father had then brought it to life, puppeteering the creation while they played the roles of brave dragon slayers. Leo¡¯s own parents, by contrast, would have dismissed such activities as frivolous and wasteful, preferring he sit still and focus on his studies instead. Then a sudden thud grabbed him out of his reminiscence and Leo was startled to find Maya on the floor. ¡°Maya?¡± But then he palled seeing her wheezing and trying to breathe while her face turned red and swollen, covered with cold sweat. ¡°Maya!¡± Leo immediately grabbed her, recognizing an emergency, and dragged her toward the door. She needed help, right this instant, but there was no one around but him. Picking her up, he tried to carry her, but as her consciousness began to slip, she fell right through. Leo stared in shock and horror as suddenly something incredibly precious as him being able to touch her like a being of real matter was taken away. Leo began screaming and calling her name, desperate to keep her awake so that he could move her. Little by little he was able to drag her across the floor. But then, his hopes sank as he stared at the closed door, crushed under realization that it was all in vain. There was one insurmountable obstacle in the way. The cherished freedom he had as a ghost that no physical matter could stop him from going anywhere he wanted was now a glaring flaw. Leo could not open the door. He couldn¡¯t open them, carry her unconscious or call for help. He couldn¡¯t even use her hand to bang on the door in hopes someone heard it. He was utterly useless. As Leo wept in desperation and misery, the door suddenly swung open. Elena returned, stopping abruptly at the threshold. Seeing Maya sprawled on the floor, she stared in complete bafflement. She didn¡¯t understand what was happening. Then, Keith hurriedly pushed past her, recognizing the symptoms of a severe allergic reaction and anaphylactic shock. He scooped her off the floor in an instant and rushed to the emergency room with Maya in his arms. Maya was saved. ???????? ¡®I¡¯m such an idiot¡­¡¯ Maya received a quick treatment, a scolding by the medical staff for carelessness, and medicine to have at hand if similar situations were to arise. Since she had arrived at Mellgrah, she was only focusing on the outside dangers, but failed to consider her own life-threatening allergy. This experience deeply shook Leo. Unaware of Maya¡¯s allergy and powerless to help when she was in danger, he now clung to her like glue¡ªforlorn, pale, and trembling slightly. He had nearly witnessed her death¡ªand what a foolish way to die it would have been. Maya was out of sorts for most of it. It came as a shock to hear Keith was her saviour. His attentiveness impressed her, especially when he gave her his number for future emergencies. Maya couldn¡¯t help but think he was a great influence for Elena to have around. Keith gained an admirer, however, Elena¡ªwho stuck to Maya¡¯s side not saying a word, while she let Keith handle everything¡ªmisunderstood the nature of that admiration. ¡°Stay away from him,¡± Elena gave her a stern warning after they were alone. A little taken aback, Maya stared at her. ¡®Is she being jealous?¡¯ In addition to being quite difficult to read, Elena has been in a strange mood lately. ¡°You should have told me you have such a flaw,¡± Elena scoffed. ¡°A flaw?¡± ¡°¡­instead of giving him a chance to play hero.¡± There it was. Maya never understood her choices of words. ¡°Have you never seen a person have an allergic reaction before?¡± Elena didn¡¯t answer. Considering someone else¡¯s safety and well-being must have been unfamiliar territory for a person accustomed to fending for themselves. Elena¡¯s unwavering confidence made it easy to forget, but as the Headmistress had pointed out, she was still learning to navigate social situations that most would consider normal. ¡®Perhaps I should have told her, but it simply slipped my mind.¡¯ Maya felt guilty. Although everything had turned out alright in the end, the situation could have been handled with more grace if she¡¯d simply informed those around her about her allergies. Yet¡­ ¡®It¡¯s true, isn¡¯t it?¡¯ Due to Elena¡¯s own flaw, she very much depended on Keith in such situations. Keith was her saviour as well. It made sense she would be a little possessive. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not interested in Keith romantically. I¡¯m just grateful for him.¡± Elena¡¯s expression was a little sour and hard to read as usual. ¡°Just stay clear of him. If you cross the line, we won¡¯t be able to stay friends.¡± Chapter 57: Stage Exit ¡®Friends?!¡¯ Despite initially not resolving their tensions and accepting each other¡¯s presence, Maya had started to abandon the idea of a friendship with Elena. Even though Maya desired friendship, Elena consistently rejected it, never apologizing for her harsh behaviour towards Maya. Although they lived together, their shared presence was deceptive. In reality, they hadn¡¯t engaged in a meaningful conversation for quite some time. Elena always seemed to be in passing, usually swept away by Keith. Unbeknownst to Maya, Elena began to consider her a friend at some point. However, was this just a fleeting whim, something Elena might refute or twist later? Even if it was an unclear sentiment, Maya felt joy when Elena referred to them as friends. Leo, on the other hand, seemed more than a little disturbed by the possibility of Maya¡¯s death. A while back, during the quiet moments on the road trip to Mellgrah, they discussed what it meant for Leo to be a ghost shadowing her on her journey. Although cautioning her about how insane her decision to embark on the trip was, Leo seemed secretly intrigued by the idea. Even the prospect of living as a ghost wasn¡¯t something he hated. Perhaps he had some kid-like sentiments about his condition; after all, a ghost can go anywhere, do anything, and never have to justify themselves to anyone. Maya had accepted his conformity and never breached the subject touching on it again. Just like never asking about the event and the cause of his death, Maya rather lived in chosen ignorance than acknowledging dark and uncomfortable truths. Though she had slowly emerged from the strange delirium of trauma that had weighed on her this summer¡ªand wished to view her past life as some strange dream¡ªshe couldn¡¯t. A literal ghost from her past was right here with her. Maya didn¡¯t know what to do with Leo who had become somewhat quiet and reserved since yesterday¡¯s incident. He seemed troubled and somewhat resentful Maya was more overjoyed by that devious fiend blurting out the word ¡®friend¡¯ than by two guys giving everything in their power to save her¡ªone failing and the other one succeeding. Unlike Maya, Leo didn¡¯t have the possibility to form ¡®friendships¡¯. Though there were many dead spirits around, each of them was alone, trapped in their own bubbles of trauma. Rarely did they have sufficient presence of mind to do anything besides lingering somewhere between existing and not existing. No wonder Leo grew so protective of Maya and her well-being. After all, she was the only one left for him. ¡®You have the whole world while I only have you¡­¡¯ Leo¡¯s words lingered in Maya¡¯s mind. ¡®So please¡­ don¡¯t die.¡¯ His words were somewhat sweet though more than a little sad. He smiled at the end. ¡®I¡¯ll be careful from now on, so you don¡¯t have to worry.¡¯ ???????? Maya¡¯s group of friends filled the academy cafeteria with lively chatter. The outgoing Andrea enthusiastically shared the latest gossip, while the reserved Linda listened attentively, and the intellectual Isaac occasionally added intriguing facts. Elena and Sarah were frequently absent these days. Andrea leaned in, a mischievous glint in her eye. ¡°So, Maya, any juicy stories to share?¡± Maya blushed, realizing the news of her recent near-death experience might have spread. ¡°Oh, so you heard.¡± ¡°So you also had a chance to be swept by Keith¡¯s dashing heroism,¡± Andrea was giggling. Linda offered a comforting smile. ¡°Are you feeling okay now, Maya?¡± ¡°Yeah, much better,¡± Maya replied, grateful for the concern. As the group finished lunch, the conversation shifted to their plans for the afternoon. Just as they were contemplating exploring school clubs, Adam approached, a charismatic smile on his face. ¡°Mind if I join you guys?¡± Adam asked, pulling up a chair. ¡°Oh, by the way, Maya, are you feeling alright? I heard you were taken to the emergency room last night.¡± ¡°You too?¡± Maya was embarrassed. ¡°Does nothing go past you guys?¡± ¡°It¡¯s hard to go unnoticed when you get princess-carried down the street by the Prince of Amellan.¡±If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Maya felt her cheeks burning. It was embarrassing enough that Elena and Keith saw her in that state yesterday, but now the whole school knows of it. Even Adam. The group continued to banter, teasing Maya. At one point, they decided to explore potential school clubs. Andrea, always the social butterfly, suggested, ¡°How about we check out the notice board? I heard some clubs are holding a presentation to recruit new members.¡± Linda nodded in agreement, and Isaac added, ¡°Sounds cool. Let¡¯s give it a shot!¡± Adam, seizing the chance to spend more time with Maya, smiled. ¡°Great idea. Lead the way!¡± In the midst of the bustling academy, the group gathered around the club notice board, their eyes scanning the array of colourful flyers and announcements posted. Overwhelmed by numerous options, Isaac and Linda took some of the fliers that were of interest to them while Maya idled on the side, watching the courtyard through the window, she had many thoughts in her mind. ¡°Maya, have you been considering what club to join?¡± Adam asked, a curious expression on his face. ¡°Is it mandatory?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think anyone will force you, but I¡¯ve never heard of a student not joining any clubs. Even if it is something obscure as Seance and Spirit Connection Club, everyone has their name in a roster of a club or two.¡± Maya almost flinched at the name of the club he chose to mention. ¡°You do know that most of the academy runs on students¡¯ effort, right? Even the school lunch is technically the responsibility of the Culinary Club and gardens are taken care of by the Gardening Club,¡± Isaac chimed in. ¡°And it¡¯s a good way to rack up merits,¡± Adam added. That made sense. If clubs contributed so much to the normal functioning of the academy, it was logical they win merit points for their effort. Maya pondered for a bit. ¡°I¡¯m already employed as a cleaner. Does that count?¡± ¡°I guess that¡¯s still a club we do not have even with the outrageous number of clubs there is.¡± Adam laughed. ¡°Name an activity and I bet you we have a club for it.¡± Andrea crossed her arms and nodded. ¡°Then do you have any suggestions? I¡¯d like something that isn¡¯t too demanding.¡± ¡°Herbology and Apothecary Club?¡± Linda suggested. ¡°Although I don¡¯t know how demanding it is.¡± ¡°How about a social club?¡± Andrea proposed, clasping her hands together in excitement. ¡°Those are bound to be fun.¡± ¡°As freshmen, we¡¯re in the same boat, Maya.¡± Isaac pointed out, evaluating the flyers he had picked. Of course, they wouldn¡¯t know much. Clubs are open for applications from next week onward, after the Initiation and ¡®culling¡¯ of freshmen students. Maya glanced over the notice board again. The colourful posts were eye-catching, but they didn¡¯t tell her much about what to expect. At the time, she didn¡¯t have much interest and requirements were unclear. Some of them could be unexpectedly demanding, and she didn¡¯t want to end up dragging members down if merits were at stake. ¡°Perhaps Keith would have a recommendation. As a senior student and a council member, he¡¯s bound to know which clubs are worth looking into,¡± Maya said, but didn¡¯t feel close enough to Keith to bother him with something so trivial. She sighed, ¡°I just wish there was a way to find information more easily. It¡¯s so different without the internet.¡± ¡°Oh, but there is.¡± Andrea¡¯s eyes lit up with a mischievous glint. ¡°Well, Maya, it seems you haven¡¯t heard of Village at Charred Pavilion. They are also a club. Their tea parties are the best way for students to exchange all the juicy details and gossip floating around the academy.¡± ¡°A gossip club?¡± Andrea grinned. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s so much more than that! Imagine having your own little corner of the internet, right here in the academy. Maureen, the so-called ¡®Village Queen,¡¯ is like our all-knowing internet provider. She¡¯s got a crazy amount of information about every interest you can think of, and she can find out anything you want! For a price, of course.¡± Maya looked sceptical. ¡°Wait, so they earn money?¡± Andrea chuckled. ¡°No, no. You pay with information. You share a bit of gossip, and you get the scoop on something else. It¡¯s like a rudimentary version of social media but without the digital screens. You¡¯ll love it, Maya! It¡¯s a fantastic way to stay in the loop. Coincidentally, if you aren¡¯t interested in joining, you can still visit any time for advice or information.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ that sounds¡­ interesting. But surely such a system is not reliable¡ª¡± ¡°Oh, there¡¯s Elena!¡± Adam exclaimed, pointing toward her figure unassumingly lingering at the end of the corridor. The group automatically started moving in her direction and Elena silently acknowledged them when they approached. ¡°Hey, want to join up? We¡¯re going to spend the rest of break time exploring clubs,¡± Maya made her an offer, knowing Elena wouldn¡¯t initiate to join. ¡°Can¡¯t. Gotta run. Tell Kasper better luck next time.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Before anyone managed to request her to elaborate, she had already opened the hallway window and jumped out. Maya gasped. ¡°This is the second floor!¡± The whole squad leaned through the open window to watch Elena, having readily landed on her feet like a cat, scurry away. ¡°What was that about?¡± Andrea was confused. Of course, she would be¡ªthey all were¡ªbut to her, it especially mattered if someone was bringing up ¡®her¡¯ Kasper. Not a moment later, Kasper, suddenly dropped by them still at the open window. ¡°Hey, guys, have you seen Elena by any chance?¡± Then it clicked to Maya. ¡°What trouble did she cause this time?¡± Chapter 58: Last Chance If the year representative was searching for her, and she knew he would, it only meant she did something bad. As their year rep, Kasper had a lot of responsibilities. One of them was to reprimand students who caused problems, and Elena did not lack in that department. Strangely enough, Elena¡¯s erratic behaviour was beginning to normalize in Maya¡¯s brain. Back in the old world, just one of the things Elena had done in the past two weeks would be a scandal talked about for months. However, now, Elena jumping out of the academy window wouldn¡¯t make it into the top five outrageous things Maya saw her do. Since it was the end of the week, and an important one at that ¡ª with the event of Initiation approaching, members of the student council were extremely busy all day. Chasing after an uncooperative student was just a part of Kasper¡¯s routine by now. This wasn¡¯t the only time today Maya had run into Kasper trying to fulfil his duties. Later that day, Maya stood in the academy courtyard, the crisp air carrying the promise of imminent autumn. The cobblestone beneath her feet felt cool as she focused on her elemental practice, manipulating the currents around her. Her classmates, Burcu and Samiya, mirrored her movements with varying degrees of proficiency. Maya wasn¡¯t on good terms with her teammates for reasons unclear to her. It seems Burcu was the one that had a problem with her especially. Perhaps it was out of some envy or resentment about Maya seemingly receiving privileges no one else does. ¡®Well, it¡¯s not like I chose the Headmistress as my guardian, or which room I would be placed in.¡¯ It was aching on Maya, but all her efforts to rectify their relationship ended up in failure, so far. It seems she would have to put up with mean underhanded comments from her every time their mentor steps away. ¡®Perhaps I simply suck at making friends.¡¯ Their mentor was currently absent, leaving the trio to practice without guidance. And when they were practising independently, only Maya would diligently stay focused on refining her techniques. At the moment slacking off wasn¡¯t something to take as a fault if one had already succeeded in using magic. The students that filled the practice courtyard had already started vacating. It was a preferable situation for Maya, she liked it when there weren¡¯t too many people around, in case Anastasia showed up to give her insightful lessons. So she volunteered to be the one to stay behind on her group¡¯s behalf and hand in the supervisors¡¯ confirmation slips. Amid her exercises, a nearby commotion caught Maya¡¯s attention. Once close-knit group Stella was part of, now leaving only a trio that was currently engaged in a desperate endeavour to confirm their ability to use magic before the impending Initiation. The urgency was felt in the air. Failure would mean exile to the slums. One of the girls, lacking a confirmation slip, attempted to deceive Kasper, who was tasked with collecting proof as the year rep. Since the supervisors were absent, making Kasper the final arbiter in this critical assessment, he had the authority to provide a new confirmation slip. Of course, with the assurance of her magical abilities.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°You can¡¯t expect a new slip without proof,¡± Kasper insisted. ¡°But I did it! I swear!¡± the girl pleaded, desperation evident in her eyes. Maya felt bad for Kasper who was put under pressure by the trio¡¯s scheme to fabricate proof. Although, technically still a temporary rep until the Initiation, Kasper was very diligent in his duties. Furthermore, he wasn¡¯t gullible. He knew they had been a close-tied friend group even before they were put in the same practice group. And they definitely would lie to save their friend who was currently unable to bend in front of him but had apparently received a slip from one of the absent supervisors but coincidentally misplaced it. Imaginative story. Since Kasper was on a tight schedule to collect them, as they are due to be delivered to the temple to be processed before the ceremony, he is pressured to resolve the issue now. ¡°I need confirmation,¡± Kasper was firm. ¡°But that¡¯s not fair! I can¡¯t do it under so much pressure. Ask Price and Hailey. They saw!¡± Kasper shook his head and scanned the courtyard. His gaze landed on Maya. Their groups were adjacent, so she could be a viable witness. ¡°Maya, did you see her use magic?¡± Suddenly called in to be the final verdict, Maya felt the pressure Kasper must¡¯ve been feeling. Depending on her answer she can either condemn or save the girl. ¡°Hmm¡­ I never saw her bend, either,¡± Leo reassured her. Maya hesitated, torn between honesty and sympathy. ¡°I¡­ I can¡¯t confirm that,¡± she replied, her voice was weak, weighted with her decision. The girl¡¯s eyes widened with panic. ¡°Maya, please! You know I did it!¡± Kasper sighed. His patience wore thin. ¡°I can¡¯t provide a new slip without confirmation.¡± Burcu, who had been observing the situation with crossed arms, spoke up. ¡°Why bother? Maya probably thinks she¡¯s too good to vouch for someone beneath her.¡± Maya shot a glance at Burcu, surprised by the hostility in her tone. ¡°It¡¯s not about that. I just can¡¯t confirm something I didn¡¯t see.¡± Maya thought Burcu was being unjustly harsh. Her comment only served to drag Maya down, not speaking up for the girl in question. In fact, many onlookers didn¡¯t want to speak up, averting their gazes when Kasper scanned through them for a second opinion. The trio argued with Kasper fiercely and Maya became the unexpected focal point. Kasper turned to her once more. ¡°Maya, I¡¯m sorry for doing this to you, but this is the last chance for her.¡± Maya took a deep breath, her decision weighing heavily on her conscience. ¡°I can¡¯t lie. I didn¡¯t see her awaken.¡± The gravity of Maya¡¯s honesty invoked a storm of anger from the girl¡¯s friends, directed squarely at Maya. As the accusations and animosity swirled around her, Maya couldn¡¯t help but feel the weight of her integrity. Silencing them, Kasper gave his condolences to the unfortunate girl who dropped to her knees, her eyes losing all hope. As he made his leave, Kasper placed his hand on Maya¡¯s shoulder. He expressed a silent thanks for her help, and perhaps regret he unfairly pulled her into this to resolve the problem. ¡°Look on the brighter side,¡± Leo said, consoling her. ¡°That girl wouldn¡¯t be able to avoid her fate even if you lied. This way, the year rep owes you a favour.¡± Maya looked at the ground, bitterly. She could never consider a gain at the expense of someone¡¯s misfortune. Not too long ago, Maya remembered panicking about being sent to the slums herself. Would she have attempted a desperate deception to save her own skin in that girl¡¯s shoes as well? There was no way of knowing. All she could do was hope for the best for that girl¡¯s future and that horrible rumours about slums were exaggerated. Chapter 59: Initiation Rite The sun cast a warm glow over the enigmatic four-statue temple¡¯s plaza, where hundreds of freshmen students gathered, their anticipation palpable in the crisp morning air. They have been preparing themselves for this moment since dawn. Now, it seems the eagerly awaited moment was finally upon them. Maya stood amid a sea of students buzzing with excited chatter, her senses heightened by the surrounding energy. The students wore thin white dresses and togas, billowing in the breeze, symbolizing purity and unity. Their bare faces, devoid of makeup, highlighted their natural beauty, accentuated by the soft sunlight kissing their skin. Maya wasn¡¯t hoping to return to the temple grounds so soon. Her last visit has left her perplexed and uneasy. It didn¡¯t help that she had received a couple of strange looks from her friends after asking if they¡¯d heard about the bleak goddesses. It all left her feeling like a prank was being pulled on her. Sarah, a priestess candidate, had especially scorned Maya. She refused to believe that the High Priestess ¡ª her role model ¡ª would speak about gods in such a way. It seemed that others¡¯ impressions of the Amellan Temple leader differed from her own. The only person who hinted they were discussing the same person was her mentor, Tanya, who expressed a dislike for the gods. As the Headmistress, a commanding presence in her priestess robes, took her position at the front, Maya focused. The sacred aura surrounding her echoed the gravity of the occasion. The plaza, decorated with intricate symbols for each element, set the stage for the initiation ceremony. As the Headmistress stepped forward, the crowd hushed in anticipation. She addressed the students with a voice that echoed across the plaza, imbued with both authority and warmth. ¡°Welcome, Neophytes! Today, you become a part of something greater,¡± Amanda¡¯s words resonated, carried by the breeze. ¡°Today marks a momentous step in your journey, a sacred communion with the Elements that have chosen you. As you stand here in the pure embrace of this dawn, dressed in the symbolic garb of purity, envision the legacy you are about to inherit. You are not just students; you are the torchbearers of a utopia forged by sacrifice and resilience.¡± Filled by the power of the Headmistress¡¯s words, Maya¡¯s eyes shifted toward the priestesses standing with her. Her gaze landed on Lady Kiana, the Head Priestess of Amellan¡¯s Temple who in the presence of the Headmistress has only a supporting role. What Lady Kiana was seeing from her position must¡¯ve been a sea of faces, but somehow, for a moment, their gaze met. A subtle recognition passed between them, and in that fleeting moment, Lady Kiana playfully winked at Maya. A moment of confusion flickered across Maya¡¯s face, her eyebrows furrowing. Was she mistaken? Or does the eccentric priestess wink at any student who meets her gaze? The Headmistress continued, ¡°Consider the Sisters who came before you¡ªvisionaries who shaped this sanctuary. Their memory lives on in each of your chosen Element. Today, you become Mages, bound by a calling greater than yourself. The Elements have entrusted you with their power; now, in turn, you vow to serve, protect, and preserve. Your unity is your strength, and your strength will contribute to the perpetual flourishing of our shared mission.¡± Maya felt the weight of Amanda¡¯s words, the solemnity of the occasion seeping into her very being. The promise to serve, to contribute, and to honour the legacy of those who came before. The Headmistress¡¯s speech continued. ¡°May the Elements guide you, fill you with strength, and unite you as one. Today, we celebrate not just individual awakenings but the collective rebirth of our community. Embrace the legacy, and let the Elements weave their magic through your every step. To all 429 of you, I extend my deepest wishes for a harmonious and purposeful journey. Let the Elements empower you, and may your paths be illuminated by the eternal light of our shared destiny.¡± After the Headmistress¡¯s grandiose greeting, students awaited their turn, their hearts pounding with a mix of excitement and nervousness. One by one, names were called into the temple, designating each to their respective element¡ªAir, Fire, Earth, or Water. The ritual unfolded with a sacred silence of anticipation, broken only by new names being called in and rhythmic unison greeting of each new initiated that returned joined with their element. ¡°¡°Salve, Sara Collins, ignis filia!¡±¡± ¡°¡°Salve, Adam Blair, aurae filius!¡±¡± ¡°¡°Salve, Elena Petrova, undae filia!¡±¡± ¡°¡°Salve, Andrea Baldovini, terrae filia!¡±¡± ¡°¡°Salve, Kasper Eklund, ignis filius!¡±¡± ¡°¡°Salve, Isaac Hickley, undae filius!¡±¡± ¡°¡°Salve, Da Lin, terrae filia!¡±¡± Maya observed the proceedings with a sense of awe and trepidation, knowing that her turn would come soon. The sensory pallet of the ceremony¡ªthe scent of flowers, the touch of the breeze, and the weight of the Headmistress¡¯s words¡ªmerged to create a moment that transcended the ordinary, marking the beginning of a new chapter for all who stood in the temple¡¯s embrace. Finally, Maya¡¯s name was called into the Air temple. As she stepped out of the crowd and approached the temple with a determined stride, two priestesses met her at the steps. They led her through the colonnaded portico that framed the temple, and through translucent curtains swaying in the faint breeze and shrouded the interior from the outside lookers.This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. Expecting relief of shade after standing in the sun for a while, the brightness of the space caught her by surprise. The main body of the temple was but a single circular hall that opened upward with an enormous oculus framing the sky. With bountiful light seeping through, the Temple of Air seemed more like an atrium. Maya¡¯s bare feet registered the chill of the marble floor and confused her senses about the boundaries that separated the inside from the outside. It was only fitting that a temple that served Air would have the sky as its dome, but Maya remembered with discomfort her previous visit to temple grounds. This temple must¡¯ve been purposed for the God of Sky rather than the element of Air. Three steps higher, at the altar area, the Headmistress Amanda awaited Maya, acting as a priestess for Air. Her dark brown hair was elegantly captured in a long braid, crowned by a golden diadem, a striking figure in a flowing black silk dress. The Headmistress descended gracefully, gesturing for Maya to approach. Three priestesses prepared the ritual objects¡ªa folded black fabric tied with golden lace, a bronze bowl, and a golden razor blade. The last item stirred a nervous reaction in Maya, an uneasiness that Amanda¡¯s proud look sought to dispel. ¡°Approach, my child. Do not be afraid. This is your special moment,¡± the Headmistress encouraged her. Her hands on Maya¡¯s shoulders calmed her nervousness. ¡°Shall we begin?¡± she said with motherly concern. ¡°Y-yes.¡± At the Headmistress¡¯s gesture, Maya knelt on a pillow prepared for her as priestesses assisted her with the dress. The Headmaster proceeded with the ceremony with a tone that felt both comforting and commanding. ¡°Welcome, Maya Watergate. Element of Air has heard your call and is ready to accept you into its warm embrace. Are you prepared to vow upon it?¡± ¡°I am,¡± Maya responded with scripted answers. At each question, she answered affirmatively. Agreeing to keep the natural balance and protect the world from the evil that wishes to harm it, as well as carrying the legacy and glory over to succeeding generations. Finally, she thanked the mages who made a sacrifice to create Mellgrah. After she had accepted the element to become a part of herself, there was only left the final part to consolidate their bond¡ªa sacrifice. Maya bowed her head as instructed, trying to conceal the unease bubbling within her. Her heartbeat, a rapid drum in her ears, synchronized with the ethereal hum that permeated the sacred space. Her curly hair fell with her gaze, leaving only the hair of her nape¡ªgathered into a small braid as a preparation for the ceremony¡ªgrasped inside of a hand of the priestess performing the sacrifice. The golden razor blade neared, reflecting a glint of the flickering candlelight, and Maya failed to suppress a flinch, anticipating the cold touch of metal. She held her breath as her hair was cut with a smooth motion, leaving the only sounds she could hear being the priestesses¡¯ measured breath and the sound of Maya¡¯s hair giving way against the sharp blade. And then, with a swift, calculated motion, the blade descended, and a quiet gasp escaped Maya¡¯s lips. As the razor withdrew, the tension lingered. The sacrifice was painless. All it took was a part of her past. Her hair being a symbol of her past holding on to her present became the sacrifice for her newfound destiny. As Maya¡¯s head felt lighter as if that part of her past weighing her down left along with her hair, the priestesses proceeded enveloping her in rich fabric. The white dress she wore represented purity, but now as a newly initiated mage she was wrapped in black fabric girdled with golden thread representing union with her Element. ¡°Air and yourself are successfully unified. Let your bond be strong and lasting.¡± The Headmistress spoke as she dipped her fingers in white clay held out to her by one of the assisting priestesses and proceeded to draw on Maya¡¯s face. As a final step of the ritual, she stepped closer and kissed Maya¡¯s forehead. ¡°Welcome to our family,¡± she said softly, making Maya almost let out tears of joy. Before leaving as a newly initiated witch, priestesses approached her, each carrying a beautifully ornamented golden box. ¡°Allow us to gift you a token as proof of your bond, that wherever you may walk you are reminded your Element walks with you,¡± one of them spoke. Maya looked at the boxes. It was also a part of the scripted ceremony. Each box carried a talisman representing Aura, her element. The one she chooses must carry with her, and it will serve as a physical token for her Element to reside in and as proof of which Element she belongs to. It was worn on their person as a display of being a proud mage. As each talisman varied in its design and was returned to the temple after the carrier¡¯s death, they were all unique and old. Maya only wished she could glimpse at and admire them, but as a part of the ceremony, she mustn¡¯t be allowed to see them before making a choice. Still under the strong impression of the ceremony, Maya felt no burden of her usual indecisiveness and boldly picked the one that called to her the most. As she held the pendant in her hand, blissfully staring at its intricates with admiration, priestesses helped her move in her new gown and led her outside. ¡°¡°Salve, Maya Watergate, aurae filia!¡±¡± The crowd''s unison chant reverberated after priestesses announced her, and was both overwhelming and comforting. Tears streamed down Maya¡¯s face, not of sadness but of accomplishment. She had become a mage, and her adventures awaited, a journey she would tread with pride, carrying the proof of her bond with the Element of Air. Maya squeezed the pendant tightly in her hand. This time she had a solid proof, and she would use it to wash away any trace of misery still lingering within her. ¡®Mom, dad¡­ This is the world I have chosen. I know you wouldn¡¯t believe me if I told you about it, but this is the path I have stepped on. It isn¡¯t perfect, but I will strive to make the most of it. You can finally be proud of your little girl.¡¯ Her thoughts lingered on her lost parents. Realizing that among feeling guilt for their deaths, she was also deeply burdened by the thought of being a failure, wasting the life they had given her. But not anymore. She will no longer be afraid and make it up to them for the love they have given her. As she returned to the crowd of students, now more of them initiated than not, she was met by the warm embraces of her friends. They laughed and cheered as she wiped her tears, a big cathartic smile on her face. This was her new beginning. Chapter 60: Sons and Daughters of Mellgrah The celebration continued at the academy gardens, painting them with hues of vibrant emotions. Laughter and joy coexisted with tears of parting, creating a bittersweet symphony that echoed through the evening. As Maya revelled in the festivities with her friends, her heart couldn¡¯t help but ache for those whose dreams had met an abrupt end. Amidst the initiated, around fifty students marked by unfulfilled destinies were bidding farewell to the academy life. They faced an uncertain future in Holoton, their magical abilities deemed insufficient or dormant. Maya couldn¡¯t escape the heaviness of their departure, a stinging reminder of the world¡¯s unforgiving nature and the stringent standards it imposed. She couldn¡¯t help but wonder about the meaning of elements choosing them only to surrender them to such fate. But, perhaps Holoton held different destinies, equally great to the initiated, only less appreciated by the lucky mass. Maya had only heard stories about Holoton being the sewage drain of Mellgrah, but it was also a large city, second only to their capital Elador. It was the biggest industrial hub of the world and also a crucial component in running the world. Its populace was just as valuable, if not more, as every other citizen of Mellgrah. The only difference was in the lack of magical powers. Fortunately, her squad remained intact, except for one of Isaac¡¯s friends who now shared the fate of those destined for the Slums. A moment of sympathy passed between Isaac and Maya, a silent acknowledgement of the challenges that awaited his friend beyond the protective walls of the academy. The celebration lasted long throughout the day and festivities given included refreshments and food, and most importantly, desserts. Maya was making her way back to her squad with a plate full of cake and biscuits when an abrupt bump against her shoulder almost made her spill it to the ground. As a diligent air mage, her balance has improved greatly over the past two weeks, so she could manoeuvre herself so that no unlucky dessert was lost from her plate. Turning to apologize to the person she just bumped into, she found herself confused. It was quick, almost imperceptible in the sea of students, but it did almost throw her off balance, so Maya expected she could at least tell who it was. However, all that awaited her was an empty air. ¡®Did I just bump into a ghost?¡¯ After all, she felt the touch from deceased souls as real as a living person. Maya brushed it off and continued on her way. However, soon after she overheard a part of a nearby conversation: ¡°¡­and she hops around all innocently. I hope she sleeps well at night, considering what she had done.¡± ¡°Because she¡¯s headmistress¡¯s ward she thinks she has the right to decide who gets sent to slums¡­¡± Maya wouldn¡¯t think much of it had her eyes not coincidentally caught a side-eye glance of one of the girls speaking, recognizing hinted resentment unexpectedly directed at Maya. ¡°Oh, she heard you,¡± the girl who spoke was suppressing a sly smirk. Recognizing them as the neighbouring girls from their elemental practice without a doubt, Maya could divulge what it was about. After all, it was due to Maya¡¯s decision to keep her integrity that they had to say goodbye to one of their friends. As she made her way, there was left animosity lingering in the shadows, and their glares were like daggers aimed at Maya. It left heaviness on Maya¡¯s heart. She could understand they wanted to blame Maya so she could let it slide and try to put it off her mind. She had joined her friend just as Andrea, ever the enthusiast, steered the conversation towards their newly acquired talismans, physical manifestations of their elemental bonds. Comparisons ensued, with each friend revealing their chosen artefact. Maya, cradling her talisman, allowed Andrea to admire its rare white jade. A smooth and flawless white jade, held securely in an aged brass setting, hid depth on closer inspection. Soft hues of pale green danced with milky whites, creating an illusion of clouds dancing across a serene sky. The craftsmanship was impeccable, elevating the talisman beyond a mere accessory to a work of art, a testament to the bond between Maya and the elusive element of Air.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. As it was the result of a blind choice, the talisman that they picked was a good testament to how good one¡¯s fortune was. Although they were all made out of a precious stone set in a metal casing, the condition and the type of precious stone varied greatly. The most common representation of the element of Air was jade. A white jade, and of such purity was rare, so it was a good indicator of Maya¡¯s fortune being bright. At Maya¡¯s request, Andrea showed her talisman. ¡°Earth is just amber. There¡¯s nothing too special about it,¡± Andrea sounded a bit disappointed. Nevertheless, Maya still admired the rectangularly cut golden stone and the warm light that danced within it, caught from the nearby light post. Quickly revising lessons they recently received on precious stones and their elemental representation, Maya remembered amber was agreed upon as a representative for the element of Earth. Unlike the rest of the elements that still had debates over which one was the best to pick. ¡°Although, Linda has a fossilized mosquito!¡± Their sparkling eyes all begged Linda to show them her gemstone. As Linda picked it up, Maya, Isaac, and Andrea bumped their heads together staring at it from up close. It was true there was some kind of an insect trapped in there. Although, too small to be a mosquito, it was perhaps a fruit fly, it was still remarkable to have one trapped in there. ¡°It¡¯s tiny,¡± Isaac said. Rising her gaze back to Linda, Maya noticed a quiet complacent smile on her face. It seems Linda was very fond of her talisman. It was only natural as among them, Linda was the one who had the most trouble proving her powers in front of supervisors. It seems her ability doesn¡¯t align with traditional earth-bending. However, the supervisors thankfully accepted her and Linda wasn¡¯t sent to the slums. Fire mages nearby engaged in a similar comparison, their talismans sparking discussions of envy and amusement. Sarah expressed dissatisfaction with her jet stone, yearning for the fiery brilliance of a ruby. For a girl exercising all her power to avoid wearing dark colours that were representative of mages, it was natural she would consider a black jet as something ugly. Although the Fire element had the richest repertoire of stones that represent them, just like Maya¡¯s white jade, a jet was quite rare. But to Sarah, it could¡¯ve as well been a lump of coal, reminding her of the destructiveness of her element. ¡°At least you didn¡¯t get a dead fish eye pearl,¡± one girl tried to console Sarah by mocking Elena¡¯s misfortunate talisman. ¡°Hers is the ugliest talisman I¡¯ve ever seen.¡± As it was being mentioned, Maya¡¯s, Andrea¡¯s, Linda¡¯s, and Isaac¡¯s attention naturally shifted toward Elena with expecting eyes. It seems the truth about her talisman was the reason she was so quiet in this discussion. Elena sighed and extended her hand holding an unflattering talisman in her palm. Although the halved pearl set in the silver casing was the largest Maya had ever seen, it was murky and impure in appearance. It had a dim shade that truly did resemble the eye of a dead fish. Staring at it they weren¡¯t sure if they should feel disappointed, but were only bewildered by the impressive size of the unsightly gem. Maya curiously glanced at Elena¡¯s expression, seeking to see what she was feeling about it but couldn¡¯t find any specific emotion. ¡°Makes you wonder where the other half is,¡± Linda must¡¯ve been wondering if there was another poor soul among them that had the other cut of the ugly pearl. ¡°Somewhere, out in the wild, a one-eyed fish is looking for its missing eye,¡± Andrea joked. ¡°Oh, shut it,¡± Elena protested at being the laughing stock but fortunately didn¡¯t take it to heart. The friendly banter continued and, as the evening unfolded, the celebratory spirit remained buoyant. The students, bathed in the soft glow of garden lights, revelled in stories of conquered adversaries as diverse as their talismans. Each laughter-filled moment was a small victory, a respite from the challenges that lay ahead. In the midst of laughter and admiration, Maya¡¯s eyes unexpectedly locked with Adam¡¯s across the lively crowd. In that fleeting moment, amidst the flickering lights and the sounds of celebration, a silent acknowledgement passed between them. Their smiles bridged the distance. It was a moment of connection, a silent reassurance that their paths, though distinct, were intertwined. Maya wished that this joyous moment would never end. Yet, the night couldn¡¯t linger too long. The looming curfew, a necessary precaution in a world haunted by monsters and vampires, cast its shadow over the festivities. The recent tragedy of four students found dead outside the city walls served as a haunting reminder of the dangers lurking beyond the safety of the academy grounds. In the hands of Amellan¡¯s capable guards, Maya and her friends were escorted to their dorm buildings, the joyous echoes of celebration fading into the hushed whispers of a world brimming with secrets and shadows. However, Maya did not worry. She had a watchful scout that would alert her of any danger. As her friends had to hold their breaths, Maya knew they weren¡¯t in immediate danger. However, the danger was something she would soon have to redefine. Chapter 61: Balancing Act ¡°Gods! Elena, what are you eating?!¡± Andrea exclaimed after noticing what Elena, who sat at their table less often lately, had brought on her lunch tray. Everyone¡¯s attention was drawn to Elena¡¯s plate as she sat down at their table. It wasn¡¯t out of the ordinary for Elena to pile up her plate to the point of being called a grotesque masterpiece, with ingredients that should never meet on the same plate. This time, beside the tower of different meats, on top was added a fistful of fresh cherries that were ruined with mustard. Her dietary choices always baffled Maya. In all this time she was still unable to discern whether it was laziness to choose from abundant choices, some weird cravings, not being picky due to her upbringing, or perhaps her taste buds being completely fried from alcohol that it didn¡¯t matter what it would taste like. ¡°I could ask you the same thing,¡± Elena deflected Andrea¡¯s concern. On Andrea¡¯s plate was a hamburger with some soggy fries. It may not be healthy, but certainly wasn¡¯t weird. On the other hand, Maya was eating chicken salad, Sarah was living only on gluten-free Caesar salad and Linda was eating vegetable noodle soup today. With one too many incidents of Elena being inept at putting together a normal plate of food, her friends all worried for her. It has already been long enough and the people who had the mindset of ¡®screw it, I¡¯m going to eat whatever I like here¡¯ have long since given up stuffing their plates with only sweets and desserts, having grown sick of stomach pains and diarrhoea. ¡°You¡¯re getting meat without a side dish, again?¡± Andrea would nag. ¡°Come on, Elena, at least get a slice of bread with it. How can you live on that?¡± The fact that everyone liked to play Elena¡¯s mother during lunch was turning into a staple. And it felt easily justifiable. After all, Elena never had a mother to teach her proper nutrition. However, despite everyone trying to help, she never listened; like a true fussy child, she only preferred it her way. So, today, she didn¡¯t feel like she had to justify herself, once again, and stabbed a cherry with a fork and put it in her mouth. ¡°Ew. Don¡¯t you have taste buds?¡± Sarah was disgusted. ¡°Asks the person that only eats raw leafy lettuce,¡± Elena answered back. ¡°I don¡¯t put mustard on it.¡± ¡°Right. That would be ¡®too many calories,¡¯¡± Elena said mockingly. ¡°Oh, shut up. We all know you¡¯re pretending not to watch out for calories yourself. This is a nice show. Especially because you think we don¡¯t know you will just go and puke it all out afterwards.¡± ¡°Ah! Is that what you think? We don¡¯t all act like you would, you know.¡± Elena is the second tallest among them, right behind the lanky Linda. But she was of slim build so it does make you wonder where it all goes. Andrea exchanged a look of regret with Maya for having asked the question that started this. ¡°Can¡¯t we talk about something nice, for a change?¡± However Linda interjected with curiosity, ¡°Maybe it¡¯s good.¡± ¡°What is?¡± Maya was unsure of what she was referring to. ¡°Cherries with mustard. Can I try?¡± Linda asked Elena politely. Elena looked at her for a moment, before pushing her plate closer to her. Linda carefully picked a cherry and ate it. Everyone leaned forward in anticipation as she chewed it. ¡°It¡¯s disgusting,¡± Linda said in a sweetest tone and smiled. They all laughed. It was to be expected. ¡°I admit, mustard wasn¡¯t the wisest choice here,¡± Elena said but continued eating it. ¡°You never know until you try,¡± Linda said.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. Maya admired Linda for rectifying the situation in such a sweet manner. She was the heart of their squad. Her quiet and withdrawn nature allowed her to assess situations from a broader perspective and see the best way to de-escalate them. Unlike, Maya, who, with a similar personality, was too anxious to think past her own flaws in moments like this. As the lively chatter filled the cafeteria, Maya noticed Isaac approaching their table, Adam in tow. Isaac wore a friendly smile as he asked, ¡°Mind if Adam joins us?¡± Maya observed the strangeness of their appearance she hadn¡¯t yet gotten used to. For a while, it will stay noticeable who among academy students are freshmen simply by the characteristic of hair from their nape being shaven off¡ªa mandatory part of the ritual for the newly initiated. For the girls, it was easily hidden by letting the rest of their hair flow, but for guys, who tend to have shorter hair, it was as stark as day. ¡°Of course,¡± Andrea replied, waving them to empty seats. Isaac sat at his usual spot and Adam settled in a seat that was usually vacant. However, it was vacant in everyone¡¯s eyes but Maya¡¯s. It was the seat where Leo would sit and tend to the illusion that he was participating in their conversations and the cafeteria buzz. Moved out of his spot, Leo hovered by the table, dejected and forced to face his reality of not being there in the first place. ¡°How do you do, my fellow initiated witches?¡± Adam made an effort to sound charming. ¡°Very fine today, good sir,¡± Maya giggled and gave him a smile. Now, with Adam much closer to her, Maya felt shy looking in his direction. Her heart raced, hoping Leo wouldn¡¯t notice her attention drifting towards Adam. ¡°When did those two get so close, huh?¡± Andrea seems to have caught something in the atmosphere. ¡°Maya wanna share something with the rest of the squad?¡± ¡°N-no¡­¡± ¡°Is it just me or does the cafeteria feel less cramped since the uninitiated left?¡± Adam jumped to Maya¡¯s rescue and quickly changed the subject. Luckily, Andrea was easily distracted. ¡°Not to prey on their misfortune, but I am glad we all stayed together. It was a close one with Linda, though.¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t leave you just like that, knowing how dysfunctional the squad would¡¯ve become,¡± Linda casually waved her spoon in the air. She was met with laughter. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We would¡¯ve just replaced you with Adam,¡± Isaac teased. ¡°Now, he should replace Elena instead,¡± Sarah suggested with a mean glint in her eye. Everyone looked at Sarah, stumped, and Adam felt a bit uncomfortable. Her mean suggestion wasn¡¯t discreet, especially since Elena was still present. ¡°Way to make an impression, Sarah,¡± Elena gave a sarcastic retort. ¡°Anyway, it looks like your wish can be fulfilled, at least for today. Keith is waiting for me. See you later.¡± Already having tackled that mountain of food from her plate, Elena left in a good mood as Sarah gritted her teeth. To the unknowing onlookers, her words weren¡¯t anything worth fussing over, but in fact, she used the opportunity to remind Sarah that it was Elena who won Keith¡¯s heart in the end, and not her. The air hung awkwardly for a moment because everyone at the table knew Sarah just received a heavy blow. It was only Leo who didn¡¯t have to deal with this tension and happily pranced toward the spot that freed up for him. ¡°And there she goes. The power couple is still going strong.¡± Maya glanced at Adam, feeling regretful atmosphere got so awkward. Fearing he would think twice about joining them for lunch in the future, she attempted to quickly move the conversation. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to use magic as newly initiated mages!¡± ¡°Me too!¡± Andrea exclaimed, her eyes lighting up with excitement. ¡°But you know what I¡¯m not looking forward to? The back pains and those killing headaches I get afterwards.¡± Maya and the others nodded in agreement, sharing knowing glances. The physical toll of magic was a common experience among the new mages. It wasn¡¯t all sparks and power; there were consequences to wielding magic. ¡°I remember my first intense practice session,¡± Adam chimed in. ¡°I felt like I¡¯d been run over by a herd of trolls the next day.¡± Sarah, rubbing her temples as if remembering a particularly painful headache, added, ¡°I hate those headaches.¡± Maya joined in, ¡°And the ringing in your ears. Sometimes it¡¯s like you attended a concert of sirens.¡± Andrea laughed, ¡°Well, we signed up for it. A bit of pain and discomfort won¡¯t stop us from mastering our elements.¡± They began discussing the various side effects of exerting magical abilities. From mild fatigue and muscle soreness to more severe symptoms like headaches and red eyes from burst capillaries, the toll on their bodies was evident. Maya shivered at the mention of the more extreme cases, nosebleeds and even skin splitting. ¡°Those extreme cases sound like myths,¡± Isaac commented, raising an eyebrow. Adam nodded, ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve read about them, but I¡¯ve never seen it happen. I think they¡¯re rare.¡± Maya, reflecting on her own experiences, remembered something her mentor, Tanya, used to say. ¡°As you bend, magic bends you back,¡± she said aloud. ¡°It¡¯s like a give and take. We manipulate the magical forces, and in return, they leave their mark on us. It¡¯s a delicate balance we have to maintain.¡± Andrea raised her glass, proposing a toast to their magical journey. ¡°To the highs and lows of bending! May our headaches be short-lived and our powers be ever-growing.¡± The group joined in, clinking their juice glasses together, embracing the challenges that came with their newfound abilities. Chapter 62: Primal Fear While classes were in session, the first tremors came suddenly and unexpectedly. For the first-year Zeta group of freshmen students who had just had their Initiation and were full of hopes and dreams, it came as a rude awakening. While students were focusing on solving a problem in their notebook in silence, first came the echoing clanking of glassware in the artefact cabinets. Everyone could feel an unnerving sense of foreboding even moments prior, but then it hit. The initial tremors tore through the classroom like the roar of an angry beast. The ground shook violently while chandeliers overhead swung from side to side in a frightening discordant dance. Plaster rained down on them like confetti, mixing in the panic that overtook the students below like a sudden storm. All together creating chaos that drowned out any attempt at rational thought. In the scramble to escape the unpredictable wrath of the shaking ground, desks collided with desks, chairs toppled over, and a swell of gasps and cries filled the air. Each student became a frantic piece in a disorganized puzzle, fumbling over furniture and each other, propelled by a primal instinct to survive in the erupting chaos. The classroom transformed into a battleground of confusion. Once quiet, now was suddenly so loud and overbearing with groans of the building intermingling with guttural growls of fear that one would want to cover their ears. Caught in a whirlwind of terror, Maya, never having experienced an earthquake before, found herself frozen in place. The ground beneath her feet, once solid and dependable, had become a traitorous force, and the dreadful seismic waves still reverberated through her trembling body. She felt her mind racing, having millions of different thoughts all at once, but yet the moment still passed too fast to act on just one. The moment, that felt like it lasted for an eternity, ended abruptly as it started. Meeting them like a wave that quickly retracted, even the ones that were fast to react hadn¡¯t yet made their way toward the exit by the time it was over. The pale faces of the students looked at each other. All they knew it could¡¯ve been a moment of respite before it struck again. Now, only with the lingering creaking of the swinging chandeliers, the voice of their teacher instructing them to seek shelter outside could be clearly heard. Students pooled out in the corridor, meeting with groups from neighbouring classrooms, all automatically making their way together to the nearest courtyard. Maya was among them. However, thinking of that space being quite narrow and cramped, sitting under one of the academy towers, Maya couldn¡¯t help her instinct warning her to be cautious. Slowing down, she quietly mumbled to herself: ¡°Is it safe for evacuation?¡± At her question, Leo, who was always right by her side, sharply turned his attention toward her. He received the confirmation the question was meant for him when Maya¡¯s usually avoidant gaze was looking straight at him. He nodded in quiet understanding, unable to hide a glimmer of genuine delight in his eyes, before vanishing. Maya nervously awaited while he scouted out the courtyard. Still moving with the crowd that was approaching it, she was thinking back to how this sudden urgent situation impacted Leo. When the chaos ensued, a fleeting expression of confusion crossed his face, almost as if he, too, was grappling with the unpredictability of the situation. However, unlike the tangible world, Leo struggled to mimic the erratic movements of the earthquake. It was as if he was caught off guard by a different sudden upheaval. Only a moment passed, but he was back with information. ¡°Tower¡¯s roof is on the verge of collapse!¡± Maya froze in her tracks. There was a cause for concern. Biting her nails while trying to think of a solution, she didn¡¯t notice Elena, who was walking among the crowd nearby, had stopped with her. ¡°The back gardens¡­¡± Maya started timidly. ¡®No. Now is not the time to get insecure. Lives are at stake!¡¯ ¡°We need to go to the back gardens! Courtyard could be dangerous!¡± Maya¡¯s voice finally found strength and she yelled out, intercepting people making their way toward the courtyard.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Students looked at her strangely, but she fought her way toward the front of the line, stopping as many people as possible. ¡°Hey, stop pushing!¡± ¡°What? It¡¯s this girl again.¡± It had to happen that it was the two girls whose friend Maya inadvertently had sent to the slums. Most students weren¡¯t happy she was standing in the way of them evacuating to safety, but those two had a lot of reserved malice toward Maya. ¡°Please, make your way to the back gard¡ª¡± Maya couldn¡¯t finish her sentence as she was rudely shown away. ¡°Stop with the attention seeking. Are you looking for a way to ruin more innocent people?¡± ¡°She did kill her own parents. What would you expect?¡± the other one added to her. ¡°¡­Fuck.¡± Maya heard Elena¡¯s mumbling curse from behind, and the next moment all three were startled by Elena suddenly slamming her hand into the opposite wall, obstructing the way toward the courtyard. ¡°The courtyard¡¯s off limits! Go the other way!¡± Elena growled at the people who, suddenly intercepted, bumped into her. Maya looked at Elena blinking, unable to understand what had suddenly gotten into her. Only when Elena shot her a glance did Maya realize she was helping her. Lacking crucial information, Elena was going off her instinct, and right now it was telling her to trust Maya¡¯s judgement. Their behaviour caused a commotion. It was hard to believe any action of Elena would be for people¡¯s benefit, however, she was just following Maya¡¯s lead. ¡°What the hell?¡± ¡°Hey, who are you to decide?! We need to get to safety!¡± ¡°Why is this lunatic acting out, now?¡± To no one¡¯s surprise, they were met with resistance. However, Elena¡¯s action succeeded in stopping people from passing through. No one felt ready to directly confront the girl who was daring enough to put a knife to someone¡¯s throat not too long ago. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Kasper¡¯s voice suddenly reached them as he was breaking his way through. As a year representative and a member of the student council, he was promptly let through in hopes of resolving the bottleneck in the corridor. ¡°It¡¯s not safe. We need to go to the back gardens,¡± Maya voiced her concern, her voice pleading, fearing she would just end up being called unreasonable. After briefly assessing the situation, to Maya¡¯s surprise, Kasper nodded and calmly directed everyone to the back garden. With the year-rep authority, students listened and things proceeded without much issues. Before they knew it, they were in the academy back gardens waiting for further instructions where students of other academy wings were being evacuated. Maya didn¡¯t get a chance to properly thank Elena right away. As soon as they met with other academy students, Elena was already in Keith¡¯s loving embrace. He was holding her as they were weathering out the crisis and waiting for authorities to make a decision. While Maya was contemplating if it was a good moment to interrupt them to thank Elena, Leo, who was standing beside her, leaned down, resting his head on Maya¡¯s shoulder in a quiet comforting gesture. Only after he had done that did Maya realise how much tension she had in her body this entire time. It felt ridiculous as there was a significant height difference between them but it made it all the way endearing. Maya wanted to pat him on the head but restrained herself aware of being watched. Even in this corner part of the gardens, as long as she felt the presence of other people even such a small gesture would make her feel insane in other people¡¯s eyes. ¡°Did you see? The west tower collapsed.¡± Maya flinched, overhearing a conversation of students nearby. ¡°What? Really?!¡± ¡°Yes. I heard the roof fell on the courtyard. There are injured students.¡± ¡°My gods! We were supposed to be there!¡± ¡°Yeah. Thank gods we were redirected here or we could¡¯ve gotten crushed. Why did we change direction?¡± ¡°I heard some students were making a fuss in the corridor, gatekeeping the place for themselves.¡± ¡°Some people¡­ Serves them right. Who would use a crisis for such a thing¡­ Well, good thing no one died.