I had a strong feeling that my days are going to be tougher. The thing that implies a great capriole that was about to happen to me. A life expectancy that is going to change accordingly, in a drastic way. A hard lined bypass operation.
My new school was far better than the one I'd been attending my whole life, I mean; this was not an ordinary school, and it is impossible for humans alone to build something this big and this beauty using stonemasons or any of their tools. It was something built using magic and conceivably, relying on other strong creatures' help.
The gates were opened broad, I fastened my pride. Not only me and professor Albus who got there at that time. There were many people too, mature people. They were frequently individuals or accompanied by other people who seemed to be their friends. In spite of this, we went across the Great Bridge to the Grand Hall. The Great Bridge was built up above a huge water moat surrounding the whole castle. It was a thick bridge, having crystalloid barriers on each side. The water moat had a very deep end and a gargantuan dimness within. At the entrance of the Grand Hall's golden doors, we broke off.
"Well then, you go have a seat, I have to do something before the head of Athexorgia comes. Just.." Said Albus prior to a pause, as he looked around vaguely looking for something. A book appeared on the top of an engraved shelf beside him. He snatched it and gave it to me. "Here, how about reading this; I forgot to mention but this is Athexorgia manual book, a grimoire too. You will need it later." Smiling smugly this time. "Right? Now go there, read it, I will come back later." Whispered he. "Okay, thank you professor." I said awkwardly, in a very low tone, shackling my thoughts.
Professor Albus walked away by the varnished wall as I was still standing there out of the blue. His head was twisted all the way to see if I was still there; I was indeed. He stopped purposely and looked at my shriveled gratitude as if he had forgotten another thing to tell. He spat "Make some friends." Silently with lips moving only. I could clearly lip read what he said. He carried on walking a second after, turning right by the edge of the varnished brown wall.
I span around entering the main door, which was –technically speaking- the back door of the Grand Hall. I saw, Immensity, massiveness, perfection, ingenuity and magic. The walls were quite flaxen and drawly fascinating. The ceiling was made of glass, lightweight and it was too spotlessly diaphanous that one could see the blue right through it. It had offered a stunning sky outlook. In addition to the Corinthian columns, there was something which had really stolen my attention. It was the cherubs drawn on the windows. They were quite vivid, yet quite dramatic.
I took my seat, just like the others did. Talking about the others, they were perchance all around my age, I couldn't tell because of size differences. Not everyone was sitting alone, there were some tiny groups gathering around and making laugh out of some particular stupid things. Others were just staring at me the whole time and gossiping about it. I felt uneasy and quickly opened up the manual, shifting pages and travelling around its different chapters haphazardly.
A boy appeared in front of me. Mahogany squat hair, drifted ears and a pointed nose. He looked my age, maybe a year older, and he sat with his buttocks against the edge of the chair, his posture was insistently poor, one hand half in a pocket of dark jeans. He stared at me seconds after. And leant his upper part of the body against my table.
"Where did you get that from?" He posed tapping his thin fingers repeatedly on the table. "Professor Albus gave it to me. Do you want to read?" I retorted. For a second I wished he could save me from reading that heavy weighted book, which I disliked since first sight. "No, I'll do it later." Said he.
"Okay.." I enunciated jiggling my head up and down.
"I've never seen you before. What's your name?" He asked shrinking his opaque eyebrows.
"Usagi, Usagi El!" I said, hobbling the matter.
"No way!" He fluted in a voice that was undeniably a cruel version of his.
"Why are you tremendously astonished? What's so special about me anyway..?" I questioned, in a cunning conduct, closing the manual and putting it aside. I laid my palm on it as I was waiting for a rational answer.
"You're the son of Mephistopheles El dude! What else could be better than that?" He responded cracking a semi smile upon his visage and eyes out. His expressions proved that he was exceptionally proud of my dad, contrary to me.
"Who are you by the way?" I granted that desire of changing the subject.
"I am Jason Houdini, nice to meet you Usagi!" Offering his hand for a men shake.
"Houdini? I've heard of that name before during some television show." I sprouted my memory reference, shaking his hand and letting go.
