Facade

I could not sleep.

I snuggled closer to Sophia, hoping that the feeling of her presence against my body would be enough to calm me down.

After our first making out session, we had eaten a quick dinner, avoiding eye contact out of embarrassment.

We had definitely gotten carried away. As Sophia had said, those kisses were very different from the ones we were used to exchange.

Back in my room, we had decided to go straight to bed to be at our best the next morning.

This time it was my turn to sleep with my head on her chest. There seemed to be an unspoken agreement between us to take turns on who got pampered each night.

But even the sound of Sophia's rhythmic heartbeat didn't seem to be enough to dispel the thoughts that were plaguing me.

Gradually, the excitement I had felt earlier had faded and given way to a question.

"Why am I behaving like this?"

If someone, a short time ago, had told me that my first relationship would turn out this way, I would have thought they were crazy.

The fact that I had only recently discovered my sexual orientation was an indicator of how little weight I had given to such things before.

But it made the fact that I was behaving like a teenager in the middle of a hormonal crisis even stranger.

"Aren't we getting too intimate too soon? Especially since it's the first relationship for both of us."

Then the idea from a week ago came back to me:

"I'm rushing things because we might die soon and we don't have much time".

But it wasn't just that.

The thing was... there wasn't much else we could do except talk and touch each other! Being locked up in this damn school really limited our activities.

"We never even went out on a proper date..."

After all, we had been in the Academy for so long that every room now reminded me that I was imprisoned in a gilded cage.

"I wonder what our relationship would be like if we were out of here... in my home town, free to do whatever we wanted."

So my mind began to wander.

I had never been interested in clothes, apart from my particular fascination with school uniforms.

But going shopping with Sophia... that would have been so much fun.

I would have made her try on all the girliest clothes and enjoyed her embarrassed expression in all its glory.

Afterwards, now that the weather was warming up, we could have gone for some ice cream, forgetting all about the nutritional values that the Academy seemed to be so concerned about.

I would have licked Sophia's, embarrassing her once more, only to kiss her when she asked to taste mine.

We would have walked hand in hand through the streets of the city, attracting many stares that we would never have noticed, too busy enjoying each other's company.

Then we would have gone to the nearby forest to play in the river and when we got tired I would have rested on her lap, content to just look at the person I loved.

Every day would have been happy and peaceful, and if we ever got bored we could have traveled!

We could have gone up north, where Sophia was born. I knew the mountains up there were really impressive, if we were feeling adventurous, we could have climbed one!

Or maybe it was better to go south, to see the ocean, beyond which no one knew what lay.

And when we were satisfied... we could have settled down. We would have found a willing priest and got married.

I knew Sophia wouldn't have anyone to invite, but I was sure my parents would have been over the moon.

Sure, they would have been surprised that it was a girl, but the fact that I had finally found someone willing to put up with me would make them happy.

And then... we would've bought a house, far away from the city. That way I could have experimented with my favourite spells without becoming a public enemy.

Sophia would have come home from work to find half the garden burnt to the ground and given me a look somewhere between amused and annoyed.

And one day... maybe... we could have adopted a child.

"Poor creature... I really don't think I could ever be a good mother... and Sophia...well..."

But there would have been no problems. Our child would've always had Amy, like a kind and wise aunt, to explain to them how to deal with their two dysfunctional mothers...

Tears were now welling up in my eyes. I put my hand over my mouth, trying not to sob and wake Sophia.

Amy was gone.

And all the other things I had imagined would never happen either. They were like lines on a bucket list that I would never be able to cross off.

"By now the tears must have reached Sophia's pyjamas. I just hope they are going to dry before morning. Your girlfriend is such a hypocrite..."

For the past three days I had done my best to appear strong in front of her, ignoring a voice inside me that whispered:

"I... don't want to die."

I hadn't lied to her, it wasn't fear I felt.

Tomorrow, when the time came, I would have fought without hesitation.

No... what I felt was pure and simple despair.

The very thing I was trying to get Penny away from today, was actually eating me from within, like a silent but ravenous beast.

