Chapter 1 — Strange Girl of Mauve

Click clack click clack

My footsteps echoing loudly as I walk through these ominous corridors. No sight of any living thing a long the way, the wind's cold breezes startling my skin, shivers going down my very spine.

Eyes of mine wandered around, looking for a certain room I was assigned at—a classroom filled with people I sense are different than me... 'A yes, difference. That's what makes this world so unique yet direful every time, or atleast that's what she told me.'

After a dozen of steps I took, finally halting infront of a large oak wood door complimented by gold accents and greeny vines to make it look ancient. A sapphire-hued rose stands out from it all, below it was a small sign board.

"Welcome to HS-1, St. Mutien Marie"

This was the classroom I was assigned by the head of the HS department.. Oh God, she was really intimidating at first sight. Throughout the interview I felt as if I almost pissed my pants infront of her.

I puffed heavy huffs of air out, a nerve-wracking dilemma circling inside my head filled with a never-ending thread of doubts and anxiety—ecstasy long forgotten, deprived by the comfort of cloud 9.. Obviously, it was awful as ever. Not like it's not a common thing people in society have nowadays, but somehow this felt different.. "Alright" I mumbled to myself, readying to enter the room.

Slowly I turned the door knob, a ray of luminous light of amber peaking through the gap till I opened it completely.

An enormous room, almost as if it's an athenaeum itself with all those dozeons of books in stacks of shelves 20 feet tall. 'Surely this wasn't a classroom right? I must've entered the wrong room-'

Before I could close the door at hand, someone had halted it—another student whom wore the female uniform.

She had long mauve hair, reaching her waist and curtain bangs uneven like a wolf cut. Piercing black eyes, soft-looking pink lips, snd a sweet smile she had.

"Good Day, you must be Ignatius Zakharov. Correct?" she asked with a voice so sweet of hers. "Yes, umm..?" "Soteria, it's Soteria Gales. Nice to meet you, Ignatius" reaching her hand out as a sign of peace, I humbly accepted it and shook.

"Come in, class hasn't started yet."

Entering the magnificent room, the door shut as loud as ever. Well, it was kind of expected being so huge and made of oak after all.

"This classroom was formerly known to be Calliope's office, a huge athenaeum full of records of life and all the universe surrounds. She was such a kind woman, sweet and the type of person to have a guilty pleasure of dulce. Everyone loved her gleeful side—well very old students knew this stuff around 15 years ago. Sadly, the story didn't end well.."

Halting her tracks, curiosity filled me in. A woman such as the angel of sugary dreams, joy.. did her era end? "What happened next..?" I asked, swallowing my saliva in case something satire comes next.

"... I'm afraid that's a story for another time.. Oh! And speaking of time, there's so much time before classes start. Would you like to catch a dulce with me?"

She doesn't really look nor sound that bad, maybe I was just exaggerating a bit too much.. "Sure! Not like I have anything else to do right now."

• • • • •

"—And that's why everyone thinks Mr. Winston is a God! Cool ain't it?" Soteria queried me, sparkling eyes reflecting her joyous mood.

For the past 15 minutes, she had been telling me how awesome this principal of Ximeroma University is outstanding not only in statistics nor lectures, but achievements and will metaphorically.

"He's a real cool guy huh.. I bet I can't even do all that good stuff, in the first place I can't even control my powers like others do.. It feels, impossible" my lips frowned a look. So it made me wonder, why'd the academy even accept me?

Soteria just kept silent, staying right into my eyes till she stopped at what's infront of me.

.... "Ignatius, your spoon is melting." " oh shit you're right-"

The spoon's head, nonexistent as liquidized stainless steel drip on my parfait. "Dang it! What a waste.. and that parfait was the last one too!"

Witnessing my current locale, she gave a loud chuckle and laughed.

"Geez Ignatius, you're such a funny guy your know? How come you get to be so silent and, dejected..?" Concerned her look was, I also asked myself.. 'why was I different from the others? Well, simple. Because of my powers.

ding dong ding

The bell rang, it was time for the first class already, sorcery class. "Come, let's go to the field! It's the tryouts for the first day" oh no, I'm fucked.

She dragged me whilst gripping my wrist, heading for the field outside of the cafeteria. Many students gathered there which made me anxious, trying to hide myself from the crowd by going behind Soteria. "Ignatius... Your hand" I looked down. My face flushed a bright shade of red as I realized how both my hands gripped her arm tight it touches her side ****. "A-ahh, sorry about that- I was getting a lot nervous now that we're in a crowd..." "Well I guess that's normal for newbies, everyone doesn't want to look like shit on their first day after all.. but I assure you, you'll do great!"

Her smile assured me comfort, that I'll do my best because I'll have a friend by my side... But on the other side, were people with ominous aura. Their looks upon everyone made them frightened that no one dared to go near them..

They wore a black robe with an infinity symbol at the back, or rather a snake eating it's tail.. Ouroboros, it must be a cult of something as to the cloaks.

"Ladies and Gentlemen! "

A loud voice spoke through which sounds like a microphone caught everyone's attention, yet no one knew who it was.

"Over here folks! "

Everyone's eyes wandered around, looking for the source of the sound. No one could figure out where it came from, nor who spoke which made the crowd shiver uneasily.

"Let's play a game~! " the mysterious voice said in a sheepish tone. "I'll ask a riddle and you'll have to answer it, whoever gets it right wins and will be awarded with the badge of Legacy"

The crowd roars loudly, a boost of serotonin engulfing everyone's body and mind. It made me nervous as heck... Startled, I suddenly felt a small touch in my shoulder. "You'll do alright" it was Soteria with her everlasting, glowing smile..

Something about her, makes me... A bit uneasy around her, like she's telling me she's on another level than those around us.. Wait, '15 years ago' ?

→ next chapter.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***