Unbound Magic | Magic Academy | Private

DO NOT POST IN THIS THREAD! THIS IS A PRIVATE THREAD FOR ME AND Damian !

Belrousse Academy, once a noble and respected school for people of all talent that possessed the knowledge of magic to come and learn their trade, suffered from a tragic event. The famous school where millions flocked to suffered at the hands of a maniacal serial killer and the oddities sparked by the man himself, whether intended or not. With the retirement of the principle of the school and a new head, the school slowly begins to pick itself up after the heavy loss of both students and professors. Only the truly loyal stayed in the hopes of bringing the school back to its former glory. Belrousse Academy follows a choosing ceremony where student’s true abilities are investigated and placed in the dormitory and classes that suits their needs.

The dormitory are as follows: Phoenix, Allabasker , Mystics, Devouts, Paragon, Fauna, and Arcane. Students in the Phoenix dormitory possess strong elemental magic with a large supply of mana unknown to other dorms. Allabasker is the dorm for students who possess knowledge on alchemy. Mystics possess knowledge of spiritual magic that lets them inflict the souls of themselves and others. Devouts are students who have gained power through the means of beings such as Angels, Gods, Demons and other higher beings. Devout students who were granted power from Angels possess superior healing capabilities. Arcane contains students who possess knowledge of dark magic. Students under Fauna possess magic that allows them to communicate and form bonds with animals or even using animal like abilities. Lastly, the greatest dorm and hardest one to get into is, Paragon, for students who possess profound knowledge of all magic.

Aundulin Academy, a prestigious school excelling in magical combat and sportsmanship, is a rival school that can stand against Belrousse Academy. With a strong woman as the head, she was able to aid Belrousse Academy and subdue the serial killer with her strength alone. This school also produces powerful mages who seek to use their magical prowess to join the military, or any other high position in the government. Aundulin Academy is unique for its ability to use any magic and combine them with methods of combat. The dormitories are as follows: Element, Archaic, Psyche, Umbra, and Beasts. Students in Element possess elemental magic but they are further divided by which element they can use exceptionally. Students who excel in earth magic are referred to as Floral mages and study flora in order to better their magic and use it in combat. Pyro mages are students who excel in fire, Ether mages are students who excel in air, and Water mages excel at water magic. Some students are able to master both kinds and create new magic like the Professor, Soleil, who excels at combining air and water to create snow and ice.

Students in the dorm Archaic study and use alchemy in their endeavors to employ magic. They are known as Archaic Warriors as they use the alchemy to produce incantations, weapons, and other uses against enemies. Psyche dorm holds students who study spiritual magic. Students who use this magic as telepathy, telekinesis and more are referred to as Psychics. Students who use spiritual magic to trick the mind of others with illusions are referred to as wraiths. Umbra dormitory hosts students who study dark magic. They are referred to as Shadow Assassins as their magic helps them ambush and isolate prey with ease as they move in the shadows. The Beast dormitories also have two categories. Summoners are able to summon allies to assist them in combat, mostly through spells with ethereal beings. Rangers are able to form bonds with animals and have them assist them in combat as well.

KNOWN CHARACTERS

Alastair: Once a disciplinarian and professor at the school, Alastair has taken the place of headmaster after the incident. He is an avid enforcer of rules and believes that strength comes from being able to follow a strict code. He is not a fan of magic users who rely on brute strength or are more chaotic in their methods.

Calisto: A rarity in his family as most nymphs are female, despite being male; he has a very beautiful appearance. Growing up surrounded by sisters and the fact that many women tend to never see Calisto in a romantic light has caused him to have no romantic attraction to females. Even his female coworkers treat him as a younger brother. Calisto is very kind and open-minded yet easy to tease. He can be very playful and wishes for nothing but a peaceful life. He uses his water abilities to heal others and is quite passive.

Gale: A griffon that acts as the forest's guardian. He guards the forest from any danger and was injured when a student threatened it. He has taken a liken to Calisto and visits the academy to see him.

Professor of Necromancy: A mysterious professor who lectures over necromancy and assisted during the end of the incident.

Gabriel: A prodigy of both magic and intellect but due to this, he finds everything boring and spends most of his time playing games. He is apathetic and rarely shows any expression or interest in things, though he has been frequenting the library.

Kellen: A small, hot-tempered, stubborn, yet a kind individual. He can also be insecure. He builds a wall around himself to shield away others but it usually backfires and he’s made friends due to it, though he doesn’t understand why. Kellen is not human but a Phoenix disguised as a human with magic taught by his family. Like him, his family is also Phoenixes and possesses spiritual magic. Kellen inherited the spiritual magic from his family but gained empathy, which is something he struggles with. Due to his strong empathy, he can be flooded with the emotions of others at skin contact, which is why he builds a wall around himself and is quick to let others know not to touch him.

Shiloh: A shy and average student who entered the academy, he possess no magic as himself but yielded great potential. Shiloh suffers from Dissociate Identity Disorder and has two alter egos, one a highly dangerous serial killer under the name of Bloody Mary who was responsible for the school's massacre, and another promiscuous and scarred personality. He now attends therapy and remains a student under strict supervision at the school.

Patch: One of Shiloh's alter egos, Patch suffers from depression and self harm due to the memories he holds that Shiloh separated from himself during his traumatic past. Patch is promiscuous and submissive, as its his way of coping from the sexual abuse that happened. He appears to be always sad, but only comes out when Shiloh is sexually abused or bullied.

Ajax: The first alter ego of Shiloh who was made to cope with a part of his traumatic past. After witnessing the brutal murder of his father by his mother's hand and her suicide, he became obsessed with her last words and murder. He became the serial killer, Bloody Mary, as he enjoys being covered in blood. He posses strong magic and is surprisingly protective of the host personality. He appears more than Patch.

Cerberus: Cerberus comes from a family of high expectations and hard work. His family finds their livelihood in completing shady, back alley deals. Poaching is one of their go to jobs, but Cerberus’s family is one of opportunity. If there is a chance to make money, they are eager to seize it. Because of this, Cerberus is sort of a busy body. He doesn’t like to sit still, or essentially, be wasting his time. A social person by nature, he loves company and cultivating relationships with others. He seems to be someone who easily trusts and opens up to others, but he’s observant and constantly aware of how others hold themselves. He can be rather judgmental, but he doesn’t show it very often, offering even those he doesn’t like a limited amount of kindness.