I had done my best to ignore it, to maintain a carefree facade, but now, as time slowly ticked towards yet another life-or-death situation, its fangs were biting into my heart, tearing it to shreds.

I knew that even if I survived this ordeal, there would soon be another, and then another... until the end came.

"How much longer must I endure this torture? Why can't we be happy... why us?"

Those were questions I could not answer. The only thing I could do was to keep fighting... to try to survive one more moment so I could spend it with Sophia.

We had only one hope: Celeste's plan.

But the truth was, it was just a tiny glimmer in a dark abyss. I didn't know if Celeste herself really believed it could work.

After all, even if we had found a way into the underground structure beneath the Academy and destroyed the mana core that held the barriers in place, we were still in the middle of nowhere.

And Skylark had an unstoppable hound to put on our trail. One that would never rest.

But even if this was what I really thought, I would never admitted it. I would not have given voice to the doubts Sophia must have had. I would have cried in silence, showing her the stronger side of me.

"To lean on her shoulder, now that I've seen how fragile she can be... I can't bring myself to do it. I really am a terrible hypocrite, Sophia."

The image of her face buried in my chest, unable to move for fear of losing me... was something I didn't want to see again.

As my mind continued to be plagued by the inner struggle between being honest and making sure my girlfriend was as happy as possible, Sophia's hand tightened on my shoulder.

"Did I wake her up?"

«'zabeth...» Sophia mumbled, moving a little under me. It was clear she was still fast asleep.

"Is she... dreaming about me?" I thought, my heart suddenly becoming lighter.

My hand moved to her cheek, caressing it gently.

"Our time together may be a fleeting dream, but... my love for you is as real as it can be. Even if I die and leave you alone... it will never fade."

"I have a feeling of déjà vu."

Sophia's coffee was threatening to flood the table again.

«You know... maybe you should switch to plain water today.»

«It's not my fault the damn table gave me coffee!» exclaimed Sophia, clutching the edge of the table with one hand to keep it from shaking.

«You don't have to drink it...»

But I leaned close to her and kissed her on the cheek.

I wasn't too worried about her nervousness. I knew that Sophia had a switch in her: she looked panicky now, but when the test started she would turns steedfast.

But even though she was extremely cute when she was nervous like that...

"She's making me nervous!" I thought, moving my chair close to hers and kissing her cheek for a second time.

But while I was trying to calm her down, a small group of people approached our table.

«You two are as close as ever, you lovebirds!» exclaimed Celeste happily as she sat down at the table.

«Good morning!» exclaimed Nicole, looking at us amused.

«G-good morning...» Penny barely muttered.

It seemed our breakfast was going to be more lively than usual today.

"But... this isn't the ideal time..."

But as she pulled away from me, Sophia greeted the newcomers with a seraphic "good morning" before resuming sipping her coffee, her hands now firm.

"Look at you... just to keep up appearances you can calm down so quickly!" I thought, giggling.

«So you really took the whole "declaration of war" thing seriously, I guess...» I said to Celeste before biting into my toast.

«I have no idea what you're talking about. I just wanted some quality time between us girls!»

"Yeah, sure... I bet she wants us to spend more time together just to piss off Skylark. From how relieved she seems not to be the centre of a big group anymore... I don't think Celeste is actually as sociable as she seems."

«So... are you two really a couple?» asked Nicole, intrigued.

«Yes...» I said, blushing slightly. I wasn't used to being the centre of attention for something like this.

«Wow... didn't you two used to hate each other? I remember the scene you had here on the first day.»

"It seems like an eternity ago. She has a very good memory."

«I didn't really hate her, I just found her extremely annoying... which I still do sometimes,» Sophia replied with a grin.

"Oh oh, is that the way you want to put it?"

«Oh, you see, I didn't really get to know the real Sophia back then. She is actually so cute and sweet. You should see the way she looks at me when she wants me to kiss her... how could I resist someone so adorable!»

«That's exactly what I'm talking about!» she blurted out, blushing furiously.

