Arrival at Conflux Arcana Academy.
We'd been driving for about six hours now.
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Craig was passed out in his seat, his mouth hung open. Annie had a book and was reading while I put in my earphones and stared out the window as we drove.
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I had absolutely no idea where we were going, and I was a little alarmed this thing might have been one big trafficking operation but the seats had an embroidery of the schools crest.
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We tried to ask the driver where we were going but he just grunted and didn't answer the question.
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I know, super rude.
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Or maybe he just can't talk? Nah, he's definitely rude. Well- considering we can't see his face with that cloth covering him I can't see his facial expressions so I can't really determine if he's being rude or he just can't speak.
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Oh well.
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I also have no idea what happens at this new school. Are the people there also able to do the same freaky stuff I can do? Were they also able to speak different languages at a young age? Do they also have a pet dragon? Did they also have the same weird dreams I did?
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These were all questions I was dying to ask as soon as we got there, I really really need to know why in hell I can do the things I do.
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Excuse my language. I'm just really fed up of not knowing what's going on.
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I feel a soft hand touch my knee and I look to see Annie looking at me, her reading glasses resting on her head.
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I take out one of my earphones. "Yeah?" I ask softly.
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"How are you feeling bub?" She asks softly.
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I think for a second. How am I feeling?
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I feel slightly agitated for being in this car for so long. I also feel slightly agitated because the lovely man driving has not given us even a hint of where we're going. I'm sad I had to leave my friends and family. And I'm also super confused.
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"I'm okay, just tired." I say, giving her a small smile.
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It doesn't seem to reassure her at all, and by the look on her face I can tell she doesn't buy it.
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"That's what you always say when you're not feeling okay, Leon." She says with a soft look.
"Is it a bad head day?" She asks in soft concern.
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I contemplate lying and saying I'm fine again, but why lie when she'll know I'm not okay.
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I nod. "I'm scared." I say softly.
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She nods in understanding, her hand on my knee raising to my face and caressing my cheek softly.
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"You've always been so strong Leon. And what's happening is scary, even I would be terrified. But by going into something with a frightful mind, you close your mind to the beautiful possibilities." She says.
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I smile softly at that, she smiles back. "Go into this, get your answers, find out who you are, but don't lose sight of what your soul looks like. You have the most gentle soul I've ever known, don't let bad experiences change that, okay?"
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I nod. "I promise."
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She smiles. "Get some rest, l'll wake you up when we're told we're close." She says and I nod.
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I put my earphones back in and put on my sleep playlist before getting more comfortable in my seat. Annie gets back to her book and let my self rest.
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•••
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I was woken up by someone gently shaking my shoulder. My eyes adjust to the light and realize that it was the evening, the sun almost setting.
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I pull out my earphones and look at Annie and Craig who are looking out the window.
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I look as well and see we're on a cliff side, like right on the edge of the cliff. Beside the car are two towering stones with weird symbols on them.
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I look at Annie and Craig in apprehension and they both have the same scared looks on their faces.
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The car was stopped, while we were just the edge of the cliff.
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Annie speaks up. "Sorry, sir? Is there a reason we're on the edge of a cliff?" She asks, her voice carrying her worry, Craig as well was on the edge of his seat looking absolutely petrified. He always hated heights.
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The fella driving doesn't say anything, he just grumbles incoherently and this makes Annie almost snap.
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Before she could bite the man's head off, Craig's pats her leg and gestures for us to look outside. When we do, the rocks beside the car stars to emit this weird glow.
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What. The. Hell.
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Then the car's engine roars back to life and I started to panic even more when I feel the car start to go forward.
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This is how I die huh?
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Wow, I'm gonna die a technical virgin. I guess Ethan was right.
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I hear Annie let out a shrill scream and I shut my eyes closed and with one hand I grip the bag with Seraphim and with my other I clutch my seat.
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My mind waits for the worst. The sound of the car crushing, the screams of horror coming from my parents and the feeling of my body slamming against the ground below. But it never comes.
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I cautiously open my eyes to the car is driving, but on thin air.
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Holy cow!
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I open the window and I stick my head out and look down to the ground below, the gorge at the bottom deep.
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I smile as the car drives over the gorge, on the other side, two tall rocks like the ones we just drove past are glowing, the space between them shimmering purple.
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We drive through the rocks and everything...everything is just, so weird. But in the best way possible.
