After a long day of classes, a fairy flattened out the last pile of paperwork she had gone over that day and slid everything in a drawer. She clicked her wand back into its usual place, shoved her chair backwards, and before long found herself strolling through the hallway.

    When she came back to her room, the first thing she did was to take off her heels and stretch her foot to get adjusted to the newfound freedom. Raising her arms behind her back, she slowly took the pins holding her bun up out of her hair and untwisted it ‘till she felt it brushing softly on her shoulders.

    Afterwards, she took a glass out of the cabinet and poured herself some wine to unwind after a busy week preparing for the Initiation. She leaned back against the table in her room, let out a sigh- and just before she could take the first sip she heard a knock coming from the door.

    Quickly making sure her blouse was properly tucked into her skirt, she went up to the door and opened it just enough to peek through.

    ‘Oh, miss Faewood.’

    ‘Evening, Mirana. May I come in?’

    ‘Of course, I-’ She opened the door further and walked back over to her table, trying to tie her hair somewhat back into a bun, to no avail. ‘Please excuse my appearance, I was just getting ready for the night. Can I pour you a glass?’

    ‘If you’d please.’

    Stirling took another glass from the cabinet and filled it up before handing it to Faewood, who looked up from her thoughts, rubbed her hand over her cheek and chuckled softly.

    ‘I- suppose you have something on your mind?’

    Faewood smiled sadly. ‘You know me well. Indeed, there’s something I want to discuss.’

    ‘Frostthorn?’

    She nodded absently. ‘She visited me in my office today. I didn’t want to bother you with it on the first day, I know how demanding it is on you, but I-’ Faewood looked away.

    ‘I know. It’s been hard on you, hasn’t it?’

    ‘I always knew she would come looking for answers eventually, but on her first day, Mirana?’

    Stirling took her own glass back into her hand and inspected the moving liquid as she rocked it ever so slightly from side to side.

‘What difference does it make?’

    ‘I just- figured I’d have more time to prepare.’

    ‘You didn’t… you know?’ She gestured vaguely.

    ‘Oh, no, of course not. Though it was hard not to. I…’ she averted her eyes from Stirling, ‘came too close. Nearly said too much…’

    ‘And the mark?’

    ‘Hurtful… but I don’t think she was onto anything. Not yet anyway. She’s perceptive, Mirana, and that could very well be her downfall…’

𓆩✧𓆪

It was quiet in the hallways when I made it back down. Disturbingly quiet, like all sound had been muted before I entered and nothing was left but the echo of my conversation with the headmistress.

    My hand had barely reached the handle to the dorm when I heard a soft beeping noise from the pocket of my skirt. I quickly brushed the tears off my cheeks and pressed in the combination Alex had taught me during our flight toward the Academies. The light of the projector flicked on and their face appeared as some sort of hologram on the grainy screen.

    ‘Al? What- what are you calling for? Is everything alright on your end?’

    ‘I am quite all right. I called to let you know that I devised a calendar to keep track of the days on Terra, and tomorrow it will be Friday, so I will be calling you then.’

    ‘You did?’ I couldn’t help but to giggle at Alex’ remark. I had forgotten all about that promise with all the changes going on and everything that had happened in between. ‘That’s wonder- ful…’ I heard a beep from the device. I looked at the screen and blinked. ‘Did they just…?’

    I tapped Alexan’s name and the device started buzzing again.

    ‘Al-’ I said when the buzz stopped. ‘What was that for?’

    ‘What was what for?’ Alex asked.

    ‘You suddenly broke it off?’

    ‘I had said all I had to say.’

    I covered my mouth and giggled softly. Then that giggle turned into a laugh.

    ‘Ehrynn?’

    ‘That’s so delightfully you, Al. But I have a better idea. What if we simply called now, while we’re both still up anyway?’

    ‘Oh.’ Alex said. ‘I can see the logic in that.’

    ‘Good.’ I laughed, but my laughter faded fast when I recalled the conversation I’d just come out of.

    Alex tilted their head. ‘... Ehrynn?’

    I stared blankly past the projection until I could softly utter the words I was looking for. ‘Hey, Al… something happened…’

𓆩✧𓆪

‘And those were her exact words?’

    ‘Yes, that’s exactly what she said- word for word. From what I gathered, professor Mekanis reached out to her at some point during my stay at Bythrith, though I’m not sure why.’

    ‘Then it must be the truth. Biologically speaking, it is commonly known that fey cannot lie. Even then, I never knew father had sought contact with her. However, nor did I ask, I did not assume he had reason to. After all, when we found you, your displays of Magic were minimal.’

