7 Lucerna School For Enchanters

Lyzbeth Heredis

'Tis been a long day. I feel myself tired to the bone. I change my clothes, and I hardly even care where I put my dress. Still, my room is a mess, but there is the little culprit just sleeping over my clothes that she messed up earlier. Truly, Merilyn, if I do not love you as a little pet, I would have already thrown you out.

Usually, I cannot stand any mess in my room, but I cannot bear to clean anymore. I just throw myself on the bed and put a blanket over me. I close my eyes, and there I go. I drift away into a world where fantasy and reality coincide to form a dream.

It was only a movie in my mind. I remember a time when the days where much brighter. It was only mid-morning, yet the sun already brightens the fields of green. This land is graced with eternal summer and spring. Never the leaves fall or the snowflakes visit a land where nature grows over the horizon.

It was the sixth month of the year. I can remember three years ago as if it was only yesterday. Timidly, I walk the grassy paths leading into a beautiful arch made of plants. With my guardian right behind, we walk like a procession towards death. This, however, is not death for me. It is merely a change in my life.

This is the easiest part of our journey to getting to Lucerna. Sure, it is easy to get a safe conduct to go to Cassida, but getting out of Scire is the most difficult one. After months of waiting for my safe conduct to be granted, we are finally here.

As Jen and I approach the beautiful arch, I find my steps are getting slower and slower. Do I have doubts in actually studying at this school? Do I even belong here? I know Scire is not for me, but is Cassida the right place for me. But now that we are right in front of the arch, I feel the sweat building up my palms. So, this it. I let out a sigh and turn back to Jen.

"I don't know what to say," I say to my timely guardian.

"There is nothing to say. This is a school for enchanters, and certainly the best in Medeis. The head of the enchanters herself is an instructor here. Don't you dare have doubts right now. Your education is secured at this school."

Her words are right. If I'm going to become an enchantress, why not study here? There is something else that troubles my mind, however. "I don't have doubts, 'tis just that – "

"Just what?"

"I'm all alone here."

She is my first friend in a land where I am always unsafe. I have skills of a practitioner, but mother always ignored it as if it never really exists. She wanted me to live a normal life. And then, Jen came along. She encouraged me to leave Scire and study here. But now that I am here, should I just turn back and go home? Is learning The Arts not worth it if 'tis going to cause my death?

All of a sudden, she takes me into her embrace. "Oh, Lizzie. This is not the last time I will see you. Throughout your life, I will support you."

I feel a single tear fall to my shoulder. Her voice are muffled with the tears she is holding back. In return, I cannot help but embrace her stronger in return. "What if I'm not ready here? Am I ready to study formally as an enchantress?"

She break away and firmly held my shoulders. "Lizzie, I have taught you everything you need to survive here. Mistress Soprano, the head of the enchanters, will teach you everything from now on."

"Then, I shall learn from you. Not here. You are a thousand years old. You certainly know much more than her."

We fell silent. I know as much as her that I am right. She had to look away for a minute to think before she can answer me again.

"I may be," she says stiffly. "But there can be no doubt that this mistress is much stronger than I. You must learn from this school. 'Tis where your mother learned to fly and cast her own incantations. Be of good cheer, Lizzie. I shall have a letter sent to you a month."

I cannot help but give a little farewell smile to her. I do not even know how long I shall stay here. Alas, she can only give me a nod. I understand. She's trying to push me away so that I will continue my education here. I know she can be a bit cold-hearted and salty sometimes, but deep down inside, she has a heart.

As I enter through the arch, I look back to see if she is still there. Sadly, she disappeared like the wind.

I shall have to be alone again. I think.

When I passed through the arch, I noticed that the surroundings are too dark. I'm entering a tunnel, aren't I? The tunnel winds through left and right. I feel like I will get lost any minute from now. But, not long after, I saw a bright light coming from the end. On that end, I see a figure in green, regally dressed.

As I draw closer towards the light, the more I noticed the figure in green. I see a lady wearing a green square cut velvet gown and a circular hood with veil flowing on her hair. She is wearing emeralds as jewels everywhere from her ears, to her neck, and to her hands. On her fingers, she wears an emerald ring with a little crest of wings the color of white, like the falling snow of winter.

I cannot help but be in awe as I approach her. She seems so regal, but I seem so normal. In contrast, she seems unmoved to see me. She does not flinch nor smile to greet me, but she is not cold. I think she's rather emotionless. I do not even know what to feel as I see her. Should I be honored? Should I be glad? I don't even know.