¡± Maya gave a sigh of relief. It sounds like some stragglers made their way there, but it could¡¯ve been much worse if they all piled up in that narrow courtyard. It would be hard to move out of the way even if they could see the rubble hurling at them. People could have been dead. Maya felt shivers down her spine. She¡­ prevented a catastrophe. No one may thank her for it, but in her heart, she felt as if she had made up, even if just a little, for being responsible for someone ending up sent to the slums. Chapter 63: Old Well The edge of the academy gardens where Maya and the rest of the evacuated students find themselves is a hidden sanctuary for the adept, a place where the art of elemental manipulation takes on a more advanced and intricate form. The towering citadel curtain wall loomed above, casting a shadow that added an air of mystery to the training grounds. A wide expanse of well-tended greenery stretched out before them, providing a lush carpet underfoot. The spacious area caters to the whims of second-year students honing their skills. Intricate patterns etched into the ground form their magic dance forms, a canvas where practitioners leave their marks. The air was alive with the hum of elemental energies as this was where students manipulated the very fabric of reality itself. Along one side of the training grounds, the imposing citadel curtain wall was standing guard, its ancient stones bearing the weight of centuries. Vines crept up its weathered surface, interweaving with the stones as if the silent structure itself were exhaling life. Students were sprinkled in between of series of stone pillars, arranged strategically, to create a dynamic arena for bending duels and exhibitions. These pillars, worn smooth by the touch of countless hands, bore witness to the mastery of the craft. The air was laced with the scent of blooming flowers and the earthy aroma of freshly churned soil, a fragrance that mingles with the flicker of arcane sparks, still present from recent classes. Maya tried to imagine their movements in a harmonious blend of discipline and creativity. Having the rare opportunity to observe this secluded part of the back gardens, Maya soaked in the ambience, secretly looking forward to the time she, too, will advance to frequent this area. To Maya this area carried a deeper sense of wonder, more so than first-year training grounds, reminding her of the first time she saw the second-year students play Tachde-tu, leaving a deep, lasting impression of magic on her. To her, wonderous things like the adept use of magic she experienced then, must be happening here all the time. This was a realm where the ordinary laws of nature yield to the extraordinary. It was a place where the boundaries of reality were pushed, and the very essence of magic was carved into the landscape. Amid the vibrant beauty of the advanced bending training grounds, an unsettling undercurrent lingered beneath the surface. The occasional tremors, faint but persistent, weaved through the air like elusive whispers, not allowing anyone to feel too comfortable yet. But still faint enough that the line blurred between the subtle echoes of footsteps and the subdued rumbles of tremors beneath. Whispers cascaded through the air like ripples, carrying tales of minor damages suffered by the academy during the recent quake. The gossip spreads like wildfire, the evolving narrative of the academy¡¯s resilience in the face of unforeseen challenges. As she stood there alone, Maya realized there was a new risk unique entirely to her. It was the number of students and many unfamiliar faces. It was the dead that came out of the woodwork, intermingled with living students. It wasn¡¯t easy to tell at first glance¡­ who was living and who was not. Maya¡¯s solution was not to interact or react to anyone until she was absolutely sure they were there. In this confusing crowd, it meant simply not engaging in conversation with anyone besides the two next to her, Keith and Elena, whom she knew. With nothing better to do, Maya began to wonder what kind of a world was Mellgrah. Her thoughts meandered through the labyrinth of questions as she recalled the unfamiliar surroundings of Amellan. The quaint town, with its charming streets and unique architecture, would indeed be a picturesque tourist attraction back in the world she once knew. Had it not been cut off from it.This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. The term ''new world created for witches'' resonated in her mind, echoing with implications that stretch beyond her current comprehension. What does that mean exactly? As she gazed at the sun and moon performing their timeless dance in Mellgrah¡¯s sky, she wondered about the geography of this place. Is it still part of the same continent she once called home, or has the portal transported her to an entirely different realm? ¡®Are we still on Earth, or in an entirely different reality?¡¯ ¡®How do portals function?¡¯ Still-lingering tremors pulled her train of thought toward the concept of seismic activity. It was a facet of reality she hadn¡¯t considered until it manifested with jarring intensity. She regretted not understanding it at a deeper degree, believing it could hint at the truth about this world and answer questions that were swarming in her mind right now. The essence of this world remained elusive, just beyond Maya¡¯s grasp. She recognized the familiar celestial dance, the terrestrial quivers, and the echoes of her past world, yet the amalgamation of these elements created a landscape of magic and powers she could never have fathomed. As she navigated the delicate balance between the known and the unknown, Maya couldn¡¯t help but feel that Mellgrah held secrets waiting to unfold, like chapters in a book yet unread. A voice reached her through the echoing murmurs of students filling up the area: ¡°¡­How about you, Maya? Are you all right?¡± A fleeting expression of confusion came across Maya¡¯s face. She did not expect Keith to suddenly address her. ¡°I¡ªI¡¯m fine. I¡¯ve never been to this part of the gardens, so I was lost in thoughts for a moment.¡± ¡°Oh, right. It¡¯s not a particularly special part of the academy. We have Elemental Practices here all the time.¡± Keith was speaking in the name of second-year students. ¡°Although, I don¡¯t remember ever seeing that old well over there.¡± Maya¡¯s gaze followed his and landed on the rubble of old stone at the outer, more neglected, part of the training ground. It was under the citadel curtain wall between two towers. The whole area looked like overgrown leftovers of an old ruin that hadn¡¯t yet been renovated. There wasn¡¯t much left of the structure so there was no utility for using it as a storage, so it was left to its own devices to slowly decay in the corner where it obstructed no one. Unlike the well-kept wall edges outside of the citadel which was a residential zone and security was very important, here, they were left unkept. Patrols weren¡¯t as frequent here during the night. And there was no need to guard a garden with no people during the night when the Watchmen¡¯s hands were much needed elsewhere. Therefore, it was understandable such patches of land would be found here. But, the well Keith mentioned looked rather curious to Maya. It was just an old shaft with rotten planks preventing someone from falling in. However, from a distance, it looked like there were unfamiliar symbols etched into the old stone. She sensed a disruption in magic coating it, as if a spell was broken. An entirely different form of magic than what they have encountered. Maya guessed there were other types of magic besides manipulating elements, but she did not expect to be able to vaguely perceive it. Furthermore, if they weren¡¯t taught about it, it could only mean it was dangerous. To think something like that would be so close to them¡­ A shriek from the sky interrupted her from focusing on it further. It would have startled her if it wasn¡¯t so familiar ¡ª a repeated chilling echo from a forgotten dream returning to the surface in her mind. However, this time she was assured it was real, because students all around her looked toward the sky, looking for the source of distant sound. Squeezing her forearm, Maya felt a faint burning sensation on her skin, reminiscent of her lightning scars. She looked back up to the sky, where the scream remained only an echo of a distant dream. ¡®Was it some sort of a strange bird? An animal mating call?¡¯ The inhabitants of Mellgrah ecosystem were still under a layer of mystery to Maya. However, she couldn¡¯t shake the feeling it was of a more mythical nature. A haunting creature that visited her in her dream has breached into reality. And, its call¡­ It was almost as if it was calling for her. Chapter 64: Fruits of Labour For a while, the earthquake was a very prominent topic. From phantom tremors only individuals felt to theories of ominous signs of doom, everyone expected it would leave a more significant mark on their lives. However, besides being a frightening experience everyone would remember for some time, it quickly faded into the background and became just as talked about as recent fashion trends, exchange of juicy gossip, or club activities. The stalwart academy resisted its wrath, proving it would stand for hundreds of years as it has before. The only thing that was sparked by it was a revision of crisis protocols and refresher lessons for the students. Besides that, life continued as it had before. However, today, the earthquake was the last thing on Maya¡¯s mind. As she stood at the threshold of the Alumni Association at Downtown Amellan, the anticipation was bubbling within her. In her company were Keith and Elena, both already familiarized with their surroundings. However, this will be the first one for Maya and an important milestone in her life. Keith gave her a supporting smile. Then, the polished glass door swung open with a soft chime, welcoming her into a world where the fruits of her labour awaited, and they entered. As she stepped into the Association¡¯s lobby, Maya marvelled at the distinguished atmosphere that surrounded her. Plaques adorned the walls, commemorating accomplished alumni, each name representing the potential and success she, too, aspired to achieve. The hum of distant conversations and the scent of coffee filled the air, creating an ambience that resonated with the spirit of accomplishment. Approaching the front desk, Maya¡¯s heart quickened its pace. The receptionist, a poised woman with a warm smile, greeted her with a nod of acknowledgement. At that moment, Maya felt a surge of pride¡ªshe was about to collect her first paycheck for the hours she had dedicated to cleaning the academy. The receptionist handed her an envelope, its weight more significant than the paper and ink it contained. Maya held it delicately as if cradling a treasure. With a quick exchange of pleasantries, she thanked the receptionist, feeling a subtle shift in her status from a student cleaner to someone contributing to the academy¡¯s upkeep. As Maya opened the envelope, the crisp scent of new bills wafted through the air. Her eyes widened at the sight of her earnings neatly stacked within. It wasn¡¯t a fortune, but it was all hers to spend. The numbers on the pay stub became more than figures; they were a testament to her ability to balance academics, magical training, and a part-time job. At that moment, surrounded by the subtle opulence of the Alumni Association, Maya¡¯s chest swelled with accomplishment. It wasn¡¯t merely about the money; it was the pride of earning her keep, of contributing to the academy¡¯s legacy. The paycheck became a symbol of her resilience and tenacity, a small victory in her new life in Mellgrah. ¡°Well, it¡¯s not enough to buy you a car, but it¡¯s doable if you save up,¡± Leo patted her on the shoulder. ¡®Leo, have you actually seen any cars around here?¡¯ Maya answered in her mind and rolled her eyes. It was unfortunate he couldn¡¯t hear her. Maya arrived in this world via car, but there was no space for such means inside city walls, or would there be a point. Amellan was a small walkable place. It would take you a while to descend from the Temple of Light to downtown city gates¡ªthe farthest points of the town, however, no person would require it in their everyday schedule. The town was organized in a clever way to cluster facilities one would need around the points one frequents the most. ¡®Besides, what would I do with a car without a driving licence? Are driving schools even a thing in Mellgrah?¡¯ Many aspects of this world differed from what she was used to in the world she knew of. At least in Amellan, as she couldn¡¯t speak for other places she never visited. However, from their history lessons, she could assume that most residential areas of Mellgrah are cramped inside of thick city walls and are kept at smaller sizes that are easier to protect.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. With the paycheck safely tucked away, Maya rejoined Elena who was smoking outside. Since Keith was still inside, they idly waited for him. ¡®Come to think of it, when was the last time Elena and I had a proper conversation?¡¯ It seems they have achieved a harmonious co-existence, inhabiting the same space and keeping each other company when doing menial tasks such as this. However, even though Elena wasn¡¯t being mean to Maya, they also didn¡¯t talk a lot. As Maya was just about to initiate conversation, Keith exited the building with the chime of the door. ¡°What do you say we go get a snack, girls? How about that dessert place? ¨¦clat? My treat,¡± Keith suggested. However, as he was still showing the fresh bills from an envelope in his wallet, Elena swiftly swooped in and grabbed them. ¡°Damn, do you get rid of bodies at that laundromat or is it just money laundering?¡± Elena spread his Tetradyms into a fan and was casually waving them. Maya¡¯s eyes widened at the amount. It may be expected that someone as reputable as Keith would be paid more, but it was still a student part-time job. Does Keith have another side gig? Thinking back, Elena would tend to return from their dates having received a gift from Keith. It would be a small trinket or a piece of jewellery that Elena would carelessly toss into a drawer stashed full of them and never touch it again. Maya felt sorry for the pretty jewellery going to waste so she once even asked Elena if she could wear them. ¡°Why do you have so many when you rarely wear things like that?¡± back then, Maya couldn¡¯t help but wonder. ¡°Because I told Keith I¡¯d rather receive jewellery than flowers.¡± ¡°Oh, they¡¯re gifts?!¡± Maya quickly realized her mistake. ¡°Then I can¡¯t wear them.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°They are from your boyfriend! What would he think if he saw it on me?¡± So¡­ if Keith had enough money to casually gift Elena with things she would never use, he truly must be earning a lot. ¡®It¡¯s not like he can spend it on buying a car. Senior life must be quite sweet!¡¯ ¡°That could¡¯ve been you,¡± Leo mumbled to himself. ¡°Do you think you can put in a good word for me with your boss?¡± Elena grinned. Dreaming of having a good-paying job herself. Keith laughed nervously at Elena¡¯s remarks and took the money back. ¡°They are not accepting new workers,¡± he was trying to turn her down gently. ¡°Then get someone fired.¡± For a moment, both Keith and Maya blinked in shock at Elena giving an outrageous proposition with a straight face. ¡°Jeez, I¡¯m joking. I wouldn¡¯t leave Maya clean other people¡¯s shit all by herself,¡± Elena winked at Maya, slapping her on the back. ¡°Babe, you shouldn¡¯t joke like that.¡± Keith took Elena¡¯s hand and squeezed it. Still feeling uncomfortable, Maya blurted: ¡°¨¦clat, sounds good!¡± Keith¡¯s previous suggestion was something Maya knew she should turn down, not to be a third wheel to a couple, but in desperation to avoid this new awkward situation she agreed. And before she knew it, she was standing in front of a shop staring at big ¡®¨¦clat Patisserie & Caf¨¦¡¯ letters over the entrance. Beside it was a panel marked ¡®today¡¯s specials¡¯ with delicious-looking desserts and coffee combos. After entering, the tantalizing scent of sweet desserts and the aroma of freshly brewed coffee filling the air enticed her senses and ignited her sweet tooth. Maya¡¯s eyes widened with delight at the array of mouth-watering treats displayed behind the glass counter. Rows of exquisite vibrant pastries, each a work of art, beckoned her. She noticed a particularly tempting raspberry tart topped with a glossy glaze and a trio of layered chocolate mousse cakes that seemed to defy gravity. Then her gaze landed on the colourful array of scrumptious macaroons, and she narrowed her eyes at the green ones in particular. ¡°The trip to the infirmary was quite the adventure,¡± Keith remarked with a playful grin, ¡°But I hope you¡¯re not planning on repeating the experience.¡± Maya couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at the mention of the incident when Keith had to rush her to the infirmary due to a severe allergic reaction. It had been an embarrassing moment, but Keith¡¯s quick thinking and concern had left a lasting impression. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I vowed to stay away from green desserts from now on.¡± Chapter 65: Walk the Plank Maya didn¡¯t think she would be able to joke about anything related to pistachios since her father died, so she appreciated Keith¡¯s light-hearted banter distracting her from painful memories. They made their order and sat down. The interior of ¨¦clat was a charming blend of warm colours and elegant furnishings. Soft jazz music played in the background, creating a soothing ambience that complemented the rich aroma of coffee beans. The low hum of conversations and the clinking of silverware added to the sophisticated yet cosy atmosphere. They engaged in light conversation while Maya indulged in sweets. Keith ordered a caramel Frappuccino, and Elena drank an iced Americano, adding her own twist from her thermos bottle after they refused to spike her drink with alcohol at the counter. Strangely enough, Maya found that she and Keith led most of the conversation. Suddenly, aware that Elena hadn¡¯t spoken a word for a while, Maya glanced at her to see if she was perhaps sulking or having a jealous fit, remembering her outburst after the infirmary visit. However, all she saw on Elena¡¯s face was boredom. And then, without warning, Elena got up and walked away. Maya didn¡¯t think much of it at first. Perhaps she just had to use the bathroom. But Elena didn¡¯t return no matter how long they waited. ¡®Where did she disappear to?¡¯ When enough was enough, Maya brought it up and Keith shrugged and assured her it was just Elena being Elena. A little worried, Maya glanced at Leo to what he understood what she wanted him to do. After a short while, he reappeared and said: ¡°I couldn¡¯t find her.¡± It meant she wasn¡¯t in any of the usual places one would expect her to be. In the meantime, Maya and Keith parted ways so she could finally speak to Leo out loud while making her way back to the dorms. ¡°The day¡¯s still young so we don¡¯t have to worry, yet,¡± Maya spoke quietly. ¡°You concern yourself with that psycho too much.¡± Then a sudden scornful voice startled Maya. ¡°Heh. What do we have here? Now you even steal other people¡¯s belongings?¡± Maya looked behind to see two familiar faces hanging out on the streets of the dorm complex. ¡°It¡¯s not stealing if they are sharing him, Price,¡± the other one added sarcastically. It was Pricilla and Hailey, two of her fellow air mages who recently have gotten a habit of using every chance they got to be mean to Maya. Although it wasn¡¯t like they had no basis for it since Maya was partially responsible they were a duo instead of a trio right now. This time, instead of just talking to each other out loud knowing Maya was within earshot, they were throwing remarks directly at her. Maya clenched her fists and started walking faster. ¡®Did they see me with Keith at ¨¦clat?¡¯ Maya didn¡¯t want to cause trouble in the relationship between Keith and Elena if weird rumours started to spread. She already had to listen to all kinds of accusations during Elemental Practices every time Tanya turned her attention to the fire group. Even her own group members wouldn¡¯t take her side; Burcu joining in on the harassment and Samiya turning a blind eye. ¡°I heard she whispers curses when she¡¯s alone. Calling up the devil to give her everything she desires.¡± ¡°I wonder how far she goes with her offers. Is it just other people or does she¡­ You know¡­¡± ¡°Who knows¡­¡± ¡°She has Headmistress on her speed dial. Even Keith gives her the time of his day if she asks. Coveting other people¡¯s things isn¡¯t beyond her.¡± ¡°He did personally carry her to the infirmary recently. Like a knight in shining armour.¡± ¡°I bet that fight at the start of the semester was her doing, just to have him give her his attention.¡± ¡°What an attention whore.¡±The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡°I wonder if the two of them share him since they¡¯re all so chubby.¡± Maya had already heard all kinds of wild comments about herself, and it didn¡¯t just stay between those two. Sometimes she would hear whispers in the hallways, people who she didn¡¯t even know gossiping about her. It went so far that Leo began deliberately shifting her attention elsewhere so she wouldn¡¯t overhear people talking about her. ¡°I¡¯m talking to you, Your Highness,¡± Pricilla yanked on Maya. Maya¡¯s gaze fell to the floor. She was cornered and frightened. Not wanting to think about them doing something to hurt Maya, she couldn¡¯t deny that they had a perfect opportunity as they were alone. Her throat quickly dried out, making her unable to speak even if she could think of a response. ¡°Feeling guilty? Is that why you can¡¯t look us in the eye?¡± They got her with her back against a wall, and Maya regretted not running as soon as she first heard their voices. ¡®What do they want from me?¡¯ ¡°I have an idea of how you can make up to us,¡± Priscilla smirked and pulled out a notebook from her bag. ¡°All groups have the same assignments. Do ours.¡± She shoved the notebook into Maya¡¯s arms. ¡°Don¡¯t you feel guilty? We can¡¯t even concentrate on homework because of what you did to our friend. You can help out, right?¡± Hailey invented justification, preying on Maya¡¯s sense of guilt. ¡°Yeah. We¡¯re not forcing you. We just thought you must be feeling bad about it and wished to help you alleviate your sense of guilt. Right? Something like this isn¡¯t even hard for you.¡± Maya, caught between the grip of fear and guilt, found herself nodding in reluctant agreement. The weight of their accusations pressed down on her, and the idea of making reparations seemed like the only way to pacify the storm brewing around her. In her mind, she justified it as a small sacrifice, a way to mend the fractures she had unknowingly caused. The fear of retaliation coupled with a desperate desire for their approval led her to rationalize their demands. ¡®Maybe this is a way to make amends,¡¯ she thought, convincing herself that complying with their homework request could somehow ease the tension and guilt that loomed over her. The duo smiled in malicious victory and stepped away. ¡°It¡¯s due on Monday. Better hurry up,¡± Priscilla waved her hand as she was taking her leave. Leaving Maya to wallow in self-pity, they walked away snickering to each other, acquiring themselves a slave, helpless against their conscience not to give in to their demands. ¡®I¡¯ll do it this time. Just this once.¡¯ Maya put all of her energy into not shedding tears as she made her way back. ¡®This is bullying, right? There isn¡¯t anything else it could be.¡¯ Back in school at VO, Maya couldn¡¯t brag she was particularly popular or significant, but she was never bullied. Maybe it was because she was always invisible, lacking the presence to even become a target. Should she be glad that she¡¯d grown her influence enough to become one? Are those fruits of her effort to change her life? It didn¡¯t feel rewarding. Not to mention, being harassed in front of Leo was mortifying. ¡°Maya, are you going to be alright at school?¡± Leo was looking at her with concern. ¡°This seems to be only getting worse.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just this one time¡­ They will leave me alone after this is done,¡± she gripped the notebooks she was given tighter while climbing Delta House stairs. ¡°You believe so? It¡¯s only been a week and they already got you doing homework for them. If it is this bad already, how are you going to deal with it later?! You should report them!¡± Maya shook her head while pressing her lips together. She had finally reached her room on the top floor. ¡®No. It¡¯s just this once!¡¯ ¡°Maya?! This is something you should cut in its root. Don¡¯t do it, and report them!¡± ¡°It¡¯s my fault, Leo!¡± Maya snapped at him, holding back her tears. ¡°Don¡¯t pressure me. They will only say worse things if I report them and it will only confirm I hide behind the Headmistress.¡± Leo sighed. ¡°If only I could, I would slap those bitches!¡± It was understandable he would get angry on her behalf, but there wasn¡¯t anything else he could do about it. ¡°It¡¯s all that guy¡¯s fault. That council rep¡­ He shouldn¡¯t have dragged you into this, now look at what you have to deal with!¡± Again, Maya felt like she could cry, wondering why was this happening to her. What did she do to bring forth such fate? ¡®I was just at the wrong place at the wrong time.¡¯ That¡¯s all there was to it. ¡®I was going to do the assignments today anyway. Better start working if I¡¯m going to finish all three until Monday.¡¯ Maya sat down and decided to focus on the task. ¡®I¡¯ll do this to pay them back and then they¡¯ll finally leave me alone. Yes¡­ that¡¯s it. That¡¯s all I need to do.¡¯ The class assignments were much easier than holding back the surge of tears coming upon her in waves. Maya didn¡¯t know how much time had passed when the sudden sound of scraping behind the room door appeared. Before Maya could stand up, Elena burst into the room with a loud bang of the door, giving Maya a mischievous smile when their eyes met. ¡°Havens, what is that!?¡± No, her eyes weren¡¯t deceiving her. Elena was dragging in an enormous, old but thick piece of straight wood. Maya stared at her in complete disbelief as she dragged it across the room and propped it up beside her as if looking at her proud achievement. ¡°What else? It¡¯s a plank.¡± Chapter 66: Freedom Can Only Be Stolen Maya blinked, shocked at the sight in front of her. ¡®A plank?! What the¡­¡¯ It was a long, weathered plank with a rough texture, covered in dirt and bearing the earthy scent of aged wood. ¡®¡­Not to mention, how did she drag the dang thing up to the attic?!¡¯ Ignoring Maya questioning her own reality, Elena proceeded to drag it across the room, toward the big window at the back. Opening the window wide, she started pushing the long heavy thing outside. Still in disbelief, Maya stared over Elena¡¯s shoulder as she propped it up to reach the curtain wall that was ever so slightly higher than their window sill. Miraculously, it was just long enough to reach it, and it alarmed Maya about how close their room was to the outside roaming with monsters. ¡®Is she on another drunk frenzy? Should I stop her?¡¯ After securing it in place, dusting off her hands and proudly propping them on her hips, Elena glanced back at Maya. ¡°Do you think it would hold up?¡± ¡°Hold up what?¡± ¡°Us¡­¡± Maya stared at her, wide-eyed. ¡°You¡¯re kidding?¡± she didn¡¯t like the direction this was heading to. ¡°No way!¡± ¡°Eh? It looks pretty sturdy to me,¡± Elena poked it with her foot, proving it wouldn¡¯t budge easily. ¡°No! In no world are we¡ªor you¡ªgoing to step on there!¡± ¡°C¡¯mon. Live a bit. Where¡¯s your sense of adventure?¡± ¡°Where did you even find that thing?!¡± Maya frantically pointed at the plank as if it wouldn¡¯t be there if she did it with less intensity. Elena sighed. ¡°You ask unimportant questions.¡± ¡°How did you even carry a seven-foot-long plank up the stairs?!¡± Maya continued with cross-examination. Elena rolled her eyes. ¡°¡­And no one stopped you?¡± ¡°No one gives a damn. It¡¯s just another art project in their mind.¡± ¡°Put it back before someone notices it missing.¡± ¡°No one¡¯s going to miss a plank, Maya. It¡¯s a plank!¡± Now, Maya sighed, pressing on her temples. It seemed pointless to even try arguing with this stubborn person. ¡°Actually, forget the plank. We have more important things to discuss.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t drag it here to forget it¡ª¡± ¡°How could you leave me alone with Keith?!¡± Elena paused for a moment. ¡°Did he hit on you?¡± ¡°No¡­¡± ¡°Then what¡¯s the problem?¡± ¡°You are! I can¡¯t tell what¡¯s going on in that head of yours. You tell me to stay away from him and then leave me alone with him!¡±Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. ¡°You get too caught up in little details.¡± ¡®L-little details??¡¯ ¡°You know, Maya¡­¡± Elena casually grabbed one of her nearby knives and started carving lines into the wooden window frame that happened to be close. ¡°You¡¯re one of few bold people who dare argue with me.¡± Maya flinched. Something Elena does so casually can completely change the mood. It seems facing those two girls earlier made her forget that Elena was the most intimidating person she knew. Those two were mere housecats compared to the panther that she shared living space with. ¡°¡­I like that about you. But I am also not very patient. Do you want to test the plank, or fuck off?¡± Finishing her sentence, Elena climbed onto the window sill, leaning outside with a carefree demeanour, which made Maya¡¯s heart race with worry. Then, she used the knife she¡¯d grabbed earlier to secure the plank from moving side to side. Elena tossed a quick glance at Maya to gauge her reaction, before making her first step on the plank. ¡°Elena! Stop it! You¡¯ll fall!¡± ¡°Then you¡¯ll be rid of me,¡± Elena said with an indifferent tone, ignoring Maya¡¯s protests, and taking another step. Maya jumped forward to grab Elena¡¯s sleeve in a desperate attempt to stop her, which made Elena flinch. She turned her head back, shooting a glance at the hand grabbing onto her and then at Maya. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be rid of you,¡± there was sincere concern in Maya¡¯s voice. ¡°There¡¯d be no point to your sweet words if you¡¯d be the one to make me lose my balance.¡± Maya quickly let go of her, mumbling an apology. ¡°Haa¡­¡± Elena inhaled. Then, with a smirk, she made a quick dash on the board. ¡°Elena!¡± Maya¡¯s voice became a high-pitched squeak. However, before she could do anything more, Elena already stepped onto the wall surface and whistled, taking in her surroundings. ¡°Ah! What a wicked view!¡± Maya stared at her, her heart still wanting to pop out of her chest in fright. But she got there safe. Elena gave her a bright smile, beckoning her to join. Maya swallowed her saliva. Should she do it? Surprisingly, it didn¡¯t seem as frightening doing it herself. Is it because she was an air mage and comfortable with heights? Thinking about Elena falling was making her panic because she didn¡¯t know what to do in such a situation. Maya didn¡¯t feel confident of catching her or doing anything on that matter. But Maya herself¡­ Even if she would slip and fall down, she was confident in landing without injuring herself even from this height, simply because her mentor drilled her on learning how to utilize her bending to soften her fall. Tanya insisted they first learn how to deal with dangerous situations to minimize the risk of injuries later. In fact, because this was so high up, Maya was even more confident she would have enough time to react. Unlike being a klutz, tripping and falling from short heights with little time to react, this would give her plenty of time to manipulate the air and land as softly as a leaf. Making a step forward, Maya felt exhilarated. However, on the windowsill, she had to face Leo¡¯s disapproving look, shaking his head. ¡®Leo, did you forget the dance Tanya made us do on small spaced-out footings of those tall pillars?¡¯ Maya proceeded, first testing the board with her one foot. Elena was right. It did seem sturdy. She¡¯d certainly found one thick plank. Maya made her first step, putting her full weight on the plank. The wall was somewhat higher than the windowsill, so it was a slight incline. Suddenly thinking about the risk of the board sliding down, Maya glanced back to confirm the knife was securing it in place. ¡°Do you need a hand?¡± Maya turned toward Elena¡¯s voice and was suddenly surprised by how close she was. Unknowingly, Maya already made it halfway there, and was now close enough for Elena to grab her if she wanted to. Shaking her head, Maya stepped onto the wall. Now right beside Elena, from the commanding heights of the town curtain wall, she gazed at the breathtaking vista unfolding before her. ¡°It¡¯s amazing,¡± Maya mumbled to herself. The mountain forest below spread like an endless sea of emerald streaked with hints of warm, early autumn colours, each tree standing tall and proud, their fragrant essence wafting through the crisp mountain air. In the distance, snow-capped peaks painted the horizon in pristine white, their majestic presence contrasting with the verdant expanse below. The peaks stood as sentinels, silent witnesses to the passage of time and the secrets held by the ancient mountains. The air, thin and invigorating, carried whispers of unseen creatures and the rustling of leaves in the mountain breeze. As Maya stood at the pinnacle of the citadel curtain wall, she felt a profound connection with the untamed beauty that surrounded her. It was funny since she had been outside before. But it seems only with some distance, looking from above¡ªand without any spider webs in her way¡ªcould she feel the awe of the prolific wisdom of a mountain forest. Her gaze shifted toward the faint melodic murmur of water. There must be a mountain stream nearby. ¡°Wanna go check it out?¡± Elena suggested as if she could hear her thoughts. Maya looked at the high drop from the curtain wall, feeling dissuaded from the idea. It must be more than fifteen meters high. ¡°Elena, you are aware that people who go out there without an escort usually go missing, right?¡± ¡°It¡¯s daytime. Besides, I have a hunch we¡¯ll be safe even if something comes up.¡± Chapter 67: Beneath the Surface Because it allowed Maya a wonderful sight from the town walls, she accepted the plank. It felt like being on top of the world. That particular spot on the wall in front of their room window became their secret spot that they could only visit in the time window before the night watchmen patrols started. Since, the plank stood hidden beside Maya¡¯s room wardrobe. Unfortunately, they couldn¡¯t leave the cumbersome thing outside since it would get them immediately caught by guards patrolling the wall, or worse even, serve as an invitation for nightly fiends that may scale the walls. Although Maya didn¡¯t feel brave enough to climb down the wall and explore the surroundings or that stream she heard, she did make a promise to try it at some point. It seems doing mischief was the fastest way to get to Elena¡¯s heart, so she couldn¡¯t deny it outright. However, it was giving her another worry. Maya remembered her promise to the Headmistress that she would alert her if Elena was ever about to stray off her path. Before, Maya had wondered what in the world could ever make students break the rules and wander outside of the walls, but now she understood that curiosity was a powerful thing. The walls once seemed so tall and impossible to overcome, but now, as an air mage, the only scary thing was that it would mean breaching the line that symbolized safety inside and danger outside¡ªthe invisible boundary of rules. Maya never felt it as palpable as standing at the top of the walls, the very line that was set in those rules, and gazed to the other side. The forest seemed so peaceful and serene. She couldn¡¯t imagine all hell breaking loose if she strayed slightly beyond this point and saw it up close. There was also trust between her and her guardian. Maya didn¡¯t want to imagine the disappointment of the Headmistress learning about, not only Elena breaking the rules, but Maya accompanying her. ¡°Maya!¡± Mauling over her conundrum between catering to Elena, whom she wished to become closer with, or the Headmistress, whom she respected and appreciated for many things she had done for Maya, despite Leo¡¯s late warning, she wasn¡¯t paying attention to the path in front of her and had bumped into a person. ¡°Watch out! There¡¯s a killer on the loose!¡± A hand firmly grabbed Maya¡¯s shoulder and Pricilla was suddenly right in her face with Hailey right beside her. Maya immediately got an adrenaline rush, as she would every time she crossed paths with those two as their harassment, snide comments and spreading of malicious rumours became a common occurrence. To make things worse, Maya glanced around herself and realized they were alone in the academy hallway. This was the worst streak of bad luck for Maya. The newest rumours about herself, Maya overheard today, were quite vile and twisted. It concerned the death of a student. More specifically, people started whispering that Maya herself was responsible for poor Stella¡¯s death. To Maya and Leo it was absurd and horrifying she was said to have killed a girl she only briefly talked to on a couple of occasions, however, to other people, she was being known as an envious attention seeker who was attempting to steal her roommate¡¯s boyfriend. It didn¡¯t sound impossible that, for whatever reason, Maya had forced Stella to meet with her late at night only to never show up. As innocent Stella felt pressured, she ended up alone outside at night and became prey for vampires. Suddenly, Maya felt the cold liquid trickling down her shirt and the sound of dripping echoed on the floor. Hailey had spilt her chocolate milk all over her. ¡°Oops,¡± Hailey said with a smirk, revelling in the satisfaction of her offhand act. Soaked in the sticky liquid, seeing her white uniform shirt being ruined, Maya trembled. She¡¯d been pushed around and endured a barrage of insults, but this was a sudden spike in aggression. Was it not enough for them that she had completed the homework they demanded? What had she done to deserve such humiliation? The unanswered questions hung heavily in her mind as she faced the unexpected assault. ¡°Those damn little¡­¡± Leo helplessly gritted his teeth. ¡°Oh, dear. Hailey, how unfortunate. Did your hand slip from fear? Well, good thing we have a cleaning lady right in front of us. Cleaning the academy¡¯s your job, Maya, right?¡± Pricilla¡¯s malicious words cornered Maya. ¡°You should get to the cleaning.¡± Maya felt her cheeks stinging from tears. Staring at the two girls with hurt and confusion. ¡°You don¡¯t want to? You¡¯ll have to do it later anyway, so why not do it now before more people step in it and get hurt¡­¡±The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. Maya¡¯s anguish intensified as she caught a glimpse of Adam passing nearby in the courtyard. Although he was on the outside, for a fleeting moment, it seemed as if he looked at them. Perhaps he only looked at his own reflection. He passed through without reacting to the distressing sight. Maya¡¯s heart sank. It was embarrassing if he saw her being bullied, but it was infinitely worse if he witnessed it and chose to ignore it. Did he believe the vile rumours, and did he no longer wish to associate with her? The girls, deciding it was better to continue their torment away from the prying eyes of others, forcibly led Maya into a nearby broom closet. As her only support at this moment, Leo couldn¡¯t sit back without trying to intervene. Darting toward Pricilla and Hailey, he tried to grab them and pull them back, only for his incorporeal form to pass through matter, denying his presence. ¡°I can¡¯t stand by and watch this,¡± Leo muttered with a growl. Maya could only glance at Leo who was frustrated and furious at his own inability to help. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Maya. I wish I could do more,¡± he whimpered. In the end, the door closed ominously behind them. The air within was stagnant, carrying a musty scent of old wood and forgotten cleaning supplies. The narrow space felt oppressive, its walls seeming to inch closer with every breath. It was dark and clammy, with the only source of light being a small dusty window set above their heads. The confined space felt suffocating as Maya braced herself for what was to come, uncertain of how much lower her tormentors were willing to go. It was becoming apparent they did not lead her in here to get cleaning supplies. ¡°I must say, the shit colour does suit you,¡± they snickered. ¡°W-why¡­ Why are you doing this!?¡± Maya struggled to find her voice. ¡°Why you ask?¡± ¡°I¡ªI did what you wanted¡­¡± Maya tried to argue. ¡°Oh, did you think we wouldn¡¯t know?¡± ¡°She must think we are stupid, or something?¡± ¡°We were so nice to you and gave you the chance to make it up to us¡­ And what do you do? You turn around and get year rep on our ass?!¡± ¡®Kasper? I never went to Kasper.¡¯ Not understanding what they were talking about, Maya was further agitated by Leo¡¯s curses directed at Kasper, blaming him for Maya¡¯s misfortune. ¡°You thought you could play innocent, do our homework and then go behind our backs?! Do you think this is unfair? You deserve this!¡± ¡°Yeah! Do you like being a whore? Sucking up to everyone without choosing a side?¡± Pricilla grinned and pulled out her phone and pointed it at Maya. ¡°Well, show it on camera then!¡± Hailey, catching her intentions, smirked. ¡°Take off your shirt. It¡¯s dirty!¡± Maya was suddenly grabbed and yanked around. Her yelp was accompanied by the disheartening sound of her shirt tearing and buttons scattering on the cold floor like droplets of her shattered dignity. Cruel and heartless laughter echoed in the narrow space as her tormentors revelled in her humiliation. Pricilla was eagerly taking pictures as if wishing to preserve a memorable moment. Maya, vulnerable and defenceless against the violation of her privacy, felt the cold air against her exposed skin. ¡°What a childish bra. The chocolate milk suits you.¡± With desperation etched across her face, Maya instinctively tried to cover herself in an attempt to shield her modesty in the face of this degrading assault. The weight of mortification pressed down on her. Bitter tears streamed down her cheeks, mixing with the chocolate milk that had been callously spilt over her. It came so suddenly. Maya¡¯s unfortunate meek personality did not allow her to take action, and before she knew it, she was isolated, humiliated, had her shirt torn and soaked in drink while Maya was still left questioning how she ended up there. She never imagined those two girls were cruel enough to go this far. This went beyond their anger about their friend. Now they were cackling like vengeful spirits at someone¡¯s misfortune they caused. Maya¡¯s words may have influenced the fate of their friend, but she never revelled in her misfortune. They took it too far. Witnessing the malicious delight Pricilla and Hailey took in another person¡¯s suffering, Maya¡¯s perspective shifted. She had been bitterly regretting not getting a chance to apologize to the poor girl who ended up in the slums, but the cruel fate she was now suffering was filling her with indignation. Was not wanting to deceive authority on their behalf truly worth this punishment? The guilt that was crushing her suddenly evaporated. These girls were not seeking justice; they were indulging in cruelty for its own sake. ¡®I shouldn¡¯t feel sorry for these girls. They do not have a shrink of conscience.¡¯ In that confined broom closet, Maya began finding a sense of reclaimed dignity within herself. Her circumstances still weren¡¯t great, but at least she let go of the burden of guilt. Hailey, suddenly not liking the look in Maya¡¯s eyes, sneered. ¡°You will keep your mouth shut from now on, or everyone will see these,¡± she threatened, brandishing her phone with the damning photos. They were right about that. Until now, all they could was put pressure on Maya¡¯s guilt. Since their behaviour went outside of those bounds, Maya finally saw it for what it was¡ªpure unadulterated bullying. But now they got pictures Maya would never want to get out to hold over her. Was this it for her? Will she spend the rest of her school days as a slave to these wicked girls? There was just no solution Maya could think of to rectify the situation. Maya quietly sobbed as Pricilla and Hailey laughed at her miserable expressions on the phone screen. ¡°Headmistress¡¯s favourite whore¡­¡± Suddenly hearing a quiet click of the door, the two girls froze, their echoing laughter dissipating. ¡°I thought you locked it.¡± ¡°I did.¡± They whispered among themselves as the door opened and let through a figure obscured by the bright light from the outside. The air suddenly felt like it dropped in temperature. Chapter 68: A Formidable Shadow ¡°Ah. What do we have here?¡± The silhouette spoke with intrigue and entered the broom closet, closing the door behind. ¡°It¡¯s Elena. We shouldn¡¯t provoke her.¡± Maya managed to hear the duo whispering, and a rush of hope came over her. ¡°Erm. What brings you here, Elena?¡± Price asked, casually. Given the rumoured tension in the supposed new love triangle, and Maya potentially being Elena¡¯s new love rival, it was natural for the two to assume Elena would be more on their side in this situation. They were wise to tread carefully, though. ¡°Nothing much. I just thought I might find something interesting in here.¡± Elena¡¯s usual carefree demeanour persisted even in this kind of situation, disheartening Maya. There was no way Elena wouldn¡¯t realize what was happening here, even if she were a little slow. ¡°W¡ªwell, you¡­ you go ahead. We were leaving, anyway,¡± the girls, slightly nervous, tried to get out of the uncomfortable situation. ¡°Huh? Are you excluding me from the fun?¡± Elena asked with feigned disappointment on her face. ¡°N¡ªno. We¡­ we were just¡ª¡± ¡°Who gave you permission to play with my toy?¡± Elena¡¯s sudden cold and stern voice made them flinch. Perhaps Price and Hailey thought it would be best to leave before they got involved in whatever twisted idea Elena had in mind, but they did not expect to be reproached. As they stared at her with pale faces, like rabbits caught in a snare, uncertain of what to do, Elena suddenly smiled, returning to her carefree demeanour. ¡®How? How can she smile?¡¯ Maya was shaken. ¡°Ah, you¡¯re also into photography? Let me see.¡± Before Price knew what stumbled upon her, Elena had swiped the phone from her hand, leaving a confused Pricilla staring at her empty palm, realizing this could end badly. ¡°Your composition is awful,¡± Elena critiqued her work while going through her photo gallery. ¡°Look, this one¡¯s even blurry.¡± Elena showed her the screen only for a moment, which wasn¡¯t enough to comprehend what was on it. ¡°I see that you were going for mood lighting, but you can¡¯t do it with a shitty phone camera,¡± Elena continued enthralled by the phone screen. However, what Elena was doing was blatantly deleting photos one by one. Everyone could tell, but they were helpless to do anything. Pricilla and Hailey looked at each other, feeling tense. ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t delete all of them,¡± Elena gave them an unnerving wide smile. ¡°Look, this one. Showing you rip clothes off innocent people. That would make quite an impactful stir. Do you mind if I send it to myself? Oops, already did.¡±This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it Watching the scene unfold in front of them, Maya and Leo suddenly found themselves as spectators of someone else¡¯s show. At this point, Elena was doing whatever she liked while talking to herself, without anyone having the courage to stop her. The level of intimidation Elena alone could create was frightening. No one could tell what she could do next. This isolated broom closet suddenly became a cage, not just for Maya, but the two girls who entrapped her in there. ¡°When we¡¯re at it, why don¡¯t I capture the faces of the creative artists as well,¡± as she was talking, Elena suddenly lifted Pricilla¡¯s phone, and a bright light blinded the duo. ¡°Flash is for the shocking effect. Look at your faces. It truly shows the dreadful realization of what it means to create art.¡± Elena laughed at them appearing on the screen. Her reverberating laughter in this small space sent chills down their spines, while she sent the picture she just took to her phone. ¡°I like what you were going for here,¡± Elena waved at the scene in the room, her face showing almost deranged amusement. ¡°It¡¯s inspiring for me as well. Let¡¯s continue further, to see where the creative rush takes us, shall we?¡± At this point, the dire consequences of their actions became starkly clear to Pricilla and Hailey. It seemed Elena had just acquired plenty of evidence for blackmail. With this, Elena had them in the palm of her hand. If she wanted to report them, she had clear evidence. If she wanted to crush their social lives, she could spread their deeds around and make them into villains at the cost of Maya¡¯s dignity. The duo were unable to raise their gazes from the floor, feeling shame and regret for their actions. Or most likely being only regretful of being caught by such an unpleasant person. And Elena seemed to be having a ball time simply because she could. ¡°We¡ªwe¡¯re sorry.¡± ¡°Y¡­yeah.¡± ¡°We weren¡¯t going to do anything bad.¡± They started with excuses. ¡°Haa¡­ This is boring¡­¡± Elena sighed, relaxing her body, suddenly losing interest. ¡°You know, these days, I¡¯m more into sculpting. I was itching to carve something out,¡± Elena slipped the phone back into Pricilla¡¯s hand and affectionately brushed her cheek with her palm. ¡°I see some nice material in front of me.¡± ¡°Eek!¡± Pricilla jerked away, shivering. ¡°Just run!¡± Hailey grabbed Price¡¯s hand and started dragging her away. They looked quite foolish as they fumbled their way out of the broom closet, tripping over some cleaning equipment near the door. The two were crushed by the feeling of predators suddenly becoming prey. It must¡¯ve been even more degrading as they couldn¡¯t help feeling intimidated despite Elena never pointing a single threat their way. ¡°Amateurs¡­¡± Elena mumbled to herself and then glanced toward Maya. Opening her mouth without finding any words, Maya could only stare at Elena. She was feeling embarrassed about the pitiful state Elena found her in. ¡°You owe me, yet again¡­ My reputation as a lunatic really goes far and wide,¡± Elena let out a regretful sigh. ¡°Keith¡¯s going to complain again¡­¡± Without giving her a second glance, Elena walked away, leaving Maya alone in the dank broom closet. Left to her own devices, Maya fell to her knees in relief and began sobbing intensely. The situation that felt so helpless only moments prior was suddenly resolved in such a simple manner. Elena could¡¯ve been nicer about it, but there was no denying she was Maya¡¯s saviour right now. However, the lingering feeling after just being saved didn¡¯t feel like a clear resolution. Perhaps it was because Elena barged in, stole the show, but never gave any kind of acknowledgement to Maya until the very end. What was going to happen next? What were Elena¡¯s true intentions? One thing she did make clear was that Maya was under her protection of sorts. Anyone wishing to mess with Maya in the future will have to be ready to face the discomfort of dealing with Elena. Was that what she meant when she called Maya her ¡®toy¡¯? Maya stayed in the musty broom closet for a while, slowly gathering herself, and fighting the urge to wail like a small child. Leo was by her side, comforting her to the best of his abilities, a bitter expression on his face. He didn¡¯t like Maya pursuing a friendship with that troublesome girl, but this time at least, it was abundantly clear what she could do¡­ and he could not. Chapter 69: Puppets and Players Adam walked into the bustling academy cafeteria. The air was filled with chatter and silverware clanking as his eyes scanned the crowd until they landed on a raven-haired beauty. Her dark radiance was demanding attention wherever she went. Her indifferent gaze was always something that stood out to him. It was like she was some vast enigmatic creature in the body of an attractive young girl, masquerading in this role that never quite suited her, yet was impeccably performed. Sometimes Adam felt like he was the only one who noticed it, and the only one who could truly understand the one who was hidden behind that fa?ade. He took a deep breath and made his way toward her, weaving through the crowd of students and trying not to draw too much attention to himself. ¡®This is my chance.¡¯ As he got closer, Adam could feel his heart racing in his chest. He knew that approaching her would be a bold move, but he couldn¡¯t resist the urge to try. At the most popular sophomore table, the lively atmosphere quieted as his approach raised a few eyebrows, especially when it became clear that Elena was the direct target of his attention. ¡°May I have a moment of your time?¡± he politely asked the girl sitting next to her boyfriend. Her lazy gaze met his eyes for a moment. ¡°And you are?¡± ¡°Um¡­¡± he was caught off guard by her question, then quickly composed himself. ¡°Apologies. My name is Adam Blair. We had lunch at the same table before, but of course, I wouldn¡¯t expect you to remember.¡± Elena and Keith exchanged glances and whispered something between themselves, before she stood up and stretched. ¡°Alright. Make it quick.¡± He followed her a little further through the dining hall until she sat at one of the abandoned chairs near the window, offering a view of the beautiful academy gardens. ¡°Talk.¡± With her attention directed at her nails, and her sitting on the only free chair around, it was clear she didn¡¯t care about making him comfortable. At least the view was something. Adam stared at her for a second longer than necessary, before pinching himself to focus and began talking: ¡°I¡¯m just going to get straight to the point. What¡¯s your opinion of Maya?¡± Elena looked at him with a raised eyebrow. The question seemed unexpected, but he couldn¡¯t gauge much else from her expression. ¡°Are you trying to mark your territory or something?¡± Elena narrowed her eyes, answering his question with another question. ¡°Goodness, no. I was just wondering if she was important to you.¡±This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡°What does it matter to you?¡± It seemed she wasn¡¯t going to give him a clear answer, so he decided to give her something to break the ice. ¡°I think I just saw Maya with Pricilla and Hailey earlier.¡± His preliminary questions were an attempt to feel out if the information he had held any relevance to her, but her piercing deep blue eyes did not show any change in emotion no matter what he said. Adam sighed softly and continued: ¡°Oh, those two are the ones I saw harassing Maya at Elemental Practice before. Maya was alone with them at the west wing, so I was a little worried.¡± ¡°What does that have to do with me?¡± ¡°I¡ªI just thought you should know.¡± Elena cocked her head to the side, but her expression was still unreadable. She was tough to figure out; enigmatic and mesmerizing, like a dark elf. ¡°Is that all?¡± Adam felt a little flustered. Throughout the whole interaction, he felt as if he gained nothing. ¡°Sorry for wasting your time.¡± ¡°Certainly.¡± ???????? Looking somewhat dejected, Adam retreated as Elena continued to sit there, escorting him with her cold suspecting eyes. Of course, she knew who Adam was from the start. She rarely forgot faces, especially of ones lurking around Maya. However, she pretended not to know him after seeing his drooling face as he approached her. ¡®What rotten luck¡­¡¯ Elena glanced at the table where their squad usually sat, seeing Andrea, Linda, Isaac and Sarah in their usual setting. Maya could be in trouble, and this puppy walked right past their table, straight toward Elena to alert her. She couldn¡¯t help but feel suspicion about it. ¡®Was it a trap?¡¯ With many enemies, it wouldn¡¯t be out of the ordinary. But who would think of using that gullible Maya to lure her in? What an interesting strategy. Elena returned to her table where Keith readily embraced her. Clearly, her boyfriend was unhappy she agreed to talk to another man right in front of him. In Elena¡¯s eyes, this wasn¡¯t even worth the effort to quell his jealousy. ¡°What did he want?¡± ¡°Nothing in particular,¡± Elena dismissed it. This could be an obvious trap, but Elena couldn¡¯t shake the thought of it. Those two girls were already known to Elena as Maya¡¯s bullies. Maya was meek in most situations, but when pushed to a point she does retaliate. Why would Maya fold to them when she was daring enough to stand up to Elena¡ªknowing her hobbies and aggressive tendencies better than anyone? It did make her wonder but it was ultimately none of her business. The moment Elena entered ¡®the world of equal chances¡¯ she was met with the hypocrisy of that statement. From the beginning, she was playing at a disadvantage. Their sins weren¡¯t of equal weight. Elena envied those who came here for naive and foolish reasons. Their sins were simple and easily forgiven. They remained blissfully unaware, deceived by the illusion of choice. Just looking at the Zeta class, it was clear as day they weren¡¯t randomly assembled. The group was a carefully curated collection of misfits, troublemakers, and students from the lowest social standings¡ªall conveniently clustered together for easy monitoring. And then there was Maya, sticking out like a sore thumb. Her role was crystal clear, even if she remained oblivious to it. The initial plan was to keep her close so she could control what gets relayed to Amanda through her little informant, but Maya turned out to be very strange. Sometimes she knew things she wasn¡¯t supposed to¡ªalmost like she had eyes outside of her body. At first, it seemed by design, but Elena soon concluded Maya simply had the same rotten luck. Stopping her fingers from tapping impatiently, Elena silently cursed and borrowed Keith¡¯s ear. ¡°He was being suspicious. Can you keep an eye on him while I go check something out?¡± Chapter 70: Pretty Vacant Girl After the incident, it took Maya a long time to collect herself. She had missed the first part of her Elemental Practices, having walked all the way to the Headmistress¡¯s office at the faculty wing only to change her mind right in front of the door. Maya was deeply ashamed to report the two girls at the beginning since she had felt it was the fault of her own that she was suffering. Today¡¯s incident absolved her from it. Although she still felt responsible for what had happened to their friend, it became clear that their torment was only using that incident as justification. However, she changed her mind right in front of the door because she remembered that reporting it might create more trouble. If Maya reports what had just happened to her, she will also have to report Elena¡¯s intervention. It may put Elena in more trouble than those two. Picking a lock, tampering with other people¡¯s property, and antagonizing others¡­ were all cases the girls could argue against while pretending to only be trying to help Maya after having an accident. For everything that happened earlier would be Maya¡¯s word against those two. And for the after, there was a bias against Elena because of her troublemaker reputation. Teachers can¡¯t protect Maya. It can only make her even more isolated. The only strategy Maya could hope to have an effect in putting a stop to her misery is to keep close to Elena. After all, Maya was never mistreated by anyone else if she was around Elena. True, that may be because no one would dare to approach, no matter good or bad intentions. And those that still would, usually had Elena as their target, rendering Maya invisible in her shadow. Maya didn¡¯t mind. She only wished Elena was more clear about their relationship. They were roommates, but their friendship was quite shallow in hindsight. Maya felt bad about thinking of Elena as her potential shield, but Maya was still the only one who would take the initiative in their relationship. They were often together, but if the word around was that they were love rivals, and everyone believed it so easily, it is telling on how close they seem on the outside. Although Maya didn¡¯t know the details, it seems she had just been cast in the role Sarah had last summer. Knowing how that ended, it was only worrisome. Maya apologized for being late to her mentor Tanya who nodded at her presence. Glancing at the group practising beside them, Maya discovered the two girls who were so cruel not too long ago now avoided her gaze and averted their eyes. Only Burcu, her group member, still stared at her with contempt. The rest of the classes went quietly. Maya never spoke to anyone about what happened earlier. Before she knew it, time for her part-time shift arrived and Maya was moping the academy hallways alongside Elena in silence. Maya felt heaviness in her heart because it seemed Elena was resolute about pretending nothing had happened earlier. Between feeling ashamed and reflecting on her past, Maya knew she should express her gratitude to Elena. ¡°Elena¡­ I wanted to thank you. I thought the things weren¡¯t that bad, but back then¡­¡± she was unable to finish. Elena made a long pause before replying which made Maya suspect she wasn¡¯t even listening in the first place. