Planeswalker Academy

Chapter II: Introductions

Artyriel awoke with a light flutter of her eyes. She'd been conscious long before her roommate had begun to move about, but she'd been too lethargic to move or care. Now, Kilya was moving towards her side of the room.

"Art!" Kilya called. "Time to get up!"

Out of courtesy, Kilya had remained behind the curtain and Artyriel noticed and appreciated that. Moaning and sitting up so her feet swung over the bedside, Artyriel stretched. "When are you going?"

"To what?" Kilya asked, shouting from her side of the room.

"Breakfast."

"Oh." A moment's pause while clothing rustled. "Soonish?"

"Good. That gives me time to change clothes and go with you."

"Why would you want to go with me?" Kilya asked after another moments' pause as buttons snapped into place.

"Why would I not want to go with you? One, you are my roommate. Two, you know the campus. Three, you always look so lonely." Artyriel gasped as she said the third reason, a hand clamping to her lips. "I am sorry, Ms Kilya. I didn't mean it like that…"

"Its fine," Kilya sighed, "because it's true." She sat down on her bed and began to pull her boots up her calves. She heard clothing rustle from Artyriel's side of the room and then snaps followed by a zipper and a final, louder snap.

"Ready?" Kilya asked. She walked out from behind the curtain and looked towards the other side of the room. Kilya was wearing a black and red dress under a corset. The dress was black on the top half and faded into red and black roses by the skirt hem by her knees. The corset matched the roses and fit well against her figure. High-heeled black boots rose to just below her knee, showing off a little bit of skin. Her black hair she had tied up in a braided bun. She walked to the door and swung a cloak across her shoulders. "I'll leave you behind…" she called, and turned crimson eyes to see Artyriel appear from behind her curtain.

Though Kilya wasn't a lesbian, she would definitely be bisexual for Artyriel. It might be that the elf was just trying to impress the Academy, but Kilya's gut told her that she was just very formal. Artyriel was wearing what looked like a navy roman goddess dress over a black, flowing long sleeved shirt. The dress had one shoulder and from that sprouted a long cape-like attachment. The dress's embroidered hem reached the elf's mid-shin. Her shoes were black, lace-up boots with a slight heel. A necklace could be seen across her neck; a silver vine wrapping a lapis lazuli blue rose on a black thread hung to her collarbone. Her emerald eyes remained blank as she smiled at Kilya. She looked like a dark goddess of beauty.

Kilya stood in awe as Artyriel walked up beside her, wrapped a black cloak around her shoulders and looked at her roommate. When the cloak covered her body, the dark light that she seemed to radiate left as well. "Ready?"

Nodding but still in awe, Kilya opened the door and the two began to walk towards the dining hall.

Artyriel looked around with wonder. This Academy was very different than her old school. The time was around 7 in the morning and very few people were up and moving about the main halls. The paintings that lined the hallway walls were mostly landscapes and still-life portraits. The walls themselves looked like they'd been pulled from an ancient ruin, though in much better shape.

Turning her head to face center, Artyriel noticed she was being stared at.

"Is something wrong?" Kilya asked, her eyes looked at Artyriel out of the corners of their sockets.

"Yes… People are staring…" Artyriel wasn't used to this kind of attention. Nor had she heard so many attempts to read her mind.

"Don't mind them," Kilya said as they continued on their way towards breakfast, "they just aren't sure who you are and why you are so nicely dressed."

"Really? Back in Westerwolf, all the students had to dress professionally." Artyriel hid the shiver that ran down her spine at the recollection of her old school as best she could.

"That would explain a lot," Kilya muttered. However, before Artyriel could clarify what Kilya meant, they reached the dining hall. The doors opened automatically and Kilya walked in, followed by a more timid Artyriel.

Since noticing how much attention she was drawing, Kilya observed Artyriel had become more like a shadow; silent and swift. Slightly timid as well; not wanting to encroach on the light…

"Don't worry!" Kilya said, swinging an arm around Artyriels' shoulders. "They'll get used to you as you get used to the Academy."

"Sure," Artyriel said, smiling with the courage Kilya had given her. Kilya unhanded her and moved towards a table with several people already seated at it. Following, Artyriel took notice that Liliana was there.

Liliana looked up as she heard her old roommate call to Theo. She spotted Kilya and was about to turn back to her food, intent on ignoring her old friend, but Artyriel, who was behind Kilya, caught her attention. Something seemed off about her… and it wasn't just the clothes.

"Good morning, Artyriel," Liliana greeted as the elf sat down across from her.

"Good morning, Ms Liliana." Artyriel returned the greeting and smiled with her pearly teeth. Liliana couldn't help noticing some of her teeth were sharper than others. "And please, you may call me Art."

"Are we on a friendly basis now?" Liliana asked, glancing at Kilya.

The demoness lord was eating some eggs off her plate rather daintily, causing a disgusted look to cross Liliana's face for a brief moment.

"I do not see why we cannot," Artyriel said, her smile dwindling as she noticed Liliana's look at Kilya. "Is something wrong?"

"Huh? No… Nothing." Liliana's smile did nothing to ease the tension in Artyriel's heart.

"Good morning!" A sing-songy voice called to the group and Ayako walked up.

"When did you become conscious?" Liliana asked, her voice rather sarcastic than funny.

"A few minutes ago. And I found my book!" She held the volume close to her chest.

"Oh?" Theo asked, looking up from his conversation with Kilya and a red-haired girl. "Where was it?"

"Oh! It's such a funny story!" Ayako sat down at the table by a rather gloomy-looking boy, across from Kilya. The boy rolled his eyes and stood, grabbed his plate and moved away to sit next to Artyriel.

"I can't stand her when she's on a 'funny story'… it always makes me gag," he muttered as he poured himself a new drink.

"Is something the matter?" Artyriel asked, confused and curious.

"This isn't something new," Liliana scowled. "Ayako is very protective of her book and tries to put the blame on other people when she's at fault. However… she is really good at manipulation… so those of weaker minds believe her stories rather easily."

"That is unfortunate to hear," Artyriel said, picking up her knife and beginning to cut into the sausage on her plate.

The boy, still rather gloomy, looked up at Liliana, then turned to look at Artyriel. "Who are you?" he asked, suddenly on guard. Artyriel felt the sensation that meant someone was trying to tap into her thoughts and she deduced this boy was a mage.

"My name is Artyriel Espelhart. I am a transfer student from Westerwolf Academy of Sciences." She smiled as she bowed her head in greeting and respect. However, her gaze did not leave the boy's face, though it was hidden under a hood. "May I ask of your name?"

"Jace. Jace Beleren." Though his body relaxed, Artyriel though she saw a glimmer of confusion in the boys' eyes as the tapping sensation ceased.

"Please to meet you, Mr Beleren."

"Dear Lord, call me Jace," he said, rolling his eyes and exhaling with a rather annoyed airstream.

"Very well, Mr Jace."

When Jace opened his mouth to argue once again, Liliana cleared her throat. "It's just the way she is. She calls me Ms Liliana. I assume it has something to do with her upbringing." The enchantress smiled at the elf and Artyriel nodded back, thankful for the break.

A silence fell over the table as people returned to their breakfast. It was a Sunday, so most logical people were still sleeping; recovering after a hard night of partying.

A boom followed by several crashes and a crack echoed in the dining hall. Artyriel was instantly on her feet, her stance suggesting she was ready for battle.

"Oh dear. Don't worry about that. That's just the headmaster."