Undaunted

Chapter 5: Midnight Strangers

I sigh as I sit down on the white bed in my dorm.

"Today was tiring..." I mumble, but then smile whenever I see my familiars running around and chasing each other, "But so far I love this academy."

After my Basic Wizardry101 class ended, I went to lunch with Augustina, Flinn, Antheia, and Augustina's familiar, Fang. The dining hall is extremely well designed with several arches and intricate details on the walls with tons of tables scattered throughout the hall. A giant chandelier that's full of chains and glowing orbs of light made out of magic keeps the dining hall lit, along with the details on the wall that glow whenever it gets dark. Then, after lunch I went to my afternoon classes and talked to a few people, but didn't really make any more friends. And as for Solstice, I never did find out how she knows who I am. She just told me that we'd get to talk more later before leaving when the bell rang.

"Oh well..." I mutter aloud and shrug before grabbing my homework out of my bookbag, "I guess I'd better start working on this."

"Eww," Flinn says as he transforms into his half human form and he scrunches up his nose, "Homework."

"Shut up," Antheia says as she transforms into her half human form as well before rolling her eyes and smacking her brother upside the head, "She needs to do her work. That's a concept that you'll never understand."

"Hey!" Flinn winces and rubs the side of his head, "You're no fun."

I chuckle before looking at my assignment, which is to practice my magic for my Basic Wizardry101 class so that I can pass the exam at the end of the week.

"Oh," Antheia says bluntly whenever Ryder walks in the dorm, "It's you."

"What right do you have to treat me like that?" Ryder scowls, "I could have you thrown out for giving me allergies."

"You don't have allergies," Antheia crosses her arms.

"I know," He smirks and walks over to his bed and places his bag on it, "But I could always pretend."

Antheia narrows her eyes at him as he walks over to the bookshelf, grabs a book, and walks back over to his bed before lying down on it and reading.

"Whatever..." Antheia mutters before turning her attention back to me.

"Okay," I say as I look at my spellbook and pull the wand that I was given today out of my bag, which is made out of crystal with a wooden handle that has little designs engraved on it, "I should probably start with summoning a light orb."

I read over the text in the spellbook before taking a deep breath to ready myself and the twins look at me with encouraging smiles.

"Orbis Luminis!" I shout, but nothing happens, "Huh? I'll try again, then. Orbis Luminis!"

I frown as I get the same result as the first time and I shake my head.

"Keep trying," Antheia says, "You'll get it eventually."

"Yeah," I nod and ready my wand, "You're right. Orbis Luminis!"

This time a small spark appears, but then it quickly fizzles out, and I sigh. I try several more times and the same result happens.

"I almost pity you," Ryder says as he slams his book shut and tosses it on the bed before walking over to me and getting out his wand, which is made out of white marble with a wooden handle, "Lumen Orbis!"

Suddenly a bright flash of light appears and a light orb forms in the air and glows, light radiating off of it.

"Wow..." I breathe out in awe of its beauty.

"Next time focus on the words specifically and say them as they should be said in the order they should be said," Ryder says and puts his wand away, "And don't expect me to help you again, it's just that watching you fail so many times was getting on my nerves."

I frown slightly and watch as he goes over to the door and leaves the dorm.

"I can't be blamed for my actions if I do something to Ryder if he keeps acting like that," Antheia says and crosses her arms.

I sigh and shake my head before going back to practicing my spells.

***

I wake up in the middle of the night to a knocking at the dorm room door. I sit up in bed and look around the dark dorm and notice that Ryder, Flinn, and Antheia are all still asleep, so I decide to get out of bed and make my way across the room to the door as rain beats down on the window by the beds. I quietly twist the door knob and open the door to find nobody standing there and I look around in confusion.

"Hello?" I whisper quietly so that I don't wake anyone up, "Is someone there?"

As I'm about to close the door I notice a note resting by my feet and I bend down and pick it up.

"Huh?" I mutter aloud, "What's this?"

'Nothing...ever...as...seems, do not...fooled. Save...cursed one from malediction.'

"Some of the words are smudged from the rain," I frown, "But still...what could this mean?"

I go back in the dorm with the note clutched in my hand and lean against the door after I close it.

"And why does it involve me?" I mutter as I glance back down at the note in my hand.

"Philomena?" Ryder asks as he walks out of the bathroom, and I jump in surprise, unaware that he ever got up, "What are you doing?"

"Oh, nothing," I smile and hide the note behind my back, "I just thought I heard something."

He raises a brow before shaking his head, sighing, and climbing back in his bed.

"Whatever," He sighs, "Just don't be loud if you decide to stay up."

"Yeah," I whisper as I climb back into my bed and listen to the pouring rain, "I won't be."

But now I don't think I'll be able to sleep, either.