First Lesson

Today was the start of my very first witch class. I found myself having breakfast with Anna. Her plate contained a salad, two boiled eggs and a roll, while I enjoyed four sausage rolls, three boiled eggs, a French toast and we both drank a refreshing orange juice. Anna was very adamant about how unfair it was that I could eat such a guantity of food and still be so thin.

"Are you looking forward to your first lesson in our coven?" Anna asked as she nibbled at her salad. Her reluctance to meet my gaze made me suspect she had something to share, but she hesitated.

"Yeah, I'm pretty excited. It'll be my first time studying with other witches. Oh, by the way, what did you do in your last class?" I asked, giving her a smile as I enjoyed my French toast.

"Well... I was going to tell you earlier, but it's just... How do I say this without you wanting to strangle me?" Anna hesitated, shifting uncomfortably in her seat. Her discomfort piqued my curiosity, causing me to lean closer, my expression growing serious.

"I'm all ears," I replied, my instincts warning me that something was wrong. I had my suspicions, but I hoped I was wrong.

"Yesterday, Lys decided that you should be trained with our best, so you'll be in separate classes from me," Anna finally revealed with an excited grin that reminded me of a devoted fan.

My intuition buzzed with suspicion, and I sensed that she wasn't telling the whole story.

"There is something missing, I can tell. Spit it out," I demanded, fixing her with an intense, unflinching stare.

"All right, all right. Here's the full story. About half of your lessons will be with just you and Suho," Anna confessed before abruptly rising from the table and dashing off to her room. In her haste, I heard a crash, probably from her difficulty navigating the stairs. I ignored the commotion and calmly sipped my juice, wondering how I would survive my magic lessons with Suho. At least Lys would be there.

"I'm fine!" Anna called from the stairs. I sighed and got up to go check on her. But before I could leave, Lys entered the room and greeted me with a smile.

"Are you ready for your lesson?" she asked, taking my hand and leading me down the hall.

"Yes. What's the topic today?" I asked, my eyes wandering around the large, ornate double doors that loomed in front of us.

"Today we're going to delve into the realm of magical creatures that are relatively rare in our world," Lys revealed as she opened the doors, revealing a vast, book-filled room that resembled a library. I looked around at the magical artefacts scattered on the tables and to my surprise I saw Suho sitting in one of the many chairs, absorbed in a book. For once, he looked calm and, dare I say it, friendly.

Without his usual scowl, he didn't look half bad.

When he noticed me approaching, his expression changed from relaxed to annoyed. I couldn't help but wonder if he shared my displeasure with this arrangement.

"Please take a seat next to Suho so we can begin the lesson," Lys instructed as she walked over to the large blackboard at the front of the room.

I nodded and sat down next to the redhead. We exchanged brief, annoyed glances before turning our attention to Lys.

"Today we're going to learn about ghouls - their behaviour, their strengths, their weaknesses and their way of life," Lys explained, raising her hand as the word "Ghouls" appeared on the board.

I couldn't help but wish that one day I would be as skilled as Lys, able to cast spells without having to say them.

"First, tell me what you already know about ghouls, if anything," Lys asked.

"Pale ghouls," Suho began, "are characterised by their chalk-white skin, which often causes them to be mistaken for vampires due to their sensitivity to light. They only venture out at night because sunlight is harmful to them, though not as directly as it is to vampires. A distinguishing feature is that their skin peels off slowly, adding to the misconception that they are vampires. Pale Ghouls can also regenerate lost body parts, such as hands or heads. A severed hand will grow back in about four hours, while a decapitated head will take a day to regenerate. They are difficult to defeat, and if one escapes, he can learn his opponent's tactics and return better prepared, usually within a few hours, if not injured," Suho explained, concluding with a smug expression.

"Correct," Lys confirmed. Turning to me, she asked, "Francis, what do you know about ghouls?"

"A ghoul's strength depends on its age and the amount of flesh it has consumed in the last 24 days, as well as the characteristics it has inherited from its parents, such as speed," I replied. My confidence was boosted when Lys nodded, relieved that I wasn't completely uninformed.

"Yes, that's true. Let's discuss the four most common types of ghouls in Europe: Pale Ghouls, Scar Ghouls, Bone Ghouls and Wild Ghouls," Lys continued, gesturing at the board.

"Wow, I'm shocked that you know anything about ghouls at all, impressive," Suho whispered in my ear and giggled.

I resisted the urge to argue or just punch him in the face. Instead, I concentrated on the lesson as Lys continued.

"Scar ghouls," Lys began, "are different from other ghouls because of their facial scars and wrinkles. They have difficulty blending in with humans. They tend to be impulsive and easily provoked. Their most notable strength is their physical strength; some are even stronger than original vampires. They can display remarkable physical strength and could lift a truck with ease if they wanted to."

"Let's compare the two ghouls that we already talked about. The disadvantages of Pale Ghouls outweigh those of Scar Ghouls. Scar Ghouls can wear a face mask to move in daylight, which gives them some versatility. Pale Ghouls can't even stand a few minutes of direct sunlight without taking serious damage, with or without a mask," Lys explained.

"Next we have the Bone Ghouls, who can make weapons out of their bones," she continued.

"Yes, I remember reading about them. It's a bit disturbing to see them pulling bones out of their bodies like it's no big deal," I remarked, imagining the scene and shuddering.

" Indeed, Bone Ghouls also share the characteristics of Pale Ghouls, and unlike Scar Ghouls, they are highly intelligent and known for their calculating nature. Much remains unknown about Bone Ghouls, as they tend to keep to themselves. They are generally less aggressive than other ghouls," Lys explained.

Suho's unusual silence piqued my curiosity, so I studied him intently. When our eyes met, he offered a rare, friendly smile. It was somehow unsettling to see him smiling at me, and very confusing for the fact that he had literally mocked me five minutes ago.

"As for the Wild Ghouls," Lys continued, "they are among the most powerful of their kind, possessing extraordinary physical strength, rapid healing abilities and unparalleled intelligence. They excel at adapting and learning from the tactics of their opponents, though not as quickly as the Pale Ghouls. They are excellent trappers and represent a fusion of the strengths of other Ghoul types. Fortunately, they are relatively rare, with only two Wild Ghouls sighted in the last two centuries."

Suho and I took notes while Lys gave this information. The lesson ended and Lys invited me to visit her office later.

"Tomorrow is your first day at school, so I wanted to make sure you had all the necessary information," she said with a smile. I nodded and, after a quick chat, excused myself to my room. Anna was waiting for me.

"Tell me all about the school we are going to," I asked, leaning back on my bed while Anna sat on a cushion on the floor.

"Not much to tell really. There's the typical popular kids and then there's the rest. A good proportion of the popular group are part of Adam's pack, which includes most of the football team. Also watch out for the succubi and incubi, some of them go to school," Anna said, her mind seemingly elsewhere.

"So it's just like any other high school in a supernatural TV show," I joked, rolling my eyes.

"Exactly, like I said," Anna replied with a smile, missing the sarcastic undertone.

"Oh, and Lys warned us. In the last two months we've encountered more supernatural creatures in the city. There's also a significant concentration of essence in the centre of our region," Anna added, remembering the morning's conversation with Lys.

"Thanks for the warning," I said, burying my head in my pillow in despair.

It seemed that my first day at school would be nothing out of the ordinary - a normal school day for a witch.

"Okay, good night. You need to be well rested for your first day tomorrow. We'll get up at 6:30," Anna reminded me before leaving the room.

I couldn't help but feel uneasy about what awaited me the next day. Normal school life was about to take a supernatural turn, and I feared it would be anything but normal.

I had a bad feeling about what was to come.