Chapter One

Chapter one

The maiden fair and wise opened her eyes to be greeted by an old looking mirror, holding flame of green like wild trees.

Ah, my dear esteemed benefactor…

‘Huh, who’s speaking?’

My proud, beautiful flower of evil.

‘Is it..the mirror’

You are truly the fairest one of all.

‘Where am I, is this one of Barons tricks?’

O magic mirror, thy wisdom I entreat…

Reveal unto me the visage I seek…

‘It sounds like it’s casting a spell

You, whose image the dark mirror did beckon forth…

If you heart buds it, take the hand of the one reflected in the mirror.

A hand reached out from the reflective surface willing the swan to hold it dearly

‘I have a desire to hold this hand’ and hold it she did, the two hands male and female grasped each other in an embrace of strangeness and curiosity. The mirror flickered.

As flame refuses even the stars to ash.

It showed a fire, burning of destruction and comfort.

As ice seals away even time itself.

Ice that holds a memory of fear and desperation.

As great trees swallow even the sky.

Earth swaying with beauty.

Fear not the power of darkness.

The hand held her tighter and her skin seemed to ache.

Common now, show me your power.

‘I have none but this curse I’m afraid’ all her words became trapped in her mind as her voice would not bare to interrupt the stranger.

We only have a little bit of time left.

All started to fade.

At all costs, do not let go of that hand.

She gripped it tighter fearing for if she lets go she would fall into a place much worse then now.

The soft fabric of the cramped space gave the girl a small amount of comfort, the thing she was in was very small not giving her room to extend her arms nor twist her body.

‘Whats going on.. where am I?’ She tried to push forward on the enclosure that was trapping her but nothing moved, not even allowing a crack of light to enter her space.

“I better hurry up and find that uniform before someone spots me...” a voice spoke from outside of her imprisonment, a squeaky voice.

“A, child..?” She let out a murmur her, voice coming of a bit starchy from not using it and squawking.

“Urgggh... This lid weighs a ton! Try this on for size! Mya-ha!” Suddenly hot steaming blue fire, one she’s only seen the dark sorcerer Baron use, had blown the lid of her confinement. She stumbled out with the flames only slowing their heat to touch her for a moment, leaving no traces it was ever there apart from the smoking lid.

“Fire!? Dark magic fire!” She panicked but all she saw was a weasel cat like creature.

“Now to grab the good- HEY! You ain’t supposed to be awake!” It yelled at her from its place on the ground. The thing had a grey coat of fur and white fluff in the middle with blue flames emitting from the ears, and a tail that looked like a pitchfork.

“The weasel talks..” she stated to no one but herself, her confusion, shock and a small amount of fear all mixing together to make an unnamed emotion settle in her.

‘Why am I shocked..? I turn into a swan when dawn makes her presence’

“How... How DARE YOU! I am no WEASEL! I'm Grim, sorcerer extraordinaire! Tch. Whatever. You...human! Just gimme your uniform, and be quick about it!”

‘And it wants to undress me as-well.. does this thing have no manners?!’

“If ya don’t your gonna regret it” he seemed to be ready to strike her down, even if she made no offensive moves towards him.

“You don’t even know if I have any under clothes on and you ask me to undress?!, how impolite” her tone held words used only to defend herself yet this animal went in for a strike of flames, and that’s when she realised that maybe being rude to another dark sorcerer while already being cursed isn’t a good idea so she ran.

Running hasn’t left her breathless in along time so she arrived to what appeared to be a library holding and ever continuing amount of books, like actually ever continuing, some books just kept coming through with no one there to restock them.

“More magic..” she felt dread in her. ‘What if I’m in a sorcerers lair? What if that animal back there was a henchman of Baron, what’s going on??’ The poor girl was left confused until said animal burst through the doors after her and her clothing.

“Foolish human! Did you really think you could slip away from ME?” the little beast had found her and cornered her inside the library. “Now, unless you wanna get burned to a crisp, take off that—“

Something suddenly wrapped itself around the cats neck halting it from further aggression.

“YEOW! That hurt! What gives!” It started strangling around in its capture wanting its previous sense of freedom.

