Seraphina didn't sleep much that night.
The bed was soft, but the air was too heavy. Too cold. She kept hearing things - rushed whispers outside the door, footsteps pacing the hallway at odd hours and then the howls. Long, guttural howls that tore through the silence and made my blood chill. Not from fear. From something deeper. Something older.
She'd pull the blanket tighter, shut her eyes harder and tell herself it was just wolves. Just wild things in the woods. But that never made it better.
She even began to think that it was some kind of initiation for the new students, But why would they care!
Worse was the feeling that she was being watched. Like the shadows in the corners leaned too close. Like something was waiting. Sera never looked. She refused to give it power.
By morning, Sera looked like she hadn't slept in days. Eyes hollow, lips dry, body sore from tossing. She was so hungry. She rummaged her backpack which she didn't open when she was unpacking the previous night. Chips! She found a packet from her bag. It was the chips her aunt had bought for her at the gas station convenience store. She tore it open and munched on it. It was onion flavored. Terrible! but she ate it regardless. Beggars can't be choosers.
The door swung open with no warning.
A girl with silver braids walked in like she owned the place. No knock. No hello. She tossed a black duffel on the second bed and started unpacking without even sparing her a glance.
This was her room too, apparently.
Her name tag was pinned neatly to her blazer: ERIS DAELYN. 3rd Year.
She didn't talk. Neither did Sera.
Sera liked it better that way.
'THWARCK!'
Something was suddenly thrown on her bed, jolting her from her thoughts. Sera looked at her but the girl looked as if she wasn't the one who threw it. It wasn't in Sera to confront her. She can't argue, Let alone fight. For she didn't even know what supernatural powers Eris had.
Sera was still debating in her mind when she saw Eris get the same bag.
Turns out it was a uniform.
'Why did she have to be that rude!' Sera thought. It's not like she can say it out loud.
She went to bathe. Sera changed quickly into the same all-black uniform before she came out as she was not that confident in changing clothes in front of anyone. When Eris got out, she threw her towel on her bed and stood butt naked as she wore her clothes.
Sera was shocked.
She had never seen anyone naked in her life. She withdrew her gaze as she felt it was really weird of her staring shamelessly at a fellow girl.
Sera wore her boots as Eris flicked pulled hers with a practiced flick. When the bell rang somewhere in the distance, she finally looked at Sera.
"Orientation." One word. Flat tone.
Sera followed her through the hallways, still unfamiliar and too alive. The wooden walls creaked like they were breathing and the portraits along the corridors watched every move she made. She kept her head down.
The main assembly hall was massive arched stone, twisted metal chandeliers and windows that bled in morning light filtered through deep violet glass. The pews were already filling up.
Sera took the last row, keeping to the shadows. Not daring to stand out. She didn't want to be their next source of entertainment.
The headmistress talked a few word before welcoming the new students. "We welcome the new arrivals to The Hartley Hollow Academy," she said, eyes sweeping the room with ancient precision. "Despite the unusual timing."
Sera's brow twitched.
Unusual timing, indeed. Who accepts new students mid-semester? Something about that felt off. Not just logically. Cosmically.
Morwenna spoke of 'Integration,' 'Observation periods,' and 'Containment' as though they were standard school terms. The rest of the new students, a handful of pale, quiet faces just nodded like this was normal.
After orientation, they were issued charcoal-black folders containing their timetables. Seraphina's was marked with the Academy's seal: A silver raven with twin moons for eyes.
Her name was stamped at the top.
Nova Seraphina Dusk.
Major: Business Management.
Dorm Wing: East 3c
Status: New Entrant
Her schedule was filled to the edges. No free periods. No gaps. Every class had symbols next to it- glyphs she didn't understand.
Monday - Friday
- 7:30 AM - Business Strategy
- 9:00 AM - Financial Ethics
- 10:30 AM - Enchanted Marketing & Consumer Influence.
- 1:00 PM - Paranormal Law & Contract Binding.
- 2:30 PM - Ritual Studies ( Beginner Level) - Wednesdays only
- 3:00 PM - Combat & Cloaking (Cloaks distributed weekly)
- 5:00 PM - Free study / Internship Briefing
NOTE: All students are expected to be in dormitories by 8:30 PM. Violation results in disciplinary action.
'Weird!' She thought.
The previous night she was sure she heard some students walking in the corridor and it was really late at night. Was it her imagination? NO. If it was her imagination, she's tripping and if not then that was creepy.
The classes were odd, sure, but oddly normal too - like someone had tried to dress up business school in magical robes.
After the orientation, by the time she got to the lunchroom, her hunger had evolved into something feral. She devoured everything on her tray like it might disappear if she hesitated. The food was... strange. Spicy in a way that prickled memories. Still, it was warm.
She had nothing else scheduled, so she kept her head down and returned to her dorm. The room was cold, the velvet curtains whispered when they moved. The air felt... off. Like someone had just left.
Maybe it was her roommate, but Sera didn't think it was Eris but maybe she was overreacting.
She just waited out the afternoon, curled in her bed like a held breath.
Dinner came at 6 PM. She ate in silence then back to her dorm room.
She stared at the ceiling. There was a weight in her chest she couldn't shake off.
She didn't feel safe. Not exactly unsafe, either, but watched. As if something stood just outside her line of sight, waiting.
She turned out the light early. Sleep found her in fragments.
Then came the dream.
A long hallway of mirrors. Each reflection twisted, some smiling when she wasn't. Others walking when she stood still. And then, a voice whispering from behind the glass.
"Come closer, Seraphina..."
She felt herself walking forward. Reaching out. Cold fingers brushing hers through the mirror.
She blinked.
Suddenly she was no longer dreaming.
The cold was real.
The wind slapped her skin.
Her bare feet were on smooth stone, Her breath caught in her throat.
She was at the window at the nd of the hallway. On the ledge.
One step away from-
No.
A hand gripped her wrist, firm, grounding.
Someone pulled her back just as her knees gave out. She landed on the floor with a thud, her body trembling violently.
A guy stood over her.
Tall. Sharply built. Hair dark as ink. Eyes like frozen steel. His expression was unreadable, but his presence was like a bucket of ice water.
"Planning on flying?" he asked coolly, brows raised. "Or is this your version of a midnight tour?"
"I-" She couldn't speak. Her mouth opened, then closed. Her hands were trembling, "I don't... I was sleeping. I didn't..." Her pulse was in her ears. "I was sleepwalking?" she whispered, almost asking herself.
"You... You caught me?"
He gave a small, sarcastic nod. "No, I let you dangle for fun." His voice was bored. Cold. Distant. "Cliff Diver."