Ivy Strongwill and The Silent Sorcermaster

Chapter Six - The Sorcermagic Pergulum

A few moments later, the massive castle door creaked open to reveal a huge dimly lit hallway with adjourning dark corridors and wooden stairways going in all possible directions. Moving and talking carnivorous plants with colourful teeth adorned the high quartzite walls, floating book pages and rolling candles chattered with jumping pens, and a pack of squirrel-like creatures with pointy spikes on their were trying to catch a swarm of enormous bat-winged wasps that stole their oozy food.

"My ears!" complained the energetic woman, entering first. "I keep forgetting to tell Mr. Yabel to oil the bloody hinges. Anyway, come inside, dears, don't be shy! We've no hounds here, just some friendy bugbears on the first floor and a few nixies in the bathrooms, nothing to worry about, really."

The students stepped inside and started gaping at their surroundings.

"For your information, I'm Veehana Bluemoon and I'm looking forward to showing you how fun sorcerspells can be. Also, don't mind the squirrelhogs and vestorans over there, it's the same every year when a new group of students enters the Citadel, they're just showing off, they don't even eat those sneezing glass mint chestnuts."

Ivy wondered what parts of the castle they were going to explore first and whether there were some dark secrets and sorcerspells they weren't allowed to know. Those two unending donjons would be good for hiding something, as not many people would bother climbing them all the way up, she thought.

"I believe it is time to introduce to you our professors," said Headmistress Anvilstead. "Thomas VIIth, your Sorcercharmed Animals professor" she said, and the students turned to see the elegant cat who had jumped graciously on a stairway railing along with two of its equally identical clones. "Adrathar Crackmirror, who will be teaching you Socerdueling" The middle-aged man smiled and bowed slightly. "Bardolphius Stonecold, your Sorcerstory professor" she said, looking at the older man who adjusted his glasses. "And of course, our dear Veehana Bluemoon, your White Sorcerspells professor." At that, the eager woman winked, causing the students to smile, much to Mr. Stonecold's dismay.

"I could show you around if you want! The enchanted sorcermaps are really hard to make out at some point, not to mention how they will start complaining that it's too difficult to deal with newcomers. It only takes a few minutes...seconds sometimes," she said.

A few students showed enthusiasm at the idea, quickly running to the front of the group.

"Watch them closely, Veehana. They might break something, they always do," Mister Stonecold raised his voice, turning towards Liam, who was eyeing a couple of fragile looking statues of old sorcerwitches riding their crococorns.

"If you get as good as I am at fixing things, nobody will know that you broke them in the first place," Madam Veehana whispered to the students around her, and they all laughed.

"It is only logical that they should unpack and get settled in their dormitories first, I could help with the cohabitation charts," the old man said.

Only then did Ivy remember she had her backpack when she arrived. Unlike other students, she didn't have a chance to pack, so all she brought was her schoolbooks.

"All the things that you have deposited at the crossroad when the test started have already been sent to your rooms, along with your school uniforms. Do not fret, you will look great, just like our donjons do when Veehana charms them into the school colours for special celebrations." Headmistress Anvilstead reassured them. "All newcomers will stay in the western wing of the building, on the second floor. Mr. Alwald Yabel, the school warden, is going to show you the way to your rooms. Please note that we will meet again in exactly two hours in the Grand Lecture Amphitheatre here, on the ground floor, for your very first class. Today, instead of teaching you the basics of Sorcerstrategy, as I'm supposed to, I will answer all of your questions about the Pergulum."