by Eden Redd
Sylk and Bella looked to each other for a moment, something silently passed between them. The siren turned to mist and flowed up the right sleeve of Trystan's jacket, taking her place on his right arm. Bella's body firmed up as she sat straight up.
"How are you?"
Bella smiled, “I'm well."
"The reason I ask is because you and Sylk have been talking a lot lately. I can sometimes feel your whispers but I don't know what both of you are saying."
Bella's head tilted forward, her eyes looking down at her transparent lap, “We have been worried. When we sleep, sometimes we can feel or see your dreams. Sylk talks to me and she is frustrated because you're hurting."
"What about you? How do you feel?"
It was Bella's turn to shift in her seat, “I'm okay,” She said unconvincingly.
Trystan leaned forward to his slime familiar, “You have been my familiar for six weeks and have made no attempt to feed. Sylk makes demands but you haven't. I can feel you getting weaker. I'm worried."
Sadness filled her face, “I'm sorry master. Sylk tells me I should just tell you but every time I want too, I get scared."
Trystan took Bella's hand. It was cool to the touch, “Scared? Of me?"
Bella shook her head, “No. I'm scared I will take too much, that I might hurt you. I spent so much time at the ruins and fed so much that I might not stop when I'm with you."
Trystan could see the sorrow in the slime's eyes. Bella was a mystery and even Trystan had to admit that he had his own concerns. In the back of his mind he tried to work up the courage to contact the ink witch who sent him on the quest to rescue Bella from her prison. So much had happened that it felt like years had passed. Bella looked like she wanted to cry and the mage wondered if slimes could cry.
Trystan squeezed her hand and his fingers were engulfed in blue slime, “Bella, I don't believe you will take too much. How about we take our time. You both wanted to have your own dates. We can take this time to get to know each other better. I want to know the true Bella."
The blue slime looked up and her eyes firmed up, “Do you mean that, Master?"
"I have been a rotten master. I will try to change that."
Bella let out a small laugh, “Thank you master."
Turning into mist, Bella flowed up the sleeve of his jacket and took her place on Trystan's left arm. The mage sat back and let out a deep breath. Trying to figure out how he was going to date a woman and two familiars was mind numbing to say the least. Memories floated up and cut through all the confusing thoughts. Images of Bella in the tomb, trying to drain him and Sylk of all their mana still rattled him. It seemed like the two familiars were getting along but Trystan could feel a sense of foreboding. The mage stared out the glass window in deep thought as the sun rose higher in the clear blue sky.
Three
The walk to campus was a brisk one. Trystan carried his small back pack over his shoulder while taking in the crisp morning breeze. Students bustled along, heading to the main assembly hall. Energy and excitement filled the air as everyone hurried into the hall so they could get a good seat. The young mage fell into step with the crowd as they walked in the big main doors. Trystan kept an eye out for Nia but he saw no sign of her red hair just yet.
Stepping into the main hall, Trystan could feel his eyes widen. He had been here a few times but each time it still astounded without fail. The ceiling was impossibly high with glass and metal chandeliers. Comfortable chairs lined the descending dais in a semi-circle of stadium seating. At the bottom of the room was a large round stage with two podiums. The windows were large with stained glass artwork. Each window contained an image of a famous mage frozen in mid spell, determination and wonder etched into colored glass. Trystan found himself staring as he clumsily tried to take a seat and nearly fell. A few female mages to his right giggled and pointed as Trystan righted himself in mid fall and slammed his butt into the chair. The mage tried to smile but the hint of embarrassment touched the corner of his eyes.
Trystan dug through his back pack and pulled out a small notebook and pen. He wanted to take as many notes as he could. He had a feeling that today was going to be a special day in more ways than one. Scribbling with his pen to make sure the ink was flowing, the mage waited with bated breath.
