This was a...school?

  The castle loomed titanic against the horizon, far larger than any building Elaine had ever encountered in her life. Its exterior, composed of grayish-white bricks, seamlessly melded into the towering, jagged shelves of earth, making it appear as if it had risen organically from the planet itself. At the castle's base, a verdant sea of grassy blades swayed gently in the breeze, vibrant colors ranging from a deep emerald to a golden hue. Vibrant flags, firmly anchored into either stone or at the top of one of the many towers by sturdy wooden poles, flapped energetically in the wind, their weathered fabric fluttering like the wings of birds taking flight. Each flag proudly displayed the school’s official insignia: a striking golden emblem shaped like a griffon and encircled in a ring of stars; its muscular body, poised confidently on its hind legs, exuded strength and grace while its wings spread wide behind it. A powerful representation of both unity and pride.

  If the tales she’d heard held any truth, the castle had stood the test of time for over three centuries. Remarkably, its condition surpassed that of many noble mansions she’d glimpsed in glossy tabloids—their pristine facades often belied by words of opulence. Despite the evident signs of age, such as vines and wildflowers creeping up its weathered stones, the castle’s grandeur was undeniable. Up close, Elaine could discern the subtle imperfections: a few dents marred the rooftop, while the yellow-tinted glass windows bore faint cracks. Yet, amidst these small flaws lay a sense of history and resilience—a testament to the castle’s enduring legacy.

  From a distance, it was a perfect image. The castle did not present itself as a singular, monolithic structure; instead, it resembled a fantastical ensemble of individual spires and temples, each distinct yet flawlessly interconnected, entwining into the cohesive entity that was Glyph Academy. Elaborate bridges and sweeping archways linked various sectors of the academy, creating a maze of pathways, yet, notably, a pronounced gap lay nestled between the two tallest steeples. Was that an intentional design choice, or was it merely a byproduct of adhering to the natural geography of the setting? Its pointed roofs, adorned in shades of cerulean and azure, reached skyward like horns, and as her gaze descended, Elaine perceived the daunting complexity of the building's layout. It was an intricate web of hallways and stairs—at least six or seven stories high—likely filled with winding corridors and hidden nooks, promising that navigation would prove to be quite the undertaking.

  Recalling her previous experiences, she couldn't help but compare this grand academy to her local library—a shabby little hovel that seemed to mock even the most modest of dwellings, one that would surely make a disdainful bushgoblin cringe with embarrassment. Elaine stared up academy, aweless, silent, and she imagined that if she were to take the stairs—if, indeed, the academy even had any—days might slip by like sand through her fingers before she ever reached the top. A knot formed in her stomach as she gulped, her heart racing at the thought of her professors waiting for her, their stern gazes fixed on the clock. They would undoubtedly expect her to be punctual, their academic rigor leaving no room for tardiness.

  The semester hadn't even officially begun, yet the specter of her attendance record emerged large in her mind, casting a shadow over her excitement. She envisioned the top of the tallest tower, a majestic column adorned with a mesmerizing series of floating, glowing runes that spiraled around it in an endless yet slow-paced dance. If an especially daring sorcerer were somehow to muster the courage to crawl to the peak, teetering precariously at that dizzying height, she would appear as little more than a harmless, insignificant speck. It struck her then how profoundly isolating such grandeur could be. No wonder a majority of the students at the academy hailed from noble lineages; they likely viewed the world through their gilded perspectives, ensconced in privilege. They were the kings and queens in their heavenly towers.

  As she gathered the control to pull her gaze away from the magnificent piece of architecture, Elaine noticed the steady line of people snaking along the upward path, narrowing her eyes for a sharper look. The brick path appeared to wind its way toward the entrance of the castle, which was marked by a great cube-shaped temple building. It was strategically positioned at the foot of a steep cliff, which supported an even larger segment of the castle's structure.

  "Ah, there you are! Young Elaine!" Orion exclaimed, turning to better aim his grin at her. The two men he'd been speaking with only a second earlier were now baring annoyed glowers. "So, what do you make of the place? Not thinking of getting lost, are you?"

  "It's amazing, sir!" Elaine exclaimed. "A bit, err, a bit bigger than I expected. Then again, it is a premier magic teaching institution. I'm sure I'll get used to it."

  Orion snickered. "Just try not to fall off the sides now. That would be a rather unfortunate trip, I would say!"

  "Please don't make jokes like that, sir," Raze sighed.

