Where I Wished For Time

Dear Self, at least you had it first.

To: You.

3 years.

Marius Starkole

You have got to be kidding me.

I stay still in hopes of them sparing our lives. My heartbeat quickens pace as I think about my blood being spilled.

Not here. Not now.

“Stand up. Hands to the side.” One commanded from behind.

Slowly, Klaus removed his hand from Mariella’s mouth as he brought her up with him. Polaz obeyed, seemingly not scared at all of the blast that was prepared to hit us at any second. Shanzina was hesitant, but as she looked at each of us, complied. I was last to stand.

“One, two, three, four– five.” The hooded person stopped in surprise. “They must be it.”

We five exchanged a confused glance, thankfully, the one in front lowered their hand, while I heard the weapons lower behind us. I sighed in relief as I slowly looked behind me to confirm it.

The one behind me huffed, moving a step to my left. “No, they can’t be. It’s… too easy.”

“Huh, I knew the school would choose Ms. Merxado to be one of the champions.” The person in front of us laughed, grabbing their hood and lowering their mask. “I just didn’t expect this combo.”

My eyes widened in surprise as I sucked in a breath. Her rich brown hair shined under the sun, and her smile widened from ear to ear, showing the wrinkles on her eyes as well as her cheek bones.

Maybe spilling some of my blood wouldn’t be such a bad thing if it meant I could get away from her.

“Headmistress Jenna!?” We yell in unison.

Her smile remains the same, “Hello, students. How’s your first day of school?”

This was the same headmistress who welcomed me to the first day of school with her warm smile, despite the fact that I end up in her office almost every other day. The headmistress who held that kid down, only to be chopped off.

Taking our reactions as her cue, she began, “I suppose you’ll want an explanation for this.”

“What are you doing?” The one to the right shouted, still behind me. “What if you’re wrong about them?”

“The school is never wrong, same as I. ‘Five hatched eggs and five students of Morvian College, witnessing a tragic accident of a student possessed.’” Headmistress Jenna reasoned, gesturing her hand towards us, “It’s the same story as three years ago. Don’t you think?”

Silence fell on us again. Possessed? Everything was falling on us quickly, with barely enough time to process what had happened just a few minutes ago.

“Headmistress Jenna, with all due respect, what is the meaning of this?” Of course he had to come forward.

“I will explain everything Mr. Flynt.” She clasped her hands together. “But first, please forgive me for what we are about to do.”

With that, she raises an eyebrow, signaling the others. I turned to see Polaz, face flat on the floor. After he looked over his shoulder, so did Klaus. I can’t say I didn’t snort.

Headmistress Jenna came forward with a spray bottle, directing the mist towards the girls, who became weak as soon as they’d smelled it, falling down slowly as they’re eyes closed.

“I’m sorry, kid.” That was the last thing I’d heard behind me before a jab of sharp pain slammed the back of my head. Must’ve been their whip. As the cold, hard ground settled on my cheek, I wondered why the headmistress couldn’t have had me knocked out like the girls were.

…

A whirling wind woke me up. Ow. As I gained a better consciousness, my chest felt heavy, like someone else had shifted their weight onto me, laying an arm over my stomach, reminding me of my drunken nights. Confused, I placed my arm around them as I try to sit up from the concrete floor.

I adjusted my eyes to the bright light, realizing it was from the crystal chandelier hanging above us. Then the full view of the room came into view. Six columns circled us, evenly placed, holding up a stone ring, and decorated with carvings of people and small, glowing crystals. I took it all in awe, and then finally realizing that there were unconscious bodies beside me.

My attempt to not wake the person on me failed when I felt their hand patting my torso, double checking who was beneath them. I smirked as I realized who I had just cradled onto me as she lifts her head, meeting my eyes. “Morning, Sunshine.”

Shanzina quickly removed herself off me, a noticeable redness on her cheeks. I smiled before a jolt of pain shot through the back of my head.

“Are you alright?” She asks, “What happened?”

“It’s not that bad, just a bit swollen.” I could feel my eyes betray the smile I gave.

“Let me.” She offered, leaning forward to cup the back of my head, and placing her other hand on my arm as if to comfort me.

Her touch was gentle and soft, just the same as when we’d first met at the fair three months ago. I even remember giving her a bracelet which held enough to conceal her aura from filling a room. Now, she still wore it, peeking through her sleeve. I quickly tampered down my smile, despite how it was no longer in full effect anymore, she still has it on her.

“What is this place?” She starts.

“I don’t know, but wherever this is, it’s underground.” She follows the direction of my pointed finger. “Those crystals don’t glow that bright on the surface.”

“Correct.” A voice echoes through the cave. “I see my education still hasn’t failed you.”

From the shadows appeared the headmistress, head held high. We must have been out for awhile, seeing as she isn’t in her black suit anymore, and now comfortably in the uniform that greets each student everyday.

