Griffin Tail

One: Zombies and Snow Men

"Annnnnnd that's why I was late for school," Tris concluded, trying her very best to keep the smile from her voice.

The girl was sat in the head master's office, comfortably slouched back in one of the two chairs in the room. Across from her, with the face of somebody who had seen better years, the 8th head master of Griffin Tail High, Zansther Olaf.
Olaf was a man who cared deeply for his outward presentation; his fine silvery hair was neatly combed and his crimson suit was finely tailored. He peered through his delicate glasses, down at the girl opposite, his golden eyes finding hers.

"A rabid snow man?" His voice was smooth and he spoke with an Irish accent, though his tone was bored. "That's the best you could come up with? Remind me, what was your excuse yesterday?"
Tris opened her mouth to speak but was quickly interrupted, "Oh yes, zombies. I know you can do better. Excuses like these won't get you anywhere in life."

"Nor will sitting here listening to you lecture me. Again.." the dark haired girl rolled her eyes and folded her arms with attitude.

Olaf simply sighed, "Beatrice–"

"Tris." Tris corrected, and was ignored.

"–Two weeks it's been since the start of this academic year. You have been on time once. 90% of the term this year you have arrived late. Ninety percent. All I'm asking is for you to wake up just half an hour earlier, and I'm sure you will find that your grades improve as your attendance does. Not only am I concerned for your grades, but the impact it will have on your future. Thirty minutes is all I'm asking."

"Mhm, cool, fine. Can I go to lesson now? I'm sure I'm missing out on the most interesting learning. You do want me to learn, yes?"

The head master shut his eyes in irritation and waved his aged hand in dismissal. "Don't be late tomorrow."

Tris grinned, "Cheers old man!" She jumped up and sauntered from the office, making her way towards class.

Beatrice Spencer, short in height, attention span and temper. Bright in clothing, eye colour and personality. Sixteen years of age, coffee enthusiast, animal lover and, oh yes, dragon-blooded.
   Griffin Tail was founded a good few hundred years ago as a sanctuary for the magically gifted, a place where those with "abnormal abilities" could gather and find refuge together. The outside world was a lot less tolerating of Abnormals back then.
   Tris hated that phrase. As far as she was concerned she was just as normal as anyone else. She much preferred the term Wizard or Mage or Sorcerer or even Immortal or Gifted perhaps. Abnormal just made her feel unwelcome in the humans' mortal world.

As time had passed, Griffin Tail had evolved from sanctuary, to army, to sanctuary again, to guild and finally: school. The dark, scarlet painted walls of the corridors were lined with portraits of the founders and former leaders of Griffin Tail from each of its various stages. The paintings themselves, Tris noted, seemed to be in pristine condition despite the years of history and torch light that surely would have faded any other painting. The perks of being surrounded by magic, she supposed.
   Tris stopped walking once she had arrived outside room 116, peering through the glass in the door to check for certain that this was the correct room. With the assurance she was in the right place, she gently pushed the door open and slipped inside, trying to get to her seat without the teacher making a fuss.

"Here she is," Mrs Law muttered from the white board at the front of the classroom. When she turned, her gaze immediately locked onto the brightly dressed girl as she took her seat. "Late again are we, Spencer?"

"Mhm. Yes miss, sorry miss." Tris sighed, taking out her languages book and placing it on the desk in front of her.

Mrs Law mumbled something distasteful, but Tris wasn't paying much attention. She looked out across the room towards the window and watched as the birds flew about the sky.

Five hours of lectures later, the school bell rang out signalling the end of the day. Tris shoved her books into her backpack and swung it over one shoulder as she made her way through the corridors, heading outside.

"Hey, Tris wait up!" a voice called from somewhere behind her just as she reached the school gates.
She slowed and turned her head, gazing out across the empty courtyard. A few meters away, the emptiness shimmered and expanded, and from the portal, an orange haired boy stepped through.

"Ato," Tris grimaced. "If this is about your pen, I didn't mean to break it, I-"

"Don't worry about the pen," Ato smiled and stuffed his hands into his blazer pockets as the portal behind him shrank into non-existence. "I'm actually- I was wondering if you're doing anything this evening?"

Tris gestured to the gate behind her. "I'm going home, then I'm going to think about doing homework and stuff while I stare at the ceiling; y'know, the usual."

"So you're just leaving?"

"That was the plan, yeah. Scar's expecting me back. Why?"

"Oh, right, of course. It's just that, I thought I'd-"

Tris looked at the other, "Thought you'd what?"

"Look, I know you're more experienced out there than I am, but aren't you at least a little concerned about the rise in Hunter–Abnormal conflict? It sounds like the tensions are rising and..." Ato scratched the back of his neck.

Tris let out a sigh and patted the boy's shoulder. "Haven't been caught yet, have I? I'll be fine." She pulled out an eyepatch and placed it over her pink right eye, so only her green eye was showing. "See? Nobody'll ever know."

Ato looked up again, desperation edging his voice, "Tris, come on, it's safe here, normal people have never even come close to finding the school, it's safe here and you know it is! But out there–"

"Pfft, you really think you know the world, hey school boy? What you lack is some experience." Tris could see the hesitation in her friend's face, so she continued. "Think of it as an... educational... study period. Think about the extra credits - isn't there a mortal studies essay coming up? Heck, I'll even teach you another card game..?"

"You..." Ato covered his face with his hands and groaned. "I hate you."

Tris grinned. "Best pack your things, then."

[[End of Chapter 1: Zombies and Snow men.]]
I started writing this in 2018. Its 2022 and I'm still making amendments to chapter 1 :,)
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