Glass Magic

Chapter 1

         I don't think I've exhaled since seeing the schedule given to me. Dragon Valley Academy for leads, AKA, the death of me. Sixteen classes a day, twelve hours a day, six days a week, not including the mandatory hour and a half of self study. Which I've been told was more so the student may learn more about their class, as the academy doesn't offer classes for your class. They do however offer extra calicular study sessions that aren't really extra and more mandatory.

        This is a school for leads, the school for leads, they send off well rounded soldiers every year, the drop out rate is the highest among all of the schools. My parents worked tooth and nail to get me in here, dropping out is not an option but death? From the look of my schedule, death is the only option.

        I'm a first year and my schedule is horrifying and yet... They get worse. Year by year, I've heard they get so much worse. Sighing I grab the tray from the large stack and continued, the sun woke up with me this morning, I don't have any classes today as the first years are allowed to wander, figure out the layout of the very large buildings we'd be taught in.

         My already broken heart was shattered the moment I got a plate of charcoal and at least half a gallon of water in a very large glass. I looked at the lunch lady with horror and she just shooed me with a spatula. I continued with a whimper as I found an empty table and started playing with the charcoal they called food. 

        It flaked and crumbled under the fork as I sighed and started drinking the impossible amount of water. With some thought, I decided to try the charcoal as it can't be that bad, right? Wrong! Coughing and hacking as the disgusting taste found my tongue I downed at least half the water before gasping for breath.

        My tongue still feeling as though I just licked chalk that tasted like burnt dirt. Looking at the clock as my face still held distaste from the disgusting charcoal on my plate. Ten minutes until classes start for the other years and yet I'm only seeing first years in the dining hall...

       As I started wondering where the other years were the ground started to shake. Literally. Two doors flying open before the rest followed suit, watching with wide eyes as a stampede of older kids filled in shouting and cussing as they shoved one another to get the disgusting food I couldn't even hold in my mouth for a second.

        A pair of eyes zeroed in on me as I froze, they looked back at the line before bolting over here. "You done with this?" He asked and I barely managed a nod before he tossed back the remaining water only to shove the charcoal down his throat and racing out. What just...?

        Looking around I found a few other first years doing just like I had. The stampede was over just before the bell rang, the few still here running off with wide horrified eyes. It took a few minutes before I got up and put my tray by one of the numerous trash cans. Heavily confused and mildly terrified, I went to find out where my classes would be.

       Twisting my wrist so the veins were facing the ceiling at a moderately uncomfortable position the clear part of the bracelet lit up, displaying my schedule in front of me with a white hue. With a frown, I stare at the schedule not knowing where they were or what teacher I had. Many of the classes I didn't even know what they meant and those that I did seemed to confuse me as to why I needed to take them. 

    Hoplology? What in the world does that even mean? And why am I taking Astrology? Why do I need to know about stars? Why is my schedule never the same? And why does language worry me as much as it is? I haven't even started classes and my head already hurts... Sighing I ran a hand through my mix of crimson and amber hair as I looked around, finding I had gotten myself lost while trying to figure out my complicated schedule.

        Thankfully, there was a map on the billboard to my left so I had a chance of figuring out where I was. Dropping my arm, the glowing schedule disappeared as I studied the map with furrowed brows. Why is everything so confusing here? Why didn't the standard school prepare us for this blazen? With a heavy sigh, I pulled my necklace off and held it at a proper distance before mumbling the command and capturing a photo of the map. 

         Wrapping the twine around my wrist to ensure I did not lose it I started to wonder someone more, taking more photos of different maps, all of them saying different things making me all the more confused. At one point tears had welled up in my eyes as I was completely lost and the maps were just making it worse. I ended up crying in the corner until I had accidentally activated my schedule and pressed one of the classes.

        It told me what room, building, wing, and teacher it was in and gave simple direction. I was wondering until I found something mentioned and followed from there. Sniffling as I looked at the plack on the wall I rubbed my eye free of the frustration I felt before opening one of my pouches and slowly painting the magic circle under it in water before imprinting the location in my necklace.

        I continued on, every time the bell rang I ran to the wall after getting trampled the first time. I successfully captured pictures of all the maps and locations of my classes as well as the libraries as my feet hurt from walking as much as I have been. I ended up capturing the locations of book genres as well, just in case and startled wandering the halls of the housing not knowing what room I was.

         Stopping another student I asked if she knew where the first years were and she was equally clueless. The aching in my legs got worse as it felt as though my heel was going to break. A few hours of more wandering and I still had no idea where it was or even where I was going. But, miracles of miracles, I ran into the woman that watches over this housing.

         "Oh, your room?" She asked taking my offered card and looking over it before smiling at me, "Right, You're in the singles because of your abnormalities," I went beet red with the way she said it but took my card back and tried to give a response but a jumbled mess of stuttering was the only thing that was heard and not even I knew what I was trying to say.

        She just chuckled told me to follow her, so I awkwardly did so. Trailing behind her as I watched her feet I tried not to look around as I did want to embarrass myself further. "Alright, this is it, I think I might actually have this key on me..." She trailed looking through a bag that had numerous keys that I couldn't tell apart but she seemed to be doing just that with ease. "Aw! Here you go dearie," She offered the key and I took it, thanking her in broken words as I couldn't connect them for the life of me.

       When she rounded the corner I stumbled with getting the key in the lock but succeeded as I quickly hid only for my mood to deflate even more. I had a lot of cleaning to do... With a heavy sigh, I put my key on the dusty desk and started to do just that. I miss I could just sleep away this nightmare.

         Mom, dad, I don't think I can actually do this...