"Really? Well, I'm flattered. My family is usually famous." Said he, shrugging with eyes closed.
"Great, it's really nice to meet you Jason." I proposed, weakening a smile.
"Same here man!" He responded comfortably.
Jason was quite popular. He was utterly combined with people around him, hailing ecstatically every time he saw a recognizable countenance, a friend.
An anthem song played out of nowhere, reverberating on the corners and through walls of the Grand Hall. It was merely played with a church organ, an acoustic grand piano and a background choiring. At time I was analyzing the song and connecting it to an evil soundtrack I heard before during an Anime, everyone pointed their eyes focus on the little back door, as if someone is going out of it.
A massive applause followed the last part of the anthem. I recognized professors, and one hell tall head master preceding the assembly and coming out of the little frontal door. They took their seats by the horizontal table against the rest of us, students.
I took a quick glimpse at Jason as he was still applauding loudly, and then looked down at my frozen hands. I had only just realized how bizarre I was, how gatecrasher I was. I immediately started applauding and flowing through the stream.
"You see the man with the blue cloak, that's professor Merlin Ambrosius. I heard he's the greatest man of both the current and the century before." Said Jason, in a shout that was piercing through the riotous applauses.
"Is there such classification?" I couldn't stop myself from asking.
"Of course, expect anything here." Replied he, in higher shout than before.
I smirked afterwards and looked back at the assembly.
Merlin Ambrosius, the tall man, with long grey beard, clad in a blue sparkly cloak and an extended pointed hat, walked up the pulpit's few steps. And laid his hands comfortably on its top surface. He cleared his voice in two coughs or three and took a panoramic check at all of us for few seconds until he got all of our attention, and got all the motionlessness he needed.
"Welcome all to Athexorgia" Professor Merlin addressed, dimly. "As you all know, you are here to learn how to defend yourselves against black magic and evil spirits. Considering the recent incidents, the dark side has made its move killing, possessing and assassinating our dear professors, friends, and even siblings." He focused his green deep eyes on me, as if I had something to with all of these incidents he spoke about. I convinced myself that my dad died in cancer, not by dark fellow of sorcerers. "Most of you, know that we had a massive loss last week, the thing that brought our administration to seize quick the preparations and begin the new year all of a sudden. We coordinated the timing with the other schools around Isthmus. These ladies and gentlemen here on the table, are going to be your professors during the year of studying. They will teach you what you need, not what you wish." The professors took a standing ovation, taking quarter bows. They were twelve, five females and six males. The way they looked like tickled my sense of bizarreness, why do they have to wear such complicated uniforms? Everyone involuntarily applauded, with frost. The professors sat back at a snail's pace after that.
"Your attention please!"Shouted Merlin. "In the meantime, you will be sorted into four different sections according to your own intentions. Please stand up."
We lift our bodies up accordingly. He shifted his right hand in midair, spelling a kind of magic charm. The kooky tables went magically round, creating four ring-shaped tables, fully clad in white. The chairs beneath us disappeared, living behind what looked like a translucent smolder. In front of each circular table, a nature element appeared floating in the air. Earth, Water, Fire, Air.
"Now, my students, I will be calling out your names in order, you will be choosing what fit your heart and mind. When I call your name, you step forward and cross your right hand through these Inchoamentums incessantly and separately. Then you take one step back. After that, the Inchoamentum intended for you will interact consequently. Animus, Nymphe, Ignis and Glaria. Understood?"
Everyone gawked at professor Merlin. Whispers hovered instantaneously. A choosing quest was if truth be told, a nerve wracking process. I didn't know which section fits me better. I didn't know anything about their past. What if I choose randomly? Ignis is Fire, Demons are made from fire. No, definitely not this one. Anything but Ignis. All I wondered about was my father's section. Perhaps I'd do better in his, if bloodline does matter in these things.
Jason tilted his head aside, and muttered "What will you be choosing mate?"
"I'm still thinking I don't really know, I'm so new for all of these things." I said darkly. "What about you?"