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Imagine a vast, endless sky stretching out above you, where stars and planets shimmer in an array of colors I'd never even seen before. The sky itself is a gradient, shifting from deep sapphire blue near the horizon to an ethereal lavender, then melting seamlessly into soft rose pinks and golden yellows near the zenith. Wisps of clouds drift across, catching hints of turquoise and pale peach as they softly glow.
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The stars scattered across the sky are not ant pinpricks of light like back home, they're vibrant and alive with color. Some stars shine in brilliant hues of electric blue, while others glow a warm amber or soft pink, each casting subtle auras that blend into the celestial backdrop.
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The sky is dotted with bright planets too, appearing larger than any star, with their surfaces visible in stunning detail. One planet, a deep cerulean, has faint rings tinged in silver that glisten against the colorful sky. Another glows in shades of coral and gold, like a burning ember hanging in space.
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I look to Annie and Craig who are just as dazed I am. I bring my head back into the car and open my backpack up for Seph and his head sticks out, observing his new surroundings.
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We continue to drive, this isolated road until we start to drive through a forest, the driver at the front closes the windows for us as we continue through.
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Then we get to this large double gate. The school crest slit on the both gates. At the top in gold 'CONFLUX ARCANA ACADEMY' is written.
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The gates open and we drive through.
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Honestly, this whole...whatever in is just surreal. It's straight out of a story book.
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A castle sits atop a gentle hill, its white walls and dark blue roofs and tall spires reaching up toward the sky. A stone path winds from the base of the hill up to the castle entrance, bordered by by neat hedges dotted with colorful flowers. Some of the hedges are trimmed into shapes of creatures, while others grow freely.
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Along the trail, horses with wings-
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Wait.
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Huh, I'm gonna keep being surprised.
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The horses (with wings) graze peacefully in small meadows, their coats glossy and their wings folded neatly at their sides. One even spreads its wings and takes to the air, gliding gracefully over the trail before landing further up the hill.
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As we approach, the castle looms larger. Its white stone walls are smooth and polished, giving it an almost enchanted glow. Rows of tall, narrow windows line the walls, hinting at grand halls and hidden rooms inside. The dark blue roofs contrast against the pale stone, with pointed spires topped by silver weathervanes shaped like stars and moons.
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This place was a whole new world or whatever that princess said.
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The car stops, and we take this as our hint to get out. Seph hops back into my bag before I follow Annie and Craig out of the car.
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The driver gets out of the car and removes the cloth over his face and my eyes widen when I see he has horns.
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But I smile. "Thank you for driving us sir." I say to him, my tone a little shaky.
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He surprisingly smiles back before heading to the boot. He grumbles again and gestures me over and by the expression on his face I can now determine that he in fact cannot speak properly.
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Craig and I go the boot and we start removing all my bags and packages.
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And right as we're about to take them, a cloud of shimmers appears and starts lifting my bags.
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My eyes are wide and I pat Craig. "You...you can see that too, right?" I ask him in soft horror.
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He nods, his eyes stained on my mysteriously floating suit case. "I can see it too bud." He says.
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We've both seen our fair share of weird, I have a pet dragon for crying out loud. But the fact that I'm not the one making this freaky stuff happen is absolutely crazy.
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I look away from my bags to look at Annie and by the time I look back they're gone.
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"What! What happened to my bags?" I ask Craig and he shrugs, looking just as confused.
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Right before I could panic anymore the two grand oak doors; with the school emblem are engraved, open up.
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And out comes a lady, very tall, with her afro slicked back, and wearing a light blue blazer and a very pretty pearl necklace.
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She walks over with a smile on her face, when she gets to us she stretches out her hand for me to shake.
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I smile at the gesture and meet her hand, she shakes my hand with a firm grip and some enthusiasm.
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"You must be Leodonis, I'm Mrs. Ophelia Clint. Principal here at C.A.A." She says, her voice carrying a sense of authority.
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Craig steps in and holds out his hand. "Hi, I'm Leon's dad, we spoke on the phone." He says.
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"Ah yes, Mr. Miller, a pleasure to finally meet you." She says, Annie then comes over and smiles as well.
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"Mrs. Miller, lovely to meet you. I hope you are pleased to know that we are very excited to have your son at our institution." She says and gestures her hand gracefully to the main entrance. "The council awaits to finally meet Leodonis." She says and she starts to lead us up the stairs and into the castle.
