Author's Note
Hey there! So here I am again with a new story. But this time, it's a bit different—it's a fantasy story, so please bear with me. It's actually my first time writing in this genre, so I hope you'll stick with it until the very end.
If you find this story cringe and cliche then this is not for you. I'm just a normal person with twisted imagination. I write what I imagined.
Let the magic begins!
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REIYA'S POV
"Seriously!? Don't go near Clark! Are you some kind of parasite or something?"
Kim stood in front of me with her eyebrows raised and her hands resting firmly on her waist. Behind her were her two friends, both crossing their arms while glaring at me as if I were some disgusting creature they couldn't stand looking at.
We were standing at the back of the campus, where almost no one passed by. The place was quiet...almost too quiet.
I simply rolled my eyes, acting as if her words didn't matter to me anymore.
"Are you even listening!?"
She pushed me lightly, though it wasn't enough to hurt. But judging by the redness spreading across her face, it was obvious she was furious. Then again, she had always been pale, so every emotion she showed was painfully obvious.
"Okay." My simple answer seemed to confuse her.
"What?" Her forehead creased as she stared at me. I wanted to laugh at her expression, but I kept my face serious.
"You said I shouldn't go near Clark," I explained calmly. I thought that would be enough to make her calm down. After all, I was agreeing not to approach her boyfriend.
But apparently, I was wrong.
She became even angrier. "So you're saying Clark is the one who approaches you!?" She shouted so loudly that one of my eyebrows lifted.
Seriously? What kind of logic was that?
I grabbed my bag from the ground where they had thrown it.
"We're not done talking yet." Kim reached out to grab my arm, but I quickly avoided her hand.
"You already heard what you wanted to hear, didn't you?" I said coldly. "So what else are you trying to prove? What exactly are you trying to get out of this?" The surprise on her face was obvious. She clearly wasn't expecting me to talk back.
Well, too bad.
"Warfreak!" I actually froze for a second because of what she called me.
Wow. I was the war freak now?
Without saying anything else, I turned around and left them standing there.
After a few steps, I glanced back. Kim was smiling at me.
I simply rolled my eyes and raised my middle finger before looking away and continuing my walk. Their shocked expressions didn't matter to me anymore.
Suddenly, a strong gust of wind blew through the area. I quickly fixed my hair, which reached down to my waist, as the cold wind brushed against my skin. The tiny hairs on my arms stood up.
You know that feeling when you're about to sneeze but then a sudden cold breeze hits you?
Yeah. Exactly like that.
I looked back at where Kim and her friends were standing. But they were gone.
I only shrugged my shoulders and continued walking. Although something felt strange. At this time of day, there should have been many students walking around the campus with me.
But there was no one. Not a single person.
I was about to ignore the strange feeling when suddenly—
Someone appeared right in front of me.
A man.
He wasn't particularly tall. In fact, he looked almost the same height as me. Judging by his appearance, he seemed to be somewhere in his thirties.
But...
Was I seeing things?
Because he literally appeared out of nowhere.
"Ms. Reiya." I immediately looked behind him, wondering if there was some kind of hidden door or portal where he came from.
But there was nothing. Was I just imagining things?
The man handed me a blue envelope.
Written across the front were the words:
Starfall Academy
My eyebrows immediately furrowed. I looked at him in confusion.
There was also a strange symbol on the envelope—a star intertwined with a moon.
The man simply stared at me, as if waiting for me to open it. Slowly, I pulled out the paper inside.
The moment I unfolded it, my eyes immediately caught the strange words written on the page.
Starfall Academy
Where Stars Whisper and Magic Awakens
By royal decree of the Starfalls
Date: The 3rd Crescent of Light, Year 2020
To the Esteemed Ms. Noxshade,
The stars have spoken—and they have chosen you.
Good news—you have been accepted into Starfall Academy. It seems destiny has excellent taste.
My eyebrows lifted.
Accepted? For what? Wait...
I never even applied to this academy.
The man suddenly cleared his throat, seemingly reminding me to continue reading.
I continued.
Your term begins on the first day of Starfall. Please only bring what you can easily carry. Everything else you require will be provided by our vaults and libraries.
I noticed another piece of paper attached with a list of things I needed.
Enclosed are the following:
— Your sigil-marked Starpass, to be presented at the Gates of Starfall
— A list of required artifacts and attire for first-year initiates
— The official Oath of the Stars, to be memorized and recited beneath the Academy's Celestar
Take heed: within these sacred walls you will learn to shape the elements, speak to stars, walk with shadows, and write your will into the very threads of reality. But such power is bound by wisdom, and wisdom by discipline.
