A room full of differently sized globes either standing on podiums or hanging from golden threads, all of them rotating in different speeds. Over a million of them were in this room, the walls and the ceiling shimmering with star-like paintings, the space going on for effectively infinity and beyond. This was the Map room, where the entire known multiverse was laid out in a massive three-dimensional map traversable only by one person at the moment.
That sole person enters the room, golden hair swaying, covering half his face. He checks each and every one, spending a slightly longer time on a globe representing the Earth. It would have taken near infinity for a normal person to check each and everyone of them, but it took him 5 minutes in real world time. The door was massive, almost twice the person's size, but it was he who designed it, and its sole purpose was so that any unwary soul that would wander into the Map room on accident can find the exit.
He steps outside into the wide corridor full to the brim with busy people. Going in and going out of rooms, carrying things between coins to beakers to massive boulders, in pairs or alone, speaking or silent. All kinds of people were visible in just one look. Asians, Americans, Latinos, Australian, African, Tall, short, and people with strange quirks. The corridor was both wide and long enough for all of them to get through with relative ease. After all, the building they were in was no smaller than the largest city on earth.
This building was an academic institute built by a single man for a single purpose. That purpose known only that man, however since then it has stood for thousands of years in this world beyond human understanding. This building stands in what is known as The Mirror World, an exact copy of the Earth, connected to it as a shadow is connected to an object, where everything known and unknown, fact and superstition coexist. Its name is the Arcana Academia, one of Humanity's three strongholds in this world.
The man breathed in. Letting the memories slip in and out.
His name then was...
His name then was Merlin...
His name then was Susano-o
His name then was Hercules
His name then was Faye
His name now is ...
A new school session was about to begin.
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She woke up.
She looked at herself. Again. Her eyes flashed back. Guns. Smoke. Grenades. Her blood red hair flowing from beyond her shoulders, down to her waist. Her eyes were also red. She was 20. Just graduated from high school and entering college, however her parents have recently revealed to her that she belonged to a family of mages, although she kind of figured that out already.
Ever since she gained consciousness of herself, she could easily control the elements as she wished. As if she knew all of this long ago, like riding an old bike, except the bike was the ability to control reality as you saw fit.
Her family's specialty was Gem magic, using precious gems as the medium for their sorcery, therefore overwhelmingly offensive, with a touch of defense when it comes down to it. Easily one of the most versatile forms of magic, albeit a bit expensive, but her parents, specifically her father, once worked for a magical institution that supplied them with a steady amount of gems.
Today, she was to be enrolled to Arcana Academia, a school for mages and exceptional people so that they can control their powers and channel it for good, however subjective it may be. Her parents went there when they were her age too, and apparently, that's where they hooked up.
"That school must have some magic." She mused.
She checked herself in the mirror. Red hair tied to a ponytail, white undershirt, pink overcoat, jeans, shoes, and a medium backpack. She gave a little twirl and she was set. She went down the stairs to the living room and found her parents with a table full of food. They smiled at her.
"Today's the day, Celia." Her father said as she sat down.
"Yeah, I'm kind of nervous." Looking at her plate she found a large stack of pancakes.
"Don't be," her mother smiled as she drank from her mug, "there's the occasional bully but other than that, you can smack them around."
Celia laughed. Her mother, Angel, contrary to her name, was more of a brute than her father, Mason, who liked elegance in his practice. An unlikely pair, but a pair all the same.
"I'd rather humiliate them slowly, but the choice is yours," her father added.
'I don't think I will do any of those, and those aren't advices that parents usual give,' she said in her head, but stuffed her face with pancakes before she said it.
"Can I see your bag?" her mother asked.
She handed it over to her.
"Hmm... Gems, books, notebooks, phone, extra clothes, tampons..."
Mason rolled his eyes and blocked out the rest of the 'Girl' things that followed.
Mason Blight, a well known prodigy in the mage world, known for his immaculate control of magic through gems. Not known for any flashy moves or powerful strikes, he was known for being calculating, efficient, and smart. He was currently worrying, even though he himself knew there was no reason to worry, about her daughter.
The Mirror World outside the walls of the Three Strongholds of Humanity was very unforgiving. Orcs and Ogres, Dragons and Dinosaurs, Imps and Demons roamed the world freely. There was no direct portal between Earth and Arcana Academy. Protected by a strong 49 layer barrier, no one can move in and out of the academy except through the front gate. He looked at her and his wife debating which clothing to put on top of the other and shrugged.
"Angel, let her be." He decided he could trust her to live. "She's a grown girl. Finish both your breakfast. We'll see you off." He took a sip of his coffee.
"Hmm... I guess you're right." He turned away and sprayed his coffee all over the floor.
"Did you just agree with me?" He asked Angel while wiping his mouth.
"Yeah?" She gave him a glare. He cleared his throat.
"Ok. Uhh, I'll get the mop and uhh, just meet me outside."
'What just happened?" She thought but decided against asking. She understood that wife-husband agreements were rare as it is, but this looks like her dad just found the philosophers stone.
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"Are you ready, Celia?" Her father asked as he put his hand on the doorknob.
Celia took a deep breath... and nodded. She felt a hand on her back. If she didn't know it was her mother, she wouldn't have known. It was light. Cautious. Afraid. Shaky.
"Don't be afraid, honey." Angel smiled. "You'll make it."
Celia nodded.
Mason pulled the doorknob to the middle of the door, which immediately disappeared. The wooden door was then sucked in, replaced by something resembling water. Beyond the water-like gate was a desolate wasteland. The Mirror World.
"This is it." Mason stepped back.
"Right. This is it." Celia echoed.
"Take care." Her mother mouthed.
"Thanks, mom."
"We'll be waiting " Her father smiled, holding back tears."
"Thanks, dad."
Before she crossed over, she gave both her parents a hug, embracing them. Both of them kissed her forehead.
"May you be safe." They said simultaneously.
"I love you guys." She said, hints of tears in her eyes.
Afterwards, she ran towards the gate.
Into the Mirror World.