The Other Side of Darkness

Ramshackle Dorm

Prologue: Chapter 5~7

~~~~~~~

When Crowley and Lev finally reached the place Crowley had mentioned, Lev was amazed.

Yes, the dorm was obviously old and in need of repair, but it was huge! Much larger than any home Lev had seen before. Then again, she supposed that it was made to be a dorm to house dozens of students. But to have it all to herself...

"That's...a bit too much charm," she admitted quietly, shivering and pulling her robes closer around her. Was it usually so cold here?

Crowley couldn't seem to stop smiling, too pleased with himself to notice anything else. "Yes, yes. Please come inside with me." He led her up a thin pathway to the run-down dorm. 

Inside, dust covered the floor and furniture. Old couches and paintings were faded and coated in spiderwebs and water stains. Lev wasn't OCD, but the urge to run around and start straightening and cleaning things had to be fought down with quite a lot of strength.

"I know it needs a little love, but at least staying here will keep you out of the rain," Crowley said. "I'm going to head back to the library to do more research. Please make yourself at home. Don't go wandering around the school! Goodbye!" With that, he strode back out the door towards the school, leaving Lev alone.

Sighing, Lev took off her expensive-looking robe and set it on the cleanest chair she could find. At the moment, it and the strange shirt and pants she had on under it was the only pair of clean clothes she had. But she had to start straightening this place up, otherwise she was going to be thinking about it all night. 

Well, home sweet home, she thought, rolling up her sleeves and getting to work.

========

Time Skip

========

After an hour or two of dusting and cleaning, Lev had gotten one bedroom and most of the lounge and kitchen into working condition. It was a good thing too, because it had started raining outside and the old building seemed to have some leaks. 

After getting a couple of buckets, she threw herself on one of the couches to rest.

Maybe I should try and sleep...  she thought, curling up into a ball. She was just about to close her eyes and rest when a small but familiar voice echoed through the room.

"Geeze, it's really coming down!" Grim marveled, shaking his body like a dog.

Lev shot up and yelped. "YOU!"

Grim clutched his small stomach and laughed. "You've got this stupid look on your face! HA! It's just like a spider being attacked with a water gun!" 

Lev stood up angrily and clenched her fists. "How'd you get in here? I thought you got kicked out!" 

Grim smirked at her. "Seriously? I have no trouble sneaking into the school. Besides, did you really think getting thrown out is gonna make me give up on getting in to this school?"

Lev sighed. "Well, your determined. Mind telling me why you're so dead-set some coming here anyway?" 

"That's simple! I'm a genius who is destined to be a great magician! I've been waiting for the Ebony Carriage to come pick me up. But..."

Lev furrowed her eyebrows. "I'm...sorry?" 

Grim huffed. "It's fine. I guess the Dark Mirror doesn't have an eye for this. So that's why I came here on my own. Not letting me in would be a loss for the world, humans just don't get it."