A Fairytale In The Making

32. RAGNAROK

WAR AND PEACE

Isolde's POV

Death.

Such a humongous impact for such a small word. It leaves behind an impression of everlasting hurt that some can't help but drown in.

It throws those left behind in a sea of memories until they drown in the hollowness where love once had been.

Death changes people. It only knows how to take.

So at the one who was the one who left with the Valkyrie? The dead or the person the living once had been?

Today marks the first lesson since that tragedy. I look around to see perhaps it had claimed more than just the life of those warriors.

 Gunhild hadn't returned from her home. Eboni had been unnaturally quiet in her demands and commands in the room. Naeem was more lethargic in his spiteful remarks to Esmeralda.

And Akira? He was nowhere to be seen.

I had seen him this morning in the hall. He had given me fake smile. Even that looked somewhat hollow.

I look out the window, letting the boring lecture on dread magic become one with the pitter-patter of the rain outside.

 I look towards the old abandoned classrooms where older kids usually hang out. Esmeralda usually hosts her queenly court sessions there. 

That girl actually banished someone yesterday. Can she even do that?

My eyes roam towards the best part of the abandoned section. The hollow tree. It was an ancient willow tree whose branches have seen eras pass by them. The old spirit of it, famously known as granny Willow was a grumpy one who hits everyone with her branches. 

For some reason, she seems to be impressed by me. It's probably because I tied a pretty pink wishing ribbon around her branch.

The giant plant hosts a hole in its trunk that might be small compared to its size but perfect for a person. I call it the Hollow.

Well fine, they'll fit if they were as short as me which is not to say I was a midget or something like a certain someone likes to call me.

The eardrum-splitting noise of the bell wakes me up from my thoughts and I make way to my magical base class.

 "Attention, attention, young mages," the old elven curator blocks our path on our way, "Captain Baig has been urgently summoned to the court. So today's lessons are canceled."

The announcement of a free period sends a ripple of joy through the students. It almost managed to bring back the lively atmosphere of the academy before the attack. "Free period! Let's go and see how the situation with the horseback riding teams looks," Dhara said excitedly.

Ah yes, the sensational situation with the horseback riding teams where both the second-year captain and the third captain fancies the same girl and now they plan to have a completely unfriendly competition without the teacher's knowledge. 

Oh, and did I mention the captains are siblings?

 "Yes, let's go. I am dying to know who she will choose at the end. I hope it's not the brother. He's a bastard," Arthur said with a thoughtful face.

Sol, these two were like village aunties. 

"You guys go, I'll go and check the new collection in the library," I waved off the invitation.

I'd rather read some books in the hollow than watch two extremely muscular siblings woo a pretty girl by showing her their horse-riding skills.

I might not know much about romance but that sounded very unromantic to me.