The Order of Huntsmen

Welcome to Chaseman

"For the last time, I'm fine."

"The last time you said that, I had to listen to you sob about a TV show for two straight hours."

I felt the blush starting to rise on my cheeks. "That was one time."

"Oh yeah? What about-"

"Please stop talking."

He quieted for a moment before I heard him sigh and whisper to himself, "At least you're getting paid."

"I heard that," I snapped, readjusting my bag where it hung uncomfortably off my shoulder.

"Good."

Ashton Waverly is an asshole. A lovable asshole, but still an asshole.

He'd come into my life shortly after I'd been accepted to college. As a Guardian, he was assigned to keep me in check. Or more aptly put, he was trying his best to make sure I couldn't die and become magically resurrected. Or, if I did die, he was supposed to keep me there. I didn't often think about the latter half of the arrangement.

He's only six years older than me, and the closest thing I've ever had to a brother. After being forced to check in with him every day over summer break, I liked to think we'd gotten pretty close.

I sighed as I halfheartedly listened to Ashton rant about being careful. I genuinely think he would've had a heart attack if I had gotten a paper cut. I let him ramble, it's the only way to get him to shut up.

A few people glanced my way as I walked through the college campus on my way to the dorm. I didn't pay attention to them. I was too worried about what I'd find in my dorm room. Or rather, who.

I finally snapped back to attention when Ashton said, "How can I trust you not to get drunk and tell them everything-" This was his "panic about everything that could possibly go wrong" phase of his rant.

"Ashton, for the love of god, I'm not that stupid! I don't even go to parties!" Embarrassment hit me again as a group of students passed by, whispering to themselves and looking in my direction. I looked down at the pristine concrete and walked faster.

Ashton groaned. "I really want to believe you."

I looked up the stone steps leading into the dorm and frowned. "Do or don't, but I have to go."

Ashton quieted for a moment, then spoke softly. "You're going to be fine, kid."

I snorted. "You sound awfully confident about that."

"You haven't even met them yet, give them a chance." He said, in typical pseudo brother fashion. 

I fought the urge to snap, The last time I did that, he bullied the life out of me, literally. Instead I cleared my throat and said, "I'll talk to you later, Ashton."

"It's 'Agent Waverly' to you-" 

I hung up before he could continue. A few months ago he would've called back, but he didn't. He'd already learned I wouldn't pick up. I stuffed my phone in my front pocket and readjusted my bag. The double doors of the men's dorm loomed over me like the gates to hell. I took a deep breath and held it. Here goes everything, I thought to myself, and I walked up the stairs and swallowed around my heart in my throat and swung open the right hand door. 

Chasemen University had been more than I was expecting.

Located two hours outside Manhattan,  the campus was breathtaking. As expansive as it was beautiful, Chaseman was comprised of several hundred-year-old buildings, with a few modern buildings tossed in the mix. The lush grass fields between the numerous walkways linking buildings would soon brown in the approaching frost. But for now, everything was a sea of green and reddish brown.