Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep!~
Slam!~
I awoke with a groan, smashing the offending alarm clock that had woken me from my death-like sleep. Blinking against the morning light, I found myself in an unfamiliar room.
"Where…am I?" I mumbled, taking in the decor, and most of all the weapons hanging on the walls.
The last thing I remembered was falling asleep after a marathon gaming session, a habit I had picked up since graduating with my business degree. But this wasn't my apartment, and whoever had chosen this poor decor definitely had poor taste.
A sudden piercing pain shot through my head that forced a scream out of me. Images — or rather memories, not my own, flashed before my eyes. A stream of faces, places, and emotions… A man and a woman, both with blue eyes, smiling down at a child. A young girl, her laughter like music to my ears, fading into the distance. Of a person running away, being called weak, useless, tears, pain, and then a brand on their wrist that seared itself into their skin. Then finally, a name: Caspian Grey.
"What the…?" I said to myself, holding the side of my head with one hand.
As I got up and explored the room, my confusion only grew. The closet held clothes I didn't recognise; and on a desk, I found a uniform blending military and academy elements.
"Cosplay?" I thought out loud as I scanned the desk for anything else.
I found an envelope addressed in an elegant script to the person whose name I heard resonate in my head: "Caspian Grey".
***
Dear Caspian Grey,
Congratulations on your acceptance to Lumina Academy! Your journey will begin soon as one of the fortunate few. A bus will be arriving at your designated location on Monday the 14th of September at 8AM to take you to the academy. Be prepared.
Kind regards,
The Lumina Academy Team
***
"Lumina Academy?" I thought, putting a hand to my chin.
This had to be a sick joke. Lumina Academy was a place I created in a novel I wrote when I was still studying for my undergraduate degree…
'Realm of Shadows,' I thought, recalling the name of the book.
It was a passion project that barely gained any traction, but one I had poured my heart and soul into to distract me from the woes of my daily life.
"This mark…" I mumbled as I noticed the underside of my wrist.
I recognised it, and from my memories Caspian did it to himself.
It was the symbol of his demonic pact: it looked like an 'X' with a circle around it. It was subtle and looked like a weird, black tattoo to someone who didn't know what they were looking at.
(You can see the mark: here)
In the world of my novel, a mark like this was the sign that a bargain was struck between a demon and a human in exchange for power. But the price was steep — sometimes ending with the loss of the person who wanted the pact's life.
"Why do I have this…?"
My eyes went wide as I realised what was going on. I frantically propelled myself to the only mirror in the room. I had to see for myself, to confirm that the impossible had become possible.
Somebody else stared back at me. A young man with black hair and eyes the colour of sapphires.
This wasn't me.
Suddenly, a sharp knock at the door took me out of my stupor. A stern-faced official stood on the other side in uniform as I opened it.
"Caspian Grey? The bus is waiting for you. Be ready in five minutes," he said, looking me up and down.
"Right, I'll be out soon," I managed to reply.
'AHHH!!! THIS ISN'T A PRANK FROM ONE OF MY FRIENDS!' I screamed internally whilst pinching my right cheek. I could feel pain, and everything felt too real to be some sort of farce.
If I really was in the world of my novel, I knew what was to come: a series of events that would lead to my very own demise… Why couldn't I have woken up as the main character instead?!
…
Remembering the official's stern look, I scrambled around, stuffing essentials I found into a bag: clothes, some parchment, the acceptance letter, a few pens. And finally, I put on the uniform.
My mind raced as I ushered myself out of the room with barely a minute to spare. Before I knew it, I found myself on the bus with other students who were waiting inside.
"Ugh…" I groaned as I looked at myself in the window, realising I was so incredibly average-looking despite the black hair and blue eyes. I was remarkably unremarkable. And worst of all, I was the embodiment of a character with no character.
I was Caspian Grey. I was the one they spoke of in the letter of admission: the dull 16 year old boy with barely anything of note, yet somehow he had managed to get admitted into the academy. Is that why he formed a pact with a demon? And why was I the one inside his body instead…?
As a sense of existential dread settled into the farthest pits of my stomach, a translucent screen appeared before me.
[Welcome, Caspian Grey]
- Age: 16
- Race: Human
- Mana: 3 (F)
- Physical Abilities:
- Strength: F
- Agility: F
- Endurance: F
- Dexterity: F
- Charm: F
- Skills:
- The Betrayer's Mark
Class: F
It looked like a video game status screen, confirming my worst fears. Caspian was incredibly weak, yet oddly enough was still human. I had no mana, my physical stats were terribly weak, and I had a skill called the Betrayer's Mark from the brand on my wrist. Yet, for some reason what irked me the most was how low my charm was.
"Really?" I scoffed, crossing my arms as I looked at the screen. I don't look *that* bad, do I?
*
*
*
A few hours later as we arrived at Lumina Academy, we all stepped off the bus. I was met with the sight of the very academy I had envisioned in the pages of my novel.
Its grandeur surpassed every expectation: it stood tall and majestic, sprawling with complex towers and spires that seemed as though they could touch the very heavens. Okay, I'm exaggerating, this isn't a wuxia novel.
I marvelled at the architecture, the intricate details, and the sense of wonder that the academy seemed to bring. It was a place I wrote to have the ideal image of an institute of learning, contrary to my university's image.
Snapping me from my thoughts was the stern-faced official who gestured for me and the other students to following, leading us through the gates. We continued through a massive hall, with rows of seats that extended up like the tiers of a coliseum. The walls were adorned with banners displaying the emblem of Lumina Academy — a radiant sun.
At the front of the hall, standing behind a podium was someone who seemed imposing, the dean of this very academy.
"Celeste Valenstein," I muttered under my breath, recognising who she was at first glance.
As I took my seat amongst the other first-year students, recognisable by the color of their blue tie, the dean stepped forward.
"Welcome, esteemed new students of Lumina Academy," she announced, her tone demanding attention. "I am Dean Celeste Valenstein, you will address me as Miss Celeste."
"Today marks the beginning of your journey at Lumina Academy," Dean Celeste continued, "But before we allow you to dive into the magical and martial wonders that await you, there are certain formalities you must all attend to."
The dean's eyes scanned the room, and her eyes seemed to lock onto mine for a brief moment—I was probably just imagining things.
"You will all undergo a series of tests," she announced, "to determine your strengths and where you will be classed."
Murmurs of excitement and nervousness rippled through the crowd. I was the most nervous of all amongst them.
I was completely unprepared for this.
As the applause died down, we were led to a massive testing facility, and my heart sank even further. This was it. The beginning of my adventure in a world I had created, and I was already doomed to fail!