“Despite not being our brightest.” Her remark made no effect on me, but beside me, Shanzina seemed to feel otherwise. “WAKE UP.”

Her voice echoed through the cave, loud enough for me to feel the ground vibrate.

Polaz and Klaus began to stir beside us, groaning from the pain. Only Mariella stayed still, and woke after Shanzina shook her. As soon as everyone was awake, we got to our feet.

“Where are we?” Polaz began, skeptically eyeing the pillars, “Where did you take us?”

“Careful with that tone, Mr. Detreeve. You sound like you’re talking to someone who committed a crime.”

“You did commit a crime.” Shanzina shot back.

“What you saw is not the whole story. I suggest you take a seat.” She said sternly. Rubbing her palms, she curls two fingers as if willing for something to come. Before I could even check, a hard surface slams against our backs, making us lose balance and fall into chairs, our arms resting perfectly on its rests.

“What are you doing–” I barely finish when metal straps clasp our wrists and ankles to the chairs.

Polaz struggles against the restraints, and begins yelling at the headmistress to let them go. The others try to slip out, but it’s useless.

“It’s for precaution.” Headmistress Jenna says, tightening the metal straps through a lever.

“Are these really necessary?” Shanzina asks through gritted teeth.

“Where do I begin?” The headmistress ignores Shanzina’s question, pacing behind the stone stand, “Ah, let’s start at where we are now.”

“We are at the heart of the school, right underneath. This cave was built by the founders, Halmir, Javier, Ranzar, and Falzur, right before they decided to build Morvian College as you know it now. These crystals serve as the life that keeps the school intact and strong from any dark forces lingering about the walls.”

I felt a missing beat in the rhythm of my heartbeat before Shanzina spoke, “Meaning?”

The headmistress narrowed her eyes at Shanzina before she continued, “The first time you’ve set foot into the school, yesterday, have you ever felt like someone was watching you? Someone waiting for you to look over your shoulder?”

A memory refreshed itself in my head as she threw those questions around. I remember the spine tingling feeling of being watched as I tagged along with Shanzina at the tour. The feeling of cold air raising the hairs of my nape.

“The tour.” Klaus murmured, his glasses tilted to one side. I gave him a side glance, we experienced the same thing at the same time. So that was why he was craning his neck then.

“Yeah,” Shanzina agreed, barely above a whisper.

Polaz nodded, “What does that have to do with the fact that you chopped off an innocent kid’s head.”

“Chopped? Yes. Innocent? I wouldn’t be so sure about that.” Another female voice emerged from behind Headmistress Jenna.

“Chief Lorin? What are you–” Mariella strayed off as her gaze fell to the sword, held tightly in her hands, making her gasp. Still, she wore her black suit, save the hood and the black mask.

Seems like everyone we thought we could rely on had their hands dirty the whole time. She was a knight, but I didn’t expect her to do this.

“You,” Polaz started, teeth gritted in anger, “You’re the one who killed them!”

“We killed them.” Chief Lorin clarified. The most unsettling part of it all being the air of confidence that surrounded the two and their words. They were proud of what they’d done.

“And with good reason.” Headmistress Jenna took a few steps toward us, though never leaving the end of the stand, “The student you saw was Martin Barley. Fifth grader of House Falzur, class D. He was infected last week, along with his twin brother, Marvin.”

“Infected by what?” Klaus asked.

“Dark forces.” The headmistress replied. “We call them Phantrits. To keep it simple, they’re evil spirits that lurked around the walls of the school.”

“Pfft, Phantrits?” Shanzina retorts, almost snorting at the idea. “Sounds like a disease.”

“Or an annoying bug.” Mariella added.

Unfazed, the headmistress pressed another button on the stone stand, where three crystal glass screens slowly rise on the ring behind her. The ground shook as the glass creaked between the columns, creating a half circle. It was transparent, save the slight purple tint to it.

I noticed clouds, or some form of smoke forming around the inside of the glass as it displayed Martin, sitting happily with his twin brother in the first glass.

I heard Polaz gasp at the sight of the kid. Klaus draws in a breath before he speaks, “It’s… a memory log.”

In the middle screen, a shadow appeared behind the twins, holding them by the neck. Judging by the blurred background, they were still in the garden. The next image showed the shadow flying inside their nostrils and into their mouths as a faint scream echoed around us.

I felt as if a cold metal traced the outline of my spine, crawling into my arms as I kept watching. Having access to a memory log is one thing, know how you could obtain them, the other was memory itself.

The next image transitioned in, showing Polaz being grabbed by one of them, and the other hiding behind a rock, badly wounded. I glanced to my right side, guilt and regret consuming the light in his eyes.

The scene disappeared and another appeared on the glass screen to the right, showing us what we’d already seen at the cliff. I quickly looked away.

No, I wasn’t obligated to save them. It was never my responsibility. I have no reason to feel guilty.