Virion: Virion is and elf who looks over and attends to the library. He is often calm and quiet, due to the nature of his job, but he has a side of apathy and cynicism to him. He doesn't often like interacting with others, preferring to keep to himself unless someone or something catches his interest.

CURRENT NEW CHARACTERS

Aundulin Academy

Kassandra Fernwood: A headstrong woman who always strives to achieve her goals. She seems like the type of person who can never be dragged down, but though she may be light-hearted she can disguise her disappointment and sadness through sarcastic humor. She expects a lot from her students, since they're part of a magic combat academy, but she can be more lenient and understanding if the circumstances call for it. She is the headmistress of the academy.

Leventis Alanis: The eldest sister of her family and has strong pride despite her adorable features. She is tough and beautiful but most people underestimate her because of her playful appearance. Leventis is whimsical and witty, often playful in the presence of her family as all nymphs tend to be pretty playful. When she is doing work, however, she becomes strict and tactical, serious in her combat and is a force to be reckoned with. She can be kind and nice and enjoys a sense of humor in men, yet she is not easy to submit.

Soleil Eternus: A quiet and reserved man with a cold gaze. He is always composed and acts in a somewhat casual way. He enjoys teasing others when the opportunity rises and is the only time where you see him smirk. He speaks in an almost condescending way and appears to be cold to everyone. Soleil also excels at ice magic as he’s able to create blizzards in seconds over large areas. Oddly enough, the air around him seems to freeze around him. He works as a professor at Aundulin Academy where students learn the grasps of magic and teaches another class for fighting with ice magic. Amusingly enough, Soleil’s first name relates to the sun and fire.

Celine: A young girl who has an affinity for plant-based magic. She isn't very good at projecting her power through things like a wand, but instead relies on direct contact. She often doesn't wear shoes because it makes her feel more in tune with her magic. Celine is mostly quiet and keeps to herself, shy when it comes to first encounters.

Shiloh had to admit to himself that he wasn’t ready to face the others at school and even when he had been held in confinement as the adults decided on what to do with him; he never could prepare himself for meeting with his parents again. He hadn’t fully accepted what he has been told, that he has split personalities, that one of them was the most wanted serial killer. The fact that they’re accusing him of murdering people with his hands sounded unbelievable…but it was all true. He still couldn’t believe it all and accept it himself though. He was glad that he wasn’t sentenced to anything like jail or being confined forever and that they were giving him a chance to live a normal life again. Even so, he was still being monitored, it was like probation. The fact that he possessed strong magic was probably the reason the school did this for him. Still, the thought of his mother’s…no, his foster mother’s face when she finds out about it worried him. How would she look at him? He worried about the students too but he was assured that none of them knew about it but…what if there were some who did. Shiloh sat at a table by himself on the campus as many other students were coming to be tested again. He had already been tested but his magic type was still unknown.

Kellen never understood all the things that happened, and was surprised he never fully witnessed any of the murders. He guessed he should count himself as lucky for not being scarred. Over the months since the school closed periodically to fix everything, Kellen was happy to spend time with his family again. Of course…he hadn’t told them about Cerberus and made sure to keep the relationship a secret from them. He wondered if Cerberus would be back at the school too. Though, he could just text him and ask, but somehow that made him nervous. It’s not like he hasn’t texted him before…but he didn’t want to raise Cerberus ego with the possibility that he yearned to see him again. Kellen had come to school accompanied by his mother who wanted to see if the state of the school. She had left by herself to see the headmaster while he went to take the test. Kellen shook his head vigorously, how could he be thinking about Cerberus when he should be worried about the test?

Kellen’s mother, Solaris, strolled around the campus leisurely, even paying a visit to the Guardian of the Phoenix dorm, a Phoenix. The woman was older than herself, but the phoenix would never tell her why it chose to spend its life this way. Not that it was bad, Solaris was just curious. After she finished talking to the old friend, she headed straight into the campus. The halls and the building were very familiar to her, as she had once been a student here too. It was nice to see it again but she was here for more than nostalgia. She wondered if the new headmaster would be in his office but knowing the man, he most likely wouldn’t be anywhere else unless something called for it. She, as a parent, wanted to make sure everything was alright before trusting them again with her child. Other parents held these concerns too. She stopped at the door of the office before lightly rapping on the door.

Gabriel had found the whole incident to be interesting, he never expect the turn of events of a serial killer terrorizing the school to happen. If anything it had made school life a bit interesting but he didn’t know much about the perpetrator of the crime or what happened to them. He wondered if the Liberian knew but he probably wouldn’t tell him, as the man kept things Gabriel found interesting hidden from him. Like the forbidden magic he alluded too but never let him get near it. Thinking of the elf made him tired mentally, but he didn’t deny the warmth and yearning he felt for him. It was strange. As he walked onto the campus, he wondered if anything fun would happen this time too, or if their changes would be interesting. With headphones covering his ears, he continued to play his new game as he made his way to take the test.

Calisto was happy that the school didn’t close down permanently and that he could still be here. He hummed to himself as he set up his new office, of course he still had the same female co-workers, but at least they had an office to themselves and different posts for the nurse office now. There was also a room with many beds in it if many students needed it. He hoped nothing catastrophic would happen at the start of a new term but you never knew! But most of all, he wondered how Gale was; he never stopped visiting the griffon even after the school had closed. It was fun being with him and it made him happy being embraced by him. He, ironically, felt young again in the presence of the griffon.

Leventis was eager to train again, as a new term had started. She wondered what kind of students she would have. She also hoped most of them would know how to swim. Despite not having too, Leventis kept herself in shape, doing laps in the pool each morning and routine exercises under the water. She subjected herself to the fitness training she gave her own students as she taught them underwater combat. She had also heard the news about Belrousse Academy, the school her brother worked at. She was glad he was safe but thought it was funny that their own academy had to come help them with their problems. Kassandra must really care for them, enough to do something with no benefit for her…or was there? She also wondered if she had heard of their rivals reopening. After she finished her training, she set off to the teachers’ lounge to socialize a bit before school starts.