Welcome, Seeker. The stars have been waiting for you.
In starlit trust,
Archmagister Nyx Lightvale
Supreme Magus of Starfall Academy
Keeper of the Stars and Magic
After reading everything, I looked back at the man. I must have read the letter several times because none of it made sense.
"May I ask... what does this mean?" I asked politely since he was older than me.
The man only looked at me. "Child... I am not the one who should be telling you that."
I looked back down at the letter.
Nothing made sense. I had so many questions.
But before I could ask anything else—
The man disappeared.
And suddenly, the sounds around me returned. Students were walking past. Voices filled the campus. Everything was normal again.
Except...
He was gone.
Why did he disappear so suddenly?
I was still holding the envelope, standing there completely confused.
Eventually, I decided to just go home.
But one thought kept repeating inside my mind.
Who was supposed to tell me?
Then suddenly, I remembered my father. I quickly hurried home. I needed answers.
I arrived home not long after.
As usual, I found my father sitting in his usual spot, drinking alcohol.
"I'm home." I walked over to the table and started collecting the empty bottles scattered around. I glanced at him as he took another drink from his beer bottle.
I gave him a bitter smile.
I never understood why my father had become like this. Was he already drinking this much when Mom was still alive?
"You're finally home." He spoke with a small hiccup between his words.
The good thing about my father was that even when he was drunk, he could still hold a proper conversation.
I placed the letter I received from the mysterious man on the table. Then I watched his reaction.
And judging by the expression on his face..
I knew.
He knew something.
"Where did you get that?" His voice suddenly changed.
Unlike before, when he sounded tired and careless, his tone was now serious.
"Some man gave it to me." He grabbed the letter and carefully read its contents. The moment he finished, he placed a hand on his forehead.
"Do you know something that I don't?" I asked.
My father looked at me.
And for a moment... He looked like he was about to cry.
I didn't understand. Why was he reacting like this?
Without saying anything, he stood up and walked toward his room.
I lowered my head. I thought he didn't want to talk about it.
But a few moments later, he came back carrying an old photo album. I didn't recognize it.
He handed it to me before sitting back down. "Inside that album... you'll find the story of your mother and me." I looked at him. The sadness in his eyes was impossible to miss
.
Why did he suddenly want to tell me stories?
I looked down at the album.
"Those are just a few pictures." My father spoke softly.
I opened it. And there they were.
My mother and father.
Smiling.
Happy.
My father's arm wrapped around my mother's shoulders. They looked so different from the people they were now. "Your mother was a very special woman even before I met her." My father began.
Special?
"She was a Healer." My eyebrows immediately furrowed.
A healer? Was he serious?
"She was a healer?" I repeated.
He simply nodded. "I met her at a school called Starfall Academy." My fingers tightened around the letter.
"Just like you, I also received a letter telling me I was accepted." My eyes moved toward the envelope lying on the table.
"Starfall Academy..." My father looked at me. "The school of magic." My mouth slightly opened.
Magic? For a moment, I thought I was dreaming. But the serious expression on my father's face told me otherwise.
He wasn't joking. So everything written in that letter...
Was real?
"That was where your mother and I met," he continued. "That was where our love story began."
A small smile appeared on his face.
A smile filled with memories.
But even then...
I could still see the sadness hidden behind his eyes.
"If Mom was a healer..."
I looked at him. "Then what were you?"
My father turned toward me. "I am a Fire User." My eyes widened.
A Fire User?
Suddenly, I remembered all those times when we ran out of gas but somehow, my father could still cook our meals. I thought it was just luck.
But now... Everything made sense. My father really had magic.
"I still can't believe this..." I whispered.
"On the day you were born..." His voice suddenly became quiet.
"...your mother died."
I froze. All the thoughts inside my head disappeared.
"Her death was not your fault, Reiya." My father looked at me seriously.
"Your mother's heart was weak. Before she passed away, she gave you all of her remaining power." I stared at him. "She wanted you to inherit it." My heart skipped. So that meant...
Was I a healer too? But if I was... Why couldn't I feel anything?
"Magic must be learned, Reiya." My father looked at me. "That is why you need to enter Starfall Academy." For some reason, I wasn't surprised anymore. "I know your life will become better if you study there." I stayed silent.
I didn't know what to say. "But what about you?" I asked.
"You can come with me, right?" My father only shook his head. A gentle smile appeared on his face.
"Just like in the normal world, parents cannot follow their children to school." His answer made me sad. He reached out and held my hand.
"Don't worry about me." His smile remained. "I can take care of myself." Then he pulled me into a hug.