  Ah, the grim reminder. Elaine made a conscious decision to narrow her focus solely on the academy itself, as was her intent. She had never harbored a fear of heights, and she figured if she continued to convince herself that this was an ordinary academy, everything would eventually fall into place. Yet, if the students and faculty were anything like the headmaster, she wondered just how effective her strategy would be. It was difficult to gauge, but the reality was striking: she, Orion Valerian, Raze, as well as every other soul present, were suspended hundreds of meters above the ground, the shimmering expanse of a massive lake glimmering far below. Long ago, the original headmaster—Faye Theodora the Sakura Sorcerer—had cast a powerful enchantment onto the campus. She'd lifted the strip of land from the planet and kept it suspended in the air. Nobody knew what her reasoning for doing so was—maybe she just thought it would look cool—but the fact of the matter was, they were high, high in the sky. It explained why the air was thinner, why the winds were so rough, why the griffins roosted on rooftops—

  Wait! There were griffins on the rooftops!

  She saw them perched on the ledges of towers, four-legged winged predators aiming their beaked faces this way and that, releasing a high-pitched screech or two. Nobody appeared to be bothered by them, not even as one flew over her head—its shadow cascading across the ground—and clung to the side of a nearby tower.

  "So, Young Elaine," Orion said cheerfully, "it pains me to say that we must part ways here."

  Elaine's mood soured. She'd grown quite attached to him. It kind of made her wish that their journey had lasted a little longer. "I understand," Elaine said, keeping her disappointment hidden with a smile. "You're the headmaster, after all. I'm sure you've got thousands of duties that you need to attend to—"

  "A lot more than that, actually," one of the men in gray cloaks corrected with a cough.

  "In any case," Elaine chuckled, "I'm grateful for you going out of your way to bring me here."

  "Oh, please. It was no problem. It was a nice change of pace for me, I must admit. In any case, I'm eager to see how you make it through your first semester. I'm expecting great things from you, Harwood."

  Jeez, no pressure, Elaine thought, smiling nevertheless.

  "I'll leave you in Raze's capable hands. He'll take you where it is you need to go. I'm sure you're tired after a long day of travel, and you'll need all your energy for the trials to come."

  "Headmaster Valerian!"

  "Hmm? Ah! Yes, yes, man. I'm coming!" Orion shot a glare at the faces in cloaks. "Until our next meeting, Young Elaine," he said, stalking away, the tail of his coat flapping after him.

  Raze sighed again. "Well then, guess you're stuck with me."

  Elaine frowned. You can at least try to sound a little jovial. "Happiness," so it seemed, wasn't in Raze's vocabulary. As she strode after him, tugging her suitcase along with her, Elaine shot another glance at the long line of people, most of them around her age. Students, some dressed in blue-colored uniforms. So these are to be my classmates, are they?

  She could tell most of them were goldbloods. Whether it be their pompous attitudes or butlers that chased behind them, attending to their every need, she recognized the stench of nobility. She liked to keep an open mind towards them, as she would anyone else. Her parents had taught her to judge someone based on their character, their actions. Not their place on the societal ladder. Even so, she never had an easy experience with nobles at one point in her life. Well, excluding Orion and Raze, of course. They assured her that not everybody in this school would be...difficult. Another screech sounded in the sky, but it didn't belong to a griffin. Elaine gaped as she watched the crimson-tinted carriage descend out of the clouds, pulled by pegasi, the majestic, white steeds flapping their wings repeatedly as they steadied themselves to land.

  The carriage had undeniably been enchanted in some manner. Pegasi, though undeniably strong creatures, would struggle to haul such a heavy construct across solid ground, let alone lift it gracefully through the skies. Perhaps a sophisticated weight-lifting enchantment had been cast upon it? That was the only logical conclusion Elaine could deduce. As she glanced around, she noticed more pegasi tethered to adjacent carriages clustered nearby. An area had been designated for them, marked by a sturdy cement platform that seamlessly transitioned into a broad landing strip, stretching far beyond the confines of the golden fences that enclosed the space.

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  Suddenly, the ornate door of the carriage swung open with a flourish, and out stepped an elderly gentleman. He appeared to be in his late sixties, his long, narrow face a map of time, deeply lined with the creases of many years lived. His hair, once a rich shade of chestnut, was now a solemn gray, interlaced with dark strands that bore witness to his advanced age. Perched atop his nose was a monocle, which magnified one of his dark eyes. He surveyed the surroundings with a mixture of authority and curiosity, fully aware of the attention drawn to his arrival. He swept the campus with an inquisitive leer. Raising a gloved hand to his mouth, he turned to the carriage and called in an eloquent but strict tone, "Master Kliff. We'd better hurry. It's bad enough that you already missed Orientation."

  "Yeah, yeah. I'm coming," a voice answered unenthusiastically.