Soleil was already in the teachers’ lounge as he relaxed at the table, his legs propped up against it while he read a book. He wondered if Kassandra would come as he was curious to know if she had heard the news. He also wondered if he could get why she helped them out of her too but he wouldn’t press too hard or blatantly as to not get fired. His cold eyes flicked towards the door as Leventis had arrived before turning back to his book.

Shiloh was lost in all the thoughts that plagued his mind as he laid his head down on the table. At least the soft, warm breeze felt nice as it brushed against his skin. He let out a sigh as he wondered what would happen to him and about whatever magic he possessed. It was hard to believe that he had any magic in him whatsoever as no matter how much he tried he couldn’t do anything. Too frustrated and distant, he never noticed the suspicious figure sneaking over to him or hovering above him. Of course it had gotten a bit dark suddenly, but he assumed it was a cloud passing by the sun. Once he felt something grab his shoulder, a shiver went down his spine and Shiloh let out a small squeal as he jumped a bit.

He quickly turned a bit to see who it was and his face flushed as it had only been another student? “A-Ah! I-I’m sorry…!” He apologized as he looked up to the man’s face. It didn’t take him long to remember the stranger, Cerberus was his name…right? He remembered meeting him when he first came to this school before the incident. Embarrassment flooded over him as he had made a small scene, he hoped no one else was near. “Y…yeah…long time, no see.” He said in a small voice as he casted his gaze downward, away from Cerberus face. He had been curious about him since the first day they met but they had never met again after that. It was surprising that someone who he only interacted with once would remember him.

Kellen stood in front of the area where the testing was happening. It wasn’t a large area where students were close by working at their desks on a paper or anything, in a way; it kind of made him relax a bit. There was a table with professors seated who directed students with the entry of the tests. He clenched his hands a bit out of nervousness before taking a few quick glances around to make sure he wouldn’t bump into someone on the way over. The last thing he needed was to get someone else’s test anxiety doubled over his own! Once it was clear, he headed straight to the table and was handed a sheet to fill out. It asked what magic type he believed he had and other normal things like name and such. After he was done with that, they directed him to the Mystics test. The door seemed intimidatingly large but he pushed through the doors and was met by two professors who were to judge his abilities. Once that was over, he was tested to see if he possessed anything else. Of course he had fire but that really wasn’t magic…it was just an inherited ability. After everything was over he sighed in relief.

“Still grumpy, as ever, though I guess it’s hard to believe you wouldn’t be after what’s happened.” Solaris said in a sultry with a hint of mischievousness in her voice as she opened the door and stepped in. The old man had a scowl plastered on his face as usual but the only difference from the past was that he was older and looked exhausted. Solaris gave him a light smile as she made her way over to his desk. “Hope I’m not bothering you too much, seeing as you’re busy with other parents, no?”

Once Gabriel finished his test he decided he wanted to relax somewhere. Although there were many good places to relax at outside, his thoughts drifted to the bed that he and the elf had shared that night. It was surprisingly comfortable…and warm. He wondered if the library would be open or if the elf would still be there. Out of the staff during the meeting he had brought him too, he hadn’t seemed a bit disturbed by the horrific manslaughter so he doubted that the Elf would quit. That man would need to be fired to leave his library. The thought made him smile a little as a small chuckle left his throat.

The unusual change in his demeanor was brief. Gabriel stuffed his hands into his pocket, effectively securing his game into the hoody he wore, as he kept his headphones on and walked to the library. The building was a little quiet in some places but you could still hear movement as students shuffled to take their tests. Outside was much livelier as new students and old ones mingled as they anticipated their results. It wasn’t long before he reached the libraries doors where he stopped and listened. Silence awaited him there but if he listened closely he could hear someone moving about. Gabriel peered in through the small window at the door to see the culprit and once he confirmed the man, he barged in.

Once Calisto finished tidying his office and putting things in their place, he couldn’t help himself to look out the window a bit distantly. He wondered what Gale was up too. Was he safe? If he told the griffon he was worried about him, he’d probably be offended that he thinks he couldn’t handle himself. He knew Gale was strong and could protect himself, but it never stopped him from worrying about him frequently. His worries always simultaneously blew away though, when Gale would appear before him. He breathed out a small but light sigh as he sat himself down in his chair. Sometimes he’d worry about being too clingy or annoying towards Gale. Would the man ever find him to be that way? As he thought to himself, he looked down at his neat yet normal desk. It had frames of his sisters and himself on it, even one with his father. The idea struck him to take some pictures of Gale and with Gale when he arrived! But did he bring a camera…

Leventis returned the smile to Kassandra as she brushed pass her. “The same goes for you!” She replied as she sat down and settled herself in a chair at the table. The coffee smiled nice but Leventis was already energized from her morning routine, as she leaned back in her chair she looked back towards Kassandra who was getting coffee. “You seem rather happy, something happen?” She asked with mirth filling her eyes.

“Morning.” Soleil responded as he sat up at the arrival of Kassandra but only to grab his coffee mug and take a sip from it. He also couldn’t help but notice her sudden upbeat attitude. “Could it perhaps…be about that school?” He asked as he relaxed back in his seat, his cold eyes watching her as she moved about as he kept the book to his face. There had to be more to it than just the school, after all, what was happy to be about it coming back? He wondered if she had any plans.

The laughter that erupted from the man made Shiloh all the more embarrassed but it didn’t seem mean-spirited. He was a bit surprised that Cerberus took the seat next to him and glanced at him briefly as he looked to see what he was doing. It wasn’t uncomfortable, though he did feel a bit nervous having him close to him and watching him. Cerberus’ way of speaking was strange as he recalled the man referring to him as a kid before when they first met. With how tall he was, the way he dressed, and his speech, it made him feel like Cerberus was perhaps older than him. But how old? “It seems like it…but it’s not intentional.” He replied, adding the last part just in case of a misunderstanding. Shiloh looked up a bit quickly as an expression of worry came across his face, “A test?” He asked in a shocked voice before he remembered what the test was. “Ah…you mean the entrance test, right?” Shiloh asked as he took another glance towards the mysterious man beside him. “I…took it already.” He stated as he began to fidget with his hands underneath the table, “They still don’t know what kind of magic I have but they say I possess a strong amount of it…” He explained quietly even though Cerberus never asked for an explanation.

