One could almost see the rock widening its invisible hands to a grand gesture.
"Purgenheim!"
Colle clasped his hands, "Purgenheim? That sounds like… am I in hell?". He quivered.
The rock chuckled, "No, it's wonderful here. You'll love it!".
That sounded like fake advertising, Colle thought.
Out of thin air a huge black book with golden designs on its rims appeared in front of the rock. It opened and flipped pages on its own and on rock's face a thick-rimmed spectacle floated.
The rock cleared its throat and announced in a professional tone, "Human Colle. You have been chosen among the many departed souls for the most consequential duty in Purgenheim since the 'case of berserk souls.' If you are to accept the task, you will receive a second chance at life here. You will be granted 6 Notheim years to carry out your task loyally. On successful accomplishment, paperwork for your permanence will be issued. Till then your temporary esse will be your subsistence."
There were too many questions and doubts hovering in the air, but Colle asked the most imminent one. "Task?"
"You are to tutor Sylvan Goldchester, the second son of the Goldchester family."
Colle stared at the rock, whose figure was partly covered by a shadow. "What… who are you? So, I'm dead? I don't understand… what is going on here?"
"Yes, you are dead. A bit slow on the uptake, I see" the rock said with a gist of ridicule to which Colle frowned. "You have a lot of questions, as expected. All will be duly answered".
It reminded Colle of his University professor Mr. Thomas.
It continued, "If you don't accept, you'll be left back at the road and your journey to the other world would commence as it should".
"To heaven?"
"To where human souls normally go. I won't elongate on that. But introductions first. I am Boulder".
That was ironic. "You don't look like a 'boulder'", he sneered trying to get back at him.
"Don't let appearances deceive you boy. That's your first lesson here at Purgenheim", Boulder said and asked, "Do you accept your task?"
"Won't you explain my 'task' properly?"
"I'm afraid not" Boulder said. "And your answer?"
Colle was annoyed more than afraid now. It was serious business and he had the short end of the stick. "Not like I have another option… Do I?"
"It's do or die" Boulder said as a matter of fact.
"Alright, I'll tutor Sylchester"
Boulder nodded its head, "Sylvan Goldchester".
The book now turned and floated towards Colle. It was open on a page which had his contract, and his name weirdly put with extensions.
The contract read 'I, Human Colle, hereby addressed as Colledean Mattenwyt, will carry the task handed to me on the 4th night of Wolhorm. I will lawfully abide in Purgenheim for the duration of 6 Notheim years, after which my permanence will be validated.'
Boulder declared, "From now on, you'll be called Colledean Mattenwyt to sound closer to us Purghales. Sign the contract with your blood to seal the deal".
Colle's insides churned; the ominous feeling crept in waving a big no-no. He knew there was no other way. A golden needle floated beside the book. He unclasped his sweaty hands, raising his right palm. The needle pricked his thumb and a thick drop of blood raised on his thumb. He pressed under his name 'COLLEDEAN MATTENWYT'.
A blood seal, why not! It felt like he was selling his soul to the devil. Does he even have a soul? Or was it a human thing?
Colle bit his lips, anxious of what lay in front of him.
"Here", the rock said. A thick dark blue book floated to Colle, dropped on his lap, which reminded him of his heavy university reference books.
"Everything you need to know about Purgenheim is in the guidebook. Tomorrow onwards you will attend Hewton High, and you'll meet all sorts of kids. Mind that most of them do not look like humans. Their appearances might be a little scary and unnatural for your kind. You'll get used to it. Act natural. No one should know you're not from Purgenheim. This must remain a secret between the both of us". The black book with golden designs vanished along with the spectacles.
Boulder snapped with its invisible fingers, with only a sound. The lights were switched on showing the room he was in, clearly. The walls had patterns of gold weaved on silver, and the room was decorated with jewel- embellished furniture. It looked like royalty, especially compared to dingy room back home. If it could be called so.