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As we step through the grand, arched doors of Conflux Arcana, the age-old stone walls exude an imposing presence, lined with ivy creeping through the cracks. High-vaulted ceilings tower above, with arched beams carved from ancient oak that stretch across the corridors. Faded tapestries, depicting things that seem like historic events I did not understand hang beside more contemporary student-crafted murals.
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Lockers, though modern, are cleverly designed to blend with the castle's timeless aesthetic. They are forged from iron and adorned with antique bronze handles, each locker engraved with symbols. They're nestled within alcoves along stone walls, casting the illusion of hidden compartments rather than modern storage.
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I look up to see massive chandeliers hang from the ceiling, swaying gently with candles.
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Craig takes my wrist and gently pulls me in the direction we're going. No one is around in these halls at the moment, which makes me feel a little bit better, knowing I've prolonged my inevitable doom to face new people.
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Mrs. Clint leads us to the main office. There's a receptionist typing away at something on the computer but stops to look at who came in, then her eyes zero in on me.
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Jeez, so intense.
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Also I'm surprised they have computers here. Like I thought we'd have no cell service or computers and stuff. Thank the lord that's not the case.
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We're lead to a door that reads 'Divine Council' on a gold bolted plate.
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She opens the door, and we're greeted by a semi circle table full of people. The outskirts of the table were lined with people I could see. There was a bald man with tattoos in his head, and I swear I can see eyeliner. Anyway, there was a lady with pointed ears and sliver hair, with this bright green eyes and her skin was fair. A man, he looked younger than most of them, he had brown hair and glasses and from his position on the table he looked tall. Another man, rich dark brown skin and stark white clothing.?? And lastly there was a man, who from here looked Asian, older man, he already looks like the wise type. Then to at the very center were four, seeming tall people cloaked head to toe, faces unseen.
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The more I see what this place has the more I feel insane.
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Mrs. Clint raises her hand and three chairs shift on their own, I get the hint and take the chair in the middle with Annie and Craig at my sides, us facing them and I put my backpack with Seph inside on my lap.
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Mrs. Clint takes her seat opposite us and smiles. "Leodonis, Mr. and Mrs. Miller, this is the Divine Council, peace keepers and ethics board of directors here at C.A.A." She starts.
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"Leodonis we have an understanding that you've always displayed some sort of miraculous abilities?" Mrs. Clint asks.
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I look around a little awkwardly and nod my head.
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She smiles. "And I assume you have a lot of questions?"
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I nod my head again. "Uh- a few, yes." I say.
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She nods. "Well Leon, we're here to tell you that all questions will be answered in due time. For now, we just want to understand how we can help you."
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"How are we sure this boy is the one?" One of the members ask, the Asian man, his voice firm and he eyes me up and down.
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I feel a little put on the spot and I have no idea what 'the one' means.
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"What I believe Professor Tao means is, what makes Leodonis different from other kids?" The bald man asks. Sorry that was rude.
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Annie speaks up. "Leon has always been a little...odd to say the least. All of us in our house only speak english but Leon somehow learnt to speak Japanese fluently at two years old." She says.
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"Any child can pick up a language, maybe he heard it on TV, he could just be a fast learner." The lady with the pointed ears says.
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Craig takes to the stage. "If you allow me, when when he was toddler he would throw tantrums and clouds would gather around our house."
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"Could be micro-weather." Professor Tao says.
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"He can hold his breath for twenty minutes under water. We timed him, the boy wasn't even out of breath." Annie says back.
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"Strong lungs." He shrugs.
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"He can turn into an animal? What can explain that?" Craig fires.
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Professor Tao strokes his beard as if thinking.
"Touché." He says finally.
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Mrs. Clint looks back to me. "Leodonis, we want to talk about the incident that happened that lead us to finally finding you. Not so much the incident but what abilities you manifested."
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I nod slowly, kinda feeling like my chest is closing in on me. And I know I'm being dramatic because the thing wasn't even that bad.
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"Um...there were these guys at my school. And they really bothered me, they would tease me and kinda push me around, call me names. One day after school they cornered me in an alley behind school and um...they just got too close. And I freaked out." I say softly, playing with the rings on my fingers.
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I look up and the Mrs. Clint is nodding. "Can you tell us what happened when you 'freaked out'?"
