Present
Cold bitter winds of autumn night brushed against Freya Ravine's hair as she blankly stared at the horizon from her bedroom window. The stars seemingly align on one corner forming a random constellation that somehow shaped like a lion's mane.
Heaving a sigh of exhaustion while dreading of tomorrow's council meeting, she ran her index finger in circles on the window pane from her parlour, unable to sleep. Every year, a council meeting is held for Ascenders (S-ranks) from all races of magic being. Each ascender is required to go to the Castle of Eldlar and that marked the one notable time that all ascenders from different races gather in the same place. Those who refused to comply with this requirement are punished severely. However, excuses are made to those who are in a mission but must submit a notarized letter marking the valid reason of excuse.
Freya however, despite reaching the highest rank, didn't have any plans to partake in this already gruesome tradition to her. But enjoying the perks of being an ascender, she didn't have any reason to complain about this system and had to swallow her social anxiety down her throat.
Her glass sphere glowed faintly in the dark room as an image slowly shimmered its way revealing a familiar girl's vague image flickering from the ball.
"Celestine...?" Freya breathed, uncertain.
"Yes, it's me. It's astounding how a witch so cloistered would remember my name." Celestine's sarcastic remark echoed from the sphere.
"Everyone knows your name, though." Freya replied quietly.
"I'll make this quick." Celestine informed. "You are to come to Eldlar this instant. Lord Birmingham is requesting your presence urgently."
"Now?"
"Did you not hear me quite right? I said urgently." Celestine replied before vanishing.
She cursed under her breath and rummaged into her closet grabbing whatever will fit into her trunk. Though she can perform brief spells, she just mumbled curses to herself rather than wasting energy to arrange the clothes in her trunk. Dragging the heavy luggage, she grabbed a vase of transport ashes from her desk and sprinkled the fine blue dust into a circle around her.
"Heed my command, Eldlar's castle shall I transport on land." She chanted briefly.
The dust swirled around her and exploded into sparks as she stumbled into a bush of peonies. Her luggage stumbled beside her. Crickets chirping echoed in the night as the breeze coldly brushed, rustling the leaves of the trees and bushes of flowers and berries.
"What a grand entrance coming from someone who can do better than that." Celestine says flatly. Hands on her pockets and hair tucked into a neat ponytail.
"I-I'm sorry, I must be..." Freya sputtered as she stood up and hastily fixed herself.
"Late? Glad you're aware." Celestine pursed a quick smile. "Fortunately, the old man had to go to the Goblins to discuss some business."
"So... the meeting...?"
"Is temporarily suspended." Celestine answered.
"Then why did you call me urgently?" Freya gathered her bags.
"Did you not read the letter clearly? You are five minutes early from being punished." Celestine snapped her fingers, making her luggage float on her command as she turned around.
"Thanks." Freya follows her through the empty hallway.
"You're welcome." Celestine replied.
They walk past the bridge of the large castle connecting to the dormitory where they will temporarily stay for a month.
Eldlar castle is the largest palace of the whole magic realm. Stretching across multiple places, it's basically as large as one country as a palace. Lords, heroes, and legendary prodigies lived here and it's the only place where a biodiversity of all races live in one place.
Built over a millennia ago, it was the greatest stronghold for magic. It wasn't ruled by one great king but a council of representatives from each race in the realm called Elders.
"Lady Everglott has prepared the list of our dorm rooms," Celestine explained along the way. "It's almost midnight so wolves are usually lurking around here. If you're lucky enough to bump into them."
Freya looked at the large list on the bulletin board trying to find her name.
"Caster Hall - 112..." She looked at Celestine perplexed. The castle is large even though Freya had been here for a month before, it was hard to recall the many areas the place has. Some agitated howls echoed from a distance.
"Let's go." Celestine crossed her arms, turning her heels around. Her hair bounced from side to side as she walked in a fast pace.
The two were silent for a long time with just their footsteps cackling on the brick floor that echoed on the corridors they passed. There wasn't much activity in the middle of the night anyhow. They were the only ones wandering the hallways at this hour and a few wolves outside, lurking somewhere in the gardens.
Socially anxious Freya was doubtful to start a conversation with Celestine. She admired Celestine, making it even more impossible for her to strike a conversation, let alone approach her. But still she tried,
"U-umm..." Freya gathered her courage. "H-how long have you been here?" Though she may not be loquacious, she seldom stutters.
"Just yesterday." Celestine replied.
"I mean. How long have you been an ascender?" Freya clarified.
"Since I was 13." Celestine replied.
"You must be a prodigy then?"
She chuckles. "No, I don't really think that way."
"Why not?" Freya wondered.
"I just found myself in this position before I knew it. There is nothing catchy about my achievements as they are already done previously." Celestine explained.
She stopped abruptly. "Welcome to Caster Hall. You'll find your room somewhere here, so in the meantime, I'll drop you off here."
"Where is your room at?" Freya asked before she leaves.
"Vallier Hall - 156." Celestine answered. "See me if you need anything."
She vanished in the blink of an eye after saying that. Wind spiraled the ground where she once stood. Freya wandered around the hall past the dining area and found room 112 on the second floor near the fireplace. She took a deep breath before opening the door.