Me and the others burst out laughing, attracting the attention of the few students still in the dining hall. My smile soon faded, however, when I saw someone approaching our table.

«Good morning,» Wilhelm said softly.

«Oh hi Will, sorry but this table is for girls only today,» Celeste said, noticing my expression.

«I'm just here for a quick word,» the boy said unperturbed, «about what we talked about two days ago... I have decided to continue with you.»

"Sophia's words seem to have had an effect on him... I still don't like him, but the fact that he's not blinded by hate means he might not be so bad after all..." I thought as Celeste clapped her hands happily.

«And Thornton... try not to get me killed today,» he said, turning away.

"Never mind, I fucking hate him."

«If he gives you any trouble, I'll be the one to kill him!» I said to Sophia, once he was far away.

«Oh, look! The protective girlfriend act from last time!» exclaimed Nicole.

«They are so cute...» commented Penny in a low voice.

"Is this... what it's like to have a group of friends? If only... if only she was still here..." I thought as it was Sophia's turn to laugh at me.

As always, my thoughts went back to Amy. Sadly, I knew I'd probably never be able to enjoy a happy moment without that bitter aftertaste ever again.

But maybe that was a good thing...

"I will always carry her with me, through every moment of what is left of my life."

While the other girls chatted, I ate my breakfast in silence. Sophia seemed to sense that something was wrong and slipped a hand under the table, resting it on my knee as she usually did.

"Don't worry... I won't falter."

And I didn't.

A few minutes later, I walked into the classroom with a steady step. Skylark was already there, waiting for us.

«Very well! I hope the little break I gave you has not left you too groggy. Today you will need all your skills if you are to pass this test. Now, pair up with your partners!»

Before I went looking for Penny, I pulled Sophia to me.

I quickly pecked her lips and whispered:

«Everything's going to be fine, don't worry... just focus on surviving, ok?»

Sophia's eyes were filled with worry, but the girl nodded.

«I trust you, Elizabeth. I will be as strong as you are.»

I wanted to scream. I wanted to tell her that I wasn't strong at all, that I had cried so many tears last night because I didn't want to be separated from her.

But I didn't.

I gave her what I hoped was a reassuring smile before I turned around and made my way over to Penny.

«Liz... I'm sorry,» the girl said quietly.

«For what? He was never going to let me partner with Sophia in this test anyway. At least my partner is someone I like! Imagine if I had been paired with Wilhelm instead!»

Penny giggled at my words.

"I'm such a bad person... she trusts me after what I told her yesterday. But now I'm lying to her, just like Celeste."

I liked Penny, that much was true. But in a life-or-death situation, I would have chosen Wilhelm in my sleep, no matter how much I hated him.

"But at least that means she's not paired with Sophia... man, I'm terrible..."

I pushed the guilt back into me. I would have done anything to survive. Keeping Penny's spirits up was necessary, even if I had to lie to do it.

Skylark's eyes scanned the 12 pairs of students who had lined up in front of him.

«Perfect... we can start!»

The headmaster clapped his hands, and the floor beneath us lit up.

"Another seal?!" I had time to think before my vision was obscured and the ground disappeared beneath my feet.

It was immediately clear to me what had happened: this time the seal was not meant to teleport someone into the classroom, but to take us students somewhere else.

I stumbled as I emerged into a new environment, still plunged into darkness.

"Where... has it taken us?" I thought, placing a hand on the ground.

Obviously it wasn't the wood of the classroom, but it didn't feel like the smooth marble floors of the corridors I was familiar with either.

No, what I felt were cold stone bricks, rough and uneven.

The atmosphere that pervaded this mysterious place was very different from school. The air was heavy and dusty, as if it had been trapped in the room for a long time.

«Liz? Are you in here?»

Penny's squeaky voice resounded in the darkness.

«Yeah, I'm here!»

It was clear from the way our voices echoed that we were in a rather small and bare room.

Then suddenly there was light. My eyes took a moment to adjust before I finally realised where I was.