I don't know why... But there was a sadness surrounding that hug. Like we both knew something was about to change.
So I hugged him back.
"Tomorrow, we'll find everything you need." He finally let go.
I looked at him in confusion.
"How?" I asked.
But instead of answering, he only smiled and went back to drinking his alcohol.
THE NEXT DAY
My father woke me up before sunrise. He said we needed to leave early because we had somewhere important to go. The only thing he told me yesterday was that he would help me find everything I needed. When I entered the kitchen, I saw him drinking coffee while eating bread.
He looked unusually cheerful today.
"Eat first." He offered me the coffee he prepared. My father was really in a good mood.
"Where exactly are we buying my things?" I asked. He placed his cup down and looked at me.
"Raven's Quill." I frowned. I had never heard of that place before. After breakfast, my father handed me a large bag. "What is this for?" I asked. But he only grinned.
Was this really my father?
Outside our house, he stood there quietly, looking around as if trying to remember a direction.
Then he pointed toward our backyard. "This way."
I stared at him.
"Are you sure this is the way?" He nodded confidently.
So I followed him.
Honestly... I still couldn't believe everything happening.
Suddenly, I heard a strange sound beneath my feet.
Like something had activated. I looked down but couldn't see anything. I heard my father press something, but I didn't know where.
"Step back." He ordered.
I immediately moved away. And then...
A staircase appeared. Leading underground.
"Since when did we have stairs here?" I asked.
My father simply nodded. "Every mage has a passage like this that leads to Raven's Quill."
I stared at the hidden entrance. A secret tunnel?
Magic? Everything was insane.
"Are you planning to keep staring forever?" My father's voice snapped me back. I followed him.
And while we walked down the stairs, I couldn't help but watch him. He walked ahead of me.
There was something I wanted to ask... Something I wanted to know.
But I was too afraid. Then suddenly, he stopped.
I almost bumped into him.
"Why did we stop?" I asked.
"We're here." He answered.
I looked around. But all I saw was a dead end.
Was my father joking with me?
"Where?" I asked.
He didn't answer. Instead, he moved his hand and whispered something.
"Aperta." That was the only word I heard. Before I could ask what happened—
A door appeared out of nowhere.
My eyes widened. "Holy Crap..."
The word slipped out because of my shock. My father immediately looked at me.
"Watch your language." I ignored him because I was still staring at the magical door.
"Let's go inside. It's better if you buy early. There will be fewer people." I nodded and followed him.
Because honestly...
I had no idea what else to do. Everything around me was impossible.Yet somehow...
It was real.
As I stepped through the door, I was immediately left speechless.
Clouds.
That was the first thing I saw. Endless white clouds surrounding us.
"Where are the shops?" I asked while looking around. My father simply pointed upward.
"There." I followed his finger.
The clouds.
I stared at him. "The shops are... on the clouds?" I looked at him, completely confused.
Was he seriously telling me that?
A cloud? Before I could question him further, I noticed an elevator nearby.
My father stepped inside, so naturally, I followed.
An elevator? Here? In a place floating above the clouds?
My brain was already struggling to process everything. "Press number seven."
I followed his instruction and pressed the button. The moment I did... The elevator suddenly moved upward at an incredible speed. I immediately held onto the side and leaned back because of the sudden movement.
Meanwhile...
My father didn't even react. Not even a little. He just stood there calmly. He must have been used to this.
After a few seconds, the elevator stopped.
"We're here." My father said casually.
I stepped out and looked down at what I was standing on.
It was hard.
Solid.
I touched the ground.
"Wait..." I looked around. "The floor is made of stone?" My father nodded.
"The clouds you saw are only used to keep the buildings floating." I looked at the entire place.
And for the first time... I couldn't say anything.
It was beautiful.
The entire area looked like a city from a dream. Buildings floating in the sky.
Magical lights everywhere. People wearing strange but beautiful clothes. Creatures I had only seen in fantasy stories.
And yet...
They were all real.
I followed my father until he stopped.
"Where is your list?" He asked. I quickly took out the paper and handed it to him.
He read it carefully and nodded. "You need an attire first." He looked ahead.
"We're going to Pixie Dust. Their clothes are the best." I only nodded.
I didn't know where anything was anyway. I simply trusted him.
Not long after, we arrived at the shop. As soon as we entered, I saw an elderly woman standing behind the counter.
She looked up. "What a pleasant surprise!" Her eyes widened.
"Chris? Is that really you?" My father smiled politely.
"Yes, Professor." The old woman laughed. "Don't call me professor anymore. I don't teach now." Then her eyes moved toward me. She smiled.