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you think I did. All I remember is entering a room.¡± For some reason, Maya didn¡¯t like Elena devaluing what she had done for Maya. What Elena did back then, no matter how insignificant, meant a lot to Maya. It saved her from further harassment, at least for today. ¡®Do you truly think of me as a friend and not just a toy?¡¯ was what Maya wanted to ask, but she was afraid of the answer. Neither of them spoke again. It was obvious why Maya felt reflective, but it also seemed like Elena had a lot on her mind right now that she didn¡¯t wish to share. ¡®Saying how much I appreciate her would probably be more of a burden to Elena than anything else.¡¯ Maya went to wash her mop, turning her back to Elena for a moment. The academy was looking somewhat creepy at this time of the day when there were no students around. But at the same time, it also looked beautiful with golden light seeping through windows, creating bright carpets of light on the hallway floors. During their working hours, Maya preferred staying beside Elena. It was because of a simple reason. Maya wanted insurance through Elena¡¯s reaction to people approaching her. It was because Maya wasn¡¯t an ordinary person. She could see the dead, and there was a surprising number of them around. To make it even more difficult, at times, Maya had difficulty differentiating between the living and the dead. The dead would unassumingly approach her, trying to speak with her, and Maya would feel tempted to answer only to realize Elena wasn¡¯t reacting to their presence. Then, after double checking, Maya would realize there wasn¡¯t a real person in front of her and feel relieved she didn¡¯t open her mouth and prove she was a freak who talks to herself.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. So, having Elena by her side was a double-edged sword. On one hand helping her to differentiate the living from the dead, while on the other being a witness if she makes a blunder. Perhaps that was a reason she wished so hard to establish a friendship with Elena. To share her secret with someone. The secret that was making her feel more and more isolated and anxious. Just as Maya was about to return to her position moping the floor, a familiar face appeared in front of her. The face she desperately wished to see for a while now. ¡®Anastasia!¡¯ So, when Maya saw Anastasia again, she failed to control her expression, almost uttering her name out loud. Anastasia seemed like she had a lot to say on her mind as well, but, as if being considerate finding out Maya wasn¡¯t alone, she disappeared right away. Maya covered her mouth, wondering if her gasp was audible, but when she turned back to look at Elena, she didn¡¯t seem to notice. Maya made an inward sigh of relief. Calming her breathing, Maya returned to her job. The silence persisted for a long time until Elena suddenly broke it: ¡°Do you think this place is haunted?¡± The subject being suddenly brought up when Maya knew for a fact that it was, caught her off guard. But she didn¡¯t answer. Taking a moment too long to think of what would be the right answer. ¡°I bet we could conjure some pretty rad ghosts here,¡± Elena continued. She gestured to Maya to come closer and whispered: ¡°I grabbed a necromancy book from the library. We could test a couple of spells, to see what would happen.¡± Elena pulled out a small, thin but old and menacing-looking book from her uniform. ¡°Are you insane!?¡± Maya was alarmed. Deciding that it wasn¡¯t only enough that they were whispering, she pulled Elena aside to make sure no one would overhear their blasphemous conversation. ¡°That is from the restricted area,¡± Maya continued in a low voice. ¡°¡®Restricted¡¯ just means more fun,¡± Elena smirked. ¡°We aren¡¯t allowed to do ritual magic. Especially not dark magic!¡± Maya was whisper-shouting. Maya didn¡¯t know much about any of those, but she knew what was forbidden and taboo. ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious at all? There are so many kinds of magic, but all we are allowed to do is manipulate some elemental matter. It¡¯s boring,¡± Elena was complaining. ¡°You should return it before somebody notices you took it.¡± ¡°Nobody will notice. Nobody uses this book. Do you know why? Because nobody¡¯s allowed to!¡± ¡°You can¡¯t use the same argument I¡¯m using against me,¡± Maya wasn¡¯t caving in. This was a dangerous proposition. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to see a ghost or hear what they have to say?¡± Elena was studying Maya intently as she spoke. ¡°There¡¯s one simple spell that only requires chicken talons and some fresh blood. It¡¯d be easy as pie¡ª¡± ¡°No!¡± Maya¡¯s expression turned horrified. Wishing to conjure a ghost was well out of the ordinary. And besides that, Maya was unable to understand why Elena was suddenly so obsessed with the idea that she would be driven to steal such an ominous book. Elena couldn¡¯t have known it, but Maya had enough ghosts on her plate. The last thing she needed was to conjure something possibly demonic on top of that. ¡°Or¡­ you can just tell me.¡± Elena looked Maya dead in the eye, which along with her words, made Maya stare at her back in surprise. ¡®She knows?! H¡ªhow?!¡¯ even Maya¡¯s thoughts stuttered. Maya opened and closed her mouth several times, completely disarmed under Elena¡¯s discerning gaze. Unsure if she should play dumb, or think of an excuse to dodge her suspicion, Maya was struggling under pressure and the chance to deny it was slipping away. ¡°Ah, so it¡¯s true?¡± Elena smirked. It seems Maya¡¯s alarmed expression was enough to confirm it for Elena. ¡®She was bluffing?!¡¯ Maya cursed herself for not being level-headed enough to timely fake confusion and evade Elena¡¯s suspicion. It seems the cat was out of the bag now. ¡°How did you find out?¡± Maya asked carefully. Elena loudly clasped her hands, staring at Maya as if she were seeing a rare specimen in front of herself, making Maya even more uncomfortable. ¡°You really do talk to ghosts¡­¡± Elena began laughing which made Maya question who¡ªbetween the one actually seeing ghosts and Elena¡ªwas the more crazy one. ¡°Did you pull all this necromancy talk just to make me admit it?¡± ¡°Perhaps,¡± Elena was still laughing. ¡°I didn¡¯t know a more subtle way of addressing an elephant in the room.¡± ¡°Was it that obvious?¡± It made Maya even more self-conscious and she began to worry about who else had noticed besides Elena. If someone as bad at school, clueless and aloof as Elena had noticed, the entire academy could already be onto her. ¡°You talking to yourself?¡± Elena raised an eyebrow. ¡°C¡¯mon, it¡¯s not like you tried too hard to hide it in front of me, especially while I was wasted. I had plenty of reasons to suspect.¡± Maya bit her lip. She wasn¡¯t faring well. Someone knowing her secret was as terrifying as it was relieving. On one hand, someone knowing, and even believing it, removed a heavy burden off her chest. Elena brought it up first, having her suspicions, spared Maya from having to convince someone of something so unbelievable. On the other hand, if the person knowing had ill intentions, it was even worse to hold it over Maya¡¯s head than what Pricilla and Hailey tried to do. At the moment, Maya didn¡¯t know if Elena was trustworthy or not. Was Elena ever on her side, or would she use this against Maya in the worst manner when she would benefit from it the most? ¡°I see you¡¯re quite at odds with yourself. Before we continue further, let¡¯s make a deal. I¡¯ll keep your secret, and in return, you¡¯ll do me a favour later on.¡± Maya¡¯s fears proved to be true. Chapter 71: Unbelievable Rumours It only took a small breach and everything came out of Maya like a flood. Releasing her burden, Maya had told Elena everything. From introducing Leo, speaking about the incident with lightning and how her ability seemingly started at the same time, to mentioning Lady Anastasia. Elena listened with great interest. Especially since the legendary mage was mentioned. ¡°Anastasia? The Anastasia?¡± Of course, Elena wanted to know the truth of this world from the source, and was greatly disappointed when she learned Maya didn¡¯t get a chance to ask her questions yet. At her insistence on calling the legendary ghost, Maya revealed the tricky nature of communicating with spirits she had no means to call, unlike her friend Leo who seems to be bound to her silver necklace. Maya had led Elena to the highest academy tower, hoping she could get in touch with Anastasia, but only ended up talking with Elena about everything. At the back of her mind, Maya was still concerned about Elena¡¯s motivation and the deal she had proposed. Maya didn¡¯t have a sliver of an idea what favour Elena would want to ask for in return for keeping her secret, or if Elena worried about any implications hiding such a secret from someone living with her would have. Wouldn¡¯t knowing that there were ghosts all around them shake a person? Eyes watching you when you are alone and unaware. Maya herself was uncomfortable going to the bathroom or performing some mundane tasks for the first couple of days since she was reunited with Leo. Was it alright for Elena to learn that she basically had a male roommate the entire time and not give a damn? Does she not worry about what Maya could have asked of Leo behind her back? Despite all the anxiety about Elena knowing, it was a relief to have someone to share her secret with. Maya had always been worried that her ghost-seeing ability could have been just a malfunction from brain damage. ¡°There¡¯s a simple way to check that,¡± Elena chuckled. ¡°Leo has the knowledge and a perspective you do not. He can relay if the person in front of you is holding a dagger behind their back¡­ or simply the number of fingers.¡± Maya widened her eyes, remembering the game they played with Chris, one of the warrior trainees, the first week. It was such a ridiculous situation to be in and Maya even forgot about it due to the incident that followed had more presence in her mind. Of course, Maya would forget about a silly game after they were attacked and Elena held a knife to someone¡¯s throat. ¡°Y-you noticed way back then?!¡± Maya began thinking she had deeply underestimated Elena. ¡°Girl, you¡¯ve been talking to yourself since day one. I know I may be failing at school, but I don¡¯t consider myself that clueless.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°You are way too mentally sane that talking to the dead seemed more plausible.¡± ¡°Thanks¡­ I guess.¡± If someone with a reputation of a lunatic tells you are sane it must be¡­ a compliment? ¡°However, I am disappointed that you are still so clueless even with such an advantage. It seems that to learn more we¡¯ll have to do it the old way and raid the restricted part of the library. I doubt we¡¯d be able to find anything at the children¡¯s department.¡± ¡®Children¡¯s department¡¯ was Elena¡¯s term of endearment for the regular library stock they had access to. Maya found it funny that a person who would rather be caught dead than with a book would look down on the place of knowledge. Even the supposed necromancy book she used to pull this stunt was a convincing fake.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. It was the first time Maya considered bending the rules and breaking into the restricted part to be useful. Nevertheless, sharing a secret made Maya feel closer to Elena. It was as if she had finally managed to reach deeper and set the foundation for a solid friendship. With all of Elena¡¯s flaws, Maya still admired her for her unshakeable confidence and the unfiltered way she was able to speak her mind no matter who she was facing. Having Elena by her side would make up for Maya¡¯s insecurities with Elena¡¯s abundant confidence. Although they had talked deep into the night, the next day, Maya was sitting alone at their usual table for lunch in the academy cafeteria. Zeta group finished their theoretical compulsory courses for today a few minutes earlier, so Maya was the first one to arrive while Elena sat with her boyfriend. Glancing at Pricilla and Hailey who were ordering their food, Maya felt anxious. Those two successfully made Maya cower in fear every time she was alone. However, today they only sent some sharp gazes her way before turning to their own business. ¡®This is a relief.¡¯ It seems they haven¡¯t reported anything about yesterday¡¯s incident, otherwise, Maya would have been called to the Faculty Wing by now. She knew Elena was on a slippery slope to expulsion already, so her involvement yesterday was a huge risk for her. While Maya was idly stirring her soup, suddenly, the clatter of a harshly landed food tray next to her drew her attention. ¡°I¡¯ve heard all kinds of unbelievable rumours in my life, but this new one takes the cake,¡± it was Andrea, her face was a mix of disbelief and indignation. ¡°Apparently, my kind friend here is a stone-cold killer.¡± Andrea patted Maya¡¯s shoulders shooting a glance in Adam¡¯s, Isaac¡¯s and Linda¡¯s way that were accompanying her, expecting them to share her disbelief. ¡°I would be willing to entertain the idea of Maya and Elena being love rivals if it wasn¡¯t such an obvious baloney,¡± Andrea sat down, tapping her fingers impatiently on the table. ¡°Maya, my friend, someone is out there to get you.¡± ¡°I heard people speak those ridiculous things with a straight face,¡± Adam leaned in to join the conversation. ¡°At this rate, others will believe it.¡± Maya absentmindedly ran a hand through her hair as her friends joined her at the table. The rumours about Maya were whispered around for a while now, it seems now it has crossed the line as even her friends wanted to address them and put a stop to them. Andrea grabbed Maya¡¯s hand and looked at her with concern. ¡°Maya, I don¡¯t know who out there has gripes with you, but I swear we¡¯ll help you put a stop to it.¡± Her heartfelt words almost made Maya tear up. So far she had been keeping everything bottled in, never mentioning to her friends what she has been dealing with lately. ¡®Maybe if I opened up earlier, yesterday¡¯s incident would never have happened.¡¯ Maya still felt the lingering shame and pangs of her shattered dignity. ¡®I never had to fight alone.¡¯ ¡°At least the one about Maya being a killer is too unbelievable, so it would die on its own,¡± Isaac assured her. ¡°However, Maya and Elena being love rivals has plenty of fuel, and people wouldn¡¯t shut up about it easily.¡± ¡°I may have a solution,¡± everyone turned toward Adam speaking. ¡°You should simply start dating.¡± All of them gave him an incredulous look. ¡°Think about it. What better way to disprove Maya¡¯s interest in Keith than showing interest in someone else? Better yet, you should go on a double date with them so people can see your relationship with Keith is nothing but platonic.¡± ¡°And who do you suppose she goes on a date with?¡± Isaac chimed in, crossing his arms over his chest. ¡°You?¡± At Isaac¡¯s words Maya visibly blushed and turned away. It seems Adam was also caught off guard as he diverted his gaze and cleared his throat. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Linda gently placed her hand over Maya¡¯s and gave her a supportive smile. ¡°You don¡¯t have to concern yourself about rumours. We know they are just a bunch of lies and you have our full support.¡± Maya almost teared up once again. Her friends¡¯ support was a lifeline, but beneath the surface, Maya still grappled with the shadows of the whispers that threatened to tarnish her reputation. Perhaps it was only her friends¡¯ opinions that mattered. Glancing at Elena across the room, Maya wondered if she should take a page out of her book in dealing with the rumours and stop minding them. It seems sometimes Elena even indulges in her own notoriety, like the first day when a table conveniently cleared up for them, or when she subdued Maya¡¯s bullies without even putting in the effort simply because they had images in their heads about her despite never interacting before. Then she secretly glanced at Adam. ¡®If it continues to bother me, I could give that strategy a try.¡¯ Chapter 72: Shapeless Goddess This time around, Maya didn¡¯t resist when Elena talked her into going outside the walls. Scaling down the wall was an effortless task for Maya, a Child of Air, who was on the verge of a breakthrough for levitation, or the nimble Elena, who found plenty of anchor points in the old weathered stone. Even though days were becoming shorter, they chose a time that gave them plenty of hours of safety in sunlight, and made their way toward the rich forest encompassing the town of Amellan. Maya could already hear the gentle murmur of a mountain creek hiding behind the trees. It turned out to be quite close. Not too far downstream, there was a small glade opening up like a small heaven hidden beneath the thick tapestry of trees. This was where they stopped. Elena was idly waddling through the shallow stream, expelling water from touching her boots, kicking it at times, forcing the countless water droplets to crystalize into ice and fall like glitter. ¡°This place isn¡¯t bad for gaining an edge in our element manipulation¡­¡± Elena suggested, playing with the clear, glittery water from the stream like a Child of Water would. Hearing Elena suggest something like willingly practising outside school hours made Maya¡¯s jaw drop. ¡°A-are you¡­ volunteering to study out of your own free will?¡± Elena frowned. ¡°What do you mean study? When have I suggested such a ridiculous thing?¡± ¡°Just now you¡ª Eek!¡± To intercept her from tossing accusations she didn¡¯t wish to hear, Elena quickly called a vein of water and released it over Maya¡¯s head. ¡°Stop it! You¡¯ll spill all over me!¡± Maya stood in a defensive position, trying to defend herself from the onslaught of water soaking her completely. Since the attack came so suddenly, Maya fumbled through a half-baked stance, making the water ripple off an improvised invisible barrier. Water spread all around her, making Maya resemble a human fountain without getting a drop on herself. Now, it was Elena¡¯s jaw that dropped. ¡°Fuck me!¡± she gasped. The air remained perfectly still, save for the subtle shifts needed to accommodate movement ¡ª whether it was Maya''s gestures or the water¡¯s path through space. It did not come rushing to clash with the onslaught of water. ¡°I could¡¯ve gotten¡­ soaked¡­¡± Maya¡¯s mind trailed off as she realized midsentence the oddity of what she had just done. ¡°That¡¯s the point.¡± ¡®No¡­ It wasn¡¯t Elena that created the barrier¡­ It went against what she was trying to achieve¡­ But how?¡¯ What Maya had done wasn¡¯t controlling the air.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. ¡°You¡¯re a bipartite!¡± The reality of Elena¡¯s words struck Maya, who was still frozen in disbelief. ¡°I fucking knew there was something about you!¡± Elena prepared another water whip to toss Maya¡¯s way. ¡°Do it again!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know how!¡± However, it was too late. Elena had already poured water all over her. She managed to deflect it only partially, ending up soaking wet. Maya looked at her hands. ¡°No¡­ It¡¯s just air,¡± Maya nervously laughed as water dripped across her face. ¡°It deflected off the air. I didn¡¯t touch it.¡± It was apparent even to Elena that Maya was in hard denial. ¡°Have you ever seen me touch water while controlling it?¡± It seemed Elena was trying to help her come to terms with it. ¡°How is it possible?¡± Maya lifted her gaze to look at Elena with an expression of someone desperate for answers, but the source she sought them from was by no means qualified. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t it be possible? You know of Tanya¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mean that! I meant¡­ How did they miss it when they tested me the first day I arrived?¡± Maya was looking back at her hands again. Now, Elena narrowed her gaze and looked at Maya under her brow. It seemed she had something to say, but then simply sighed and turned away. ¡°Who knows¡­¡± Maya began pacing in her mind. Having a bipartite affinity was not a common occurrence. Could it be possible that they simply overlooked it since she arrived so late, and her Appraisal Ritual was rushed? Due to her ability to see the dead, Maya couldn¡¯t help but suspect there was something that differentiates her from the other mages in her ranks, but having dual elements¡­ She¡¯d never thought that would be it. It felt underwhelming and overwhelming at the same time. ¡®But how did I miss it? Did I subconsciously suppress this aspect of my magic, hiding it even from myself?¡¯ Although she had touched it herself, the aspect of magic was still mysterious to Maya. Air has become a part of her. It was unsettling to think that there was another power hiding within her, waiting dormant until she coincidentally recognized it. ¡®Is it normal for witches, or mages, to not know which Element has chosen them until some specialized ritual? And not to recognize if more than one Element responded?¡¯ Tapping into the feeling of disappointment of not truly knowing herself, Maya continued with her train of thought. ¡®What does this mean for me?¡¯ The question lingered. ¡°What do I do?¡± Maya took a deep breath. ¡°I mean, I have to tell someone.¡± Now, excitement began surging within her, and determination flickered in her eyes. After all her insecurities and fears coursed their path, Maya was left to finally feel joy. ¡®This is a reward!¡¯ Maya finally concluded. She has been suffering lately, and perhaps another Element has blessed her in the meantime. Or she was awarded it from the start, but never stopped to think it was there. ¡°Oh, gods. I¡¯m a bipartite!¡± Maya started jumping around excitedly. The ecstasy of being special again washed over her. After confirming and double-confirming with Elena showing her some basic stances, Maya decided that she should report it, and went straight to her guardian, the Headmistress. Surprised to find her still at her office at this hour, Maya recounted earlier events. Of course, leaving out the fact that it had happened outside the town walls. Amanda was speechless. She had to see it with her own eyes, concerned that a prank had been played on Maya. Nevertheless, Maya was able to faithfully re-enact the most basic stances and manipulate water. ¡°I will correct the mistake we made. Maya, I am so sorry we missed something like this.¡± Chapter 73: Fluid Motion Word spread quickly. Throughout the day, Maya noticed an increasing number of strange glances cast her way. She was a bipartite, the only one of her generation. The only other known bipartite in Amellan was her mentor, Tanya Sherman. The issue of unpleasant rumors was quickly overshadowed by the news of a new student with bipartite affinity. While Maya was relieved, she struggled with the newfound attention. Previously, only her peers had paid attention to the rumors about her. But now, the entire academy ¡ª seniors and teachers alike ¡ª recognized her as a special case. Additionally, she faced the challenge of keeping up with double the training. The Headmistress acted swiftly. By the next day, Maya found herself placed into a Water group, with her schedule rearranged to alternate between her elements. Her new Water Training mentor, already burdened with other students, couldn¡¯t devote the attention Maya¡ªa complete novice in Water¡ªrequired. However, Maya wasn¡¯t overly disappointed. She had Elena to practice with outside of school, and a legendary Prima Maga, knowledgeable in all elements, willing to secretly mentor her. If only she would appear when Maya needed her¡­ With a new element, Maya¡¯s knowledge expanded, and she was faced with new challenges. Although manipulating water shared the fluidity of motion with air manipulation, philosophy was different. At least to Maya, air manipulation was easy. It was like swimming in the air. You find it everywhere around you and easy to grasp. It takes only a change in pressure to make it move. After you get the gist of it, it¡¯s only stamina that matters. However, water¡­ water has weight. Even though you don¡¯t physically touch it, lifting it is heavy. And it gets even heavier if it¡¯s further away from your body. Not only does it feel like lifting buckets full of water, but if it is further away then it is like balancing buckets on a long wobbly stick. It produces great strain on your muscles. Maya could only compare it to weight-lifting. Maya couldn¡¯t understand how Elena does it with such a lithe body. Surely to be an impressive water manipulator you need to be a heavy-lifter. Few days of controlling water, and Maya learned that she would have to do strength and core exercises. Not to mention wrecking her brain to account for the concept of counterweight and leveraging her own body to manipulate it. ¡®Gods, manipulating matter was difficult. No wonder the ones that were chosen by Water and Earth all looked strong.¡¯ Looking around the training ground, Maya was taking in her newfound observation. It wasn¡¯t as pronounced as with the senior students, but hints that indicate one¡¯s element simply from body build were becoming apparent. Individuals of the Earth element appeared strong and grounded, characterized by muscular builds, broad shoulders, and thick arms. Even petite Andrea seemed strong. Only Linda managed to somehow still look lanky among her element types. On the other hand, Children of Water also looked tight, but their muscles were more evenly distributed, providing a balanced image. While Children of Earth had bodies of boxers, Children of Water were more like champion swimmers. Isaac, who looked nerdy and thin at the start of the trimester, now blossomed and seemingly gained more confidence. The only problem was that the same case was with all the other boys who were like him, so his presence didn¡¯t gain a significant boost. However, Maya didn¡¯t manage to notice a significant difference in Elena¡¯s physique. The reason Elena managed to look so lithe despite her element must be because she was remarkably acrobatic. But there was no doubt that under her skin there were lean muscles. Her acrobatics allowed her to counterweight where her strength lacked. She must be a true talent as she was able to utilize her momentum and leverage her body in such bold ways that it was beautiful to watch. It was quite astonishing to have so much trust in power that was so unfamiliar until only recently. Maya wondered if Elena even understood the theory behind the physics concepts she was able to pull off instinctively. Seeing Elena find solutions often leads Maya to wonder, ¡®Why didn¡¯t I think of that?¡¯ Where Elena simply acts, Maya becomes overwhelmed by thoughts and analysis, making the solution seem practically impossible, despite having witnessed it. Maya wasn¡¯t alone in her tendency to overanalyse. It seemed natural to want to understand one¡¯s actions, especially when dealing with something as dangerous as elemental manipulation. However, there was one thing Maya and the other Children of Water just couldn¡¯t comprehend. ¡®How does one freeze water?¡¯ It seemed conceptually impossible. ¡®What aspect of water manipulation could create ice?¡¯ Something Elena does so effortlessly, no one knows the secret behind. It was as if ice manipulation was entirely her own invention that no one could replicate. Further yet, it seems Elena¡¯s already near-expert water manipulation ability was only a step in her technique¡ªone required to shape the water before she solidifies it. Was it her eccentricity and artistic thinking? At times, it seemed as if she wasn¡¯t an elemental manipulator but rather a sculptor who moulds shapes.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. Working with Elena made Maya realize how quickly that girl was advancing. So fast, in fact, that the supervisors had to put restrictions on her. Mostly for her ice-ability. Not only was it uncustomary, but it was also dangerous. Mages were supposed to be all about balance and nature, so forcing something into a completely different state was rather controversial. Well¡­ the whole philosophy does require some thought. Today¡¯s Water Elemental Practices weren¡¯t as productive as Maya wished them to be. It was mostly introductory, with a new overworked mentor who had no time to return to the basics and people inquiring about her being a bipartite. At least she could fulfil her spirit for learning a new skill with Elena outside the walls. Elena was easy to talk into practising their elemental manipulation since she didn¡¯t see it as learning for school but rather doing something she enjoyed. It seemed she preferred any activity that required her to move her body instead of studying. And further yet, since their personal practice was outside of the town walls, what was against the rules, was just a bonus for her. Reaching their secret spot, a stream at the nearby forest glade, they were finally outside the stuffy constraints of living in this town. On their way, Maya was instructing Leo to scout for them in case of any danger. She mostly worried that someone would catch them and it would reflect negatively on her record. Ever since Elena learned her secret, Maya no longer had to hide in front of her and could talk to Leo freely. Initially, Leo was strangely delighted. It must be hard having your existence denied by every human except for Maya. Although, Elena didn¡¯t show much interest in him even knowing he was there. His jokes never landed relayed through Maya, and Elena never asked any questions related to him. It quickly began to piss him off, especially because Elena did ask about Anastasia but not about him. Maya couldn¡¯t force her to show interest since the two of them had nothing in common, and Leo would make mean comments about Elena rather often, even before they were officially introduced, making Maya feel awkward. Their relationship was something that could improve only with time. At the moment, Leo was protesting against his scouting duties. Being too far from them outside the walls alone wasn¡¯t something he was comfortable with. It seemed even ghosts knew fear. ¡°Leo, you¡¯re incorporeal. Nothing can touch you except for me. Do you want to get punched?¡± Maya prepared her fist to demonstrate her sincerity, but never had any intention to follow through with her threat. ¡®It seems Elena¡¯s influence on me is becoming apparent. She is the one who solves her problems with force.¡¯ His fear was rather irrational. He can go through the matter, and instantly return at will to his anchor, which was Maya herself. If only he were a little more bold, Maya would benefit greatly. However, she didn¡¯t like treating him like a tool, so she never asked for such things from him unless it was necessary. ¡°Why don¡¯t you offer him a kiss instead?¡± Elena added cheekily. ¡°Ha!¡± Leo reacted with indignation at Elena¡¯s comment, but secretly liked her suggestion. ¡°Do you want a kiss from me?¡± Maya asked, willing to compromise if he would cooperate. She was shy about it, but one kiss on the cheek didn¡¯t seem too bad. ¡°N-no¡­¡± Leo, even in his incorporeal form, somehow looked flushed and faced away. ¡°I¡¯ll do it, so stop nagging me.¡± After agreeing, he was quick to disappear. Maya was left speechless at his reaction and Elena sniggered, inferring the situation from Maya¡¯s expression. Soon after, all the hopes of Maya quickly grasping the Water element under Elena¡¯s guidance fell apart. Maya had the unfortunate to learn first-hand how difficult it was to learn from someone who had a natural talent. Elena¡¯s explanations made no sense. Who could blame her for being unable to eloquently express what comes to her naturally? Her explanations could be abbreviated to ¡®it¡¯s magic¡¯ and still have the same substance as all of her other efforts to explain. Maya chuckled to herself, sitting on the ground, losing hope that Elena¡¯s instructions would ever bear any fruit. She was foolish to think she could learn from Elena. ¡®Is there no hope for this girl? Sometimes it does seem she¡¯s all raw talent but empty head.¡¯ Suddenly Leo appeared in front of her, all pale. ¡°Maya! Danger! Run back, quick!¡± Maya flinched and jumped to her feet in an instant. She looked at Elena who seemed to tense up. Without having to exchange words, Elena followed suit with Maya while they took the shortest route back to the walls. It was then that Leo managed to explain his findings and why he was so terrified. ¡°There was a stag.¡± ¡°Are you afraid of deer?¡± ¡°No¡­ It was just¡­ There was something strange about it. It was huge, it didn¡¯t have normal proportions, and it behaved strangely. There was crazy in its eyes, I¡¯m telling you. Not to mention its snout was bloody like it just feasted on something.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t they herbivores?¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I was so afraid! And, Maya¡­ It freaking looked at me! Not through me, but straight at me!¡± That alarmed Maya a bit. She had reassured Leo that she was the only one who could interact with him, but there was something that could perceive his presence. ¡°Are you sure it wasn¡¯t a ghost?¡± ¡°It was made out of physical matter. Maya, I don¡¯t mistake the living and the dead.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ It may just be a strange creature that lives here.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± Leo looked down. ¡°I was so panicked when it suddenly turned in your direction, like it caught your scent¡­ I just didn¡¯t want you to encounter something like that.¡± After Leo¡¯s explanation, Maya pondered for a bit. Interrupted by Elena¡¯s inquiring looks, Maya gave her a quick rundown of what she just heard from Leo. ¡°He described a bloodthirsty stag¡­ Do you know what it could be?¡± Chapter 74: Inertia Kicks Elena wasn¡¯t more in the know than Maya about the strange creature Leo described and suggested that they pause for a day with their ventures outside. Even Elena wasn¡¯t willing to mess with something so alarming. However, they were left with the conundrum about whether they should inform someone about it. Not knowing how much of a threat it was, Maya worried whether they should keep it a secret. Telling about it would naturally pose questions of how they knew about it in the first place. Since it would reveal they went outside and potentially even reveal Maya¡¯s ability to see ghosts, Elena left it up to her to decide. And Maya has been pondering about it for the next day. ¡°Why so serious?¡± Even her squad picked up on something being on her mind. Although, she didn¡¯t want to unnecessarily alarm them, and pretended it was nothing. Even though such heavy thoughts plagued her for the whole day, Maya had been in an unusually happy mood ever since break time. It was thanks to Adam. At the end of lunch, she somehow ended up sitting alone with him. They bonded over their love of Stephen King¡¯s books. They were entertaining themselves by thinking of names for their squad that wasn¡¯t ¡°losers club¡±. However, they had to pause their conversation for later, because Elemental Practices were soon to begin. ¡°Are you sure you want to do it? Keeping up with both elements,¡± Tanya was confirming Maya¡¯s wishes about switching some days of practice to Water. ¡°I can tell you from experience it isn¡¯t an easy task, but, of course, I¡¯ll do my best to help you if you¡¯re certain.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure I can do it. I have someone to practice with, so I¡¯ll catch up to the other element in no time,¡± Maya was positive. Tanya gave her an encouraging smile. Her look lingered on Maya while she was thinking about something else and she collected her eyebrows as if considering asking her something. ¡°Is there something on my face?¡± Maya wondered what was troubling her, feeling insecure if she had some of her lunch left on her teeth and remembering she was talking like that with Adam. ¡°Oh, sorry,¡± Tanya realized she was staring while thinking. ¡°It¡¯s just, something about you reminds me of a girl I used to know. I wonder¡­¡± her thoughts drifted away. Maya continued to look at her expectantly, not realizing that Tanya wasn¡¯t going to finish her thought. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Tanya politely dismissed it. Seeing Maya¡¯s dispirited look, she quickly realized that it was weird to bring something up and then change her mind. Finally, she decided to elaborate. ¡°It¡¯s not in a bad way¡­ She was someone you¡¯d admire for being so strong-willed and strong-minded. A person who wouldn¡¯t stand for an injustice happening in front of her. She left a lasting impression. I guess, I still remember her well because she stole the attention of a guy I liked, and in all honesty, she was the better candidate.¡± Tanya¡¯s chuckle was a bit pensive. Maya mirrored her chuckle but quickly realised fate most likely didn¡¯t favour this strong-minded girl. ¡°What happened to her?¡± ¡°You¡¯re sharp,¡± Tanya clicked her fingers. ¡°Just as you¡¯d guessed, she¡¯s gone now. In fact, they¡¯re both no longer with us. Just my luck.¡± Tanya chuckled again as if she saw amusement in her own misfortune. Reminiscing seemed to be something Tanya does often. After all, it looked like she did have fond memories of her life before she realized how unfortunate her generation¡¯s fate turned out to be. It was a heavy subject, but Maya appreciated Tanya comparing her to someone she had admired. Being strong-willed was something she¡¯d never hoped to be described as. Maya wished to ask more about this girl whose likeness she apparently carries, but restrained herself, not wishing to remind Tanya of more pain. She was still in high spirits because of lunch with Adam, so it would be too much of a contrast to Tanya¡¯s mood. Because she was in such a good mood, an attack by Burcu later during the practice, came as a complete surprise. Burcu had been a person who facilitated Pricilla and Hailey¡¯s harassment of Maya. After those two were ¡®subjugated¡¯ by Elena, they became reluctant to do anything again in fear Elena would do something to them. It didn¡¯t stop them from staring daggers, but they no longer wished to move against Maya.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. So Burcu¡¯s frustration about those two chickening out, combined with her jealousy over Tanya seemingly becoming too friendly with a newly spotlighted bipartite and seemingly neglecting the rest of the group, quickly boiled over with her hot temper. As soon as Tanya switched her attention to her Fire group, Burcu exploded. ¡°Just because you¡¯re both bipartite, does not mean you have some kind of a claim on Tanya! She is OUR mentor. Not just yours. You should stop bothering her all the time, so she can pay us the attention we deserve!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not claiming her to myself. What are you talking about?¡± Maya was confused by this sudden personal attack. ¡°You know well enough what I¡¯m talking about. Because you have one more element does not mean you¡¯re in any way better than the rest of us!¡± Burcu came out aggressive with her accusations. Maya always thought she would act like a thug at times. At this point, it wouldn¡¯t surprise her if she physically attacked her. An unexpected assistance came from nearby. ¡°Calm down, Burcu. Tanya has already enough on her plate with training two groups.¡± It was Adam, also of the Air element group close by, deciding to intervene. ¡°Yeah, Burcu. He¡¯s right. We don¡¯t have to make a scene,¡± even her friend Samiya attempted to quell her rising temper. ¡°Who does she think she is? And fuck off, Adam. You don¡¯t always need to play a white knight.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not playing a white knight. You are making a scene, Burcu.¡± Adam tried to calm her down by placing a hand on her shoulder. But she wasn¡¯t having it. Already outraged, this only made her erupt. While screaming and cursing, Burcu used her powerful air control to push him away. Such an air blast toppled him and he fell on his back. In her blind rage, Burcu continued with the intention to deliver an onslaught of attacks. Seeing the dangerous situation, without thinking, Maya stepped in. She stood in the way, ready to block her attack. ¡°It¡¯s not him you¡¯re having a problem with, right now.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. This is all your fault!¡± With her attention shifted to Maya, Burcu attacked. Air was ready to hit Maya like a truck. Maya deflected. Her hand was thrown back, left trembling from the impact, but her counter was sufficient. The air spread thin around them, tussling their hair and flowy pieces of fabric. Burcu¡¯s attacks weren¡¯t too elaborate. Her main attacking strategy was to hit straight with a powerful blow. But she was strong. The reason she could rely on such a simple attack was because they carried immense strength. She was good at channelling her short temper into a source of power and the shockwave she could create could toss you off your feet through all your defences. The way she moved was also frightening. When she would swing at you, you couldn¡¯t be sure if she was going to hit you with air or her fist¡­ or both. Burcu readied herself for her second attack. This one was sure to pack much more power than the first one. Maya was determined to protect Adam, who lay on the ground behind her, but she quickly realized she wouldn¡¯t be able to withstand Burcu¡¯s full power. Still, she had no choice¡ªif she moved, Adam would take the blow. So Maya stood firm and stood her ground. Evasiveness was out of the question. It might¡¯ve looked counter-intuitive, but she used her other hand to keep her balance, instead of shielding herself with both. She knew if she lost her stance, she would get defeated. And she withstood it. The heavy impact left her hand trembling and numb. The air current she hastily formed cut through Burcu¡¯s attack, shielding the point she wished to protect, while the rest of the onslaught slipped past her where there were no targets. Her insides felt as if they were on fire and Maya had a metallic taste spread on her tongue¡ªsigns of exertion. But something was different. She heard whispers around her from people witnessing this and saw Burcu¡¯s surprised look that quickly turned green with envy, and perhaps, hatred. After Maya allowed herself to relax, realizing there wouldn¡¯t be another attack, she noticed why was everyone so shocked. It was Maya. It was where she stood. The ground underneath her was no longer flat, it was moved to assist her in her defence. It has risen behind her so she could leverage her other foot to it and push herself forward while shielding Adam behind it. Burcu wasn¡¯t able to blow her away because it was harder to blow her up the hill. Maya scanned through shocked expressions all around her. Tanya had just run back to defuse the fight and froze in the spot. It was the whole courtyard; students, mentors, and supervisors. They all witnessed it. She moved the ground. She was a tripartite. Maya still didn¡¯t fully comprehend what she had done when people began congratulating her. There was a surprising amount of stings from the jealous looks. And while she was still in a daze, one of the supervisors grabbed her by the wrist and told her to come with him. They made their way out of the courtyard. She knew where she was being taken¡ªfaculty wing, the headmistress¡¯s office. She couldn''t help but feel some sort of fear. ¡®A tripartite?¡¯ That was impossibly rare. She began feeling like she did something wrong to have all this power. As they passed through water groups, Elena yelled to her to meet her outside later. It seemed like it was important. Before she knew it, they were in the corridor of the teacher¡¯s wing. Maya could hear voices in the Headmistress¡¯s office. They barged in, interrupting a heated discussion between her and Daria. ¡°What is it?¡± she snapped at the intruders. ¡°This girl is a tripartite,¡± the supervisor said, pulling her into the office by the wrist. The Headmistress looked at frightened Maya with a confused look. Daria also stood blinking, then searching for a reaction on the Headmistress¡¯s face. ¡°Thank you for bringing her here. You can leave her and go.¡± Chapter 75: Dilemma of a Flame ¡°Yes, Rectoress.¡± The supervisor bowed respectfully and left the Headmistress¡¯s office. Maya sat in a chair, trying to make herself as small as possible, like she was expecting to be punished. The Headmistress glanced at Maya and sighed. She turned to Daria. ¡°How did we miss this?¡± ¡°They must¡¯ve rushed the appraisal.¡± ¡°Then she will have to go through it again,¡± Amanda rubbed her temples as if fighting a nasty headache. ¡°I want them to do their job accordingly, or I will have to do some cleaning. I want a complete record, stating her powers for good.¡± The Headmistress was frustrated by the incompetence of her staff. ¡°This kind of mistake hasn¡¯t happened before. It¡¯s making us look bad, Daria. Fix it,¡± she ordered and sat down in her big office chair. She was clearly in a bad mood. Her eyes looked at Maya¡¯s scared expression as if she had forgotten she was there, and then she smiled at her kindly realizing she was being harsh. The Headmistress stood up again. ¡°I¡¯ll go see to it.¡± The Headmistress quickly left the office. Maya was confused. Did she leave Daria in charge? She looked at Daria for some kind of confirmation, but she already had a phone to her ear. ¡°Wait here,¡± Daria said before she exited the office as well. Maya was now sitting alone in Amanda¡¯s huge office, confused and worried. Unsure of what to do, she was admiring the artefacts exhibited there, wondering if they had any magical properties. She was just about to get up and take a look at Amanda¡¯s book collection when Anastasia soundlessly walked inside of her view. ¡°Maya¡ª¡± she began. Her expression was concerned and looked like she had something important to say. But the Headmistress walked back into the office and Anastasia was gone. ¡°Alright, Maya. I have booked you for a re-appraisal ritual tomorrow. So we can finally clarify if you are a bipartite or a tripartite, and do everything by the books. I¡¯m sorry for all this inconvenience. Could you explain to me why the air supervisor may think you¡¯re a tripartite?¡± ¡°I had a fight with another student of Air Element. In the heat of the moment the ground shifted. And I think it was me that moved it,¡± Maya admitted. She knew better than to hide the fact that she was in a fight with another student. ¡°You aren¡¯t sure?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know how to manipulate earth.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Amanda furrowed her brows. ¡°Tomorrow, after lunch, you will not go to Elemental Practice. You will stay in the main hall and someone will be sent to pick you up. Understand?¡± ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°You may go now. Get some rest. I will see you tomorrow.¡± ¡°Am I not in trouble?¡± ¡°Why would you be in trouble?¡± ¡°For using magic in a fight.¡± ¡°Sweetheart, if I punished students for using their powers, I wouldn¡¯t be running a school for mages.¡± Her words were reassuring. Although she was in a bad mood today, Maya was glad to see she was still the caring and reasonable woman Maya knew her to be. When she left the office, students were already discharged for the day. Maya rushed straight to her dorm room. Elena wasn¡¯t in sight, but the plank was in its position, suggesting being used. ¡°Maya?¡± it was Leo. She jerked. He always catches her by surprise. ¡°What?¡± He was now unsure how to begin. ¡°What, Leo? Tell me,¡± Maya was impatient. ¡°It¡¯s that ghost girl that avoids me. She told me, to tell you, to meet her in the academy tower.¡± ¡°Anastasia?¡± Maya was confused. ¡°I don¡¯t know her name. But yeah, probably that one.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t tell you her name?¡± Maya realized. ¡°No, Maya. We don''t even talk much. You¡¯re always busy with something.¡± ¡°Oh, sorry. These past few weeks were a little crazy. But I have to go now.¡± ¡°Where? You¡¯re always running off somewhere.¡± ¡°Please, Leo. Don¡¯t give me a hard time about it. My life has been pretty turbulent lately.¡± ¡°I noticed. His name is Adam, right?¡± Maya was just about to step on a plank outside the window but stopped. ¡°That¡¯s not fair.¡±This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡°What is?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t get to criticize me for who I choose to spend my time with. You have no right. I don¡¯t want my every move to be influenced by fear of offending, hurting, or being judged by someone who isn¡¯t even alive!¡± she snapped. His hurt expression made her regret it immediately. He was gone before she got a chance to apologize. What was she doing? She was the only person he had here. He came here because of her and she rejected him. Why does she have to deal with this kind of situation? Why does she have to be the one who has to worry about hurting a dead person¡¯s feelings? Why can¡¯t she be normal, like the rest of them? She decided to suppress this in her mind, for now. She will have to deal with that later. Right now, she had to find out what was going on with Elena. Realizing she was running late when she walked through lush birch groves that separated their secret spot from the plains surrounding the walls, she would never expect the sight that awaited her there. Elena was there as expected, but what was surprising was Sarah keeping her company. ¡°Finally,¡± Elena said. ¡°And what do we need her for?¡± Sarah asked. Elena shushed her. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Maya was confused. ¡°We need to test a theory. Sarah, I need you to show Maya how to use fire.¡± ¡°What?! That¡¯s not what¡­ why would¡ª" Sarah became frustrated. ¡°You told me my hunter wants to meet with me!¡± ¡°Sarah, hunters are dead. You know that,¡± Elena said. ¡°You lied to me to drag me out here?¡± ¡°Like you¡¯d come if I asked you nicely.¡± ¡°You, freaking¡­¡± Sarah was hissing. ¡°Elena. What kind of shenanigans are you up to now?¡± Maya was losing patience. ¡°Isn¡¯t it clear already? I want to check if you can manipulate fire.¡± ¡°Like hell, she can,¡± Sarah curled her lip. ¡°She has Air, Water and Earth. Right now, the odds to have all four elements are bigger than only three.¡± ¡°What kind of stupid logic is that? You suggest that the odds for being a quadripartite, something that was never seen before, are bigger than being a tripartite that is already a rare unicorn.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t have to make sense to you,¡± Elena snarled at her. ¡°I agree with Sarah. That makes no sense whatsoever,¡± Maya said. ¡°Please! Just humour me,¡± Elena begged. ¡°No,¡± Sarah was stubborn. ¡°C¡¯mon. I know you want to know. Do it for Maya.¡± Sarah wasn¡¯t budging to Elena. She looked at Maya to validate how absurd Elena¡¯s idea was. ¡°I guess, it doesn¡¯t hurt to try,¡± Maya said, knowing the fastest way for Elena to drop this is if they go through it. She saw Sarah getting disappointed. ¡°Okay. But you both owe me for this,¡± Sarah surrendered. They stood by the creek and prepared. ¡°Okay. We¡¯re going to try the simplest thing, called holding a flame.¡± Sarah explained the gist of it to Maya, with a hint of her usual condescending tone. Then, she pulled out a lighter and lighted it over her palm. The flame ignited above the palm like she was holding it. Sarah nourished it a bit, so it grew bigger and then was ready to hand it to Maya. Maya joined her palms like Sarah explained and Sarah let it gently slide into Maya¡¯s palms. It stood there, losing its strength and getting smaller and smaller until it dwindled completely. ¡°Of course¡­¡± Elena¡¯s words broke through Sarah¡¯s and Maya¡¯s silent staring at their hands in shock. The flame did die out, but she held it for a moment without Sarah¡¯s assistance. ¡°How?¡± Sarah couldn¡¯t believe it. ¡°That¡¯s so unfair. That¡¯s so unfair!¡± ¡°Maya, I need to talk to you for a moment,¡± Elena ordered. ¡°What¡¯s happening¡­?¡± Maya whispered in denial, while Sarah was throwing a tantrum. ¡°Sarah, I¡¯d appreciate it if you don¡¯t talk to anyone about this. Or I¡¯ll have to mention that you¡¯ve been outside the wall yourself,¡± Elena threatened her. ¡°Fuck you, Elena!¡± Sarah turned away and left. ¡°Do you think she knows her way back alone?¡± Maya was worried. Elena thought Maya had a point, or more likely worried about what Sarah could do in their room unsupervised. They quickly sent Sarah off, then finally caught a moment to talk. ¡°You know what this means?¡± Elena began. ¡°What exactly?¡± ¡°All this¡­ you. Having all four elements, talking to dead spirits including The One Spirit. It couldn¡¯t be clearer,¡± Elena listed the facts. ¡°No. That¡¯s impossible,¡± Maya couldn¡¯t accept it. ¡°You¡¯re that impossible, yet you¡¯re here.¡± ¡°Elena, I can¡¯t be a Spirit bender,¡± Maya fought it. ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Because they don¡¯t exist anymore. The last one was Anastasia and she died centuries ago.¡± ¡°So what¡¯s to say there can be no more? Just because there hasn¡¯t been one, does not mean you aren¡¯t one. C¡¯mon, get it in your head.¡± ¡°Why would there be one now? There wasn¡¯t one for centuries. And now all of a sudden, there is? For what reason?¡± ¡°Who the fuck knows? It¡¯s for you to find out, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°What do I do now? What do I do with this?! I don¡¯t want it.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t just give it away,¡± Elena chuckled. ¡°Everybody¡¯s going to hate me.¡± Maya was having a crisis. She would want this otherwise, to be special. But she somehow felt this held more responsibility than she could cope with. ¡°No. No one will know.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°We won¡¯t tell anybody.¡± ¡°But Sarah knows.¡± ¡°Forget Sarah. She doesn¡¯t know you¡¯re a Prima. She just thinks you¡¯re a freak of nature.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great,¡± Maya was sarcastic. ¡°Look. We can easily deny all of this. We can just claim you''re a tripartite. No one will believe her alone. She can¡¯t prove it. It will only make her sound crazy.¡± ¡°But we can¡¯t keep this a secret. Tomorrow, I¡¯m being sent for trial again. They will know.¡± Elena pondered for a second, rubbing her chin. ¡°You can try to mess with it purposely. And no one will test you for Spirit, so you can keep that a secret if nothing.¡± ¡°I think I should tell Amanda.¡± ¡°No. No, no. She¡¯s the last person you should let know about it.¡± ¡°Why? What do you have against her?¡± ¡°I just don¡¯t trust her.¡± ¡°Why her specifically?¡± ¡°Look, I¡¯ve told you already. Something doesn¡¯t seem right in this story they sell us, and she¡¯s at the top of it all.¡± ¡°I think, it¡¯s just your need for defying authorities.¡± Elena opened her mouth without making a sound, unable to deny the truth. ¡°You should be cautious of her, anyway. You shouldn¡¯t trust people too easily.¡± ¡°But I should trust you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m the last person you should trust,¡± she chuckled. ¡°But I already know all about this, so you don¡¯t have much choice on that part.¡± Elena grinned. Maya stared at her for a moment, then her gaze fell down. This was all a bit too much for Maya to process. She remembered what Leo told her before and began grabbing her jacket. ¡°Where are you going?¡± Elena asked. ¡°I need to clear my head.¡± Chapter 76: Gap Between Destiny On her way to the Academy, Maya realized she was supposed to be working there anyway. She clocked in with her supervisors and sneaked off to the tower. As she ascended the worn, spiralling staircase, the musty scent of ancient wood enveloped her senses. Stopping at the top level, she watched the diminishing light from the horizon that left her in a faint blueish glow. The wind gently howled, whistling through the cracks in the old wooden structure. ¡°You came,¡± Anastasia appeared. ¡°Is it true? I am a Spirit bender?¡± Maya confronted her immediately. Anastasia averted her eyes. ¡°I wished to tell you¡­¡± ¡°But you didn¡¯t. Have you known from the start?¡± ¡°I¡ªI¡ªYou weren¡¯t ready. I¡ªI couldn¡¯t¡­¡± Anastasia was distressed. ¡°What does this mean? What am I supposed to do?¡± Maya was fighting tears. ¡°Save the world.¡± Anastasia¡¯s words felt heavy. It was further highlighted as she seemed to fight an invisible force wanting to cast her into oblivion, to relay this message to Maya. She would disappear and instantly appear in a slightly different spot. Maya chuckled emotionlessly. This felt like she was a protagonist in a story having a wise sage sending her on a vague grandiose mission. But Anastasia was a very old and unstable spirit who lost her life ¡®saving¡¯ witches. Could it be possible that she felt compelled to fulfil her unfinished business although it has already come through, and now wishes to hand over the torch to the next in line? No. Maya wanted answers, not more confusion. ¡°This world? It seems fine to me.¡± What an absurd thing to ask of her. ¡°I¡¯ve been dead for a long time. Things fade. I¡ªI don¡¯t know¡­¡± Anastasia was truly pitiful. ¡°This world wasn¡¯t meant to last. I never built it that way. I was tricked. Betrayed¡­ killed.¡± Her voice became smaller and smaller. She continued to fight the unseen force while she spoke. ¡°Killed!?¡± Maya was shocked to hear this. But somehow, it began to make sense. Maya always thought Anastasia¡¯s re-enactment of death fitted more with being hanged. Just like the persecuted medieval witches were executed. ¡°They have woven it with lies,¡± Anastasia continued. ¡°Stories¡­ It¡¯s not true. It¡¯s not true. Things they tell you, don¡¯t believe them,¡± she grabbed Maya¡¯s shirt, ¡°Don¡¯t trust anyone!¡± Anastasia¡¯s erratic behaviour put Maya in a lot of distress. She wasn¡¯t scared of Anastasia but felt pity for such a great mage to be reduced to this. However, the things she spoke about were world-crushing knowledge that did put her mind into turmoil. At this moment, she didn¡¯t see Anastasia as some omnipotent mage who was in the realm of gods, but as an innocent and exploited young girl who knew too much. And who was concerned about Maya, believing the world was in danger. Maya didn¡¯t want to believe it. If all of this was true, Elena was on the right track. Being dead for a long time must have murked her mind, resulting in her being so unstable. ¡°Things will fall apart,¡± she continued prophesizing, her eyes staring into empty space without focus. ¡°Then¡­ I should inform the Headmistress¡ª¡± ¡°NO ONE!¡± she suddenly bellowed. Maya jumped back. Anastasia was becoming scarier with each minute. It was best to calm her down. ¡°Lady Anastasia, the world isn¡¯t falling apart. There¡¯s nothing wrong.¡± Anastasia looked at her with clarity returning to her eyes. ¡°There¡¯s plenty wrong. But it may not have started yet. I don¡¯t know what will happen. That means you have time,¡± she pondered. ¡°Time for what?¡± ¡°I knew it would happen. I took precautions. I left clues for my successor to be able to rectify it. I must have. I had to. I¡ªI definitely did.¡± It was saddening to think how much suffering Anastasia went through. She could no longer remember events of her past clearly, but the urgency in her voice was convincing. The world must truly be in danger. ¡°I¡ªI knew you would come. I hoped¡­ I am sorry, Maya. The world has changed so much. I didn¡¯t count on still being around. Souls have a fleeting existence and erosion works its way. I know I am useless, but please¡­¡± Anastasia had a painful expression as if she was somewhat embarrassed. She took a deep breath and regained her composure.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. ¡°I know it is selfish of me to ask, and I hate to place this burden on you ¡ª I truly do ¡ª but you are the only one who is capable of rectifying my past mistakes. I have no other means to right my wrongs, so I am kindly asking you to save the world I have ruined on my behalf.¡± ¡°Anastasia¡­¡± ¡°I won¡¯t force it on you. You may take time to think about this. But, Maya, I want to tell you that it means a lot to me that I have found you. And I wish for you to live.¡± She was sincere. Maya felt a tear roll down her cheek. Not even realizing she felt so much for Anastasia that her tears flowed out of their own accord. It was difficult to comprehend her request, but Maya had a gnawing feeling she wouldn¡¯t be able to refuse. ¡°I can¡¯t properly reward you if you agree, but I will be there with you, assisting in any way I can. I¡¯ll try¡­¡± To Maya¡¯s surprise, Anastasia brushed her cheek with her palm and affectionately wiped Maya¡¯s tears. ¡°I know it may be difficult to understand as I am so unreliable, but some truths can¡¯t disappear over time. I am helpless in this form, but I promise I will make you strong,¡± she spoke as she held Maya¡¯s face. Somehow, Anastasia now felt more tangible and stable. Through her touch, Maya felt the air of familial bond they were forming. ¡°Although I am unable to provide you much, I have something for you.