An Intro

The admission letters into Qichi Lake Academy were out. Forms were meant to be filled and submitted to the administration block of the colossal building of QLA before its closure.

The year was the 2000s and according to the calendar, new students were currently being offered admission into the great academy.

Qichi Lake Academy stood beautifully at the smack middle of an overgrown but well-tended forest. It was practically located in the middle of nowhere.

Visitors and students were flown from the real world to the academy incognito.

While it's exact location was unknown to those who weren't privy to such information and the general public, the structure remained a force to be reckoned with.

It was built of rocks and cement with a certain type of architecture that was not easily understood by the common-folk.

Qichi Lake Academy, QLA, resembled an ancient towering colossal structure, lined by tendered lawns and an immaculate fountain that sat gracefully in the heart of the academy.

It was revered to be the best and well-functioning magic academy to be known of.

In the vast changes that the academy went through in terms of climate, there would either be unrelenting downpour or dazzling sunshine.

Still, its sight was one to behold.

QLA was run by a plethora of distinguished individuals who attained ranks based on their achievements.

Master Lorenzo, a man in his late forties, had attained the top position after his various achievements and contributions. He was the current director of the academy and was in charge of receiving the bright students who began new terms as the academy rolled into a new session.

Clad frequently in an ash tweed trench-coat, Master Lorenzo was seen always with his black hair that fell in curtains around his temples and his jaw. The trousers he wore were also of tweed material and ironed to the tip. On his left wrist, he wore a very rare wristwatch rumored to have been passed down by lineages before him.

Master Lorenzo walked around in black or deep blue Calcei Senatoril shoes. His eyes were of deep blue that brought about an otherworldly contrast against his black skin.

He was quite the look.

Now, a new term was in session and the council of masters were more than swarmed in the admission processes into the great academy

Qichi Lake Academy went by a number of rules that every student of the institution abided by;

RULE 1

- 'A student should maintain formal dress code during days of importance on academy grounds, this isn't restricted to just one's dress but also the nature of the student's hair.'

RULE 2

- 'At the break of the day, all students who reside at the general and special dormitories are required to freshen up and leave the hostel for the day's stipulated activities.'

RULE 3

- 'All students are required to maintain good conduct and portray good behaviour within the boundaries of this academy.'

RULE 4

- 'All and sundry are expected to be enrolled in at least one extracurricular activity to foster complete and advantageous relationships with one another.'

RULE 5

- 'There shall be zero tolerance for any form of sexual misconduct and such deviations in Qichi Lake Academy, be warned.'

RULE 6

- 'Absolutely no student is expected to be out of the dormitories and flats by the stipulated curfew time, failure attracts disciplinary measures.'

RULE 7

- 'Visiting of a male to female flats without authorized permission within a stipulated time and vice versa will attract very dire consequences and punishment.'

RULE 8

- 'Unlawful use of one's magical abilities to harm or wrongfully exert dominance over another individual will lead to severe punishment.'

RULE 9

- 'The last Friday of every month, every student is expected to convene at the Great Hall to partake in, failure to do so will attract dire consequences.'

RULE 10

- 'All students will be assessed every fortnight in order to be promoted to the next leading level.'

QLA was built on nobility and valor, and as such will continue to stand and produce various strong and distinguished individuals to protect the world from it's coming danger.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, the once clear blue skies transformed into a canvas of swirling clouds.

The air grew heavy with anticipation, a palpable electricity that charged the atmosphere.

A distant rumble of thunder reverberated through the city, setting the stage for the impending storm.

The first droplets of rain began to fall, splattering softly against the window shield of the car that was bound north.

Splattering against the tarred roads, the rain drops gave rise to a symphony of pitter-patter.

The wind picked up, swirling the distant trees and branches in a frenzied dance.

Dark clouds gathered overhead, casting menacing shadows upon the freeway and obscuring the fading light of the mid-day.

A young boy of late teenage years peered out of the windowpane of the rear door of the back seat of the car.

