As I ended the class, all students stood up, walking down the stairs, and headed towards the door.
The rustle of their movements and the tapping sounds of their feet filled the room.
Cara: "Professor Arthur."
As I was keeping some of the papers inside the file, a group of three individuals approached me again.
Arthur: "Yes?"
Hooking the file on my keychain belt I said so.
Cara: "The class was very informative, we are looking forward to the next class. Right, Darla?"
She turned her head to her friend, swaying her short hair.
Darla: "Absolutely. "
Darla beamed.
Darla: " Feel the magic through the surroundings. Imagine the world around us like a pool of magic like we are in the middle of it, like being underwater in the middle of the ocean. I never thought about cosmic energy like that."
+
[Several Nubeculas are looing in your direction.]
+
Haris: "Right. I always thought it was all about raising one's stats."
Well, it is all about stats in the end, honestly.
Arthur: "It was a metaphor and the Sea does not refer to magic itself, it's the matter, which is always around us. The Source of Cosmic influencing our souls. "
All three of their eyes widened at my words like they gain enlightenment.
Cara's lips again parted to say something, but I spoke first.
Arthur: "Try using your skills afterward, feel them, and get a better understanding of them. It will help you raise its rank."
My words make Cara halt hers.
Is she really shy? I asked myself that, since I couldn't tell because she always initiates the conversation.
Setting aside that thought. Most of the students had already left the room. So I also took a step towards the door, picking Hekate in my arms.
All three of them bowed a little looking at their headmaster and I marched out of the room.
Taking a couple of steps into the hallway, I came across Ducas talking with Valerie.
Persephone was also there, looking outside of the window.
Ducas: "Ah. Sir Arthur."
+
[The Nubecula 'Guhimo' is looking at your direction.]
+
[The Nubecula 'Raziel' has shifted his eyes to you.]
+
Oh? He is back. He must be watching Ducas again. He has unexpectedly attracted Raziel's attention to himself. Honestly it was really not that unexpected.
What is, an question. A question which arise as to why were they in the Basics class, but.
'I am not really curious.'
They can do whatever they want. It's not like I am their father.
Arthur: "What are you both doing here?"
I asked, curious as to why were they just standing in the Hallway.
Valerie: "Sir Arthur. Ducas wanted to attend the first class that you were teaching. So we came."
Valerie spoke with a teasing tone directed at Ducas, and it might have not shown on my face but I got an urge to frown.
I wasn't asking why they come to the class. Since the students of any class could attend any of the remaining other classes as well, I couldn't actually say anything regarding it anyway.
Shifting my eyes to Ducas, who was surprisingly silent, I felt an awkward atmosphere.
The silver-haired powerful boy was looking into my arms, so intently. I traced his gaze and spotted Hekate also looking at Ducas.
Sparks seem to have been generated between the cat's blue eyes and the man's blue eyes.
Tracing my gaze Valerie also eyed them and then smiled awkwardly.
At this point, I was expecting some remark from Persephone but I got nothing.
Hekate jerked her cat head and started rubbing her face on my shirt's sleeves, seemingly happy.
Ignoring that I looked to my side, but releasing a comical threatening aura, Ducas eyed the innocent cat, or rather should I say, the fearsome god.
Oblivious to this, my eyes wandered to Persephone who was standing at the window, staring outside.
During the lecture, she got bored and went out saying she wanted some fresh air.
But right now, The scene of her, looking outside, face resting on her palm, fair skin reflecting sunlight, over her dark hair, and dark gown laced with feathers, was beautiful.
My eyes became standstill on her since she is attractive.
But being attracted to such a beautiful woman, with so much experience of life, and unfathomable power, felt stupid.
Ducas and Valerie traced my gaze, I assumed they thought I was looking outside the window.
Valerie: "You are also concerned about her, right Sir Arthur?"
But Valerie's question made me stumped.
I looked at her full of doubt and confusion, face slightly frowned, and eyes looking for answers.
+
[The Nubecula 'Guhimo' comments "Yes, you must be concerned."]
+
[The Nubecula 'Guhimo' is looking at you with pity.]
+
'Concerned?'
About what? Can they see Persephone? Or Sense her?
+
[The Nubecula 'Who Like Cigars And Candy' comments "Yeah, concern. A hero has to be concern about everyone."]
+
Shut it. I roared inside. I could figure out the sarcasm in his comment plain as day.
+
[The Nubecula 'Whose Heart Bleeds For Heartbroken' is looking at you with concern.]