  A young man of average height descended the shiny wooden steps of the carriage, his movements fluid and confident. Elaine's breath caught in her throat, and her eyes widened in astonishment as she took in his presence. Was he really a student? He wore no uniform; instead, he was clad in a striking white suit tailored to perfection, accentuated by gray trousers that fluttered elegantly behind him. His attire, reminiscent of an old-world charm, spoke of a traditional fashion sense that somehow felt refreshingly modern. It suited him impeccably, enhancing his already dapper appearance. Just as he was about to engage his servant, Elaine's gaze locked onto his, drawing him in with an almost magnetic pull. At that moment, he turned to meet her eyes, his sharp, well-defined features softening with a flicker of surprise before morphing into a keen curiosity. He maintained a rich, tan-toned skin, and his striking dark blue eyes sparkled with flecks of yellow—like shards of sunlight breaking through the canopy of a forest. His dark blonde hair was impeccably styled, each strand in place. He was...perfect.

  He held her gaze for a few lingering seconds, relishing in the moment of her wordless admiration, his expression subtly intense. Then, with a slight shake of his head and an audible sigh that seemed to release the tension between them, he shifted his focus, breaking the spell that had bound them. "All right, Ed. Let's get moving."

  "Wise decision, Master Kliff." The servant barked something at the man steering the pegasus, then he started after the boy who had casually shoved his hands into his pockets as he marched ahead. Elaine watched as the two joined the steady stream of people headed for the entrance.

  "Hey," she heard Raze call. "You coming? Or are you just going to stand there all evening?"

  "Oh! Sorry, be right there." As Elaine rushed for him, she only then detected the pale fire engulfing her cheeks. She was...blushing? She touched the side of her face, feeling the tips of her fingers flare with heat. Indeed, her skin had scorched over, and a bolt of embarrassment struck mercilessly. Elaine, you sulmo!

  Hopefully, she hadn't looked too imbecilic. But she could only hope.

  *

  * *

  Raze had carefully guided her north-westward through the sprawling grounds until they arrived at a cluster of long, five-storied buildings set back from the main campus. These were the student dormitories, distinct yet harmonious in their design. The structures were constructed from grayish-white bricks, complemented by rooftops of a deep, vibrant blue that added a touch of elegance to the ensemble. The dormitories formed an unusual arrangement, bending at sharp angles around a well-maintained grassy courtyard. In the center stood a magnificent tree adorned with striking blue leaves that glimmered as if dusted with the faintest shimmer of starlight. Below its sprawling branches, sturdy wooden benches and tables were positioned, inviting students to gather for study sessions or leisurely conversations, all contained within a neatly bounded square of lush green grass.

  Once inside one of the identical buildings, Elaine’s initial excitement shifted to confusion. She quickly realized there were no traditional stairs to navigate between floors. Instead, as she walked to the very end of the corridor, she found herself facing a round symbol embedded in the wooden floor. The symbol was composed of two concentric rims, each curving in a way reminiscent of a land dragon's powerful arm. Intricate archaic characters and elegant runes spiraled around the rims, their meanings shrouded in mystery...at least, they were to her.

  "A magic circle?" Elaine whispered to herself.

  "Far more efficient than stairs, wouldn't you agree?" Raze replied, and there was a hint of snarkiness in his tone. As they stepped onto it, he announced, "Floor Second," and the magic circle burst to life. A strange, tingling sensation consumed her, an electric buzz that zapped at the skin. But it was over in an instant. The bright light that caused her to squeeze her eyes shut disappeared, and as Elaine regained a wary vision, she faced a different corridor than the one she'd previously walked. Granted, it had the same general interior design—wooden floors stretching from one end to the other, silver chandeliers housing slippery sparks of fire up above, eloquent portraits hung on the wall. But she knew they were someplace else when she didn't immediately spot any of the people they had passed before reaching the dead end.

  Raze stopped in front of one door in particular. "2E" was written on its mahogany surface in a bold, bluish color. "This is where you'll be staying. Your uniforms should already be in your closet. If not, you could inquire about it tomorrow at the front desk. Oh, and don't leave your room after nine o'clock, all right?"

  Elaine raised a brow. "Why? What happens at nine—"

  "Just trust me on this, okay? You might not like what you see."

  Well, that was...ominous. She wanted to pry into him further about the subject, but the man had already made off down the hall before she could get her next question. So much for that. Elaine stared at the door again, reaching for the doorknob. When her hand grabbed nothing, it was brought to her attention that the door was missing its handle. "Uh, Raze," Elaine called. "I think my door's broken..."

  She heard an annoyed sigh filter the space, followed by the rapid tapping of boots atop wood as the sorcerer stormed back in her direction, red-faced. Embarrassment. She recognized it, even on the face of the Skeleton. Raze stopped a few doors from her, then tossed something small. Elaine caught it between her hands with a clap, staring at the card with a speculative gaze. It featured an image of her face—she was making a blank expression, lips tight in a line—and a few lines of biometric data. When had they put this together, she wondered.