    ‘And yet she said something about my “time back here in the Realm of Magic”- I suppose that confirms the theory that I’ve been here before. I can’t help but wonder what she meant by “current status” though.’ I held my pendant between the tips of my fingers and looked right past the projection of Alex on my screen, into the dorm’s common room.

    Eventually, I shook my head. ‘Hey, uh, Al- I was hoping to head over to the Athenaeum during the weekend- I’d like to check the student records, hopefully find some answers that way. I mean, if I’ve been here before- at the Academy, I mean- I should be in there, right? And uhm- well, I was hoping you could tag along, if you want.’

    Ever since professor Mekanis had off-handedly mentioned that the student records were located in the Athenaea, Alex and I had vowed whichever one of us would reach the Academies first would have a look, for both our sakes. I never actually thought we’d visit together, I’d always presumed Alex would end up relaying the information to me.

    ‘Hmmm…’ Alex skimmed over whatever they had in front of them, perhaps to look something up. ‘I cannot accompany you this weekend. Bythrith’s Initiation will come to its conclusion at the end of next week and I will be required to attend several more examinations, so I will need to prepare accordingly. However, I can meet you in a week.’

    ‘Then it’s settled! Following weekend after classes, we’ll meet at dawn.’

𓆩✧𓆪

Waiting for my meeting with Alex turned out far easier than I could have foreseen- at least aside from the weekend- for I had no time to ruminate on my thoughts at all with each passing day introducing me to a new class to get all excited about. And my, was I excited-

    Enough so, at least, that professor Shiitake jokingly noted I was one of the “most eager magic students she had ever come across” at the start of our first Herbology class, to which I shrunk in my seat. The comment came after I’d explained to Iklím how I’d read the entire “Herbs, plants and fungi” manual over the Summer, having found it on Anthea’s bookshelf- and she’d looked at me all dumbfounded. I didn’t realize it was that unusual, but nonetheless I refrained from telling her I’d read most of the other reading material, too.

Abrish seemed to have done the same for Basics of Alchemy, stating that she found the subject matter “rather intriguing and good food for thought”. We found ourselves conversing about crystalline structures and their magic properties between classes, something that caught Iklím’s interest as well. Even if Abrish mostly kept to herself and only said something when she had a thought to share, I rather enjoyed our conversations and grew very fond of them in the span of a week.

    I even managed to inform professor Followers on how everything had gone with Faewood after her class had ended, thanking her for her help the other day.

    ‘No need to thank me. I’m glad I could help. Though, before you go, Frostthorn, I wanted to ask you something-’

    Apparently, she had noticed my proficiency in Elvish and asked if I was interested in taking the Ancient Runes course she gave instead, to which I willingly agreed. I was very eager to learn more about the runes I’d seen in Faewood’s classroom, and was hoping they’d show up in Followers’ class.

    In all honesty, I was just eager to learn more regardless of what it was.

    Admittedly, I was a little disappointed to not have learned much of anything new at all in the first week. But then again, we were just starting out, so most classes were more of an orientation with an introduction speech from the professors about their journeys and credentials somewhere in between. Interesting nonetheless, but I was all too excited to get started.

    While I was going over the Invitation again to skim through the class roster for the upcoming cycles, I noticed that the only class courses still missing were Etiquettes by professor Stirling- who, from the sound of it in the hallways, was too occupied with all of her other duties at the start of the cycle to start her class in the first week- and Fundamentals of Magic- as the previous teacher had resigned and the vacancy was still open- even though that seemed like a most essential class to have at the start of our academic journey. I guess some things never change, no matter what school you attend.

    All with all, the Academy was proving to be a most magical experience- and I loved every minute of it.

𓆩⚙𓆪

As the morning set over the grounds of Bethoran Academy and lit up the crafting table, Alexan closed the lid to their creation and waited patiently. It took a while, but eventually the little thing made a soft buzzing sound and moved its arm up and down, clicking its little claw-like hand together as it opened and closed again.

    ‘It worked.’ Alexan whispered under their breath, taking their hand from under their chin.

    They stared at it, just for a little while, before they shook their head and scrolled open a large piece of blueprint material and frantically adjusted the notes on the sidelines.

    When that was done, they took another moment to look at the fruit of their labour, only interrupted when an alarm went off.

    ‘Oh, time to visit Ehrynn.’