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I look back down to my lap. "I don't really remember what happened, I just saw a really bright flash of light and...next thing I knew, he and his friends had burns all over their body and were screaming."
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I can still hear them. I can still see the blistered and boiled skin.
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And for some reason...that comforts me.
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Annie and Craig don't know the full story.
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I don't think I'll ever tell them the full story, I don't want them to see me that way, and I don't want them to feel like they've failed.
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Annie rubs her hand over my back reassuringly and I smile softly at her.
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"Leodonis, may we see your back please." The professor with the tattoos says. "What's on your back is very crucial to know if you're the one we're looking for."
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I look to Annie and Craig in slight apprehension but Craig gives me a nod and a soft smile of reassurance.
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I stand up and turn around. I then lift my shirt off my back and I hear small gasps and whistles.
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"The Ordeiga Seal." One says.
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On my back was this large circle with symbols and configurations inside and around it. It was permanently etched onto my skin, almost like someone burned it into me, but it didn't blister my skin, my skin remained smooth as if there wasn't this weird drawing on my back.
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I drop my shirt and turn around to see some of their stunned faces, but Mrs. Clint was still sporting that enormous smile.
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Why they were shocked? I have no freaking clue.
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The baldy with the tattoos speaks. Oh my bad, that was rude. Oops. "And do you have a familiar?"
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I look at him in slight confusion. "A familiar...?"
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"An animal spirit guide, maybe one you've had since birth?" He elaborates and asks.
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I look to Annie and Craig again and they nod.
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I unzip my backpack and Seraphim, being the show off he is, he flies speedily out of the bag and around room before landing back on my shoulder and releasing a little screech. They all admire Seraphim, and right now he did look better than he usually does, his golden scales were shimmering all sorts of colors.
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"Good Gods, he is the one." Professor Tao says, he looks at me with more...respect than whatever sourness he was giving me earlier.
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Mrs. Clint turns her attention back to me. "In most cases, familiars are not allowed in the boarding house. But for you, we'll make an exception," She says and I smile gratefully at that. "But keep him hidden for the time being, we don't want to alarm anyone. And I'll help."
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She reaches into her pocket and pulls out a little leather sachet and it to me. I take it cautiously before opening it and dropping a necklace with a few crystals attached to it.
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"It's an enchanted glamour charm, it will hide your familiar's Essence and his appearance from everyone but you. You'll learn more about glamour charms and Essence in class." She says and I nod and put it around Seph's neck.
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Mrs. Clint looks to my parents. "You are leaving your son in great hands Mr. and Mrs. Miller. The car is waiting for you when you're ready."
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I feel myself dampen at the prospect of them leaving, but I guess it is time.
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"Leodonis you may say your goodbyes before you're escorted to your boarding house." She says again, the council all get up and leave the room.
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I look to my parents who are already looking at me with sad eyes. We all stand up and I immediately pull them into a hug.
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"I love you guys." I say tenderly.
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They hold me for a second before pulling away. Craig's hand coming to the side of my neck.
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"You're gonna kick ass alright. And call us immediately if you wanna get outta this freaky place and come back home. Alright?" He says sternly and I smile at that.
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"I'll call."
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Annie looks to me. "I love you bubba. Make sure you call us at least twice a week okay?" She says.
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I nod and smile. "I promise."
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They pull me into another hug, and I laugh softly and hug them back just as tight. They pull away and Craig pats Seph on his head.
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"You keep our boy safe." He says to Seph and he lets out a small screech.
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"We have to go Leon, call us after school tomorrow okay." Annie says as they start to leave, I nod and wave.
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"I will." I say and they both leave the room.
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I open my backpack up for Seraphim and he hops back in. I close the zip and put it back on.
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Darn.
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Before I could spiral, Mrs. Clint comes back in with someone behind her. She opens the door wider as she starts to speak.
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"This is Michael, head prefect and president of the student body council, any concerns you may have, you can direct them to him." She says with this beautiful man standing in the doorway.
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He was tall, like ways taller than me, this sharp jawline, with a head full of luscious blonde hair and a set of these searing blue eyes, his face firm and almost cold.
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Wow.
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I've been saying that a lot recently.
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"Michael, please escort Leodonis to his dorm room. And please ensure that Leodonis gets to Professor Eternus' class after lunch." She commands rather than asks, he wordlessly nods and nods his head out of the door, beckoning me to follow.
