The world around me spun and twisted as I stepped through the portal. The sensation was unlike anything I had ever felt. It wasn't painful, but it certainly wasn't pleasant. It was as though I were being unraveled and then pieced back together, every fiber of my being stretched thin across dimensions. The swirling light consumed me, blinding my vision until, all at once, everything stilled.
I stumbled forward, my feet finally landing on solid ground. My head swam as I blinked, trying to clear my vision. Slowly, the scene around me came into focus.
I stood at the base of a massive, towering structure. Its architecture was unlike anything I had ever seen so grand and ancient, yet somehow alive, as though the very stones pulsed with energy. The College of Landan rose high into the sky, its spires vanishing into the clouds. Glowing runes adorned its stone walls, shifting and shimmering in hues of gold and blue.
A soft breeze passed by, and I noticed I was holding something in my hand. I looked down. It was a piece of parchment, old and slightly frayed at the edges. Written in elegant script were the words:
Find the Headmaster Sul.
I turned the note over. Nothing else. No instructions, no map. Just that cryptic message.
I swallowed hard. The shadow's voice echoed in my mind. Your true purpose, Ruby, lies within these walls.
Drawing a shaky breath, I gathered what courage I had and began to climb the wide stone staircase leading to the College's main entrance. The doors at the top were enormous. Intricate carvings decorated them, showing strange creatures and long-past battles. As I neared, the doors groaned open on their own, revealing the world inside.
The sight took my breath away.
The interior was even more stunning than the outside. Ceilings stretched impossibly high, painted with a mosaic of stars that shimmered and shifted like a living sky. Chandeliers floated in midair, casting warm golden light across the grand hall. Students moved through the space, their footsteps echoing softly on the polished marble floor.
But it wasn't the architecture that made me freeze.
It was the people, if they could be called that.
To my left, a regal-looking vampire spoke with a towering werewolf. The vampire's skin was pale as moonlight, and his crimson eyes glowed as he gestured with effortless grace. The werewolf dwarfed him, broad-shouldered and clothed in worn leather. His amber eyes gleamed with amusement as he chuckled at something the vampire said.
A cluster of fairies fluttered past ahead of me, their wings glinting with iridescent light. They left behind a glittering trail of golden dust. One glanced my way, her glowing eyes narrowing slightly, as though assessing me.
A hulking creature with ram-like horns and skin like molten rock lumbered past, his massive hands cradling a stack of books. Each step he took made the floor tremble. Two sirens glided behind him, their long hair drifting as though they were underwater, even though they moved with ease across solid ground.
I stood frozen, overwhelmed. This wasn't just a school. It was a gathering of worlds.
"First time here?" a voice said behind me, and I jumped.
Turning, I saw a girl who looked close to my age - at least, mostly human. Her dark skin shimmered subtly in the light, and her eyes were a piercing shade of silver. Her ears were pointed, like an elf's. She wore a dark blue jacket trimmed with gold, and a symbol embroidered on the chest I couldn't quite make out.
"Uh, yeah," I said. My voice cracked slightly. "Is it that obvious?"
She grinned, revealing sharp canines. "You're staring like you've never seen a troll before."
I blinked. "Troll?"
She nodded toward the lava-skinned creature with the books. "That's Lumeo. Don't let his size fool you. He's a teddy bear... unless it's exam week."
I managed a weak laugh, still clutching the note. "I'm looking for someone. Headmaster Sul. Do you know where I can find him?"
Her expression shifted. Curiosity flickered in her silver eyes. "The headmaster? That's not a name you drop lightly. He's not someone you casually bump into." She glanced at the paper in my hand. "Who sent you?"
I hesitated. "I don't really know. It's a long story."
She studied me for a moment, then seemed to make a decision. "Follow me. I'll take you to his office. But don't expect a warm welcome. Sul isn't big on small talk."
I followed her, my senses on edge. The halls we entered were just as fantastical as the main hall. Students of all shapes and species passed us by. Some floated. Some had wings or tails. Magic seemed to linger in the air itself, making my skin prickle.
"By the way," the girl said, glancing over her shoulder, "I'm Nyssa. And you are…?"
"Ruby," I said, one hand touching the necklace at my chest. It still pulsed faintly, a living beat tied to this strange place.