    They shoved the creation in their pocket and took the ladder down to the lower part of the crafting room. They hung back their goggles on the small piece of wood that stuck out of a beam and ran to the door, to be stopped dead in their tracks when professor Mekanis opened it from the other side.

    ‘Alexan, still here, are you?’

    They nodded- and received a pat on their head from their father.

    ‘Have you found a roommate yet? Your Initiation is coming to an end, right-? Have you heard the outcome yet?’

    They hesitated, then shook their head.

    ‘Oh, uhm… You were uhm… visiting Ehrynn today, if I am not mistaken. Go along then, cannot keep her waiting.’ He balled his fist in an awkward but somehow encouraging swing.

    Alexan nodded one last time, briefly, and passed their father, shutting the door behind them.

    Professor Mekanis sat down at the lower crafting table. He rubbed the bridge of his nose and sighed, letting his shoulders down. ‘I do not understand that youngling…’

𓆩⚙𓆪

Alexan took quick steps down the stairs. Halfway down, they slowed and took their creation out of their pocket to put it on their shoulder. They stroked the little head and watched the little movements it made. ‘I am visiting my friend today, did you know? It is in my great…’ They paused and looked for the word. ‘delight.’

    When they came to the inner Courtyard of the Academy, the Academy’s Training Grounds, they backed away immediately.

    ‘Hey, look who decided to show himself?’

    They turned around and tried to go back through the door, but got stopped when their senior slid in front of them and held his hand on the handle.

    ‘Where have you been anyways? Weren’t you supposed to be on our team or something? You were nowhere to be found last class. We were on our own there while you were cowering behind those craters, talking to that… thing of yours.’ His eyes went up to Alexan’s shoulder.

    ‘EM-2.’

    ‘What?’

    ‘That thing… is called EM-2. It is an automaton.’

    He rolled his eyes. ‘Whatever. Where are you going now?’

    ‘I am going to Arthyrell Academy, to visit a friend.’

    ‘Pfft.’ He almost spit it out. ‘If you want to hang around the fairies so badly, why don’t you become one?’

    Alexan tilted their head sideways. ‘Because I cannot become a fairy, do you not know that? Fairies are typically-’

    ‘What? That’s not what I meant. Wait, you’re not seriously considering becoming a fairy, right? Then you’re even more crazy than I thought.’

    ‘If you could excuse me, my friend is waiting for me.’

    ‘You’re not going anywhere, friend.’ He pulled Alexan’s shoulder hard enough for EM-2 to nearly fall off.

    Alexan pushed it back with their hand. ‘Careful, please.’

    ‘Careful? I was supposed to form a team with someone capable, but instead I’m stuck with you- an airhead who wants to be a fairy and cares more about that stupid atomato than-’

    ‘Automaton.’

    He took EM-2 from Alexan’s shoulder and threw it on the ground. ‘That stupid automaton.’

    The thing fell apart when it met with the ground. The buzzing faded and before long there was only silence.

    Alexan looked down at it, then bowed forward and picked it up. ‘Does not survive fall paired with rapid velocity, noted.’

    ‘Do you even have emotion?’ He clenched Alexan’s collar in his hands and lifted them up against the door. ‘Freak.’

    He raised his arm and balled his fist, seemingly looking for any hint of fear on Alexan’s face- when something wrapped around his wrist.

‘Randalllll.’ The “l”s rolled out longer than they should’ve, in a situation like that. ‘Don’t you have something better to do than pester some first class’?’

    ‘Javel?’ He looked over his shoulder.

    ‘The one and only. Say, I heard professor Essence was looking for you, something about an unfinished report? I’d go see her if I were you. You wouldn’t want to see her angry.’ He leaned forward and brought his voice down to a whispering tone. ‘Same goes for me.’

    Not breaking eye contact with Javel for a moment, Randall slowly loosened his grip around Alexan’s collar, putting them down gently, so Javel did the same and let go of Randall’s arm.

    ‘Yeah, no, I was just about to put’m down anyway. It was all in good stride. Right, Alexan?’

    ‘It most clearly was not?’ Alexan said, raising an eyebrow.

    Randall gave them a snide look, but didn’t care to stick around to wait for Javel’s response to the entire situation.

    As soon as he was out of sight, Javel peered over to the spot where Alexan… had been?

    “Hol’ up.” He muttered to himself. ‘Hey! Wait up!’

    With a short sprint, he caught up with Alexan, who had already made their way across the front Courtyard by then and was now in between the statues near the gate. ‘Gee, you’re faster than one would give you credit for. I’m-’

    ‘Javel Damashan, second cycle’s student at Bethoran Academy.’ Alexan stopped walking and adjusted their glasses with the flick of their wrist. They looked up at the tall lad in front of them, eyes never reaching higher than the pendant around his chest.

