Arcane

Chapter Two

The second that it was announced that we were leaving the train, I left. I had tried my best to make it look like I wasn't desperate to get out of there, but in reality, I seriously was. I mean, who wouldn't be? That boy is intimidatingly gorgeous, and I couldn't keep a steady breath around him.

Stepping off the train into the fresh air, I close my eyes for a short moment and take a deep breath, before opening them again. Taking in my surroundings, I notice how I am standing on a mossy stone pathway, which is surrounded by trees. At some point during our train ride, I suppose we began traveling up since we are now obviously above ground. Behind me, and behind the train, was purely trees, besides a plain grass pathway. I guess trains powered by the supernatural didn't need railways.

Just around the corner of the end of the pathway, I could only just see what seemed to be a ginormous white brick castle, which it probably is. I mean, I am arriving at a school for mystical creatures, you'd expect it to be fancy, But that doesn't mean I'm not still blown away.

I turn my head to the left as I hear Professor Evanora's raised voice. "Alright everyone, before I take you anywhere near our school grounds I need to set down some rules for the first years, God knows I need to after last year." Professor Evanora rolls her eyes, before continuing. "Rule number one, stay behind me. Do not wander off until you are told that it is allowed. Number two, for Heaven's sake, be quiet and listen at the welcoming ceremony. And lastly, don't try to climb the school, goodness! You can thank the students from last year for even having to say that, and for the need to rebuild the whole left-wing." She glares at a dozen boys to the right of her before she began walking down the pathway, shouting a quick 'Follow me!' We all scurried after her.

All that could be heard was the clicking of wheels from everyone's suitcases on the stone beneath us, and the chatter from the many students who arrived with friends. I have never wished more in my entire life that I had somebody to chat with to distract myself from my stomach, which is very inconveniently doing cartwheels.

The walk from the train to the end of the pathway only took about a minute, and then I was suddenly faced with the jaw-dropping sight of the school grounds. The first thing I noticed was the ginormous white brick school, which I would prefer to call a full blow castle. It laid on a raised space between two high, both stone and grassy mountains, with several insanely tall trees covering the sides of its front. It had countless windows, and a dark blue, almost black, prism-shaped roof, with certain higher points, and a tower that laid to the side of the middle of the rooftop. A few very pretty balconies were also scattered in front of a selection of the windows.

Surrounding the school was purely green grass and a shiny pond behind it. We seemed to be on the higher part of the school grounds, and the lower part wasn't visible from where I was standing.

I was knocked out of my trance when I received a tap on my shoulder. "You coming?"

My head snapped towards Jaxon, and then to the crowd of students who were now walking away. Oh...

"Uh, y-yeah. Going now!" I gave him a huge 'trying to cover up my embarrassment' smile, before rolling my bags and myself back to the group.

I can hear him laugh a little behind me. "Why were you stopped, anyways?"

I shrug. "I guess I was just taking everything in. The schools beautiful."

He nods in acknowledgment and looks at me before looking forward again. I shoot him a small smile, and we fall into silence.

Jaxon walked with me until we reached this gigantic room with countless rows of seats, where his brother pulled him away to sit with him and his friends. This rather exquisite, large room has a dark brown stage at the far end of it. The floors are made of this, almost shiny stone, which pairs nicely with the quartz walls and the white curtains that hang at both sides of the stage.

Looking around, I try to figure out where to sit. I shuffle awkwardly on my feet for a few seconds, before settling for an empty spot that laid a few rows from the front. Taking a breath, I make my way for my chosen seat.

The room is filled with an energetic chatter for a few long minutes before the Professors begin filing into the room through doors near the side of the stage. They all take a seat at a red cushioned booth at the back of the stage, except for this one older looking man.

As he walked to the front of the stage, I got to get a closer look at him. He was wearing a flat hat that fell mostly to the left side, which covered his what I assumed to be a balding head. On his face laid a thin pair of glasses, a grey mustache, and a beard to match it which only covered his chin. His clothing consisted of a black cloak, with what looks to be gold lining. Overall, he looked insanely sophisticated and wise, and it demanded your full attention.

"Hello everybody, and welcome to the Betnore, the Institute of The Arcane. I am Professor Zaurbek, a Sorcerer and the headmaster of our very prestigious school." The only sound to be heard in this room was the echoing voice of the school's administrator, which made me oddly nervous, resulting in me twirling my soft brown hair around my two fingers.

"We are all gathered here to discuss a couple of things, like where you will be sleeping, eating, and learning; As well as where you may spend your free time." The professor has my full attention as he continues to speak.

"As you all know, you were handed a schedule for your classes, and a map of the school on your way in. So make sure not to lose it because there will not be second copies handed around. Classes start each morning at seven o'clock sharp, and end at two. Attendance is mandatory, unless you have a valid reason not to participate. Dinner will be served each night at six in the dining hall which can be found on your map, but it is only appreciated that you show, not needed. I will now have Professor Evanora step up and explain everything else." Professor Evanora walked to the front of the stage with elegancy and began speaking.

"Free time may be spent anywhere on school grounds, except for restricted areas. If an area is restricted, it will be made very clear to you. Curfew is eleven, and you are allowed out of your rooms once again at five in the morning. A Professor of each species will escort you to your rooms right away so you can get settled away. If you have any further questions, come see me. And like Professor Zaurbek said, welcome to Betnore!" Her speech was followed by a round of applause before everyone got up and began walking towards their same species Professors. I stayed seated.

Professor Evanora and Zaurbek stayed at the front of the stage talking quietly, which really didn't make the idea of going up and asking where I'm supposed to be staying very appealing, but I couldn't just hang around here all day.

Taking a deep breath, I walk up the stairs which are to the side of the stage and confront Professor Evanora.

"Excuse me? Uh- I have no clue who I should be following? Do I just go with the angels, or.." In all honestly, going with the angels is the last thing that I would want to do. Their all fallen angels since their on earth, which means that they either committed some sort of sin in Heaven or just desperately wanted to leave and live down in earth. Plus, most of them were giving me very mean looks on the train. So to conclude, fallen angels aren't the nicest beings around.

Professor Evanora looked at me, whispered something to Professor Zaurbek, and then looked back at me once again.

"If you wish to room with the angels, you may. But we also have a hall of six rooms for special cases, like yourself, if you would rather live in one of those. Nobody else is currently living in one of those rooms. Also, Professor Zaurbek and I would recommend choosing the private dorms over the public living space." Hearing that they would recommend the private rooms makes me think of what Jaxon's brother had said, which was that there may be people that don't exactly want me around. The private dorms definitely would be considered safer...

"Is it any extra work for you if I were to take the private room? If it is then I can just live with the full angels.." My voice gets quieter towards the end of my sentence.

"No, no, it's fine. I'll show you to your room straight away. Come along." Professor Evanora began walking away, so I hurriedly grabbed my bags and rolled them behind me as I began to catch up to her.