The Other Side of Darkness

Nowhere Near Home

Prologue: Chapter 4

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Later that evening, Lev sat in a small corner of the library, surrounded by books she had quickly picked out to try and calm her down. Crowley slowly searched each book and map he could find that could even hint at the location of Lev's home.

Now realizing the severity of her situation, she of course began to panic. Never being a person to handle stress very well, she darted into the farthest corner of her mind to try and take it in a process everything a bit at a time. 

I'm not in a dream, she started thinking. She thought that sentence over and over again until her heart calmed down and her breathing slowed. 

Okay, I'm not in a dream, I'm far away from home, she continued thinking, repeating the same process from before. 

Alright, I'm not in a dream, I'm far away from home, and I'm in a school that seems to house people and creatures that can use...magic... This one took her a bit longer to process. She was never one to really believe in magic. She loved stories of faeries and dragons and princesses when she was younger of course, but when...

She paused her deep thinking. When...what? She knew something, something, had happened that started to quench her naive imagination...but what?

"Ugh!" she growled. Why couldn't she remember?! Now becoming angry at herself, she opened one of the old books from the bookcase behind her and stuffed her face in the ancient pages. The smell of ink and parchment helped her calm herself down again. 

Just...calm down, she told herself. Do what your teachers always taught you. Breathe. In through your nose, out through your mouth. In through your nose, out through your mouth. In through-

"Is something the matter?" Crowley asked, suddenly appearing in front of her and snapping her out of her thoughts.

Lev flinched and looked up at the strange man. She managed to pull a small smile on her face. 

"Oh, sorry no. I'm just really tired is all," she assured him. 

Crowley nodded, "That's understandable. It's been a really long day for all of us. Now, as for getting you home..."

Lev perked up. "Yes?"

"I'm sorry, my dear. But there really isn't anything about your hometown," he apologized. "Not only the world map, but the name of your home isn't written in any history that I could find. I'm sorry to ask, but are you sure that is the place you are from? You aren't lying by any chance?"

For a moment, Lev wanted to scream at the headmaster. Why would she joke about something like this?! However, she reigned in her emotions and gave the headmaster a sad frown. 

"No sir, I'm not. I promise. I would never joke about things of this severity." 

Crowley hummed and folded his arms, tapping his cheek with one golden-clawed finger. "Well, if that's the case, then it seems that you've been brought here from another planet. There's also the possibility that you've come here from another world."

Lev furrowed her brows. "Another world? How..." she didn't finish her sentence, turning her gaze to the ground and trying to wrap her head around the idea of being worlds away from home.

"What did you have on you when you came here?" Crowley asked. She looked down at her robes. 

"Nothing I think," she answered. 

"Indeed, it seems you are empty-handed," Crowley observed. "Hmm. This is concerning. I can't just let someone who can't use magic stay at the school. However, as an educator, I can't just toss a penniless teenager out on the street with no form of communication. For I am gracious." He paused, thinking for a moment. "Ah-ha! I've got it! There is an unused building on campus. It was once used as a dormitory in the past so if you clean it up you should at least be able to sleep there."

Goodie, chores, Lev thought bitterly, but she kept her expression calm. 

"For the time being I shall allow you to stay there!" Crowley exclaimed, his mouth turning into a large smile. "Then, I will look for a way for you to return home. My graciousness is limitless! I am a model for all educators."

Lev blinked. "Uh. Y-yes sir. Thank you very much." 

Crowley's smile lessened, but didn't disappear. "It's decided then. We better be on our way. Follow me, I'll take you to the dormitory. It may be a bit old but there is a certain charm to it." He started walking towards the exit. Lev quickly stood up, brushing dust off her robes and pulling down her hood, letting the cool air start caressing her face.  

"Hurry now! No time to waste!" the headmaster called to her. 

"Yessir!" she called back, quickly walking back towards Crowley. He looked at her.

"Oh my! I just realized. You're a girl aren't you?" 

Lev flinched. "Yes, I am. Did you really not realize until just now?"

"My apologies. If you can understand, tonight has been crazy for me, and you were just so quiet, I didn't realize you were female!" 

"Is there something wrong with that?" she asked, now worried. 

"Not at all! This is a boys-only school, but since you'll only be here for a little while--and you're not technically a student--I think it'll be fine," Crowley assured her.

So that's why there weren't any other girls at the entrance ceremony, she thought.

"Are you fine with that?" Crowley asked. 

Lev nodded. "Of course. I have several younger brothers, so I know what it's like to live around boys."

"Good," Crowley smiled. "Your name is rather strange for a girl though. And a boy, for that matter."

"Oh? Lev? It's just a nickname," Lev told him, smiling. "My full name is Leviline Route. I never really liked the sound of it though, it's a little long. And old. So, I told my friends and family to call me Lev instead."

"Leviline, it's a beautiful name," Crowley said. "I think it suits you well. Now, come. I must show you to your new home." As he led her through the school to wherever it was that she'd be staying, Lev tried to think of all the weird things that could happen to her.

Well, can't get any weirder than this, right? she thought hopefully. Waking up in a coffin with a burning raccoon-cat and taken into a school for magic ran by a strange crow-man worlds away from her actual home...Yup, can't any weirder than that...right?

Oh-ho! How she was wrong...