There wasn't much to see. Penny and I were in a bare stone room, lit by several torches placed at regular intervals along the walls.

In front of us was a door, also made of stone, which seemed to be the only way out.

"Where the hell has the seal taken us? Could this be a secret room like Chloe's lab?"

I soon had my answer. Skylark's voice echoed around me, coming out of nowhere.

«Everyone seems to have reached their destination without any problems. The test can now begin. You are now deep below the school. You may be surprised to learn that the Academy was built over an ancient dungeon. Don't worry, there are no ancient curses here. It has been completely cleared out and turned into a testing facility.»

"I'd rather deal with ancient curses than anything Skylark has prepared for us today..."

But a dungeon...

Normally, I would have been very excited at the prospect of exploring one.

These ancient vaults left behind by long lost civilisations were a treasure trove for adventurers. Enchanted weapons, powerful artefacts and riches, all protected by devious traps and intricate puzzles. Little old me would have done anything to get in here. But now... I just wanted to get out as soon as possible.

«Having said that, you may find the experience very similar to that of a real dungeon. Many trials await you that will test your ability to cooperate. Remember, if your companion dies before you reach the last room, you will join them in death. Oh, and one last thing...»

"Here it comes..."

«As we don't have all the time in the world, the last couple to complete the dungeon will be eliminated. Think of it as an incentive to be quick and decisive. Good luck!»

"Of fucking course..."

As if it wasn't bad enough to have to go through whatever atrocities we were about to face, we also had to be faster than the others.

Penny looked at me anxiously:

«Liz... I...»

«It's ok, we'll make it, let's go!» I said, pointing to the stone door that was shaking violently and disappearing into the ground.

"Hopefully it's not too long of a dungeon or mana might become a problem..."

That was my biggest fear. If I gave it my all, I was confident that I would be able to handle whatever Skylark threw at us. However, fatigue could quickly become a problem if the tests were designed to be completed with two people and Penny didn't pull her weight.

"No use worrying about it now!"

I grabbed Penny's wrist and walked towards the dark hole the stone door had left.

«Light,» I whispered, making the tip of my wand glow brightly.

The corridor ahead was narrow, and particles of dust were falling from the ceiling.

«I have to be careful, there could be traps.»

I expanded my mana, trying to keep it as thin as possible, and inspected the floor ahead of us.

"Just as I thought... a pressure plate, such a classic..."

«Penny be careful, watch where I walk and only put your feet where I do!»

«Alright!»

The pressure plate was not the only thing I had found. Barriers protected both side walls.

"So you can't break through them I guess... unless you're Sophia... I hope she doesn't try anything stupid, if she breaks the wrong wall, the whole dungeon could come crashing down!"

Slowly, dodging more plates and a few trip wires, we made our way into the corridor. And as we did, the darkness in front of us began to fade.

«Look, there seems to be a new room ahead,» Penny whispered.

«Yes, let's be careful, who knows what awaits us there...»

I squinted my eyes, trying to see what lay ahead in the new room.

I could see a stone door in the distance, just like the one before.

"Let's hope we haven't entered some sort of looping illusion..."

But as we exited the corridor, I saw that this was not the case: the new room was decidedly different.

At the four corners of the room, invisible from the narrow corridor, were four statues. One depicted what appeared to be a large, menacing looking giant. In the opposite corner was a dragon, its open jaws filled with roaring flames. The other corners were occupied by a graceful angelic figure and what looked like a whale.

"Mmmh..."

It was obvious what these statues represented: the elements, earth, fire, air and water.

"For once Skylark wasn't lying, this really does feel like a real dungeon," I thought as I looked at the inscription above the door that read "Harmony".

The solution to this riddle seemed simple.

"If I cast the proper elemental spell on the statues it will probably activate them... and if we activate them all at once, the door will probably open."

There was just one small issue...

"If I need to keep the spell active... this not going to work out. I can only cast two spells at once and there are 4 statues."

My eyes rested on Penny.

"Oh, so this is the game we are playing... ".

I suddenly realised that this test was going to be way harder than I thought.