Kellen looked to his phone as he stood outside of the testing ground, still no message from Cerberus or his mom for that matter. If she wasn’t there, it just meant that she was still talking to the principle. He hoped his mother would find him before he found Cerberus, he couldn’t allow her to meet Cerberus and find out about their relationship. He stared at his phones screen as the light emitted from it slowly dulled before turning off. He wanted to text Cerberus but what if he was busy? Still…a text shouldn’t hurt…right? Kellen summed up his courage and unlocked his phone before sending a text to Cerberus. Are you coming back to school at Belrousse? The text read, he hesitated sending it but went through with it. He wondered if he would respond. After he got done sending the message he decided to stroll around campus a bit.

“That’s too bad, how are you going to impress a suitor like that?” Solaris teased with a kind smile. She was glad that she wasn’t disturbing the man with her sudden visit as the man had already had enough on his plate. “I’m honoured. I must say, I’m quite surprised you took the position. I never thought you would leave that small office you used to occupy where you scowled students.” She joked with a small giggle before changing to a serious expression. “About the incident…not many details were released with the massacre, but I trust everything is resolved? From my understanding, only staff seemed to be targeted and I trust you to look after my child’s safety. If there is anything my family and I can assist you in, we would be very obliged.”

Gabriel watched indifferently as the elf swirled around with a vicious look, ready to scold someone. The elf seemed to relax seeing as it was him but he could tell he was still annoyed at him for not coming in quietly. “No, I thought this was the cafeteria.” He replied sarcastically as he took a seat at an empty table and swiftly pulled out his handheld game. “Boring, as usual.” Gabriel replied as he didn’t bother to look up to the librarian as he spoke. The test was easy and he went through it with flying colors, but there was one that bothered him. He was never good with bonding with animals; they seemed to have a inborn dislike of him. He could summon a beast or demon with ease and since they didn’t care, they were easy to control. But animals were a different story. It was a bit frustrating and caused a slight frown to cross his face.

Calisto couldn’t find a camera in his own inventory so he decided that he would go to the school store and buy one instead. He should have enough money for it and it shouldn’t be too expensive. Though, sometimes the school’s prices for things were outrageous. He locked up his drawers in case someone snuck in and began to head out before he noticed something outside. Stopping in his tracks, he turned around and looked out the window once more. His face brightened as he recognized the figure outside, a proud Griffon who seemed to be looking for someone. Calisto hastily threw open the window before sticking his head out, a bright smile plastered across his face. “Gale!” He chimed out endearingly towards the Griffon.

“Yes you!” Leventis replied playfully as she watched the headmistress take her seat. She always seemed refined to her in the ways she held herself. “You sure nothing interesting, hasn’t happened? You’re absolutely glowing!” She asked with a small laugh. She listened as Soleil gave his reply before speaking up again. “It is, isn’t it? But it’ll take them more time to catch up with this now.” She said as she looked at the table before getting up and heading to the small fridge in the room for a light snack. Calisto had been ecstatic about the school reopening, he was probably happy at his job.

“I’m surprised they reopened after that embarrassment.” Soleil replied snidely at the thought of the other academy. He looked back at the words on his book as he began to read again. “I heard the headmaster quit after it, I wonder if the new headmaster is any good.” He doubted the school could be considered their rival now that it was known for a massacre. Even so, students were still going to the school even with what had happened. If they didn’t possess great security, it wouldn’t be long before something else blew up over there.

Vel was restless as he waited for class to begin. He wasn’t an honor student nor one of those freaks that enjoyed school. Hell, he didn’t even really want to be here but the Organization forced him to go here. Wasn’t he already doing good enough at his job? If they had a problem with his handiwork, they should tell him upfront instead of sending him to this dumb school. He had eater earlier and the food here was the only thing he couldn’t really complain about. It was surprisingly good. He sighed as he stood in a small clearing of the forest, spinning his dual gun blades around in one hand as he tried to entertain himself. A small growl emitted from his throat before he fired off a bolt of darkness at a tree, damaging it in the process. Killing trees were boring; he needed a dummy or something to actually fight. A few trees had been victim to him before he pulled out a small notebook from his pocket.

“No…I don’t think you’re scary…you seem nice and a bit strange.” Shiloh replied, though he knew the man didn’t mean anything serious in his comment. “Yes…” Before Shiloh could say anything, he was thrown off by the words that followed. “Special?” He asked as he turned to look at Cerberus again. He wondered why the other man looked surprised but couldn’t see any trace of him mocking him in his expression. His cheeks began to tint red a little, “I…I don’t feel special.” He admitted as his mind focused on the word special. It was small; maybe not even a compliment but he couldn’t get it out of his head for some reason. He hadn’t really felt special since coming to the school, if anything he felt irregular and average out of everyone there. The vibrating sound from Cerberus phone had caught him off guard but he didn’t jump like before. He couldn’t help but notice how the man suddenly smiled at his phone from whatever message was left on it. He felt a bit weird watching Cerberus so he turned his attention elsewhere as he gave him privacy in texting. He didn’t look back at him until he saw him put something on the table.

Kellen was surprised at his phones sudden notification as he was putting his phone back in his pocket. He didn’t think Cerberus would reply so fast and he immediately looked at the text. He could help the small smile on his face knowing that Cerberus was here too. Where are you? He sent back just as quickly before sliding the phone back into his pocket. Should he find Cerberus now, or should he wait for his mother before going to him? He could just excuse himself if he sees her while with Cerberus but he might follow him. Standing in the middle of the sidewalk wasn’t the best idea and made him feel stupid so he moved to a nearby seat as he waited for the reply.

