CHAPTER 5

When I woke up in the morning, after a surprisingly good sleep, I sprung up to get dressed and ready for school.

After small breakfast I packed my backpack with a pencil case and a small notebook, in case I had to write something down.

I didn't really expect actual lessons today, more like some basic information. And besides, how magical schools even work? Will we have tests and exams? Or are we just sharping our magical skills?

I suppose I'll find out soon. It's currently 7.45 a.m. and time for me to go.

At the gates to the institute I again tried to imagine myself landing in front of the stairs of the temple. I didn't really want to embarrass myself with head bump today, especially now in front of everybody.

After going through the gates, this time with open eyes, even though that may not have been the best idea, the white lighting almost blinded me, I realized I made it through just like I wanted to.

No ocean, no head bumps as I turned around.

"I am getting good at this," I thought to myself.

I didn't really know where am I supposed to go, so I just blindly followed a group of girls. We took the stairs to the second floor and stepped inside of the room to the extreme left.

The inside of the room was even more beautiful than the part of the school I saw so far. It was white, of course, but had a lot of plants in it and a green blackboard on the wall. There were also sculptures of women in antique clothing, ivy wrapping around of their limbs like snakes. In the middle of the room were marble benches and tables, meant for the students.

"Rina!" I heard, few seconds after I entered the room.

It was no other than Sanem, signaling me to go meet her.

"Hey," I greeted as I reached her and Naomi. "Where's Rosy?"

"Probably asleep." Naomi answered.

Right.

I remembered how this week is only meant for newbies and Rosy grew up with gynakas, so of course she didn't come.

"Excited?" Sanem asked as I took a seat left to her.

"Yeah, very. I can't wait to start." I replied.

"Me, too." Naomi started. "I bet it must be very exciting here."

We chatted some more about our expectations before the headmaster and Elisaveth entered.

"Hello, students," Kassiopeia began, "welcome to the first formal day at Proelefsi school for Gyanakas. I am very happy to see this many new faces this year."

She offered us a big genuine smile and continued: "Before I leave you with Elisaveth here, I just want to wish you a successful week and hopefully next three years. I am certain you'll love it here, as you will learn about things unfamiliar to the outside world."

With a one last smile and a good-bye she left.

What a sweet lady.

"Let me introduce myself," Elisaveth started with a smile interrupting my thoughts. "My name is Elisaveth and I am the teacher of the History of Old religion at this school."

After a small pause she continued: "Now, you may think how unoriginal the name of our faith is, but the Old religion was the first one existing on this planet and is the mother of all other religions. Gynakas don't scorn other religions, we respect them. This is our first lesson and the most important one." She finished, more strictly.

The entire classroom was quiet, listening to her intently.

"Now, before I start with actual history of Gyanaks, I Wish to introduce our school system to you more thoroughly." When she stopped talking she opened the drawer at her desk and pulled a small notebook out of it.

She then snapped her fingers and the whole room dimmed. It was so weird. When I looked outside the window, the sun was still shining -although it may be good to say that the window wasn't an actual window, there was no glass or anything, just a square in the wall- but the inside of the room was dark.

"Magic." She started. "A powerful force, here you will learn how to use and control it. I doubt many of you have ever actually performed a spell, but nothing to worry about, you will learn how to do that here. Kassiopeia will teach you how to come in touch with your magical core, how to access it permanently and control it."

As she was saying this her fingers produced sparkles that took the form of a human body. Inside of that body was a bright sphere that produced beams of light when the hands of the body moved.

Eisaveth was portraying her words with her hands and I couldn't take my eyes away, the tree trick seemed rather pathetical now.

"Gynakas get our magic partly from ourselves, partly from nature and our surroundings. Kassiopeia will also teach you how to recognize magic-filled objects and use them in your favor."

She now added a tree to the body on her palm. The human form put its hands on the tree and a small sphere of light now formed inside of the tree. Just like before, the sphere sent rays of lighting in the human body.

"This school will, of course, teach you much more. Give you an opportunity to take many different occupations. We will teach you how to become Althaias, the healers. In that area, our school offers a lot of classes similar to those on medical schools in human worlds. Of course some of the Althaia classes are mandatory for everyone, but those non-obligatory ones are for you to choose in third year if you decide to become an Althaia."

As she was saying this, the lightning was returning to the room and the word ALTHAIA got written on the board behind her, letter by letter.

"Telekinesis," Sanem said, "man, I can't wait to master it."

"You can also become a Sneme, the teacher or librarian, like me." Elisaveth added with pride.

"If you decide academics aren't exactly up your field, you can become a Berenike, a fighter so to say. Persephone's classes are mandatory the first two years, she will teach you how to fight in many different martial arts, she will also teach you some combat spells. If fighting battles doesn't sound appealing to you, but you still want to work out on the field, you can choose to become Halkyone, a tracker. You will be paired with an andre and together you will recruit gynakas around the world."

She took a small break here, for the words to write on the board.

"However, most of gynakas usually chooses to become an agent for our government, a Kassandra, deadly and beautiful."

I noticed how Naomi quickly straightened her posture when the world 'government' was said.