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Well isn't he such a ball of sunshine.
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Leon don't be rude, he could be like the driver that couldn't speak at all.
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I nod and begin to follow him out.
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"Where did you say you were from?" He asks me in an almost annoyed tone, which I'm starting to assume is just might be his regular tone when speaking.
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"Oh, um Seattle." I say as we walk.
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"Well Leon, this place is nothing like Seattle. So best advice I can give you is to keep your head down and don't attract too much attention, got it?" Michael says. He doesn't look at me when he speaks, just looks forward as we continue walking through this place.
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Like I said, the oldness of the castle didn't really contrast the modern ways of things like the lockers, I snuck peeps into the classrooms that looked like normal classrooms back home, but these ones were even better.
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Michael speaks up again. "School starts at eight thirty a.m until one thirty. Meal times, Monday to Friday are eight for breakfast, lunch is at two and dinner at five. Saturday and Sunday breakfast is at nine, lunch at one and dinner at six. Prep, Monday to Friday starts at six thirty in the evening until eight thirty. Saturday there's morning prep from ten to twelve then you have the rest of the day free unless there's a sports match. Sunday there's morning prep from ten to twelve and then in the evening from six to eight. Monday to Friday there's sports, combat and extra lessons after lunch up until dinner time. A bell will come around our hostel in the morning to wake everyone up and will also ring before meal times. Curfew on the weekends is ten. I'm not strict when it comes to lights out but you have to be in the foyer for roll call before each meal except lunch. Got that?" He says, his words weren't fast but I caught myself drowning in all the information so I just nodded as I tried to recall everything he said in my head.
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We walked past labs where students were exploring different chemicals and chemical reactions. I was a bit surprised about the diversity of the student body, to be honest I thought this would be like Hogwarts with a bunch of white people.
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We get to a stairwell that splits into two, one going left and one going right, we take the walk to the left. Between the staircases, mounted on the wall was this huge painting.
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It looks like an old renaissance painting, a person in metal armor, a large sword in hand as he points to the sun with horses and other soldiers on horses behind him.
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God my head is spinning with questions but I'll save them for now.
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We walk for a little while until we come upon a big wooden double door with the boarding house crest on the door.
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"Epit aperusa." Michael says in a commanding voice and the doors start to open with a dull creak of the hinges.
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My eyes widen at that but before I could marvel at this stuff some more, Michael continues walking and I follow.
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I was pretty shocked when I saw what looked like a big living room. Despite the whole school having an old castle look, this living room looked pretty modern.
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Wow.
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With a large TV in the far corner, black leather couches lining the walls, a large coffee table in the middle, between the couches and the TV, paintings scattered on the wall, a gaming console on the mantel, to the right of the room were traditional arcade games of all sorts, a pool table, a foosball table, and along the walls were trophies and medals and even a framed sports shirt that looked signed. By who? I have no idea.
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Along with all of this were boys indulging themselves in the provided activities. Some were by the TV watching as a few were playing on the console. Others were playing at the foosball table, shouting and screaming at each other in a friendly manner.
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Some busying themselves with the arcade games, one of the boys had horns, not like sharp and long, but like stubby that were an inch long, one had wings, not the wings you thinking of but like bats wings almost, and then one guy had hooves?
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I don't know, there was a lot going on.
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When people realized we had walked in, everyone turned to us and quickly stood up. I look at them in confusion.
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"Good afternoon everyone." Michael said in a calm voice, not seeming phased by the way everyone dropped what they were doing to stand up and acknowledge his presence.
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"Afternoon Michael." They all said in unison.
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I was still pretty confused but ignore me and focus on what this guy is saying.
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"We have a new brother joining us today, I hope all of you do your best to make him feel welcome." He says, his words more of a command rather than a suggestion.
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"Yes Michael." They reply in unison, I stare down at my shoes as I can feel their eyes on me.
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Michael starts to walk I follow behind him not lifting my eyes.
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We walk through the common room and through an open door that leads to a passage of doors, before getting to the another flight of stairs at the end of the hallway. We walk up and we get to the second floor of the boarding house.
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"This is the sophomore floor," He says getting to a room with a normal brown door with the plated number 24 on it.
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Michael puts his hand on the knob but didn't turn it. That's when we heard banging coming from the inside. Just like bumps and bangs , almost like someone was tearing the room apart.