“That’s great.” Solaris said with a small smile, “Thanks for the consideration as well. If you ever need anything, even your fortune told, make sure to pay a visit!’ Solaris said before giving a small yet playful frown in response to Alastair putting off finding a partner. “That should be your top priority unless scowling at children makes you happy. I won’t judge you for strange actions.” Solaris replied as she raised her arms in the air in a shrugging fashion. Unlike herself, she knew humans didn’t live for a long period of time, reproduction should be a normal priority in one’s life but finding a lover was just as important. She was happy with her husband and the children she raised with him. She turned and headed to the door but turned to look back at Alastair a last time. “Don’t scowl too much, your face might get stuck that way.” She teased before opening the door.

Gabriel was surprised as he felt the Elf suddenly take his chin and turn him to face him. Coming face to face with Virion so suddenly wasn’t in his plans, though he did intend to observer him from a far. He was reluctant to face him on this topic but shrugging away from him would probably make it worse. “What face?” He asked as he worked to relax his expression. Making poker faces weren’t hard but he never expected to be caught making an expression. He didn’t even really notice that he had made one, in fact. His eyes wandered a bit, not focusing on the elf as being read made him uncomfortable. At first he strayed not to look at him but he gradually began to focus on Virion’s features. In a way, he was trying to push back the thoughts of his frustration away from the Elf’s curious gaze.

Calisto brightened as he saw Gale coming towards him and couldn’t help the rupture of laughter at his companion’s reaction. This was egged on as he felt Gale’s beak nuzzle him and he wrapped his arms around the large head of the Griffon as he hugged him affectionately. Every meeting felt like the first time they met again and it was hard to believe he had such a relationship. The sounds coming from his room must certainly sound weird to others passing by. He lovingly began to stroke Gale’s head as he nuzzled him back as best as he could. “I was just thinking of you! I’m so glad that I can see you again!” He really wished he had that camera but he hoped Gale would stay long enough for him to get it and take pictures. He hadn’t felt Gale’s feathers or fur in a while and it was nice smooth.

Leventis pouted as it seemed Kassandra really had nothing she seemed to be hiding. “I was hoping to hear about a late night rendezvous from you.” She said as she dug through the fridge and pulled out a cup of yogurt. “Sounds like you have a lot of faith in that school.” She replied, it didn’t take her long to find a spoon and once she was set she plopped back down in her seat before digging in. “Think the new headmaster will be better than the first? He must have a lot of dignity taking the role after what happened.”

“I guess they would have more shame if they left like that. Though, did we get anything out of assisting them?” Soleil asked while his fingers lightly brushed across the thin pages of the book before flipping the page. No other magic school was as popular as their own and Belrousse, if the other school closed, they’d have no competition. He guessed this way; things wouldn’t be boring as crushing other schools in competition would sour with how easy it would be.

Vel had just found the spell when he suddenly heard a small shriek nearby. He quickly placed the book back in his pocket as he looked around. Had he hit an animal? He was surprised to find a small girl peeking out at him from behind the tree he had recently hit. He didn’t see anyone else in the forest earlier when he was scouting out practice so he never expected this. He scratched the back of his head as he met her eyes. “Sorry, I guess, but you weren’t there before!” He said as he pointed the weapon at her before putting it back to his side.

“…That’s hard…” Shiloh replied as he briefly glanced at Cerberus before the sound of his phone had cut him off. “It’s fine.” He assured the man with a small smile before turning to look away again. He wasn’t usually so down on himself but even before all this happened and he came to this school, he had little confidence in any magical ability since he seemed to possess none. Still, somehow at that time, everything felt warm and everyone seemed friendly. Now, knowing that he caused the incident made his self-esteem plummet. Cerberus was nice but would he still be kind to him if he found out that he was the culprit? Shiloh unconsciously began to fiddle with his hands as he waited. He wondered when the testing period would be over and their dorms would be announced. Now that he thought about it, he would have to attend therapy at some point in the evening.

Kellen immediately looked to his phone once he heard the notification sound. It wasn’t too far but he still had a ways to walk in order to get to Cerberus. He wondered if Cerberus had taken his test already but decided he would save that question for when he got there. I’m on my way. He shot back before putting his phone away and leaving from the table. He couldn’t wait to see Cerberus again and the fact that he was so eager also made him a little embarrassed about it. He almost forgot about his mom but he hoped he would just run into her before he found Cerberus. It took a small while to get there and he finally spotted Cerberus seated at a table outside but he didn’t know who he was sitting next too. His face had brightened at the sight of him but frowned a little. Did Cerberus have friends? He never saw him hanging out with anyone before until now.

“It’s never too late~!” Solaris chimed with a wink before leaving the man to himself. She worried she was being a bit too optimistic and maybe she shouldn’t have asked about the lover thing as it really seemed to bother Alastair as he immediately became distant before she teased him. She should’ve read his fortune to him before leaving but she only did it if she was asked as some people felt it invaded privacy. As she exited the building, she checked her phone to see the time. Kellen must’ve finished his test by now and she could bid him farewell. It took a bit of wondering but Solaris finally found her son, he seemed excited for some reason as he faced two people at the bench. Friends? A small smirk set her face as she lovingly hugged Kellen from behind; causing her son to immediately flail at first from surprise before seeing it was her. He never liked people touching him but his family was an exception. “I see you finished your test?” She purred close to his ear with a smile.

Gabriel began to knit his brow as the elf persisted on interrogating him. The elf could be persistent at unnecessary moments, and this was one of them. He still couldn’t shake the feeling of the elf reading him like a book as the elf began to study him more closely. The elf probably wouldn’t let this go; no matter how trivial it was so Gabriel let out a sigh. “Nothing really…Animals are just bothersome.” He mumbled as he attempted to turn away from the elf’s grasp.

“Ah! Gale you’re so cute~! I love you so much!” Calisto purred as he lightly squeezed Gale while affectionately nuzzling his head against his larger one. He only pulled away a bit once Gale spoke up. “Eh…a mind reader…?” He asked contemplatively before his eyes widened and he began to blush bright red. “R-Really?” He shouted suddenly in a shocked voice as he covered his face with his hands. He really hoped he couldn’t read his thoughts as that would be embarrassing and just the thought of him being able to read his mind conjured up the first night they slept together somehow and it made him incredibly flustered as he tried to push all of it away.