The room now was nothing at all like it seemed a moment ago. Colle was taken aback, his eyed widened and his expression became more relaxed. His first impression of this world was bleak, but he decided now he'll reconsider.
Colle wondered, why did the persuasion happen in the dark? Pretty sure he set the threatening setting to intimidate him. He massaged his temples. He felt nauseatingly annoyed, as if he was conned by a peddler selling his fake product.
"The inauguration ceremony starts in the morning. The alarm will wake you up on time and your uniform will be delivered. Someone will come to assist you to the school. But remember, don't reveal who you are", Boulder explained.
The boulder chanted in a low voice, and a door was planted on the wall. It flung open.
"Read the guidebook thoroughly and remember your timer starts tomorrow. Whether your second chance is long-term or not, depends on you", the boulder floated away, the door shut behind him and the door disappeared.
Colle sat dumbstruck. He pinched his cheek, harder again. Rubbing the pin prick on his thumb, "It hurts. This is definitely real!".
He crossed his legs on the bed and collected his thoughts.
"The truck definitely hit me head on, there's no way I survived that. I might be in a coma and lucid dreaming, that's one possibility. Else, I was reincarnated into this... mystical world".
He took a deep breath. First, he should educate himself about this world and if one thing Colle was familiar with, as inherent as his red blood, was hard work.
He flipped the guidebook; it had pictures, symbols, and stories. There were pictures of people that looked like ordinary humans, half- man half beast, complete beast like beings etc. There were pictures of buildings, and one that caught his eye—Hewton High.
The black and white picture made it clear that Hewton High was an enormous castle just like the ones he had seen in his history books. Acres of green land surrounded it and mountains were drawn at the far end.
He read a passage "Hewton High is the ideal school environment for the brightest of Purgenheim where everyone is equally welcomed and individually nurtured. Students are trained under expert faculty who have distinctly showcased their proficiency…"
Boring. He moved on.
MAGE. The next page had its explanation. Magicians born under or with a lineage of magic bearers. Their inner markel core produces magic, and their capabilities and attributes differ individually. When the first mages were born; the natural elements wind, water, air, and fire were the only attributes. Over a period, mages were varied like the varieties of plum in Purgenheim…
He read a few lines of the essay length explanations and skipped eagerly trying to get a faster grasp of his reality.
BEASTS. As magic ruled high and low, drifting and guiding each and every soul…. (Soul? That's a thing here as well huh) beasts emerged. They were shunned for generations but have slowly foundd their places as equals in society.
Discrimination. Racism. Guess it crosses between worlds abiding naturally everywhere.
Colle scratched his head cursing, who wrote this boring book? His reference books were much better, and even they were dreadfully boring.
All this fantasy reminded him of his groupmate Carey. She was a fanatic of novels and comics of this genre. She read stories about vampires, werewolves, wizards, witches, and whatnot. And when we do our group projects, she ignored every effort Colle made to evade her infectious procrastination. Those few days in the month of their project were reserved for her chattering which he soon started enjoying.
Now Colle is grateful for Guru Carey chanted. At the least helped lessen the culture shock.
Colle chuckled, 'Carey would have loved to swap places with me.'
One of the pages at about two thirds of the book was thick, as if 20 pages were glued together. The page was blank on both sides, that made him curious. He nudged its corner trying to separate it, but he couldn't get a feel of the individual pages. He licked the tip of his index finger and tried again. From the corner of the page that he tried to detach; a yellow sparkling glow diffused throughout the page. The glow had sparkling particles that accumulated and formed a circle. Lines were painted with the glow and pattern was drawn on its own. The pattern raised into the air, floating, and rising above the page, which now became empty. He was amazed at what he saw. It almost felt like—Magic.
The pattern was blinking and Colle felt a warm calling. As if the pattern were alive and extended a hand to him, drawing him to some place he would be safe and happy. Mesmerized, he raised his hand, pointing his index finger closer and closer, till he touched it.
ZAP!
The bed was warm but its source vanished. So did the pattern. The book shut and laid itself down on the empty bed, almost innocent and unknowing of its deed.