Kayra could here impatient banging, yet she could barely comprehend it. The surface against her back was cool and smooth. Her brain was sluggish. Something about her positioning didn't feel comfortable. Her clothes felt weird too.
The noise was heard again.
She tried stretching and ended up hitting her elbow against something hard. Reflexively, she lurched forward and hit her head on another cool surface. She woke with a start to the sudden pain. Rubbing her head with her hurting arm, and her elbow with her good one, she tried to recall how she got here.
She found herself trapped in an extremely small space. Some form of containment that was roughly her height, and had just enough room for her to move. Thankfully, she wasn't claustrophobic.
Yet. Who knew how long she would to be in there.
Then a strange voice spoke, "I better hurry up and find that uniform before someone spots me..."
A confused Kayra stared into the darkness. She had heard a voice before being sucked into that mirror. If that's what really happened. But unlike before, this voice was of a higher pitch.
"Urgggh... this lid weighs a ton!"
Had someone caused her to hallucinate and then kidnapped her?! The fear returned. There was a person on the other side. She had to do something!
"Try this on for size! Mya-ha!"
A thud made the container shake. Kayra gasped. Her body stiffened. It felt as if there was no ground beneath the surface under her feet. Blue flames seeped in through cracks of the surface above her, creating a geometric shape.
"Now to grab the goods..."
The surface in front of her slid away.
The voice screamed.
Kayra screamed in response.
"What?! You ain't supposed to be awake!"
Kayra looked at the source of the voice. It was a flaming, talking, cat-raccoon-weasel thing, unlike anything she had ever seen.
She found herself in a coffin, suspended in the air.
Her eyes darted from the creature to her surroundings. It was in a dimly lit room with a gothic vibe. More coffins- the lids of which were partially open -hovered in the air, it's means of staying afloat being unidentifiable. Dim green light shone from lamps atop the pillars. A crystal chandelier hung above an also floating mirror. One of similar appearance and size to the one in the antique store. But Kayra's focus was elsewhere.
"A talking... weasel?!" she muttered in shock.
Some animals had better hearing than humans. This was one such creature whose flames in the ears did not hinder it's hearing.
"How... How DARE YOU! I am no WEASEL! I'm Grim, sorcerer extraordinaire! Tch. Whatever. You... human. Just gimmie your uniform, and be quick about it! 'Cause if you don't... you're gonna regret it!"
Grim spewed a ball of fire which dissipated quickly.
In her shock, Kayra lost her footing and fell onto the floor- face first. The creature yelped and leapt out of the way.
I'm still knocked out and dreaming. I have to be.
Ignoring the pain, she pushed herself up. Tossing a look over her shoulder as she did so.
"Getting roasted alive by a weasel? what will I dream of next?" She spat as she bolted for the open double doors.
"Well keep dreamin', 'cause I ain't no weasel!" It took off after her.
She ran down the corridor, ignoring the classrooms and into the the courtyard as fast as her feet would take her. It was then that she got a peek at her uncomfortable clothes. Someone had pulled some sort of robe over her dress. She slipped and tripped a few times, but didn't stop and didn't dare look behind her. She only came to a halt when she was in a completely different building. She pulled open another set of double doors and slammed it closed behind her. Her expression was panicked, and the hands that slowly let go of the handles, shook violently.
Carefully, she stepped away from the door. Then turned around in an attempt to barricade it- and had the third shock of a lifetime.
Despite the foreign environment and the threats to her life, she was in the library of her dreams.
A seemingly infinite number of bookshelves stretched along the room. Balconies revealed second floors. Books themselves hovered in the air. Desks and chairs, a globe stand, metal chandeliers, all illuminated in the now familiar green glow.
Disbelief only increasing, she stepped forward. She spun, letting gravity throw her body around, and took in the strangely tempting room. As a writer, she was also big into reading. Enchanted, she touched the edge of a book which was floating. Like the coffin, it continued to hover.
"What kind of dream is this...?!"
She voiced her thoughts in hope that something would happen. That even a kidnapper would shake her and tell her otherwise. And if that wasn't the case, for someone to hear her, and at least say that the library was very real.
Arm still raised from touching the book, her attention was now on the garment. The material itself wasn't uncomfortable. It was just that she was wearing baggy pants on top of a skirt. But she didn't have time to examine it properly, as a familiar 'swoosh- thud' was heard. She spun around as doors swung open, and began to retreat backwards, coughing and swatting at the smoke.