Leventis laughed at Kassandra’s response before eating another spoonful of yogurt. “That’s true, though I never cared to learn about the old headmaster. I trust your word as it does seem rather cowardly to break down from such a trivial thing.” She stated thoughtfully as she looked ahead a bit distantly. She never liked cowardly men who couldn’t stand their own ground, let alone one who couldn’t bear to deal with how gruesome the world could be at some points. This coupled with the fact that the murdered professors were ones with shady backgrounds really set in how awful a director the man was. If anything, the serial killer appearing there was more of a benefit to the school than they thought. Though, she could understand the students being traumatized from the reported mess as they were still young and inexperienced.

Soleil met her eyes when he noticed her addressing him after messing around with Leventis. “Right. I see others might have grasped how truly strong and reliable you are as a director for being able to single handedly handling a problem not your own with such ease. We’ve had a recent influx in students but not too much.” Soleil stated as he closed the book before standing up. “But…do you have anything planned for this new year?”

“Hah~?” Vel drawled as his brow began to furrow as he met the girl’s eyes with his silver ones. “I think you should look out for yourself more before stumbling about through the forest.” He retorted as he spun his weapon in his hand before setting one blade down. He pulled out the small leather notebook he had from earlier again and flipped through the pages before finding the one he was looking for. For a moment he was silent before he suddenly moved and began to draw a sigil on the ground with alchemic symbols across it. It wasn’t too complicated but it wasn’t the easiest to draw either. Once finished he placed the book back in his pocket before sprinkling a powdered substance over the area. In a small flash of lightning, a figure was born. The figure had a human shape but once the smoke had settled it was in the form of a wooden ball jointed doll.

“You’re too kind…” Shiloh replied almost immediately before Cerberus’ sudden shout startled him a bit before he hesitantly turned to see who he was yelling at. There was another boy standing there with bright red hair who appeared to be facing them. Maybe he was a friend of Cerberus? Shiloh immediately looked down once he accidentally met eyes with the person. He wasn’t great with meeting new people. Both people were practically strangers to him so he was a bit uncomfortable but that was a part of trying to make friends…right? He glanced back up a bit, looking at Cerberus and noticing his confused face before turning back to the direction Cerberus gaze faced. There was a woman there now with the boy. Shiloh didn’t really know what to do with himself as he waited so he decided to look at his schedule on his phone.

Kellen had immediately frozen when he felt someone slink their arms around him before pulling him into a hug. His hair stood up on end as he felt his mother’s bosom pressed against the back of his head, as she was taller than him. He had flailed at first but it proved to be his mother and this turned into the worst possible situation. Cerberus had even called out to him. He hesitantly looked to his mother who was definitely teasing him. “Yeah…I finished…” He responded halfheartedly as he anticipated what was next.

“Great! I finished things up here too but I see you made some friends! Why don’t you introduce me to them?” Solaris purred with a broad smile on her face. She began to push Kellen towards the table with the two boys at as she wasn’t going to let him get away with not showing them to her. She was very interested in her son’s life, she knew he had friends but she hadn’t met all of them and she had definitely not met these two.

“M-Mom! Wait! Don’t you have other things to do at home? I only know one of them…” Kellen’s cries broke in as he tried derailing her objective but it was too late. He wasn’t ready to introduce Cerberus to his family, let alone his mother, and he definitely wasn’t ready to tell her this was his boyfriend. Once they reached the table he looked down a bit before meeting Cerberus curious gaze as his mother stopped pushing him. “Uh…Hi… This is my mom and this is my friend Cerberus and his friend?”

“Not…exactly.” Gabriel replied with a small huff as he rested his chin on his now propped arm after the elf had released him. Scaring them away wasn’t always the case and only happened a few times; he wished it was just them getting scared. The problem lied in the fact that the animals just outright hate him. Often, not obeying his orders or ignoring him at best. “I’m not scary like you.” He scoffed before shifting and leaning against the elf, now that he was next to him. He didn’t give the elf room to push him away and kind of just plopped against him. He wanted to ask Virion if he knew about animals but elves and animals were often stereotyped together and he didn’t want to offend the elf.

“Oh no!” Calisto gasped in horror as he stumbled away from the Griffon. He couldn’t believe Gale could do such things and read his thoughts just now! Embarrassment seeped through the nymph as he didn’t know how to approach the fact that he had such a dirty thought about the two of them… “I…I’m sorry.” He apologized shyly as he hid his face from the Griffon’s view. He had never felt so embarrassed his entire life…until now.

“Really?” Leventis spat out before laughing as well before the next statement hit her. “Competition?” She repeated enthusiastically as her face began to light up. “I’d love that! We’ll wipe the floor with them!” She shouted as she suddenly stood up, feeling pumped at the idea. “I’m all for it, when you’re ready!” She stated with a wink to Kassandra before she went over to the garbage can and threw away her finished snack. “I’ll see you too lunch hour.” She said as she gave a small wave to the both of them before leaving to her class. There was some time left but she wanted to make sure everything was prepared.

“You never fail to amuse me.” Soleil stated as he took slow and measured steps towards her before stopping briefly. He watched as Leventis became aroused by the idea as well, though she was more hyper about it. He couldn’t exactly blame her as they hadn’t had a competition in a while. Once Leventis had left, he turned back to Kassandra who he stood before. “Mind if I accompany you when the time arrives?” He asked politely as he was interested in seeing the head and what the school looked like.

Vel hadn’t noticed the girl had moved beside him until she spoke up. He thought she had left already as she was pretty scared before but he turned to look at her. He hadn’t really looked at her before but now he could study her. If anything, the girl could blend right in with grass. Her once frightened eyes looked curious now as she looked at the wooden puppet he had summoned. “Making something to fight with, shooting trees was boring and I really need someone to fight against.” Vel stated as he snatched up his gun blade that he had lain down before. The wooden ball jointed puppet held in its hand a hatchet. It hadn’t appeared to notice them yet as it stood there. “Are you good at fighting?” He asked the girl before lunging at the wooden puppet and sparring with it. There was a wild look in his eyes as he fought wildly and he was clearly stronger than the puppet.

