Memories of the Dark: "Peronell Keen"

The water drops to the ground as a certain girl looks out from the big window. Inside her room, the girl has been pacing around as if waiting for someone. Suddenly, the family dog outside the mansion starts to bark. She picks up the candle that lights up a certain part of the room.

She hurriedly walks down the big flight of stairs. Once she reached the ground floor she bumped into someone. The person managed to catch the candle before it fell to the ground and start a fire. However, the girl fell to the floor and looked up at the person she bumped into.

"Mr. Brown?" The girl was unsure if it was her butler that she was seeing as the whole mansion was very dark and the candle's light was gone.

"Young Miss? Why are you out so late? You should be sleeping right now." Mr. Brown, the head butler of the Keen Residence asked.

"I was woken up by Mr. Whiskers' barking. I thought maybe it was my mother and father." The continuous barking of Mr. Whiskers didn't stop.

"Even if it was them, Young Miss. Your sleep is the most important thing. However, what can I do? I have no control over you, but please refrain from doing something foolish when guests are here." Mr. Brown said to her softly like she was a child of his.

"Sir, yes sir! I wonder who is outside though." Peronell stood up by herself.

"That is why I'm here." Mr. Brown opened the big door and the two were greeted by a cold breeze of the pouring rain. Peronell starts to shiver as the cold breeze touches her skin. "You're in a nightgown, please get a coat so you won't get cold." Mr. Brown continues to walk out of the mansion.

"Mr. Brown please wait for me!" Peronell shouted out as she grabbed a random coat from a rack.

She hurriedly followed Mr. Brown. As they got to Mr. Whiskers who was still barking at something or someone. Peronell and Mr. Brown's gaze eventually got to the thing that Mr. Whiskers was barking at. It is not a thing, but a person. He was just standing there seemingly waiting for someone to come out of the mansion. The person noticed the two figures that were looking at him.

"Hello there! This is the Keen Residence right?" The person asked.

"You are correct. Is something the matter?" Mr. Brown asked back.

"Oh! I'm one of the staff of the Acantha Academy, I'm here to deliver a personal invitation for Peronell Keen." The person had a big joyful smile on his face, which is creeping Peronell out.

"A letter for me?" Peronell was uncertain that it was for her.

"If you were just to deliver a letter, you shouldn't have disturbed us. It is very late at night and this is certainly the time when almost all people are already in slumber." Mr. Brown was bothered by the ruckus the person had made.

"My butler here has a point. What is so important, that you have to disturb Mr. Brown from his slumber?" Peronell said, like a dignified lady she is.

"Ahem... That's not what I said, however, you did great Young Miss." Mr. Brown complimented Peronell's serious state as he was as well embarrassed at what his Young Miss has said.

"Pardon me," Peronell cheekily smiled.

"This letter is from Acantha Academy, an invitation to join the Academy. It is in the rules of Acantha that I hand this to the person invited and make sure that they agree to go as this is a once-in-a-lifetime experience." The person said as if he was a merchant trying to sell a product.

"Is that so? Well then. I do not have a choice, but to let you in. Please follow me inside as my Young Miss changes into more proper clothing." Mr. Brown leads the person inside the mansion.

Peronell went back inside the mansion and continued to go to her bedroom. She picked out a blue gown from her closet and she hastily put it on as she was excited. She looked at herself in the mirror as she brushed the strands of her purple hair. "I wonder why they invited me to the Academy... I never even got out of the house for years." She put the brush down and took one final look in the mirror.

On the other hand, two figures are sitting down and having a conversation regarding the invitation. "How come the authorities invited Lady Keen to join the Acantha? She hasn't shown any skills outside the publicity and never involved herself with others." Mr. Brown was cautious and have his suspicions about the man.

"The authorities have their ways, people seem to forget that in this world magic exists." The person from Acantha chuckled lightly.

"Not all people have the skills that the Goddess gave to others. Of course, the average human will eventually forget and the not-so-average beings are decreasing. I wonder why?" Mr. Brown seemingly suspects that something is not right.

"Well, what comes with great power, comes with great responsibility. These beings with said power don't seem to face the responsibility it carries and what happens to them? Only the Goddess knows." The person had an evil smirk plastered on his face.

"Is that so?" Mr. Brown interrogates the strange person.

The door opens as the tension inside the room decreases.

"I'm done, let's discuss whatever it is you want to discuss with me." Peronell sat down on the sofa with a soft smile on her face.

"Of course, Miss Keen." The person smiled back at Peronell as he looked at Mr. Brown with an indifferent expression.

Peronell opened the letter and read all of the words written in it. She quietly put back the letter inside the envelope as she put both her hands on her lap.

"I don't mind going," Peronell said looking down at the coffee table and the person smiled joyfully. "However it is not me who's going to decide if I'm going. My parents are the ones who do the decision-making."

Peronell was eyeing Mr. Brown, she had a slight hint of sadness in her voice. Mr. Brown looked at Peronell with sympathy in his eyes, although he tries hard to not show it.

"Then I shall talk to your parents. I shall wait here for them to come back." The man was persistent.

"But they are on a business trip, we don't know when they are going back. It has been years and they still haven't come back yet." Peronell reasoned.

"I do not mind waiting as long as I get approval that you will be going, that is my only job." The man suddenly got serious.

"If that is alright with you, then Mr. Brown, please take this man to the guest room. We shall wait for my parent's approval." Peronell commanded her butler.

"Very well, Young Miss." Mr. Brown said as he guided the man to the guest room.