    ‘Right.’ Javel chuckled. ‘And…’ He made a slight bow. ‘What do I call you?’

    Alexan extended their arm. ‘Alex Mekanis.’

    ‘Alex, huh?’ Javel leaned against one of the pillars. ‘Hey, should he ever bother you again, Alex, I’m never far away. What was he on about anyways?’

    ‘He is my partner, but I do not believe he is content about it.’ Alex shook their head. ‘No, most certainly he is not.’

    ‘Oh, hard to imagine. Why not?’

    Alex looked up, then left, then right, then raised their eyebrows, speaking very very slowly, then fastening at the second sentence. ‘I… do not… know. My current hypothesis is that it is because I would rather become a fairy.’

    Javel raised an eyebrow. ‘So why don’t you? Surely, it wouldn’t be that hard to apply to Arthyrell instead and roll in next cycle- or is it?’

    ‘Because I am no maiden.’

    Javel’s eyes became wide and he puffed his cheeks. ‘You… aren’t? That is uhm… great. I most definitely knew that.’ He took his arm back from the pillar and scratched the back of his neck. ‘Hey, uh- I don’t have a partner yet. Why don’t you become mine instead?’

    Alex tilted their head. ‘That would be adequate.’

    They slid past Javel and continued on their way, though Javel wasn’t giving up that easily. ‘So, where are you going now, partner? Can I come?’

    ‘You cannot. I am meeting with a friend at Arthyrell.’

    ‘Bummer… Hey, a friend, huh? She wouldn’t happen to be pretty or anything?’

    ‘She would be considered fairly aesthetic, why?’

    ‘Just asking.’

    ‘Hmm.’

    ‘Is she seeing anyone?’

𓆩⚙𓆪

Tick… tick… tick…

    The metal straps on my boots clung together softly as I moved my legs up and down and back again, the tip of my pencil crumbling faintly with every stroke on the paper, giving texture to the form already on the sheet. Eventually, I stopped sketching and let the hilt of my pencil flick against the paper.

    I looked out over the Academy grounds again, but still no sign of Alex.

    It was odd. It would have been out of the ordinary for Alex not to be moments early, but to be late was even more unusual. I put my pencil back into the case and it went in my bag along with my sketchbook, for as well as that went with my trembling hands- and hopped off the ledge to find myself face to face with-

    ‘Ehrynn.’

    ‘Alex!’ I wrapped my arms around them, feeling their heartbeat pulse through. It calmed me.

    ‘Apologies for my absence.’ They said softly as they let a hand down on my head. ‘I was on my way from Bethoran’s workshop, but was held up.’

    I let go, squeezed my eyes gleefully and shook my head. ‘No need to apologize! I’m glad you’re here!’ Then I tilted my head sideways when it got through to me where they’d been. ‘The workshop, you say? Made anything interesting lately?’

    Alex took something out of their pocket. They held up a little collection of metal, bouts and ingenuity. ‘I have been working on EM-2. Or rather, I was.’

    I frowned and got my eyes loose from it to look up to Alex. ‘What happened to it?’

    Alex stayed silent as they put the scraps back into their pocket. I took their hands in my own and held them close to my chest. Alex stayed quiet, looking down.

    When they looked up again, their eyes scanned the area. ‘Where is Anthea? Is she not accompanying us?’

    I chuckled. ‘Ah, uhm… She took off in the middle of my Initiation, haven’t seen her since. I’ve tried visiting her dorm room, to talk to her about classes, and about what transpired the other night with Faewood, but she didn’t answer. You know how she is.’ I let my hand run through the back of my hair and eyed sideways, thinking back to the amount of times Anthea had disappeared on me back on Silvea.

    I decided to distract myself from the thought before I would dwell on it and started heading toward the Athenaeum, followed soon after by Alex.

    ‘Ehrynn?’ They said. ‘Did you not need my help finding the library?’

    I shook my head rigorously. ‘No, that won’t be a problem. I’ve been able to navigate the Academy just fine on my own.’

    Alex paused, seemingly calculating my every word from that sentence. ‘Then what do you need my help for?’

    My face reddened. I didn’t actually need their help with this- in fact, I could have searched it by myself just fine last week- but I knew Alex would have never agreed on ever coming here to search the Athenaeum just for their own benefit- they were too selfless for that. But they were very keen on helping out others, so I guess this was my way of being there for them.