"Foolish human! Did you really think you could slip away from ME? Now, unless you wanna get burned to a crisp, take off that- Me-YEOW!"
The creature yelped at the whip that had attacked him.
"That hurt! what gives?"
The both turned to face the silhouette framed by the moonlight. It was then that Kayra noticed that it was nighttime. Her confusion grew even more, but her thoughts were interrupted by the stranger. Unfortunately he was not here to tell her how real the library was.
"Ah, I've found you at last. Splendid. I trust you're one of this year's new students?"
What?
The presumably middle aged man wore a black suit. The inside of his coat was dark blue, the outside, black and it was designed to mimic a bird.
"My, were you ever eager to make your debut. And bringing a poorly trained familiar with you? That is a clear violation of the school's rules."
"As if I'd serve some lowly human! Now lemme go!" Grim injected, before she could question anything.
"Yes, yes. Rebellious familiars always say that. Do be quiet for a bit, won't you?" In two swift movements, Grim was tied up. Everything between his eyes and feet were coiled.
"Mmmrph!"
"Dear me. Of all the students I've dealt with, you're the first with temerity enough to open their own gate and step out of it. Does the very notion of patience elude you? No matter. Your orientation has already begun. Let us return to the Mirror Chamber."
Kayra's head was swimming with thoughts.
School? Familiar? Mirror Chamber? As for patience, no one would be required to be patient in this kind of situation! And temerity?! Who even talks like that?!
But all that came out was; "Student...? Gate...?"
"You awakened in a room full of gates, did you not? All of the students here at campus arrived by passing through such gates. Although typically the students have restraint enough to wait until I open them before waking up."
You expect me to control how I wake up after passing out...?
"So the coffins are like... gateways? I think something blew the lid off mine..." Kayra stink-eyed Grim.
"Of course it did..." The stranger followed suit.
Grim gave them a look of, 'how is this my fault?'
"You're the one who insisted on brining it, so curtailing it's behavior is your responsibility!" The stranger continued without giving Kayra time to respond. "But now is not the time for such prattle. You've a student orientation to attend! Go on, now. Make haste."
He put his cane hand behind her back. Kayra debated which of her two questions was the best to ask. Then realized that is was safer to ask for his identity than to risk any suspicion on her part, as he seems to have mistaken her for someone else.
"First, just tell me one thing: who are you?"
"Hm? Have you not fully regained consciousness? The timespace teleportation magic must have addled your memories..."
Timespace teleportation magic?! Are your memories addled?!
"Well, these things happen, I suppose. I shall explain it to you while we walk. Truly, my magnanimity is boundless."
He started towards the door, Grim dragging behind him. Kayra kept to his heels. As she passed through, the gemstone on his walking stick glowed, and the doors closed behind them. He began crossing the courtyard. Kayra, spotting the apple trees, wondered how long ago had been lunch. But the stranger was on a role.
He cleared his throat. "This is Night Raven Collage."
Who the fudge named this place?
"It is an institution for students the world over who demonstrate a rare aptitude for magic."
Kayra stopped in her tracks. This wasn't happening. This wasn't a case where the protagonist discovers that they have magic, and proceeds to become an important figure in a magical world. If she had powers, they were the powers of not-so-dangerous insane clumsiness and I-wanna-die social awkwardness.
Oh wait, I'm dreaming.
She caught up to the man. He- who never noticed she stopped -continued to explain. "It is the most prestigious academy of it's sort in Twisted Wonderland."
Of course I'm dreaming of being isekaied. What's better than finding out magic exists? All those anime and manhuwa weren't for nothing.
"And I am Dire Crowley. Having been entrusted with it's care by the chairman, I serve as Headmage."
Comfortable with the idea of a dream, Kayra settles on the less fantastical aspect. "Academy?"
"Only those who the Dark Mirror perceives as having a talent for magic are admitted to the college. Some people think it's unfair for us to be all boys, but can you imagine the scandals if we were a co-ed boarding school?! Anyways, those who are selected are summoned to the campus through those 'gates', which can appear anywhere."
Anywhere? So, that mirror at the antique shop was the Dark Mirror opening a gate to isekai me to a magic school... Also, 'Dark Mirror'? Do better brain.
