Nocte Yin

Chapter Five

Dear Nocte,

I hope everything’s all right with you. Hero’s fine, but no Athena (obviously).

I’m writing this in my Criminology class, where everything they’re saying is pretty much stuff I already know. So don’t worry, I’m not going to fall behind. My classes are okay. I have Criminology, Herology, Weaponry, White Spells and Combat this semester. Out of all of them, I like Weaponry and Combat the best, of course! We tested most of the common weapons in our first Weaponry class, and in our Combat we were paired up for a light spar. And no, I wasn’t hurt, and yes, I won.

(You worry too much.)

Since this year we’ll be declaring our majors, I’m thinking about majoring in Weaponry, maybe specializing in the mace. I know it can be cumbersome at times, so maybe the bow and arrows instead? Tell me what you think. I know you’ve had experience in this! My parents, of course, don’t care. They just tell me that it’s my choice, but some input would be nice. (I know you don’t think so, what with your parents always giving you their opinions, but you know how my parents are, right?)

Although I don’t sound very enthusiastic, I am enthusiastic (believe it or not). Hero Academy’s athletic program is one of the best in the world! (I know you hate physical activity in every way, shape or form, but bear with me.) I’ve decided to join a few teams. Definitely soccer, and then there’s volleyball, basketball and maybe even tennis! Fencing looks fun too!

I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking I can’t handle all of that, but remember Athena? Remember when I was juggling two essays, soccer, volleyball and coaching for the primary grades?

Yeah, I miss those times…

So what about you? How are your classes? Do you have a roommate?

My roommate is Sterling Argent, and she’s also thinking of majoring in Weaponry. I think she’s going with dual guns. She’s quiet and serious, but we get along… It’s not you, obviously, but we seemed to have fallen into a routine rather quickly.

My class is ending soon so I’m going to have to cut this short. I hope you’re okay over there and managing well. I know that there are Paines and Noirs at Evil, so be careful. (Yins and Paines don’t mix well, after all.)

I miss you.

Yours,

Aman

P.S. I want to know everything about your first week — DON’T LEAVE ANYTHING OUT!

P.P.S. You know I’m serious when I use CAPITALS.

Nocte lowered Aman’s letter and didn’t know whether to cry, be jealous of her best friend’s good fortune, or crunch it up and throw it across the library in frustration. In the end, she opted to just lean back against her chair and sigh hopelessly.

There was no point in hiding it. She hated Evil Academy.

She wasn’t even going to soften the blow either.

She just hated it — period.

She closed her eyes and pushed her chair off the thick evergreen carpet, stopping only when she reached perfect balance on the back two legs of the chair. Quietly, she listened to the low droning in Assaku, Evil Academy’s five-storey library. It was a magnificent building of dark architecture, complex filigree and pretentious mouldings. It was filled to the brim with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves of deep mahogany, accentuated with equally deep mahogany chairs and tables; the décor broken (but still working together) by the occasional plush dark green chair and marble statue.