The entire hall glowed with anticipation. Chatter clouded the air as all students took their seats and prepared for what was in store for them this year. Trystan looked around to see if Nia was already seated. Turning his head back and forth, he searched for any hint of her red hair. The fire mage was much too special in his life and he knew it. Trying to keep the horrid memories from last night as far away as possible, Trystan tried to think of happier times. Images of Nia came to mind and a stupid smile appeared on his face. Never had he known anyone as special as Nia but even now a dark sliver of doubt touched his heart. The mage wondered if he had ever known happiness before having Nia in his life.
Before Trystan could dwell on the thought, a glowing white sphere appeared over the podiums and pulsed with a bell chime. Instantly the seated crowd quieted down and all eyes turned to the two standing podiums. Sunlight filtered in through the stained glass and cast warming colors over the student body.
From behind a velvet curtain, the headmaster and headmistress walked out in nearly glowing white robes. Trystan watched them with fascination as they strode to each podium. The young mage had seen them around campus but their appearance always intrigued him. Headmaster Loomis and Headmistress Vela have had many decades of magical training and it showed. The more someone used mana, the more it would change their appearance as they aged. Ears pointed and faces became thinner. Their hair was white, long and flowing. Loomis and Vela almost looked elven from spending so much of their lives learning the magical arts. Another benefit of working with mana is that it prolonged your life for a few hundred years. It still boggled Trystan’s mind that the headmaster and headmistress were over two hundred years old.
“Welcome brave students to the eight hundredth and eighty-eight-year assembly of Stukarr Elemental College!” Headmaster Loomis boomed.
The crowd was quiet for a long pause before erupting into a splendid cheer. Hands clapped while mouths whistled. Trystan couldn’t contain himself as he clapped and shouted with the rest of his fellow students. The air vibrated with magic and it seemed to swirl on forever. Headmaster and head mistress smiled as the hall came to life. It went on for long moments before the headmaster raised a hand and gently waved for everyone to settle down.
“It pleases us to have you all here. We know you are busy with your studies so we will be as brief as we can,” Headmaster Loomis smiled.
Headmistress Vela continued, “To the new students and experienced ones, we want to speak of what is expected here at Stukarr Elemental College. The path of the mana arts can be a long and winding path of pitfalls and great triumphs. Everyone here prizes knowledge and skill as our very cornerstones to this path we have chosen. It is why we must forever keep our minds open and our senses sharp.”
Headmaster Loomis continued, “The life of a mage can be a dangerous and enlightening one. Your mind, body and spirit will be tested daily. It is why your professors and teachers are here, to help hone your skills and give you the tools to overcome any obstacle.”
The headmaster and headmistress each raised a hand and made a quick hand signal. Trystan sat back as a ball of light flashed before him and a leather-bound book appeared. Looking around, the young mage could see dozens upon dozens of flashes disbursed through the seated crowd. While his eyes took it all in, Trystan spotted Nia as a book appeared in front of her and she clasped it excitingly.
“For all new students, this will be the heart of your studies. A spell book you will fill with your knowledge, experiences and the spells you will craft. You will need this very book as you learn with us over the next six years. Treasure it and keep it safe for it will help you in your times of need,” Headmistress Vela said while looking out to the crowd.
Trystan opened the leather-bound book and saw empty page after empty page. Despite there being nothing written, the book glowed with some powerful magic. Closing the book and looking to Nia, her eyes met his and she smiled.
Headmaster Loomis cleared his throat before continuing, “As you all may know; magical studies do not always happen in the classroom. When you are learning, you will be given tasks known simply as trials. All mages must participate in these trials and it will affect your yearly scores. Each trial is tailored to each student depending on their strengths and weaknesses. Do not take comfort that the teaching body is setting these trials. There is no safety net here.”
Headmistress Vela’s face became darker, “Not all students make it to graduation. Those who fall while pursuing the magical arts will have their name carved into the gallery of honor. We beseech every student here to honor your lost colleagues and surpass them by learning and surviving to learn another day.”