Yet, I do.

Chief Lorin spoke, “What you were seeing was a memory log, as to how obtained it, I think you saw the answer to that. Marvin and Martin Barley were students infected— possessed by Phantrit.” She paused, “You know what you saw at the cliff. That wasn’t a Grimm anymore. So we disposed of him.”

“Get to the real point.” Shanzina’s fists were almost completely pale, and the once dark eyes had burned a dark ember. My breath stopped short at the sight.

But she was right. They’ve been repeating the same thing. Was this the purpose of the restraints? So we won’t break free and escape with the knowledge of them having murdered students?

Headmistress Jenna and Chief Lorin exchanged glances, furrowing their brows together. So they do know what they were doing.

After a couple seconds of silence, another figure almost made me jump as he made his presence known by stepping through me and Shanzina, arms crossed. “I told you we should’ve tested them before anointing them.”

He began walking towards the headmistress, “We’re wasting precious time. The full moon is about to set. There’s no point of sugar coating the situation when they witnessed it first hand. Just tell them why they’re here and let them decide.”

I felt like I was in quicksand, the slow but inescapable realization of who the third person was. Everyone else had disappeared for a single moment. My brain scrambled, trying to formulate anything that could explain this.

“They’ve already seen a Phantrit possessing a student. It would only be a matter of time before another one finds its new victims.” The headmistress said, eyeing Professor Hale.

“You’re in on this?” Polaz muttered in disbelief, “Are everyone in the faculty killers?”

“I think it's best if we anoint them before we explain everything.” Chief Lorin reasoned, “We can risk their disapproval of being a champion. It would create more damage than it should. They’ve already figured everything out.”

“Against their will? Have you lost your mind?!” Professor Hale shouts, “They have to say whether they want to or not. I don’t give a damn if they’re chosen, they’re still kids! Have you forgotten what could happen to them?”

Chief Lorin sighs, trying to calm herself before continuing, “It’s not like they have a choice. Their lives have been targeted by Phantrits since the moment they saw one. And if they refuse to become champions and walk out of here without the founder’s protection, as if nothing happened,” She takes a breath, “Then we’re all doomed.”

“Chief Lorin is right. Without the chosen champions, we cannot protect the students whether we like it or not. We have to act before the Phantrits get to them.” Headmistress Jenna paused, looking at Shanzina. “Get me the needle.”

“N-Needle?” Mariella exclaimed, breath erratic.

The headmistress walked towards the first chair with a look that would’ve made anyone crumble to their feet. But, Shanzina Merxado was not anyone.

I turned my head to her, her eyes blazing, enough to rival the headmistress, balling her fists even more, her fingers almost white.

“Get away from her!” Shouted Polaz.

Chief Lorin made her way to the stand, waving her hand over the surface, allowing a pool of light to reveal itself. She sticks her hand in it, as if reaching for something inside. Professor Hale stands as he was, mouth open, trying to look for a way to stop them when the chief pulled out a pen and a bottle.

“It’s settled. We anoint them first, then tell them everything.” Headmistress Jenna decided as she brought her palms together, creating some warmth before she brought them to her sides, slamming them together to complete the form. “We can’t let history repeat itself.”

“This will, hopefully, save us time explaining.”

I didn’t notice all of the chairs were floating, only a few inches off the ground when we were brought down smoothly, while Shanzina’s chair was brought closer to them.

“Shanzina!” Mariella called out, struggling to get loose.

“Headmistress Jenna, please, let’s talk this out!” Only Klaus’s eyes betrayed his composure.

“I believe there is no time for talking, Mr. Flynt.” Headmistress Jenna says, taking the pen from Chief Lorin. As it came into view, it looked less like a pen, there was a red-orange crystal attached at the end of some kind of furnished stick. No.

A Pyro Crystal.

What shocked me the most was its shape. It was a cone, the flat end attached to the wooden stick, and a golden metal wrapping it tightly in place. The sharp, pointed side was dipped on the liquid inside the bottle, creating a steam when mixed with the crystal.

Meanwhile, Shanzina’s stone chair disassembled its back and made its way in front of the headmistress, tilted forward. It had leather straps attached to it, which Chief Lorin used as she pushed Shanzina onto the stone, strapping it around her waist.

The liquid dripped from the crystal’s sharp tip. Inside the bottle, green and purple liquid swirled together, yet never mixing together.

“This is for the good of Morvian,” Headmistress Jenna paused, tapping the excess liquid into the bottle as she walked around Shanzina’s seat. “And for Kamelot. Help me hold her. We all want this to be over quickly.”

With that, Chief Lorin held Shanzina by the shoulder, pressing her down. I could see Shanzina trying to fight away the chief’s grip, her cheek smashed against the neat stone.

The headmistress took a breath as she brought the pen closer to Shanzina’s neck.

“This will hurt a bit.”