Endless sacrifices

Before Cecilia could have realized what was happening she appeared in the forest.

Even though it was not even sunset on the ship, it was completely dark without a single bit of sunshine.

The spaces between the trees were so dense that she couldn't tell if she really miraculously skipped time or if this dark forest simply didn't allow a ray of sunlight to penetrate.

"Cecilia, right?" 

Cecilia startled and turned back towards the sound, trying to identify the person in front of her in the darkness.

A very tall woman wearing a robe was leaning against one of the larger tree trunks; even with the hood covering her face Cecilia could tell she was a beauty.

"I'm the teaching assistant, Lisha. I'm here to welcome you to the Scientia Academy, or in short, the academia."

After saying these words she began to walk without looking back in the direction from which she had emerged. Although relative to the other wizards Cecilia had the dubious pleasure of meeting she was nice, it still didn't seem like Lisha was the least bit worried about the new student getting lost in this dark forest with no marked paths.

Cecilia quickly followed, trying her best not to get left behind. As stray branches scratched her face and leaves fell on her head, she began to wonder if that was what Devin felt too as he followed her down the unknown corridors of the ship.

She decided to treat him better from now on. With her social skills and the little to no will to befriend the shady people she got so far to meet there is a reasonable chance that Devin will be her only friend during her school years.

By the way, how long will her school years last?

Catching up a bit, Cecilia tried to find out about the situation from the teaching assistant, the only woman who had told her the full name of the school:

"How long do the studies last?"

"It depends." Even after a long walk in the dark forest, Leisha did not lose even a bit of her breath. "In principle, as long as you pass the exams, you have the right to move on to the next year. Most people take two or three years to get through a year."

Two to three years!

Cecilia thought it was strange that even though it was a school, most of the people she saw looked older than university students. No wonder, how many years will she have to stay in this place?

"How long does it take to master the basic skills?" She remembered that the only reason she had come to this place in the first place was to master her more problematic abilities. As long as it was done she could go back to Sirius, right? 

"Again, it depends." Leisha cut down one of the larger branches with a dagger she pulled from her robe while at the same time stabilizing Cecilia who was so engrossed in conversation that she didn't notice she was stumbling on a root.

After she cut that branch, a little moonlight managed to penetrate the forest, shining on Lisha's face whose hood had fallen off at some point. If it weren't for the hideous scar that crossed her face, she might have been the most beautiful woman Cecilia had ever seen.

Cecilia, numb, touched Lisha's face as if possessed. "It's such a shame."

"That's what they all say." Leisha waved her hand and continued walking. Maybe it was just Cecilia's imagination, but her pace seemed to be much faster than before.

As they advanced, the trees around them became thinner. Before she knew it, various voices began to emerge from left and right.

It seems that all the students were happily chatting with their instructors, only her and her lack of basic manners...

Cecilia tried to calm the anxiety that rose in her heart; things were not completely unfixable with Lisha.

No one has stopped talking to someone just because of one wrong action.

Even though they didn't really talk before either...

Before the anxiety completely took over her, they arrived.

A small square filled with students chatting in front of a small door fixed in a stone wall, very different from the grand castles Cecilia imagined Devin and his ilk studying in.

"Welcome, juniors!" To her surprise, Leisha began to speak. At some point, her hood pulled back over her face.

Theatrically, she raised her hands to the full moon above: "Welcome to the world of strange acts that you cannot imagine and will do soon! Welcome to endless sacrifices for the utter end! Welcome to the destruction of your soul for holiness!

Welcome to Scientia Academy!"

A flurry of applause washed over the square, leaving only one stunned Cecilia in the corner.

She was never meant to be in this magical world for the rest of her life, but everyone acts like there's no going back.

Under the moon, Cecilia saw Leisha's eyes look with a hint of pity at the cheering crowd, dropping her hand to her sides as soon as it was no longer needed to excite the throng.

Just how much will she have to sacrifice before she can return home?