Elaine's eyes widened in astonishment as she absorbed the sight of the colossal stranger. He stood straight, the fabric of his unbuttoned overcoat straining to contain his bulging arms and hulking physique. The coat, a dark, weathered canvas, partially hid underneath a dark green-colored shirt. His baggy trousers, made of a coarse material that looked like it had seen better days, were tucked into sturdy boots that were caked in damp grime, evidence of long hours spent traversing muddy terrain. Was he a gardener, out of place yet somehow dignified in his disarray? A quick glance at his right hand dispelled that notion; he held a wand, seamlessly crafted from light-colored timber and polished to a subtle sheen. At the handle, a shatterstar fragment—a glimmering amethyst stone—protruded, its iridescent surface glinting in shades of violet and lavender. It was known to be harvested from the treacherous cliffs of Starfall Valley far to the east.

  Fritz! He thinks I'm an intruder, doesn't he? This wasn't good. Only sulmos made a Professional Sorcerer their enemy. Especially one enlisted at Glyph Academy, of all places. Elaine shot her hands in the air, hoping it was enough to communicate to the man that she wasn't a threat.

  "You're not supposed to be here, lass. This room is prohibited to students," he growled, advancing in a heavy march. "If I were in your shoes, I'd start explaining myself right about now."

  "My name is Elaine," she blurted, squeezing her eyes closed as she did. "Elaine Harwood! I was only trying to find my homeroom class! I'm a first-year! I hardly know where I'm going so...so...err..."

  "A first-year, you say?" the man grumbled, clearly still suspicious of her. For some reason, the runes on the walls went dark, meaning that the room was now pitch-black, save for the faint light emanating out of the enormous cluster of lumas crystals fixed into the ceiling. The orange-colored mineral gave off a glassy glow, raining down as a pillar of light that completely drenched the statue, bright just enough for Elaine to see.

  The sorcerer drew near, gradually stepping into the flickering radius of the lumas' glow. As he approached, his facial features became more distinct. Hidden under the cap that covered his head was a mop of dark brown hair. His eyes—a deep, burnished gold—exuded warmth and understanding, and his firm jaw was obscured by a silvering beard that flowed down his chest. Elaine stood in awe as the fairy from earlier appeared once more, its form taking shape before her very eyes, laughter bursting out of her smiling lips. The ethereal creature twirled gracefully around Elaine, leaving behind a trail of iridescent light. In a flash, the fairy darted towards the sorcerer like a shooting star, its movements fluid and graceful. Landing on his shoulder with a soft thump, her bare feet kicked playfully over the side. The sorcerer grumbled in response to her whispered words, his face etched with annoyance. "Really? Is that so?"

  No way. Can he understand her? Elaine thought in amazement. To her ears, the fairy sounded like a bird. All that she had told him in her chirping ensemble of a sentence was lost on her.

  "Ah, a student. Now I get it," the sorcerer said, and Elaine winced when his glare flared at her. Fortunately, it sluggishly molded into a proper smile, the tips of his mouth curving his scruffy beard ever so slightly. "No need to be frightened, lass. We tend to get a few Blue stragglers every year. However, this is the first I've ever caught one poking around in here. This room is special, you see."

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  Elaine bowed her head at him. "I'm really, really sorry."

  "You know," he chuckled, a sort of deep-pitched cackle that made his beard twitch, "despite its status as a premier magic-teaching institution, this academy can be dangerous. Particularly to those who poke their noses in places they shouldn't." As he spoke, it was almost as if there was an invisible rhythm that echoed through the air, pounding away relentlessly. The Pulse had returned, but it seemed that he was oblivious to the noise, just as Fearne and Custas had been. "In any case, I'll let you off with a warning this time, lass. Just be sure to stay clear of this room from now on, yeah? The Sakura Shrine is off limits." The man paid an unamused leer at the fairy, who was still sitting primly on his shoulder. "And you wouldn't have had anything to do with this, would you, Fara?"

  The creature paid him with a cheek-to-cheek grin, but she said nothing. "It wasn't her fault," Elaine said. "Like I said, I only got lost."

  "Is that right? Well, Lady Harwood, it won't do you any good just standing there silly. Come on, I'll take you to your homeroom if that's what you want."

  Elaine's entire face lit up, both with happiness and relief. "Thank you!" she exclaimed. "I'd appreciate that very much...err..."

  "Ah! Never gave you my name, now did I?" The sorcerer folded his giant pair of arms. Even though the trench coat's sleeves covered them, Elaine could tell there was a brawny frame hiding within the fabric. He fixed his expression with a mixture of conflict as well as frustration as if he was trying to recall some distant memory. "Hmm? My name? What was it again?"

  "You...you don't know your own name?"

  "No, I know it, lass. I'm not that old," he laughed. "It's just, well, I haven't had to use it in so long that I keep forgetting what it is. You understand, right?"

  Elaine whittled an artificial smile. Nope, not even a little...

  "Ah, sunder it! It's not important anyhow," he said, giving her his back as he started for the exit doors with a stomp. "The kind folks around here call me Hound. You can too if it suits your fancy. I'm the groundskeeper of this institution. But I'm not opposed to helping a student now and again. If you have a problem, you can come pay me a visit. If it's within my power, I'll help you resolve whatever's bugging ya."

  Hound the Groundskeeper, huh? She wouldn't blame anyone if the giant initially put them off. Such an imposing figure, coupled with a voice as deep as spinebear's growl, would make even the most open-minded individuals shudder with reluctance. Granted, he was a bit off. Not remembering his name. Being able to communicate with a fairy. He certainly wasn't the most...normal. Then again, none of the Glyph Academy staff she'd met so far were explicitly normal either. At the very least, he was willing to help her.

  Elaine followed after him with purposeful strides, only for the Pulse to throb at her consciousness once again. She quickly turned around, anticipating to find a person standing in front of the stone statue. She felt a presence, like someone was there with her that she couldn't see. Elaine felt it. A faint step on dirt. A slight breath streaming out someone's lips. Eyes of a ghost, giving her a spectral once-over. She wasn't alone. No, definitely not.

  "Hey," called Hound, a step outside the shrine room. "It's bad manners to show up late on your first day, you know."

  "Oh!" Elaine exclaimed. "R...Right! Coming!"

  Good luck, Harwood. Remain vigilant. Goosebumps appeared on her skin like miniature hills, and a shout lodged in her throat. Who's voice had that been? She turned around to see if someone was there, but like before, the shrine room was empty. Her imagination, that must have been it. Her imagination. The stress of starting a school year was getting to her, causing her to hear things. She dispelled the odd occurrence with a shake of the head, and Elaine shut the doors behind her.