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"Uh, you want me to stay... here?"
Gazing intently at the location, a disapproving scowl formed on my face. The mere thought of calling that place home would have left my former self in a state of unconsciousness.
"Isn't it delightful? Right, scoot inside now. There you go."
Fear runs through my veins as he forcefully ushers me into the opulent lounge area.
How long does he expect me to remain in this place, I wonder? The question echoed in my head as I stepped into the decrepit realm, I was instantly greeted by a scene straight out of a haunted tale. The once magnificent place had become an embodiment of neglect, its decay visible in every nook and cranny. The very foundation seemed to groan under the weight of time, threatening to crumble at any moment.
This was far from the ideal setting for someone as important as myself.
"This should keep the elements at bay for the time being.
Now, I should return to my research. Do try to find some way to busy yourself.
But don't let me catch you wandering the campus! Ta!"
With a flourish of his hand, he bid farewell and hastened his stride as he departed the premises.
A sharp pang shot through me as a solitary droplet of water found refuge upon my weary head.
Raindrops commenced, a gentle melody upon their arrival.
With a swift snap, an array of buckets materialized before my eyes, seemingly conjured from the ethereal realms.
Gently scooping them into my trembling hands, I delicately positioned the fragments atop the rivulets, where the torrents had breached their watery confines.
Engrossed in my private affairs, the rhythm of footsteps abruptly seized my senses, diverting my undivided focus.
As I turned my head, a scene unfolded before my eyes - Grim, approached with an air of resilience. Balancing on his front paws, he sought refuge from the rain.
"Grim? what're you doing here?"
With a scowl etched on his face, he emitted a low growl, betraying his mounting frustration.
"You took my fire magic! How am I supposed to be the greatest magician without my magic?!"
With a gentle smile, I lower myself to his eye level, tenderly patting his head.
"If you promise to help me clean this place I'll give you your magic back."
"What?! No!"
He bellowed his response instantaneously, yet I could only muster a faint chuckle in response.
With a mischievous grin, I rose and commanded a broom into existence. Swiftly, I embarked on my quest to rid the floor of its earthly impurities.
"Looks like the enchantment of a lifetime without magic awaits you,"I sneered mockingly.
Grim's gaze met his minuscule paws, and his eyes widened in astonishment. Once a majestic feline, he now roamed as a common cat, devoid of any extraordinary qualities.
In realization, he latched on to my broom with teary eyes.
"I'll help! I promise!"
With great delight, I watch as a mischievous smile creeps across my face, conjuring a diminutive broom, perfectly suited for his needs.
With a firm grip on the broom, he wasted no time before embarking on his sweeping duties.
In the realm of timeless monotony, our weary hands labored ceaselessly, engulfed in a hallowed silence. The stagnant atmosphere compelled my mind to involuntarily delve into the corridors of bygone days.
Avoiding any illusions of reuniting with my long-lost Father or encountering Odette, I refrained from making hopeful speculations in my mind.
Despising her seemed to be an inevitable emotion, yet deep down, an undeniable debt of apology tugged at my conscience. However, I couldn't fathom a mere apology ever rectifying the wreckage I had mercilessly brought upon her existence, let alone mending her shattered spirit.
As I cast a furtive glance at Grim, I discovered him idling away, his lazy actions dragging like molasses as he half-heartedly cleaned the dusty table. The rhythmic monotony of his movements hung in the air, lulling me into a drowsy state.
With a sudden start, he leaped in astonishment when I unleashed a resounding cough.
"Why are you so determined to go to this school?"
He turned to face me and crossed his arms.
"Isn't it obvious?"
"I was born to do this! I'm a magical prodigy who's got the makin's to become one of the greatest mages who ever lived!
So I've been waitin' and waitin' for that black carriage to come for me.
And yet...
Hrmph! That Dark Mirror's got no eye for talent!"
In an infuriating moment, his tongue clicked in frustration, triggered by the nagging recollection of the events he had recently attended.
"That's why I took the initiative and came here myself.
You humans don't understand what a mistake you're makin'! Not lettin' me in is a great loss to the world!"
'He was waiting for something that would never come.'
Am I the same as him? Eagerly awaiting my moment in the limelight, I realized the harsh truth: the radiant glow will forever belong to Odette.
I, too, ventured to seize control, just like Grim did.
In the murky depths of remorse, I took her identity, cunningly leading her lover astray, causing their hearts to shatter like shipwrecked dreams. And as the ocean claimed their tender souls, I wept, for this tragedy was stitched with my own guilt.
In the realm of forbidden love, the Prince, consumed by anguish, wished for a cruel fate rather than sharing his heart with a stranger, like me.
In that moment of deep contemplation, my thoughts were abruptly fractured by a resounding explosion, forcing me to halt in my tracks.
"I think I just heard something?!"
With bated breath, I ventured down the corridor, my weary companion Grim close at my heels.
As our eyes wandered across the premises, a wave of relief washed over me, barely escaping a sigh, as a thrilling absence caught my gaze.
"AAAAAH! GHOSTS! GHOOOOOOSTS!"
Grim's shrill cry echoed through the air as an ethereal specter loomed over his minuscule frame.
a chilling shiver went down my spine, triggering an instinctive scream.
"*Shiver* Eeeeep!
I'm a master sorcerer! I ain't afraid of any dumb ghosts!
Myahaaa!"
The weasel released a huff, but then recalled that his abilities had been taken away from him.
With an intense look of anger in his eyes, he directed his retribution towards me by aggressively scratching me.
"Ouch! Fine, fine! I'll return your powers!"
As Grim snickered, victorious, a series of blue hexes left my body and returned to him, following which he promptly began attacking the ghosts.
With no difficulty at all, the ghosts chuckled while evading his attacks.
"You can't aim with your eyes closed!"
As the ghosts encircled us like hunted prey, I exclaimed and struggled to keep pace.
"Hrmph! Ganging up on us... Yer a buncha cowards!"
Grim held up his paws as if they'd be intimidated by him.
"Maybe the headmage will let you enroll if you get rid of them?"
I whispered in his ear as he thought over my words.
"Myaaaah...
You, human! You tell me which way the ghosts are!"
"To your left!"
With his eyes shut tight, Grim unleashed a fierce, azure blaze that mysteriously adhered to the phantoms and commenced engulfing them in flames.
"Ha, got one! Keep it up, just like that... And let's clear out the whole lot of 'em!"
With a sense of amusement, he chuckled while effortlessly getting rid of the ghosts one by one.