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Michael sighs with his hand still on the door. "Raphael, I swear to God, put your dick away!" He shouts to the door which surprises me.
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We heard a bit more commotion in the room before it stops and before anything else the door swang open and out stepped a boy with beautiful black curly hair, and tanned complexion, freckles splattered all his face. He was tall, not as tall as Michael but definitely taller than me.
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He was wearing a different uniform from Michael. Michael was wearing a white blazer with yellow seams and linings, inside the blazer was a sweater vest that was blue and had yellow seams, with gray pants, a blue tie and on the blazer were small magnetic plates. One said 'Head of House' the other 'Head Prefect' and the last 'Head of Student Body.' The crest on the blazer was composed of yellow, blue and white, two Lions on either side of the crest.
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Who I'm assuming to be Raphael had a green blazer with yellow lining and a yellow and green sweater vest. And the crease on his was composed of yellow, and green, two dragons on either side of the crest.
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He looked at Michael first then his eyes landed on me in confusion.
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Michael sighed. "Raph, this is your new roommate Leodonis, Leodonis this is your roommate and my dumb brother Raphael." He says my eyebrows knitted together when he said they were brothers.
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And by the look on my face they could tell what I was thinking.
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Raphael laughed. "We know we don't look alike but we're brothers,"
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Michael pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. "Just take care of him please? Don't get him into trouble. And take him to Professor Eternus's class after lunch." He says.
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Raphael salutes him. "Aye aye captain." He says with a curt nod.
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Michael sighs again. "Leodonis, Raphael will be your guide on the rules and will help you get to classes until you got the hang of things."
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I look up at him and nod. "Thank you." I say, he gives us a nod before taking his leave down the passage.
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I look back to Raphael who was smiling at me. "Come on in roomie." He says.
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I smile at him and walk inside the room. It was pretty spacious, two wardrobes on either side of the door, a long desk with two chairs under the window and a single bed on either side of the room pressing along the wall.
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My bags were already here as well, my suitcases perched up against my bed with my packages on the floor.
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"So...Leodonis, what brings you to C.A.A?" He asks sitting down on his bed.
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I turn to him. "Oh uh, I don't know actually I was just told I had to come here, and you don't have to call me Leodonis, just Leon is fine." I say.
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He smiles at that. "Okay, Leon, what's your classification and rank?" He asks.
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I look at him in confusion. "My what and what?"
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He laughs and stands and walks to my side of the room and takes a look at the ID looking card on my bed. His eyebrows knit together.
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"Hm, it doesn't say."
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I didn't know what to say so I just nodded along awkwardly.
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He looks to me. "You don't talk much do you?" He asks with a smile tugging his lips.
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I let out a nervous laugh. "Sorry I'm just nervous. Never been away from home before."
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He smiles and stands up and pats my shoulder. "Don't worry, this place is great, you'll be fine and you know why?" He asks.
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"Why?"
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He gives a very bright smile, one that paints his features so perfectly. "Because I'm your guide." He says confidently.
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I smile at that and give him a nod.
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He smiles and punches my arm softly. "So right now, we're supposed to head down to lunch then sports, you play any sports?" He asks me.
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I nod. "Everything except football and ice hockey, that's if you guys even have human sports here."
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Raphael laughs. "Where do you think human sports originated? What? Think we play quidditch?"
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My lips tug up at the Harry Potter reference.
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"Have you been put into a house yet?"
He asks while he walks to his side of the room and opens his closet.
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I shake my head. "No not yet." I look to the ID on my bed and take it. "Oh sorry, it says Victorum." The ID has my full name, my house, on rank it's left blank, as well as classification, then for Force it says 626.
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He hums. "Suits you." He says simply.
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"So...this place is where exactly?" I ask him.
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He looks at me quizzically. "Wait- you're not from here?"
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I shake my head and he starts to unbutton his shirt, I look down for the sake of privacy.
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"No I'm from Earth. This isn't Earth right?" I ask.
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"Technically you're not on Earth, we are in the First Veil, a time pocket between the human world and the spiritual world." He says.
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"So...we're in another dimension?" I ask in confusion.
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"Technically yes, but also no. The First Veil existed before the human and spirit world was created, it was supposed to be a utopia for beings like ourselves. But something called the First Fall happened which is like our version of World War 1. You'll learn tons about it in Devine History and Lit." He says, I look up and see he was already dressed in a green t-shirt with the house crest and in yellow and a pair of navy blue shorts.