"A black carriage bearing one such gate should have come to meet you."
I didn't see any carriage, earlier. Heck, I didn't even see a car. But nothing's gone wrong, so that should count for something...
For the sake of survival, she lied. "I do kinda remember a horse..."
"That black carriage serves to receive a student chosen by the dark mirror. It too bears a gate that connects to this campus."
That mean that there are two coffins. One in the carriage and one in the school. So how did I skip the carriage and end up straight the school?!
"And as you know, sending a carriage to meet someone on a special day is a time-honored tradition."
"Uh, a time-honored tradition, WHERE?!"
Then she remembered that she was still dreaming.
Wow, even I can't handle the infinite cosmos of my imagination.
Thanks to Grim's interruption, she was spared Crowley's answer.
"Now, let us attend your orientation."
• • •
Shortly after Kayra and Grim left the Mirror Chamber, the rest of the student body had filled in for dorm assignments. Crowley, who had noticed the issue mid-ceremony, went to dealt with it himself. Leaving the housewardens to handle the rest of orientation alone. Now that it was over, Crowley was still nowhere in sight.
The chamber was large. Kayra in her plight, had missed the chance to take in the vastness that was built to hold the whole student body. The coffins created a ring around the walls of the circular room. Chairs faced the mirror at the center from three different directions. The newly sorted first years were being divided into their house.
A boy with red hair spoke. "All right, new students- let me be clear. At Heartslabyul House I am the law. Break the rules, and it's off with your head!"
His silver eyes scanned the group, he thought of Ace Trappola- one of his own students, and Epel Felmir of Pomefiore. The two had managed to sneak out during orientation, and not get caught. He had also heard that Felmir got into a fight with who would become his own housewarden. This batch was truly unlike any before. He would make sure to discipline them thoroughly.
Another student wearing spectacles spoke. "New students! Allow me to be the first to congratulate you on your achievement. As housewarden of Octavinelle, I am honored to have the opportunity to support you in what I hope will be a fulfilling campus experience."
Following the introductions, the Housewardens were debated the location of the Headmage. In the middle of which, the person in question threw the doors open.
"I was searching for the new student who'd failed to show up for orientation."
Red hair frowned. Another one?
When she entered the chamber, Kayra started to question her theory of a dream. Some things didn't add up. She was starting to revert back to the idea of a demonic sacrifice, mostly because the robes made the 'school' look more like a cult. She mentally started praying.
She didn't have to look at herself since she could see the identical garments the others were wearing. Purple, with intricate gold designs, with the mirror taken as inspiration. She still couldn't tell if it was a jumpsuit, but it looked like a two-piece. Then she saw the floating tablet.
Does gravity not exist here? Ah, wait. Everything else in the room isn't floating away.
She tried to hide behind his large wing-like coat, but Crowley stepped aside and nudged her forward. The piercing gazes was the only thing that reminded her of school.
"You are the only one who has yet to be assigned a dorm. Step up to the Dark Mirror, and be quick about it. I'll watch your weasel."
Grim wriggled in protest. Everyone stepped aside to give her room, making her impossible to miss. Nervously she walked up to the pedestal, her footsteps echoing through the silent hall. She almost wasn't surprised when the mirror burst into green flames. Then a European mask appeared inside it, speaking to her.
"State your name."
Once again she was reminded of the voice she heard, but this didn't sound like it either.
"Kay-" She stopped, recalling something.
Crowley had said 'all boys'. A cult with only boys. She was doomed.
She deepened her voice. "Kaye Lewis."
Whatever was going on, she still need to survive. Thank god she had that haircut.
"Kaye..." The mirror repeated. "The nature of your soul is..."
It widened it's eyes, then squinted them. As if it was having difficulty looking. Kayra clutched the sides of her robes, she was at the edge of the pedestal, and dearly wished she could step down. Was this supposed to happen?
"...unclear to me."
Apparently not.
÷
Chapter 3 is done & dusted.
The first few chapters will be like 80%-85% according to the game. Especially the prologue and book 1. So please be patient.
I have a major test coming up that I need to focus on, which is why the updates are every 2 weeks. I've already covered the prologue, so hopefully the update schedule will give you guys some content until I'm done with said test.
Thank you for reading so far & please look forward to more!