¡± Anastasia turned Maya¡¯s head upward, until her eyes landed on something pinned to a wooden beam, gently swaying in the draft. She let her go as Maya reached up for it. It was a necklace, hanging on a rusty old nail. Maya never noticed it before, but she couldn¡¯t say that she was gazing at the rafters when there was a spectacular view opening up from the tower. It was clear it hung there for a long time. It may have not been for centuries, but time had forgotten it at some point. Maya had to jump up, lifting herself with air further to reach it. Tugging to unhook it from the nail, her eyes caught the distance of the ground through the tower opening and shivered. Child of Air or not, she ought to be careful not to carelessly plummet down. ¡°It belonged to me. Now it belongs to you.¡± Anastasia stated as Maya looked at the pendant nesting in her hand. The dusty old golden necklace with a beautiful eight-pointed star pendant hanging from a long chain felt cool to the touch. The chain itself was patched in a couple of places and the metal of it was mismatched with the pendant itself suggesting it wasn''t the original pair. However, the pendant was the most intricate piece of jewellery Maya had ever seen. The four-pointed star with its dainty cut-out floral design and a green sapphire gem in the middle was met with a smaller, onyx-filled four-pointed star rotated in the way that the smaller points were in between the bigger star points, resulting in it looking like an eight-petal flower. Maya glanced at Anastasia. It looked old and handmade, but could Anastasia truly be the owner? ¡°It¡¯s beautiful. But it couldn¡¯t have belonged to you. That was centuries ago. How did it end up here?¡± ¡°It had its course in life. It was passed down and had many different owners after me. Then, it found its way through fate to you.¡± Anastasia looked at Maya with intensity, as if she was struggling to stay in one place, but still smiled gently. ¡°That¡¯s incredible.¡± Maya thought about a piece of jewellery passing through time, like a silent witness to history. ¡°Is this your anchor?¡± Besides the rich history it went through, Maya became hopeful she could finally have an easier way to communicate with Anastasia. If this is her anchor, like the silver rose necklace was for Leo, it does explain why she had a stronger pull from this tower where the pendant silently hung, undiscovered. ¡°Not quite. I¡¯m afraid you won¡¯t be able to use it as you do with that friend of yours, but it can help me find you easier. I left it as a Key for my successor. I don¡¯t remember how to use it, but I am sure it has to serve you in some way.¡± Maya looked down. ¡°How much do you remember?¡± Was it the erosion she mentioned before? Anastasia seemed to have very little knowledge of what this important mission even ensued. ¡°I don¡¯t know much about my past. And my knowledge of magic is only rudimentary. But if we follow the clues I left for you while I was still alive, I¡¯m sure we can figure it out.¡± Of course, it couldn¡¯t be that easy. If Anastasia knew exactly what she needed to do, she wouldn¡¯t be so desperate. She would have most likely done it already. Although Maya was unsure if ghosts can use magic. A sudden thought made Maya glance at Anastasia with a sorrowful gaze. ¡®Her memory loss¡­ I wonder if she did it to herself.¡¯ If she was so paranoid and distrusting, and spells for conjuring spirits like the one Elena tricked Maya with to make her admit seeing ghosts truly existed, it could be possible that she had to prevent her knowledge from falling into the wrong hands. For a mage that could create worlds, it must be plausible she would be able to take such measures. She constructed a path only a Prima could follow and then handicapped herself not to be its undoing. ¡°Maya, no matter what you decide in the end. You can¡¯t let anyone discover you are a Prima. It will put you in danger.¡± ¡°Why? Wouldn¡¯t it be a relief to know someone can save us if the world truly is coming to an end?¡± ¡°People here are living a lie,¡± her voice was stable and calm. ¡°Even the most well-meaning ones are capable of bad things when their beliefs are challenged. You have to be cautious. I can¡¯t protect you from the real world.¡± Anastasia placed her hand on Maya¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I''m sorry for placing this burden on you. I know you didn''t ask for this¡ª" ¡°But I did,¡± Maya interrupted her. Anastasia¡¯s eyebrows furrowed in confusion. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Maya looked away with a hint of shame. ¡°Ever since my parents died, I wanted it to mean something. But just coming here didn¡¯t seem enough. I¡­ wanted something more meaningful. It might be selfish, considering everyone else has suffered as well, but¡­ I called this upon myself¡­¡± Maya didn¡¯t expect Anastasia to say anything to this, but the silence still worried her. When she looked up, she realized she was alone. Somewhat expecting it, Maya sighed. Even knowing Anastasia wasn¡¯t completely in control of it, and that she had lasted miraculously long so far, it still stung in her heart. Alone in the tower as night slowly began to spread where light had faded, she pondered about all of this. Idly playing with the new pendant in her fingers, she couldn¡¯t return to the world having this much on her mind. This was a long day. Even though they argued earlier, there was only one person who could quell the storm inside of her. Before she can confide in him, she needs to rectify the situation. Maya took a deep breath and pressed her palm on the silver necklace. Chapter 77: Why Why Why ¡®What do I know so far?¡¯ At her call, Leo appeared in front of her. His eyes avoided hers. Her last words to him were quite harsh, but he didn¡¯t want to avoid her ¡ª the only person who could acknowledge his existence. Leo must¡¯ve been quite shaken by that encounter with the creature in the woods, and Maya never checked in on him. Has she started taking him for granted? It wasn¡¯t her intention, but it might¡¯ve been the case. ¡°Leo¡­ What I¡¯ve said earlier¡­¡± ¡°I know.¡± They started this adventure together, but Leo was beginning to feel more and more excluded. As the person who was with her through it all, it was disheartening when it seemed she made time for everyone but him. It wasn¡¯t the same if he was just a silent observer. Leo wanted more. Lately, she only talked to him when she needed something in return, and he would find himself burning with jealousy whenever he saw her look at Adam. It felt as if she were being taken away from him. However, no matter how harsh her words were, there was some truth to them. The truth was ¡ª Leo was dead. He should be content just to have a chance to be around her. It was a privilege to graze the world of the living the way he could. Dead were all around them, but only he could affect the living through Maya. But it wasn¡¯t enough. He knew he shouldn¡¯t wish for more, but he did. He didn¡¯t want to be cast aside. ¡°Being a ghost is great. I don¡¯t have to wake up in the morning, style my hair, brush my teeth, or sleep at all¡­ But I can only talk to¡­ you.¡± Maya knew that of course. It was something she didn¡¯t consider at the start. All she wanted was someone to be with her through the fear and anxiety of attempting to change her life. However, she couldn¡¯t keep holding onto ghosts or she would never be able to move past her miserable life. And that was unfair to Leo. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to ignore you¡­ Leo, my life has become very strange. Things are happening to me faster than I can process. I came here wishing to change it because I hated my reality. It seems I have gotten more than I have bargained for.¡± Maya spoke solemnly. Her attention shifted toward the star-shaped pendant in her hand, and she put it around her neck. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t get to pay as much attention to you. I want you to know I appreciate you were still with me. And you are the only person I can fully confide in. Those things still stand even if we don¡¯t talk all the time. You were¡­ still are, and will be the one that keeps me afloat when I am drowning.¡± Leo took in a shaky breath and slightly clenched his fists. Those words meant a lot to him, and he felt a little regretful for putting pressure on her because he knew it was never her intention to make him feel left out. ¡°I am also sorry for giving you a hard time.¡± Maya gave a meek smile at his apology. Her mind was full of thoughts, so reaching an understanding with him, ever so slightly, lessened the burden she was feeling.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°Leo¡­ What do you think of Anastasia?¡± ¡°The ghost that avoids me?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think she¡¯s purposely avoiding you,¡± Maya shrugged. ¡°But answer the question, please.¡± ¡°What can I even say? Although, from what little I caught a glimpse of, you do kind of resemble each other. If I didn¡¯t know any better, I¡¯d guess she was your long-lost aunt, or something¡­¡± ¡°Would you say there¡¯s enough resemblance for me to be her reincarnation?¡± ¡°Huh? Reincarnation?! No, definitely not. You¡¯re clearly different people. How would that work anyway?¡± he scratched his face. They have learned that Primas were a reincarnation of The First Witch, which would suggest Maya was in some part a reincarnation of Anastasia. What if that was the reason Anastasia seems incomplete? If the part of her that was a Prima went to Maya when she was chosen, it would explain her current state. ¡®Primas appear in a time of need,¡¯ they say. A new Prima has appeared, and Anastasia was heralding the world was in need of saving. It all fits. It was the reason Maya couldn¡¯t write off her warnings. Things were still peaceful, but they should expect future disasters. And Maya was in a role of preventing it. She took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. The weight was enormous. Maya had always been envious of protagonists in stories who bravely charged forward with such weights on their shoulders. She had always fantasized about being in such roles, sharing their glory¡­ but it felt heavy. It was difficult to breathe. It was crushing. The pendant around her neck felt like it was pulling her toward the ground. ¡®What makes me qualified? Why me? Was it because of my childish desire to be as great as the characters I read about?¡¯ As she was silently panicking on the inside, she calmly summarized to Leo her conversation with Anastasia and her being a Prima. They had a long conversation. Maya shared the stress it was putting on her, and Leo confessed how isolated he had felt before. For the first time in a while, they talked and confined in each other, rekindling their connection. ?????????? ¡®I am a Prima.¡¯ Such a simple fact carried with it a lot of decisions Maya had to make at once. Although she didn¡¯t give Anastasia an answer, she already felt bound simply by the responsibility of who she was. Anastasia had made it open for Maya to decide, but Maya could infer there wasn¡¯t really a choice. If she were to wash her hands from it, she would still get swept in the disaster incoming. Doing nothing did not mean she wouldn¡¯t suffer from it. Her heart simply wouldn¡¯t let her be a bystander when she knew she could¡¯ve done something about it. Now she needed to consider the warnings. Although, she still didn¡¯t know when or what was going to happen, she needed to prepare and grow stronger as quickly as possible. Both Anastasia and Elena prior, advised her to keep her identity a secret, with Elena going even further to suggest she conceals one of her elements as well. But Maya had a responsibility. If she were to master her powers, she needed help. If the final element wasn¡¯t Fire, she could have afforded to conceal it. The problem was, she wasn¡¯t close enough to anyone of Fire element to entrust them to train her in secret. Sarah would never agree to it. Her mentor Tanya was already too swapped, and Maya didn¡¯t know if she could be trusted. It seems the Headmistress¡¯s old warning still kept Maya wary even though she liked Tanya. Maya went to her Re-appraisal Ritual still mulling over it. It looked nothing like the spectacular dance of elements she experienced the first day. This time she needed to actively participate, and with it, she found it possible to fake it. The test for Fire was similar to the one she did with Sarah. It was only then that Maya finally made a decision. Chapter 78: Quadripartite ¡°This cannot be true. Test her again!¡± The Headmistress¡¯s voice could be heard through the thick hardwood doors of her office. One of her attendants had a difficult time assuring her there were no mistakes made in Maya¡¯s latest Re-appraisal Ritual. Faint voices and partial conversation carried through. Maya was biting her nails, waiting in front of the office to be called in, still wondering if she made the right choice. A prolonged silence inside made her anxious. ¡°¡­have you tested her for the fifth?¡± The Headmistress¡¯s voice finally sounded. ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Amanda, that would be ridiculous?¡± Daria¡¯s voice chimed in. ¡°Do you think Lord of Light has blessed with another Prima after so long?¡± the attendant was astonished. ¡°Ha! Blessed us?¡± The Headmistress¡¯s tone was mordant. ¡°His ¡®blessings¡¯ are yet to come if that were the truth.¡± ¡°It can¡¯t be,¡± Daria reasoned. ¡°Perhaps we only ought to update our Appraisals. Things have gone far diluted with time.¡± ¡°But how could we possibly¡ª¡± ¡°Leave!¡± Amanda cut off the attendant. The attendant exited the office and rushed past Maya without looking back, clearly distressed. By confirming four elements, it was impossible not to raise suspicion. Maya took that risk. As expected, the Headmistress isn¡¯t a foolish woman. She knew the appearance of a Prima was not a good sign for this world. Maya wished she could confide in her guardian, but, as she promised, she wouldn¡¯t reveal her identity until Anastasia was convinced the Headmistress was a reliable woman. Her special ability gave her a lot of anxiety at the beginning when no one ever even indicated something like it ever existed. Maya herself questioned many times if it was all in her head, but it turned out it was a result of her being chosen as a Prima. Since the appearance of the last Prima was centuries ago, not much was known about them or their special ability, supposedly connected to Spirits. No one could guess that it involved being able to communicate with the dead spirits. And even if it was known, just like the attendant was confused by the idea of testing for the Fifth element, it wasn¡¯t like they had a way to confirm Maya could talk to the dead. The veil of mystery was her advantage. As long as she does not reveal it herself, they can only suspect her, but never confirm. Maya didn¡¯t like tricking people, but even the Headmistress reacting like it was a bad thing was a sign that suggested she may not be treated like a ray of hope but rather the messenger of doom. And they were all very aware of how people treated the ones they feared in the past. In the best-case scenario, she could become a pariah. In the worst¡­ Even though it wasn¡¯t particularly chilly in front of the Headmistress¡¯s office, Maya shivered. She could still hear muffled voices inside. It seemed Amanda and Daria were having a heated discussion. ¡°¡­tell me it¡¯s impossible!¡± The Headmistress seemed to be pacing back and forth through the office as her voice would be clearer at times when she was closer to the door. Her tone was serious. ¡°You already know that.¡± ¡°I want you to swear it. Swear on Miko?aj¡¯s soul! If you¡¯re betraying me again¡ª¡± ¡°I swear it! I swear on his soul you won¡¯t let rest, and on all Conquistors¡¯ knowledge, that I did not or could or could have known!¡± Daria was discomposed. ¡°If it were possible, the entire legacy of Mellgrah Witches was flawed¡­¡±This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. ¡°Don¡¯t call them witches.¡± ¡°¡­The one that would know, would be you, Amanda, not me.¡± Maya almost fell out of the chair leaning in to hear better. Leo straightened her out with his hands on her shoulders. Her eyes widened only for a moment because she didn¡¯t realize he was with her. ¡°I can relay what they are speaking if you want,¡± he offered, averting his gaze for some reason. Opening and shutting her mouth ¡ª remembering she shouldn¡¯t talk out loud ¡ª she nodded at him. He could lean on the door without anyone noticing and hear them much better. ¡°Is there any documentation of a quadripartite existing without being a Prima Maga?¡± Leo began to impart what they were talking about inside the office. ¡°Not to my knowledge,¡± he repeated Daria¡¯s answer. ¡°But it¡¯s not like they were keeping reliable records in the dark ages. Exalted Lords! It could¡¯ve gone unnoticed in our times. Remember Tanya Sherman, she almost advanced to the second year before anyone noticed she was of Fire as well.¡± Leo struggled to keep up with quoting them, so he began to summarize. ¡°They are talking about your mentor. The Headmistress has called her ¡®Daria¡¯s mistake¡¯. Apparently, she had some clues, but disregarded them.¡± ¡®What kind of clues would Daria have?¡¯ How would she be held responsible? Maya remembered Daria didn¡¯t know which element had chosen her until she went through Appraisal. Blaming her seemed strange. Now curious, Maya began leaning in again, wishing to hear for herself. Amanda seemed distrustful of her most loyal subordinate because she was requesting files to investigate herself. Even Daria deciding to investigate further in Vetus Orbis didn¡¯t quell her agitation. ¡°Haven¡¯t I proven myself enough?¡± ¡°It didn¡¯t just happen once or twice, Daria! You keep undertaking such stunts at your own convenience!¡± ¡°I only had your benefit in mind.¡± ¡°Ha! Unbelievable. Have I ever benefited? Your latest mistakes even ended up in the same room! And I am supposed to trust you when you are so blatantly undermining me?¡± Having leaned in so close toward the door, Maya almost slipped off the chair. With too much stress on one side of it, the chair shifted and made a loud scraping sound against the stone floor. Leo caught her once again, being the only thing stopping her from crashing into the floor. The voices behind the door stopped. Rapid steps approached the door, and the Headmistress¡¯s sharp eyes snapped to Maya as soon as she opened the door. ¡®Oh, no. Did she realize I listened in?¡¯ ¡°I-I¡­ Sorry¡­ I¡­¡± Maya¡¯s speech was laboured as she stuttered. In that moment as she desperately searched her brain for some explanation to avoid suspicion, because she suspected that things she overheard she definitely wasn¡¯t supposed to, Maya began to hiccup. Her thoughts went to Elena, who would most definitely already have come up with a ridiculous excuse. ¡®Elena¡­ Elena¡­ All she does is sleep in class.¡¯ ¡°Asleep!¡± she blurted out. ¡°I must¡¯ve dozed off. I was so nervous last night that I didn¡¯t get much sleep.¡± ¡°Maya?!¡± The Headmistress¡¯s surprised expression made Maya wonder if they even knew she was waiting in front of the office this whole time. She was definitely told to wait until she was called in, but it seems the attendant never got the chance to inform them before being chased out. ¡°Sorry¡­ I was told to wait here,¡± Maya looked down, showing her deep insecurities. The Headmistress looked at her for a moment longer, then smiled softly and suggested to the inside. ¡°Come in.¡± With a quick glance at Leo, who gave her an encouraging nod, Maya took a deep breath and stepped into the office. The room was filled with an aura of authority, every item meticulously chosen to reflect the Headmistress¡¯s stature. After gesturing with a subtle wave of her chin at Daria to leave, Amanda gestured towards a chair, her face still bearing the kind fa?ade. ¡°Please, Maya, take a seat,¡± she said, her voice softer than before. Maya obeyed, trying to keep her nerves in check. She had to remember her plan, her act. Daria made her way past her, giving her a gentle squeeze on the shoulder in passing. And the door closed behind her, shutting out the comforting presence of Leo who did not follow inside. The reality of the situation sank in. Maya was alone in a room with the Headmistress, a woman who held her fate in her hands. ¡°Now, Maya,¡± Amanda began, her eyes studying the young girl carefully. ¡°I understand that you¡¯ve been through an ordeal. However, we need to discuss the results of your re-appraisal.¡± For a moment, Maya just stared at the Headmistress, her mind racing. This was it, the moment of truth. She had to play her part convincingly, she had to make her believe. Drawing in a deep breath, Maya nodded, ready to put on her best act. ¡°Yes, Headmistress. I¡¯m ready to discuss it,¡± she said, her voice steadier than she felt. And with that, she stepped onto the stage of her own making, ready to play the role that could decide her future. Chapter 79: Stained Utopia ¡°The results are quite remarkable,¡± Amanda continued, observing Maya closely for any signs of awareness. ¡°It appears you¡¯re a quadripartite.¡± Maya forced a look of surprise on her face, ¡°A quadripartite, Headmistress? Should that be possible?¡± Amanda nodded, ¡°It¡¯s extremely rare, Maya. But, it seems you have been gifted with the abilities of all four elements.¡± Maya quietly nodded, squeezing her fists as she sat tensely in the chair. ¡°That sounds¡­ intense.¡± ¡°Quite extraordinary, indeed. It seems Gods have high expectations of you. Perhaps even wish to make you a new cornerstone of our society.¡± The Headmistress¡¯s eyes were steady on Maya. ¡°Uh, oh, I¡­¡± Maya was able to tell Amanda was implying the role of a Prima without stating it out loud. The stress on her shoulders increased. ¡°Perhaps I am looking at our next leader,¡± the Headmistress smiled kindly. ¡°A future Rectoress, or even a Gouverness.¡± ¡°I see, but I¡¯m just a student, Headmistress. I don¡¯t think I¡¯m ready to lead anyone,¡± Maya replied, wishing to mislead Amanda into thinking she was clueless about her newfound status. ¡°It¡¯s not like I¡¯m a spirit-bender or something,¡± Maya laughed nervously. Amanda stared at her for a moment, in her expression almost a noticeable hint of eyebrows raising. However, any hints of it quickly disappeared as if they were never there. ¡®Oh no. Did I mess up?¡¯ ¡°Indeed, you¡¯re still a student, Maya. Worry not. You must be chosen for a reason. We will guide you and help you understand your abilities better,¡± Amanda said, her voice reassuring as she glossed over Maya¡¯s bad joke. ¡°Thank you, Headmistress. I appreciate your support,¡± Maya replied, relieved that she had managed to maintain her innocent fa?ade. She was still unsure if Amanda completely believed her, but for now, she had done her part. ¡°Maya,¡± Amanda continued, ¡°Do you wish to train all four of your elements?¡± ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I?¡± Maya responded, confused. ¡°You do realize it would make things much more difficult for you? You¡¯ll have to put in four times the effort than your peers,¡± Amanda clarified, her gaze scrutinizing. ¡°Do I have to choose?¡± Maya questioned sheepishly, her heart pounding in her chest, ¡°I hope I¡¯ll manage to graduate at least one of them. Doing all four increases my odds, does it not?¡± ¡°In truth, it reduces the likelihood,¡± Amanda replied, her tone neutral as she crossed her arms on her chest. ¡®She must be right. Splitting her attention four ways does increase the difficulty.¡¯ After coming all the way here, Maya didn¡¯t expect she would be given a choice to leave out some of her precious gifts. She was resolved to be sincere in the test in order not to miss a chance to practice her full power. ¡°I don¡¯t want to disappoint the Elements. If they all chose to gift me, I don¡¯t want to choose favourites,¡± Maya answered, giving her best to be assertive. ¡°I understand. You¡¯re taking on a significant challenge and I respect that,¡± Amanda stated, her voice steady and supportive. ¡°Please keep in mind, that you need to graduate at least one of them by the end of the year. I¡¯m committed to assisting you in this process, while maintaining fairness, of course.¡± As she relaxed her posture, the Headmistress pulled out some documents and began filling them in on the spot. She went on, ¡°Because of the additional practice, we¡¯ll adjust your allowance accordingly. This is to account for the work hours you¡¯ll forego for practice. If you run into any issues or difficulties with your new schedule, it¡¯s crucial that you let me know immediately. Understood?¡± Amanda offered, her voice filled with a mix of stern authority and reassurance.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡°Thank you, Headmistress,¡± Maya replied, her voice barely more than a whisper. She had played her part, and for now, it seemed she had managed to deceive Amanda. ¡°Before you leave¡­¡± the Headmistress hesitated. ¡°If you ever notice strange or sudden changes in your powers, please notify me.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Visit me sometime soon. I wish to hear how you are adjusting.¡± After quietly leaving the office, leaving the Headmistress to her work, the weight of their conversation¡ªand all the secrets she had to keep¡ªcaused Maya to break down. Her own incessant overthinking created a suffocating atmosphere. It was like a dance where every wrong step could lead to a disastrous fall. The strain made her suddenly lose all her mental fortitude at the sight of the coast clearing. Maya held it in. At least until she sought refuge in the girls¡¯ bathroom, where, in a moment of weakness, she began sobbing uncontrollably, letting her tears flow freely. In the eyes of everyone, she was a quadripartite, a being capable of manipulating all four elements. It was a rare and daunting ability, one that placed her under the scrutiny of her superiors and peers alike. Amanda and Daria, two of the most influential figures in her life, were now her potential adversaries. Maya struggled with conflicting thoughts. Amanda¡¯s offer of support and assistance, albeit with an undercurrent of suspicion, was a double-edged sword. It offered a ray of hope but also served as a reminder of the tight leash she was on. Before overhearing the conversation earlier, Maya wished to confide in Amanda. Now she feared being a Prima would not be seen as something positive. ¡®What a hypocrite I am!¡¯ Under Elena¡¯s harsh criticism, Maya always played Amanda¡¯s advocate. However, it seems Maya couldn¡¯t bring herself to trust the headmistress when it truly mattered, letting the fear get the best of her. Come to think of it, with Elena being privy to her secrets, Maya could no longer risk getting on her bad side. With a single malicious streak, Elena could be Maya¡¯s complete undoing. Maya cared about her, but even she was wise to tread carefully considering Elena¡¯s unpredictable nature. In the turn of events, Maya was forced to play a dangerous game of trust. When did she become someone who constantly walks the tightrope of deception? It wasn¡¯t long ago she chose her own integrity over gain when she was made to choose a girl¡¯s fate. And now it was rendered meaningless. As the tears flowed, she knew she had to remain strong, not just for herself but for everyone who depended on her. But in truth, Maya was desperate. Crushed under her overflowing feelings about her new role and inability to confide in her friends due to the nature of having to keep secrets, having to trust a fickle person to stay true to their vague deal, and reluctance to bother Leo who seems unable to understand the nature of her struggles¡ªMaya was left feeling alone. ¡°Maya, are you okay?¡± Leo¡¯s unexpected voice made her tumble and almost fall back. He was standing right in front of her, bending down to be closer to her eye level. ¡®When did he get here?!¡¯ ¡°I¡¯ve told you. Bathrooms are off-limits for you!¡± she snapped at him. ¡°I just wanted to see if you¡¯re okay,¡± he said defensively, raising his palms. ¡°I¡¯m not okay! There is a reason why I went in here,¡± Maya was frustrated. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ I was just worried,¡± Leo stumbled over his words, concerned but now ashamed. ¡°Hello!¡± Suddenly, Adam¡¯s voice echoed in the hallway, causing Maya¡¯s heart to skip a beat. ¡°Maya, are you in there?¡± Maya quickly dashed away her tears and suppressed her sobs, considering whether to stay silent. Instead, she called out, trying to sound composed, ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll be right out!¡± ¡°Sorry. I saw you running and thought you might be¡ª¡± As she emerged from the bathroom, Adam¡¯s gaze fell upon her tear-streaked face. ¡°¡­distressed,¡± he finished, his eyes filled with concern. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Everything and nothing. I don¡¯t know how to handle all this,¡± she confessed. ¡°What exactly is ¡®all this¡¯?¡± he probed gently. ¡°I¡¯m a quadripartite,¡± she revealed. ¡°That¡¯s amazing! Why are you upset about it?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. Everyone already seems to dislike me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s simply not true, Maya.¡± ¡°Remember Burcu yesterday. Havens, she even lashed out at you because of me.¡± Adam shrugged. ¡°Don¡¯t mind her. No one achieves greatness without a few haters.¡± She managed a smile at his words. ¡°Thanks, Adam.¡± They shared a tender moment, his fingers brushing her hair. A spark of romance was in the air, albeit in a less-than-ideal location. An absurd thought of having her first kiss in front of the girl¡¯s bathroom crossed her mind. ¡°This is really romantic,¡± she remarked sarcastically. He chuckled. ¡°Let me take you somewhere more romantic.¡± ¡°Now?¡± her heart accelerated. ¡°No, on Saturday. Like a proper date.¡± She smiled, ¡°Alright. See you then.¡± Maya gave him a quick peck on the cheek and left him standing there. Her face had a crooked smile. The emotional roller coaster was mentally draining, but for now, Adam was her glimmer of hope, a beacon in the storm. Chapter 80: Glitter of False Oasis Returning to her room, more awaited Maya than she had bargained for. Right in the centre of their room stood a completely naked man, posing for a painting, holding only a flower to hide his crotch¡ªbut not from this angle¡ªwhile Elena was hidden behind an easel, sketching on a canvas. He was as surprised by her as she was by him, and he quickly stumbled over to cover himself with something. Maya blinked, her brain struggling to process the unexpected scene. It took a moment for the shock to register, and when it did, her eyes widened, and she let out a strangled noise that was a curious mix between a gasp and a stifled scream, while quickly turning away in embarrassment. ¡°Did I tell you that you could move, Andersen!?¡± Elena was furious. ¡°B¡ªbut. You didn¡¯t tell me someone was going to barge right in.¡± He managed to grab a piece of clothing to hide his private parts, red with embarrassment. Maya stood frozen in confusion, unsure how to react. Should she leave the room? It was her room. She just wanted to get to her bed and hide from the world. Where should she go now? ¡°S-sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to intrude,¡± she said, mortified. Maya finally got her brain to loosen up and made her way to the door. ¡°You¡¯re not intruding. And why are you so shy all of a sudden, Anderson? People are going to see it anyway. Isn¡¯t that the whole point? Unless Beth is just displaying it in her closet,¡± Elena amused herself. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t expect her to display it in a museum for the whole nation to see.¡± ¡°Relax. It¡¯s just my roommate.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll just leave you to it,¡± Maya was still trying to get out of the room. ¡°Don¡¯t bother. He has already ruined it. We¡¯ll continue this session another time. I need to redo the whole flower part to make his¡­ ahem¡­ look bigger.¡± ¡°HEY!¡± ¡°I¡¯m joking. But get dressed and get lost. We¡¯re done for the day.¡± Maya stood there with her back turned until the guy had dressed and left. Then she finally turned her attention back to Elena, who was finishing up. ¡°I want you to warn me about things like this before they happen.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be so stiff. It¡¯s nothing you haven¡¯t seen before.¡± Maya remained silent. ¡°Oh,¡± Elena realised what the silence meant. ¡°Then you¡¯re welcome¡­?¡± she said, unsure if seeing a naked man would be considered a treat. ¡°Why is this even a thing I can come home to and walk in on?¡± ¡°He¡¯s paying me to paint him a portrait for his girlfriend.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll be over the moon, knowing that you had to stare at him naked for hours in order to make it.¡± ¡°Well, he¡¯s not paying me to be a relationship advisor,¡± Elena laughed. ¡°Telling him that this is equivalent to sending her an expensive dick-pic wouldn¡¯t work in my favour.¡± ¡°And that¡¯s the most important thing,¡± Maya criticised her. ¡°So, how was it?¡± Elena changed the subject. ¡°I avoided suspicion, for now. I think¡­¡± ¡°Are you a quadripartite or tripartite, in the end?¡± ¡°All four.¡± ¡°Damn it.¡± ¡°I chose all four.¡± ¡°Why? Two¡¯s already too many.¡± ¡°Because I have to. I¡¯m chosen. I can¡¯t neglect my powers.¡± ¡°You talk about them as if they were your children,¡± Elena said jokingly. ¡°Very funny,¡± Maya wasn¡¯t amused. She sat down on her bed, exhausted. ¡°There¡¯s an old conflict between Amanda and Daria. I overheard it. And I think Amanda has a growing distrust of Daria,¡± Maya only said it because it sounded like it was about Elena. ¡°And I¡¯m pretty sure Amanda labelled you as one of Daria¡¯s mistakes. Overlooking my powers was the other.¡± ¡°No surprise there,¡± Elena snorted. ¡°Man, that woman threw an eternal hate on me.¡±A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. ¡°Don¡¯t you wonder why?¡± ¡°I know why. I¡¯m a troublemaker,¡± Elena said snippily. ¡°I bring disorder to her perfect little utopia. I¡¯m not afraid of her intimidation. There are enough reasons for her to pick and choose as to why she hates me¡­ And blaming it on Daria seems so typical of her.¡± Elena looked at her easel with a dissatisfied expression on her face. Painting vanity portraits didn¡¯t seem to be her favourite thing in the world. ¡°Why do you take commissions? Shouldn¡¯t a real artist paint what they want, and people would buy their art in a gallery?¡± Maya asked, changing the subject and responding to the look on her face. ¡°If I painted what I wanted, no one would be interested in my art.¡± ???????? In a distant corner of the world, a solitary figure walked through the squalid lanes of a forsaken town. Layers of grime clung to every fa?ade, painting the buildings in hues of gloom and decay. Here, the sun rarely dared to cast its feeble light, and the air itself seemed to mourn the loss of clarity. Even though there should still be some daylight left, it was unable to penetrate the thick shroud of pollution that draped the air, leaving the streets below stuck in perpetual twilight of ambient light. The air was so laden with filth that even the feeble glow of street lamps failed to stave off the encroaching shadows. Any passenger would only appear as a featureless shadowy form that flickers into existence and is quickly erased, merging back seamlessly with the oppressive darkness. All while the feeling of desolation continues to press down on your soul, and the musty and heavy air smothers your every breath. And there came such a figure in the man¡¯s path. One brazen enough to let its unsteady outline fully form, and its lips sneering at his presence. The creature had the form of a man and had deemed him an unwanted visitor. Such creatures don¡¯t hesitate to spill blood. Neither does he. Steel sang swiftly, and another layer of visceral liquid spilt on the filthy stone pavement, being slowly washed away by the equally disgusting condensate of the ever-present mist. The man wiped his sword on a cloth, returning it to his hip before he continued down his path. At one point he stopped in front of one of the rundown habitats of the slums, built with such disregard for the building code it was a miracle to still be standing. Buildings here take up any available space. It wasn¡¯t like much else could take their space but each other. Even moss refused to grow here. Pausing to read the barely discernible letters on a wooden plate, he concluded this was the right place. As he entered the small, scanty shop, a man behind a clutter-overtaken counter met him with a lazy look, still chewing on the gummy unappetizing dinner in front of him. Neither spoke. The man behind the counter took his time, slowly finishing the leftovers in his mouth while staring at the young man who had just entered his shop. ¡°Aren¡¯t you a rare sight,¡± he said cleaning his yellow teeth with his tongue. ¡°How can I help you?¡± The young man placed an attestation claiming certain stock was in this store¡¯s possession. It could¡¯ve been dismissed as a ridiculous prank, but the owner, the man behind the counter himself, had written and signed it. ¡°You claimed to have a page, unprocessed, and outside of mainstream circulation,¡± he tapped at the worn-out piece of paper that still clearly showed the text. The shop owner lazily tossed an eye at the document presented, then looked back at the young man¡¯s face. ¡°Are you one of the cultists?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you the cultist one here?¡± The owner chuckled. ¡°Maybe I have it, maybe I don¡¯t. What¡¯s it to you?¡± ¡°I will purchase it.¡± ¡°Ha! Purchase? Shouldn¡¯t someone like you have a different business here? Your duties were long overdue. Filth on these streets has grown roots. So much so that I¡¯ll trust them over a man like you.¡± The old man scorned him. The young man stayed silent. ¡°But I know you will just toss Tetras at me and flee if I authorize this transaction.¡± The young man stared for long with an impassive gaze, a faint flicker of discontent hidden behind his eyes, before slowly speaking out, ¡°I can also not ask nicely.¡± ¡°And what? You¡¯ll clean me up like you did that fiend outside?¡± the old man wasn¡¯t swayed. ¡°Do you think a local like me is easily intimidated? Well, if you get rid of me you still won¡¯t be able to find what you are searching for.¡± ¡°Just name your price,¡± the young man¡¯s languid gaze pierced the shop owner with his pale grey eyes. ¡°Listen here, lad. There isn¡¯t a shop here willing to serve your kind. I know you lost a lot, but we out here were always on our own and forsaken by you. In here you¡¯re just an exotic beast. And we got a lot of those.¡± His dark eyebrows furrowed. ¡°What can I do to win your trust? I¡¯m quite capable.¡± ¡°Ha! Stop kidding around and scram. One look at you, one glint of your steel, and someone will be tempted to stab a knife into your spine, and not just the bloodsuckers. Doing business with you paints a target on my back. Don¡¯t you realize that you have already stepped on some toes, just walking here? Out here even those fiends have their use. They are a domestic species. You shouldn¡¯t walk around these streets with such a twitchy sword hand.¡± ¡°I told you already; I am capable.¡± ¡°No one is capable in their sleep.¡± The young lad looked away. One glance at the bag under his eyes, which stained an otherwise handsome face, and you could tell sleep wasn¡¯t something he practised sufficiently enough. ¡°Tell me, why are you so insistent on this? The page isn¡¯t going to bring your brethren back. Although it is forbidden magic, no one has succeeded in even grazing the content of the page.¡± ¡°I am not interested in the spell.¡± ¡°Then why would you come all the way here?¡± ¡°I need it to complete a picture.¡± ¡°Complete a picture? What picture?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll know when I complete it.¡± The older man laughed. ¡°Hoh¡­ I like you. But I don¡¯t want to deal with your corpse. Leave, boy, before I chase you out with a broom.¡± Chapter 81: Amellan Relay Race Unlike first-year students who were just getting a grasp on their elemental powers, the second-year course is full of activities and challenges organized for students to prove their powers. There were a couple of main events held throughout the year, and the first one, highly anticipated, was just in time. It was the Amellan Relay Race. Unlike Tachde-tu which was a professional sport and has national competitions against other academies, those events were held locally in place of second-year mid-terms and would gain traction from many academy students. It was normal for freshmen students to watch from the audience at the main event. Smaller relay races have been held at academy grounds during second-year practical classes for the past weeks, but now was the time for the final showdown between the best teams. The position of victors was highly desired and came with perks and rewards. For ambitious student looking to make themselves renowned, it was crucial to secure their position in the finale. As they were the best of the best, the scale of the final course was too big and complex to be executed at the academy grounds. Luckily, there was plenty of space outside the walls and the grounds for the event have been prepared. ¡°Which part of the course are we going to watch?¡± Isaac asked, excitement evident in his voice as their squad was making their way toward the audience grounds. The race was long, stretching through different terrain defined by the wilderness outside of Amellan walls. Not to mention the conditions for each element¡¯s course differed largely. It was impossible to encompass it all from a single audience point. To address this, the organizers have strategically set up different audience spots throughout the course. Each spot offers a specific perspective on a particular elemental course. The downside was that students had to choose which part of the race were they going to spectate. ¡°We¡¯re going to be right by the water element section,¡± Andrea replied, her eyes gleaming with anticipation. ¡°We have to support Keith, he¡¯s Elena¡¯s boyfriend after all.¡± Maya gave a quick glance at Elena, expecting her to agree. However, Elena¡¯s expression was blank like she didn¡¯t even think or care about it. ¡°Sure,¡± Elena¡¯s response lacked enthusiasm. ¡°But I was more interested in the air course,¡± Isaac interjected. ¡°Adam¡¯s friends are going that way¡­¡± ¡°Isaac, no offence, but you need to stop following Adam around like a lost puppy. Don¡¯t you want to see what your elemental seniors are capable of?¡± Andrea was adamant. ¡°Besides, their main obstacle is running on water. On water I say! Isn¡¯t that insane!¡± Andrea exclaimed. She was deeply impressed by such a concept as a ground-bound child of earth element. Linda patted dejected Isaac on the shoulder and they continued following the group that was headed in the water course direction accompanied by guards. Andrea was chirping about which¡¯s and what¡¯s the entire way so it didn¡¯t feel long. The atmosphere was buzzing with excitement as students chattered with anticipation. It appears that this audience section garnered considerable attention, with Keith emerging as one of the favourite candidates. His popularity at the academy was undeniable. Reaching the site, the stalwart audience stands showed themselves before them. Stone seats were cut into the side of a hill, resembling those found in an ancient theatre. They overlooked a lake that served as the main stage for the water course of the Amellan Relay Race. Maya found herself impressed by the structure itself. Every now and then, she couldn¡¯t help but acknowledge that this world was one of magic, and such remarkable structures were beyond attainable in the modern world. Teams with multiple members participate in the race, and each section of the course presents challenges tailored to specific elements. At every stage, team members faced elemental tasks before passing the baton to their next teammate. For example: The Fire section involved igniting a series of torches while navigating challenging terrain. It required teams to light a certain number of torches using the most efficient route possible. The catch was that they couldn¡¯t light already used torches, so their route depended on getting close enough to them to light them and the choice of ones that weren¡¯t lit by the participants that ran there quicker. It required quick thinking and strategic decision-making to determine the optimal path and ensure a quick and successful completion of the task. The Air section interested Maya the most. It required contestants to navigate a complex maze suspended in the air using nothing but their agility and control over the wind. The maze was made out of tall pillars, suspended ropes and swaying platforms that required careful balance and quick thinking. Only after successful completion were you able to pass the baton to the next contestant.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. At the end of the Water section, there was a container that needed to be filled up with water by each participant of this segment to pass further. It may seem simple but it was further from it. To get to the container, there was a small lake in the way. Going around it would be a considerable loss of time. The best route was to run across the lake. A daunting task even for the Children of Water. Not to mention your opponents may attempt to disrupt you in order to get an advantage, and you need to bring enough water with you to fill the container in the fastest and most efficient way. Finally, the Earth section featured artificially constructed earth walls lined up one after the other. The only way through was to break straight through them, testing contestants¡¯ physical strength and endurance if brute force was used, or their recognition and strategic thinking if they searched for weak points in the walls to plan their path accordingly. A smarter approach involved uncovering hidden pathways within dirt walls with varying density segments that required skilful manoeuvring based on rock hardness levels. The squad sat at the forest¡¯s edge near the lake supporting Keith during his leg of the relay. For safety reasons, they watched through binoculars since he was quite far away on track. Unfortunately, they only had two pairs so Maya and Andrea, as well as Linda and Isaac, interchanged one pair between them, while Elena opted to rely on her eyes. One could mistake her for being considerate, but it may only been a way to hide the lack of her interest. Despite facing intense pressure from opponents aiming for him, Keith strived to maintain Tachde-tu team¡¯s reputation for skilled members. As Keith gracefully navigated the challenges unique to the water course, it became evident that he was in his element¡ªliterally. His movements were fluid, mirroring the undulating waves of the lake beneath him. Each step on the water¡¯s surface displayed his control over the liquid element, and the audience watched in awe as he demonstrated the finesse of a true Child of Water. ¡°Did you see the artefacts that they will reward?¡± Andrea asked while the audience was at the edge of their seats. ¡°Uh-huh,¡± replied Maya, her eyes fixed on Keith¡¯s progress. ¡°Honestly, I wish I was at the top to rack merits and buy fancy artefacts. It¡¯s already midterm and I only have a couple of common merits,¡± she said with concern. ¡°I worry about flunking the midterms and losing the few I have.¡± ¡°How do you know how many you got?¡± Maya asked as she handed the binoculars to Andrea for her turn. Merits were a system included at the academy, but Maya was embarrassed to say she didn¡¯t know much about it. Mainly because it was explained to them at the start of the trimester when Maya suffered an information overload. The gist she got was that students are rewarded with merit points for various things. Such as academic success, club participation, special achievements and other deeds that benefit the academy. The most important fact was that it was the only way to acquire magical artefacts. And they were quite tempting, encouraging students to always give their very best. In that department, Keith was Maya¡¯s role model. She too had been dreaming of winning various artefacts, and as someone academically competitive, she strived for the top spots. The only flaw was that she was now bearing four times the load of an average student for the practical course. ¡°They list it at the end of each term. But You can ask at the student association. Your payment index is influenced by it so they got to know your current status,¡± Andrea clarified, while clenching her seat at the race finale. Give it to Andrea to always be informed on such matters. She was a darling to have around due to always knowing such trivial information, or knowing someone who would know. ¡®Oh, so when Amanda said she¡¯ll adjust my pay she must¡¯ve done it through the merit system. I probably have more undeserved merits than my friends.¡¯ The water section soon came to an end. Students jumped up to cheer ecstatically at Keith¡¯s close win, managing to overturn his rival at the mere end. While the atmosphere bubbled around her, Maya was still occupied with her thoughts. Come to think of it, the merit system seems fair on the outside, but were there any measures in place that prevent superiors from manipulating it in favour of fond individuals, or against ones they particularly don¡¯t like? If it affects your income in real time, Maya wondered how many merits Elena has. Can they go into negative? Although, her financial struggles attest to the cost of feeding her addiction. Was she at the Headmistress¡¯s mercy? ¡®I don¡¯t think Amanda would be so impartial to play it like that. Elena has been misbehaving enough to lose merits all on her own.¡¯ Perhaps the conditions were much clearer than Maya¡¯s current knowledge. Although, she did wonder how lucrative it was to be a council member. They could not only recommend students for receiving merits but also receive them for their effort to run the academy. The top academy clubs must be racking points, as well¡­ The atmosphere at the stands was settling down as the contestants left to join the audience on the next course. The race didn¡¯t stop with them and the baton of excitement was handed over to the earth course audience somewhere outside of their sight. Here, many students piled up around air contestants who joined here to hear their impressions. A gust of wind whispered through the trees, causing Maya to shiver involuntarily. She suddenly stood up, tensing up under a strange sense of foreboding. Looking around stiffly, she was trying to discern the source of her unease. Suddenly, Leo¡¯s voice cut through the quiet, his expression grave. ¡°It¡¯s back!¡± Chills went down her spine. The rabid beast they had almost encountered before was approaching them. No one was yet aware of the danger. Chapter 82: Gods’ Wrath Deciding not to report the appearance of the corrupted creature to the authorities earlier came back to bite her. This time they were far from the walls and exposed. Countless thoughts passed through her mind and Maya realized she had to quickly warn the others before it was too late. Maya gave Elena a sudden meaningful look, which she was quick to interpret from Maya¡¯s stiff expression as if she were able to read her thoughts. Her eyes widened and her body had taken a ready mode for signs of any incoming danger. Linda seemed to pick on their interaction. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± But there was no need to answer as a sudden wave of apprehension spread through the crowd. ¡°What in gods¡¯ name is that?¡± someone said, pointing in the distance. Both Maya and Elena jumped at binoculars in their squad¡¯s possession. Naturally, they were curious about the appearance of something they nearly encountered before. Parallel to the stand, in the distance, a ferocious creature was charging at them with great speed. The beast resembled an overgrown, mutated stag, with damaged antlers tangled in vines and branches it picked up on its way here. The loud cheers of the audience carried through the forest must¡¯ve drawn its attention. Maya flinched at the sight of it and tried to focus a little better. Everything about it was wrong, and her gut was twisting in a knot while her hands shook in fear it invoked. Its snout was covered in blood as if it were a carnivorous bloodthirsty beast that had just slaughtered its own herd. It was exuding an aura of a mad demonic beast that was rushing straight toward them with pure unadulterated intent to kill every living thing on its path. Its dirty and battered hide was full of scars and damages it sustained as if it had travelled a long distance fuelled by nothing but desire to kill. The binoculars were snatched from Maya¡¯s hand by Andrea, but Maya didn¡¯t dwell on it, looking around to asses their standings. Right around them were mostly freshmen students in a panicked state reacting to the approaching doom. As she herself didn¡¯t have a clue of how to deal with this crisis, Maya didn¡¯t expect them to know either. Their only hope was guards tasked to escort them here, but since they weren¡¯t anticipating any threats during daytime, and were sent out just as a formality, their capabilities were unclear. Not to mention there weren¡¯t enough of them to protect this number of students even if they could do something with the batons and long knives they were armed with. The only senior, more experienced students were a few sophomore students who came to support their close friends in the race and the contestants of the air course who were already exhausted from participating in the competition. If a year of seniority gave them more of an edge over the freshman students, Maya was sceptical. Also, phone service didn¡¯t work this far outside of the walls, so quickly calling for help wasn¡¯t an option. Their surroundings didn¡¯t work in their favour either. If they don¡¯t act quickly, soon they will get trapped in place, as the hill face the audience was cut into was too steep and tall to freely climb, The only direction they could move was toward the danger. ¡°What do we do? What do we do, Elena?¡± Maya was panicking. It was the first time she felt responsible for so many lives. Considering she didn¡¯t report the threat at the right time, they were forced to react to it without contingencies. The threat level was unclear, as it was something they hadn¡¯t encountered before, but Maya¡¯s gut was warning her that this creature could chew through a number of them in an instant. Her conscience burned. She was painfully aware of her own powerlessness. Her priority was her friends, but she wasn¡¯t ready to bear the responsibility of anyone getting hurt because of her error. As a Prima, she had to vow to do better in the future. Before anyone could arrange their thoughts, the harrowing messenger of doom was nigh. It charged at panicking students who vacated their seats, trying to evacuate. Maya watched in horror, anticipating a gory scene as the student first in line braced for their demise.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. But something darted in front of the beast, drawing its attention away from the poor student. It was one of the air contestants who used her air manipulation for speed. She yelled out something and Maya realized all of the other contestants grouped in a formation. And in an instant, a strategy was formed. The contestants divided into two groups. One group was to use their superior mobility gifted by their element to quickly get back to the academy and the other stands¡ªto warn of danger and seek help, while the other group, using the same mobility, was tasked with the arduous task of stalling for time, distracting the beast and keep it occupied chasing them and not focus on trapped freshmen students guarded by guards. Although they managed to somehow organize themselves, it was hard to quell the students already overtaken by panic and chaos. The students that had already managed to leave the stand and scattered were now in the most dire situation as they weren¡¯t as quick or as skilled to get out of the way and were free for the beast to pick from. Air students did their best, but the creature would still sweep through the students like a freight train, severely injuring anyone who didn¡¯t get away in the nick of time. The students left on the stand, including Maya and her friends, all grouped together in order to make it easier for the air seniors to defend them. Many students who managed to get away decided to run for the other stands despite not knowing the terrain or their exact location without an escort. Maya was astonished by the bravery of the senior students willing to face the danger in order to protect their juniors. They did it at a great risk to themselves. Clearly, no one present had known how the beast would behave, or what it was capable of. But it seems its strength and speed were superior to them. With its explosively fast movements, even getting caught in the wind would cause an injury or disruption of balance crucial for them to get away in time. Not to mention its unnatural size that surpassed a moose. One wrong move would be their demise, and a direct hit meant instant death. The only upside was that it appeared mindless, wishing to tear into a target closest to it, allowing them to cleverly utilize a strategy and interchange between them to shift its focus. Although successful so far, it was a race against time. Already exhausted contestants were on their last legs, desperately bearing through pain and injuries to keep moving. And then, as if adding an insult to injury, the creature stopped in place, disrupting the flow of their air dance. A black smoke taking the shape of dozens of tentacles spread from its body in a sinisterly unreal display. Then they whipped through the air as if controlled by the creature, lashing at anything nearby. The strange attack rotted anything it touched in an instant that it was hard to believe their eyes. Seniors were caught off guard, and some of them were severely injured being too close at the wrong time. The smoke-like thing dissipated as suddenly as it appeared, but it left everyone even more terrified and hesitant to act. It had strange and unnatural power. Something their minds couldn¡¯t even wrap around. The girl who instigated their strategy yelled at everyone to get themselves together, forcing them to continue. Desperation was evident in her voice. If they lose morale right now, everyone will be in danger. Soon, the creature won¡¯t be the only danger as the night was approaching. It was clear the situation was becoming increasingly dire with each moment. Help wasn¡¯t in sight and when the play of air ultimately falls short, Maya and all other students in the audience will be sitting ducks. Someone had to do something. Turning back to her friends, Maya flinched, seeing Anastasia standing right beside her. She blended in so naturally that, if Maya didn¡¯t know she was dead, she would mistake her for one of the students. ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it,¡± her voice was stern. ¡°We have to do something. It is only one, and we are many,¡± Maya extended the expression of her opinion to the rest of her friends. Naturally, she wished she could help. The only reason she didn¡¯t step up already was because she didn¡¯t trust enough in her own skill to keep herself out of harm¡¯s way. Her friends, all except Elena who readily nodded, were hesitant, but Anastasia didn¡¯t hold back, warding her against anything that would put her in danger. ¡°You must survive even if others are hurt in your place!¡± Maya was horrified by that statement. Despite understanding where Anastasia was coming from, Maya couldn¡¯t just sit still. Especially because it did not guarantee they would stay safe. Maya gathered four of her friends in a circle, discussing a plan she devised. After all parts were put in place, they exchanged looks with their pale faces, but all nodded in agreement. Maya took a deep breath. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Chapter 83: Play Against Wisfira The seniors, running on fumes, were nearing the end of their stamina. Their breaths laboured, desperate to maintain the elements at their command. ¡®We have to buy them a second to catch their breaths.¡¯ Pushing through the confused students and guards attempting to maintain order, Maya couldn¡¯t ignore the creature¡¯s frightening moves up close. It wasn¡¯t just her hesitation; her friends mirrored the same uncertainty. A glance at each friend, a shared nod of encouragement¡ªMaya, as the leader, pressed on, concealing any hint of wavering. Taking their pre-assigned positions, they prepared. For their opening act, Maya¡¯s task will be the hardest. ¡®I may be clumsy, but I am nimble in air.