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I nod at that and wait for anything he has to say. He puts on socks and sports shoes then stands up.
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"Before sports is lunch, so let me direct you to the Cafeteria, I'm sure you're hungry." He says and I nod.
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"Yeah I didn't have anything to eat on the drive here."
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He opens the door, I put my backpack on my bed, Raphael waits for me to walk out before he closes the door behind him.
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He leads us down the passage to the stairs going back down to the living room.
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"This is the common room, where everyone just chills." He says as we exit.
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We walk down the stairs and I already starting to feel a bit homesick to be honest.
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I hated being away from home.
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"So is everyone here, like, magical?" I ask him as we walk.
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He hums, slight skip in his step. "Pretty much. Everyone here has something to do with the arcane."
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He continues to walk and so I follow suit. We walk until we enter the cafeteria, it was huge, with a high ceiling and multiple circular tables with chairs around them.
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We walked to the line and waited as it moved along.
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"Do you have dietary restrictions?" Raphael asked me and as I was about to answer I couldn't help but feel like I was being stared at.
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And I in-fact was.
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By almost everyone.
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I turn to look around me and everyone from the people serving food, all the way to the people at the far end of the cafeteria were looking at me.
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My eyes widen and I look to Raphael who had noticed my silence and looked around. He sighs.
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"Ignore 'em, they just haven't seen a new face in a while." He says to me.
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I look at him and nod, still feeling petrified by all the stares.
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He gently tugs my arm as we move up the line to where we were being served.
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I took a tray and and placed it on top for serving.
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The food looked okay, not stereotypical boarding school food I've heard about, it looked fine. It was spaghetti and meatballs with salad on the side.
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I took it and waited for Raphael to lead the way. "Thank you." I say, smiling at the ladies. They smile and give me a nod.
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Once he was served he lead the way, through and passed tables where concentrated eyes basically through me.
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I didn't even realize Raphael stopped walking when he arrived at a table.
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At the table was a boy with a dark brown complexion and short black curls, wearing the same house t-shirt as Raphael was. Then there was guy seated next to him with long black hair and large black frames for glasses, he was pretty pale too, he was wearing a black blazer with red lining with what looked two panthers on each side of the crest where 'Bellum' was written.
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I stood there awkwardly as Raphael spoke up.
"Guys this here is Leodonis, but he prefers to be called Leon, he's a sophomore and just arrived." He explained, I give the guys seated a tight lipped smile, the one smiles at me, while the other doesn't even give me a glance as he continues with book he was reading.
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"Leon, the grump with the glasses is Cassius, Rank SSS conjurer and specialist in the dark arts. And this guy-" Before he could finish he was cut off.
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"You don't need to introduce me, I got it." He says with a dreamy smile in my direction.
He sticks out his hand. "The names August." He says, I smile and give him my hand to exchange a shake.
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Raphael rolls his eyes and swats Augusts hand away.
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"Don't mind him but these are my- no, our guys." He says to me before taking a seat and I follow suite and take the seat next to him.
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"So where are you from?" August asks me with such an intense gaze.
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"I'm from Seattle," I say.
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He looks at me in confusion then looks to Raphael. "Is Seattle in Al-Kabbar?" He asks Raphael.
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Cassius looks up from his books and gives him a bored look. "He means he's from Ka-ela, you idiot." Cassius says to him.
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"Oh no Seattle is in the States, on Earth." I clarify.
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Cassius doesn't look at me. "Ka-ela is Earth." He says simply and I nod feeling a bit embarrassed.
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August turns his attention back to me. "No wonder you seem so....different." He says still with that smile plastered on his lips.
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"Okay ease off August, you'll scare the poor kid away." Raphael says and I start to eat.
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The food was okay, but nothing beats Craig's pasta, simply god tier.
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Raphael and his friends talk and since I don't know jack crap, I kept quiet and didn't say anything and continued to eat, hearing the chatter of people as I ate.
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Ha, I ate.
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Sorry.
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"Leon do you know what force you're in?" Raphael asks me, snapping me out of my head.
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"Oh, if I remember correctly it's Force six two six on my ID." I say and he audibly gasps.
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"Dude that's the Force I'm in!" He says excitedly, I smile at him.