It was a spacious room with two beds on opposite sides with the two large windows parallel on both sides. However, there is another person sleeping on one of the beds making Freya exhale sharply subconsciously.
She spent the rest of the night organizing her things as she will be staying here for a whole month. Using her own way of spells, it took her no time to turn her area into what feels like home.
"Hello. You must be my roommate."
Freya jumped. A blonde girl with soft yellow eyes wearing a white gown to the length of her ankle appeared from behind. She smiled kindly at Freya and stuck a hand out.
"I am Iris Weatherall." She chimed, holding out a hand. Her translucent wings shimmered behind her.
"I'm Freya... Ravine." Freya shook her hand for a quick moment.
"I was praying for a roommate, you see." Iris clasped her hands excitedly. "Last year's council, I got a solo room while the others have at least two or more roommates so I was envious. Lady Everglott told me I arrived late and the only rooms available are the singles. It was so boring I might go literally insane."
And I was hoping to get a single room, Freya thought to herself.
She wasn't a socialist type of person compared to most fairies who basically befriend anybody, she felt rather uncomfortable being around them.
"That's... unfortunate." Freya flopped on her bed.
"I know right?" Iris says. "But it was pure luck that time because there's one where Ursula Emberglow had to be bedridden for days because she refused to return Jennifer Hadwick's wand after she made her trunk explode into dark goo. Jennifer slipped some peanuts into Ursula's snickerdoodles and she had a major allergy reaction."
"What reaction?" Freya inquired.
"Blisters cover her arms and feet she couldn't walk properly. Someone had to call a medic to check up on her because the blood drained from her face." Iris recounted what happened that time.
"I've never heard about that last year." Freya says.
"You should really go hang out with the centaurs, they make really good gossip. Perks of having good ears." Iris suggested.
Freya gave her a small smile in reply. Iris talked nonstop, filling her in with the latest gossip, some she never heard of. She spent the entire time arranging her trunk while blankly listening to Iris babbling. It ended when a knock on their door got her to pause and eventually left with her friends.
"It's time for breakfast, Frey." Iris informed before leaving.
Freya released a sigh of relief when Iris closed the door. She went to the dining hall packed with many other ascenders from different batches. It's hard to find an empty table or least packed ones so she just held her tray of breakfast and wandered around for a place to seat.
"Hey." Someone tapped her from behind.
"Celestine." Freya turned around and went face to face with Celestine who was also holding a tray.
"Looking for someplace to seat?" Celestine guessed.
"Yes. You?" Freya looked around.
"I just found one. Come." Celestine brushed past her, hurriedly seized a table that had just emptied. Freya joined her, ignoring subtle looks given to her by the others as some began to talk about her with Celestine. The two quietly ate their food when minutes later, a handsome noble-like guy with pale skin and vibrant red irises carrying a tray of turkey and a glass of blood sat beside Celestine along with another good-looking guy with golden irises carrying a tray of firm red meat sat on the opposite side, beside Freya.
Shifting to the side, Freya looked at the Vampire beside Celestine. His unbreakingly cold expression felt eerie as he eyed her like a bloodlust hound that somehow viewed her as a foe.
"So, who is this new girl you're hanging out with?" Gladolus Briumhan invoked, chuckling with glee.
Celestine looked at him while chewing. She didn't answer him and went back to her food, ignoring him on the spot.
"It's Freya. Umm..." Freya looked at the werewolf beside her.
"Gladolus." He grinned. "You can call me Glad."
"That's Morgan." He added, pointing at the vampire.
"Well, well, well." A group of two girls and three guys joined their table.
"I haven't seen you guys in forever!" Viarra Cladrey beamed. Her sharp fangs bared as she grinned at the others.
"Who is the new girl?" Jarred Brimstone asked.
"This is Freya." Gladolus told the others.
"She's rather fresh." Viarra licked her lips.
She appeared beside Freya who just finished her breakfast. Viarra held out a hand. "I am Viarra Cladrey."
"Freya Ravine." Freya gave her a smile but didn't take her hand. Viarra remained still, her eyes signaling her to shake her hand.
"Thanks, but my blood isn't to be shared with." Freya replied.
Viarra grinned with satisfaction. Her hands ran through her hair, twirling it at the rip of her fingers.
"Smart move, witch." Viarra blew her a kiss.
"Don't mind her at all, Frey. She usually does her vibe check like that." Bella Brinsel giggles. Her blue eyes glimmered with enthusiasm.
"No problem." Freya finished her breakfast and stood up hastily.
"I'll be at the garden on the far west." She murmured to Celestine.
The others watch her leave quietly with her tray.
"Is she upset?" Jarred asked.
"It's Viarra's fault if she is." Bella says, giving Viarra a look. "Celestine is probably gonna pay you back."
"I didn't do anything!" Viarra reasoned. "Everyone knows I do a vibe-check and she's a lucky passer."
"Not everybody likes your stunts." Gladolus sneered.
"You're just miserable because I gave you a good vertigo for that quest." Viarra snapped.
"She's not upset, I suppose." Celestine raised her voice a little bit to catch their attention. "She just hates noisy creatures like you just like I do."
With that, she vanished from thin air without a trace.