Fractured

Prolegomenon

I’d like to acknowledge something that seems to confuse some of my readers. Whenever you encounter four stars centered on their own line like so:

****

the story is switching to a dream sequence or memory or a dream sequence that is a memory. I’m not a fan of completely linear storylines so I go with this format that allows me to explain the background and character history without dumping all of the information at the beginning and skipping forward by years in time.

When the memory or dream ends and switches back to the main story, you will see the four centered stars again.

You will also sometimes see centered ellipses like so:

…

This is to indicate a skip in time, usually in between chapters, or to skip mundane events. The centered ellipses dots are also used to separate the few places where the narrator is speaking, which are denoted by completely italicized paragraphs just after the start of a chapter.

Now that the explanations are out of the way, on to the story.

A.L. Bridges

Prologue

It’s funny.

The things that become so apparent at the end.

The things that you are completely blind to until you reach that end.

I’ve kept up this fight for a long time…a long, long time…perhaps even too long considering that I lost my sanity in the process. I’ve done my best to make things right and now that it’s come to this, the story of my life is the only thing I can think of.

The story of a girl.

A story of manipulation.

A story of revenge.

Even though I’ve faced death on a number of occasions, this is the first time that my life has been replayed in front of me. Perhaps it’s because I know that this is really the end…But you probably have no idea what I’m talking about, so I’ll start at the beginning.

Well, the relative beginning, with the occasional backtracking and fast forwarding…just pay attention and this shouldn’t get too confusing. I’ll even use geographical, ethnical, and other equivalent terms that you’re familiar with to keep things from confusing you too much.

The reason why I’m doing this—why I’m narrating my life—is mostly with the hope that you can hear this, kid. I did terrible things to you and never got the chance to give you the full story so here it is.

This isn’t for redemption or atonement…it’s just something that I’ve got to do.

While it’s not my most recent name, nor the name you know me by, it is the name I like most. So, I’m Renton, and I’ll be your narrator.

…

Chapter 1: New Beginnings

You could become a god among men…with your power, you could have everything, Melanie tells me as we lie on the grassy knoll behind the apartment, gazing up at the stars.

What power? I can’t even cast the simplest of spells, I reply.

You don’t give yourself enough credit…sometimes a shield is better than a sword, Melanie softly says.

Is that all I am to you? Am I just you’re shield, Melanie? I coyly ask as I turn my head towards her.

No, you’re my little songbird, Wren, Melanie answers with a smile as her eyes that are so dark a brown that they’re almost black gaze into me.

There’s a moment of silence before Melanie turns towards me, props herself up on her right elbow, and moves her head towards mine. Her black hair falls around my head like a curtain, blinding me from everything but her. Melanie leans in closer until our lips meet, the electricity from hers numbing mine; as to be expected from a Spark. I reach back and run my fingers through her hair as I wrap my arm around her waist, roll, and pull her all the way on top of me. Melanie giggles as she continues rolling and pulls me on top of her, the high-pitched bubbliness lifting my heart. I start laughing along with her as we roll down the knoll.

****

I hit the hardwood floor in my bedroom, tangled up in my bed’s comforter.

(I appreciate you dreaming about me, but this is getting a little ridiculous. You might hit your head and end up like one of the 450 people that die from falling out of bed each year!) Melanie exclaims, her bubbly voice echoing through my mind.

Sorry, but I can’t help it… I solemnly reply.

(No, Wren. You cannot be all moody today! You can’t act all depressing on your first day or you won’t make any friends!)

That’s Melanie, always looking out for me…regardless of what I’ve done to her…

Renton? Are you awake yet? Liza asks through the door that’s not far from the foot of my bed.

Yeah… I groan in response.

Okay. Get ready and come down for breakfast, she says and I hear her light footsteps as she walks away.

I stand up and turn left to gather a pair of boxers and socks from the dresser sitting in front of the condensation-covered window in my room, a meter to the right of my bed. The low light emitting through the window notifies me of the extremely early time of day. I grab the uniform of Graythorn Academy—gray slacks, a white button up shirt, a gray tie, a gray blazer, and a black peacoat for winter—off of the hook near my door before exiting my room and walking across the hall to the bathroom. After stripping myself of my pajama pants and boxers, I hop in the shower. I turn it on and cold water buffets my skin for five seconds before I press up against the wall to avoid the blast of rust-water. I step back into the stream and start washing up, the water gradually warming. After washing my hair, I turn off the shower, grab my towel from the rack, and dry off. I wipe down the mirror before folding the towel and hanging it back up.

The scars that mark my pale, slender torso stare back at me in the mirror—mementos of my former life. I don’t look anything like I used to back then. My straight, dirty-blonde hair hangs over my eyebrows, my gray-blue eyes look more haggard, my cheeks are a bit gaunt, and I’ve lost a bit of muscle. I suppose an event like that would do this to anyone…

I quickly get dressed in my uniform and slip my socks into my pocket when I decide that I don’t want to be reminded of my past anymore. The stairs creak beneath my feet as I head down to the living room. I take a right at the base of the stairs and enter the kitchen. The crappy linoleum sticks to my feet as I make my way over to where Liza sits.

Sit down and eat, Renton, Liza suggests, dressed in her gray suit for her first day of work, and I sit down across from her at the table.

You look good…very professional, I reply to the slender, 180 cm tall, twenty-six year old with long blonde hair and gray eyes who decided to come with me when I needed to leave Crowley City.

Liza said that she couldn’t leave me alone so she threw away her life for me, which led to me spending all the money I’d ‘earned’ over the past year to buy us this house. If it had just been me, I would’ve figured something else out, but I wasn’t going to deny Liza a stable place to stay after all she’s done for me.

Thanks. You don’t look too bad yourself, Liza replies with a slight smile as I sit down at the cheap kitchen table.