Trystan glanced at several students bowing their heads in remembrance. It made the young mage feel connected to something grander than his own world.
Headmaster Loomis raised his chin up, “Your trials start today until your graduation but your true trials will never end. You will turn in your spell book routinely so please write legibly; our eyes are not what they used to be.”
The crowd murmured a laugh.
Headmistress Vela’s delicate pale hands clasped the sides of the podium, “I’m sure many of you are eager to learn what we have in store for you this year. Am I correct?”
“YES HEADMISTRESS!” The crowd shouted with glee.
Headmistress Vela smiled, “The world is still a very dangerous place. We have come back from the brink of extinction and it has made us cautious but full of new life and new things to explore. With each year we try to become more and more progressive then the last. We ask all of you in this room to have an open mind and heart. If we dwell in the pit of ignorance, then we do not belong in this vibrant world. What we will show you next will test you on how we cope with change.”
Headmaster Loomis looked around and clapped his hands. The velvet curtain moved aside and figures walked out. The crowd gasped as eyes drank in the sight before them. One student nearly fell from his chair while others murmured with fear. Five monsters walked out, heads down, they did not make eye contact as they made their way to the front of the podiums and stood silently.
Trystan could not believe his eyes. Five monsters stood in the very hall that taught mages for hundreds of years. One had the upper body of a woman and lower body of a red snake. Two others looked like women but with curved horns poking from their hair and long pointed tails. One had blue hair while the other had a fiery red and they held each other’s hand with heads bowed. A short male goblin stood with slicked jet-black hair. His skin was a pale green and his nose pointed. Hands clenched, the goblin looked up defiantly at the crowd. The last one made Trystan’s blood run cold. Long spider legs shifted uneasily as a female arachnix held her two human hands together and her eyes pointed down afraid to look up. Each monster wore normal looking clothes covering up their human looking parts but the rest of their monstrous appearance was there in plain sight.
“I know your first instinct is to be filled with fear, even hatred. We ask you to settle down and open your mind. For as long as we can remember, there has been a war waged on those different from us. It has claimed many on both sides. It has forced us to build walls to keep us separated. But change is inevitable. The creatures you see before you come to us not to hurt us but to learn and grow with us. Often the term monster is thrown around casually but it will have no place in these halls,” Headmaster Loomis stared at the worried student faces.
Headmistress continued, “We have discovered that all humanoid creatures share the same basic human ancestors. The term monster will not be used to describe these students. As much as we are human, these five students are Para-human. You will show them respect and welcome them to our college with dignity. You are part of something very special. You will be the first year toward a progressive new elemental college. It is now, here that we push away old prejudices and embrace a brighter future.”
The assembly was quiet as a tomb, eyes staring at the very creatures they grew up mistrusting and hating. Even Trystan found it difficult to separate himself from what he had known all his life. Seeing the arachnix flooded his mind with memories of when that lone female arachnix held him and Sylk captive. A shudder ran down his spine as he tried to forget.
Headmaster kept his cool gaze on the students, “We are entering a new age of coexistence. Show the city and the world beyond that we will no longer dwell in the dark ages.”
Headmistress Vela gave a disarming smile, “The day is early and there is much learning to be done. This concludes the assembly. You are welcome to stay and meet with your new classmates before you head off to class. Thank you.”
The once jubilant crowd carried a somber air around them. The shock was difficult to digest from some and others carried disbelief in their eyes. Trystan stayed seated as the assembly hall emptied. A few students stayed behind and walked down to the para-humans who kept their gazes down. Trystan looked to Nia and watched as she rose from her seat and joined the few students going down to meet the new students. The young mage felt rooted to his chair. One part wanted to join her and a larger part wanted to leave. Staring at the monsters, the two horned women turned their gaze upward to Trystan. Eyes locking on each other, a warm shudder ran up his spine. The blue haired one stared with indifference. The red headed one stared with hungry eyes. She licked her lips and nodded to the frozen mage.