+
Ducas and Valerie looked at me with weird expressions, like pity or something along that emotion, I wasn't sure.
Ducas: "Are you concerned about her Sir Arthur?"
Concerned about Persephone? Absurd. Is there a reason? Even if I was, What could I do for the Goddess of the Underworld?
I couldn't help but have these thoughts, But my biggest question right now is.
How can they see her?
Valerie: "It's fine Sir Arthur. You could show your real feelings."
Taking my slight frown as a mistake for masking my feelings, Valerie consoled me.
Ducas then took a step towards the window and marched.
'Hey, Where are you going?'
Can they really see her? Why haven't they said anything before?
Getting no answers to these wild thoughts, panicked inside, I followed him and Valerie followed me.
Following the silver head, we reached the window, well not particularly the window but a little left to it.
Standing infront of a Vintage notice board, brown in color, with flower patterns chiseled on its border. Ducas unpinned an article and turned to show it to us.
I looked down and noticed the word 'Missing' written in bold letters at the head of the article with other pieces of information.
A picture of a beautiful smiling girl with long eyelashes wearing an ornament on her left ear, and a white shirtdress underneath her cloak, was at its center.
It seems that a girl named, Amanda Kirt, has gone missing recently.
Realization washed over me, and I realized that they were actually talking about a missing person.
Valerie: "It is magical that she just disappeared last night from inside the Trivia... If she is kidnapped, she must be so scared."
Valerie was concerned, the late thirty-year-old, looking like a twenty-year woman, looked so pitiful that I got an urge to pat her head, but my hands were already full with a cat.
Ducas: "Her loved ones must be more scared."
Ducas uttered those words, unconsciously, I assumed since it seemed he didn't even realize that he actually said it out loud.
I guess maybe, he was thinking about his own family.
Both of their eyes went at me, but after seeing the poster I was already in my thoughts, still slightly frowning.
This girl... hmmm...
Arthur: "Go back to your dorm rooms, and don't get out at late nights."
As I said that, another weird pitying look overtook their faces, which felt uncomfortable to me.
I then turned and walked towards the stairs.
-I am leaving. Are you coming?
Persephone: "Sure~".
***
:: ALISON BROWN
Sitting at my desk, I was going through the material taught in today's class.
Alison: "Four basic elemental magic..."
I whispered reading the notes, I made in today's class on Basics of Magic.
When Professor Eddie was teaching the class, I was content with his teaching.
It may be because even though I like to gain as much knowledge as I can, I had little to no knowledge regarding magic.
So, when I heard that he will be going to his household due to personal reasons, I thought what if the professor assigned on his behalf will not going to teach as well as him?
But when Arthur... No, Assistant Professor Arthur.
When he walked into the classroom I was, ecstatic, thinking that maybe Professor Yates will be teaching in Professor Eddie's place. But it felt like someone squashed my favorite dessert infront of me, when He told us that He will be teaching our class.
So I stood up for it.
I wanted to learn about Magic and its existence. I am proficient with Phiodora's politics, and its geography.
I know the names of every important people throughout the Phiodora, anything you could find in any common library I probably know them all.
But Magic, Cosmic power, its ability to influence the soul, nothing anyone has claimed is concrete.
And then I found out someone who has probably little to no experience, and is younger than me, will be teaching me.
Me, who spend most of my time learning, what he could have known that I didn't?
But he was amazing. Confident, knowledgeable, and so handsome.
Suddenly his smile beaming at me when he offered his hand to me, came into my mind.
Feeling heat burning my cheeks, I blushed and shook my head, trying to get that picture out of my head.
Sigh.
Sighing, I pushed the desk, and the chair I was sitting on dragged.
Drrrrr...
Alison: "I probably should go to the Library. Maybe a change of surroundings would be better."
Saying so, I stood up, thinking that sitting in a crowd would help me not to think about him.
I walked towards my closet and opened its door.
Then looking through my dresses for a while, I picked out a Moss color polo dress, with two white strips at its collar, and placed it over the cushion stool.
Standing infront of Mirror in my nightgown, I picked a blush brush and put on a slight makeup.
Then I wore my polo dress under my uniform cloak. Being almost ready, I wore my golden earring on my left ear.
Content with my look I also picked up my golden band, a symbol of Phiodora Royalty, and put it on my forehead, parting my Dark raisin color hair from the middle, which is not as dark as Arthur's hair.
Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath, reminding myself not to think about him every time.
Then releasing a deep sigh, I headed out.
Walking out of the Female dorm, tapping my foot on the tiled marble stone, I strolled through the Garden.
