When Cluster woke me I was still in my day suit, fallen asleep on the office desk covered by parchments full of constellations and star signs. She jumped on my arched back and meowed alarmingly, pulling my attention off the dark ink smudge I had made by the slipping quill. There was a storm outside - I heard thunder claps on the shuddering glass over the old castle tower window; then I realized I was wrong, it was no lightning but rising smoke and fire glowing scarlet in the far side of the town - where the city was. The fireplace crackled and suddenly glow into a blueish mist, a signal of summoning. I grabbed my coat and went out of the door and faced Professor Karen who just rushed out of her door. We stared at each other for a moment. I opened my mouth, "the Headmaster..." "The blue flame..." We said at the same time and fell silent awkwardly. I pointed at the stairs, and she nodded as we both run toward that direction.
Professor Lalia Karen's dark hair flies into my vision with sparkling little pieces of jewelry she knit into the braids, like the shining milky way. The sweet scent of opium and maple sugar laced the air in the narrow space of the stairway. My cheek warms a little, from the labor of running.
But before we reached the great hall I finally wake up from the dangerous dream and realized the seriousness of the situation. I remembered the burning city and loud noises like a storm. Staffs and faculties of the school formed a good size of the circle in the middle of the hall, I squeezed in and saw the headmaster stand in the middle, arms crossing, and beside him, there was a young man no older than 25, with black hair darker than that of Professor Karen. The headmaster raised his two hands and the crowd went quiet, his voice echoed in the room, enlarged his slight tremble. "A war has come. "
-
You may have heard of the Goblet School of Magic, the ancient castle built for passing on the seeds of fantastic abilities in the Duchy of Bordeaux - even before this land has gained its name. I had spent 18 years in this piece of garden and treasured each and every moment. Nine years as a humble student and nine years as a professor already. In the middle, I was on the road for a long while, writing my book on mystical artifacts and regional research in the area of astrology; then I received my letter to come back here again.
I moved to the town of Goblet with my fiance. I spent most of my time in the high tower of the school castle during the week, chained to my office desk by the curiosity of the students and my desperate hope for discovering a brighter path on the studies of astrology. My sweet Wanda, coming into the tower occasionally and holding my shoulders gently, then cook me a pot of her famous beef stew right by the fireplace. She was made out of grass and sunflower, all warmth, comfort, and smell of home.
But there was one problem - two years later Lalia Karen came like a shadow creeping into my world, lurking me to peek behind the squeaking door. It was not her fault really, but my tower was suddenly not mine alone. She came as the new instructor for Mantology, so sort of a colleague of mine. I have to face her every day when her blue eyes and jews in the hair dazzled my mind and muffled my voice. I blinked at her skin fair as untouched winter snow - and a sudden droplet of cherry juice bloomed around her cheekbones. Perhaps you would say this was far from our concern regarding the topic of the war, yet it's not.