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"You guys going to the Hades social this Friday?" August asks, I didn't know what he meant so naturally I kept quiet.
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"Of course man," Raphael said then looked at me. "Once a month each hostel throws a social which is like a party for the students," He explains. "And this time around it's Hades' turn to host."
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I nod at that then Augusts voice got my attention.
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"You much of a partier Leon?" He asks.
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I smile lightly and shake my head. "Been to a few and didn't really enjoy them."
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"That's just because those were Earth parties, parties in the Veil are on a different level." He says smiling.
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I give him a small smile. "I guess I'll have to find out."
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They keep talking about this social happening, I was just to preoccupied with all things I was thinking about.
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What's a force? Number one.
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How the hell are we basically in another dimension? Number two.
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What the heck is a glamour and what the freak is this Essence stuff she was talking about?Maybe it's the make up brand? No that can't be it, why would we be learning about makeup here?
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Oh lord.
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I look to Raphael, he wasn't speaking anymore just eating away at his food.
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"What's a Force?" I ask him.
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He looks to me, slightly confused. "Did they not tell you anything?" He asks, he didn't mean for it to be rude, rather just baffled.
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"Nope."
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"A Force is like a study group. We do assignments together, guild challenges, and quests. I know, saying quests sounds very medieval. But Force activities only start next week," He says with a smile on his features.
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I nod, taking in this new information.
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My attention is taken to the sound of a bell ringing, I, as well as everyone else looks to the bell that is floating and ringing it's self.
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Huh.
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"Moment of silence for prayer." A deep booms, loud but not shouting, I look around in confusion because I have no idea where that voice came from.
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I continue to look around to see almost everyone has their eyes closed and the whole place is silent. A few moments later the bell rings again and everyone opens their eyes and starts talking again, some getting up to leave.
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I look to Raphael. "What- what just happened?" I ask in clear distraught.
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He laughs a little at my distress but August speaks. "That's the dinning hall guardian spirit. Laemon." He explains.
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"So...he's a ghost?" I ask.
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August nods, that charming smile slightly dazzles me. "Pretty much."
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I nod, again taking time to digest this information.
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Raphael pats my shoulder. "Let's go." He says. "See you guys later." He says to August and Cassius.
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"You're not coming to basketball?" August asks.
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Raphael shakes his head. "I'll meet you there, I have to take Leon to Professor Eternus." He says.
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August gives him a thumbs up, Raphael and I walk through the cafeteria where dumping trays were, I scrape my plate and put it with the others and Raphael does the same.
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We head out of the cafeteria and back into the main halls.
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"I know all my questions are probably getting annoying but do you know why I have to go to this Professor Eternal?" I ask him.
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He laughs at that. "It's probably because you arrived late so he's gonna catch you up and give you your books and textbooks and give you a quick crash course on everything you need to know." He says as we walk.
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"And are there rules I should know about?" I ask.
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"Oh yeah, okay let me give you a quick rule crash course." He starts. "Firstly, use of magic of Essence in common areas is a big no no, Professor Eternus will speak more to you about what Essence is. Conduits borrowing, stealing or unauthorized use is a huge no no, that could lead to suspension or even Essence dampening. You can only practice Strains that align with your gifts, using more than what you can manage can result in Essence dampening. Absolute silence during Midnight Essence is a huge one too, Prof. Eternus will talk to you about that aswell. Then there's places strictly out of bounds, like the Volt of lost Conduits and the Echoing Halls, and the Waking Wood. Then there's basic ones like no summoning unauthorized or unsupervised entities. Then basic rules like respect for teachers, students and guardian spirits, curfew on the weekend and stuff like that." He explained all in one breath and just like how I was with Michael, I was drowning in information.
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I really don't know how I'll get the hang of this school.
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"Also no drugs or smoking or vaping or alcohol, boys aren't allowed in the girls dorm rooms and vise versa. We do have gender neutral bathrooms though, but anyway no skipping class, hand in assignments on time." He says right as we approach a door.
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He looks at me. "Well this is your stop Leon, I'll be back before dinner to pick you up." He says. I was about to tell Raphael that he doesn't have to but then I realized I would most definitely get lost.
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I give him a smile. "Thanks Raphael."
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He pats my shoulder before turning on his heels and leaving.
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I take in a deep breath of air before opening the door.
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Let's hope some of my questions get answered here.
ns216.73.216.13da2
and then Add to home screen.