Academy

Kuzuyu

I used to not be able to hold eye contact with Stantz.
It's the eyes, the eyes so blue they seem to refect the whole world in their colour.
You'd think she sees through you.
I wouldn't be surprised if she actually does.
She's chosen to appear in her pretty form this time, last year she terrifed the poor kids who weren't expecting to meet a demon on first encounter with the headmistress.
Today she's beautiful.
And angelic, her black dress seems to flow about of it's own accord and her huge white wings float behind her as if they have no grasp of the laws of physics.
She looks at Forsee with her almost always, smug face, black hair cascading about.
The thing is, I have no idea how I feel about her.
She thinks she runs the place, and I certainly don't trust her.
Because in fact, we run the place.
Forsee, Kyle and I risk our lives, more so than others, every day and all we get for it is permission to day drink and punch people.
I take those permissions very seriously.
Stantz speaks, with a voice like light.
"This binding is weak so I must speak briefly."
Kyle rolls his eyes.
"Welcome."
Her feet touch the ground with no sound, and her brilliance escapes her.
Her aura of gold recedes.
"Firstly, you must know my name." She says, cold eyes looking out to the small group of mages.
"I, am Claire Stantz. It is I, who built these grounds from the Ether and created the Academy as it now exists.
You, are the Unsowed. Yet to find your place, in the grand cycle of the Academy. This will soon change."
Her wings are the last to fizzle, smoke washing away in the wind.
She smiles, all too human now.
"This place, it is powerful. Aincent blood spread about the very ground you walk on. You will each face great hardship, violence. Such is the way of Stantz. The definition of each of your characters will lie, in how you allow this adversity to shape your hearts, your minds, your Gift."
She turns, her heels crunching in the dirt and one flick of her finger, Kyle's summoning circle glows again, a brilliant white once more.
"There is no God. Only power. This lesson, I learnt when I died."
The Mistress looks over her shoulder for a second.
"Good luck." She says with a smile as a circle of light envelopes her.
Then, she's gone.
I roll my eyes, and turn to the stunned recruits.
"And that, was our enigmatic, melodramatic principal." I joke,
"Hold the applause, she'll be here all year."
Kyle's already turning to go.
I wouldn't know how to react to that.
I didn't know how the react the first time I saw her, eyes all black, wings like black smoke.
It was... intimidating.
So it's only natural they look the way they do now.
I laugh, glancing to Kyle who's already gone at this point.
Forsee's as still as ever.
The Ice Queen, looking through every person she meets.
I fix my eyes on the recruits.
"Listen, this place is rough. Don't walk around at night, don't steal, don't fall in love with Ormand girls.
The Library is the only safe place in this Academy." I say, pointing through the trees at the towering building that is the Library.
"You'll be able see it from basically any place in Stantz.
Finally, be careful, find your friends, protect one another. And if you're ever dealing with something so big and scary that you think won't make it out...well, scream. Scream loud.
One of us will come."
They look at me for a second then all murmur their yes.
I nod.
"Now get out of here, before the older kids see you."
They break, separating into 3 groups.
Seems like everybody's already made themselves some buddies.
"They seem tough." I joke.
Forsee glances down at me, then refocuses on the dispersing recruits.
I'm lighting a ciggerette when a blonde chick with big nerdy glasses steps up to me.
"Um, I'm sorry to disturb you but I realise-," She looks back, to a frail guy in white sneakers, "We don't really know where to sleep."
I'm about to answer when Forsee interjects.
"The Library's the only safe place in Stantz." She says deadpan.
A moment passes, and I'm sure the kid's going to ask something else. But she turns around and walks in the direction of the library followed by the scrawny guy.
Wow.
Those glasses won't last a day in this place.