Passing the long flowery grassland under the dark sky with shimmering stars and a moon up high, I reached the main building.
Ascending the stairs, two girls descending came into my view. Our eyes meet and we nodded our heads to each other.
?: "That is Alison right?"
?: "Mhmm."
As they passed by me, I heard them speaking.
?: "I heard she stood up against, Professor Yates's Assistant."
?: "Yes, and then she stumbled infront of him, landing on her butt."
?: "Heh. That must be embarrassing."
Ignoring their remarks, I marched on. Their words meant nothing to me, they weren't even in the class.
But now, that incident surfaced in my mind. That frightening feeling I felt during the class.
When Arthur, peered over me, looking directly into my eyes.
I didn't know what others felt, but it must be something since the whole class went silent when he said my name.
For me it was like, he covered the whole world around me. I was so scared but unable to look away from his eyes, which were staring at me with such coldness, that I felt like my own existence was meaningless.
All I wanted at that time was a deep breath of fresh air, filling my lungs. Maybe that is why his smiling face felt so enchanting.
Creak.
As my mind again became filled with him, a sudden sound made me come out of my thoughts.
Blinking my eyes I looked around.
A dark hallway, which seems to stretch too long than I remembered. Series of alternating Doors, between which existed wall paintings, were to my right, and to my left were the windows.
The only light that seems to be coming was from the windows on the left. I looked outside through one of them and I realized that I was already on the fifth floor of Trivia.
How much focused was I on him? I didn't even realize that I walked through the main building's door, took the stairs, and ended up on the highest floor that one could go in this building.
Embarrassed and confused I looked both sides of the hallway.
Alison: "The Library is on the first floor."
I hushed, speaking to myself. Again I looked around, I need to head for the staircase so that I could go down, but the hallway on both sides looked so similar, stretched so far, that I could not see an end to it.
Which path will lead to the staircase? I wondered.
But then since when I stopped thinking about Arthur, I knew that windows were on my left side, and I must have walked straight, so I decided to walk in the opposite direction.
Turning around to walk in the direction I believed the staircase was.
fushhhh...
But suddenly a sound of something cutting through the wind, came through the end of the hallway, behind me.
I jerked my head, looking through the dark hallway, narrowing my eyes. But I couldn't spot anything. Still maintaining my eyes there I took a couple of seconds just to be sure, and then turned back again to walk away, thinking it must be just wind.
Thud!
Then a sound, similar to a chair being thrown with great strength, with intent to break it, came through the hallway.
I turned around completely sure that something is going here.
Alison: "Who is there?!"
I howled, but no response was given to me. It became as silent as a graveyard, not even a whistle of wind.
Regardless of how silent it got, It was obvious that I am not alone in here.
Annoyed, with the fact that someone is here, but they are choosing not to reply to me, and feared, because of the uncertainty as well as the mystery of the situation.
I decided to walk towards the other end of the Hallway. I am from the Marquis Family of Phiodora, I am not cowering just because of some uncertain sounds.
I walked and walked, the hallway seemed too long for some reason, like it is stretching with my every step, and silence seems to be becoming deeper and denser.
It is all his fault. I grumbled trying to focus on something other than the reasons for the eerie noises, that were coming in my head.
I was comfortably reading in my room, why does he have to fill my head every time?
If that wasn't the case, I would not have decided to come to the library just to get him off my mind.
If he hadn't filled my head yet again, I would be sitting in the library right about now. But I am on the fiftieth floor without even remembering how I got here.
Whilst blaming him inside my head, which I didn't really mean, I reached the end of the hallway.
A big latched door came into view, but the weirdest thing about it was a word that was beautifully carved onto its side.
{Library}
Confusion washed over me.
Alison: "Was there a Library on the fifth floor, as well?"
I never heard about it, but then again, the fifth floor of the north, east, south, and west wings are for faculties, so there was no reason for any student to come here even if it was the central one, and this Library may be for their use, I deduced.
Curious I lifted my hand to touch the door, my finger centimeters away from its wooden surface, closed to its leather handle, then-
Thud!
My whole body jerked because of the sudden yet another loud thud sound, that reached my ears. My breath almost got stuck in my throat.
Alison: "The hell?"
Annoyed, I mumbled, taking a deep breath.
Retreating my hand back, I looked to my side, from where the sound seemed to come from.
But my eyebrows frowned again. What came into my view was a staircase, going up, the sound was coming from the upper level, more precisely, it was coming from the sixth floor.
Who snuck into the sixth floor? I questioned.
