He was much more of a comic fan, but Zeke still had read some novels about magic schools and such.
Being in a real life magic school gave him a new perspective on it.
The training here was nothing like he had read before.
The classes were a mix of magical and normal classes, the sort you might take at school. Arithmetic and science were taught, but done differently. For one, they were done in a different language and symbols for numbers – Zeke didn’t have a problem with that; somehow his brain just computed and understood the gibberish.
He disliked Combat magic the most, which unfortunately was taught three days a week. He hated fighting, even if no one would get hurt and it was just for practice. Violence was not his specialty. I’m sure I lose more than I win. Since he didn’t have really incredible powers like his classmates, all he could do was dodge attacks by speeding away and shape-shifting to a safer form. Probably the lamest fighter in class.
He wasn’t a fan of obstacle courses either, but the professor seemed to enjoy organizing these sort of things. It alternated between courses in the air or on the ground. He understood why they were doing this – train us to survive and use our magic to stay alive in the harsh, real world – but that didn’t mean he had to like it. He’d singed a lot of feathers flying though blazing obstacles, so instead of rustic colors, they were now the color of soot.
Scroll magic was one of the toughest classes, maybe because it was handled by a stricter teacher. It was exactly what it sounded like – storing magic simply by writing it down on a scroll or drawing a symbol and channeling magic to make it come alive. He heard from Beatrice you could curse someone with Scroll magic, but was too scared to try. I’m such a klutz, I’d curse the wrong person or do it wrong.
They did Astronomy twice a week, where they would go to the rooftop at night and learn the names of constellations and the rest, along with auspicious moments. Apparently the full moon doesn’t just have werewolves, it’s also a good time to battle. Zeke found out the stars were the same as the Human Realm’s, only under different names and stories. It wasn’t exactly that he disliked the class; he simply had no interest in it.
The class he had been looking forward to was Mythology. They would go to the gigantic, glass-walled library – Zeke didn’t spend much time in libraries at home, but he liked this one – and look up old Realm legends, et cetera. It was a class that didn’t require much effort, no fighting or exhausting magic performed.
Technology and Engineering was okay, if you didn’t count the struggles to put in miniscule parts and disappointment when he failed at almost everything. It definitely wasn’t a talent of his, since he knew nothing about otherworldly tech. His friend Luke though had another opinion; it was his favorite class which he wouldn’t stop raving about at meals.
History was taught by a different teacher. Zeke figured that it was split into two categories: gruesome histories and boring histories. He didn’t like learning about Realm wars – nor did he like the assassination parts. Sometimes, he even welcomed the boring parts, even if it meant it was about the revolution of something-or-other. Much better than the bloody fights.
He could pass the subjects that he had somewhat did at normal school, subjects that touched math and science. It was harder that the ones he was taught, since certain aspects were different.
After two weeks of classes, though Zeke was doing okay, he hoped that he would improve and not turn out to be a disappointment.
Sunday (at least, it was Sunday by Human terms) night’s dinner at the canteen was noisier than usual. The crowds seemed to be bigger, forcing Zeke to shape-shift into a cat just to squeeze through.
When he finally found the table where his friends were sitting, he couldn’t stop sneezing from cat fur. Ugh, cat dander.
Renee waved a hand in front of her face. “Please, don’t sneeze on me. How do you even shape-shift into a cat if you’re allergic?”
Jynhue, Farionze and Velias both frowned. “What’s a cat?”
Luke grinned. “A cat is a fat animal that eats smaller animals, like mice and birds.”
“Nice description,” Renee grumbled. “How did you get this magnificent explanation?”
“Simple! My brother and I used to own white mice, but one day they escaped and got eaten by Ariana-from-next-door’s fat cat. My mom’s pigeon got eaten too.”
“Brother? Ariana?” Renee asked suspiciously.
Luke’s grin faded. “Nothing important. I did live in the Human Realm.”
“So,” Velias interrupted. “Are you going for tryouts, Luke?”
“What tryouts?” Zeke said, puzzled. Why doesn’t anyone tell me anything? No fair.
“Sport tryouts, for Ahnroi and Nekroi,” Jynhue replied, carefully not looking at anyone’s eyes. Farionze snorted and nudged her.
“Sounds like Milady’s hiding something,” Luke teased. He had started calling Jynhue ‘Milady’ since day one, on account of how many boys turned their heads to look at her when she walked past, despite their repulsion of her father.
Farionze went off into in ecstasy of grunting laughter before answering. She scribbled on a piece of paper and pushed it towards them, giggling. Jynhue glared at her.
She wants to be the first female player of Nekroi for this generation.
Zeke scratched his head, pulling out a feather. “So?”
“Loads of girls play sports in the Human Realm,” Renee agreed.
“Not a lot of girls play Nekroi,” Velias said in an offhand way. “Mostly boys play; the last female player was years ago.”
