Reality

When Izzy went back to her dorm she realised that she was the only one isolated from the rest in the dorm house. Weigela noticed the direction Izzy was heading and stopped her.

" Why are you going to the old dorm hall?"

Izzy stopped " Ah it's where I was placed. Since I joined the academy only recently." Weigela frowned.

" How recently?"

" Like a day ago," Izzy said and Weigela remained quiet. Most students joined early on and only came became orange-ranked students when they failed to meet the requirements of the school. Or were commoners that didn't fit in with the rest of the elite.

" That's strange. How did you get in?" she asked.

Izzy wondered if she should tell Weigela but rationalised that it wasn't much of a secret.

" Well, my uhh brother teaches here. So I got in through him".

Weigela narrowed her eyes at Izzy, " Then how did you become an orange-ranked student?".

Izzy could feel her suspicion so she answered truthfully " Honestly I don't know. Everything just happened to fast so..."

" So you just became an orange-ranked student as soon as you joined?"

Izzy nodded " If you don't believe me. You can see that I am only at the speciality level."

Weigela already knew Izzy was at the speciality level. But she assumed it was due to some injury during training that had caused her power to drop so drastically. Otherwise, the academy would have long ago disposed of her.

" I'll give you one warning since we are friends." Weigela now smiled cheerfully but Izzy felt the seriousness behind her voice " be careful".

After that Weigela returned to her dorm and Izzy to hers. She felt nervous walking through the dark hall at night.

Then as she walked passed one of the old wooden doors, she heard it open.

Izzy froze and turned around. The door that had been locked was now slightly open and Izzy then ran. There was no way she was going to walk towards the door.

She ran to her room, fumbled with the key and opened it. She flew into the room and shut the door. The room was dark and Izzy tried to find the candle on the desk. Her heart was beating fast and then she stopped.

In the dark corner of her room was a silhouette.

Izzy rubbed her eyes trying to make out if what she was seeing was real.

" Theonymphi do you see that?"

There was no answer.

" Theo-" a loud wail came from the corner and Izzy wanted to scream but her voice was caught in her throat.

A cold wet hand wrapped around her throat. The figure's hollow eyes were all she could see as she gasped for air.

Izzy tried to grab at what was strangling her but all her hands went through was air, cold air.

" Give it back!" the thing wailed.

Izzy's eyes began to see black spots, " I-I don't have i-it..."

The cold hand tightened and then Izzy's lungs emptied of air and she stopped struggling.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The morning of the next day Izzy woke up, on the floor. Her hand went to her neck that felt normal, her throat was a little dry but overall she felt fine.

She remembered what happened last night and looked around. Everything in the dorm was untouched but Izzy swore she felt something strangle her last night.

" Oiy girl, why are did you sleep on the floor?" Theonymphi was sitting on the bed looking at her who was on the ground.

" Didn't you see what happened last night?"

Theonymphi looked confused.

" No, last night nothing happened. You just fell asleep as I recall".

" What the heck?" Izzy mumbled she was sure she felt something last night. She looked in the corner where she had first seen what she assumed was a ghost.

There was a dark stain in the corner and Izzy got up to inspect it. It appeared like a large dark coffee stain, the same stains across the walls in the hall.

Izzy then decided to find Weigela and asked her about it. She walked out of the dorms and realised that it was still very early in the morning. The sun was still rising and not everyone was up. So in an attempt to clear her mind, Izzy decided to train.

She took a jog around the dorm perimeter.

Her mind was filled with the feeling of air leaving her lungs. She remembered the burning sensation from her throat, the feeling of her head almost exploding and then the eyes.

The things eyes were hollow and lifeless and Izzy quavered as the images were burned into her mind.

It had all been too real.

Izzy ran until her legs gave out, she had been so caught up in her thoughts that she hadn't realised she was practically wheezing from her run.

The girls in the dorm were awake and some were already getting ready to out and do some of their own training before class. Izzy cleaned up and then waited outside for Weigela.

Weigela walked out cheerily despite the looks of some of the girls around her. Izzy popped out and greeted her.

" Ah, Weigela can I ask you something?"

" Sure"

"Is there something besides a person living in the old dorms?"

Weigela laughed " What are you talking about?"

" I mean something like a ghost or a spirit?"

" Not that I know of."

Weigela walked ahead and Izzy followed her. She was sure there was something in those dorms that she was staying in, but Weigela seemed to know nothing.

Izzy decided that after class she would go back to the library not only to scan more books but to do some research on the old dorms.