The sixth floor is off-limits, nobody is allowed to go there, and to my knowledge, there is only one staircase leading there, it must be that one.
But who is it? I wondered.
Alison: "Seriously, some people are so childish."
Just like when a child is told not to do something, they tend to become attracted to do that very thing, some people just can't help but break the rules.
Even though I was curious, according to the rule I should not go upstairs even if someone is there, that would be similar to breaking the rules myself.
I was just about to make up my mind to return when suddenly, from the staircase, a light illuminated.
A small flame, radiated at the first end of the stairs.
The flame remained to stand still, which felt like a person intently looking in my direction, standing infront of the window that was behind him.
After gazing at each other for a while, the flame swayed like a wind was blown at it, and then it moved taking a turn on the stairway, going further upward.
Even though, earlier I decided not to go upward, the bizarre events overwhelmed me with curiosity, so I decided to finally take a step.
As I ascended, the light from the flame earlier was not visible anymore. Once again the only light that was there, came from the window that was on the first end of the stairway infront of me.
With the absence of the flame, the guilt of breaking the rules surged in me.
What if some faculty found out about me going to the forbidden floor? What if I am being seen by a faculty? What if a faculty is the one who is upstairs? Thoughts filled me.
What if Arthur found out? What if Arthur sees me breaking the rules? What if Arthur is upstairs? Then the thought changed by adding a name to it.
I reached the first end and took the turn that the flame took and ascend again.
Will things be alright? Will I be able to explain myself to him? Will he believe what I tell him?
Taking steps further and further, I soon reached the sixth floor.
A long balcony size area opened up, and a door, three-meter tall, was visible in the distance.
It had two huge hands, twice the normal size, in the place of the handle, both hands were turned towards each other, holding one other, like both doors were shanking hands with each other.
It was also chained and locked with a big, giant, lock at its center. Also, cosmic energy, filled with an aura of an abandoned soul, seems to be locked inside.
I took a step towards it, confused that there is no flame, no one to make a sound.
And those facts made my thoughts run wild.
There is nothing here, now what am I going to tell Arthur if he found out that I broke the rule without any reason? What if he will detest me? What if I lose all credibility in his eyes? What if he hates me?
Alison: "I don't want that."
?: "What don't you want miss Alison?"
A deep husky voice came from behind me snapping me out of my thoughts, like taking me out of some hypnosis, clearing my head.
And how can I not recognize that authoritative voice? which felt filled with concern for me.
I turned around, hopeful and scared.
A pale white effeminate face, with masculine features, deep black hair , and an even darker shade of eyes came into view. It was so close to my face that I wasn't sure if there was even a distance between us.
Flustered, I backed away and Arthur stood straight becoming almost a head taller than me.
Alison: "Arthur, what are you doing here?"
Taking a gulp, I said so. But as soon as those words left my mouth, I panicked, realizing that I referred to him just by his name.
Alison: "I-I am sorry. I shouldn't have referred to you like that."
Arthur: "It is fine."
Arthur moved to take a step towards me, and raising his hand, he pushed a part of my hair that was over my shoulder, gently sliding it back, whilst grazing my neck with his finger.
That contact of skin may be was just a coincidence but it send an electrifying sensation throughout my body.
Arthur: "You can call me whatever you want."
Giving me a slight nod, looking into my eyes he reassured me of his words, meaning that he meant what he said.
Feeling trapped yet free of all burdened emotions, I was lost for words to reply.
Putting his same hand that grazed me, into his black pant's pocket. He raised his head and looked at me, seemingly trying to look at me whole.
I felt embarrassed, Was my dress okay? I didn't put on that much makeup either.
Arthur: "So Alison, Can I call you that? Seeing you are also calling me only by my name as well."
He smiled, tilting his head a little, questioningly, and narrowing his eyes, gently.
Alison: "O-of course."
'You stammered! How can a royal of phiodora stammer? you idiot.!' I scolded myself.
Arthur: "Right. So I see you are also drawn by the mysterious curiosity of the sixth floor of this mansion. People running this place obviously have done a terrible job to keep people taking any interest in it."
Alison: "Wait a minute. So you are saying there really is a reason for locking this floor. "
Arthur: "Yes there is."
Alison: "I thought it is just left untouched because of being a storage room, or maybe for further development."
Arthur: "Well you can call it a storage room, since the secrets of this mansion have been stored beyond that very door."
He pointed with his eyes towards the door, which had bizarre handles for one, and a weird aura for second.
Alison: "Secrets? What kinds of secrets?"