Kiefer Edmund was the only son of Mr. and Mrs. Edmund. He grew up in a rich household where he seemingly lacked nothing.

His father, a realtor and wealthy shareholder of an apparel and accessories brand and mother, a gynaecologist, Kiefer found himself spending little to no time with them due to their busy schedules.

He had no friends neither was he a popular kid, but he was old enough now to go through it on his own.

Kiefer started experiencing symptoms of the Weave towards the end of his high school year. Brushing it off, he didn't pay much attention to it and didn't inform anyone of their occurrences. To him, such things would remain trivial as long as they don't put up a hindrance.

Symptoms such as visual and auditory hallucinations, nightmares, sweaty nights, migraines, dizziness and nose bleed were the hallmark of the first phase of the induction into the supernatural or the Weave.

He suspected that he had begun entering the phase of induction because he watched it on the news, his parents were also aware of such and they weren't the wiser.

Kiefer could recall a time in high school when he suddenly began experiencing the symptoms. It was while he was in the class of Ms Rhea, the history teacher. He was about to put down the assignment when he noticed a little red pool of blood on his white notebook.

The sight was as much harrowing as it was shocking.

That was when Kiefer realized that he had been bleeding through his nostrils for a while. Of course no one had noticed him because they were either listening intently to Ms Rhea or just didn't care.

Kiefer immediately shot up from his chair in the ongoing class

'Edmund?' Ms Rhea called.'Is anything the matter?'

It was when she noticed the dripping blood that her eyes widened and she gasped.

Running towards Kiefer, Ms Rhea put her hand on his shoulder and asked him,

'Are you alright, Edmund? You seem to have a... nosebleed...'

By now the students had noticed the blood trickling down Kiefer's nostrils and were staring towards the teacher and the student in absolute bewilderment.

Kiefer wasn't thinking straight. His eyes were dizzy and overcome by thick folds of impenetrable darkness, his head pounding furiously.

That was when he lost his balance and dropped to the marbled floor of the classroom.

Kiefer slowly opened his eyelids and took in his surrounding cautiously. He found that he was laying on a soft mattress atop a bed. The walls of wherever he was were

stripped of colours, crisp and exhibited a minimalist design.

Wiggling his toes, Kiefer looked at his wrist and noticed a cannula that was feeding into him some sort of liquid solution.

Upwards, he found a transparent bag hung atop a stand, with a transparent tubing connected to the cannula on his wrist.

He grunted

That was when the door to the room slid open and a half-Asian, half-white man probably well into his 40s, clad in a white lab coat over a corporate attire walked in.

Behind him, Kiefer noticed his parents follow into the room almost immediately.

The look on their faces spelled worry

Noticing them, Kiefer squirmed out of the sheets and placed his foot on the floor.

'Oh, Mister Kiefer, there's no need to get panicked,' Dr Matt said as he placed a thick folder on the desk in front of Kiefer, 'Everthing is going to be fine.'

Kiefer's mother rushed up to Kiefer and threw him a hug and a little peck.

'When your principal informed us about what had happened we were so worried,' she said,' your father called off our meeting with a few people to get here on time, I hope you're okay?'

The look in his father's eyes suggested that he also wanted to understand what had led his son to passing while experiencing a nosebleed.

'I'm sure I'll be fine,' Kiefer said sitting down,' it's just a nosebleed and then I passed out. Probably the flu or something.'

Stepping forward, Dr Matt said,

'Mister Kiefer, I wish to have a few words with you, please.'

Kiefer could swear that a dark shadow moved past the doctor's face when that sentence was said.

'... Uhm... Okay then,' he replied.

He had never had to be spoken to by a doctor before.

Addressing his parents, Dr Matt kindly requested for them to wait outside while he spoke to Kiefer.

Kiefer was nothing short of apprehensive. He wasn't the best under pressure.

Summoning enough courage, he prepared to listen to what the young doctor had to say.