¡¯ Maya took a deep breath, her eyes narrowing in focus as she prepared to lure the creature away. Catching its attention won¡¯t be difficult, but staying out of its reach will be the most daunting. She tapped into her powers, feeling the air at her fingertips, as if announcing to her element she was going to need its help. Maya prepared her fastest forms and began, darting straight into the field where the creature juggled between senior students. Surprise rippled through the onlookers. She stole its attention. Its predatory eyes locked onto Maya, and with a ferocious snarl, it charged towards her. Paralyzing fear gripped her. Maya couldn¡¯t dwell on the consequences. There was no other choice but to face it head-on, now. Riddled with self-doubt, she pressed on. Fuelled by a mix of determination and unease, Maya unleashed her air-mage prowess in a display of dynamic manoeuvres. Her movements weren¡¯t as clean-cut and elegant as her seniors¡¯ but they got the job done. Her evasive dance resembled a ballet of desperate and uncertain moves. Though nimble, it betrayed a sense of internal conflict as she second-guessed every twist and turn. Learning first-hand why the seniors persevered despite its superior speed helped her to believe there was hope. The key factor was agility. The creature was fast, but it wasn¡¯t as nimble. It was difficult for it to change its direction. Its giant antlers were still a great risk factor. With its long reach, all it needed was to whip its head and catch you by surprise when you thought you were out of danger. Maya had almost gotten caught in them, escaping only by the hair¡¯s length. However, her task was done for now. All she needed to do was buy some time and direct it. Her friends have taken their positions. As Maya led the creature away, her nimble movements guided by the air, she shot a quick glance at Linda. Her expression may have not shown anything but her desperation, but Linda understood it was her cue. Linda nodded. In the next moment, thorns erupted from the ground and newly-emerged vines snaked towards the creature. Linda unleashed a force of nature itself. As the creature barrelled forward, Linda seized her opportunity. Her hands moved with practiced precision, coaxing thorns and vines from the earth beneath her. The vegetation snapped toward the creature, ensnaring its long limbs, aiming to restrict its movement. Maya¡¯s eyes widened, and she almost lost her balance in a crucial moment. Linda¡¯s task was to buy her a precious moment, but she did not expect it to come in the form of bending plants. Up until this point Maya, and most likely many others, never even thought such a thing was possible. At Linda¡¯s incredible display of power, Maya felt a tinge of guilt. As they discussed their plan earlier, Maya was ashamed to not have high hopes for Linda, knowing her to be a rather poor earth manipulator with a small amount of magical ability.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. As roves of newly, instantly-formed plants whipped through the air toward the corrupted beast, it was clear that was only Maya¡¯s false belief. This wasn¡¯t something Linda was taught at elemental practices. However, the creature, with sinewy strength, tore through the vines, its bloodlust undeterred. As thorns continued rising to entangle the creature, Maya¡¯s eyes darted nervously between the ensnaring trap and her next move. Linda¡¯s persistence couldn¡¯t stop the creature, but it succeeded in slowing it down and altering its path. Maya and the other children of air had some room to breathe now, but had to make sure the creature never shifted its focus to Linda who stood rooted to the ground. Meanwhile, Andrea, with her connection with the earth, conjured a sturdy dirt wall. Rising swiftly, it became a barrier between the creature and the vulnerable students stranded on the stand. The earth trembled as the wall solidified, creating a temporary shield against the impending danger. From observing, they concluded the creature¡¯s intelligence wasn¡¯t as high as its bloodlust. They were able to exploit that to shield students from its sight, making them less likely to become its target. This was Andrea¡¯s task; preparing the scene while the creature was occupied. With the creature temporarily occupied by the thorns and vines, Maya darted back towards safety. The creature, with its attention divided, struggled against Linda¡¯s persistent assault. Maya used the opportunity to help Andrea with her other task ¡ª creating an earth syphon, directing the creature toward the point they wanted it to be. Before the creature knew what came upon it, there was only one target in sight. One standing quite the distance away, but undeterred and defying. Although she had jumped in the cross-path of the terrifying creature, not at a single moment has Maya been the sole target the creature could focus on. She had to put on a brave face as a lead example, but this situation would have made her crumble. Despite the perilous situation, Elena¡¯s icy composure stood in stark contrast to the tension around them. As she stood, poised and ready, the air around her shimmered with cold energy. The monstrosity charged toward her, the ground shaking under its Goliathan steps. Vines began quickly coiling around the creature, hindering it in its path. But the source of the nuisance wasn¡¯t in sight. Its own rotting power, although slow, assisted in handling them. Elena extended her hand to the side where a long javelin made out of ice appeared seemingly out of thin air right into her grip. For this urgent occasion, Elena seemed to skip her usual process of gathering water to mould it carefully before solidifying it into the shape she wanted, making it appear as if she was conjuring straight ice. The translucent weapon gleamed in the light as she took careful aim. The opportune timing was quickly running out. Elena released the ice javelin, and it sailed through the air with surprising precision. A moment of suspense hung in the air as the ice javelin embedded itself in the creature¡¯s flesh. Until now, nothing had even managed to graze it. It was a miraculous success, making students hope the only threat left was the approaching night. However, the brittle ice snapped under the strain, leaving only a gaping wound in its neck, splurging hot blood that melted the ice. The creature was momentarily surprised as if it didn¡¯t know its own body. Then, enraged with a new fury in its demonic eyes, it turned its attention to Elena again. ¡°Isaac!¡± Maya screamed. Isaac, poised as their last line of defence, meant to act at this instance, found himself frozen in hesitation. The enormity of the situation seemed to paralyze him and his mind struggled to process the chaos unfolding before him. Maya¡¯s eyes widened in horror as the reality set in ¡ª the only hope of averting catastrophe was succumbing to the grip of indecision. A desperate realization clawed at her; the arrogant assurance she had placed in their united efforts could crumble into the worst possible outcome ¡ª the loss of a friend. The charging beast, a malevolent force of destruction, honed in on Elena, its breath steaming in the frigid air and mouth foaming in anticipation of the impending clash. Rivers of blood streaming from a gaping wound on its neck proved to be of little significance. With twisted antlers poised as sinister weapons, it lowered its head, ready to impale Elena in a grotesque display of violence. In that harrowing moment, Elena armed herself with a feeble ice javelin made from a limited water supply and stood her ground. A lone figure against the approaching terror prepared to fight for her life. The brittle weapon seemed almost inconsequential against the onslaught of the charging mass. A collective awareness swept over everyone present. Air-bending students, saved by their earlier intervention, surged forward in a desperate attempt to rescue or divert the beast¡¯s attention at the eleventh hour. Maya¡¯s scream reverberated, a raw expression of her helplessness, as her mind struggled to conjure a solution in the narrow window of time left. The guards, armed and determined, charged forward in a belated attempt to shield Elena. Yet, the chilling truth loomed ¡ª not one of them would reach her in time. Chapter 84: Execution Garden ¡®Arrogance.¡¯ A simple word Maya never thought too deeply about suddenly struck her mind. ¡®We were arrogant.¡¯ The five of them weren¡¯t high-level elementalists yet, but Maya concluded that even just introducing one other element to the air seniors would help them tremendously against single-element limitations. Andrea wasn¡¯t particularly extraordinary at earth manipulation, but given time she could erect strong walls to protect them. Maya was fearful about Linda¡¯s suggestion that she could try and slow down its movement, considering how skilled she was, but she surprised them with an ace up her sleeve. Isaac didn¡¯t have anything like that hidden, but he was always dependable and willing to extend his hand. Elena was the one who shocked them the most at their short briefing. ¡°Why not try and kill it?¡± Unsurprising, she received a couple of blank looks from her friends. Their seniors were in a dire situation unable to do anything but stall for time and Elena was talking about killing the thing. ¡°We don¡¯t have much time left,¡± Elena glanced at the sky. ¡°I don¡¯t know if it has any weak points, but if we all go for a full frontal attack, we could do it.¡± ¡®We should have all attacked it together,¡¯ Maya¡¯s last thoughts of regret echoed through her mind, watching Elena seconds from being trampled to death with all their contingencies having failed. The hellish antlers were on a path ready to impale her. Suddenly, the mutated monster was blown to the side, tumbling off its original trajectory and rolling grotesquely as it flailed its limbs. Maya¡¯s gaze snapped to the source of power that threw it away so mercilessly. It was Tanya, her mentor. Breathing heavily as she had just made it in time to use a powerful air blast, she quickly assessed the condition of stranded students. It was their reinforcements from the academy! Tanya, as a powerful bipartite with both air and fire at her disposal, made her way here the fastest. Ignoring all the shock and commotion, Maya, pumped with adrenaline, sprinted toward her friend who had just nearly escaped death, as guards ¡ª finally able to approach the creature that lost its superior speed ¡ª charged toward it with weapons. Elena stood there unblinking but expressionless. It was as if, in her own disbelief for having survived, her brain short-circuited and did not know what reaction to display. The mere sight of Elena standing unharmed felt like a surreal dream. Without a second thought, Maya threw herself around her neck, feeling her cheeks wet as a wave of relief washed over her. Although the target of her affection¡ªElena¡ªwas like a firm stone in the face of such displays. As more warriors of the Night¡¯s Guard joined from the reinforcements, they coordinated themselves attacking the creature in groups, interchanging in delivering deep slashes to its body. However, those slashes, although splitting its flesh deeply, did not seem to have any impactful effect and it was already recovering its balance. ¡°Step aside,¡± said a firm voice belonging to Lady Kiana. The high priestess, arriving with the reinforcements stepped in, pulling back the flowy sleeves of her priestess gown. ¡°Assist me, dear.¡± At her command, Tanya joined her and before the creature found its balance, a blinding light spread through the entire area, encroaching on arriving twilight. They have joined forces to create a controlled vortex of flames that rose high, engulfing the creature entrapped in their artificial blast furnace. The heat cooked it in mere moments. Lady Kiana¡¯s long platinum hair had risen up carried by the heat, and joined the dance her beautiful gown performed against the hot air produced by the power surge. The guards that were close to the flames had to cover up their faces with their arms to prevent their eyebrows from getting singed.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. Even in a charred state, the murderous passion still burned in the empty eye sockets of the creature even when there was no muscle or tendons on its limb to facilitate movement. It crumbled to the ground, leaving the air saturated with the smell of burnt and rotting flesh. ¡®So that¡¯s why Lady Kiana was a High Priestess. Her firepower was insane.¡¯ Tanya surely helped, but Maya had a keen enough eye to tell she was mostly working on containment and preventing the onlookers from getting cooked along with the creature while the fire was the priestess¡¯s raw power. Two of them combined produced such temperatures that the flames burned with enough intensity to turn purple, burning the creature to a crisp as if it was made out of paper. ¡°I¡¯m only called when such a dirty mess needs to be cleaned,¡± said Lady Kiana while brushing off her hands. As the flames dwindled she was already focused on delegating personnel on the evacuation procedure. They didn¡¯t have a lot of room for loitering as the night-time loomed. The threat of the unfamiliar and terrifying creature was finally gone. After struggling so hard, uncertain if they were going to make it, students were shocked at how quickly it was resolved. Not even seniors who showed their competence could think about attacking the creature until Maya¡¯s group intervened. And that only displayed why it was impossible to even consider. Then all their effort were reduced to meaningless struggle when Tanya single-handedly knocked the creature off its hooves. But Maya knew a regular Child of Air was unable to produce the same effect. It was thanks to her dual affinity and her two elements being the most complimentary pair that the lines between them erased that allowed Tanya to produce such explosive strength in a single blow. Maya found a new appreciation for her mentor. It had always been hinted she was powerful, but seeing it on display was truly remarkable. In all this mess, Maya¡¯s interest in the most frightening element of fire has ignited. Maya was in such deep awe that she didn¡¯t notice Elena tapping on her, wishing to be released from the discomfort of her hug. It was a hopeless endeavour anyway because moments later, the rest of their squad had joined in, and Andrea and Linda squeezed on Elena as well. ¡°I¡¯m so glad you¡¯re okay!¡± Linda sobbed. ¡°Let¡¯s never face such monsters from now on,¡± Andrea¡¯s voice was shaky. Maya¡¯s gaze landed on Isaac who kept his distance. A heavy silence surrounded him as his gaze wavered to meet their eyes. Caught in a web of conflicting emotions, she observed Isaac with a mixture of concern and disappointment. The relief that their immediate danger had passed battled against the unresolved tension stemming from Isaac¡¯s momentary lapse. Isaac¡¯s shoulders slumped, burdened not only by the weight of his own indecision but also by the awareness of the consequences. In a crucial moment, he had let them down. If it wasn¡¯t for a stroke of luck that reinforcements arrived just in time, Elena¡¯s fate would have been dire. Wishing to say something, to placate this tension left between them, Maya was only left at a loss for words. It wasn¡¯t easy to just move past it. Maya¡¯s gaze landed on Andrea and Linda. It wasn¡¯t clear how well they could see what was happening earlier from their positions, but the tense expression and reluctance to look Isaac¡¯s way proved they had some hints. In the whole mess, it was Elena, the chronic pariah, who suffered the most from the sudden onslaught of attention. Even the other students who could only watch the whole thing, wished to approach and say something. As the night¡¯s guard continued their efforts to secure the area, Maya approached Isaac with a conflicted expression. As they stood there in silence, neither of them could bring themselves to speak. Isaac broke the silence with a heavy sigh and without another word, he turned away and left. Maya¡¯s heart raced as her hand instinctively twitched to grab him, but she hesitated. ¡®Is it even my place to speak up when it was Elena whose forgiveness he should seek?¡¯ ¡°¡­Which ones?¡± Lady Kiana¡¯s voice broke through as she used a surprisingly authoritarian voice while dealing with the situation. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Being directed toward Maya¡¯s squad, her reaction was strange when she had to suddenly face them. Her gaze landed on Elena and paused on her for a moment. It was long enough to facilitate Elena¡¯s confused expression. ¡°Well, be more careful next time,¡± her words were a little awkward, like an eccentric person would be when having to placate children. Something that was out of her element. Maya¡¯s eyes narrowed. Se couldn¡¯t help but wonder if there was some bad blood between them. Considering Elena¡¯s scorn of religion, it wouldn¡¯t be surprising. But more likely, what was apparent from Elena¡¯s confusion, they had never interacted before. Lady Kiana looked at each of the girls, her expression tense as if she struggled to find appropriate words for them. ¡°Little chicks, God of Light seems to have given you their grace today,¡± she addressed all four of them. ¡°You seem intelligent enough to have learned your lesson, so I¡¯ll spare you from further lecturing. Proceed toward the academy.¡± With that conclusion, Lady Kiana moved on. Chapter 85: Surfacing Festivities ¡°Did you put medals around the victors¡¯ necks already? While the students here were dealing with a crisis¡­¡± Maya couldn¡¯t get used to the playful priestess being serious, let alone her being openly scornful toward the Headmistress whose arrival was late. ¡°Being out in the fresh air must¡¯ve made you forget your place for a moment, Lady Kiana. Please remember you are a mere canon I point at the academy¡¯s enemies. Without my command, you wouldn¡¯t even be here to form such unnecessary thoughts.¡± ¡®Those two didn¡¯t seem to have a good relationship.¡¯ Maya found it absurd someone with the title of a High Priestess was inferior to a mere Headmistress in this world. However, she had to keep in mind that, here, priestesses were simply a band of powerful mages who were not particularly divine. And Amanda wasn¡¯t just a Headmistress, but also a Rectoress. The Headmistress took over the command of the evacuation as soon as she had arrived and was listening to the recounts of events from the guards who were present. As they grouped students to make a head count, Maya heard whispers among the students. ¡°Weren¡¯t these creatures the responsibility of Hunters?¡± There she found her knowledge of this world still lacking. It seems these creatures aren¡¯t something new and the Hunters were the ones who would take care of them. It wasn¡¯t a sign of the world breaking, but something that would usually be taken care of outside of everyone¡¯s sight. That¡¯s why she was now listening to complaints about Hunters being gone. While a group of students were rudely condemning the dead for dying, Maya¡¯s gaze coincidentally shifted toward Elena where she found something unexpected. It was given since she just had a close brush with death earlier, but it was still strange seeing the usually-brimming-with-confidence and no-worries Elena turn withdrawn. The evacuation went on without a hitch despite dark catching up to them. It was difficult to navigate the forest in those circumstances, especially since only guards and escorts had lights, but what surprised Maya the most was the uneventfulness of these supposedly dangerous woods at night. Everyone was alert, but there weren¡¯t even signs of wild animals around. If anything it was strangely beautiful. The clear night sky peeking through the canopies was surreal. Maya had never seen so many stars plastered across the sky canvas that it made her wonder if Mellgrah had more stars than the world she used to know. It wasn¡¯t all good news. After they returned to the academy and met up with the groups from the other stands that avoided this terrible incident, they learned that there were some students not accounted for. Some of the students who fled from the Water stand never made it to the other ones. It was terrible news, but right now there couldn¡¯t be a search organized. ¡°Ah! Elena, I heard you almost died,¡± Adam met up with them, going straight toward Elena. It was appreciated he worried about the one who was in the most danger, but he still received some strange looks from the rest of the squad. Even impassive Elena was caught off guard and raised an eyebrow. Isaac who kept his distance, scoffed and left. Before anyone could comment, Keith who also just made his way toward them and witnessed this, put his arm around Elena, leading her away while shooting a glare at Adam. They were gone without a word. Adam was stunned. ¡°Is no one worried about her?¡± he questioned under their strange looks. ¡°Um¡­ I think I¡¯m going to get washed right now,¡± Andrea grabbed Linda¡¯s arm and dragged her away, letting Maya and Adam have some time alone. Maya was still a little stunned. Was she wrong to assume he would check on her first since she was the one he asked on a date? ¡°You heard what happened?¡± ¡°Bits here and there. Would you share the whole story with me?¡± ¡°I¡­ Um¡­¡± Maya was so overtaken by her insecurities that she had trouble forming sentences. ¡°Hey, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Adam grabbed Maya¡¯s hand. It surprised her again. When she looked back into his eyes, she saw all he was concerned about right now was her.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. ¡°Since we¡¯ll have to postpone our date tomorrow because of the celebration, would you like to go for a drink right now?¡± Maya hesitated. It was nice he was so occupied with her, but it was late and she was tired. Besides, all she wanted was to take a long warm bath and wash away the sweat and soreness from the day. She even retracted from him in fear she smelled. ¡°Let¡¯s talk tomorrow.¡± ???????? Instead of revelling in the tragedy, the authorities decided to organize a celebration in honour of the ones who exhibited bravery in the face of the adversary. And there were the winners of the relay race too. Since the students were quite shaken by the chain of unpleasant events ever since the school started, it was a good thing to focus on the positive. This time, it paid out to act. In the light of a crisis, for the great display of courage, the students who contributed were all rewarded with merit points. That included Maya and her squad among the freshman students. All five of them, including Isaac, were called up to the stage to be congratulated by the High Priestess Kiana who personally shook their hands. Muna, the senior who led the contestants of the race in the fight against the harrowing creature was especially praised. Even receiving an artefact as a reward. However, she arrived wrapped in bandages and her arm tied up in a brace ¡ª the result of her being severely injured during the feat. Additionally, despite being celebrated, she was quite angry too. As it turns out, Muna was Tachte-tu team captain and was quite passionate about it. It explained how she was able to quickly organise a group of random students at her disposal. But her injuries made her worried because she may not be able to recover in time for the national competition. The artefact was even better than what race winners were rewarded. Keith¡¯s team won an infinite pen, that works on fire magic, each. It was a neat item, but it was nothing compared to the Airstone, a ring with a special stone that increases your magical output in the air element that Muna received for her contributions. Unfortunately, its use was forbidden in magical competitions. The celebration wasn¡¯t too extravagant, but it provided a welcome break from the recent series of unfortunate events. Being displayed with such honour, Maya and her friends were the focal point of attention. Maya found herself surrounded by curious glances and enthusiastic whispers. Among the fact she was a rare quadripartite, the positive acknowledgement from the High Priestess had its consequences ¡ª she was now a subject of interest among her peers. As she rejoined her friends at their table, she couldn¡¯t help but notice Hailey, one of her past bullies, stealing glances at her. A wry smile played on Maya¡¯s lips. ¡®If she knew I would rise like this I wonder if she would still have been mean to me in the past.¡¯ For a moment, Maya allowed herself to indulge in the satisfaction of having overcome that problem before sitting down at the guests of honour table alongside the winners of the competition. This was where she felt a different tension of unaddressed events lingering. However, it seemed she was alone in that feeling. Isaac, seated nearby, seemed preoccupied. Despite the festive atmosphere, Maya felt a hint of frustration at Elena¡¯s apparent lack of concern about the recent happenings. It seemed Elena¡¯s way of dealing with the unwanted attention was to occupy herself with food. Elena, with her characteristic nonchalance, continued to devour her meal, seemingly oblivious to the stares she attracted. Maya decided to sit beside Isaac, attempting to bridge the unspoken gap. ¡°So, um, about what happened earlier¡­¡± Maya started tentatively, searching for words to break the awkward silence. Isaac looked at her, his expression a mix of uncertainty and guarded emotions. ¡°Maya¡­ Let¡¯s just move on.¡± ¡°Isaac, it¡¯s not that simple. We need to talk about it.¡± ¡°She doesn¡¯t seem to care,¡± Isaac pointed at Elena relishing in a juicy stake, ¡°So why do you?¡± ¡°Elena! Please say something.¡± Elena rolled her eyes. ¡°What¡¯s there to say? We survived. End of story.¡± Maya sighed, realizing that getting through to Elena might be more challenging than facing the recent crisis. Despite Elena¡¯s resilience, Maya sensed a layer of vulnerability beneath the surface. One of Keith¡¯s friends, a senior with a mischievous grin, remarked, ¡°Your girlfriend sure has a good appetite.¡± Keith chuckled, adding an ambiguous tone, ¡°Yeah, she can eat, but it never shows.¡± There were envious exhales from some onlookers. Many people have noticed that she consumes an ungodly amount of food but never gains any weight. But Elena shot Keith a look that made it clear she didn¡¯t consider it a compliment ¡ª apparently, he meant something else entirely. ¡°Hehe, you wish it went to certain places, right?¡± the senior patted him on the shoulder. Keith¡¯s comment sparked a playful banter. Andrea giggled at the joke. Linda¡¯s eyes narrowed at Keith. ¡°I don¡¯t see where she¡¯s lacking. ¡± The quiet girl¡¯s comment surprised everyone. ¡°Ah, of course, since you empathize.¡± For the first time ever, Maya saw kind Linda make a displeasing face. ¡®What was the subject? Wait¡­ Was he perhaps talking about¡­¡¯ ¡°Keith, don¡¯t extend your bad standards to my friends,¡± Elena said with a stern tone, her eyes piercing him with reproach. The atmosphere was permeated with a strange chill. Andrea¡¯s expression seemed a little concerned. ¡°Um, Elena. It¡¯s not like he means it. He was just making jokes,¡± she interjected, trying to diffuse the tension. Keith, aware of Elena¡¯s social challenges, sighed. ¡°That¡¯s right, babe. It was only a joke.¡± He tenderly pulled her closer and kissed her on the scalp. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Linda if we have offended you. These are just friendly banters.¡± Chapter 86: Ravens and Bumblebees Overlooking the students relaxing at the celebration, Lady Kiana observed the faces of the students. She wondered how many bore deep new traumas, painted over by feeble masks of coping. Corrupted beasts were a mysterious and rare occurrence in this world. It was unclear how they were made and why they exist. However, they were something an average citizen would only hear in reports and stories, never encountering one themselves. Even Lady Kiana had never seen one in real life before this. It was thanks to her prior research in an odd streak of interest in obscure subjects that she was prepared to deal with such a crisis. The corrupted beasts don¡¯t venture this far in. They were usually only encountered at the edges of the mapped world. ¡®Perhaps we are beginning to see the consequences of Hunters¡¯ absence. I should prepare my sisters for this becoming a less uncommon occurrence.¡¯ Despite the traumatic experience it posed, Lady Kiana couldn¡¯t help but be proud of the youth of this academy. It was the reason she also insisted they¡¯d be rewarded. The fact that they managed not only to survive the danger but also to work up a plan to fight against it was truly miraculous. While Kiana was deep in her thoughts, preparing for future troubles, Tanya quietly approached her, taking a position beside her. ¡°It was strange seeing you calling up students to the stand to congratulate them. I¡¯m surprised Amanda allowed you to take over that role from her,¡± Tanya¡¯s voice carried a note of scepticism. Kiana chuckled, a sound that held both amusement and a hint of superiority. ¡°She can¡¯t be so imprudent as to hold a ceremony for her own shortcomings.¡± Students were in danger. It was her responsibility to ensure their safety. ¡°For someone preaching about the safety of students being her utmost priority, this trimester sure had an awful start.¡± ¡°Perhaps we can hope this is the beginning of her downfall,¡± Kiana responded with strategic optimism. ¡°Ha! As if,¡± Tanya¡¯s words were laced with resentment. ¡°Considering what she got away with before, I¡¯m highly doubtful.¡± ¡°She¡¯s bound to have a weakness,¡± Kiana patted her on the shoulder compassionately. ¡°Patience.¡± Tanya looked away. Her gaze captured the students at the honoured table where laughter reverberated. ¡°I almost thought you were going to do something foolish when you shook that girl¡¯s hand on the stage,¡± Tanya commented. ¡°I was tempted.¡± ¡°I¡¯m surprised you held back.¡± ¡°Amanda has a special dislike toward that baby chick. I wouldn¡¯t be so crass to paint a target on a student already out of her favour no matter how curious I am as to why.¡± ¡°You¡¯re too kind.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make me laugh,¡± Kiana didn¡¯t receive Tanya¡¯s compliment. ¡°Though, that quadripartite baby chick¡­ It no longer seems like just a coincidence, right?¡± Tanya¡¯s gaze drifted toward Maya in the distance. A knot tightened in her chest, an unexplainable heaviness settling there. Every time she looked at the girl, she felt a mixture of curiosity and unease, although the reason kept escaping her. ¡°But it has to be. There¡¯s no connection. I searched like mad, but there was nothing.¡±Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Kiana elegantly scratched her chin, gently brushing past her platinum hair. ¡°That may be a good thing for us. If you were unable to find a connection, that means others didn¡¯t suspect it either.¡± Maya¡¯s existence remains an enigma to Tanya. It often made her question her knowledge of the world. Could gods be throwing a sick prank? ¡°My instincts, as well as yours, are screaming that it¡¯s no coincidence despite proof pointing otherwise,¡± Kiana concluded. Tanya sighed. ¡°Have you decided?¡± ¡°We have to tread carefully before they catch on. That little chick still needs to grow a bit before I approach her. Until then, you know what to do.¡± ¡°Yes, Lady Kiana.¡± ???????? Maya and Elena returned to their dorm room, the air was still heavy with the lingering tension from the celebration. Maya hesitated at the door, her hand on the knob, unsure of how to broach the subject that had been gnawing at her since the relay race. She took a deep breath, steeling herself for the conversation that needed to happen. Elena, seemingly unfazed, headed straight to her easel, silently retreating into her artistic sanctuary. The cluttered room now felt like a barrier, separating them emotionally. ¡°Can we talk, Elena?¡± Maya¡¯s voice wavered with a subtle blend of vulnerability and determination. Elena glanced over her shoulder, her gaze meeting Maya¡¯s. There was a flicker of something unreadable in her eyes before she sighed and put down her paintbrush. ¡°Talk,¡± Elena replied, her tone devoid of its usual sharpness. Maya closed the door behind her and approached Elena. The silence still hung in the room while Maya searched for the right words to address the underlying issues. ¡°I don¡¯t understand why you¡¯re acting like nothing happened,¡± Maya began, her frustration resurfacing. ¡°You almost died back there because Isaac did nothing!¡± Perhaps the thing that bothered Maya the most was the lack of any response on Elena¡¯s part to Isaac¡¯s misgivings. It wouldn¡¯t matter whether she was mad and cross with him, or understanding and forgiving, but some kind of reaction would be acceptable. It seems both of them want to sweep this incident under the rug. Elena sighed. ¡°Maya, do you remember the reason I gave you for being interested in fighting?¡± she asked with a calm tone. ¡°Huh?¡± Maya furrowed her brows, grappling with the memory. ¡®It was something ridiculous, like¡­¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s dangerous to be weak?¡± Maya said, unsure. Elena¡¯s lips curled into a small smile at Maya¡¯s success in remembering. ¡°At that moment, Isaac was weak. Weak people can¡¯t protect anything,¡± Elena explained, firm in her belief. Maya stared at Elena in bewilderment. With the response she received, her confusion only deepened. ¡®Is that what she meant? It wasn¡¯t that being weak puts you in danger, but being weak makes you a danger to others? This girl thinks in a way as if she had spent her whole life on a battlefield.¡¯ ¡°Is that how you categorize people? Into the weak and the strong? So you don¡¯t concern yourself with Isaac because he is weak?¡± Maya pressed. ¡°What would be the point?¡± Elena replied. ¡°It was also my fault for being weak enough to have to rely on such a weak person in the first place.¡± Maya¡¯s empathy shifted toward Isaac. ¡®If he knew the way Elena was thinking, it would make him feel even worse.¡¯ ¡°Do you think of me as weak as well?¡± Maya asked, her voice small. Elena looked at her almost pitifully and then turned away. ¡°Those aren¡¯t constants,¡± she said before abruptly leaving the room. Maya stood alone. ¡®Ah. I still don¡¯t understand the way she thinks.¡¯ Since the conclusion of the incident, Maya kept thinking about the world and the future. Her own flaws painfully came under the spotlight, and she made a decision. ¡°I¡¯m going to need Elena,¡± she whispered out loud. Elena was reckless, but she never struggled with resolve when needing to act. That aspect of her behaviour had lately been brushing onto Maya. Although Maya wasn¡¯t yet there, having Elena nearby as a lead example would give her the courage to act. During the incident, when Maya proposed her idea to her friends, Maya didn¡¯t grasp at the time how much it meant to her when Elena listened ready and was willing to proceed with determination while her other friends wavered. Even facing the terror head-on, Elena didn¡¯t choose to run when her life was in danger. But to get Elena on her side completely, she needed to understand her. Chapter 87: The Village Queen Maya¡¯s encounter with the corrupted beast during the relay race left an indelible mark on her perception of the world. To her, the appearance of such a monstrous entity was a grim sign of the world¡¯s possible decay. Even if it wasn¡¯t a unique occurrence, the creature could still be a symptom of the underlying problem and a sign of doom. It was an unknown variable Maya wasn¡¯t prepared for. This revelation fuelled her determination to uncover her role as a saviour from the shadows, to protect others from the lurking dangers. Following the unsettling incident, Maya reflected on two crucial conclusions. Firstly, she acknowledged the urgent need for information. Realizing the advantage her unique eyes provided in surveying and gathering exclusive data, she remained open to acquiring information through various means. Secondly, Maya recognized the necessity for means to confront the imminent dangers in this world, some of which demanded combat abilities ¡ª something she notably lacked. Maya¡¯s introspection led her to understand that, even if overcome by fear of confronting such monsters directly, she could direct others in facing terrifying monsters while feigning composure for their sake. In this revelation, a person already emerged as a dependable individual who fearlessly confronted danger and fulfilled her tasks with unwavering determination. ¡®Elena¡­ She is riddled with flaws, but in this area she is reliable.¡¯ Maya saw the potential for Elena to act as her shield and spear, but a significant obstacle stood in the way ¡ª Elena¡¯s recklessness and apparent disregard for her own safety. To secure Elena as her ally, Maya recognized the need to address these underlying issues. ¡®However, I need to tackle one problem at a time.¡¯ The first hurdle on her path was solving the information problem. A Prima needs to know more about the dangers she could encounter. The corrupted beast was something that caught them unprepared and she seriously lacked knowledge in combating it. There wasn¡¯t an easy way to learn of such creatures. Until the lectures about magical creatures awaiting her in the second trimester began, Maya wasn¡¯t sure what material to use to self-study. Not to mention it wouldn¡¯t teach her about other unforeseen or unknown dangers. It was not like there was a book with the title ¡®Every Danger a Prima Needs to Be Prepared For¡¯. ¡®I miss the internet.¡¯ If she could only type her problems in a search engine, it would give her at least something¡­ ¡®Wait¡­ I remember Andrea mentioning something ridiculous before¡­ Village, was it called?¡¯ And that is how Maya suddenly found herself in front of the Charred Pavilion for a tea session with the acclaimed Village Queen. Standing before the glass pavilion, she confirmed why it was so famous for its unique appearance and why it received its nickname. Pushing open the creaky glass door, Maya felt like she was entering the setting of a work of fiction. Reminiscent of a place where botany classes were once held, the lush vegetation of the greenhouse starkly contrasted its yellowish warped glass revealing the scars of a past incident that rendered it out of commission. The air inside held a peculiar ambience ¡ª a blend of antique charm enriched with the fragrance of tea and a subtle hint of something lingering, a remnant of the flames that had once danced here. The upper panels of the dome, clear and shiny, stood in stark contrast to the lower ones, still blackened at the edges where they were held by the metal frame. Maya was awed by the presumed power that cast the space into this state. With her rudimentary understanding of magic, she could conclude that this was the aftermath of a similar display of power Lady Kiana showed outside the walls only if it happened in the interior. The upper glass panes were the ones that shattered from the expanding air of the immense heat produced in an instant and had to be replaced with new ones later.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. As she approached the table set for two in the centre of the room, taking in the surroundings, Maya¡¯s attention shifted to Maureen, the keeper of this peculiar haven. Even Maya didn¡¯t know her path would lead her here today, but Maureen seemed to have already been expecting her. ¡°Welcome, dear guest,¡± Maureen greeted her, her tone warm as she gestured for Maya to take a seat. Holing her vintage teapot, ready to pour tea in equally intricate cups, Maureen dressed in soft earthy tones and with her short retro curls gave out a refined air. She looked like a spectre from the past, adorned with a love for vintage accessories, and surrounded by the aroma of tea. ¡°I am pleased to host today¡¯s party for the illustrious Maya Watergate. I¡¯ve been wanting to chat with you for a very long time now. You sure kept me waiting,¡± she smiled joyfully. ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t know you were waiting.¡± ¡°Unfortunately, I can¡¯t send out personal invites for the sake of neutrality, but that doesn¡¯t mean I am not curious. Thank you for being my guest today.¡± Maya was overwhelmed by the warm and relaxed atmosphere, and for some reason this stranger she met for the first time today made her feel appreciated and respected. Looking at the table arrangement, Maya noticed charming decorations and among them even some artefacts on display. There were even communication artefacts ¡ª sometimes called Telepathy Stones ¡ª that were incredibly expensive at the Articiaries store that only accepts merit points. One piece was lying by her hand. They were a set that would allow the possessor to send a mental message to the possessor of the other piece. Maya hoped Maureen wasn¡¯t overusing it since they had a known side effect of damaging your brain if used too frequently. It seems everything was set to perfectly advertise the capabilities of her club and carefully control the mood Maureen was trying to achieve. Seeing her curiously glance around, Maureen smiled and gracefully poured warm liquid into a delicate cup, offering it to Maya. ¡°This is a herb named Veracillum. In folk beliefs, it is known as a truth serum,¡± she began talking in a relaxed tone. ¡°Oh, but don¡¯t worry. It doesn¡¯t have a strong effect. I just think it has a lovely taste. It is an excellent ice-breaker for the introductory session. Feel free to give it a taste.¡± Maureen poured herself some as well and took a sip to encourage Maya to try it. Maya was thankful Maureen didn¡¯t pressure Maya to drink a truth serum while simultaneously setting a scene for an open and honest discussion drinking it for herself. If the herb has any real effect in this way Maureen has declared that any information exchanged on her part would be truthful. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve heard already, since you came here to find me, but let me introduce myself. My name is Maureen Thorpe. I am an information broker,¡± she gave a humble introduction. As the fragrant tendrils of tea curled in the air, Maureen began to explain the workings of her information club. ¡°We operate on a give-and-take principle here,¡± Maureen explained, her eyes revealing a depth of understanding. ¡°You seek information, and in return, you offer something of value. A story, a secret, a piece of your own history.¡± Maya nodded, understanding the unspoken contract. In this clandestine space, information was currency, and trust was the key to unlocking its vaults. She took a breath and swallowed. Arriving here, she only had questions on her mind, but didn¡¯t consider what to offer in return. Maureen was effective in keeping a relaxed atmosphere, but how was Maya to determine what value information she has to offer holds? Returning to her old habit of overthinking things, Maya had to take a sip of the tea to quench her dry throat. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Maureen reassured her with eyes holding a hint of wisdom. ¡°Sometimes, the information that may seem insignificant to you is quite valuable in the grand scheme of things.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°Before we begin, I like to establish the foundation for our successful relationship. I like to keep my clients satisfied, but for the first-timers, I request a down payment for our future services. It¡¯s nothing scary. It is for me to get a better picture of you and have a better grasp on information that could be of interest to you.¡± After Maya¡¯s confirmation, Maureen gently broached a sensitive subject. The request was her trauma, the reason she came to Mellgrah in the first place. Maya took a deep breath, realizing that the quest for information was not just about acquiring knowledge but also about bearing a part of herself in the process. Thinking about how everyone has shared this information with Maureen, Maya resolved herself and began to reveal her tragic past of losing her parents. Chapter 88: Three Questions While Maya opened up, revealing her tragic past, Maureen was surprisingly professional. She listened attentively and conducted herself respectfully. Maya couldn¡¯t help but feel the atmosphere being reminiscent of counselling therapy. Perhaps, it was even easier than Maya¡¯s past counselling experience because Maureen¡¯s ear felt like that of an understanding friend while her kind green eyes also held a strange wisdom beyond her age. Maureen helped Maya up, offering words when Maya struggled to find the right ones. As they went on Maya felt that Maureen understood her deeper and deeper, even anticipating what Maya was going to say before she did. ¡®Is this why Maureen was so praised among academy students?¡¯ If this was a place where anyone could come and vent out and release a burden off their chest, Maya could see why people liked to visit. No wonder they called it confessions. And the tea was delicious. It had a sweet scent and refreshing taste, and Maureen was attentive enough to never let your cup be empty. Maya wondered if the tea she served was expensive. Mellgrah worked a bit differently than Vetus Orbis. Here they didn¡¯t have a tropical climate so many goods that would be mass-produced in those areas were in shortage in Mellgrah. Coffee and tea leaves were no exception. But, considering many people couldn¡¯t live without coffee, it was still wildly available, although a slightly more pricey commodity. Sharing something so precious with her guest made Maureen appear generous in Maya¡¯s eyes and therefore invoked more respect. After finishing her story, Maya received encouraging words. Now she was concerned about a different problem. ¡°I don¡¯t know what information to offer in return for what I want to know,¡± Maya confessed. ¡°Do you feel as if you don¡¯t know anything? Don¡¯t worry. You have a whole year of information I want to know,¡± Maureen grinned, her eyes sparkling with genuine interest. ¡°Since you are the last person to come from Vetus Orbis, the information you know is the latest one available on the whole market! You are a very valuable guest.¡± Maureen took charge, bringing out a plethora of questions Maya never even considered offering. From the current state of the Vetus Orbis, politics, fashion trends, celebrities, popular songs, and what was trending on social media. Everything that might have seemed like background noise back then was valuable in the isolated world. Any new interesting fact that emerged within the last year was considered currency to Maureen. Maya was her way of confirming the information she had already gathered from other students, and it was context to understanding new trends being brought into Mellgrah from every new batch of students. Since Maureen dealt with information and students were her main clientele, she needed to be on top of things that interested them. Her bits of advice needed to be the most relevant to them. Maya was in awe of how good she was at business. Who would¡¯ve thought someone near her age had such foresight? Unfortunately, Maya wasn¡¯t able to deliver answers to a satisfactory level. She had lived as a recluse for a long time and things that were of interest to teenagers were as equally foreign to her as new trends were to Mellgrah. Leo helped a bit, chiming in here and there, but Maya didn¡¯t feel too confident repeating words about facts she was unfamiliar with. A little disappointed she couldn¡¯t get relevant information that can be sold well, Maureen started poking into more serious matters. The news about the world, new wars started/ended, global incidents, and public scandals. ¡°Since you¡¯re from the U.S., you must¡¯ve heard about this incident at a school that was loud when students started to trickle in,¡± Maureen began describing an incident Maya was already familiar with. ¡°Has it been resolved? Was the student found?¡± ¡®That case again¡­¡¯ Maya swallowed her bitterness at the case that seemed to haunt her wherever she went and recounted everything she knew about the case at Maureen¡¯s request. ¡°So there was no new development. Hmm¡­ Curious.¡± ¡°Why are you so interested in this? People everywhere can¡¯t give this hopeless case a rest.¡± ¡°Do you not think it is interesting? It is the only public case that we have of a possible proof of our existence in V.O.,¡± Maureen shed some light on for Maya. ¡°Think about it. The student has completely disappeared, leaving no trace as either living or dead. Do you get the hint of where she could have ended up?¡± Maya blinked at the realization. She never thought about it because of her past resentment, but Maureen could be right. The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°Are you saying that the girl that has killed the shooter could be among us, freshmen students?!¡± Maya almost stood up. ¡°There is a chance.¡± ¡°¡­Here, at this academy?¡± Maya didn¡¯t know what to think of it. This incident could be someone¡¯s reason why Elements chose them. ¡°The chances for that are one in five, but certainly, a chance there is.¡± ¡°So we could have a killer walking among us?!¡± At that, Maureen almost choked on the tea she was sipping. ¡°A killer?¡± she found Maya focusing on that aspect of it amusing. ¡°Does it frighten you? I personally wouldn¡¯t think it would be such a big deal. Think about it, my dear guest. You¡¯d be surprised at how many people ended up here after either directly or indirectly being responsible for someone¡¯s death. You¡¯d easily fall under that category yourself. So let¡¯s not point fingers and call each other killers.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Maya calmed down. ¡®I bet I was being insensitive toward many students right now¡­¡¯ ¡°Alright. Considering all the information you have provided me, you can ask me three questions,¡± Maureen moved on, returning to her ambiguous business smile. Anticipating Maya may feel unfairness to receive only three after providing so much information, she quickly elaborated: ¡°I presume those questions come with follow-up questions which I will also answer, so I should really say three subjects. Do you agree?¡± Maya had no objections. She began by asking questions about magical beasts and Maureen offered answers to the best of her ability while also listing books and references Maya could use for further research. The information about such creatures was valuable, but not too detailed, so Maya wrote down suggestions for reading. It seemed like her first question was unexpected. People would often come to Maureen for more trivial matters about school, love life or self-help tips, so Maya¡¯s question was intriguing. ¡°Hmm¡­ I will note this as your interest and promise to deliver more information next time.¡± ¡°Thank you. My next question is: has the Appraisal Ritual ever been wrong before?¡± Maureen pondered for a moment. ¡°You are a curious person, my dear guest. Your first questions are quite challenging. But no matter, I will uphold my reputation.¡± Maureen paused to gather her thoughts before speaking again. ¡°Officially, no. You and your mentor are the only cases where your full affinity wasn''t caught, but that was not due to a flaw in the ritual but rather due to ending the appraisal as soon as the first element responded.¡± The answer was very sensical and Maya accepted it. But to her surprise, Maureen continued. ¡°However, off the record, there may be cases when it was wrong,¡± she leaned in, narrowing her eyes. ¡°The running theory is that some of the uninitiated who ended up in the slums could have been the victims of incorrect appraisals. Since we can¡¯t confirm with the ones taken away, all we have are unreliable reports of others. Such as claiming to witness one failing at their own appraised element but succeeding in another.¡± She leaned back into the chair and made a gesture with her open palm. ¡°Take it only as a theory as I have not confirmed a specific case myself.¡± With this information, Maya became convinced that coming here paid off. Maureen was an incredibly insightful person. She was the source where Maya could buy information that circles around but isn¡¯t spoken out loud. With this visit, Maya had already gained two things. First, she found a reliable source of information she wasn¡¯t able to gather herself. And second, she provided Maureen with a field of interest on which she will continue to further investigate and provide Maya information she may not be aware was relevant. With her conclusion, Maya was ready to ask her third question. ¡°How can I get closer to someone?¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Maureen was surprised at how strongly this question differed from the others that she chuckled. This one should at least be easy since it was in line with questions she often receives. ¡°That¡¯s a bit vague. Should I take a guess which boy is of the interest?¡± ¡°Boy?¡± Maya blinked. ¡°Oh¡­ No, It wasn¡¯t boy problems.¡± Gossip being her field of expertise, she must know all the rumours, so Maureen must¡¯ve assumed it was either about Adam or Keith. ¡°I want to get closer to Elena¡­ as a friend,¡± Maya added the last part to avoid any misunderstandings. At Maureen¡¯s questioning look, Maya confessed that although on the surface it seems like they get along most of the time, Maya feels a wall between them she is unable to breach and sought her advice. It turned out, this question was also a challenging one. Maureen had a lot of information about Elena, but the catch was that it all came from other sources. Maureen was dying to have a tea party with Elena for a long time, but she was seemingly the only person at the academy who wasn¡¯t interested in her information guild. The impression of Elena Maureen meticulously divulged from all the confessions concerning her was her being a volatile person with very shallow interpersonal relations. Maureen looked at her intently before speaking. ¡°It¡¯s unclear how one can gain her trust or whether the closest person to her ¡ª Keith ¡ª has gone past those walls. If I could get some of her time, I would find the best method, but it seems as if she knows that and avoids me like the plague.¡± Her expression softened a bit as she continued, ¡°The best advice I can give you is to not even try. You got no chance of her feeling indebted to you. All debts between you two are the ones you owe her, so I am guessing she is somewhat secure in your loyalty to her,¡± Maureen¡¯s gaze turned firm. ¡°Instead of forcing a friendship, strike a deal with her.¡± ¡®A deal, huh? We already have something like that.¡¯ ¡°I would like to ask one final question,¡± Maya concluded. ¡°How does one become a Hunter?¡± Chapter 89: Escape Plan Today, during cafeteria lunch through their banter Hunters were mentioned once again. This time, Maya paid careful attention to Elena¡¯s reaction. Her reaction was similar to the way she would tap out of conversations whenever the subject was something uninteresting. With a bored or indifferent expression, she would start searching her surroundings for something to occupy her mind. However, this time, her gaze fell down¡ªwhere she was less likely to find something stimulating. ¡°Wow, you were right,¡± Leo said. As per her request, he was also paying closer attention to Elena. ¡°Hunter¡¯s aren¡¯t something that disinterests her, but something that bothers her.¡± Despite all that, Maya found herself even more perplexed. In her mind, Hunters had an image of noble and selfless people who lived their lives by putting themselves in danger for the sake of others. There were even songs celebrating them. What meaning would they have for Elena? Luckily, Maya didn¡¯t have to gruel on this alone. While walking to her next period, Maya caught a chance to talk to her friend. ¡°Andrea, what¡¯s so attractive about being a Hunter?¡± ¡°Being one? I don¡¯t know. As to being with one, heh, you can ask Sarah,¡± she gave her a sly smile. ¡®Has Sarah really been with one, though?¡¯ Maya¡¯s thoughts were sceptical. ¡°I¡¯m not interested in that. I really don¡¯t know much about them.¡± Andrea looked forward with a thoughtful expression. ¡°As far as I know, besides hunting vampires, they are an intelligence organization. It is like a CIA or NSA. So if someone wants to become one, I would guess they are interested in secrets no one else has access to.¡± ¡°Huh.¡± Maya was intrigued. There are indeed secrets Elena would be interested in. ¡°So yeah, I¡¯d say juicy secrets.¡± ¡°It¡¯s freedom,¡± Linda chimed in from behind, startling them both, as they never noticed she was listening to their conversation. ¡°We are talking about Elena, right?¡± There she goes again. Linda catches far more than you would give her credit for. ¡°Becoming an agent is tough work, but when you get there, you are the freest person in this world,¡± Linda explained. ¡°You can go anywhere, gather information, find anyone, and on top of that, you are protected by the shroud of secrecy. People automatically trust Hunters. It¡¯s a channel through which she could find her parents.¡± ¡°Find them?! Do you think Elena was originally from this world?!¡± ¡°Of course not. I am just guessing like you are. In the end, if you want to find the truth, you should ask Elena herself.¡± Linda¡¯s words gave Maya a lot to think about. There was one fact she kept forgetting about Elena; she had been an orphan since birth, never knowing her parents¡¯ identities. What effect would that have on her life and mindset? In the end, there was only one way to figure that out. Since they had a convenient way of reaching the top of the wall, there was no reason not to exploit it. Even though they had a roof terrace on the other side of the hall, Elena liked to escape through the window and have smoke on the curtain wall, overlooking the wilderness outside Amellan walls. Upon seeing the plank on the window, Maya saw an opportunity and joined Elena. They kept a low profile to avoid being seen by the guards from nearby bastion towers. Even though the chances of running into guards during the day were low, they still tried to avoid getting into trouble. It was late afternoon, so Maya brought out her textbook to study for midterms while catching some of the low sun rays. Elena also had a notebook, but it was to doodle idly, looking for ideas for her latest commissions. Although since she would briskly scratch them out, it didn¡¯t seem she was very inspired. ¡®I bet Elena would rather trade her newly awarded merit points for money.¡¯ Maya guessed Elena was low on funds again, otherwise, she would be procrastinating indefinitely. Good thing they have food and a place to sleep already provided for them, otherwise Elena wouldn¡¯t be able to manage it with her alcoholism. Maya learned not to criticize her for her addiction. By now, it was easy to conclude it was because she was in an unhappy state, and Maya hoped she¡¯d be the one to help her fix that. ¡®What was that experiment with rats and cocaine water?¡¯ Maya vaguely remembered an experiment she had read about before. ¡®Miserable rats would drown themselves in cocaine water to death, but the ones in rat utopia wouldn¡¯t reach for it even when right there.¡¯ This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it Maya shook her head. Her thoughts were getting out of hand. ¡®Now, I¡¯m comparing Elena to rats?!¡¯ It was unpleasant, but Maya based her theory about Elena on this experiment. She wanted to provide Elena with what those isolated rats lacked and make her never reach for alcohol again. That was her strange goal. Elena was like her small-scale test for saving someone. If Maya succeeds with one person, she could theoretically be able to save the world. Although, in reality, it was the other way around. It seemed like Elena was the one keeping Maya from slipping back into her melancholy. Ever since meeting Elena, Maya was constantly being pulled into ridiculous situations, outrageous adventures, challenged and provoked, constantly on the move and never having a dull moment. Perhaps that¡¯s why Maya was even more inclined to pay her back. Maya¡¯s gaze returned to the girl who was seemingly angry at a piece of paper. ¡®She should paint herself because she does look like a work of art,¡¯ Maya thought, enviously observing Elena¡¯s soft raven hair swaying in the gentle breeze and her pale skin glistening in the sunlight. Then her brilliant blue eyes shifted toward Maya, feeling her gaze. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Oh, sorry. I just got lost in thought.¡± Maya returned to her textbook. ¡®Starting conversations is hard.¡¯ ¡°Did you know that ancient Greeks believed thyme contained a source of courage? We learned that in Herbology,¡± Maya said out loud. Knowing Elena never paid attention in class, this way she could pick up something along the way. ¡°Mh-hm,¡± Elena wasn¡¯t paying attention. ¡°Nowadays, it¡¯s plain ol¡¯ ethanol,¡± she mumbled. ¡°You are aware that exams are coming up? Don¡¯t you think that you should study a bit?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make me laugh,¡± Elena scoffed. ¡°You haven¡¯t been paying attention in class. I don¡¯t think you can pull through just on your wits alone.¡± Elena gave a slow exasperated sigh. ¡°Look, Maya. I don¡¯t give a rat¡¯s ass about my grades. It¡¯s not like they matter.¡± ¡°Maybe you should. At the end of the trimester, they will send people to the Slums again.¡± ¡°No, they won¡¯t. It was to Castra they would send people to. Hunters are gone, so there¡¯s no point in that, anymore.