Kellen felt bad for introducing Cerberus like this. He hoped he didn’t think that he was ashamed of him being his boyfriend, that wasn’t it. He just wanted a possible meeting of his family with him to be a little less spontaneous and they’d both have time to prepare. Not only that, Kellen wasn’t sure how his mother nor his family would react to the fact that Cerberus and his family were practically poachers of magical beasts…like him. It wasn’t something he felt comfortable about and if he was in his right mind, he wouldn’t pursue the man further. But he really, truly loved Cerberus, he felt and trusted him. At best, he wanted to discuss stuff like meeting family with him before actually doing it. And it’s not like his family fully approved of dating humans nor opposed it, it was complicated. With these thoughts in mind, he watched Cerberus expressions and how he responded. He was surprised by his formal greeting but he had acted in a way before on their first date.

Solaris watched as the two boys introduced themselves and couldn’t help the small chuckle that left from her as she grinned at the two. She hadn’t expected the one in the suit to be so formal yet speak in a strange accent. But what could one expect when one was dressed in a suit even though it wasn’t necessary. “Your friends are so cute~!” She purred as she affectionately wrapped her arm around Kellen’s shoulder. “I’m Kellen’s mother, Solaris! It’s nice to meet such lovely boys~! If you want your fortunes told, feel free to ask, if you’re nice to my son I won’t charge you!” She purred before offering them a wink.

“My mom’s a famous fortune teller…” Kellen explained.

Shiloh had turned to meet the people’s gaze a bit hesitantly as it was rude to not face someone when they’re talking to you. Even so, he felt nervous, meeting someone and their mom right off the bat wasn’t in his plans. He had frozen up a bit when they were talking about introductions and nervously watched as Cerberus introduced himself in a strangely polite way. He never thought he would take off his hat but he couldn’t help but to watch. He couldn’t pull off something like that. He flinched slightly when Cerberus suddenly glanced at him and was surprised when the man had introduced them. “Eh…” the sound slipped from his lips a bit quietly and barely audible, as he was surprised to be called his friend. Friend? He wanted to repeat it aloud but it was a bad idea. Cerberus was probably just being considerate of him, after all, they hadn’t really known each other. “U..uhm…Hello!” He chirped shyly as he presented a small smile.

“No, you’re super scary.” Gabriel teased as he nuzzled his head against Virion’s chest, pressing closer against the elf as he felt his arm wrap around him and hold him. It was warm, like he remembered. In sheer comfort, Gabriel closed his eyes as he relaxed against the elf’s body, but stayed attentive to what the man said to him. An annoyed sigh came out of his mouth at the last words that left Virion’s mouth, but he stayed close against him. “Any suggestions?” He asked silently.

The laughter that echoed from the window of the room made Calisto feel even more embarrassed. “Hah?” He grunted in response to Gale’s confession before pouting at the Griffin. “Who knew…you could be so cruel!” He whimpered before burying his face into his knees as he began to gather himself. He flinched a little at the suggestion that Gale gave him about coming forward with his thoughts. “I’d rather not. How about we can both just forget about it?” He rejected as he tried to steer the topic elsewhere.

Soleil smiled a bit as his expression seemed to soften from his usual cold demeanor, but only a tiny bit. “I’m glad that you rely on us at times.” He said in a warm voice as his cold blue eyes watched her move. What he said was true, as he was glad to see a small weakness and happy that she relied on them in such a way. The woman was strong so he began to suspect that she would keep to herself instead of asking them to come with her. It just showed that he hadn’t fully gotten to know the person named Kassandra. Still, he admired her either way as he respected her.

“I always want to fight!” Vel bit out proudly as he turned a sharp glance towards Celine with a roguish grin splayed across his face. His eyes glimmered with something dangerous, a threatening intent shined in them. “Don’t worry, I won’t fight you. You seem scared anyways.” He assured her, though not in the most polite way. The girl looked fragile in his mind but he didn’t really know what she could do. “What time is it?” He suddenly asked as he shielded a blow from the doll. They would have classes soon and his boss wouldn’t really appreciate it if he was out here doing stuff like this instead of attending dumb classes.

Kellen had surely been watching Cerberus, but he actually wasn’t fully there until Cerberus suddenly called for his attention. It took him a minute to understand the question before a light flush spread across his face. He frowned in response as he crossed his arms before turning his head away from Cerberus. “…Yeah.” He agreed in a mumble as he tried to hide his flustered expression from his mother. This would prove hard since his mother knew him inside and out and could read him like a book. He could feel his mother hovering over him before her warmth was suddenly lost.

“It depends on what kind of reading you want. If you’re okay with an oral one, I could do it quite fast but if you want visuals, to see hints at your future, you would have to stop by my shop.” Solaris stated with a smile to her lips as she handed the boys her business card.

Gabriel felt the elf’s weight against him but he could tell it wasn’t the elf’s full weight. Even with his prowess, that only pertained to knowledge. He knew he was rather weak in terms of physical attributes and that was something he was content about and didn’t plan on changing. Gabriel wasn’t perfect and he would rather it stay that way. Nevertheless, he liked the embrace that he was in with the elf wrapped around him. Somehow, he felt secure but good things sometimes come to an end. He reluctantly opened his eyes as he heard the suggestion, lightly turning to look at the elf in disbelief but that wasn’t really shown on his sullen face. “…Has that worked for you in your private times?”

“Waah! You bully!” Calisto whined teasingly at Gale’s confession. Though, he was a tiny bit upset for getting teased like that the guilt in Gale’s voice made him let it go. He glanced at the griffon just in time to see the small frown on his face from his reaction. “You…you really wanted to know?” He asked a bit shocked as he thought the Griffon had been joking about his earlier suggestion. He gathered himself from the floor before dusting his lab coat off. “Well…can you come with me to get a camera? I want to take pictures of you so I can frame them on my desk!” Calisto said excitedly.