“Consider it tough love.” A man with a crow like mask that covered half his face appeared reprimanding the beast.

‘Now he definitely seems like a dark sorcerer’ everything thing in past experiences was telling her to run but she couldn’t move, especially not when the man set his eyes on her.

“Ah, I've found you at last. Splendid. I trust you're one of this year's new students?” ‘New student..? I’m not a student, is this an academy?’

“My, were you ever eager to make your debut. And bringing a poorly trained familiar with you? That is a clear violation of the school's rules.” He tugged at the rope that bound Grim the creature, who seemed aggravated by being called a familiar.

“Oh sir, he’s not mine I don’t-“

“As if I'd serve some lowly human! Now lemme go!” Grim struggled uselessly against his restraints once again not changing the fact that he was captured.

“Yes, yes. Rebellious familiars always say that. Do be quiet for a bit, won't you?” The crow man did not seem to be very pleased when he turned to the girl with a tired look.

“Dear me. Of all the students I've dealt with, you're the first with temerity enough to open their own gate and step out of it.Does the very notion of patience elude you?No matter. Your orientation has already begun. Let us return to the Mirror Chamber.”

The girl was now experiencing only one emotion in the moment, confusion. “Gate..?”.

“You awakened in a room full of gates, did you not?” If he meant the floating coffins then she nodded.

“All of the students here at the campus arrived by passing through such gates. Although typically the students have restraint enough to wait until I open them before waking up.”

“So the floating coffins are the gateways..?”

“The design is intended to symbolize a parting with your former world, and a rebirth into a new one.”

‘Rebirth into a new life..is my curse really still untaxed then, it’s only night so I really can’t tell, but..’ how she hoped it was true.

“But now is not the time for such prattle. You've a student orientation to attend! Go on, now. Make haste.” He turned away from her to walk before she spoke again.

“First can you tell me where I am?” She knew it was risky asking a sorcerer such type of question but she would like to know.

“Hm? Have you not fully regained consciousness?The timespace teleportation must have addled your memories...” he trailed off “Well, these things happen, I suppose. I shall explain it to you while we walk. Truly, my graciousness is boundless”

‘He makes it sound like he’s the king of the world’ the maiden gave a subtle roll of her eyes and walked forward with the man.

“This is Night Raven College.” ‘College?’ “It is an institution for students the world over who demonstrate a rare aptitude for magic.” ‘So I was right this is something of great sorcery’

“It is the most prestigious academy of its sort in all of Twisted Wonderland. And I am Dire Crowley. Having been entrusted with its care by the chairman, I serve as headmage.”

“An academy of magic..?” Her face was drowned in confusion and she kept swimming down the river called fear.

“Only those who the Dark Mirror perceives as having a talent for magic are admitted to the college. Those who are selected are summoned to the campus through those "gates," which can appear anywhere. A black carriage bearing one such gate should have come to meet you.” Headmaster Crowley answered her.

“I do remember a phantom carriage with no rider and only horrific horses..” she still remembered the splash of water when she hit the ground, or the door opening with no one to greet her but a coffin.

“That black carriage serves to receive a student chosen by the Dark Mirror. It too bears a gate that connects to this campus. And as you know, sending a carriage to meet someone on a special day is a time-honored tradition.” Grim started to talk in a muffled sense although drowned out by his restraints.

“But I bare no magical talent headmaster Crowley-“ he seemed to not hear her and went in his way.

“Now then, let us attend you orientation” and off they all went, in a silence that left unattended questions in the air.

NOTE: yay! Finished chapter one so I hope it’s to people’s liking this is not like edited as I’m doing this all my self and I’m confident it makes sense. I’ve also decided with the help of someone that Malleus will be the final love interest as I does make more sense. I don’t really have an update plan as I sometimes lose motivation for things but I’ll try to attest have one chapter a week it’s not a promise though, I’m quite exited to write yuu in her swan form, I think I’m still gonna make her a student so imagine a swan showing up to a potions class trying to learn. I think it’ll be funny, also gonna have to get someone like silver to translate for her since he’s good at talking to animals, anyway I don’t wanna spoil much but have a nice day everyone!!