¡± According to Maureen, one couldn¡¯t become a hunter through regular means like applying for it. They wouldn¡¯t be able to preserve their code of secrecy if they¡¯d allowed just anyone to infiltrate them. Students who were unfit for becoming mages but otherwise had potential would be recruited to Castra ¡ª Hunter¡¯s headquarters at an unknown location. Contenders were picked by a shadow council according to unclear standards. If Maya went back to the first week of school, it seemed Elena did gather some hints of how to cater to their standards. After a short silence, Maya spoke again. ¡°You wanted to become one, right? A Hunter.¡± Elena furrowed her brows. Since Maya decided to stop dancing around and confront her directly, she could no longer pretend. ¡°What do you mean? Why would I¡ª¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m interested in, as well.¡± Elena sighed. ¡°The Warrior¡¯s Training, you getting all depressed after they had fallen, getting vaguely irritated and withdrawn every time they are mentioned¡­ I live with you, there¡¯s no way I wouldn¡¯t have noticed.¡± ¡°So what if I was?¡± ¡°Talk to me. I¡¯m very curious. Why would you be interested in something like that?¡± Maya leaned in. Elena was squirming. It seems that for the first time ever, she was struggling in a social situation she didn¡¯t have a solid ground to leave. ¡°I don¡¯t like school. Just being in a classroom brings unpleasant memories, so I wanted something that would suit me more.¡± ¡°Weren¡¯t you more on the side of breaking the law and order instead of upholding it?¡± ¡°Do you think Hunters are Police?¡± ¡°Enlighten me. What¡¯s your interest in them?¡± Maya nudged a bit more. Elena sighed, hesitant to give a proper answer. ¡°It seemed like the only place I could belong¡­¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t they a strict militarized organization with a focus on discipline?¡± Maya pointed out an obvious contradiction. ¡°Ha!¡± Elena looked away and pressed her lips tight, looking as if she was holding something back. ¡°That isn¡¯t the real reason, is it?¡± There was no answer. ¡°From what I¡¯ve heard, Hunters were also the strongest intelligence organization. Powerful enough to find anything¡­ or anyone.¡± Elena¡¯s lips stretched into a joyless smile and she looked at Maya again. ¡°You¡¯re right. I wanted their resources¡­¡± ¡°¡­To find your parents.¡± Maya finished that sentence. ¡°That was the favour you wanted to ask of me before when your first plan fell apart?¡± Although, slightly more supernatural, Maya could offer her a different source of intelligence through the means of the undead souls. Elena gave her a small nod. Although whenever she was serious, her expression was always impassive like that of a beautiful porcelain doll, this time Maya thought she noticed a flicker of emotion behind it. This was her chance to strike the iron while it was hot. ¡°Then let¡¯s define our conditions,¡± Maya straightened out. ¡°I want your help in saving this world, and in return, I¡¯ll help you find your parents,¡± she offered her a hand. Maya smiled brightly, feeling like she finally understood this perplexing person. In the end, all Elena wanted was to simply belong. ¡°In the meantime, I can be your family,¡± Maya added her words of encouragement. She couldn¡¯t offer her just a dry deal, exploiting Elena¡¯s deep desires for her own gain. Maya truly wished for Elena to be happy whether they succeeded in searching or not. Elena stared at her hand, her expression complicated. Then she sighed and shook it. Overjoyed that she couldn¡¯t contain her excitement, Maya grabbed Elena into a hug, giggling like an idiot who just won a game. In her eyes, Elena was no longer this lofty enigmatic figure comprised of unsolvable puzzles. She was just a girl, searching for her place in the world. Chapter 90: The Great Equalizer Elena was amused by Maya¡¯s honest reaction of joy. The air between them was a little lighter as if Maya had managed to peel off one layer of unbroachable barrier that constantly surrounded Elena. ¡°Your reaction¡¯s worrying me a bit. I didn¡¯t expect you to be giggling like you just won the lottery.¡± ¡°Honestly, the feeling¡¯s not that far from it.¡± After glancing at Elena, Maya realized that her reaction was making her uncomfortable. Elena was already determined to not make a big deal out of it, shrinking the meaning behind their contract. ¡°I feel like I¡¯ve achieved something even greater,¡± Maya wasn¡¯t willing to allow Elena to lessen the bond they¡¯ve made. Even just making her verbally agree to be on her side was an incredible feat. If you think about it, despite people willing to be her friends, Elena would always operate on her own. Although Maya included her as a member of their squad, Elena had been keeping herself at a distance. ¡°You¡¯re making me seem like a horrible person,¡± Elena mumbled, turning away. ¡°It¡¯s not like that!¡± Maya realized her error. She was too absorbed in her accomplishment that she didn¡¯t think to consider how would that reflect on Elena as a person. ¡°You¡¯re so desperately searching for your parents, and I¡­ I was the one responsible for my parents¡¯ deaths. I was just afraid you¡¯d never want to follow a person like me.¡± Elena gave her a sidelong glance. ¡°It¡¯s true I want to find my parents. However, let me tell you this right away. I don¡¯t care about that¡­ stuff,¡± Elena was a little stiff when talking about expressing herself emotionally. ¡°Your parents are yours, and mine are mine. It doesn¡¯t matter if you killed an entire village.¡± Maya gasped at Elena going to another extreme. ¡®She doesn¡¯t care about genocide?¡¯ ¡°In this world, it doesn¡¯t matter whether you smashed a dog¡¯s head with a rock, or shot a man in the face,¡± She continued with her brutal analogies. ¡°We are all condemned the same.¡± ¡®Condemned, huh?¡¯ Maya didn¡¯t like that word, but it strangely made sense. They all got here one way or the other, and they are all tied to the same fate that awaits this world. ¡°At times word ¡®condemned¡¯ does seem to fit better than ¡®chosen¡¯,¡± Maya admitted. ¡°I don¡¯t believe in the ¡®we were chosen¡¯ talk¡­ It¡¯s just a pretty lie masking the randomness of the universe.¡± Maya sat quietly to ponder. ¡®What is the point of a lie? To deceive. To point away from reality.¡¯ So it made sense for something that sounds too good to be true, to be a deception. If you think about it rationally, it does start to make sense. The reality was, that nothing really changed. The suffering didn¡¯t go away. And all the emotional baggage they carried from Vetus Orbis still follows them here. Elements choosing her didn¡¯t bring her parents back to life, nor did it erase her guilt and melancholy. They only get to feel a little better about themselves while running away from their problems. Maya glanced at Elena. It was a truly cynical outlook on life. Was this how Elena always thinks? That space of despair was somewhere Maya could have easily ended up herself if it wasn¡¯t for the undeniable fact that she was actually chosen. ¡®I am a Prima. Even if it was just a coincidence that it had fallen on me, it doesn¡¯t change the fact that it¡¯s an opportunity.¡¯ Maya acknowledged that it was up to her to choose what to do with it. This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡®I may raise my hands and give up, or I may fight to become stronger even if it ends up in vain. I¡¯d rather do something than nothing because I already did a whole lot of nothing before.¡¯ Maya reflected on her past, remembering that not too long ago, she had lived every day not wishing to be alive. However, something happened. She almost died. It made her realize she no longer wished to continue living with that sentiment. After that, she quickly realized she did not know how to change. In desperation and fear of falling back into her old pattern and losing this new revelation, Maya jumped at the first opportunity that showed itself to her, disregarding how reckless and unwise it could be. ¡®I may feel like I¡¯m still stuck in that perpetual loop, but the truth is that I did change. The only sad part is that I couldn¡¯t do it without a catalyst, an outside push.¡¯ She concluded that this time she needed to be smarter about this and learn from her past. Instead of waiting for a miraculous stimulus to show itself to keep her momentum and push her forward, all she needed it to put one beside her. And what better choice there was than the chaotic Elena who often pushes her into similar revelations? ¡®I benefit in so many unexpected ways. I¡¯m like a junkie high on a rush of so many emotions. They remind me I am alive.¡¯ Watching her doing something mindless as if she wasn¡¯t compelled to think about any of this as deeply as Maya was, Elena seemed so clueless. But she often drove Maya to surprising insights. Whether it was her intention or not. What Maya lacked in the past was someone to converse with. Although Elena may not seem like the best conversationalist, her differing views provide Maya with introspection into different perspectives. ¡®That¡¯s why she¡¯s so valuable to me.¡¯ Maya was still delving deep into her mind even long after their conversation. The playful wind threw her soft curls in her face, reminding her of her surroundings. Maya was at the Temple of Light. She didn¡¯t like visiting this place, feeling uncomfortable about the confusing gods that resided here, but this was where she could find her mentor for extra lessons. As it turned out, Maya wasn¡¯t equally talented in all of her elements. Air had an unfair advantage as it was her first recognized element, but Water and Earth didn¡¯t fall too far behind. However, Fire was something she was grappling with. So much so that she recognized early on she would need to put much more effort into it. Instead of constantly pestering Tanya during her Elemental Practices, and evoking unpleasant resentment from her teammates, Maya decided to take up her offer for extra lessons in the later hours at the temple. However, Tanya seemed to be occupied for a moment with Lady Kiana and asked her to wait, so Maya was waiting at the beautiful four-statue plaza, enjoying the warmth of the Autumn sun. The air was becoming crisp and carried the smells of October. A whole month has passed already since she arrived in this strange new world. Soon her birthday will come. Maya wasn¡¯t alone. Beside her was one of the priestess candidates, also waiting for them to finish so she could resume her duties to Lady Kiana. It was Lisa. Although Lisa was in the Fire group mentored by Tanya, and Maya had encountered her plenty of times by now, she couldn¡¯t help but still feel a cold shoulder directed at her. Since they only had each other¡¯s company at the moment, the air was awkward between them. ¡°Lisa, I don¡¯t know if I offended you somehow,¡± Maya began breaching the excruciating silence. ¡°I¡¯d like to know why you hate me so much.¡± Unlike her Air group colleagues, Maya couldn¡¯t place what was the source of Lisa¡¯s resentment. They weren¡¯t competing for their mentor¡¯s attention. Lisa was among the most talented freshmen fire mages, given she is a priestess candidate too, and Tanya¡¯s most prized pupil. So there has to be something else that irked her. Lisa stared at her for a moment and sighed, choosing not to face Maya directly as she provided an answer. ¡°I don¡¯t hate you. It¡¯s just your roommate I¡¯d rather have nothing to do with. Since you¡¯re quite chubby, we don¡¯t have grounds for a relationship.¡± Maya felt relief. Lisa wasn¡¯t mean or scornful. It was simply she had principles and chose not to get close to people around the one person she held resentment for. She even felt sorry that Maya felt wronged by her cold treatment and provided her with an explanation. Lisa confessed that last summer, even before Sarah¡¯s fiasco, she was on quite good terms with Elena since the two of them were among the first arrivals and interacted on many occasions. Surprisingly, they were even growing something her naive self thought back then was true friendship. But soon enough their relationship soured and they drifted apart. Lisa sighed and looked at Maya. ¡°She¡¯s the type of person who would hold your hand while you drown,¡± she concluded. ¡°Think hard if that is someone you want beside you,¡± then she left without elaborating. Maya was quite taken by this unexpected crumb of knowledge about Elena. They never gave her an impression of having a past connection. Elena treats Lisa like any other background character in her life. It was strange to think Lisa was once what Maya was now to her. ¡®What does she mean by that ominous statement?¡¯ Chapter 91: Chasing Dreams and Chasing Trouble Midterm exams began in October. The atmosphere in the classroom was tense, with Mrs. Garrett''s vigilant presence looming over the students like a watchful hawk. Known for her strict demeanour, Mrs Garrett¡¯s mere presence could instil fear in the hearts of students, as she was notorious for administering swift reprimands to those caught misbehaving. Maya, feeling unprepared for the test, realized her mistake upon leaving multiple blank answers on her paper. Determined to avoid a poor grade, she discreetly summoned Leo for assistance by subtly tapping her rose necklace. Leo, initially puzzled by Maya¡¯s unusual call in a crowded classroom, quickly grasped the situation upon seeing her tapping on her test beside unanswered questions. Mindful of the risk of arousing suspicion from Mrs. Garrett, Maya waited anxiously as Leo surveyed the room for potential answers. From her first-row seat, she couldn¡¯t direct Leo with her eyes toward the students who were more likely to know the answers and had to trust his judgement as he recited them to her. Under an intense rush of adrenalin and a guilty conscience, Maya couldn¡¯t quell her mind with reason. Hers was the most undetectable method of cheating there was, but it was still cheating. With her nerves already being under a lot of pressure, Mrs Garret¡¯s sudden shout and fist slamming a desk made Maya jump in her seat. ¡°Miss Petrova!¡± It seems she wasn¡¯t the only one as all the students were startled and compelled to look at the back of the classroom where the person in question was seated. In stark contrast to the teacher¡¯s face red with fury, Elena was blinking disoriented and asked in a groggy voice: ¡°What time is it?¡± Elena didn¡¯t even try to hide that she had been sleeping. ¡°It¡¯s time to start taking your test. You have ten more minutes,¡± the teacher said clenching her teeth, and turned back to the class. ¡°Everyone, eyes on your tests!¡± Today wasn¡¯t a lucky day for Elena. First, she had dozed off in class and got in trouble with Mrs Garrett. Then on the way out of the classroom, Kasper awaited her. The year rep was unfortunate enough to be tasked with reprimanding Elena again. This time he was prepared and intercepted Elena before she could give him a slip. However, after seeing him, the speed at which Elena set off into a run was incredible. But Kasper, taking his duties seriously, gave her a chase. He wasn¡¯t giving up easily today. ¡°No running in the halls!¡± Professor¡¯s words fell on deaf ears and they were gone like the wind. ¡®This might take a while.¡¯ ¡°Midterms have begun, how are you fairing?¡± Andrea inquired as they walked together. Maya already knew there was no point in waiting for Elena today as she will be occupied. Either by hiding and running away, or being caught and dragged to the faculty office. ¡°You¡¯re smart, right? I¡¯ve joined a couple of study groups but I don¡¯t see any progress in my grades,¡± Andrea lamented. ¡°That¡¯s because you don¡¯t go there to study but to be a busybody,¡± Linda brought up. Andrea waved her head. ¡°Groups tend to socialize. It¡¯s hard not to.¡± ¡°You can always come study with Isaac and me,¡± Linda offered. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be your third wheel,¡± she continued to complain. ¡°Andrea, we are actually studying! And besides¡ª¡± A gasp of a student near them grabbed their attention. They looked up where two nimble figures were running across the roof, one chasing the other, rendering all onlookers extras on an action movie set. ¡°What¡¯s all that ruckus? Wait, is that Kasper chasing Elena over the rooftops! ?¡± Andrea exclaimed, recognizing them. ¡°Seriously, what trouble did she cause now?¡± ¡°They are still going¡­¡± Maya was amazed. ¡°I swear, Kasper must have a degree in parkour. Otherwise, how is he able to chase her even across the rooftops?¡± This had been going on for a while in the background. Scenes like similar things casually happening would remind them that they were attending an academy for mages. ¡°Seriously, he keeps chasing her day after day. Do I need to break some rules for him to notice me as well?¡± Andrea pouted. ¡°This is unfair. It seems everyone¡¯s love life is advancing except for mine.¡± Lately, Andrea had been endlessly frustrated because her crush never seemed to notice her. Stolen story; please report. ¡°Why do you like Kasper so much,¡± Maya wondered. ¡°Have you even talked to him once?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t. He¡¯s always so busy to casually approach him. But just look at him! He is cute as a button! He is like a golden retriever, I just want to cuddle him all day long,¡± Andrea hugged herself, imagining herself in his embrace. ¡°A golden retriever?¡± Maya had to admit with his light brown hair, golden eyes and well-natured demeanour Kasper would remind you of the man¡¯s best friend. However, it was a little strange that that aspect of him was the main pull for Andrea. ¡°It¡¯s not just that. I mean, he is the year rep! What can I say? I like guys with authority. Hehe.¡± Maya silently patted Andrea on the shoulder, pitying her unrequited love. Even Maya talked to him on more occasions than Andrea did, but she hoped for her future fortune and a chance to confess to him. ¡°I heard whispers of a party coming up soon,¡± Andrea continued. ¡°You know, like a proper house party. No supervision. Hehehe. I hope they pull it off.¡± While Maya and her friends were cutting through the courtyard, they could see those two returning to the ground. Elena must¡¯ve determined it was better to try and lose him in the crowd. However, things weren¡¯t going as smoothly. While slightly faster and more nimble Elena was trying to escape through the arcades, she stumbled upon Mrs Garrett. The strict teacher immediately wanted to reprimand Elena ¡ª a known troublemaker. ¡°Oh, no. She¡¯s in trouble.¡± Elena was now trapped in between them, with the danger of her punishment getting much worse than initially. She was caught completely off guard, glancing back, evaluating if she could still run in that direction before Kasper closed in. There was no hope. Furious Mrs Garret on the one side, and out of breath Kasper on the other. And then, in a quick reaction, Elena resulted to the most ridiculous method of getting out of trouble Maya had seen her try so far. She pretended to faint. Mrs Garrett was stunned by a student suddenly going limp right in front of her. Her frail old hands that, seconds prior, were ready to strike a young student, now fumbled trying to catch her. Kasper was there in an instant, helping the old lady with Elena. ¡°Oh no, it looks like she¡¯s anaemic again. I have to quickly carry her to the infirmary.¡± Kasper surprised everyone by thinking quickly on his feet and deciding to act along with Elena. ¡°Oh, ugh. What happened?¡± Mrs Garrett was stupefied. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Mrs Garrett, Elena was just so intent on fulfilling her fallen-behind duties that she skipped lunch. I had to chase her to check if she was okay.¡± ¡°Oh, my,¡± Mrs Garrett seemed truly concerned. ¡°You see how thin and pale as paper she is. I have to quickly take her to the nurse.¡± Maya, Andrea and Linda, witnessing this were completely flabbergasted. ¡®Even Kasper can lie through his teeth, huh?¡¯ Although a stickler for rules, Kasper knows this teacher gives out unjust punishments to students she has it out for. Elena was now essentially caught and there was no need to reprimand her more than she was already going to suffer. Unfortunately, despite convincing Mrs Garrett otherwise, Elena won¡¯t be escorted to the infirmary but to the Headmistress¡¯s office instead. ???????? For the Elemental Practices, with her new elements, Maya was assigned new mentors. Or at least the Earth mentor was new. With Tanya, she got two for one, Fire and Air, and Water stayed the same as before the re-appraisal. Coincidentally, for Earth, she was grouped with Linda, and Andrea was always nearby. So Earth manipulation days were always fun for Maya. The Water group was unfortunately made up of strangers, and Elena¡¯s group was far away. With a hundred children of each element, all of them couldn¡¯t be near. However, Elena often slacked off and hung around Maya at practice time. It went as far as her mentor having to switch places with another group so that the two of them could be closer and her mentor wouldn¡¯t have to chase her around the practice ground. Strange how Elena eventually got her way, having the entire group cater to her whims. It¡¯s possible when you have a mentor as kind and considerable as she does. While doing her stretches, Maya saw Elena returning from the faculty wing. Being late and noticeably pissed off Elena was still trying to put her slipper on. After dropping her bag carelessly on the ground, she placed her hands on her hips glancing around, not feeling like practising today. Maya approached her and asked what was wrong. ¡°The Cockatrice Crone isn¡¯t pleased with my grades,¡± Elena was frustrated. After talking to the Headmistress, it was no wonder. Elena¡¯s grades were horrible. She was failing at way too many classes and barely passing the rest. It was already apparent even before midterms that something needed to be done. The problem lay in her sleeping through exams, being late and showing up drunk to the classes. Teachers have begun complaining about her. It was a miracle they were tolerant up to this point. ¡°You can¡¯t blame her. You managed to fail even the easiest of classes.¡± ¡°What does she have to do with that? She¡¯s a headmistress of an academy, why is she so fixated on one student? She doesn¡¯t need to invent some stupid rules of minimal score to lower my allowance just to get at me.¡± ¡°She did not make that up for you. It¡¯s an existing rule,¡± Maya informed her. ¡°Since when?¡± ¡°Since ever. You probably slept through it when they explained it to us.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. I was probably late,¡± Elena brushed it off and pulled out her thermos bottle from her bag, taking a sip. Maya was horrified by how blatantly she would drink and tried to grab it away from her. ¡°This is the exact reason why you¡¯re in trouble!¡± Elena didn¡¯t let go and they ended up scuffling over the bottle. Suddenly, a second-year student fell to the ground from the Tachde-tu arena and grabbed his ankle. Medical support quickly arrived to attend to his injury, but it was clear that he couldn¡¯t continue playing. The teams began to argue about how to finish the game since one team was now missing a player. As it turned out, the missing player was of the Water element. Elena wasted no time and volunteered. Chapter 92: The World Keeps Spinning, Unmoved A freshman student eagerly volunteering received amused chuckles from seniors. With barely a month of practising her element, she wasn¡¯t taken seriously by the second-year students working hard gearing up for the national competition in this dangerous sport. ¡°Sure. Let¡¯s see what she¡¯s got,¡± it was their team captain, Muna, who made the call. Injured but present to oversee and lead her teammates from the sidelines, Muna received a rebuttal from her teammates, but she was adamant. Her curiosity about Elena¡¯s abilities had been piqued since the recent incident outside the walls. After deciding to humour her, Elena smirked as she entered the game field. The game was already lost without a player, so they planned to go easy on her and give her a chance. Many students gathered to see what was happening at the centre of the courtyard. Maya, curious, observed closely. This was a girl who had been jumping over the rooftops earlier, after all. However, she may not fit the role a water player would have. The game started and Elena killed it. Other players quickly realised she wasn¡¯t fooling around. Not only did she manage to stand toe-to-toe with them, but some couldn¡¯t keep up. However, as her team gained a surprising ace for the attackers, what they lost was a dependable defence. The element of water was mainly responsible for the defence, but that wasn¡¯t Elena¡¯s style. Despite her bombastic start, her team ended up losing because her powers were a too-foreign variable, making her teammates slip on her ice or almost lose an eye on her sharp manifestations. Elena ended up being scolded by supervisors, with serious threats to ban it altogether. It was a spectacle while it lasted. No one had seen something like that before. And no one would until the end of the academic year. She was banned from playing again for using ice, a dangerous element for such a fast-paced game where accidents weren¡¯t uncommon. The reaction to her performance was mixed. Some admired her, others criticized. Keith, who¡¯d been playing on the opposing team, appeared displeased. Maya overheard accusations of the two of them colluding to stage his team¡¯s victory with Elena sabotaging her own team. It was ridiculous, but Keith didn¡¯t like being accused of such dirty tactics. Tachde-tu was a serious sport for Mellgrah students that can help spring them up to competent positions in the adult world. As a model student, Keith had a promising future in that field, but rumours about using underhanded methods to get himself to that position could stunt his reputation. ¡®Keith has it rough.¡¯ Maya did not feel confident yet, but she decided to try out for the Tachde-tu team next year. ¡°I wonder if I would be even allowed to play, considering my four elements,¡± Maya mumbled to herself. ¡°You alone could replace an entire half of the team,¡± Leo chimed in. ¡°One-woman team. Stealing victory once again,¡± Leo began voicing in a TV commentator voice. Maya chuckled and shushed him as she made her way toward Tanya for the end of classes. They were doing some light stretches while they waited for the courtyard to clear out. ¡°Do you have any hobbies or interests outside of school?¡± Tanya asked casually. Maya furrowed her brow, surprised by the sudden question. ¡°I like reading, but I haven¡¯t had time for it lately¡­¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ Have you tried out writing, or something more productive? It¡¯s good to be learned, but it¡¯s better if you can turn it into money.¡± Maya shook her head. ¡°I¡¯ve been focusing on magic.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Tanya seemed lost in her thoughts for a moment. ¡°Why do you ask, Tanya?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not bad to start preparing you for the future early,¡± she murmured. ¡°Future?¡± Tanya fell silent for a moment, her gaze drifting toward the Tachde-tu players still having a heated team meeting nearby. ¡°Maya, are you aware of why Tachde-tu players are so competitive?¡± Maya glanced toward them. Never being a sports person, she couldn¡¯t tell what alluded to them. But it must be like with any other sport, right? Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Seeing Maya confused, Tanya continued, ¡°They are passionate enough to wish to break through with magic.¡± There was a sense of dissonance in her words. ¡°This world is small, and the world of magic is even smaller.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡®Mellgrah was introduced as a world of magic, why is Tanya making it a separate thing?¡¯ ¡°You saw at the last incident outside the walls. You had escorts, but they couldn¡¯t protect you from a magical beast. It was the students who were holding on.¡± Maya¡¯s eyes widened in realization, her mind racing as she connected the dots. ¡°I did wonder why weren¡¯t they doing what you and Lady Kiana did,¡± she murmured, feeling a sense of dread settle over her. ¡°It¡¯s because they couldn¡¯t. The warriors of the Night¡¯s Guard don¡¯t have a licence to use magic and¡ª¡± ¡°Are you saying it was illegal for them to use magic against the threat?!¡± Maya was horrified. ¡®Why did they stand back? Students could have been slaughtered and they feared repercussions from the law?!¡¯ ¡°You need a freaking licence??¡± ¡°Sorry, it came out wrong,¡± Tanya shook her head. ¡°You do need a license to use magic, but rarely does any graduating student have enough magical power to apply.¡± She struggled to explain with regret in her voice. ¡°And not many professions have a license for magic.¡± Maya stared at her wide-eyed. ¡°Priestesses are a popular option for girls,¡± Tanya continued. ¡°Some specialized warriors can use magic but they are a rare breed and wouldn¡¯t be wasted on the task of standing guard around students¡­¡± ¡°H-how?¡± Maya was bewildered. Are students the only citizens who can use magic freely? ¡°Wouldn¡¯t guards at least need magic? More than priestesses anyway.¡± ¡°Would guarding truly need something as dangerous as magic to protect us? Their enemies don¡¯t use magic. Even Hunters don¡¯t use magic and they are still commendable, frighteningly so¡­ Well¡­ were,¡± she progressively got pensive. ¡°Before they fell, that is¡­¡± Maya¡¯s thoughts swirled with confusion. ¡°The students who participated in the relay race finale are who will most likely be the only ones who will be able to utilize their magic to some degree by the time they graduate,¡± Tanya continued, her voice tinged with resignation. ¡°You know, people give that roommate of yours a lot of flack, but I bet she will have the least trouble later in life.¡± Maya blinked in surprise, her thoughts momentarily derailed by Tanya¡¯s unexpected praise of Elena. ¡°Yeah. It was surprising she could already play as a freshman,¡± Maya murmured, feeling a pang of jealousy at the thought of Elena¡¯s success. ¡°No, I don¡¯t mean her magic.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s by accident or if she is astute¡­¡± ¡®Astute?! Elena? Funny hearing that about the student who recently achieved a failing grade at Potions, the easiest subject of the first trimester.¡¯ ¡°I mean, taking commissions, investing in her art skills¡­ She¡¯s already making money.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ So you mean she will have something to go back to if she fails at magic?¡± ¡°Yes. You can use her forward-thinking as a model.¡± Maya didn¡¯t know what to say. The reasons why Elena seems ¡®forward-thinking¡¯ are entirely selfish and without too much forethought. At times it felt like she was just acting according to her whims. Although Maya was surprised to learn Elena had joined Warrior¡¯s Practice with some further goal in mind. But they were talking about the girl who doesn¡¯t mind hurting her own body because she doesn¡¯t expect to live for too long. Isn¡¯t it ridiculous that such a person has a prospective future? ¡°Magic will get you nowhere,¡± Tanya stated with regret. Maya was confounded. Tanya was already hinting toward that conclusion, but Maya didn¡¯t think it would relate to her. To her, magic is, and has to be, the most important thing in the world. Somehow, she remembered what the Headmistress said about Tanya and her opinions¡­ ¡°Isn¡¯t the whole point of this world to have magic?¡± ¡°Maya, when you are asked to choose subjects in the future, if there¡¯s anything non-magic related that you have an interest in or are good at, pick it over any sparkling magical one. That¡¯s what you are going to use later in life.¡± ¡°B-but¡ª¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if you are good at Potions or Spells, the best thing that can get you is to be a collector of spells or recipes you aren¡¯t even allowed to use. All magical fields are strictly regulated, and the licences required for them would constrict you more than serve you. You will hardly be able to make a career out of it¡­ I¡¯m not just talking out of my ass. I know from seeing my generation dealing with those challenges.¡± Tanya was a fourth-year student. They were basically already considered graduates. It meant they were released to the world a couple of months back. Whether they applied for apprenticeship or started working, they must have a grasp on the world by now. ¡°The top students are struggling now, unable to find suitable careers that would allow them magic licences, while the ones who didn¡¯t have much academic success and were struggling to keep above the line not to end up in the Slums are now joining the fashion industry, opening their own breweries, and becoming successful.¡± Maya thought about many possible jobs that could use magic in optimising or replacing something that wasn¡¯t easily available in this world. But are they all just workers in factories, miners, and labourers? ¡°I am only riding a fortune brought by my peers¡¯ deaths to postpone the misery that would await me otherwise. I will likely be offered a job as a supervisor here, making me, within my generation, probably the only one who gets to use magic in her job and not despise it. And it¡¯s to teach the new generations something they will not have use for in the near future¡­¡± Maya was completely stunned by this monologue. ¡®I can¡¯t give up magic. I have to save the world.¡¯ If Anastasia herself was communicating with her, she had a future for her magic, yet. Chapter 93: This Makes No Sense ¡®I still don¡¯t understand anything about this world¡­¡¯ It tends to be quite shocking and burdensome, but Tanya was the only one who shared the truth about the harsh reality of Mellgrah with Maya. As someone on a vague path meant to save the world, learning that after graduating from the academy she would be far more restricted in the use of magic was a major setback. ¡®Do I have to save the world before I graduate?¡¯ Sitting alone at lunch, she let her mind wander. It was quite lonely, but too crowded to allow herself to chat with Leo. ¡®All I have is some vague advice from Anastasia about developing my magical power. Would that be enough to train myself?¡¯ Maya was still too young to grasp what such a heavy burden entails and could only look at her task through the eyes of a reader ¡ª expecting trials and tribulations to show themselves to her one by one while she, like a hero in a book, gallantly deals with them in swift succession. She expected the fall to come as some sort of an outside force that suddenly and overwhelmingly takes over the world like a natural disaster. And herself as a prophesized hero to conveniently gain some mystical power that coincidentally appears as the perfect solution to their problems at the right moment. It had never occurred to Maya that this world could have been festering for a long time already. Drown in hypocrisy and shackles of an unclear kind. To save it, she may have to fight it. ???????? Anastasia observed Maya from afar ¡ª just enough so her presence was undetected. Burdened by the shackles of the past she had to fight every waking moment, she was adamant in her decision to give Maya some space to breathe since the recent tribulations. ¡®If she can¡¯t sense me, she¡¯s still far too green.¡¯ Split between the desire to allow her precious successor some sense of normalcy and the urgency of her erosion and moving pieces of the world, Anastasia cursed her fate. Then she sensed tendrils spreading through the air, slowly reaching out, feeling out the invisible side of the world as if finding her way in darkness. They were growing like roots from Maya, nearly reaching Anastasia. She smiled, pleased that her prot¨¦g¨¦ was diligent at practicing the simple exercises Anastasia had provided to heighten Maya¡¯s magical sensitivity. ¡®Will she be prepared? I will have to put her to a test.¡¯ ???????? ¡°Where did you wander off to?¡± Andrea¡¯s voice penetrated Maya¡¯s deep thoughts as the squad joined her at the table. Maya snapped back to reality. ¡°Nowhere. Why so late guys?¡± ¡°Prof. Crumpet held us back. He was talking about Elador and how revolutionary its shape was in the medieval times¡­ again,¡± Isaac complained. ¡°Where¡¯s Sarah?¡± Maya asked. ¡°She prefers to hang out with these two girls from the Psi group, now. Probably because they worship her,¡± Andrea said. ¡°Probably because Maya became the main drive for our popularity and not her,¡± Isaac was harsh. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± confusion was evident on Maya¡¯s face. ¡°Maya, you¡¯re the most popular person in the entire school!¡± Andrea exclaimed. ¡°But you know how she gets, always comparing herself to others. But she¡¯ll come around after she realizes how pea-brained those are.¡± Maya thought through Sarah¡¯s recent behaviour, noting the growing distance between them. It seemed that Sarah was merely tagging along with Andrea during lunch outings, leaving Maya feeling unsure if they had even spoken since the incident with Elena tricking her into going outside the wall to test if Maya had Fire magic. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Sarah had always seemed a little too haughty to hang around, but Maya thought she just needed a while to warm up. It¡¯s been only a little over a month since the school started and some friendships needed time. As Sarah¡¯s demeanour remained aloof, Maya couldn¡¯t help but feel a pang of disappointment. Her gaze shifted toward the table Andrea suggested, seeing Sarah sitting with a different group of girls, laughing expressively. Sarah had refreshed her look, trying out some bright pink highlights in her blond hair. But that wasn¡¯t what pulled Maya¡¯s attention. The aforementioned Psi group girls, Sarah¡¯s new underlings, were none other than Pricilla and Hailey! ¡®Ah!¡¯ Despite never having been too close with Sarah, Maya couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of betrayal. ¡®Even if she doesn¡¯t know what they put me through, this is too much.¡¯ Her lips pressed into a thin line as she garnered a strange sense of loss. ¡°Wait¡­¡± Maya¡¯s mind was a bit slow today, and it only now hit her what her friends had boldly proclaimed. ¡°What do you mean I¡¯m the most popular one?¡± Her friends laughed, unable to hold on to their suspension of disbelief at Maya¡¯s cluelessness. ¡°You¡¯re the quadripartite, silly. No one can top that,¡± Linda said. ¡°Prepare yourself for the sea of clout-chasers,¡± Isaac was joking. ¡°You can never know who to trust, now.¡± Maya looked around the dining area again. Looking at Sarah at one table desperately trying to have fun, then at Elena and Keith¡¯s table with his sophomore squad. She felt like she¡¯d just joined the competition. On one hand, there was Elena, well-known for not-so-commendable deeds, being unbothered, and as a menace to society. But also for dating the most popular, golden boy of the academy. There was also her unique and rapid development of magic skills, paired with her cold demeanour, earning her the nickname of Ice Queen. On the other hand, there was her hot-headed counterpart. A girl equally beautiful, tremendously talented in Fire Magic, and a priestess candidate. Despite her haughty mannerisms, she did care what others thought of her and held a prominent position of influence. Sarah Collins, dubbed Fire Queen. Sparked by last summer¡¯s incident, those two were stuck in a cycle of constantly being compared to one another. Consequently feeding each other¡¯s popularity status, they were the two perfect rivals. Then there was Maya, an interloper known for being a freak of nature, barging in to disrupt the balance. ¡°This school makes no sense. Why are the most popular students freshmen?¡± Maya complained. ¡°If you think about it, the freshmen students are a majority. Seniors have already passed through multiple culling for the slums,¡± Isaac pointed out. They all looked at each other, swallowing, in silent acknowledgement neither of them was completely safe yet. They survived the first hurdle, but at the end of the academic year, more students may not satisfy the requirements. Merit points were a positive motivator while the slums were a warning to those who wanted to slack off. Andrea, Isaac and Maya all secretly glanced Linda¡¯s way, reminded of her close call. Well, Linda did prove to be quite powerful, but her unconventional power, just like Elena¡¯s, was hard to measure. The tense atmosphere brought by Isaac¡¯s words was interrupted by Adam¡¯s arrival. ¡°Sorry for being late, guys. Did I miss anything?¡± ¡°Nothing much,¡± Isaac said. ¡°We were just discussing Sarah leaving us for Cinderella¡¯s evil stepsisters,¡± Andrea skilfully switched the mood. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Adam glanced Sarah¡¯s way and quickly grasped the situation. ¡°It makes sense the main players can¡¯t all sit at the same table.¡± ¡®Main players?¡¯ It only now dawned on Maya that Adam had already been looking at her as one of the protagonists in this silent competition of new academy Queens. In no one¡¯s company has she been as aware of gossip about those two as with him. Although it was interesting hearing stories about them, Maya was unsure of how to feel about the newfound spotlight shifting to her. ¡®Do people already have a nickname for me? A Quadripartite Queen? No, that didn¡¯t have quite the ring to it.¡¯ While the rest of the squad engaged in their usual banter, Adam sat closer to Maya, speaking more quietly. ¡°Since there will be a party at Rho Minor this Saturday, perhaps we should postpone our date.¡± Maya nodded. ¡°I agree. It¡¯s best to let midterms pass.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll see each other at the party, anyway,¡± he smiled brightly. ¡°Um¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re going, right?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know anyone from that house. And no one had invited me,¡± Maya was uncertain. Adam blinked at her in disbelief. ¡°You don¡¯t need to know anyone. You¡¯re Maya freaking Watergate.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t feel like I can just show up and that would mean something.¡± Adam cleared his throat. ¡°I would love it if you¡¯d show up. You do deserve a little break.¡± ¡°What are you two lovebirds whispering about?¡± They both blushed after Andrea interrupted them. ¡°I¡¯m just trying to talk Maya into going to Rho House party,¡± Adam said quickly. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s great. We are all going, there is no saying no,¡± Andrea was bossy. Chapter 94: Rho House Party I Later, before their practice, Elena pulled Maya aside when they were alone in the hallway, on their way to the courtyard. ¡°Listen, Maya. I have been digging through some big-boy books. I didn¡¯t find anything referencing spirit magic. But I dug further and have found some referencing Prima Maga, so I think the key is to search for books in Latin.¡± ¡°What? When did you have time for that?¡± ¡°Well¡­ I did show up for work the other day, but I was hiding in the library,¡± she admitted, mischievously. ¡°Careful,¡± Maya teased her, ¡°Someone might hear you and think you were actually in a real library. You know, where people go to study.¡± ¡°No one would believe I was in a library to study. For a quickie in some less visited sector, maybe.¡± ¡°Gross!¡± ¡°Relax, Maya. I wasn¡¯t actually shagging in a library. I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m more invested in this than you are.¡± ¡°So we need to search for books in Latin. We don¡¯t know Latin,¡± Maya noted. ¡°Speak for yourself.¡± ¡°How could you possibly know Latin? We don¡¯t have that class until the next trimester.¡± Elena cleared her throat and her expression shifted to a darker one. With a strange hand sign, she began chanting: ¡°Triforium incarnatum, magnus carotta. Pinus sylvestris per omnia saecula saeculorum. Exorcizamus te, omnis immundus spiritus. Temus ver tenebris¡­¡± Elena¡¯s look was fierce, making Maya shiver under a feeling as if she was going to get cursed. ¡°Huh?¡± Maya shrank back. Elena laughed so hard she almost let out a tear. ¡°Well, it¡¯s nonsense, but how hard can it be?¡± The fluency with which Elena executed a string of nonsense words made Maya suspect that she had frightened people like this before. ¡°Sometimes, you really freak me out.¡± ¡°You¡¯re cute when you¡¯re frightened. You should dress like a bunny for the party,¡± Elena teased her. ¡°Ah¡­ the party¡­¡± Elena tilted her head at Maya¡¯s lukewarm reaction. ¡°I thought you were all about experiencing what life has to offer. The party seems like a perfect match. Was I wrong?¡± ¡°No¡­¡± A house party was something Maya never experienced before and always wished to, but thinking about attending was making her past insecurities resurface again, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll offer you a special discount for the costume,¡± Elena winked. ¡®Ah!¡¯ Maya remembered Elena must already have a lot of commissions for costumes since the party was Halloween-themed. Although it was only midway through October, it was the only weekend not occupied by different events. Since this year-round they didn¡¯t get approval for a masquerade in the academy banquet hall, the spooky season party will be held at Rho Minor House. It was the biggest dorm building with lots of space. ¡®Should I help her and try to learn a thing or two?¡¯ Maya was inspired by Tanya¡¯s recent monologue. ¡®It¡¯s not like Elena knows the first thing about clothing making, but costumes are forgiving and she isn¡¯t the one to refuse money.¡¯ Contrary to Maya¡¯s expectation, the ¡®costumes¡¯ turned out to be just a minor accessory to pertain to the theme that was appended at the minute. It was very low-effort. Maya put on paper-cut bunny ears on her head, and Elena styled her hair into two pointed buns that looked like cat ears. The rest of Maya¡¯s outfit was party clothes and accessories borrowed from Elena. It was surprising she was close enough with Elena that she would allow her to raid her closet freely. Knowing Elena had an abundance of clothes from it being tossed just about anywhere in their room, she never had a chance to look through it and grasp just how much of it there was. Elena was fashionable in her own way, but also, she was someone who would survive without any problem on just a handful of clothing items in total. The contradiction of why she had so many articles of clothing she never wore was a mystery. It took Maya regrettably long to realize Elena¡¯s clutter was a product of two main reasons. The first one was Keith who showers her with gifts. The second one¡­ Well¡­ just like everyone has an impulse to breathe, Elena has an impulse to swipe objects that don¡¯t belong to her. And it wasn¡¯t always something Elena needed or wanted. Her fingers were simply faster than her brain. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. Since Maya couldn¡¯t tell what was illicit or not, all she could do was turn a blind eye. Maya picked whatever was suitable for her. Although she was careful not to pick any jewellery that was a gift from Keith. Next was makeup. Maya asked Elena for assistance, fearing the result. ¡®It¡¯s not fair. She applies makeup with her fingers. How can people always drool over her?¡¯ It was a comment made by Sarah that suddenly resurfaced in Maya¡¯s mind. For a girl who rarely wears makeup, Elena¡¯s hands were surprisingly fast and precise. After being asked to help Maya apply eyeliner, Elena grabbed her face without a warning, and in a single stroke, she was done. There was a perfect line on Maya¡¯s face before she even registered the movement. ¡®I guess her art skills do transfer across.¡¯ Still, Maya¡¯s concern was justified since her roommate always carries a light scent of booze. Fidgeting the whole way there, Maya was quickly hit by the lively and energetic atmosphere as soon as they arrived at the male dormitory where the party was held. The party was in full swing. The ground floor buzzed with laughter and conversation, the occasional shout, and the continuous stream of thumping music. Students milled about, drinks in hands. The room was a colourful chaos of costumes, all under the eerie glow of multicoloured party lights. The layout of the dorm was similar to Delta Major House, making her feel a strange mix of familiarity and disorientation amid the crowd. ¡°Hello, sexy,¡± Keith kissed Elena after meeting them. ¡°Nice to see you, Maya,¡± he greeted her before stealing Elena away. Searching for her squad, Maya pushed through the crowd of inebriated students. It struck her as odd how there were no restrictions on alcohol consumption for those underage. She herself was just days shy of seventeen, yet knew she could easily order a drink without any request for identification. There was a certain appeal to this adult-like freedom and trust, an aspect Maya generally appreciated. However, she couldn¡¯t help but worry about the ease with which this enabled Elena to obtain alcohol. The party was loud and messy. People were flowing from room to room constantly. Some found a corner to sit and play card games or engage in lively party games. Others lost themselves in the rhythm of the music, dancing in the common area. A select few even managed to secure a spot in front of the TV for a round of video games. Yet, not all activities were as innocent. Couples commandeered the back couch for make-out sessions, while others squabbled over choosing the next song. The bathroom became a refuge for those who had indulged a bit too much, while others disappeared into the kitchen to partake in less-than-legal substances. The scent of smoke wafted in from those who had ventured outside to light up, completing the full sensory experience of the party. ¡°I was sure Kasper was in this dorm building,¡± Andrea was talking. ¡°No. He¡¯s in the Rho group, not house,¡± Linda clarified. ¡°It¡¯s so confusing. Why did they name both the dorm buildings and groups with Greek letters,¡± Andrea complained. After locating them, and having secured a spot in the common area, Maya enjoyed the night in her friends¡¯ company. A surprising amount of people wanted to hang out with her, and giving into the mood, Maya even submitted her question to their discussion. ¡°What would you do if you knew the world may end soon?¡± ¡°Huh? In what way?¡± Aside from her friends, there were some other students Maya didn¡¯t know the names of that partook in their friendly discussions. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. You just know the fact that it may.¡± ¡°Like a revelation?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ I¡¯d definitely hit my bucket list,¡± Andrea made the conversation move. People shared their lists and Maya wondered what things she¡¯d put on her bucket list. ¡°I¡¯d try to save it,¡± Linda¡¯s comment returned the flow into the direction Maya was hoping for. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°If I knew the world was ending, I¡¯d definitely do something about it. Crossing things off your bucket list is fine, but that¡¯s also accepting that everything will end. I¡¯d want to hold on to it for as long as I can. This is where my friends live and my new life is¡­¡± ¡°Linda¡­¡± Andrea was touched. ¡°I want to save it too,¡± Maya grabbed Linda¡¯s hands with sincerity. ¡®Crap¡­ What am I doing? I can¡¯t let them know it¡¯s true,¡¯ Maya was a bit tipsy. ¡°Right. Trying to save it is good. But what are we saving it from?¡± ¡°What if it¡¯s a meteor?¡± someone gave an energetic suggestion. ¡°The hell? How would you fight that?¡± ¡°Shoot it down?¡± ¡°How? Mellgrah doesn¡¯t have rockets to shoot it down!¡± The discussion was becoming heated, ignoring the logic that shooting down something that is already falling on you makes no difference. ¡°We have magic! There must be something witches can do! I mean, if a witch can create a world why would a meteor be a problem?¡± ¡°And where¡¯s that witch now?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Have you ever seen the magic of such a grand scale?! Is there a mage capable of doing something like that today?!¡± ¡°Why are we fighting this is just a theoretical scenario?¡± Despite discussion long abandoning the realm of logic, Maya was getting valuable input. ¡®What could I do against a meteor? I should ask Anastasia more about the foreseen end. What if there¡¯s nothing I can do?¡¯ ¡°Face it guys, witches of that time are a mystery to us like Egyptians building pyramids are. We can argue and speculate, but we can¡¯t say with certainty that we know how they did it. All we see is proof that they did. The ¡®technology¡¯ is lost today. Maybe we should thank the Lord of Light that it was because we live in a peaceful world.¡± ¡®Peaceful? As peaceful as a world of magic can be.¡¯ ¡°What an interesting debate a bunch of drunk students can have,¡± their debate became a spectacle for the nearby students. ¡°We should leave the world-saving to our seniors!¡± someone concluded. On the topic of seniors, Maya¡¯s gaze was suddenly pulled toward Keith who was with his friends nearby. There was an absence of a certain someone by his side. ¡°Has anyone seen Elena?¡± Chapter 95: Rho House Party II Maya couldn¡¯t help but worry when Elena was out of both Maya¡¯s and Keith¡¯s view. It was almost a certainty she was stirring trouble somewhere. They were at a party, after all, and she was terrible at self-control. ¡°I think I saw her outside smoking,¡± someone answered. ¡°Yes, she was with those junkies.¡± ¡°Ugh, if she¡¯s dating someone as reputable as Keith she should keep away from those bad guys¡­¡± Maya unwittingly sparked a gossip session, but she didn¡¯t stay to participate. If Elena was in bad company, Maya needed to intervene. Contrary to Maya¡¯s fears, Elena was just at the front door, engaged in a light conversation with students smoking outside. After she noticed her, Elena returned them their joint and joined Maya. The fresh air soothed Maya who felt her cheeks burning from alcohol, and Elena almost seemed like a kind friend keeping her company. In her one hand was a cup full of clear liquid that, knowing her, was most likely clean hard liquor. And in the other was a cigarette. The outside was surprisingly lively with people seeking refuge from the noise inside. Out of nowhere, a guy casually joined them, lighting a cigarette. By his dark unruly mane for a hair, and a dark shirt with a faded band logo, Maya assumed he was a metalhead. As he blew out smoke, he focused his attention on Elena. ¡°So you like Nirvana?¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Elena¡¯s response was unexpected. He seemed taken aback, ¡°It¡¯s the band on your shirt.¡± Elena raised her eyebrows in surprise, glancing down at the shirt she was wearing. As if for the first time, she attempted to read it out slowly. ¡°Nir-va-na¡­ You¡¯re right! It¡¯s a band? Never knew.¡± Maya blinked at her in confusion. Is she being sarcastic? But it sounded way sincere. Elena¡¯s surprising ignorance made the atmosphere quite awkward. ¡°Anyway. I happen to get my hands on the new Lo Stones album¡­¡± the guy continued. The mention of Lo Stones sparked Maya¡¯s interest. They were an authentic Mellgrah band, and quite popular. Because of the absence of the internet and streaming music, distribution was a bit old-fashioned. So if someone acquired a new album, it was quite common to share it with friends. ¡°It¡¯s in my room. How about we get a couple of drinks and listen to it upstairs?¡± Maya was excited, but it somehow felt like the offer was only directed towards Elena. ¡°I¡¯m more interested in this band¡¯s music, now,¡± Elena pointed at her shirt, still under the revelation it was a music band. ¡°Do you have any new albums of theirs?¡± ¡®How did she manage to sound so airheaded?! A new Nirvana album? In this day and age?¡¯ Even Maya couldn¡¯t believe her ears and she was a complete outsider to that music scene. The guy was also flabbergasted. Maya stared at this girl giggling next to her as if at a complete stranger. ¡°Elena?¡± The guy furrowed his brow and cleared his throat. ¡°You¡¯re much more different than I thought¡­ Did you hear me when I offered drinks?¡± ¡°Why would I take your drink when there¡¯s plenty around?¡± Elena smiled, swirling the drink in her hand. ¡°I¡¯m not that mean,¡± she claimed, innocently. Maya looked at them one after the other as the guy stared speechless at Elena and her oblivious smile. She had a need to rub her eyes to what she was seeing. Since when was Elena this bubbly? It may have been quite fresh on her, but it only frustrated the guy. ¡°You know, Keith likes Lo Stones. You should invite him to your room, senior,¡± Elena¡¯s kind suggestion didn¡¯t lessen the awkwardness of the situation. His expression turned aghast. ¡°You¡¯re even dumber than they say,¡± he promptly turned and abandoned the conversation. As he fumbled away in embarrassment, he brushed on someone from that group of junkies. ¡°What are you glaring at, freak!?¡± Maya felt as though she was missing something in their conversation. Why was Elena acting this way, and why did it anger him? Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡°I thought you listened to that kind of music? Why did you pretend you didn¡¯t know who they were?¡± Elena¡¯s expression abruptly shifted to her usual cold self. She rolled her eyes. ¡°You¡¯re so gullible, Maya.¡± With those words, Elena abandoned her. Being left with unanswered questions Maya returned to her friends inside. The night proceeded and Maya had forgotten all about Elena¡¯s weird interaction with that guy. Feeling tipsy, Maya decided to step outside the service kitchen door for some fresh air. As she opened the door, still hiccupping, she bumped into Elena. Her near collision with foul-mood Elena earned her a glare from her roommate. Elena quickly flashed a complacent smile at Maya and left. The only other person outside was another unfamiliar guy. He was holding his face, looking ruffled as if he had just been punched in the mouth. After spitting on the ground, he brushed past Maya. ¡®Was she alone here with this guy?¡¯ Maya was feeling too light-headed to figure out what were they up to. Taking a deep breath, she glanced toward the fence of the Headmistress¡¯s mansion nearby. A shadow of a seemingly familiar figure moved behind it. It gave her a bad feeling so Maya decided to quickly return back inside. The party was winding down, giving Maya an opportunity to find herself alone with Adam on the couch. They were talking casually, with Maya questioning why do guys keep trying to approach Elena despite everyone knowing she was dating Keith. ¡°You haven¡¯t heard?¡± Adam seemed to know the reason, ¡°It¡¯s an unsavoury rumour.¡± He cleared his throat. ¡°They say she would ride any guy that offers her a drink.¡± Maya was horrified. ¡°And people believe that!?¡± ¡®What a bunch of shameless creeps!¡¯ ¡°I guess it doesn¡¯t hurt to try when her allure¡¯s in question.¡± Maya pitied Elena for having to deal with such deluded ideas. Before she realized it, she found herself very close to Adam¡¯s face. She was a little drunk, and the mood wasn¡¯t perfect, but it didn¡¯t seem too bad for a first kiss. They leaned in closer, but were suddenly interrupted by shouts coming from the kitchen. ¡°Haven''t your parents taught you to keep your fingers away from things that aren¡¯t yours!¡± it was Elena yelling. ¡°What would you know about parents? Yours threw you away the first chance they got!¡± the other voice snapping at her was Sarah¡¯s. It was those two, having a heated argument. Maya sighed. ¡°I still turned out better than a dense stuck-up bitch you are!¡± ¡°Who are you calling dense? I¡¯m not the one failing, not just the classes, but basic things like waking up in the morning sober!¡± ¡°Shit. Here we go again,¡± Adam groaned. Maya got up to intervene before it escalated further. While making her way through the people gathered around them for a spectacle, she got to hear a bit more of them arguing. ¡°At least I don¡¯t sleep with professors to get better grades,¡± Elena yelled. ¡°You¡¯re far worse. You sleep with them just because you¡¯re a slut,¡± Sarah quickly snapped back, red with fury. To that, Elena unexpectedly smiled, satisfied with the answer. Sarah realized she unintentionally admitted it was true. ¡°For the record, I don¡¯t do that,¡± Sarah had a need to deny so her reputation wouldn¡¯t get tarnished. ¡°Oh, yeah,¡± Elena was swaying drunkenly. ¡°And what¡¯s the reason you escaped Vetus Orbis? That¡¯s right. You slept with your high-school teacher and the whole school found out, so you were too ashamed to face your mommy that you ran away to a fairy-tale land.¡± There were a couple of gasps in the audience spectating. The cat was out of the bag. This was Sarah¡¯s trauma? ¡°You¡¯re lying,¡± Sarah screamed. By now, people had to hold them away from each other. To stop them from pulling on each other¡¯s hair and turn this into a catfight. Maya got there and took over for Elena. She could barely stand. ¡°I think it¡¯s time we go,¡± Maya said to Elena. ¡°Yeah, It¡¯s about time. She¡¯s hammered,¡± someone said in the background. ¡°Fuck off, Lisa!