    ‘Well, I never said I needed any help, just asked for your company. And well, I thought- while we’re looking through student records anyway, we might just be able to see if there’s any transfer records, too, you know? I know what professor Mekanis said on our flight here, but if there was any student who changed Academies, any at all, we might be able to find records of that as well. I think it’s worth the shot.’

    Alex raised an eyebrow. ‘I did not take you for the violent kind.’

    I looked up with a questioned face, then relaxed and laughed. ‘No, not that kind of shot. A figurative one.’

    ‘Oh.’ Alex said, deadpanned. ‘In that case, we are in agreement.’

    ‘Besides, I like your company.'

𓆩✧𓆪

When we opened the door, the squeaking pierced through the stillness that had nestled in the tower. It was relatively quiet in the Athenaeum, except for maybe a couple students here and there. I wasn’t quite sure where I’d have to be to find the student records, so I took a look around for anyone who could be of help to us.

    It didn’t take long before my eye caught a fairy in a long coat who felt older than most in the room- and more assured in who she was, as I’d come to expect from older fey, being adorned in little bits of individuality and self-expression. Assuming she was one of the teaching staff, I pulled on Alex’ sleeve and guided them in her direction.

    When we got close enough, I was taken aback for a brief moment, realizing she was winged, her wings carefully folded down as not to brush past any of the bookshelves. This wasn’t the first time I’d seen an Ethereal Fairy in full winged form, I’d seen the Sage of Silvea a few times during my stay with my aunt and uncle, so it was unmistakable.

Still, this was the very first time I’d seen any teacher at the Academy in their feyen form, any older fey for that matter. Anthea had told me it was tradition at the Academy to keep it hidden until the Fest- and so far, that had held true.

    And yet, here I stood looking at the intricate details on her dresscoat, the glimmering translucent ruffles on her sleeves and the ornately decorated hat she had laid down on the table next to her work- and her beautiful golden wings.

    ‘Excuse me, ma’am. My friend and I are looking for the student records, would you be able to help us out?’

    The fairy placed the volume she was reading carefully in between two pillars of piled up books, tilted just enough for the edges of the cover to hold it up against the piles. It looked like she had that down to a science. She looked at me and pushed aside the enhancing glasses of her goggles, inspecting me and seemingly taking in every fibre of my being, before she averted her eyes back to my face, placed the goggles on top of her loosely curled hair and smiled. ‘You aren’t in my class yet, are you? First cycle?’

    I nodded. ‘Indeed! My name is Ehrynn Frostthorn- and this is my friend Alexan Mekanis.’ I indicated towards Alex. ‘We’re doing some research into the history of the Academies.’

    ‘Are you now? That’s interesting.’ Her eyes glimmered with intrigue. ‘Oh. My apologies, I haven’t even introduced myself yet-’ She paused and extended her hand to me. ‘Thealin Daravera. You… likely don’t know who I am- I uh- I teach Magicology in the extended course for Ethereal fairies here at the Academy.’

    She stood up from her chair, nearly bumping it over. ‘In fact- I believe I had your sister- niece…- cousin…?- in my class for the first time this week- Anthea Frostthorn? I’m glad she chose my class for her course- one of the few students who actually read the work I’d assigned for the first class.’ She laughed awkwardly. ‘Just… Follow me.’ She nudged me in the direction of one of the book cases and started brushing through the lines and lines of books on the shelves. ‘Say, which era are you looking for specifically?’

    ‘We’re not exactly sure.’ I said, looking back at Alex over my shoulders.

    ‘It might be wise to start as close to the current cycle as possible and work our way back from there.’ They stated.

    Miss Daravera shook her head and chuckled. ‘What are you younglings up to? Is this for some fancy new school project Faewood came up with?’

    ‘No, no, not at all!’ I waved my hands frantically. ‘We’re just doing some research of our own, in preparation. Headmistress Faewood said that if we wanted to read ahead some, we could come to the Athenaeum.’

    ‘Well, I’d start here then.’ She handed me a thick and heavy book before walking back over to the table and picking up her own book she had so carefully placed moments before. ‘Eager students, I see. Can’t wait to have you in my class, if you choose it.’ She patted me on my head. ‘I should probably get going now. I already have a reputation for being late to my own class, I might as well keep the record I’ve had going since the start of the cycle and actually show up to the staff meeting on time today.’

    ‘Thank you for your help!’ I waved at her.

Next update: part 6/6 - November 14th