"As a Kassandra, your job will be to execute law, help hide our world from xenes, bring down their corrupted governments or become spies."

She paused and smiled to herself: "I have an interesting story about a certain Kassandra, who helped the world in very critical time. A Kassandra helped taking down one of the most notorious dictators, Joseph Stalin." She smiled proudly. "If you are interested…"

"Yes!" Naomi almost yelled, not allowing Elisaveth to even finish her sentence.

"OK, then. You see, politicians of countries that won the World War II loved having extravagant political dinners together. Of course the food and business part was only a smart part of the dinner. After all the formalities they loved to order some prostitutes. This was an honor for girls there, or so they told them. The prettiest of the prostitutes had the privilege to lay with the most powerful man attending, which was usually the president himself."

She smiled mischievously and continued: "Our government planted a Kassandra in their chosen group of girls. A beautiful dark-haired almost too young girl. She was especially happy with her assignment, firstly because she originated from Latvia and they weren't in best terms with Stalin, so to say. Secondly Stalin was extremely sexist and didn't think much of women."

She took a small break and thought a bit: "Now that I'm thinking about it, I think she may have even volunteered."

"Anyway," she recovered and continued, "Kassandra's in that time were especially trained to be seductive and get men to do what they want to, so it was no doubt Stalin was gonna pick her. When they got into the bedroom she-" Elisaveth chuckled lightly and continued "-got him on his knees. Imagine, one of the most powerful men in that time was begging a girl for pleasure. The power of Kassandras are truly incredible."

The entire classroom was slightly smirking at the thought and I got a feeling I was in a cult.

"Before she got there she put scentless poison in her perfume that worked slowly and was almost untraceable, especially with the technology in that time. So she sprayed the perfume on her neck and as Stalin was kissing it, the poison slowly started working and paralyzing him." She smirked again.

I found it kind of funny how amusing this story was to Elisaveth. I didn't see her as the kind of person who would endure killing.

"you can also imagine that Stalin wasn't exactly a feminist, so I believe that the fact that it was a woman who ended him probably killed him more than the poison."

"Even today it's believed that the man died of stroke, when in fact it was a slow painful death by a woman."

We were all kind of amused by that thought, but I would like to think that not in the psychopath kind of way.

"OK, but back to our original topic," She started again, this time her polite smile looked more like a smirk. "to sum up, our school offers these classes." She said as she pointed at the blackboard.

"School years here consist out of two semesters. Each semester has 5 classes." She then checked her notebook.

"Ah, yes. You will share some of these classes with Andres. You know who Andres are, right?" She looked around the room and everyone was nodding. Her eyes then landed on me and she smiled briefly: "For those who don't, Andres are men in our religion, unlike us they weren't gifted with magical powers, but will be gifted with physical strength, when they graduate and if Hera will find them worthy.If they choose so, of course. Every year a handful of boys trade their physical strength for some magical powers, not nearly as powerful as our but quite significant. Andres usually end up being warriors, guardians, trackers or something like that." Elisaveth explained and I offered her a thankful smile.

"Now classes," she began, "every gynaka is expected to be fluent in at least three languages, firstly your mother language, but you have that covered, then you can choose between English and Spanish in the first semester and between French and German in the second semester. We work internationally, that's why being multilingual is required. Unfortunately our school doesn't offer any classes for languages, so you have to learn them by yourself. I suggest you form study groups for this."

The sighs and disagreement was obvious in the classroom.

"I know this is inconvenient, but it's a skill you need to learn in case your future occupation will require fluency in more languages." Elisaveth explained.

"All the other classes and the classrooms will be written on your schedules. You will find them on your desks now."

I looked down and there it was. A list of paper.

Magic, man.

I took it in my hands and read:

1.st semester

Introduction to magic- Kassiopeia- room 01- 8am-9am

Self-defense – Persephone – meadow- 8.15- 10.00

History of old religion- Elisaveth- room 24- 11am-12am

Potions for begnners- Tryphosa- laboratory- 12.15- 13.30

"A month before the new semester, classes for then will show and so on." Elisaveth explained.

"Now let's take a short brake and continue with the actual class in about… 25 minutes?" she said after answering some questions about curriculum that I didn't really pay attention to.

Sanem, Naomi nad I went out on the beach when Sanem started: "Did you hear about the party Andres are throwing tonight?"

"Yeah, I heard a girl mention it. Are we gonna go?" Naomi answered.

"I really, really wanna go. It would be our first real social event here." Sanem explained.

���Is this party on the island?" I asked, not knowing about any parties.

"Yeah, but on the other side, where Andres train." Naomi said.

"I bet they throw the most amazing parties ever! I can't wait!" Sanem continued excitedly, probably ignoring my questions and imagining the evening events.

"When is it?" I asked.

"It's a party, Rina. You just show up something after ten." Naomi said.

In my defense I have never been to a party before. Crowds bother me as it is, then add alcohol and horny teenagers…yikes. No, thank you.

But as I am new here and am trying to make friends and have fun, live that teenager life you see in the movies, I agreed to meet here with them and Rosy at ten.