¡± Elena yelled back. ¡°Elena, you¡¯re drunk. Let¡¯s just go, before you make more enemies,¡± Maya said in a lower voice. ¡°What are you talking about? I''m friendlier when I¡¯m drunk.¡± ¡°No. You¡¯re really not.¡± Maya made some progress in driving Elena away. She wondered if Keith was around to help her. ¡°And that, everyone, is what happens when you bring an alcoholic to a party,¡± Sarah announced, pointing the negative spotlight at Elena. Elena growled and reached back to grab her, or scratch her, but Maya yanked her away before she could do or say anything. ¡°Poor thing, she gets so jealous over nothing.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t blame her too much considering how higher Keith is in social status than her.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t she ashamed every party eventually turns into a disaster the longer she¡¯s there.¡± ¡°They look picture perfect together but in the end, they are just vastly different people.¡± Maya could easily overhear the bystanders talking about the incident as she dragged Elena outside into the cold. Elena vomited into the nearby bushes, nearly collapsing into them if not for Maya¡¯s quick reaction. Half-dissolved pills were visible in Elena¡¯s vomit, leaving Maya speechless. Elena was under the influence of alcohol, and likely overmedicated with a variety of substances found at the party. As they neared their dormitory, Maya helped Elena sit on a bench to rest. Elena managed to light a cigarette during their silent intermission. Eventually, Maya called Jenny, the dorm rep, for assistance in navigating the stairs. Upon reaching their room, Jenny offered Elena a glass of water laced with sleeping pills. Despite Elena¡¯s initial resistance, they managed to convince her to ingest the pills. That night, Maya got little sleep, staying awake whilst Elena wrestled with nightmares. Chapter 96: Birthday Girl Maya looked at herself in a mirror noticing how her body was shaping. All this bending was a constant workout and it began erasing the traces years of depression created. She finally felt like she was at the point where she could keep up with it and not struggle through muscle soreness. Finally feeling she was on the way to comparing herself with Elena, whose change wasn¡¯t all that noticeable as she was in great shape before this drilling. Maya thought it was a shame the weather was only getting colder so no one could notice her progress through all the layers of clothes. It was mid-October. The day before Maya¡¯s 17th birthday. It was late evening. In their room, Maya was studying while Elena was playing with a new butterfly knife she had gotten recently. Maya received a text from Adam saying to meet him in a Purple Garden before midnight. She smiled at the screen. ¡°What do you say we go on the roof tonight? It is a pretty clear night for stars,¡± Elena suggested. There was minimal light pollution here which made stars very visible. It was one of Maya¡¯s favourite things; stargazing. She had never seen so many stars in her life. But it was also dangerous to stargaze here. It¡¯s dark and vampires lurk outside. ¡°Isn¡¯t the roof too steep for that?¡± Elena has been on the roof, before. Sometimes she would go there to smoke when she wanted some time alone. But she never invited Maya out there. ¡°You just have to be careful,¡± she crossed her patched-up fingers through her hair. Elena would often have her fingers bandaged from playing with her knives that mostly weren¡¯t made for throwing. But recently, she had gotten a butterfly knife. She would play with it constantly, flipping it, practising tricks and whatnot, which naturally resulted in her fingers being cut and patched all up with bandages she could barely use them, but still persisted in spinning it around in her hands. ¡°Maybe some other time,¡± Maya was getting dressed and was putting her shoes on. ¡°Where are you going?¡± It was almost midnight. Maya said nothing, just smiled coyly. Soon she was gone. Maya made her way to the Purple Garden. It got its name from purple tainted glass pavilion and decorations through the garden that would filter the light through purple hues. And, of course, they would plant purple flowers, but since it was October there were no flowers. Maya thought this garden to be truly magical. It had a special ambience throughout the whole year; even when the flowers weren''t blooming. It looked the best when the sun would get low ¡ª then the sunlight would get this warmer hue and combined with the purple glass it created a remarkably unique atmosphere with that play of light. It was a cold October night, but there was Adam with a blanket set up for a picnic. It put a smile on Maya¡¯s face. That absurd man. He gave her a blanket to keep warm and they watched the stars. At the stroke of midnight, he lit up a candle on a chocolate muffin and gave it to her. ¡°Happy birthday!¡± ¡°It couldn¡¯t be happier,¡± Maya smiled brightly. Instead of blowing out the candle, she passed her hand over it and stole it from its spot. Then she blew on it in her palm to make it grow larger, illuminating their faces, before clutching her fist to destroy it. ¡°That¡¯s so cool,¡± he said. ¡°But I can¡¯t create my own yet,¡± she said while gesturing her palm in an attempt to create one. ¡°You''ll get there.¡± ¡°Tanya says that if I haven¡¯t done it yet, I may never. That it happens to some.¡± ¡°You¡¯re great at everything. I¡¯m sure it will come to you.¡± ¡°I really suck at fire magic, though.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t see why you worry about it. You have three other elements.¡± ¡°I suck at earth bending, too.¡± ¡°Two¡¯s still more than the rest of us.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to think about school, now.¡± This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. They talked for a long time. Adam was recounting a funny story from the last D&D session with the boys. Although he framed it as something novel to him, Maya already knew from Isaac they often played together. ¡®Does Adam not like his geeky friends? It sounds like they have a lot of fun though.¡¯ After they gossiped and talked their hearts out, caution was still something they mustn¡¯t put aside. Going outside during curfew was already a risky move, so Adam walked her to her dormitory to make sure she wasn¡¯t alone. Hiding from patrols they found themselves on her doorstep laughing for barely slipping away from one guard. Then they got quiet. Adam chose that moment to chuck her under the chin and pull her closer for a kiss. It was their first kiss, and Maya¡¯s first kiss ever. Although it was something she couldn¡¯t stop thinking about for a long time, finally happening, she couldn¡¯t quite handle the rush of emotions and her own flushed face. ¡°See you tomorrow.¡± Maya quickly got into the dorm building, pushing the doors shut with her body and leaning on them with her back. A smile broke on her face. She was still full of adrenaline from running and hiding from the guards and from that kiss. She was taking a moment to recollect what had just happened. She heard a shuffling sound in the kitchen, followed by the clanking of dishes. Her blood ran cold. The room was pitch-black, her vision consumed by darkness. She cautiously approached, her hand searching for the light switch as the sound of liquid being poured echoed through the room. Her mind conjured all manner of monstrosities that could be lurking in the dark. The simple act of flipping a switch had never been so terrifying. ¡°Don''t,¡± a familiar voice came from the darkness. ¡°Odd time to return home,¡± the voice scrutinized her. Maya switched on the light to confirm it was Elena who grumbled and covered her face with her arms. ¡°Jesus, Elena. What are you doing here in the dark?¡± ¡°Making coffee.¡± ¡°Coffee? At 3 a.m.?!¡± ¡°So, you do know what time it is,¡± Elena grinned and slurped some hot liquid from the cup to make space to pour in rum. ¡°Oh, come on. I don¡¯t give you crap about your nightcrawling activities.¡± ¡°You know that it isn¡¯t smart to roam around at dark. Weren¡¯t you afraid of vampires just a couple of weeks ago?¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t outside the Walls.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think those four students that went missing recently were either.¡± ¡°Are you¡­ worried about me?¡± Maya narrowed her eyes. Elena was now caught in an uncomfortable situation. ¡°I just don¡¯t want to be accused of having something to do with your death. Having a room to myself is a pretty strong motive.¡± ¡°So, you keep telling yourself,¡± Maya wasn¡¯t buying her excuses. ¡°Whatever. Don¡¯t you have to sleep or something?¡± ¡°Yes. But you do too.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I have some commissions to complete. I¡¯ll do it here, so I don¡¯t bother you.¡± Maya looked at the counter where was Elena¡¯s sketchpad. She wasn¡¯t lying. ¡°Is the order that important that you have to lose sleep over it?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t sleep. So I¡¯m just using that time more efficiently. Besides, the woman I¡¯m doing this for is leaving for Elador soon. And if she is satisfied with me, she¡¯ll send me art supplies from there.¡± Elena would always complain about how she couldn¡¯t find proper tools and supplies for her art here in Amellan. This was a small town and demand for such things wasn¡¯t high. ¡°Okay. Good luck then.¡± Maya stepped toward the staircase, but Elena called her name. Maya stopped herself and turned back to see what she wanted. ¡°Happy birthday,¡± Elena added, sounding disinterested. Maya smiled. Elena really was trying not to seem like she cared. When Maya entered the room, she noticed how tired she was. After throwing herself on her bed, she noticed there was something small underneath her that she hadn¡¯t left there before. She reached for it to see it was a small package wrapped in old newspaper. Inside was a box. After she opened it, she found a note in a dreadful handwriting: To light fires for you. Under it was a beautifully ornamented, metal lighter, engraved with an image of a Chinese dragon. It was beautiful. But Maya knew that there was no way that Elena could afford it. She had already run out of liquor in the fridge, which usually indicated she ran out of cash to buy new. And the one antique store they had in the town was wickedly expensive. Which was fine because its target customers weren¡¯t students, anyway. She ran downstairs. ¡°What¡¯s this? We said no gifts,¡± Maya scolded her. ¡°It¡¯s not a gift,¡± Elena said casually while still sketching. ¡°It¡¯s a loan. You can return it when you no longer need it.¡± ¡°What if I say I don¡¯t need it right now?¡± ¡°Do you have your Spark under control?¡± Elena stopped sketching. ¡°No.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the condition for returning this item,¡± she returned to sketching. ¡°Your request has been denied.¡± Maya laughs at her automated response. ¡°Thank you. It¡¯s beautiful,¡± she said sincerely. ¡°Had to be. To make it harder for you to refuse it. Plus, it¡¯s useful.¡± ¡°It must¡¯ve been expensive. Oh, Havens! You haven¡¯t stolen it, right?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. No one will come for you,¡± she laughed. ¡°I acquired it legally. Traded it for some art.¡± ¡°Thank you again,¡± she looked at it again with a smile. ¡°Good night, Elena.¡± Chapter 97: Guardian Day One weekend each trimester was reserved as Guardian Day when students are expected to spend it with their guardians. In Maya¡¯s case, that meant spending her Sunday with the headmistress of Amellan Academy. Midterms were behind them. It was only left to await the results. Maya was invited to the headmistress¡¯s office and promptly made her way there. The corridor leading to her office in the faculty wing never changed whether it was class time or not. Maya wondered if it was a good thing or not that she was so familiar with them by now. The same ghost still stood in her spot like a fixture, with horror written on her face, trapped in her own pocket dimension only Maya could observe. Previously, Maya had feared other ghosts discovering her abilities, but now she paused in front of the girl, contemplating whether to make an exception and attempt communication to learn what was frightening her. Yet, despite Maya standing directly before her, making eye contact, the ghost remained unresponsive. Maya reached out her hand to try and touch her. The door opening at the end of the corridor made her stop. ¡°Oh, Maya. You¡¯re here already,¡± the Headmistress spoke, stepping out of her office. ¡°Come in.¡± Maya followed her in. The familiar air of the splendid study had a cosy yet imperious feel. Amanda apologized she had to work and invited Maya to relax and spend her time reading while she finished up her paperwork. There was no helping it since Amanda was newly elected Rectoress of Academia, she had her hands full with managing all academies of Mellgrah. Maya ran her hand over the spines of books on the nearby shelf. There was a mission she came here with ¡ª to learn more about Amanda and what drives her. In order to determine whether the Headmistress was trustful, Elena suggested Maya try learning about her ambitions. It was better than blindly trusting in Elena¡¯s convictions, but Maya was unsure of how to approach it. The books were primarily about politics and administration, with a touch of philosophy and pedagogy; these were too dense for Maya¡¯s taste. They only confirmed what she already knew ¡ª the headmistress was deeply committed to her work. Maya stepped in further to the section with biographies. There she brushed her knowledge of the current ruling figures of the world. Gouverness of Mellgrah, Saoirse Donohue. Rectoress of Academia, Amanda Lefebvre. General of Hunters, Dianna Garcia de la Torre. ¡°I knew her personally. A stubborn woman, she used to be,¡± Amanda said, noticing Maya¡¯s finger lingering on the biography of the late General of Hunters. ¡°Eternal rest to her soul.¡± Maya didn¡¯t notice the Headmistress was observing her. ¡°Are all Mellgrah leaders women?¡± Under each ruling category, there were biographies of the past leaders ¡ª all women. ¡°Mellgrah is a Matriarch Triumvirate. It would be strange to give the title of matriarch to a man, wouldn¡¯t it?¡± Amanda chuckled softly. ¡°In Vetus Orbis, for many centuries women were unable to own anything let alone have a title, so let men have a taste of their own medicine.¡± Though warrior positions were held exclusively by men, the Head of Hunters was a position reserved for a woman. To Maya¡¯s confusion, Hunters and the Central Guarding Offices were different organizations with different policies¡ªHunters seemed to include women while Guarding Offices strictly excluded them. In nearly every desirable position in Mellgrah, advantage was given to women. That must be why Central Guarding Offices were only a subbranch of a triumvirate while Hunters were one. ¡®Why does it have to go to the other extreme?¡¯ Maya wondered. ¡°Do you think it¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Um¡­ Not necessarily. Shouldn¡¯t anyone who¡¯s capable lead?¡± ¡°If we let men take those positions, Mellgrah would long be divided and stunted by wars. They would run all our sacrifices to the ground.¡± Maya was surprised by her strong opinions. ¡°Are you familiar with what each branch of triarchy represents?¡± the Headmistress decided to quiz Maya. ¡°Rectoress of Academia, one overseeing education and all academies of the world. Her dominion is the first contact for every Mellgrah mage. Then there is the General of the Hunters, governing the military, defence, and controlling intelligence. Lastly, there is Gouverness of Mellgrah. She is ruling the entire country in a position similar to a president and is situated in the capital Elador.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± the Headmistress raised her eyebrows. ¡°Have you already gone through current world order lessons in detail?¡± ¡°No, but Lady Kiana explained it to me,¡± Maya returned her attention to the bookshelf. This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. Amanda¡¯s expression hardened slightly. ¡°If I recall correctly, you do spend your time at the temple quite often lately. What is your relationship with Lady Kana?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no relationship. She had invited me once to get introduced, and that is about as much contact I had with her. I go to the temple for extra lessons with my mentor,¡± Maya was fidgeting with her fingers as she spoke. ¡°In all honesty, I don¡¯t like the air of Lady Kiana. She was very confusing.¡± When Maya turned back to see Amanda¡¯s expression, she was surprised to see a subtle gleeful smirk, but when she looked a little better she was assured it was only the Headmistress¡¯s normal composed but prideful expression. ¡°What was confusing about her?¡± ¡°She talked about gods in a strange way.¡± Maya hesitated, knowing this was the best time to ask, but felt insecure about inquiring. ¡°Do you not have a good relationship with Lady Kiana?¡± ¡°Lady Kiana is a pitiful creature, Maya. She is a quack priestess who is only holding her position due to her magical ability. But she has been fooled and scammed in the past by a diviner who claimed to be able to see the future. Please don¡¯t take her strange beliefs seriously. She can drag you into a hole with no end.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± If Amanda had a low opinion of someone in the position of a High Priestess, Maya felt a little justified about the unease Lady Kiana was giving her. ¡°How¡¯s the world handling the absence of one of the key figures at the top?¡± Maya quickly changed the subject. ¡°We are a temporary duumvirate, while the Chief of Central Guarding Offices is taking over a minor role in the place of Hunters.¡± So Amanda was not only a newly appointed Rectoress of Academia but also finding herself in a position holding half of this world¡¯s power instead of a third. A lot of stress and obligations have fallen to her shoulders. The Headmistress tutted. ¡°A man taking over part of those duties is creating a lot of headaches,¡± she confessed, rubbing her temples. ¡°I suspect Lady Saoirse is in a similar position¡­¡± ¡®The Chief must not be a very competent man¡­¡¯ ???????? Maya spent a couple of hours with the Headmistress, feeling like she learned a lot, but also not, at the same time. Then, Amanda had to depart for a meeting and decided to call it a day. Traversing the academy on her way back, she encountered Kasper. ¡°Ah, Maya,¡± he greeted her with an enthusiastic wave. ¡°Does the Student Council live at the academy?¡± Maya joked. Undoubtedly, Kasper was here at this time due to his duties tied to the Council. He chuckled nervously. As the youngest year-rep, his seniors must delegate a lot of burdens to him. ¡°Anyway, I wanted to talk to you but never got a chance.¡± ¡°Me?¡± Maya raised her eyebrows. ¡°It¡¯s long overdue, but I wanted to apologize for the way I handled the confirmation slip incident before Initiation.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Maya looked down. It had been a long time since then, but it seemed the incident had been weighing on Kasper¡¯s mind. ¡°I handled it poorly. I didn¡¯t expect them to direct their grudge at you instead of me, and for that, I am truly sorry.¡± Kasper was clever. He must¡¯ve noticed their animosity, and perhaps, even tried to intervene earlier which only resulted in them lashing out at Maya even harder. Maya didn¡¯t think he did anything wrong but didn¡¯t expect an apology for something that had long been resolved would mean so much to her either. ¡°It¡¯s in the past.¡± Maya gave him a comforting smile which he mirrored with a sign of relief on his face. Kasper seemed like a person who could get along with anyone. Even when he was being firm and putting his foot down, you still couldn¡¯t hate him for it. Maya could see why a lot of girls¡¯ hearts were throbbing for Kasper. He was like a freshman version of Keith. And not bad looking either. At times, his amber eyes truly appear as though they''re made of gold. ¡°But being a Council member¡­ You¡¯re here even at a time like this¡­ must be tough¡­¡± Maya changed the subject. ¡°Are you short on manpower? Do you need a hand?¡± His eyes widened. ¡°I would love it if you¡¯d join. We always need more people, especially someone as conscientious as you. You¡¯d fit right in.¡± ¡°I¡¯m happy to hear that. Honestly, I would like to join as well,¡± Maya confessed. Being chosen by all elements signalled that she should aim for a leadership position, and the council was an ideal training ground. ¡°However, I am swamped. I am already four times busier than a regular student. Adding Student Council duties would be too much. Perhaps next year when I¡¯ve mastered the basics. If you¡¯d still have me, that is.¡± ¡°Of course. Lock it in. If you go back on your word I¡¯ll haunt you for the rest of your school life,¡± he chuckled. ¡°Like you do with Elena?¡± Maya added to his banter. ¡°Exactly.¡± ¡°But Kasper, what are you going to do if Elena decides to follow me and joins as well?¡± ¡°The more the merrier.¡± ¡°Huh? Really?!¡± ¡°If she is willing to fulfil her duties, I don¡¯t see why not.¡± ¡°I thought you¡¯d be against it, considering all the rumours surrounding her.¡± ¡°I refuse to form prejudice based on rumours. I trust only what I see with my own eyes. Though she is troublesome to chase around, there¡¯s no reason to believe she can¡¯t do the job. Better yet, she may even excel at it. One thing¡¯s certain, it would enhance her image tremendously.¡± ¡°Or ruin the reputation of the Student Council?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe that¡¯s true,¡± he laughed. ¡°One thing I trust is your judgment. If someone like you is willing to be friends with a person like her, she can¡¯t be that bad, can she?¡± Kasper really brightened Maya¡¯s mood. She was glad to have an ally for the time she ventured into those waters. ???????? Back in their room, Maya was studying when Elena returned. ¡°How was your guardian day?¡± Maya smiled brightly. ¡°I need a wash.¡± Unenthusiastically, Elena headed towards the bathroom. ¡°Was it too much love and affection for you?¡± Maya chuckled. Elena¡¯s guardians were expressive in that way, considering Elena like a daughter of theirs. ¡°Sure¡­¡± Elena muttered before closing the door between them. Chapter 98: Diving into the Sea of Souls The midterm results were out. Maya stood in front of the public notice board at the academy hall, plastered with large sheets of paper listing up students and their scores. Finding her name on the list, she was quite satisfied. Her scores were overall quite high. Maya was top-ranked within the Zeta group and within the top ten for the entire year. ¡®Not too shabby.¡¯ Although she did feel a slight pang of guilt knowing one of those subjects was a result of cheating. ¡°I¡¯m quite smart, aren¡¯t I?¡± Leo cheekily framed his chin with his fingers, feeling proud of that particular score as if it was entirely his. Maya chuckled. If she thought of it that way, instead of cheating, it was a small way of letting her friend have an impact on the living world and feel gratified. She could let Leo have that one. Curious, she began searching for her friend¡¯s names on the list. Unsurprisingly, Elena was the last within the Zeta class, and overall barely above the line in the ranking. No doubt her warrior practice, contributing to the art culture, and being a key figure in the monster attack, gave her a couple of points in the overall ranking and pushed her forward despite her grades. For freshmen, the results were only the result of theoretical mock exams that wouldn¡¯t carry serious consequences. It was for students to gauge their bearings and get motivated to work harder, so Elena didn¡¯t have to worry. Maya was there to worry for her. ¡®I¡¯ll have to think of a way to make her study that she doesn¡¯t perceive as studying.¡¯ Maya¡¯s thoughts were firm. They had a deal, and to keep Elena as an ally, Maya had to make sure an outside force wouldn¡¯t separate them. The top spot of the first-year overall ranking was taken by the year rep. Maya was impressed Kasper still found time to study aside from all of his other duties. But merits contribute to that score so it was only natural. Those were the ones easy to find. Now to search for the rest of her friends in the sea of names. Isaac and Linda were of similar rankings. Quite high, but not enough to make their names stand out. Andrea was surprisingly low, placed within the lower half. ¡®She wasn¡¯t kidding when she claimed to struggle with studying.¡¯ ¡°Ugh!¡± Andrea groaned seeing her score. ¡°Look how far apart we are,¡± she was depressed at how far her name was removed from the year rep. Not because she wanted to be at the top, but because she wanted to be near him. Maya chuckled inwardly. If Kasper was at the bottom, she would strive to reach it as well. Andrea and Maya were sitting in the hall, hanging out during their break. Andrea was rambling about recent events while Maya was trying out cultivation exercises to strengthen her sensitivity to magic learned from Lady Anastasia. Maya was determined to become stronger. The instructions she received were vague, but she inferred that this was to encourage her to develop her powers independently. Although Anastasia didn''t mention it directly, Maya¡¯s practice led her to develop a sense of intuition that enabled her to guess other people¡¯s elements. Right now, with Andrea talking in the background, Maya was playing with her senses, studying presences to categorize students¡¯ affinities. Looking into their souls. Occasionally she would ask Andrea, who knew everyone, about passer-by¡¯s elements to test her theories. Quickly they became immersed in Maya¡¯s game of guessing and Andrea was impressed with her accuracy. ¡®It feels like my mind is diving underwater, submerging myself into a sea of souls. The logic and reality of this are beyond my understanding, yet I feel as if I can glimpse into people¡¯s souls. I¡¯ve noticed that everyone seems to have something like a magical core that I am glimpsing into. Although, I can¡¯t definitively say it¡¯s a core as I can¡¯t see souls in their entirety. I am only able to peek into a tiny part of a soul, not even the entirety of what I call the Elemental Core, which is an integral part of every soul. However, there is a pattern in its structure.¡¯ The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. It was like staring at specimens through a microscope. Maya had only a close glimpse at a small part. If the samples were unlabelled, a layman could still tell there was a difference between staring at plant cells and flesh cells, noticing patterns and categorising them. So although each soul was unique like a fingerprint, there were some things in common within the same affinity. So that was how Maya was able to recognize the patterns characteristic of each element. Through careful observation, she could begin to guess which Element¡¯s affinity a person has. ¡®I am like an embodiment of an appraisal ritual,¡¯ she thought jokingly. However, Maya found out her guesses weren¡¯t accurate enough. There was a strange feeling about some students for whom it was harder to guess. Linda was one of them. Maya didn¡¯t get the same feeling from Linda as she did from the other Children of Earth. There must be shades. After all, Linda had a unique ability that didn¡¯t repeat in others. To test her theory, Maya went to look at Elena and found herself confused. With her unique ice powers, she expected Elena to have a unique constitution of soul as well, but it was within the line of the other Children of Water. The difference wasn¡¯t as pronounced as it was with Linda. There were even more intricacies within each element that would repeat through some individuals. For example, Maya could tell Burcu¡¯s elemental makeup was different from Adam¡¯s even though they were within the same element. Certain patterns would be predominant and even have something in common within cross-elements. Maya began to call them types. In an empty notebook, she had begun to categorize her friends by what she was able to see. Deciding to name the types by alphabetical order of what was most common. Andrea: Earth, type A Isaac: Water, type A Elena: Water, type C Linda: Earth(?), type ?? Keith: Water, type A Adam: Air, type A Burcu: Air, type B Sarah: Fire, type A+X Kasper: Fire, type C Tanya: Air, type A; Fire, type B+X Amanda: Air, type C+D For fire, she had noticed there would often be a second common type paired with the first one which kept confusing her. She would have thought it was the part of the type A if it weren¡¯t absent for some. But all of the most talented Fire mages had it. She had also noticed that students who weren¡¯t type A were the ones who would struggle the most during Elemetal Practices. Except for Elena who had a unique type C, but also the pattern of type A was somewhat discernible. Almost like duality common in Fire element. The most confusing ones were Linda and a couple of other students, mostly of Fire, who had no common patterns. There was some echo of the pattern appropriate to their element, but it was simply too different to be able to tell for certain which Element. However, they had a common pattern between each other which should be impossible considering they were of different affinities. It made Maya question if her theory was right. When she presented her findings to Anastasia, she pondered for a moment while Maya waited in anticipation for her to confirm if she was on the right track. ¡°What about you and me? What do you see there?¡± Maya gathered her thoughts. ¡°Well, it¡¯s not something that shows up in a mirror, so it¡¯s hard to tell,¡± Maya confessed. ¡°I am simply too close to my person to be able to see the picture. You, however, I don¡¯t know. I can¡¯t do it for spirits. Ghosts aren¡¯t a whole. So either that part I am looking at is missing, or it looks different and I simply can¡¯t tell.¡± When Maya looked back at Anastasia, she smiled. ¡°Alright, you seem to be ready for the next stage. However, you¡¯ll have to get the study materials yourself.¡± ¡°Study materials?! There¡¯s something of sorts?!¡± Maya began to question whether she simply didn¡¯t look hard enough through the library to find books relevant to herself. ¡°Yes, of sorts. It would be quite risky and I can¡¯t foresee what awaits you if you get caught. Do you still wish to proceed?¡± Maya nodded eagerly. ¡°I will alert you when the opportunity arises.¡± Chapter 99: A Portion For Love ¡°¡­I think the Headmistress hates men.¡± It was the only conclusion Maya could deliver to Elena after spending time with her guardian. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, she hates women too,¡± Elena scoffed, tying her shoelaces. Maya frowned, not appreciative of her joke. ¡°Is it really okay if we come here later?¡± she asked, already triple-checking with Elena. Days were becoming quite short and cold, while the curfew was extending. An evening outing was for the brave and Amellan would close up as soon as the dark approached. That didn¡¯t leave much room for date activities. Maya didn¡¯t want to endanger herself and Adam by strolling outside. The dorm common area, while convenient for hanging out, was also accessible to anyone at any time and posed a risk of awkwardness. Not to mention, their grumpy housekeeper could decide to chase a boy out of the female dormitory at her own convenience if she saw Adam. To Maya¡¯s logic, hanging out in their room was the only solution. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll make myself scarce.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to kick you out of the room. You can hang out with us.¡± Elena looked at her side-eyed. ¡°I¡¯ll leave first.¡± Already prepared, Elena left the room. On short autumn days, dusk fell early. Maya found herself waiting in a garden known as Marble Stream, named after the marble features that constituted its fountain and the small waterway leading from the fountain to the town¡¯s main canal. Alone but for the soothing sounds of splashing water, she waited for her date. After nearly an hour in the chill, she was more than ready. A rustling in the nearby bushes scared her. The garden was on the town¡¯s outskirts, with one side bordered by a wall. However, her concern was not for herself, but for Adam. Clutching her necklace, she swiftly summoned Leo and sent him to find Adam. He obliged silently, and she followed Leo to the male dormitory complex and into one of the buildings. By then, it was evident that Adam wasn¡¯t in danger. Yet, Maya resisted acknowledging the truth. She ascended to the first floor, trailing Leo to a room filled with voices. Laughter and enthusiastic shouts echoed from within. Mustering courage amidst her teary eyes, Maya knocked on the door. Isaac answered, surprised by her presence. However, she managed to peek inside. The boys were huddled on the room¡¯s open floor, engrossed in a lively D&D party. She spotted Adam and saw his expression change from merriment to shock as his gaze met hers. Positioned to face the door directly, he couldn¡¯t hide his realization. Overwhelmed with sorrow, she turned away and fled. Adam gave chase. He caught up with her near the bottom of the stairs. Unable to conceal her sobs, Maya was met with Adam''s plea, ¡°Maya, please.¡± ¡°I waited for more than an hour in the cold and dark,¡± she was yelling at him. ¡°Putting myself in danger while you¡­ What? Played some board games?!¡± ¡°I¡¯m so, so, so sorry, Maya. I messed up. I lost track of time,¡± Adam apologized. ¡°I thought you¡¯d died! Or something worse. I was so worried about you. I thought something happened to you. But you just stood me up.¡± ¡°Please, Maya. Forgive me. I¡¯m begging you. I never meant to hurt you. I just forgot the time. I had it all planned. I just¡­ Please, forgive me. I¡¯ll make it up to you. Just wait here for a minute. I¡¯ll change and we can go.¡± ¡°No, Adam. I¡¯m not in the mood anymore. You can¡¯t expect me to just continue like this didn¡¯t happen. I¡¯m just going to take a hot bath and contemplate what an idiot I was to even agree to this.¡± Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. ¡°Maya, please. Please. Let¡¯s reschedule. I¡¯ll make it up to you. I¡¯ll treat you like a princess, next time. Please. I really, really like you. Don¡¯t let this end like this. I¡¯m an idiot. Okay. I know it. Please, give me a second chance. I''ll pick you up on your doorstep. I¡¯ll make sure you have the best time you ever had. Please.¡± Maya ceased crying as Adam begged for another chance. She too was fond of him and saw his mistake as a foolish one. She looked at Leo''s shattered expression. He had left. Despite knowing Leo would disapprove, she decided to give Adam a second chance. ¡°Okay¡­ But if you do this to me again, I¡ªI don¡¯t wanna ever see your face again. I wouldn¡¯t be able to forgive you.¡± ¡°Of course. That¡¯s perfectly sensible. Thank you, Maya. Thank you.¡± With that, he took her hand and kissed it. ???????? It was an unfortunate incident. One Maya had hastily forgiven, but a seed of doubt was planted. Adam had easily received a second chance and, a couple of days later, Maya was beginning to question if she had given in too easily. Now, already half an hour had passed. Maya all dressed up for the second time, was waiting on the doorstep for their second date, watching people go in and out of Delta Major House. ¡®He¡¯ll show up. Any minute, now. He¡¯s probably around the corner.¡¯ Having nothing but her thoughts to occupy her, she wondered why Adam liked her. Her mind began mulling over small things, resurfacing her insecurities, like wondering if he was really paying attention to her talking. At times it seemed like he stared more into the distance than at her when they would hang out. Then, after being asked if he was listening, he would get it slightly wrong but with enough confidence in his voice that Maya wouldn¡¯t have the heart to correct him. ¡®Is he pretending to care about me?¡¯ Those were the thoughts that began to plague her after their miserable first date. If he truly cared about her, would he have forgotten their date so easily? Adam was important to Maya since he was the first boy who showed his interest in her since she started caring about boys, and she was full of insecurities and kept rationalizing her thoughts. Twenty minutes have passed. Sitting on a cold bench under the window, she felt foolish for still waiting while people were returning home. The curfew was just minutes away. ¡®What an idiot!¡¯ She let him do this to her, again. Waiting inside would have been a better choice. ¡®Maybe something did happen this time.¡¯ Clutching her phone in her hand, she wondered what to do. Considering calling Isaac to see if they were having another D&D session crossed her mind. No. A direct confrontation was what she needed. Dialling his number, she began her ascent to her floor. The phone rang, then abruptly, the call was rejected. Shock and confusion washed over her as she halted halfway between the first and the second floor. The phone still pressed to her ear, she tried to make sense of it. Adam had hung up. He didn¡¯t pick up. He had outright rejected the call. What did that mean? Was he possibly waiting for her downstairs? Should she check? Racing thoughts filled her mind. No. If he was there, he would call back. So, she decided to wait there. Doubts began to riddle her mind. Maya sat on the stairs, staring at her phone¡¯s black screen, hoping it would light up with an incoming call. But there was nothing. She held onto the phone so tightly, wishing it would crumble to dust in her hand. Unable to contain her sorrow any longer, she broke down into sobs. Her thoughts spun around Adam¡¯s betrayal. Was it a cruel joke or just thoughtlessness? Did Adam only wish to be near her because she was gaining popularity? Either way, it hurt. It hurt more than it should. The incident made her reconsider her circumstances and question if she could ever trust anyone who approached her, especially since her powers had been revealed. She even began to dread the potential repercussions if the truth about her being a Prima got out. Previously, she had contemplated telling her friends about it when Elena had insisted that she shouldn¡¯t, but Adam¡¯s actions had left her scarred. She was unsure if her own friends would betray her and use her as a stepping stone. Maya started to wonder about her possible fate if the world found out about her powers. Would people want to protect her, or erase her, or control her for their own desires? She knew she was far too inexperienced to make sound judgements about who to trust. Amidst all these thoughts, she found some reassurance in her relationship with Elena. Their friendship wasn¡¯t based on false pretences or ulterior motives. Their gains were laid out in the open. It was contractual, and it was on Maya to turn it into a true friendship. Although Elena may seem like the person who would sell her out first, she won¡¯t be able to get the help that Maya can provide from anyone else¡­ she was assured there at least. After a few minutes, she heard nearby doors opening. Someone must have heard her. Not ready to face anyone, she ran up the stairs before anyone could see her. In her room, she didn¡¯t turn on the lights. She climbed into her bed, wanting to scream and rip off these nice clothes, unable to believe what was happening. All she could do was cry herself to sleep. Chapter 100: Give Me Back Those Spiders The faint sound of the door opening nudged her out of a dream. The sky was just beginning to change into a lighter shade of dark and she could notice Elena quietly totter into the room. It was just enough light for Elena to see Maya sitting on her bed, still in the outfit she picked for her date and in ruined make-up she didn¡¯t bother to take off just like her clothes. Maya, suddenly aware of the sight of herself, instantly began sobbing. ¡°He stood me up,¡± Maya muttered, her voice cracking from crying. Elena, letting out a quiet tired sigh, soundlessly climbed up on Maya¡¯s bed. Maya was surprised. She had never experienced anything like that before, nor did she expect Elena to comfort her. ¡°Forget about him. He¡¯s not worth crying about.¡± Elena curled up on the bedsheets beside her as if she intended to sleep in this spot. It only caused Maya to break into more tears. ¡°But¡­ I really thought we were hitting it off. Maybe something happened to him. Maybe¡­¡± Maya was sobbing, still thinking of excuses. ¡°I doubt it. Men are pigs.¡± Elena said harshly. ¡°The ones who seem not to be just haven¡¯t been given a chance to prove it.¡± Elena said it as if she was simply stating facts. After a pause, she looked up to meet Maya¡¯s eyes. Maya was momentarily distracted by Elena¡¯s beliefs that she forgot she was crying. Then she leapt to embrace her, squeezing tight. ¡°But I really liked him. I thought he liked me, too,¡± she was sobbing intensely into Elena¡¯s shoulder. It seemed Elena was surprised by Maya¡¯s sudden physical outburst, but luckily she didn¡¯t reject it. ¡°You don¡¯t need him,¡± she asserted. Even with Maya¡¯s arms around her, she was reluctant to return the hug. Perhaps she was unable to, with her lying down on her side and Maya seizing her arm to bury her face in it. Elena only curled herself up more. Maya could still smell the scent of booze on her. Perhaps it was always on her, but rarely were they this close for Maya to smell the real scent of Elena beneath it. Maya was trying to calm down. They lay down beside each other. It was comforting for Maya. This was the first time she cuddled with another human being since her mother died. It was the human closeness she missed so desperately, and never had thought she would find it with Elena. Nonetheless, she was thankful. Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. Elena¡¯s skin was cold from the chill outside and she did look somewhat dishevelled. She didn¡¯t bother to change into something more comfortable, but then again, Maya didn¡¯t either. ¡°How did you manage to find the right guy?¡± Maya was breaking down completely. ¡°How do I find love like that?¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t love. There¡¯s no such thing.¡± Maya was puzzled by the harsh words. How could she deny it so blatantly and without hesitation? The couple had been seen as relationship goals by many, or at least that¡¯s what Maya believed. They defied high school clique norms; the popular and respected preppy guy was dating the unconventional goth queen, and they didn¡¯t care about others¡¯ opinions. ¡°But when you guys are together¡ª¡± ¡°I bet it looks pretty from the outside.¡± Elena¡¯s voice was distant. Maya was in shock. She hadn¡¯t noticed any issues in their relationship. When together, they seemed inseparable. Elena occasionally spoke about him unflatteringly, but Maya assumed it was just her way of expression. She never saw Elena show dissatisfaction in his presence. They appeared genuinely in love when together. Elena reacted to her dumbfounded look. ¡°C¡¯mon, Maya. Love is for naive and those ready to fool themselves. Just look at yourself,¡± Elena began. ¡°If you want those chemicals in your brain, drugs are a more reliable way. Guys will always screw you over if you let them.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand your cynicism. I thought you and Keith were getting along amazingly.¡± ¡°If I let my guard down, he too would rip out anything he could and run. Guys don¡¯t even know it, but it¡¯s their nature.¡± Has someone broken her heart so badly that she would think in this way? Does Elena not see what she has right in front of herself? Suddenly, Maya didn¡¯t feel so bad about herself. ¡°Elena¡­¡± ¡°After all the gifts and pretty promises, they will leave you gutted in a ditch to die.¡± ¡°Die?!¡± Maya¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Never turning back¡­¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Was Elena aware of what nonsense she was spouting? ¡°Promise me you won¡¯t do that,¡± Elena¡¯s voice was small. She didn¡¯t look at Maya this whole time, however, with this, she grabbed the hem of Maya¡¯s shirt and wrinkled its fabric tightly between her fingers. ¡°You won¡¯t let me die alone,¡± There was a slight quiver in her voice, as if she were reliving a traumatic moment from her past. Maya was left speechless. ¡°Is this about your conviction that you¡¯ll die young? Elena, that¡¯s bullshit.¡± ¡°People have tossed me away like trash, they have left me to die in a gutter. It¡¯s just the question of who will do it this time.¡± It came to Maya as a shock. Elena never talked about her past. She never let Maya scratch the surface. This didn¡¯t reveal more than Maya already knew; she was abandoned by her parents and treated horribly. But just hearing the words Elena describes it with made her heart ache for her. Her life may have led her to believe there was no love. Indeed, how could she believe in love if she never had it? If she was never given it? Maya knew it existed. Her parents loved each other, they loved her. She just needs to show Elena some to make her believe. ¡°I would never do something like that.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Elena whispered as she started drifting away in her sleep. Maya held Elena in a gentle embrace on her bed. Every time she had an honest talk with Elena, it seemed she was going deeper down the rabbit hole of how deeply troubled Elena truly was. On the other hand, it made her feel better about being stood up¡­ somehow. Chapter 101: Ugly On The Inside Maya asked Leo to keep away for the night, leaving behind the necklace he was anchored to. For once, he didn¡¯t protest¡ªspying on his childhood crush during her date with another guy felt uncomfortable, even for him. Directionless, he left the room. To his dismay, his presence was becoming more obsolete by the day. To combat the unbearable boredom of death, he decided to check what Elena was doing. Banished from Maya¡¯s company for the night, he wondered about what Elena does on her own. Though Leo preferred staying by Maya¡¯s side, whenever privacy was needed, he would seek out the only other person who knew of his existence out of a lingering habitual need for human connection. However, Elena was quite elusive. If he didn¡¯t start following her from the start, he would often be unable to find her anywhere. This time he didn¡¯t have his hopes up either, but while aimlessly searching around, he ran into her in the streets of the male dorm complex. Elena was standing in front of a building, staring at it with a dark expression as if old bricks had crossed her in some way. On further inspection, he concluded she must¡¯ve been looking at one of the windows. While he was trying to discern which window in particular had her interest, Elena had somehow managed to slip away. ¡°She was next to me a second ago. How is she so fast?¡± Fruitlessly searching the streets, Leo eventually gave up. ¡°How can she be so good at hiding from ghosts?¡± However, Leo then ran into another familiar figure. It was Adam. He must¡¯ve been leaving for his date with Maya. Adam was dressed in a casual outfit, looking fresh and ready for his date. Humming a tune while mentally going over his plan for tonight. Leo felt a pang of jealousy seeing him so excited. It was hard not to be scornful, knowing that Adam could enjoy what Leo could only dream of. Unexpectedly, Leo noticed Elena appear further up on Adam¡¯s path, appearing all wobbly and stumbling. ¡°When did she get so wasted? She didn¡¯t seem so drunk when I saw her earlier.¡± It was obvious to Adam as well that she was intoxicated, and he quickly rushed to her to see if she needed help. ¡°Elena, hi. What are you doing here?¡± They were at the male dormitory complex, but they were nowhere near Keith¡¯s building. ¡°Just chilling,¡± Elena said trying to sound casual, leaning on a nearby street-light pole to catch a balance. She didn¡¯t look alright. ¡°It¡¯s nighttime. You shouldn¡¯t be outside ¡®just chilling¡¯.¡± Adam noticed she wasn¡¯t dressed all too warmly and began to worry more. ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Elena saluted drunkenly. She attempted to move forward but lost her footing. Instinctively, Adam caught her to prevent a fall. Now in his arms, his eyes widened as he took in her lovely fragrance from such close proximity. He couldn¡¯t refuse to help her when she was in distress, and she clearly needed help. It was on his way, anyway. ¡°C¡¯mon. Let¡¯s get you inside,¡± he said. ¡°I can¡¯t go to my room, right now,¡± Elena whispered into his ear. ¡°I wasn¡¯t supposed to be there.¡± Even Leo watching them felt flushed. As a guy, he could relate having such beauty up close could make things difficult for him. ¡°I have a great idea!¡± she suddenly exclaimed. ¡°Let¡¯s go grab some drinks, right now.¡± ¡°Umm¡­ I can¡¯t right now,¡± Adam was unsure. ¡°Just one tiny drink,¡± Elena was pinching her fingers. ¡°They refuse to serve me when I¡¯m alone.¡± Leo stared at Adam with his mouth agape. ¡°No. Are you seriously considering going with her? And she¡­ What is she doing?¡± Leo was baffled by the scene unfolding before him. He wasn¡¯t particularly happy about Adam¡¯s date with Maya, but he couldn¡¯t brush past him ditching her for this either. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. ¡°Don¡¯t you care about Maya¡¯s feelings?¡± Leo pranced around them. ¡°Both of you!¡± However, neither of them could be aware of Leo¡¯s harsh judgement and protests. He was nothing but the air around them. He didn¡¯t exist in any tangible way. Leo had joined them through their little adventure as they went into a bar for drinks, criticizing them out loud the entire time, which they were unable to register. He watched as Adam was effortlessly enticed and seduced by barely coherent Elena, paying for one drink after another while she rambled about inconsequential things. Adam must¡¯ve been feeling quite good about himself, consoling a distressed beauty who took him as her hero, all while Maya was being stood up. And then, if things couldn¡¯t get any worse, Leo watched them leave the bar together. At that point, Elena was barely able to walk, while Adam gallantly led her toward his dorm room. The door to Adam¡¯s room was the furthest Leo was willing to go. He didn¡¯t have to enter to know what was happening on the inside. Leo felt absolute disgust. Disgust at both of them enjoying themselves while Maya was being hurt. He didn¡¯t like any of them, to begin with, but this was crossing every line imaginable. He was disgusted by Adam who seized this opportunity, and disgusted by Elena and her devilish temptress nature. ¡®The audacity¡­¡¯ Leo didn¡¯t know how much time had passed. He had shut out the outside world for a while, immersed in thoughts of hatred and curses directed at the both of them. As a ghost, his perception of time was shifty. Sometimes he could blink and skip seconds, other times, days. He must¡¯ve been sitting on the floor there for a while when faint voices could be heard inside. ¡°Whoa, hey there¡­¡± Elena¡¯s voice was harsh and scornful. It sounded like squabbling. Leo looked toward the window. The sky was getting lighter. It was nearly morning. ¡°Go ahead. Tell whoever you want,¡± Elena¡¯s voice was full of ridicule. ¡°I¡¯m actually curious about his reaction too, so I dare you.¡± ¡°Do you think he won¡¯t believe me? I can prove it!¡± ¡°So can anyone after a short trip to the Charred Pavilion.¡± If Adam shared this story, people would likely dismiss it as mere fantasy. ¡°You¡¯re surprisingly alike,¡± Elena added, scornfully. ¡°Even those worst traits. Only you have nothing to offer¡­ Not to me¡­ And not to Maya.¡± ¡°Maya would believe me! I¡¯ll tell her you seduced me!¡± Elena¡¯s laugh echoed from the room. ¡°I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll take you back.¡± Leo didn¡¯t catch what Adam said or did next to make Elena¡¯s laughs die out. Then, a thud followed with sounds of struggling. ¡°Blair, you¡¯re a foolish man.¡± Elena¡¯s voice was now deeper, not in a seductive, but a dangerous manner. ¡°You heard all the rumours about me. Have you never wondered to what extent is the truth?¡± Elena¡¯s accent seemed to shift more toward her Russian roots, too. ¡°Never provoke crazy if you like the sound of your heart beating.¡± ¡®They were arguing¡­ No, Elena was threatening him! What happened while I was lost in my thoughts?¡¯ Adam thought he was getting lucky, but it turns out he stepped on a landmine. Leo was baffled by the outcome, and Elena soon burst out of the room. Her posture was still wobbly, but her expression was dark and assured again. He followed her as she exited into the night. She walked quietly alone back toward her dorm building, pausing now and then, listening to any sounds and keeping a low profile. ¡°Are you ashamed? Who could see you now anyway? Except for me, that is.¡± Elena suddenly stopped and straightened out. ¡°You saw, right?¡± she said out loud. Leo was caught by surprise, looking around to find who she was talking to. However, there was no living being in sight. Elena chuckled to herself as if something was amusing. ¡°I¡¯m speaking to Leo the ghost.¡± This shocked him. Not only would she explicitly ignore his existence even when she knew he was around, but right now she was speaking to him when there was no Maya to relay his message. ¡°You knew I was following you?¡± Leo asked, deeply worried by the possibility of Elena being able to perceive him in some way. ¡°Ha! Well, there¡¯s no way to know if you answered, so I¡¯ll just presume you¡¯re here.¡± Well, this makes it even worse if Elena was aware the whole time that Leo could be following her¡­ ¡°I don¡¯t know your opinion of this fiasco, but I bet you are glad.¡± ¡°Glad?! Why would I be glad when Maya was played by the two of you like a fool!¡± his yells could only fall on deaf ears. ¡°I got rid of the nuisance, am I right?¡± Leo paused. ¡°It seems Maya will stay all yours for a while longer. No need to thank me.¡± Elena¡¯s words pushed him to think about it more deeply. In truth, this does benefit him. Adam irked him from the start, yet he couldn¡¯t voice his gripes properly. He hated Adam¡¯s presence in Maya¡¯s life, and Elena just potentially put him out of the picture. ¡°I guess it¡¯s up to you if you want to rat it out, but you should consider it carefully before you do.¡± ¡®This girl¡­ How¡¯s she so¡­ The audacity to have the confidence to manipulate a ghost she was unable to properly communicate with in the first place¡­¡¯ And the worst thing was that it was working. Leo was mad with fury the entire time, but when thinking over it with a clear head, he did nothing but benefit. Revealing what he witnessed to Maya would shift the blame to Elena for tempting Adam, and Maya may run back to him, absolving him of all blame because he was a victim of Elena¡¯s wickedness. But if Maya never knew the reason she was stood up¡­ The blame was entirely on Adam, and Elena was never involved. If Elena¡¯s threat was effective, the truth would never come out. And even if it was not, Leo had no doubt this manipulative wench could spin the story to make Adam seem delusional. After all, unlike Maya, Leo knew Elena¡¯s true nature was more twisted and cruel than anyone they had encountered before. So Leo agreed to keep silent. This time, he sided with a villain. Chapter 102: Broken Friendships The night eventually drifted into dawn, and the room filled with the soft light of morning. Maya was startled awake by the gentle warmth of sunlight on her face. She glanced at the clock, it was still early morning. Turning her gaze to her side, she found Elena still asleep, her normally guarded face relaxed in slumber. Maya pulled up the covers to gently set it over Elena. The night had been a long one, filled with deep conversations and raw emotions. Maya felt somewhat closer to Elena, the girl who had always seemed so tough and untouchable. The previous night had revealed a vulnerability in Elena that Maya hadn¡¯t known existed. The events of last night stayed unspoken between them. It was Maya¡¯s heart that got broken, but it was Elena who had won in a meltdown competition. Maya found it odd to think of it as competition, but it served its purpose. It had taken her mind off Adam. Now, when she saw Elena in Keith¡¯s embrace, kissing him, smiling, she didn¡¯t know what to make of it. Was it all an act? During lunch, Elena surprised her by pulling her away from her usual spot at lunch to sit with her and Keith. Maya could only exchange confused looks with Andrea and Linda as she was being whisked away. But it all became clear when Isaac arrived with Adam moments later. Elena made sure they wouldn¡¯t end up sitting at the same table. Maya appreciated her, whispering thanks. Elena only nodded and continued chatting with the seniors. They were all nice to Maya. She was saved from having to confront Adam, but now Maya couldn¡¯t help but wonder about Elena¡¯s relationship with Keith. She found herself stealing glances at him, wondering if he knew about the thoughts that ran through Elena¡¯s mind. Sensing her curiosity, Elena told her to forget about their conversation from the previous night. ¡°YOU DID WHAT?!¡± Andrea yelled as she stood up. Her outburst had taken everyone by surprise and people started staring their way. Of course, Andrea was going to investigate the reason behind everyone¡¯s unusual behaviour and find out about their miserable date plan. ¡°And your first instinct wasn¡¯t to go to her table and apologize?! You make me sick.¡± The whole room was now a part of this drama. Maya felt mortified. But no one mentioned her name yet. She couldn¡¯t look at Adam, but she knew he didn¡¯t want to be there anymore. In all that mess, Maya actually felt bad for Isaac. Adam was his friend and he would have to choose between him and the girls. Linda was the closest to him so all this wouldn¡¯t be easy on her either if Isaac chooses Adam. Andrea took Linda¡¯s hand and stormed off toward Maya. ¡°I can¡¯t believe he did that to you. Now, he gets kills from us all,¡± Andrea said angrily, referencing their game at the hangout from the first week. ¡°And why didn¡¯t you tell us?¡± Andrea was frustrated. ¡°I can¡¯t believe Isaac took his side,¡± she growled. ¡°I can¡¯t believe he managed to wreck our squad like that.¡± Andrea hugged Maya who was still sitting down. Linda just stood on the side, looking down, disheartened her friends were suddenly falling out. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it ¡°Hang in there. We can come by later tonight to talk shit on him if you want,¡± Andrea offered. ¡°Thank you.¡± Maya was grateful for Andrea¡¯s support, even though the situation was far from ideal. There wasn¡¯t enough space to squeeze them at their table, but Andrea argued she had lost her appetite and they left. ¡°Sorry for asking, but What¡¯d he do? Did he cheat on you or something?¡± Keith asked carefully. ¡°He invited me on a date and stood me up. Twice. We weren¡¯t really together,¡± Maya said trying to downplay the incident. From what he heard from Andrea right now, it must¡¯ve sounded much worse. ¡°Boys will be boys,¡± Elena said, leaning back with her arms crossed behind her head. ¡°Am I right?¡± She was looking at Keith as if she expected him to agree. Maya was impressed she¡¯d make such a statement in a crowd of mostly guys. It wasn¡¯t surprising no one commented. ¡°Well, forget about him. You have a pool of guys to choose from,¡± Keith comforted her. ¡°Just look at all these handsome single guys that would like to be with you,¡± he suggested to his friends sitting with them. They smiled. One of them winked at her. ¡°We can even beat him up if you¡¯d like,¡± one named Vito offered. It made her laugh. She thought of them being nice for trying to make her feel better. They were all acting like her older brothers. Following Keith¡¯s lead of taking her under his wing. ¡°I would like to see you fight someone, Vito. You¡¯re shorter than a Thinkerbell,¡± Elena commented. Vito was short for a guy, but he would make up for that with his quick tongue and charm. It didn¡¯t seem to be a source of insecurities for him. ¡°I would cheer while others fight,¡± he joked. ¡°But I bet I could land one good punch before I go down. That kid doesn¡¯t look like he has much meat on his bones.¡± Maya laughed at their jabs and playful banter and her lunch was surprisingly enjoyable. However, the lunch break was long and Maya dreaded the future where she would have to face up to the wreck created among her friends. Thankfully, Elena was surprisingly attentive today, never leaving Maya¡¯s side, shielding her from having to face Adam. Their habit of sometimes roaming the academy between lunch and Elemental Practices led them to one of their favourite places: a bridge connecting different annexes of the academy. This bridge was a stark contrast to the surrounding architecture. Unlike the stone structures around it, the bridge was constructed from steel to reduce its weight. Despite this, it retained elements of the academy''s style, notably in its simplified, somewhat clumsy imitation of Gothic windows. This served as a transitional piece to the greenhouses, which were primarily made of steel and glass. Maya found it familiar because it had strange echoes of modern architecture. Elena appreciated the large windows that offered unobstructed views of the back gardens, which she described as ¡°very picturesque¡±. They both shared that sentiment, liking watching advanced practical classes of diligent seniors from there. Elena settled on the floor there while Maya went to quickly drop by vending machines to get some snacks. She ran into Isaac there who seemed very uncomfortable and awkward around her, fixing his glasses. Maya chose her snacks, but couldn¡¯t stand the silence while she waited for the machine to drop them. ¡°Another D&D session, Isaac?