"Well then, Ruby," she said, smiling again, "welcome to the College of Landan. You've officially crossed into the weird zone."
Nyssa led me through a labyrinth of shifting halls. It felt as if the building were adjusting itself as we walked. Portraits of past headmasters lined the walls. I swear one of them smirked at me just before going still again.
"Is the College... always like this?" I asked.
"Alive? Oh, definitely," she said, chuckling. "It has moods. Sometimes it helps. Sometimes it gets cranky. You'll either get used to it or you won't. That's part of the fun."
Eventually, we stopped before a pair of massive doors. They were carved from dark wood and covered in glowing runes that pulsed like a heartbeat.
"Here we are," Nyssa said, motioning toward them. "Headmaster Sul's office."
"He's in there?"
"If you're lucky. If not, the doors will let you know."
"What does that mean?"
Before she could reply, the runes flared with light, and the air trembled around us. I instinctively stepped back, but Nyssa stayed relaxed, arms folded.
"Go ahead," she said. "Knock if you want. Or just wait. If they open for you, then you're meant to be here."
I took a breath and reached for the door. Before my hand touched it, the doors groaned open.
Nyssa raised an eyebrow. "Looks like they like you. Not bad."
I turned to her. "Aren't you coming?"
She was already backing away. "This is your journey, Ruby. Not mine. Good luck."
Then she vanished into the shifting corridor.
I stepped inside.
The office was enormous. Shelves packed with books and strange glowing artifacts lined the walls. A large desk sat at the center, cluttered with scrolls and magical trinkets. The scent of old parchment and something metallic hung in the air.
I scanned the room. "Headmaster Sul?" I called out.
A low, rumbling laugh echoed from the shadows.
"A new arrival," a voice said. It was deep and musical, each word strange yet soothing. "Ruby, yes. The scent of purpose clings to you. Come closer."
In the center of the room, shadows swirled and twisted until a form began to materialize. First vague and shifting, then more defined. It was tall and fluid, its shape constantly changing. One moment it looked like a robed figure, the next a golden-eyed wolf, then a glimmering bird. But through every form, its eyes remained the same—piercing and ancient.
"Headmaster Sul?" I asked.
The being paused, then took on a humanoid form with rippling silver skin and glowing golden eyes.
"That is one of my names," he said. "You are either very punctual or very late. Time is slippery here. It doesn't matter."
I stepped forward slowly. "I was told to find you. I have this-" I held out the parchment.
He leaned in, form flickering. "Ah. A note. Simple, yet not. Like you, Ruby."
"What does that mean?"
"You wear the ruby. The key. You hold many questions. But answers are earned." He tilted his head. "Tell me, what does the ruby whisper to you? Does it burn? Or does it sing?"
I touched it. The gem was warm, pulsing softly.
"It feels alive. Like it's... pulling me."
Sul hummed, the sound resonating in the floor beneath me. "Good. It knows. The ruby is a thread, and you are part of the tapestry. We just don't know what part you are yet."
I frowned. "Why me?"
"Everyone asks that," he replied. "But the ruby chooses. Always. Even I do not know why. Not yet."
"So... what now?"
"You learn. You train. You become. The College will shape you, but you must choose who you become."
He waved a hand. A scroll appeared and unfurled. "This is your schedule. Your days will be full. Do not be late for Practical Magic Trials."
"Why?" I asked.
He smiled. "The College has a long memory."
Another motion conjured a folded uniform. "This will change with you. Protect you. Wear it well."
Then a small key floated to me, engraved with swirling runes. "Your dorm is in the East Wing, third floor. The path will appear as you walk. The College knows where you belong."
I caught the key, the scroll, and the uniform. "That's it?"
"Not quite." Sul's tone grew more serious. "Tomorrow, at noon, guild assignments will be posted. There are four: Veil, Seekers, Valorium, and Pathfinders. Each one shapes your path."
I nodded. "Do I get to choose?"
"No. The College and the ruby choose for you."
I looked down at the necklace. It pulsed again, stronger this time.
"Rest now, Ruby," Sul said, beginning to fade. "Explore, listen, and prepare. Your journey has begun."
As his form dissolved into the air, I stood in silence. Then I turned toward the hall, the key in my hand, and let the College guide my next step.