When I finally reach the end of the tunnel, I now see the beauty of this school. Nature is all around me. Though the sun is high above the sky, the trees around us give us shade and cool our surroundings.

"Welcome to Lucerna School for Enchanters," the lady says with a brief smile of greeting. "I am Mistress Caitrina Soprano, mistress of enchanters. I am here to welcome you to this institution, dear ward."

Oh, dear! I almost forgot. A Cassidan sign of respect is a curtsey. I hold my skirts and do a little curtsey for her. Jen never failed in teaching me everything I need to know, but I am the one that fails to remember everything. As I rise up, I see her briefly smile. I do not know if she is pleased or something, but I think that's a good sign.

"What is your full name, child?" she asks kindly.

Full name. . . Does that mean I have to include my middle name? Well, I guess so. "Lyzbeth Virtuiti Heredis, madam."

I can't look up to her. Her regal appearance humbles me to my knees. If I can, I would kneel before her. Is this how a Cassidan would dress? Would they always dress in such a sophisticated manner?

"Where are you from?"

"The Kingdom of Scire, madam."

Never answer more than what is asked. That is the lesson my mother taught me every day of my life. She and I both know that we have skills that could kill us. This is our only way of keeping us safe. That is how we managed to survive in a kingdom that persecutes our kind.

I wait for her to say something. Is she already judging me? Do I have a grade for appearing to look so simple? Did I already fail? Why does she look at me as if she is already reading who I am? And, suddenly, she spoke.

"Lyzbeth, alright. Come along now, I shall bring you to your dormitory."

She takes the lead. As we walk around this magnificent school, I already feel the anxiousness flow through my veins. On the courtyard, many enchanters practice throwing incantations here and there. The school is decorated with Corinthian pillars with plants circling around those pillars. A lot of natural light pierces inside this school. Inside the building, there are many rooms for learning. I think I am going to have to get used to the color green. 'Tis like everywhere I turn, there is always the color of green or yellow.

And then, Mistress Soprano and I reach the center of the school. There is a grand staircase that connects the left and right wing of this school. The staircase winds and winds like an eternal loop of circles. Well, I think I'm going to be lost in this place.

She leads the way into the left wing. As we go through the winding stairwell, I find that this is actually a place that I can explore. The ceilings are so high that it is the height of six normal people. And then, we land on a floor. I think this is the fourth floor of the school. We've climbed so much that I've lost count of the floors we passed. She leads the way forward. On my left are the rooms and on my right are enormous windows that allow me to see the greenery beside this school. There is a field with beautiful yellow flowers outside. I don't know what they're called, but I'd love to hold one. Maybe it smells lovely.

After passing by a few rooms, we stop on one room. She uses a key to open it, and what I saw is a charming little place and the bed is floating. What? Now, this is seriously odd indeed. How am I supposed to get up there?

In awe, I cannot help but ask Mistress Soprano. "Why is the bed floating, miss?"

"To save some space, of course. You can use the floor to put more useful stuff such as your instruments or materials."

"But, how do I – "

"Get on?" she continues. "Well, just fly yourself up there. Make use of your skills, girl."

I can't complain. I think I'd prefer if the bed would just be on the floor. I stand there agape as if I would bring that bed down by force. Then, I feel something cold reach up my hands.

"Your keys," Mistress Soprano says.

I look down at my hand, and I see that it is already here. How long have I been staring on that bed?

"Don't be so amazed by everything, Lyzbeth. Lucerna can show you much more than this."

And with that, she left my room. I look around the room once more, and I see that it is a little cramped. There is a study table on the side with shelves on top of it. On the side of the table, there is a closet. I put my luggage in there. I notice, however, that there is a green-checkered dress hung on the rod. There are seven pairs of it inside. Am I supposed to wear this for a week?

There is a little corkboard near the door. It may be for to-dos, but I don't really like doing that. I prefer keeping it in my mind. There is a paper on the table. Well, to be fair, it's supposed to be "papers". 'Tis a fifty page guide on how my life would be like here. Yes, I have to wear the green dress every day. They gave me a copy of the schedule of the classes I'll be having and the places where it will happen. There is a specific time for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. No practicing of The Arts in the dormitories. If you want to leave the school to have fun, you must be back before sunset. I doubt you'd have the time to get out of the school anyway. Our classes are booked from morning to afternoon.

There are several ridiculous rules I do not want to get into. Sure, Scire is already ridiculous with its rules on The Arts, but this. This is just plain ridiculous. Why is having a hangnail prohibited in this school? Having one shall constitute to a day of suspension. Utterly ridiculous!

Why did I even agree to study here?