  "Your Student ID," Raze said. "This is legitimate evidence that you are an official student at the academy. Do. Not. Lose. It. You won't be able to get back on campus otherwise. Not to mention, it's a huge pain in the rear to reproduce. And guess who our beloved headmaster will assign that duty to?"

  Elaine chuckled as she replied, "Don't worry, I'll keep it safe."

  "For my sake, you'd better." The sorcerer showed her his back and strode off. "Dinner ends at seven, just to let you know in advance."

  "Wait, how do I—"

  "Door's enchanted. Hold your ID to the crystal, and it should let you in."

  Crystal? What crystal? Elaine glanced at the door again—serpentine patterns slithering up the portrait like vines—and her eyes spotted the small ruby gem imbued into the frame right above the room number.

  "Hmm? Like this?" Elaine stood on her tiptoes, holding the ID to the gemstone as close as possible. The gemstone reacted, blinking a red light twice. A second later, the door started crumbling out of existence. Chunks of the wood disintegrated into puffs of white smoke until none of it was left.

  A gaping mouth full of jagged teeth erupted from the room on the other side, snapping shut with a menacing clack just inches from Elaine's face. The sudden appearance sent a jolt of terror coursing through her, and she screamed as she dropped her suitcase, the hard thud of it flying across the narrow corridor. In a frantic bid to escape, she leaped backward, her back colliding forcefully with the hard surface of the wall, which shuddered in response, rattling a nearby picture frame that hung askew. Breathless and wide-eyed, Elaine crumpled to the floor, the wooden floor pressing against her trembling legs as she tried to catch her breath. The creature vibrated with a feverish quiver. It sniffed the air, only to set its sights—it didn't have any discernible eyes—back on Elaine. But before it could pounce, a frantic voice screamed, "No, that's enough! That isn't food!"

  To those orders, the creature calmed itself, retracting its rows of needles serving as fangs, silvery saliva oozing out its jaws. Startled, Elaine hesitantly rose to her feet, not taking her eyes off of it. A bulbous head—checkered with distinct, purple spots—bobbed up and down in content. It curved its lips upward, seemingly trying to imitate what Elaine best assumed was a smile. However, as its sinewy tongue spread across its mouth, she knew that it saw her as a snack. That opened maw was filled to the brim with countless, spindle-shaped teeth. It connected to a slender, elastic body that twisted and curved whenever it moved. The frill-like appendages sprouting off the sides of its body floundered, and purple-tipped spikes pointed out of its spine. At first, its height rivaled that of a human. But it was shrinking, decreasing in size as it pulled its head into the room until it was no bigger than the length of a child's arm. Rubbery tendrils stuck out of the soil, pouring over the sides of the pot it was sitting in.

  "Wait..." Elaine uttered, wincing. "It's a...plant?"

  "Yup!" confirmed the girl holding the vicious weed awkwardly in her arms. She kept it alarmingly close. What if it got hungry again? "Sorry," she said, bowing her head apologetically, dipping a sodden frown. "Gulp isn't usually like this. I just haven't fed him yet, is all." She rested the grumbling plant on a nearby mirror table. "I'm sorry if he frightened you. I promise it won't happen again."

  Elaine started, not entirely sure of what to say. "Gulp...?"

  "Yes," the girl said, her grin fractured but genuine. "That's what I call him, at least."

  "Right..."

  "And my name's Fearne, Fearne Lavender."

  She was a petite girl with porcelain fair skin, her green-colored eyes sparkling with interest, framed by dark lashes that accentuated their vivid hue. Her milk chocolate hair was arranged into a braided ponytail that cascaded gracefully over her left shoulder. She wore a simple yet elegant white gown that flowed gently around her knees, the fabric soft and slightly textured, giving it a timeless quality. The gown's sleeves were delicately off-the-shoulder, revealing just a hint of her collarbone. On her feet, she sported a pair of sturdy yet stylish boots, made of rich brown leather that had clearly seen many adventures, their scuffed surfaces telling stories of exploration. Strapped around her right wrist was a bracelet that caught the eye—a unique piece that paralleled nature's design. It resembled an ensemble of vines and leaves, crafted from a mix of materials that gave it an organic, almost ethereal feel, as if it had been woven from the very Essence of the forest itself.

  "Fearne, huh?" Elaine said, struggling to plaster a smile. She extended a hand to her. "My name's Elaine Harwood. It's, um, a pleasure to meet you."

  "Oh, please. The pleasure is all—"

  Fearne let out a brief yelp! as one foot tripped over the other, and the girl plummeted to the floor with a thud. Elaine—who still had her arm held out—slowly stared down at her as she lay sprawled out on the floor. A fish out of water. Helpless.

  "By the way," Raze's voice was distant, but she heard him shouting well enough, "you'll be sharing your room with another student. Hope that isn't an inconvenience."

  Elaine frowned. Thanks for the heads-up, Raze...