"My family is well known for Animus section. Before coming here, mom and dad oppressed me to choose Animus, since we have Shu's bloodline, the one who created the section in the first place. This means, I'd naturally do well in Animus. But what I really want is to show my family that I can do better elsewhere. Plus I want to be different." He paused for effect; His eyes grew a bit wide with uncertainty. "I heard about Nymphe's triumphs. So I'll choose Nymphe." More determination growled in his eyes. "You.. Usagi?" Asked he.
"I guess I'll just follow my instinct." I uttered, having that idea that whatever section my dad had. It'd categorically choose me.
"Well, I hope we'd stick together in the same section." Said he, quickening a smirk upon his mouth. "Yeah, that'd be even better!" I felt for the first time, a friend is being concerned.
"Silence please!" Professor Merlin shouted grasping a bowl of air. "Let's start! Hm.. Matilda Raven!" I looked far left, noticing that hazy body who was making its way through the crowds, as her friends were encouraging her and cheering up for her. She was a shaky girl with long wavy hair and a yellow scarf on her neck. She crossed her hand through the Inchoamentums carefully and took a step back just as professor Merlin had suggested a while ago. The flame roared and blazed vividly. Professor Merlin bawled, "IGNIS!" , and therefore everyone clapped their hands rooting for her. She then took the first seat in the circular table of Ignis.
"Jeremy Angle!" He was a muscle-bound guy, quite disquieting for boys, but too fascinating to girls that they wouldn't stop looking at his well firmed body. He crossed his strong hand through the Inchoamentums, releasing a growl of wind concerned the place. "ANIMUS!" Clapping followed again.
"Next, Jason Houdini!" Professor Merlin shouted, I felt Jason's disturbance drifting in the air. He gave me a glance and walked towards the Inchoamentums. I was believed he'd make it to Nymphe. He crossed his hand through, and stepped back. A pulse of wind breezed the hall. This made me convert thinking to believe that bloodlines are much important in cases like Jason's. Before I even rethink about it, a huge growl of the water Inchoamentum penetrated the wind. Jason lift his fist and punched the air showing glory. "NYMPHE!" Professor Merlin hailed. I gave him thumbs up as soon as he had turned around. He took the first seat in the circular table of Nymphe subsequently. He seemed incredibly thrilled.
Scores of people pursued him, and they were sent to different sections, as they intend to be. There were only three of us left. I was in the front, I was kind of an attractive focal point, for that all of the sorted students' eyes were looking right at mine. Nervous and quite awkwardly motionless, that I couldn't turn my head back to see the faces of the two students left.
"Peter Grave!" "GLARIA!" claps from the Glaria Section howled welcoming the guy.
"Usagi El!" a shock throb interjected my core. I stepped forward, eyes down; murmurs suddenly broke out like slight hissing fires all over the Grand Hall. I crossed my hand through the flaming blaze Ignis first, feeling a little squeeze as if warms were wringing my hand, then through Glaria, Animus, and then Nymphe. Eyes closed, lashes crashed, mind free. I was giving my full intention to know which of the sections was dad's. I didn't care about a particular one; I just wanted to be my father's successor. Ignis blazed high into a blue flame, Glaria stormed into golden sand, Animus growled in the air creating a slicing wind, Nymphe exploded into waterfalls. Drastically speaking, it was a whole mess. I held a glance around; some students are even craning to get a good look at me. Even professor Merlin and the rest of the professors were impressed. For me, it was an eyesore. Suddenly, Glaria, Animus and Ignis stopped at once, leaving behind a genus of a pleasant sound of burbling waterfalls. It was Nymphe. "NYMPHE!" Shouted the students of Nymphe in applauses and yells. Jason hollered cheerfully, "As expected! Welcome mate!"
I walked later toward the Nymphe table holding my manual and hailed to everyone sitting there. I pushed my seat next Jason's and twisted my head a little to witness the latest student. It was him, the hollow eyed guy with the curly deep black hair. "And lastly,Yako Eks!" Professor Merlin shouted, and in less than a second the flames of Ignis burned in the air, and he was chosen for it "IGNIS!" yelled everyone in Ignis. He sauntered by to join his fellow friends, looking pleased with himself, and much prouder than last time.