Rin awoke screaming.
"AAAAAAHHHH—!"
The crow screamed back.
"AAAAAAHHHH—! Oh wait, that's you. False alarm."
Rin froze. The bird was talking.
"Wha—wait—you—you can TALK?" she stammered.
The crow puffed his feathers proudly. "Of course I can! What do you think I am, a pigeon? Please. I'm Crowlius the Magnificent—Messenger of the North, Bringer of News, and Part-Time Snack Thief."
Rin blinked. "You. stole snacks?
Crowlius shrugged. "A crow's gotta eat."
Rin rubbed the sleep from her eyes. This had to be a dream. "Okay, okay, I'm hallucinating. I definitely shouldn't have eaten that leftover curry before bed—"
"Excuse me," Crowlius interrupted, hopping closer. "This is very real. And I bring news. Big news. Like—boom!—your-life's-gonna-change kind of news."
Rin stared. "News? From who?"
The crow now leaned dramatically forward. "From your father."
Everything went silent. Rin's heart skipped. "My… father?" she whispered.
Crowlius nodded solemnly. "Yep. The one who's s'posed to be, you know—" he flapped his wings vaguely, "—dead-ish."
Rin's jaw had dropped. "What do you mean dead-ish?!"
"Not dead! Just… dramatically missing. There's a difference," said the crow rolling his beady eyes. "Anyway, turns out he's alive and kicking. Probably kicking someone's butt right now. And he sent me to deliver this."
A neatly folded letter appeared from under his wing.
Rin hesitated. "Wait, how am I even understanding you? Birds don't speak human!"
"Oh-ho!" Crowlius puffed out his chest. "Because, my dear wrinkle-free-mouthed child, I'm not just a bird. I'm from Aerithen, the magical kingdom of the North. Very fancy place. We have floating castles, flying brooms, and a café selling rainbow waffles.
Rin blinked. ".Rainbow waffles?"
"Yes! Though they give terrible gas," Crowlius admitted. "But that's beside the point. The real point is—you, my dear Rin, are not ordinary. You're from that kingdom too. Your parents? Super rich, super magical, super mysterious. You, on the other hand, are living here brushing your teeth with anti-aging cream. What a downgrade."
"Hey!" protested Rin.
The crow snickered. "Relax, kid. Not your fault. Your parents had to hide you here. This 'normal' kingdom doesn't allow magic, remember? They wanted to keep you safe. But now…" He pointed a wing at her dramatically. "Now, you're turning sixteen soon—the age when every young sorcerer learns magic. That means your magic's gonna start leaking out. Like… uncontrollable fart magic, but sparkly."
Rin's face went red. "That's NOT funny!"
Crowlius cocked his head to one side. "It's a little funny.
She snatched the letter from his wing and opened it, her hands shaking. The handwriting was elegant, familiar somehow.
My dearest Rin,
If you are reading this, it means you have grown into a brave and kind young lady. I'm sorry we left you in that world, far from ours. Your mother and I love you more than words can say, but the kingdom was in danger. To protect you, we had to send you away.
Soon, you will be sixteen. On that day, your magic will awaken. When that happens, Crowlius will guide you to Aerithen. You belong among us, my daughter. You are meant for greatness.
Love always,
Father.
Tears blurred her vision as her voice whispered, "They. they didn't abandon me. They just wanted to protect me."
Crowlius nodded softly. "Yep. Parents, huh? Always dramatic with the love stuff. But hey, at least they didn't forget your birthday."
"Rin laughed weakly through her tears. "I can't believe this…"
"Believe it, kiddo. You're about to be a full-time magic student! Congrats! You'll have homework, spell tests, exploding cauldrons—the whole deal."
"Exploding what?" Rin yelped.
Crowlius smirked. "Oh, don't worry. Only happens to beginners. And maybe professionals. Okay, maybe everyone."
Rin wiped her eyes, half crying half laughing. "This is insane… my parents are alive, I'm from a magical kingdom, and a sarcastic crow is my guide."
"Hey," said Crowlius, "I like charismatic winged mentor.
She looked at the letter again, her heart heavy yet warm. For the first time, she did not feel lost.
She felt chosen.
"Crowlius." she said softly. "When do we leave?" The crow grinned, eyes glinting like black jewels. "Soon. But first, I need snacks. Magic journeys are better on a full stomach." Rin snorted. "Figures." As the crow began to raid her cookie jar, Rin sat back onto her bed, clutching the letter. Her world had just flipped upside down, but deep inside, she couldn't help smiling. Maybe, just maybe… this disaster was the start of something magical. To be continued…