"Is this your daughter?" My father nodded.
"Yes. This is Reiya." I looked at her but only nodded slightly. I didn't really know her.
The woman studied my face. "She looks exactly like her mother." Then she smiled while looking at my father. "But I can tell she inherited your personality." I sighed internally.
Again with that. Everyone kept saying that.
"What are you buying today?" The woman asked.
My father handed her the list. "Everything she needs is probably available here." The woman smiled.
"I knew Pixie Dust wouldn't disappoint."
Suddenly... Something small flew toward us. It grabbed the list from my father's hand.
My eyes widened.
What the—A tiny person?
Flying?
My brain immediately went somewhere else.
Was this...Tinker Bell?
I blinked several times.
No.
There was no way.
"Lady, they are called fairies." The old woman explained. The fairy flew away with the list. "They help me find everything customers need. I wouldn't be able to manage alone without them."I nodded slowly.
Then I leaned closer to my father and whispered. "Do we even have money?" I looked around.
Everything here looked expensive. I pulled out a hundred peso bill. My father immediately laughed.
The old woman laughed too. "Don't worry about money." My father reached into his pocket. "While you were sleeping, I already withdrew some money from Solace Banks." He showed me a card. My eyes immediately went to the amount written on it.
AD 500,000,000
I froze. "AD?" I stared at the number.
"500,000,000 million?" My father nodded.
"500,000,000 Ancestral Dime." He explained. "In the normal world, you call it Peso. Here, we use AD. But they have the same value." My mouth opened.
I couldn't believe it. We had that much money?
So... We were actually rich?
Before I could process it, the old woman returned. "Here are the items you need." She handed us a large box. Surprisingly, I could carry it.
"That will be 50,000 AD." I nearly dropped the box.
Fifty thousand? For these things?
I wanted to ask if there was a discount. I wanted to negotiate. Because that price was terrifying.
But my father simply handed over the card. Just like a normal cashier transaction...
She scanned it.
Done.
"Come back anytime."
The old woman smiled. I looked at the items.
No. I was definitely not coming back anytime soon. That was expensive. We left the shop, and I followed my father.
"I thought you said the items were cheap there?" I pointed at the box. "Why is this 50,000?" My father looked at me. "That is actually cheap." I stared at him. "If you bought those items from other shops, they could cost half a million." I stopped walking.
What?Half a million?
People actually bought from those shops? I couldn't believe it.
We returned to the elevator, and my father pressed number one. We were going home.
After a while, we arrived back at the entrance. I followed him through the door.
And the next thing I knew... We were back inside our house.
I stopped.
Wait.
I thought we would come out from the backyard. "We can't let normal people see us coming out from nowhere." My father explained.
"So it's better this way." I nodded.
Then I placed the things we bought down. My father looked at me. A proud smile appeared on his face.
"I'm happy for you, my child."
I looked at him. And once again...He looked like he was about to cry.
My father was becoming too emotional today."From now on..."He smiled."Your life will change."
I stayed silent. "I didn't tell you earlier because..."
He paused.
"I wasn't ready."
I waited.
Waiting for whatever he wanted to say.
Then...
"Reiya." His voice became serious.
"You are a mage." I wasn't surprised anymore. After everything I had seen...
That was almost normal.But one question remained.
What kind of power did I have?
"You are the only one who can discover what your ability is." My father answered.
I frowned.
Before I could ask another question—
The room suddenly changed. Two figures appeared.
Both wearing black masks and black robes. My father immediately moved in front of me.
Protecting me. "Who are you?" He shouted.
Even he looked surprised. The two strangers didn't answer my question. Instead, one of them spoke. "Come with us." Their voices were cold. Something about them felt wrong.
Dangerous. "No." My father stood firmly.
"You are not taking her." Then the stranger spoke again.
"If you don't come with us..." The air suddenly became heavy.
"...Melinda will die." My father's expression changed instantly. Fear appeared in his eyes.
Melinda.
My mother.
Before I could understand what was happening, my father grabbed my hand. He smiled at me.
A smile that felt like he was saying:
Everything will be okay.
But I knew.
Something was wrong. My eyes started to fill with tears.
I reached out.
I wanted to stop him.
I wanted to hold onto him.
But before I could... The two figures grabbed my father.
And in the next second—
They disappeared.
Just like that.
Gone.
"Dad..."
My voice was barely a whisper. I fell to my knees.
My mind went blank.
A few moments ago...
He was right beside me.
And now...
He was gone.
What happened? Who were they? And why did they take my father?