“Right.” Soleil agreed to the impossibility of shouldering everything by oneself. He took a quick glance at the clock before following Kassandra to the door. “You’re right.” He was surprised how fast time flew by as they discussed such a small thing but he didn’t mind. “I would be honored to be accompanied by you...” He stated before bowing jokingly before her and adding, “My queen.” Soleil tended to be serious when it counted but didn’t mind joking from time to time. “Shall we be on our way?”

“Yeah right!” Vel called back in a mocking manner before groaning at the thought of going to class. With great reluctance, he bit his thumb before pouncing onto the doll and marking its forehead in a swift movement. In an instant, the doll froze in place before a puff of smoke appeared and it turned into ash that littered the grass. Vel fixed his clothes, licking the injured thumb before looking back to Celine. “Ah~ lessee, I’m a Shadow Assassin but I also use alchemy so my half of my classes are on darkness manipulation and the other half is alchemy. There are also two boring generic classes I have for students of all types, something about magic history and gym.” Vel grumbled out before shoving a hand into his pocket. As he talked, the vibrancy that had flickered in him so violently seemed to be extinguished and replaced with a somber aura. He spoke in an unenthused tone as he made his way over to her. “Why’d ya’ ask? Did’ja wanna be friends or something?” He asked as he leaned down close to her face but not uncomfortably so, as his eyes met hers.

“Anytime.” Solaris said with a smile, she watched as Cerberus had suddenly got up to leave and stopped before her. “You as well.” She agreed before adding, “I bet you impress a lot of ladies with your formality. But children these days can’t take a well-dressed man.” She complimented before moving away and gently ruffling Kellen’s hair affectionately. “Goodbye my child, and good luck, suspicious Cerberus!” She teased as it wasn’t hard to note that Cerberus looked a bit suspicious but she dismissed it as his natural appearance and the aura he kept about himself. She waved her hand as she walked the off in the opposite direction of the trio.

Kellen glanced back as Cerberus suggested stopping by before suddenly stating that he was leaving. A bit crestfallen as he had just arrived to see him, he was determined to go with him. He accidentally met Cerberus gaze as he turned addressing glances at both him and his friend. Relief settled on his chest as his mother was finally leaving him, though he couldn’t help the small frown as she ruffled his hair. He watched his mother’s back as she left while mindlessly fixing his red hair before suddenly turning to where Cerberus was. He wasn’t sure if he had left already and was glad that he hadn’t missed him before quickly striding over to his lover. His hands had reached out before pausing and pulling away. He had almost touched him and he didn’t know how Cerberus felt. “Ah…I’m sorry about that, and everything else.” He apologized as he looked down. “…How are you feeling?” He asked with a small glance upwards.

Shiloh had watched the others as they all interacted together. He really had no place to put any input anywhere so he was sure he had been forgotten in the midst of it all. He didn’t necessarily mind but a part of him did. He felt nervous, an awkward feeling of intrusion into something he wasn’t a part of. That feeling was the general cause of how awkward he felt and he wasn’t sure if the others felt it too or it was just him. He assumed it was just him as they others seemed relatively okay. Well, he couldn’t read the man known as Cerberus really. He had picked up on the fact that the mother was a fortune teller and he couldn’t help but wonder what future he had in store. He didn’t really have any hope of being good with current events but he would hope that maybe…just maybe it would be good. Would he get to know himself more and the puzzles of his past scrambled within himself? As he pondered these things with a downward cast, he was startled when he saw Cerberus leave from his side from the side of his view. Shiloh’s gaze casted quickly to the others before he caught Cerberus’ glance as he suggested tagging along, but did he want too? He worried he would be bothersome to the other two but it would be better than watching the two walk off together as friends. He hesitantly stood before following after the two but not standing too close.

Gabriel couldn’t understand why the elf had suddenly smiled though his earlier comment should’ve been insulting. He could never figure the elf out and that bothered him and at times, intrigued him. “Who knew you were such a pervert.” Gabriel responded as he didn’t look away from the elf’s gaze as they made eye contact. He kept the gaze before finally sighing and snuggling back against the elf. “I won’t ask for your advice anymore.” He grumbled, though in a clear voice before mumbling, “I don’t know why I missed you.”

Calisto was happy to see that Gale was smiling again and eagerly nodded. “I want pictures of you, in any shape or form. I’ll be happy that it’s just you!” He admitted with a warmhearted smile and endearing eyes. “Really?” He shouted excitedly once Gale said he would accompany him. Childish excitement reflected in his eyes as his childlike grin spread across his face as it lit up. He only paused a bit to assess the question that Gale asked him about the window. He placed a finger, curiously, to his chin as he tilted his head slightly before giving an answer. “Uh…I don’t think it would be a problem, if you’re okay with coming through the window that is.”

Soleil kept his calm and composed expression as a small smile stayed upon his face. “A lady like yourself deserves formality, though I try to treat each person with respect…if they deserve it.” He said in a mellow tone as he followed her out the door. He chuckled at her comment of having an audience as he closed the door behind him before walking beside Kassandra. She seemed to have an easier time slipping through the crowd in a graceful manner. Kassandra wasn’t the only thing reflected in his cold gaze as they went through the hallway. Every now and then he would acknowledge a student who had chosen to greet him. “I’m sure more people seek an audience with you than me. I hope you aren’t late to anything due to escorting me.” He said in a leveled voice as he turned his gaze before hers once they reached the door to his room and he stopped to see her off.

Vel watched as the small girl processed his words. He couldn’t tell why she had gotten down before suddenly seeming cheerful. Maybe girls were just weird. Now that he thought about it, he had never really an experience with woman as in the orphanage his sole focus was on assassination. Things such as friends and love didn’t really matter to him so he never really took into account his female counterparts unless necessity called to it. With that in mind, it was surprising that Vel wasn’t one to be flustered around woman but it was largely due to his indifference of sexually and romantic attraction. Still, being close to the girl he thought she would’ve gotten angry at his question, as others he had been around would usually be offended by his gesture. It’s not like he asked in a genuine manner. “Do whatever you want. Name’s Vel.” He introduced himself before picking Celine up suddenly. He had an arm wrapped around her waist as he held her to his side, like a child before sprinting off back towards the school with her. “We’ll be late if we loiter ‘round any longer.”