¡± He finally looked up from the floor and at Maya. He was smart enough to know that Maya was really asking about Adam. ¡°We weren¡¯t playing last night,¡± he confessed. ¡°Adam was all prepared for your date, he even sent his roommate away.¡± Maya cringed at the thought. Did he expect to bring her into his dorm room?! How bold. But then, what happened? ¡°Did he change his mind?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Despite that, you still took his side?¡± ¡®Was their friendship that shallow?¡¯ ¡°I didn¡¯t take his side. I simply didn¡¯t want to break my friendship because of you,¡± Isaac blurted out then quickly closed his mouth realising his words were quite harsh. But it was too late, Maya was already hurt. After unnecessarily nodding, Maya left, not wanting to continue down this road of pain. Chapter 103: Other Kinds Of Magic ¡°Wasn¡¯t there an old well there?¡± Maya pointed at the glass of the narrow bridge where they sat on the floor. Elena looked up from her sketchpad and narrowed her eyes in the pointed direction. ¡°There was¡­¡± she was puzzled. ¡°Hmm. Maybe they removed it. It was quite dilapidated. Someone could fall in,¡± Maya shrugged it off. ¡°Do you think they asked Linda to just make grass and shrubbery grow back over it?¡± Elena¡¯s tone was filled with irony. ¡°Look closer. It¡¯s as if it was never there!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure there are landscaping methods where they put tarps of grass to cover things,¡± Maya argued against Elena¡¯s sarcastic comments. ¡°Why would they do that? It doesn¡¯t seem right¡­ No¡­ There were some markings on it.¡± Pondering about it, Elena ripped out a paper from a textbook and started scribbling on it. Maya wanted to scold her for destroying the academy¡¯s property when she had a perfectly suitable sketchbook for that very purpose but decided to let it slide this time. The symbols were quickly drafted and Elena raised it to show to Maya. Maya studied Elena with a perplexed expression. How did she see that, let alone remember? ¡°I bet it¡¯s some kind of magic,¡± Elena claimed enthusiastically. ¡°Why do you think it looked like that?¡± To Maya, it was as if Elena just invented those scribbles and, in a schizo way, convinced herself it was real. Someone could just have scribbled their initials on the old rock, or put some graffiti, like they would on the bathroom walls. ¡°I saw it,¡± Elena answered naturally. ¡®Maybe she was closer to it at some point. Who knows what mischief she gets up to?¡¯ Maya did remember feeling a strange source of magic emanating from there, so Elena could be right. On their own, they couldn¡¯t figure it out, so while walking back from the academy, Elena pulled out the paper with those scribbles to ask if Keith had seen it before. ¡°Hm, it looks like runes to me,¡± Keith answered. ¡°Perhaps some runic magic.¡± ¡°What¡¯s it for?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know that. Hunters are known for using runic magic. Others are prohibited.¡± ¡°Hunters? That¡¯s a dead end,¡± Elena was disappointed. ¡°Maybe we should search the library,¡± Maya suggested. ¡°That¡¯s a dead end, too. There are mentions of runes in Nordic mythology but not much meaning, let alone spells,¡± Keith said. They looked at him confused like he knew the entire contents of the library. ¡°I had an assignment a while ago about different forms of magic. I couldn¡¯t find anything more detailed about it,¡± he clarified, feeling like he needed to excuse himself as if barring himself from the possibility of being called a nerd. Stolen story; please report. ¡°How about the restricted part?¡± Maya looked at Elena. ¡°We can try. But it¡¯s not exactly catalogued or systematized. It¡¯s basically a wild west in there.¡± ¡°Then I think I have someone I could ask,¡± Maya said. Lately, Maya could find Anastasia at the academy tower more often. She would appear to check in on Maya¡¯s progress with developing her magical senses, and Maya would share with enthusiasm her every new finding. Anastasia also wouldn¡¯t give Maya straight-out lectures but rather guide her on the path of her self-development and allow her to reach conclusions on her own. Being shown Elena¡¯s messy scribbles, she was able to tell right away. ¡°It¡¯s a Glamour spell. It¡¯s used for masking and concealing.¡± Maya was amazed such spells existed. It was closer in line to the wonderous magic Maya had always imagined immersed in fiction books. Intrigued, Maya asked, ¡°Hunters use them?¡± Anastasia nodded, ¡°Yes. But a hunter didn¡¯t make this.¡± ¡°Who did?¡± Curiosity sparkled in Maya¡¯s eyes. Anastasia paused before answering, her gaze distant, ¡°Someone who doesn¡¯t want people to see.¡± Maya frowned. ¡°Why go through all this means to hide a well? Why would anyone want to hide it?¡± she asked, her brow furrowing in confusion. Anastasia¡¯s lips curved into a small, mysterious smile. ¡°Because it¡¯s a passage.¡± ¡°Passage to where?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll soon find out.¡± Back in her room, Maya pondered about glamour magic. ¡°You could basically create a cloak of invisibility.¡± Elena had swiped books from the restricted area of the library and was carelessly rummaging through them. ¡°So, a Glamour spell¡­¡± Elena was intrigued. ¡°Then that means the well is still there, only hidden from the eye.¡± ¡°It¡¯s amazing magic is capable of doing something like that.¡± ¡°On the other hand, all these books are useless trash,¡± Elena tossed one of the old manuscripts that looked precious. ¡°Hunters have already confiscated any relevant information.¡± ¡°Anastasia has mentioned a book that could potentially have all the answers. A legacy of Primas, of sorts. If I could get it, I would prove myself.¡± ¡°The only book mentioning the special writing of Primas is this one¡­ I think,¡± Elena grabbed one very damaged book with pages so dark Maya was unsure if they were supposed to be like that originally. ¡°It has a lot of water damage and is also in old Slovenian. So¡­ It will take time to properly translate it.¡± ¡°Getting it would be a part of my trial.¡± ¡°¡­I can lead you to it. You just have to be ready. When the next wave comes,¡± Anastasia had told her, back in the tower. ¡°You¡¯ll need a rope, a light and someone to take the fall for you if necessary.¡± ¡°Huh? Take the fall? What kind of fall? Is it high up?¡± Anastasia looked at her, her eyes telling nothing. ¡°Just take your snake friend with you.¡± ¡°Snake friend? Do you mean Elena?¡± ¡°¡­We¡¯ll have to go down there,¡± Maya relayed to Elena, sitting on her bed. ¡°Destroying the etchings should break the spell and make it visible, again. Like with that earthquake. But the person who hid it would also know it was uncovered,¡± Elena pointed out. ¡°We can¡¯t risk that. We¡¯ll have to go in blind,¡± Maya concluded. ¡°Are you serious?¡± ¡°It¡¯s still there, even if we can¡¯t see it. We need to rely on other senses.¡± ¡°Finding it is fine. But you want to go inside a well that you can¡¯t even see to confirm what you are getting yourself into?¡± Elena was in rare disbelief. ¡°Look. You¡¯ve done enough. I appreciate you helping me. And we don¡¯t know what¡¯s waiting for us in there. So, I can¡¯t ask you to go further down with me.¡± Elena scoffed. ¡°Following you into a well while you blindly follow a ghost isn¡¯t a problem for me. Count me in.¡± It seems Elena was only surprised Maya was ready to go through with it. ¡°It does sound like a wicked horror movie,¡± Maya acknowledged. Chapter 104: Path of Uncertainty ¡®A book with all the answers¡­¡¯ Maya was both excited and cautious. ¡®And it was right here, somewhere in Amellan.¡¯ A book like that would surely be well-guarded and not permitted for a student to touch. Anastasia didn¡¯t tell where it was, only that the well was a passage that would lead her to it at the right time. Anastasia would notify her when that time came, but the rest was up to Maya. ¡°It has the answers I cannot give you,¡± Anastasia said. ¡°However, you need to decide if learning the truth is what you want to do. If you¡¯re willing to strive and struggle for it.¡± ¡°Of course. I want to learn if this world really is in danger, and I want to learn what happened to you, Lady Anastasia.¡± ¡°It will set you on a path that may be very burdensome. I want you to accept this destiny because you desire to, not because you think it was expected of you.¡± Maya looked down, pondering about Anastasia¡¯s words. What Anastasia wanted was for Maya to become aware that she was the one walking this path, not following along. If she learns some troublesome truths, it may be too late to back down. ¡°They are heavy responsibilities,¡± Anastasia emphasized. ¡°You dictate your action, you choose your allies. Whether they aid or hinder you is your result.¡± ¡°Do you think Elena would hinder me?¡± Anastasia didn¡¯t answer. ¡°Your insider knowledge of the other side allows only you to make informed decisions. Only you are suited to lead. And if you¡¯re not ready to be a leader, or grow into one, not ready to learn the truth with its own weight it carries, drop it now when you can still thrive in blissful ignorance, knowing you choose not knowing when the world swallows you.¡± Those thoughts were the ones she struggled with already. There was still no proof that the world was in danger and that Maya would be necessary in order to save it. Would she regret venturing into this? Or would she regret backing down? Somehow, Linda¡¯s words from drunk debating found their way into her thoughts. ¡®This is where my friends live and my new life is¡­ I¡¯d want to save it.¡¯ A slight smile appeared on Maya¡¯s face. ¡°That¡¯s right! There¡¯s no way I¡¯d regret it if it were to save people I care about.¡± Anastasia smiled. ¡°You¡¯re very kind¡­ I pray a day when you have to choose between the two never comes.¡± Maya suddenly froze at the ominous thought. ¡°I would see the world burn several times over if it meant my people would live.¡± It was already clear Anastasia was very self-sacrificial. She gave her own life to allow her people to escape an ill fate, even if things didn¡¯t play out exactly as they were planned. ¡°I understand. All Mellgrah residents are my people. Primas appear when they are in danger. I won¡¯t forget it.¡± Maya was determined. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. Learning the truth and saving the people. Those were simple motives. But there was no rule saying her people excluded the ones already dead. Maya thought of Leo and Anastasia, and¡­ Within Amellan walls, there stood a very old and large mansion. It was the Headmistress¡¯s residence. Anastasia had warned her never to approach that mansion and Leo attested that it was as if there was some sort of a barrier and souls that lingered there would become aggressive if he tried to approach. He never dared to venture inside. Whatever ancient magic lingered there didn¡¯t affect the living, but Maya was best to stay clear of it since they did not know if it could affect her too. Reminded of one particular ghost at the academy halls, Maya concluded there were supernatural hotspots that had strange effects on the dead. She pitied them and wished to find a way to let them rest. However, at that old mansion, Maya had seen a familiar figure. It was the night of the Rho House party that she first noticed her. It was Stella¡¯s soul trapped inside the mansion¡¯s perimeter. Back then Maya was overwhelmed by the ominous feeling, and being tipsy and alone made her run away. But now, she had returned to that high and pointy fence, looking at the girl still trapped inside. The girl stared at her. ¡°It¡¯s you,¡± she said. Her hoarse voice startled Maya who still didn¡¯t get used to ghosts speaking to her. Stella was staring at her intently with strange mannerisms that Maya didn¡¯t notice back when she was still alive. Her eyes somehow didn¡¯t feel focused even though she was looking directly at her. ¡°What happened to you?¡± Maya asked, brushing past the unsettling feeling Stella was giving her. However, there was no answer. ¡°Can you come out of there, so we can talk?¡± Maya tried to nudge her to move from her spot, hoping that whatever had taken her would not have an effect if she stepped out, and also not have to get closer herself. Ghosts could touch Maya. If the aggressive energy possesses them, there was no assurance Maya wouldn¡¯t be harmed by them. But it seemed Stella was unable to be persuaded. She continued to stare with her unfocused gaze as if the words she spoke weren¡¯t directed at Maya in the first place. Stella looked like she was trying to reach out with her hand and Maya swallowed her saliva and stepped closer. It was with the intention to pull her out, so she reached toward Stella as well. Just as she was about to grab her, a hand snapped Maya¡¯s arm back. ¡°Leo!¡± ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?!¡± he was panicking. ¡°I wanted to¡ª¡± ¡°Maya, there are people around.¡± His words made her shut her mouth. ¡°How would you explain what was just about to happen?¡± Leo¡¯s grip tightened as he shook his head. ¡°Just¡­ don¡¯t interact with them. I don¡¯t want to see you hurt.¡± His voice was sombre, and Maya knew he was right. Her desire to help Stella has made her forget all the warnings from Leo and Anastasia. If she wanted to help Stella, she needed to learn what was affecting her in the first place. And she can learn it only if she continues down the path of a Prima. She looked back at Stella, who was still staring at her with that unfocused gaze. ¡°I¡¯ll come when I get stronger, Stella. I won¡¯t forget about you.¡± With a heavy heart, Maya turned her back on the mansion and followed Leo. They had a more pressing task at hand. But as they walked away, Maya couldn¡¯t help but feel that she was leaving a part of herself behind. It was a promise, a vow, she intended to keep. For Stella, for Anastasia, for the world. But the uncertainty of Leo¡¯s behaviour was nagging at her. He seemed more on edge, more worried than usual. ¡°Leo,¡± she started, glancing at him. ¡°What is going on with you lately? Are you not feeling alright?¡± He didn¡¯t respond immediately, his gaze still focused on the path ahead. After a moment, he sighed and looked at her, his expression unreadable. ¡°Just¡­ a lot on my mind, Maya,¡± he admitted. ¡°You¡¯re stepping on a thorny path. I can¡¯t help but feel worried.¡± He avoided her gaze. ¡°I¡¯m not sure about your judgment at picking people you can trust and this new recklessness of yours.¡± ¡°I understand your concern, Leo,¡± Maya said softly. ¡°I¡¯m learning and adapting, and I promise to be more cautious. But, I need you to trust me as well. We¡¯re in this together, remember?¡± Chapter 105: The Cue For days, Maya had been prepared for the time to come. She didn¡¯t know what the sign that would indicate the right time would be, but had been carrying things she thought they would need, everywhere she went. Even Elena lingered around at times, she would usually go on her own to cause some mischief, expecting the moment Maya would give her the cue. It was a break between classes. Maya used this opportunity to skim through her notes while Elena was sitting on her desk at the back of the class chatting with some boys. A low rumble approached and the ground began to shake. First, it was a gentle tremor, but it gradually turned into a violent shaking. Again, people panicked. One of the wall-mounted cabinets got unhinged and fell to the ground. The furniture was sliding all over the floor. A big crack in the wall above the teacher¡¯s cabinet appeared. Maya could see, out of the window, a flock of confused birds, flying from the roofs of the Academy, straight into the windows of the east wing. It was chaos. When it finally calmed down, Maya and Elena exchanged looks across the room. This was the moment. ¡°Students, into the courtyard!¡± the professor ordered. They heard teachers yelling in the halls for students to evacuate the building. Everyone started making their way in a panicked manner. They were kept out there for a while until teachers decided to dismiss the students and let them go home for the day. The damages to the building were becoming visible, they couldn¡¯t risk continuing with the classes. Although Anastasia didn¡¯t leave them with detailed instructions, Maya and Elena knew the window of opportunity wouldn¡¯t be long, and the passage that opened would close again. Students began to pour out of the Academy grounds, and the two of them needed to go the other direction. They moved slowly, weaving through the crowd of students. In an attempt to move inconspicuously while the air was clearing out, they lost each other. Passing through the main hall, Maya accidentally brushed against Burcu and her bag slipped off her shoulder. ¡°Watch it!¡± Burcu snapped. Because her unresolved anger management issues were triggered by Maya, Burcu impulsively grabbed the bag before Maya had a chance. She then began to rummage through it without any hesitation. ¡°And what do we have here? A lapis micantis? That¡¯s a bit hard to come by,¡± Burcu was intimidating spinning the witch-light in her hand. ¡°Where did you get it?¡± ¡°Give it back!¡± Maya demanded. Burcu continued to go through Maya¡¯s stuff and avoided her trying to reach for it. ¡°Ooh, A fancy lighter.¡± ¡°Why are you doing this?¡± Maya was stressed. ¡°Just curious. What else does the crowned headmistress¡¯s jewel have? Witch-light is something students earn for being at the top of their class at the end of the year,¡± she was spiteful. ¡°You haven¡¯t finished the year and she¡¯s already awarded you?¡± ¡°That¡¯s mine,¡± Elena appeared behind Burcu, startling her a bit, and making her reposition herself to face both of them. Maya couldn¡¯t help but notice Burcu was a bit intimidated by Elena. ¡°And there she goes running to your rescue,¡± she returned to demeaning Maya. ¡°What is with you and people getting involved for you?¡± ¡°You got me involved. As I said, that¡¯s mine. Now, return it,¡± Elena ordered in a calm voice, extending her hand for Burcu to hand it over. Burcu put on a tough facade. ¡°I don¡¯t see any name on it. And why would you have it? You¡¯re the worst student this Academy has ever seen. You must have stolen it and I have to report it.¡± Elena crossed her arms on her chest. ¡°Do you really need to reach that deep into your brain to figure out why I have it? Think harder. You can do it,¡± Elena belittled her. ¡°I don¡¯t care.¡± Burcu put her hands on her hips, leaning in to disprove herself, feeling cornered, but simultaneously taking a subtle step back This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. ¡°Give it back,¡± Maya said. ¡°And what are you going to do? Make me?¡± ¡°I might,¡± Elena suggested calmly. ¡°Go ahead. I know you¡¯re one incident away from being expelled,¡± Burcu bared her teeth. ¡°You can only play though.¡± Elena waited a moment, confusing the other two girls with the lack of reaction. Then, when the last witness left the hall, she suddenly acted. The moment there was no one around, Elena charged in, grabbing Burcu¡¯s collar and pushing her back against the wall. Burcu was taken by surprise, leaving her no room to react before Elena lifted her knee to pull out something from her boot. Maya gasped. Elena was too close to Burcu¡¯s face and Maya couldn¡¯t see what she had in hand. But there was no reason to wonder about it. Knowing Elena¡¯s tendencies, there must be a knife on her person. ¡°Now. Return what you took or I¡¯m going to spill your juices all over the floor,¡± Elena threatened. Burcu was terrified. She gave back Maya¡¯s bag and Elena let her go, allowing her to scurry away. ¡°Havens, Elena! Isn¡¯t this a bit over the top?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have time for bullshitting,¡± Elena stated firmly, slipping the knife back into her boot. However, they have taken a risk and fortune didn¡¯t favour them. As Burcu was running away, she almost bumped into a teacher passing through. Seeing her pointing back toward them as she furiously tattled on them to the teacher, the girls sighed. ¡°Just great¡­¡± Elena realized they were in trouble. The teacher looked furious. They were considering whether they should run, but it would catch up to them eventually. There was no choice but to obey as they were being walked to the faculty wing to get scolded. The hallway in front of the headmistress¡¯s office was chaotic. Plaster was scattered everywhere, and the doors to both Amanda¡¯s and Daria¡¯s offices were open. The disorder inside was visible. Many items were no longer in their original place, scattered on the floor. Amanda was on the phone while simultaneously directing the help, while in the other office, Daria was talking with frowning Burcu. Daria intercepted them before they could be shown into the preoccupied Headmistress¡¯s office. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of this,¡± Daria said. She sent Burcu away, who was giving them snarly looks as she passed them by, and led the two of them into her office closing the doors behind them. ¡°Sit,¡± she ordered showing them to two dusty leather armchairs placed in front of her desk while she made her way to her seat, picking things up on her way. Daria sighed before speaking to Elena. ¡°I thought I told you that carrying knives was forbidden.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not carrying any knives,¡± Elena claimed. Daria was tired of her antics. ¡°Elena. I¡¯m not playing your little games. I know you have a knife, now hand it over.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have a knife,¡± Elena was persistent. ¡°Do I need to search you?¡± Daria was deathly serious. ¡°Miss Tiryaki claimed you pressed a knife to her throat. Now stop testing my patience and give it here.¡± ¡°Just give it to her, Elena,¡± Maya said. Elena looked at her with a questioning look. ¡°Where is it, Maya?¡± Daria asked. ¡°In her boot,¡± Maya said. ¡°Glad to know I can count on you,¡± Elena said sarcastically while her face became a sharp scowl. Maya didn¡¯t want to betray Elena, but she feared that if Daria searched her, she would find more knives. This would only worsen the situation. Daria got up and walked around the table to reach into Elena¡¯s boot while Elena kept her cold stare fixed on Maya. Maya¡¯s apologetic looks didn¡¯t soften her up. But what Daria pulled out of Elena¡¯s boot, surprised even Maya. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Daria was baffled looking at the object in her hand. ¡°Exactly what it looks like¡­ A fork,¡± Elena stated, hiding her amusement. Daria sighs. ¡°I told you, no weapons.¡± ¡°This is not a weapon. It¡¯s a fucking fork!¡± Elena defended. ¡°Why, for the love of gods, do you carry a fork around if not as a weapon?¡± ¡°I¡¯m germophobic. I don¡¯t like eating with forks other people have used. And there¡¯s no telling where those forks in the cafeteria have been.¡± Elena¡¯s imagination sometimes amazed Maya and the crap she was ready to make up on the spot. Daria laughed at the absurdity of her claim. ¡°So, you are keeping it in your boot?¡± she sighed, well aware that she shouldn¡¯t follow Elena into this rabbit hole. ¡°It¡¯s still a sharp object and you assaulted another student.¡± ¡°Oh, come on,¡± Elena complained. ¡°I didn¡¯t even use the sharp part. I just touched her skin with a handle to make her crap her pants. She was bullying Maya.¡± ¡°Is that true?¡± Daria asked Maya. She was firmly tired of Elena¡¯s wild contortions. Maya stuttered a confirmation. ¡°Come on. Burcu even attacked her intentionally and very publicly,¡± Elena went on further. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear any of this. Two punishing chips for each of you,¡± Daria declared, having had enough. ¡°Including Burcu. And Elena, I don¡¯t want to hear from you. I can¡¯t endure any more of your insane schemes. I¡¯m leaving for a month, and any problems you create will be handled as Amanda sees fit.¡± They got off easy. Daria always seems to give out lighter punishments despite her lack of tolerance for Elena¡¯s troubles. As they were leaving through the corridor, Maya noticed the ghost, which was always stuck here, was nowhere to be found. Chapter 106: The Underbelly I As they were leaving, Maya glanced back at Daria. As someone who isn¡¯t around often, Maya couldn¡¯t miss this opportunity to steal a glimpse at her soul. However, what she saw shocked her. Maya felt as if she had glanced at something incomprehensible which left her with an unsettled feeling. ¡®Was Daria even human?¡¯ Her soul had a completely different makeup than anything Maya had glimpsed at before. ¡®Is that a soul of a conquisitor? Someone who can freely travel between worlds?¡¯ Maya had a hunch Daria¡¯s soul belonged to an entirely different dominion of magic. There were so many different types of magic present right under their noses, but only Maya was able to perceive them. Finally, they were free to get to the well. After making sure they were unnoticed, they approached the academy''s back gardens where they had previously spotted an old well. There was nothing to suggest its existence visible, but Maya reached out to touch it. She found it. It was an odd sensation, feeling something tangible underneath her palm, while her mind insisted it wasn¡¯t there. She had anticipated difficulty in prying off the planks, but they weren¡¯t actually fastened or nailed down. It seems the perpetrator who had hidden it under the cloak of magic expected it to be enough of a warding barrier. While Maya removed the planks and wrestled with her senses, Elena secured the rope to a robust nearby tree. They tossed the other end into the well and watched it vanish, their minds struggling to comprehend the sight. ¡°Do you think it will be enough?¡± Elena asked. ¡°I hope so.¡± Maya was not a climber, yet she was prepared to become one for this mission. It was her purpose. Even though the academy was currently devoid of students, they couldn''t predict who might appear. Maya grasped the rope and hesitated, contemplating her approach. ¡°It might be easier if you close your eyes,¡± Elena suggested. ¡°That sounds even more terrifying,¡± Maya confessed. ¡°But you won¡¯t be as confused. You are literally going in blind anyway.¡± Taking a deep breath, Maya held it in, believing it would calm her nerves even though she had no real reason to do so. With her eyes closed, she allowed Elena to help her over the opening. She then started descending the well wall, her hands tightly gripping the rope. Elena maintained her grip on Maya until she was out of reach. The moment Elena released her, panic surged through Maya. She quickly realized that holding her breath was a mistake and began to hyperventilate. Opening her eyes, she saw what one could anticipate: the damp, mossy interior of the well. It showed itself. She looked upwards and was momentarily blinded by the light. There, as a silhouette, she could make out Elena leaning over the edge. ¡°I¡¯m coming down,¡± Elena whispered inside before doing what she announced. Maya cast her gaze downwards, straining her eyes to penetrate the inky darkness that veiled the bottom of the well. She could hear echoes of debris from their clumsy climbing fall dawn and hit the water¡¯s surface. It didn¡¯t seem that far, but they reached the end of the rope before they could reach the bottom of the well. ¡°There¡¯s no more rope,¡± Maya gazed up and informed Elena. ¡°Use the walls. They are fairly climbable.¡± Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. ¡°I¡¯m not a free climber!¡± Maya whisper-shouted, terrified by the idea. ¡°And walls widen here.¡± ¡°Then jump.¡± ¡°Are you insane? We don¡¯t know how deep the water is.¡± ¡°Maya, you got four elements to bend at your will. Figure something out,¡± Elena was annoyed. Maya was looking down, calculating what she could do. Maybe she would have enough time to soften her fall with air, but the end was still in the water. ¡°Today?¡± Elena was impatient. ¡°I can¡¯t exactly use magic while I¡¯m holding a rope,¡± Maya argued. ¡°For fucks sake,¡± Elena¡¯s grumbling could be heard. Maya felt the rope above her shifting. When she looked up at Elena, she could see her letting go of the rope and shifting her body to hold opposite sides of the well with arms and legs like a spider to position herself so that it wouldn¡¯t be directly over Maya. While Maya began to wonder what she was trying to do, Elena let go. Maya didn¡¯t get a chance to scream as Elena flew by her, plummeting down and disappearing with a splash into the black water. Maya called for her desperately until she surfaced with exhilarated cheer. ¡°Some cold fucking water!¡± Maya gave a sigh of relief. ¡°This was extremely stupid,¡± Maya scolded her. ¡°Yeah, yeah. I know. Come on down. It¡¯s deep enough. Freezing, but deep enough.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not jumping into the water.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no other way. You can jump or climb down, but either way, you¡¯re getting wet. There¡¯s no surface to stand on.¡± ¡°Crap.¡± ¡°Watch your tongue, there,¡± Elena was teasing her. ¡°People might hear you using such vulgar language.¡± ¡°Oh, shut up.¡± ¡°Are you coming? I didn¡¯t come here for a swim.¡± Maya gathered a bit more courage before letting go. She told herself, if Elena was fine, she would be too. The drop wasn¡¯t far, but Elena wasn¡¯t joking about the freezing temperature. Her muscles tensed up and the cold-induced shivering made it hard to float. Maya looked around and found herself in a cavern much more spacious than the claustrophobic well hatch they had arrived through. Light from above reflected off the water, bouncing around the cave ceiling. The effect created a surreal atmosphere, surrounded by darkness. Aside from the cold water, it was terrifying. Maya was uncertain whether it would be more frightening to see the bottom, with all its potential hidden dangers, or being engulfed in pure blackness and the unknown. ¡°Where to next?¡± Elena asked. Maya was looking around. She saw nothing but darkness. ¡°I swear to gods, if we got here just for it to turn out as a dead end¡­¡± Elena grumbled. ¡°Follow my voice.¡± Maya couldn¡¯t see Anastasia, but she could hear her, and she followed in that direction. Elena soon stopped complaining and followed. They reached the rocky bottom and emerged from the water, shivering like a group of wet cats. Using magic, they extracted water from their clothes¡ªa task more difficult than it appeared. As they were doing this, a large chunk of rock separated and crashed into the water behind them, somewhere in the darkness. ¡°Entering an underground cave right after an earthquake. Brilliant idea,¡± Elena commented. ¡°I didn¡¯t force you to go.¡± ¡°It¡¯s too late for my self-preservation to kick in now, anyway. I can¡¯t imagine spending my afternoon in a more interesting way.¡± Even though Elena was throwing criticizing comments, Maya felt Elena was more eager to be here than her. Excited by the adventure at first, Maya was now wet, cold and in a dark and scary place. It was hard to keep holding on to her bravado. ¡°We just need some light and everything will be fine,¡± Maya was trying to soothe herself. She rummaged through her bag to find a light. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t use any open-flame source. We don¡¯t know if there are any flammable gases.¡± ¡°Good point.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t mind the Academy getting blown. I¡¯d just prefer to witness it from the outside.¡± Maya chuckled while getting the witch-light out of its container that blocks its light. Soon their surrounding was illuminated by the bright white light. Maya didn¡¯t like how their faces were illuminated from below where she held it, and the sharp shadows the rocks cast now were eerie to her. ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re with me,¡± Maya was sincere. ¡°Alone, I wouldn¡¯t stand a second before falling into a panic attack.¡± ¡°We¡¯re just casually exploring the underground.¡± Maya laughed at Elena shrugging off anything being potentially fear-inducing in what they were doing. There was only one way they could go, and they continued down that path. Chapter 107: The Underbelly II While they navigated through damp cave corridors, Maya talked to reduce the levels of her anxiety. ¡°Sorry, I ratted you out earlier.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. I sort of expected it. But I have to admit, how fast you did it¡­ it did sting a bit.¡± ¡°In my defence, we were in a hurry. I didn¡¯t want to be down here after night falls.¡± Their journey below wasn¡¯t seamless. The path morphed unpredictably, ranging from tight crevices they had to squeeze through, to sudden slippery slopes filled with water of inscrutable depths that could very well reach hell itself, to expansive cave halls they weren''t aware could be hidden right beneath the academy floors. Despite the challenges, taking the plunge into a dark well emboldened them to face what lay ahead. Maya, however, wished they had brought wetsuits; the frigid waters were excruciatingly cold to be soaked in. Some areas seemed oddly man-made, resembling the walls of ancient temples or tombs swallowed by the earth and forgotten. Yet exploration wasn¡¯t on their agenda. They were trailing Anastasia through a labyrinth of corridors branching off in all directions. With her as their only guide, Maya was constantly on edge, fearing Anastasia might vanish as she often did. They weren¡¯t alone, at least from Maya¡¯s perspective. Many souls were trapped down there, disoriented and erratic due to the scarcity of visitors. These souls would rush to them, begging for help in desperation. They had no recollection of how they ended up there, lost and unable to find an exit. Unaware of their demise, they couldn''t comprehend Maya¡¯s horrified expression upon seeing bite marks and blood on their bodies, nor could they understand Elena¡¯s apparent disregard for their desperate pleas. Elena noticed Maya¡¯s agitation. ¡°Are there many of them?¡± ¡°They don¡¯t even know they are dead,¡± Maya was saddened. ¡°Elena, they have bite marks.¡± ¡°It only means we have to be careful.¡± Is this where missing students go missing? She imagined them being dragged away by some vicious animal, into the depths of the underground, by monsters she imagined vampires looked like, having never seen one. They continued on and Maya did her best to ignore those desperate souls. Anastasia led them to a dead end. The path they were to proceed on was flooded. ¡°Crap¡­ It¡¯s flooded,¡± Maya was disappointed. ¡°Is there no other way?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Can we drain it?¡± Maya looked at Anastasia to respond. She shook her head. It meant there was too much water for them to drain or it could take forever. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then we improvise. Join our powers.¡± They devised a plan to create an air bubble for them to inhabit while walking through water. This plan combined Elena¡¯s water-manipulating abilities with Maya¡¯s air-manipulation skills. It was a risky solution. Elena battled the water pressure to prevent it from crushing them, while Maya maintained the structure of their air bubble, keeping it contained and preventing it from escaping upward. Elena pushed while Maya pulled. The task was challenging. Their bubble continuously shrank the further they ventured, and the oxygen was depleting. It was a constant struggle to keep their heads in the shrinking bubble and to move through the increasingly deep water, which made every step more difficult. The tension was high. Uncertainty filled them as they didn¡¯t know how much further they had to go or if they would make it. When they saw what appeared to be the end, they let go of their efforts to maintain the bubble and swam through the cold waters. They surfaced, panting, and took a moment to catch their breaths. Then, they continued further through the rough terrain. Suddenly, the ground began to tremble. It was much weaker than any of the times before, but still enough to get them straight into a panic. Fearing they will get buried in the rubble under the academy and no one will ever find them. If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°It¡¯s just above,¡± Anastasia said. Maya looked up seeing only solid rock. ¡°Are you kidding me?¡± ¡°What?¡± Elena asked. ¡°She says it¡¯s above us.¡± Elena looks up and touches the ceiling above to examine it. ¡°How thick? Can you break it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a solid rock. I can¡¯t manipulate solid rock, Elena.¡± ¡°Have you tried?¡± Maya scoffed. ¡°Have you brought some dynamite then? Are we giving up?¡± Elena kept asking questions Maya had no answer for. Maya took a deep breath. Elena was right. She should at least try. Try not to get them buried down here. ¡°Okay. Move away.¡± Elena listened and Maya took a moment to focus. She visualized what she wanted to happen and began. She made her movement but felt resistance. Earth manipulation was all about friction and resistance. It requires willpower and determination to move the unmovable. Maya flexed her muscles, her entire body, to the brink of pain, and then further, fighting the urge to scream. Then a crack echoed and it was Elena¡¯s surprisingly fast reaction that moved Maya out of the way before the ceiling caved in. They were coughing as dust was slowly settling to reveal a hole in the ceiling of the narrow tunnel. Elena took the initiative to peek in, waving the dust away. The rubble that had fallen down was now conveniently creating steps for them to climb up. Elena did it first, beckoning Maya to come. ¡°Watch your head¡ª¡± Elena warned just as Maya bumped her head into a wooden beam. ¡°Ouch,¡± Maya rubbed the sore spot on her forehead. They were in a dusty crawl space beneath old hardwood floorboards. Elena was checking if any of them were loose enough to break off. Maya was unsure if Elena found a loose one or decided to use her shoulder to forcefully break one. Nonetheless, she managed to break off enough to create space for them to crawl up. ¡°No matter what they do, never react,¡± Anastasia warned Maya before entering. They found themselves in a study room of some sort. It was old, windowless, with stone arches supporting the low vault overhead. Bookcases filled with old, rare-looking books were tucked into the niches beneath the arches. The room gave off the feeling of a dungeon repurposed. ¡°Something about this place gives me the creeps,¡± Elena said. ¡°I can see what,¡± Maya responded, learning why Anastasia had given her a sudden warning before she had entered. There were a number of ghosts, uncomfortably close, unblinking, invasively staring at the intruders¡ªthem. They had a distinct violent energy about them, Maya had only felt from a certain hotspot, and that fact made it infinitely more difficult to stay level-headed as her skin wanted to crawl away. Maya took a moment to compose herself, then looked at her surroundings. The proper entrance was blocked by collapsed rubble. The only access to the room was the way they had entered. An old, well-maintained desk sat in the centre of the room, displaying a book. Maya immediately sensed that this was the book they had been searching for¡ªthe book that held all the answers. As Elena glanced around the room, observing other books partially buried in the debris, Maya moved towards the book on the desk. Briskly packing it safely away, Maya¡¯s gaze landed on a broken talisman displayed in a glass cabinet. Struck by curiosity, she looked at it closer. There were several of them packed in a box below, all quite high class. The one she admired has a brilliant cracked ruby of excellent quality. The gemstone, although broken, still seemed to shine brightly. Then a glint of a colourful opal caught her eye, resting beside rectangularly cut amber and a black pearl. All of the gemstones were broken. The ruby one seemed to hold significance to the owner of this room, and Maya wondered if they were trying to fix them in order to be used again. ¡°I hear voices,¡± Elena whispered. Maya stopped to listen. There were voices. Not only that, but it also sounded like someone was digging to get through. ¡°We should run,¡± Maya said and grabbed the book tightly. Elena snatched one off the shelves before retreating the way they had come. They could hear footsteps approaching the room, breaking through wooden doors blocked by rubble. They slid underneath the floor and Elena was trying to quietly put the floorboards back in their place. Just as she set down the last plank, the unknown visitors had entered the room. The girls hastily covered their mouths to stifle any sounds. They will have to wait in this perilous position for a little longer to avoid making any sound to facilitate their discovery. The voices above them belonged to men. From the sound of them and the creaking of the floorboards under their heavy steps, there must¡¯ve been two or three of them¡ªhaving a casual discussion while clearing up the pathway into the room. ¡°Lady Lefebvre, you should relocate the study to a more convenient place, before something like this happens again.¡± Chapter 108: The Underbelly III Hearing them speak, Elena stared at Maya wide-eyed, realizing they had just broken into Amanda''s mansion. Maya had already suspected the fact the moment she was faced with the strange behaviour of the ghosts around them, but didn¡¯t wish to jump to conclusions. The floorboards creaked gently as elegant steps walked across them when the owner of the study stepped in to assess the damage. A complete contrast to the robust steps those men made. ¡°Where is the book from my desk?¡± They heard Amanda¡¯s sharp voice. Immediately, she noticed it missing. ¡°I''m sure it''s here somewhere. We need to clear out more rubble. If we find it, we''ll let you know,¡± one said. ¡°YOU IMBICILES!¡± Amanda screamed as she slammed her hand on the desk. The girls could hear the sound of glass shattering. Something fragile must¡¯ve been knocked over. This always calm and collected woman was screaming at her personal guards. Maya felt the pressure suddenly change and noticed the ghosts around her getting more unsettled. ¡°There is no debris in this part of the room. Someone took it!¡± Amanda said. ¡°Why would we take your book, madam? We have no use for such books,¡± there was fear in their voice. Maya¡¯s eyes widened as she noticed blood dripping between the cracks of the floorboards. It seems she didn¡¯t knock something off the table but rather chucked something at them that hurt one of them. ¡°This book is worth more than your lives. Return it to me!¡± she demanded. ¡°We did¡­ didn¡¯t take i¡­it. Wh¡­when would we have the time?¡± the guy was completely melting down. ¡°You were the first ones to enter the room. There is no other entrance. Now, give it back and I could forgive it.¡± ¡°I swear, madam. We didn''t touch your book. Where would we put it? It¡¯s not on us,¡± the other was terrified, pleading. She was quiet for a moment, thinking. ¡°Find me that book or I''ll turn you into cattle feed,¡± she ordered. ¡°We¡¯ll clear this up and we''ll find it. I swear.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t, I¡¯ll cut off your hands.¡± ¡°No. Please, madam¡ª¡± he was pleading, aware they wouldn¡¯t find it in the rubble. There is nowhere the book could end up and they were too afraid to suggest that she could''ve lost it. Everyone was in a precarious situation. Maya and Elena felt the urgency of having to flee, but couldn¡¯t move in fear they would make a sound and be discovered. If the Headmistress was threatening her own personal guards by cutting off their hands, what would she do to them if she found out? As the men shuffled around, desperately searching for a book that had vanished, one made a step on the patched part of the floor and his leg fell through. Maya almost screamed. She would if her hand wasn¡¯t pressed over her mouth. His leg was stuck, but he couldn''t see them down there yet. It was time to run. This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Elena reacted faster than Maya and started dragging her out of there. ¡®There is no way we won¡¯t be discovered,¡¯ Maya¡¯s thoughts betrayed her. They slid down the hole they made before guards broke the boards to catch the book thief. They were running and slipping on the wet cave floor, with no time to glance back. However, they could hear their pursuers. It was chaotic. Maya, suddenly tripping on every rock, depended on Elena to maintain her balance and avoid falling to the ground. They were at the flooded part in no time. ¡°Fuck!¡± Elena cursed. They were just behind them, trying to navigate their way through branching tunnels. Girls had only a slight advantage as two teenage girls were more nimble through these tight tunnels than two adult men. ¡°Oh, god. Th¡ªthey¡¯re going to catch us,¡± Maya was panicking. ¡°We need to drain it! They can''t follow us through water. We flood their path,¡± Elena grabbed Maya¡¯s shoulders to get through to her. It made no sense to Maya at the moment, but she went with it as Elena had an idea and Maya had nothing. Together, they redirected the water into a lower section of the tunnel they had traversed. They quickly filled it to capacity, draining enough water from the previously flooded area. This allowed them to walk through, holding the book above their heads to keep it dry. They didn¡¯t have time to drain it further. Their return lasted much shorter. But no wonder, they were in a hurry and knew the way. Or, Elena seemed to know, as Anastasia was nowhere to guide them. After they slipped and slid through the rest of the way, they finally reached that little underground pond that supplied the well, Elena just ran straight on the water, freezing the surface for them to walk on and creating a runway for Maya to air-propel herself upward to reach the rope. They made no arrangement for it previously. They just improvised and somehow understood each other¡¯s ideas without a word. As Maya propelled herself, it broke off the ice, but Elena just used the momentum of disturbed water to freeze steps for herself to jump close enough for Maya to catch her hand. The cave ceiling wasn¡¯t too high. The drop felt much higher the first time. And it looked like there was more water than before. While they were climbing up the well, they realized why. It was raining outside. They climbed out of the well. Untied the rope and let it drop down into the water. Then the dread had settled when they remembered they had to pass through the Academy hall. Dirty and wet, pumped with adrenaline, they were caught by Professor Crumpet. ¡°Girls! What are you doing here!?¡± They froze thinking they were busted. ¡°You¡¯re leaving mud everywhere. Clean it up before you go.¡± They blinked at the professor as he left obliviously. Apparently, he saw nothing suspicious in two students walking around the school, drenched to their skin, and leaving mud traces at this hour. But this was a school where, due to all kinds of club activity, it wasn¡¯t strange to see students roaming around even on Sunday afternoon. They let out sighs of relief and began laughing at their luck. Maya was now certain that Amanda was their adversary. The fact that she had hidden this book in her mansion suggested that she knew the truth and was lying to the students, and potentially everyone else. Her interaction with the guards was undeniably alarming. They returned to their room, both nervous and exhausted, and finally felt safe as the doors closed behind them. Maya sat directly on the floor, not wanting to make a mess further, eager to see the contents of the book. It was the book that held the potential to save the world ¡ª the secrets of Prima Magas, the key to everything. She opened it to a random page. The pages were brittle, discoloured with age, and flaking at the edges. It was handwritten in ink with occasional sketches scattered throughout. She turned the page to find more of the same, only interspersed with more intricate drawings and unfamiliar symbols and markings. As she flipped through a few more pages, she noticed the handwriting would change, the style and layout of the pages would change, and the writers themselves would change. Different people have contributed to it. However, the most crucial revelation was that the text was all written in entirely different languages. ¡°I can¡¯t understand what any of this means,¡± Maya said in a bitter-sweet tone. Chapter 109: The Truth Will Set Us Free [End Of Volume 1] As Daria was finishing the final touches of the paperwork before she left for Vetus Orbis, a rumbling storm rolled in. Rain droplets began to loudly hit the window of her office and she was momentarily distracted. Then a thunder struck, startling her. ¡°It really is coming in,¡± she commented absentmindedly, staring at the small window. However, when she turned back, another thing suddenly startled her. With another flash of lightning cast both from her office window and the outside corridor, she noticed a figure standing in the doorframe of her office entrance she did not hear opening. ¡°Amanda! Lords, are you trying to give me a fright?¡± Her old friend looked furious and dangerous. Something particularly unpleasant must¡¯ve happened. ¡°I want you to burn all the spirit books,¡± she demanded coldly. Her sudden order puzzled Daria. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°A precious thing was taken from me. Someone made their move and I don¡¯t want any unnecessary risk factors to sit around.¡± ¡°Why spirit books specifically?¡± Amanda only looked at her with the eyes suggesting her patience was wearing thin. ¡°I want the entire restricted sector cleared out.¡± Daria knew Amanda had many silent enemies, and the appearance of a certain quadripartite student must¡¯ve raised some hopes and prompted action. ¡°You think she might be a Prima? You know that¡¯s impossible, right?¡± ¡°Better to be prepared.¡± ¡°Prepared for what, exactly? You know no one is getting to those books except a handful of people you hand-picked yourself. It would be a waste to burn all that knowledge because your status feels threatened.¡± ¡°I do not feel threatened by a clueless child.¡± ¡°But you still have the need to burn books? You do know what kind of people would order the burning of books throughout history, right Amanda?¡± ¡°Do as I told you, Daria. Do not test me.¡± ¡°They are as good as burned already. If Maya turns out to really be a Prima, wouldn¡¯t you like to use her to your advantage? She would need to learn things that are written only in those books.¡± ¡°No,¡± Amanda growled, her eyes flashing with a dangerous intensity. ¡°A Prima would be nothing but a liability. She¡¯d bring chaos in her wake.¡± Her fists clenched, knuckles whitening as she struggled to contain her fury. ¡°We¡¯re well aware of her association with a certain someone who already has a record of breaking rules. I¡¯m merely taking preventive measures against their potential schemes.¡± Amanda took a deep breath, trying to regain her composure. Her voice lowered to a menacing whisper, ¡°Since we lack legitimate grounds for separation, I must eliminate any resources at their disposal.¡± She fixed Daria with a steely gaze. ¡°Now go. Any further resistance, and I¡¯ll have no choice but to view it as an act of betrayal.¡± Daria¡¯s shoulders slumped as she realized she had no choice but to comply with Amanda¡¯s demands. A heavy sigh escaped her lips as she contemplated the gravity of the situation. Reluctantly, she decided it was wiser to appease Amanda¡¯s paranoia now, lest her friend¡¯s fears spiral into even more drastic actions beyond the destruction of mere tomes. There were many books and scriptures in that dark and musty place and it took Daria many trips between the library and the incinerator. It was getting late and she was tired. The restricted part of the library didn¡¯t only contain books about spirits. It was primarily unprocessed books and scrolls that could potentially contain harmful information or one differing from the world they wished to show students, but Amanda simply did not yet find a reliable translator to redact them and left them sitting there forgotten. Some of the knowledge could very well be precious, but some could be complete trash. There was no way of knowing until it was thoroughly studied. It mattered not. They would decay here in bad condition anyway, so at least she can give the ancient paper some mercy. Carelessly swiping rows of books off the shelves, letting them drop into a trolley, Daria regretted their sad fate. High on a ladder, she was clearing the last of the highest shelves. It was gruelling work but Amanda simply had no one she could trust to do it but Daria. Thinking the work was finally done when there were no more books in this dark room, a flop of a book falling flat on its side resonated from the dark corner of the last shelf. She must¡¯ve missed one. Daria was already ready to climb down and sighed. Her arms hurt and the book was out of reach from her spot. She paused, squinting at the book mocking her from there. It was a thin and old book without a hard cover ¡ª more of a notebook ¡ª its pages were yellow from poor upkeep. Daria didn¡¯t remember seeing it in the collection before, but it was placed with particularly suspicious books so it was best to destroy it. However, something inside her prevented her from doing it. Daria climbed down from the ladder and wheeled away the last batch of books, leaving that one where it stood. No one could reach it without a ladder, let alone see it. Surely one forgotten book won¡¯t matter to anyone. The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ???????? Annaykke was incredibly busy lately¡ªtaking care of a teenager was no easy task. Ensuring Maya¡¯s safety couldn¡¯t exclude her mental wellbeing, and Annaykke struggled particularly in that area. After Maya lost her family, difficulties were expected. Yet every measure Annaykke tried based on professional advice either proved ineffective or backfired. For a while, it led her to believe that she was the weak link in Maya¡¯s recovery. However, following Maya¡¯s hospital release, Annaykke¡ªas her guardian¡ªattended extended sessions with the therapist before ultimately dismissing them. Now fresh from another consultation, Annaykke pressed her fingers against her throbbing temples. She¡¯d just arranged Maya¡¯s third therapist. Though she knew frequent changes could be harmful, her instincts told her it was necessary. Despite the previous therapist¡¯s confidence and promises about experimental medication suited for Maya¡¯s case, there were no signs of improvement. Annaykke sighed. Her special forces training couldn¡¯t have prepared her for the duties of motherhood. For her, surviving a warzone seemed less challenging than finding the right therapist for a traumatized teenage girl. Out of her depth, Annaykke tiptoed around Maya, mindful of her place and trying not to be overbearing. I¡¯ll be home around 3 PM. If the electrician comes early, please let them in. Not wanting to wake Maya early, Annaykke left a note, but Maya never saw it. Annaykke had to call the electrician again later. When Annaykke reviewed the front entrance security footage from that day, she spotted an unfamiliar woman at their doorstep. Despite the advanced security system, the camera feed was riddled with static distortions, making the image unclear. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with this thing? It was so expensive!¡± Annaykke slapped the side of the screen, knowing it wouldn¡¯t help. The woman departed quickly after being denied entry. ¡®Probably just a door-to-door saleswoman. I should report this to the neighbourhood watch¡­¡¯ This afternoon, the memory of that strange woman nagged at the back of her mind as she made her way home. Perhaps she had been too anxious lately, making preparations for the future, fearing the day may soon come. ¡®Just a little over a year longer¡­¡¯ she told herself. Maya would reach adulthood and Annaykke could finally come clean about everything. It was her decision. Until then, she will fulfil her duty to keep Maya safe while keeping the fa?ade¡ªthose were her employer¡¯s wishes. Upon entering the house, Annaykke called out to announce her return. Maya¡¯s usual lack of reply didn¡¯t alarm her as she began searching the house. However there was no sign of Maya¡ªthe house was empty. Then a note caught her eye and made her blood run cold. Dear Anna, this is goodbye¡­ The paper was crushed in her hand as her trembling fist closed tightly. ¡°No!¡± Annaykke ran. First, she ran to her home security setup and checked the outside camera. There, the unfamiliar woman from the other day¡ªwhom Annaykke had failed to identify through investigation¡ªappeared again. This time Maya allowed her into the house. Not long after, they emerged together, with Maya dragging a suitcase. Horror gripped Annaykke. She quickly captured a photo of the woman¡¯s blurry image on her phone and rushed outside, frantically beating down on neighbors¡¯ doors in desperate search for clues¡ªhad they seen which direction they went, did they recognize the woman, had they noticed anything at all? Annaykke was on the verge of crying, the crushing feeling of hopelessness was sinking in. The house was safe, security systems were still functioning, and no one could break in. However, she didn¡¯t expect Maya to leave on her own. She never truly believed what William¡ªMaya¡¯s father and her employer¡ªhad told her. Even with vague and inexplicable occurrences, it was difficult for a rational mind to accept. Annaykke was Maya¡¯s covert bodyguard, tasked with investigating the inexplicable threats to the Watergates. Her employer was a peculiar man with many secrets. Anyone would conclude him mad, yet he always spoke the truth. ¡°Someone is preying upon my family¡­¡± Though he lacked concrete evidence, he was adamant about it. ¡°Rose said so¡­¡± The grief-stricken man would sometimes talk about his departed wife as if she were right beside him. ¡°They want our daughter¡­¡± ¡°What for?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t know¡­¡± William knew his time was running short. He didn¡¯t fear death or his festering wounds¡ªit only meant joining his beloved soon. Yet his heart ached for Maya, his daughter who would be left alone. William loved Maya more than anything in the world, and since he couldn¡¯t escape his fate, he had to make certain she would be properly cared for. So he entrusted Maya to Annaykke by marrying her on paper, giving her legal guardianship. The father still wanted to shield Maya from the truth, so Annaykke¡¯s background was hidden. The contract required her to act as Maya¡¯s stepmother until Maya came of age, at which point Maya would decide whether to renew the arrangement. Despite Annaykke¡¯s lack of caregiving experience, Maya¡¯s father¡ªan excellent judge of character¡ªknew she was the right person for the job. Her mission was clear. However, her investigation wasn¡¯t going well. It felt like she was uncovering new disturbing machinations each passing moment, yet still knew nothing about the ones targeting Maya. But there was an undeniable fact that things weren¡¯t normal around here. And not just in Maya¡¯s household, but possibly the entire world. At first glance, Maya¡¯s life was tragic but unassuming. Yet Annaykke was anxious whenever she needed outsiders to help Maya¡¯s vulnerable state. She began suspecting planted agents everywhere. After all, Annaykke was one such herself. ¡°Anna, why are you still around?¡± Maya asked flatly, days after her father¡¯s funeral. The girl didn¡¯t even register how cruel those words were to Annaykke, who was fighting with all her might to fulfil her duty to the Watergates. Annaykke had nothing outside of her job. Maya may have been her ward, the objective of her contract, but it was true that she developed affection for the young troubled girl too. She fostered feelings, perhaps not ones akin to a mother, but more to an aunt or an older sister towards Maya. So Annaykke¡¯s every waking moment was spent on ensuring Maya¡¯s safety and investigating the threat that was looming in the shadows. The house was an impenetrable fortress. Inside she could stay assured no one could forcefully reach Maya. That fact was the only assurance Annaykke had when she had outside duties. ¡®Maya wouldn¡¯t venture outside¡­¡¯ It was Annaykke¡¯s grave misjudgement. Lately, she was more concerned by ensuring Maya grew up well, wrapping up contingencies in case Maya throws her out after learning the truth. Her eyes hopelessly swept through the empty street. The sun was casting long shadows that seemed to seep into her soul. Maya was her responsibility¡­ and she had lost her. ~ End of Volume 1