But my eyes were unable to left from him, and so I questioned, to which he replied with a husky whispered voice.
Arthur: "Magical ones."
It was like he is telling me a secret just to be kept between us.
Arthur: "Would you like to see?"
He once again took his right hand out from his pocket and held it between us, infront of his chest that was exposed because of his two-unbuttoned maroon shirt.
Alison: "But it might be against the rules to go inside right?"
With a little heat to my cheeks, I replied.
Arthur: "It will be fine. I am with you."
Closing the distance between us with a step, he pushed his hand toward me. Gently brushing my cheeks with the back of his finger, he reassured me.
Alison: "But it is locked."
Holding onto my conscience I said so in the last effort.
Arthur: "No, it is not."
My head turned towards the door behind me, there was no lock, no chains that were bounding its handle. Even the handle, which I remember to be in the shape of hands was changed to the normal door handle.
As I looked at the door, Arthur's left hand held the right side of my cheek, and turned my head to look at him.
His face so close, while mine tilted up at him, my both cheeks cupped by his hands, and with sincerity, he spoke to me.
Arthur: "What do you say? Together? I'll hold you, never let go, and we could explore."
Words that felt like a promise, a promise bound with life, a promise that could only be severed by death, that's how his words felt to me.
The girl, who was a Royal, who was praised as the smartest in her household, who was known to be rational and intimidating, who stood up when she thought a voice need to be heard.
That same girl melted under a gaze of a man, stupified by his words, and above all, didn't want to refuse him, no matter how irrational it seemed.
Alison: "Ofcourse."
My voice came out as in whisper, and deep down, as soon I heard those words in his voice he said earlier, I knew that those were the words I wanted to hear the most.
Smiling slightly at me, the same smile he gave me when he offered his hand to me in the class, he let go of my cheeks and sliding his hands on my arms, then held mine.
Arthur: "Then let's go together."
He walked towards the door, and holding his hand, I walked with him.
Even though his hand felt cold, I felt a warm sensation wielding up inside me.
He pushed the door with his free hand, and a dark, pitch black shadow like a scene beyond, came into view.
The space beyond the door was so dark, that it was uncertain what lies beyond. A room? A corridor? A hallway? A floor? A roof? A wall? I wasn't sure.
But then, squeezing my hand, he turned to me and didn't give me an assured look, but a concerned one, asking if I was okay.
Warmth filled my heart for sure this time. I nodded before taking a step into the beyond unknown with no care and once inside, the door behind us shut on its own.
....
....
....
....
....
....
....
Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa < Sound of a girl's scream >
?: "Shuhhhh, huh?"
Taking a deep breath, like he was devoid of any air, his eyes snapped open. He held onto the air he sucked in, looking towards the roof, and there lie a message.
[The Third branch skill of your attribute has been deactivated.]
***
:: Arthur Xanders
The message indicating the deactivation of a skill hovered infront of me and then disappeared as soon as I saw it.
The message was the first time that I had seen it, but my mind was filled with the dream that I had seen just now.
Alison, the girl that stood up to me in the class today, suddenly decided to go to the library, but for some reason walked up to the fifth floor in a daze and then ascended to the sixth floor, finally going inside the door on that floor.
Her scream made me awake, but I was sure deep inside that it wasn't just a dream, it was real, just like the dream I had at Bob's house, just like the dream I had when Felicity left and...
I wasn't sure then but I was now. It was real, and it was because of one of my skills.
I didn't know before, maybe because the message was appearing then disappearing right after that, and I was waking up at ease, but because of this dream my eyes snapped open and I caught the message before it disappeared.
Damn it. Why do all my skills like to play hide and seek?
Persephone: "You wake up?"
I didn't reply, pushing my body upwards. I took deep breaths, thinking about what I saw. Alison's scream was still vivid in my ears.
Titling my head upwards, I took a deep breath and released it by blowing from my mouth.
Arthur: "So it has started."
Persephone also sat up, her hair perfectly combed, while mine was completely disheveled like a person should have after waking up.
Persephone: "What are you mumbling about?"
Arthur: "It seems you were right."
Persephone: "Why are you stating the obvious?"
Arthur: "...Right, It cannot be leisurely."
***
[Some Nubeculas are wondering what are you talking about.]
[The NUbecula 'Guhimo' comments "What has started? Tell me!"]
[The Nubecula 'Who like Cigar and Candy' comments "You damn right, it cannot be leisurely."]
[The Nubecula 'Whose heart bleed for heartbroken' comments "You can do it."]
[2300 total points has been donated.]