Tbate | Short Stories

Sylvia's Daughter | Xyrus Academy Start

Arthur LeywinPOV

As I opened the door to the back entrance of the auditorium, I was met with an unexpected greeting.

My hair was blown back by a bloodcurdling roar as Sylvie had to cling onto me to avoid falling off. Along with the deafening shout of the mana beast that greeted me came bullets of saliva that showered my face and upper chest.

"There, there." While wiping off the spit of the mana beast, I nonchalantly proceeded to pet its face, which was inches away from my own. This mana beast stood about two meters high on all fours. Its body was covered in thick dark brown fur and a deep red mane circled its head. Two pointed, vicious teeth spouted out from above its jaw, making it all the more menacing, but compared to Sylvie's dragon form, I could only see it as an overgrown kitten.

Even Sylvie looked at the mana beast with little interest as she just settled back on top of my head.

"Woah... he wasn't surprised at all..." From behind the mana beast peeked out a student that looked to be a couple of years older than I was. He had very dull, light gray—almost white—hair that reached over his brows. He had narrow eyes that were virtually slits and a smile on his face that didn't come off as pleasant but more so mocking.

Though lean and tall, his overall frame looking quite frail. What stuck out the most, however, was that his uniform was very different from mine and any other I'd seen so far. He wore a loose, dark gray oriental-style robe that covered his arms and came down past his torso, black pants, and a golden sash tied around his waist. Peeking out of the inside of his robe was the insignia that all of the disciplinary committee members had to carry around—the silver knife. Something felt a tad off about him—something that made me wary.

"You must be the last DC officer to arrive! My name is Kai Crestless, a fourth-year! Just call me Kai." His expression didn't change at all, his eyes still narrowed and lips still smiling, but he put up his arm in a welcoming gesture, revealing hands that were completely wrapped in bandages so that it looked like he had gloves on.

"Hello. My name is Arthur Leywin. Pleased to make your acquaintance." I shook his bandaged hands.

"Bah! Another frail-looking pretty boy! Why aren't there any more real men in this committee?" Looking around, I found where the voice came from and couldn't help but remember what Elijah had told me yesterday before dinner.

A female dwarf that came up to my chest with limbs as thick as tree trunks hopped down from where she was sitting and came up to me. The only indications that told me she was female were her long brown hair and high-pitched voice, neither of which suited her masculine appearance.

"Looks like we'll be working together, so I might as well introduce myself. I'm DoradreaOreguard, a first-year, like yerself. Let's get along, ey?" she said simply while firmly smacking my back, sending a jolt throughout my body. What power.

"Arthur Leywin. Nice to meet you," I replied, rubbing my back.

"Well, come on now! Follow me. Kai and I waited in the front to see who the last guy was going to be. The rest of the DC officers are in the other room. Director Goodsky didn't really give us any details so everyone is curious." She led me through a hall, Kai following behind us with the mana beast.

"Everyone! The last guy is here!" Doradrea shouted at the top of her lungs as we reached a room at the end of the hall.

Inside the gigantic room that I figured was used to hold events, I saw six other figures.

Without further ado, I walked up closer to greet them all at once. "My name is Arthur Leywin and I just started attending this academy as a scholar mage student. I am a dual-elemental attribute augmenter capable in wind and earth." I offered a curt bow.