17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO4mlZsgzSE"Welcome, students!" a voice announced from a small speaker in Eilara’s room.
"Better get ready, you lazy pig," Lina growled. Eilara groaned.
"I’m not a pig, Lina!" she cried.
"Sure seems like one," Lina laughed, dropping a uniform onto her head. It consisted of a black cloak on the outside and a grey sweater underneath. The black pants were old and baggy; Eilara picked them up and wrinkled her nose in distaste.
"Are these pants ancient?" Eilara scoffed.
Lina shrugged. "Maybe. You never know."
Eilara pulled out a dark blue bag filled with strange books, including titles like How to Capture a Memory and Histories of Unfair Treatment. As she stepped through the dorm door, she found herself facing an origami-like castle flying a golden flag. Oddly, the building appeared much smaller from the outside. A cluster of small dorm-houses was scattered across a hill of royal blue grass, while light-purple winged butterflies drifted over the surface of a black lake.
She pulled her hood down to cover her face as another boy in the same uniform walked out of a nearby dorm. He had light brown eyes and round, rosy cheeks; his curly blonde hair bounced as he walked.
"Hi," Eilara said to him. "Are you new here too?"
He studied her for a second, then laughed. "They only accept newbies."
"Thanks?" Eilara replied, unsure of his meaning. Suddenly, Lina flew out of her dorm window and landed beside her with a sharp smile.
"What's up?" Eilara asked.
"Don't make any friends here," Lina whispered, her voice dropping to a low, cold tone. "It’s dangerous."
Eilara nodded quickly. "I—I mean, he's not my friend."
She turned back to the boy. "Can you show me the way?"
When he nodded, a surge of pure terror and courage melted her heart. Please, she prayed silently. Please don’t let this be a disaster.
They began the trek toward the origami castle, their boots crunching softly against the vibrant blue grass. Up close, the castle was even more unsettling; its walls looked like giant sheets of folded, weathered parchment, sharp and geometric against the pale sky. The boy walked with a strange confidence, never looking back at the black lake or the shimmering butterflies that seemed to follow them like tiny, watchful eyes.
As they reached the heavy, folded gates of the main entrance, a tall figure stepped out from the shadows of the archway. He wore a long, dark robe that swept the floor, but it was his face that made Eilara freeze. A porcelain mask, smooth and featureless except for two narrow slits for eyes, stared back at them.
The man tilted his head slightly, his movements stiff and unnatural.
"Good morning," the masked man said, his voice echoing as if it were coming from the deep underground.
17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS2mRk7uOv6
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