Trystan broke the spell and stood up. Walking toward the main doors, he glanced back to Nia shaking hands with the goblin. He envied her free spirit but with an arachnix so close by, he thought it better to perhaps make a discreet exit. Trystan hated himself for being so cowardly but the morning had already taken too many twists and turns. He needed to take his mind off of things and get to class.
Nia looked up to see Trystan’s back as he exited through the main doors. Sadness and worry tugged at her heart as she wondered what he was going through. Desire welled up and she wanted to run to him and comfort him. Instead she stayed and turned back to the goblin.
“Thank you for taking the time to introduce yourself,” The goblin said genuinely.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you. I hope you enjoy learning here with us,” Nia said cheerfully.
The goblin could see Nia’s eyes turning to the door again, “Is he a friend?”
Nia blushed, “Yes, my best friend.”
Four
Trystan sat down and pulled his new spell book from his backpack. The energy was still there and the young mage was looking forward to writing down his thoughts and experiences. The whirlwind day stormed through his mind’s eye and the young mage craved for his normal schedule. He didn’t want to deal with relationships or monsters. At this point in time he simply wanted to learn. Pushing everything away, he opened his mind and was ready to fill it with knowledge.
The classroom held about twelve students as sunlight filtered in through glass and hanging plants. Trystan could feel the entire mood change as Professor Hart strolled in. The professor wore a simple thick mages robe with a few symbols stitched into it. White hair touched at the temples, mixing in with his jet-black hair. He carried a square jaw and bright blue eyes. Trystan found himself staring and so was everyone else in the class. As the professor reached his desk and pulled out some papers, plants turned in his direction. The eight women in class let out breathy sighs and the actual sunlight seemed to curve, wanting to touch his body. Trystan thought it was some trick the professor was playing on the class but after a few weeks the young mage realized that it was no trick. Professor Hart was one of those magical people that everyone was drawn to. If he walked into a room, conversations would turn to him. If he praised you, you wanted to fall to your knees and thank him. If he even so much as said hello, you felt the
day was going to be even better and had to resist the urge to hug him.
“Good morning. Today I want us to touch upon spell combinations. Is everyone feeling up to it?”
“Yes professor!” The class said enthusiastically.
“Great to hear!” Professor Hart said with his own brand of positive energy.
The door to the classroom opened and standing there was the horned red headed demon woman. The positive vibe pulsed throughout the room but all eyes were on the para-human at the door.
“Excellent, you made it. Class, meet our newest student,” Professor Hart smiled.
The demon woman looked to the professor with stars in her eyes. Without missing a beat, the professor glided to her and took her hand. The demon woman followed his pull as he guided her to an empty seat next to Trystan. Sitting down, she never once took her eyes off of him.
“Aznara, is it?” Professor Hart smiled.
The demon woman nodded.
“Welcome to class. Settle in and we shall begin with some of the basics to spell combinations.”
Professor Hart turned to the blackboard, a piece of chalk flying up to his hand and he began drawing words and diagrams. Aznara’s eyes looked down and then turned to Trystan. The young mage had pulled out a pen and began writing when the woman’s gaze caused him to look back.
“Do you have an extra pen?” The demon smiled.
Trystan hesitated before diving into his pack and pulling out another pen. Handing it out, Aznara let her fingers touch Trystan’s hand. Heat flared and Trystan felt like someone dropped him in a steam room. Turning his head slowly, Aznara’s form took on vibrant wavy lines. She continued to smile with fanged teeth as she kept her fingers on Trystan’s hand. The young mage felt his heart thump in his chest and he fought for control. Right before pulling away from the demon’s unearthly touch, Aznara let go, taking the pen with her.
Trystan stared at the demon woman in the tight black shirt and black leather pants. Aznara turned to face Professor Hart, acting like nothing had happened. Trystan was about to say something when the Professor turned back to class.