“Good ambition,” Luke whistled appreciatively. “Mine’s to be a mechanic. Once I done that, I’ll be happy to die. After all, that’ll be a good life.”
Farionze slapped his shoulder. Renee rolled her eyes.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Zeke exited the canteen alone. Farionze, Renee and Jynhue headed toward the girls dorms after waving goodbye. Luke and Velias had to go report to detention because of the prank they pulled off earlier – sawing the legs of a bench.
He noticed a translucent tentacle sneaking out of the doors. He quickly spread his wings and took off faster than you could say ‘Zortalac’. He didn’t want Badie seeing him.
He’d made the mistake of telling her that he’d lost his armband. She was the only one around to ask, after all. It was a great source of embarrassment for him, so he made her promise not to tell anyone, confident he’d find it soon.
He hadn’t counted on Badie having a big, gossiping mouth.
Zeke had learnt his lesson: never, ever say anything to Badie you don’t want the public to know.
He soared above everyone else, enjoying the leisurely speed he travelled at. He flew so fast he would be a blur of red to anyone watching. Wind whistled in his ears, but felt cooling from the Sahara desert temperature Exterion always had.
He got so caught up with flying, he didn’t even realize it until it was too late. He stopped in midair to hard, as if slamming into a wall, falling and crash-landing into a ball of feathers and wings.
Ow, ow. I should really watch where I’m going. He picked himself up, glancing around. The corridor was unfamiliar, with doors that Zeke didn’t even need to try and open to know they were inaccessible. It was deserted, with no signs of life.
He had no idea where he was.
On another happy note, I also don’t know which part of the base I’m in.
He straightened his satchel, checking to make sure everything was there. He then assessed his surroundings, like Patricia said after coming back from summer camp or something. Maybe she was quoting a book? Whatever the case, he figured he must be in the teacher’s level, since there was no way other hallways would be this devoid of noise and people.
AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.
Zeke jumped. The blood-curdling sound echoed. It sounded like a tortured scream and hysterical laughter at the same time. He froze in place, paralyzed. All his senses shouted at him to run away.
Fear smothered him like a blanket. His breathing became rattling, raggedy gasps. He flashed back to all the horror movies he watched. The sound was inhuman. The sort of crazed laugh you would only hear at asylums.
The ghosts can’t be back, can they?
All week, excluding the first time he saw them, there had been virtually no sign of the spirits. He hadn’t saw them the way Luke did – Luke described them as red glows taking humanoid shapes, but Zeke saw something else. They took the form of shrieking, horrible, twisted faces. He hadn’t been completely honest to Luke either.
Zeke could never tell anyone. But wherever he went, he could hear their cries. “Join us; you will never be haunted again!”
He pushed the thoughts away. Created a dam that he would not penetrate. He was elated when he didn’t see it anymore. He wouldn’t be hearing their voices again, he was convinced. They seemed to have disappeared. Never to be seen again. He could forget about them.
AAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.
There it is again. He closed his wings around himself. The way he did when he was small, plagued by nightmares. Sharp swords of fright stabbed him. A single tear made its way down his cheek. I can’t, I can’t. He couldn’t take seeing the ghosts again.
Couldn’t take seeing the visions again.
AAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.
This time, something was different.
Clang.
Suddenly, one of the metal doors had a fist-sized dent in it. It sounded like someone – or something – had smashed their hand against it, in a wild attempt at something.
Curiosity and relief warred with fear and panic. It couldn’t be a ghost then. How could a ghost possibly make that dent? Now that he was thinking more rationally, it couldn’t have been a ghost in the first place. When he saw the ghosts, they screamed curses. Why would they be laughing now?
But his guts were still tying themselves into a knot. What was behind the door?
He gripped his satchel so hard his knuckled turned white. He crept closer to the door, prepared to run.
Closer…
Closer…
Crash.
He leaped back, yelling with fright. At the tiny window, a horribly grinning face, contorted in an ugly snarl. It bared its teeth.
AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.
The howling, cackling laughter cut through the air. To add to Zeke’s horror, he knew who that was. It was the same person, but changed into a feral creature. It slashed at the window, wanting to escape, but to no avail. It howled again.
Patricia’s friend Brenda Grace, a Spirula and human half-blood, had visited them last year. What Zeke remembered was that she was a cheerful, plump girl who talked with a slight accent.
This was definitely not her – a shrieking monster.
Yet, Zeke knew it was. He recognized the facial features, now growling at him, sometimes bursting into insane cackles. Except, something was off.
Brenda had shining yellow eyes, like full moons.
The thing staring at him now had black, depthless orbs for eyes.
What happened to her?
Why did they lock her up?
AAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.
Zeke turned and fled, panicked and horrified as the creature that once was a friend, smashed the door again.