Liza made eggs, bacon, and toast for breakfast, but I can barely stomach half a slice of toast and a strip of bacon after my dream. Food seems to have lost its flavor since that night…

Let’s get going, I announce once I see that Liza has finished eating.

Renton… Liza softly says with blatant concern in her voice, but I ignore it as I stand from the table.

I walk across the stained tan carpet of the living room, past the old couch, and over to the sunken entryway where I sit down to put on my socks and shoes. Liza slides her black stockings into a pair of gray pumps and follows me out the door. The cold air hits me as my breath instantly becomes visible.

Offirmo-way, Liza says with her hand on the door to lock it.

That’s a fairly simple spell that is keyed to the user’s mana signature and is difficult for another party to override without being keyed by the user; however, I’ve never had a problem despite not having enough control over mana to use the spell. I’m something of a rarity…well, that might be an understatement.

Let’s go, Liza says and I follow her onto the clear sidewalk that has snow perfectly lined up on each side.

Spells engraved into the sidewalks throughout the city of Avalon by thermal specialists keep them above ten degrees Celsius so ice and snow can’t pile up. I follow Liza down the street since I don’t know where we’re going, having never been to Graythorn Academy. I’ve barely left the house at all in the two weeks that we’ve lived here…

As we pass by the shops that line the street, one in particular catches my eye: an enchantment shop. Enchantments require a high grade of mage to cast while the item is being made so enchanted items are worth quite a bit of coin; they’re also in high demand and aren’t as traceable as cash. I can’t help but notice that the shop’s security is made up of a Schuster level two barrier and a lock spell on the door—child’s play.

Don’t even think about it, Renton. You promised that you would go straight now! Liza exclaims with a hushed tone when she sees what has my attention.

I wasn’t… I lie as I think about how easy it would be to use my left hand to disable the lock, nullify the barrier, and steal everything of value in the shop. I’d get away with it too, just like I always did since I lack a mana signature. However, I promised Liza that I’d turn over a new leaf after leaving Crowley City…after what happened…

We continue down the road in silence. Ten minutes later, we reach the wrought iron gates of Graythorn Academy. I never thought I’d ever go to school again after coming here. Schools tend to be strict about their admittance and transfers are rarely accepted. If it weren’t for a few connections that Liza still has and the fact that she was qualified for a job here, there’s no way I would have been let in.

So what’s our backstory? I ask Liza, having stopped at the academy’s entrance.

The expansive, snow-covered lawns of the academy have groves of pine trees throughout them, not including the large forest on the left side of the grounds. The building with large columns at the end of the cobblestone walkway in front of us looks like a courthouse or some other type of building that doesn’t belong at a school.

You’re my little brother and we’ve moved here together to escape our abusive drunk of a father, Liza replies.

So we’re related now? I inquire.

Yeah, there had to be a blood relation and our ID’s already corroborate it so now you’re my little brother. As far as everyone else knows, you’re just a normal wisp, got it? Liza confirms.

Yeah, I got it. I’m just a part of the lowest tier of mages, but even the lowliest mage can manipulate some mana so how am I supposed to fake that? I ask.

Well, just try. Maybe our father would beat you every time you tried to use mana so now it doesn’t come to you because of the trauma. I’ll help you out as best I can as part of the faculty, Liza replies. That would go well with the wisp part of my backstory since wisps are seen as genetic failures and beaten in some families.

Yeah, I’m sure that will go over well…I guess it’s time to get this train wreck started, I say and head through the gates.

You need to go to the nurse’s office first and get tested, Liza informs me.

Really? You think I might have something? But I always wear a rubber, Miss Nurse! Honest! Well, except for that time in that truck stop bathroom in Hillsland where I used saran wrap instead…Can’t you just fill out the report for me? I ask after realizing that my attempt at deflection isn’t working.

The entire reason that we came early is so we could do this. Come on, Liza replies and drags me towards the courthouse building.

I walk up the five stone steps and enter the ‘courthouse’ to find that it’s the administrative building. The interior of the building looks rather swanky because of its granite floors that have been buffed so much that they’re reflective. Liza leads me down the hall and stops in front of a door on the left that is near the rear exit of the building.

Issero-day, Liza says with her hand on the doorknob and it unlocks.

Liza opens the door and gestures for me to enter her new office. The nurse’s office is fairly large with six cots and an examination table. The examination table has a circle engraved into the floor around it with a pentagram and swirling runes inside of it, and a second smaller circle that is connected to it at the foot of the examination table. It serves to remind me of what I saw over a year ago.

I still remember the light that flooded into my bedroom, waking me up in the middle of the night as I felt myself floating upward. I suddenly found myself in the middle of a glowing circle on a concrete floor with a blonde woman staring at me in confusion. The burning sensation as a black V-shape was burned into my left hand before fading into a flesh-toned scar is still clear in my mind.

Just hop up on the table and we’ll get started, Liza tells me, snapping me out of my memory.

Yeah, yeah. Just don’t try to summon anything this time, I reply.

Don’t worry, I won’t, Liza responds with a smile that holds a hint of remorse.

Ever since she accidentally summoned me here because of a mishap during an assignment for one of her graduate degree classes, we’ve been discretely looking for a way to send me back. We can’t just go asking around and telling everyone that I’m not from this world. That would only result in both of us being taken for experimentation by the group of strongest magicians in the world: blood mages.

Renton? Liza asks, snapping me out of my thoughts.

I don’t reply as I hop on the table. Liza stands in a small circle at the edge of the examination table’s circle and holds out her right hand.

Onmoveo-cay, Liza says and her circle lights up with a white light.

What’s supposed to happen next is the circle around the table is supposed to light up with a different color depending on the specialty of the person being examined:

Orange for upper thermal spectrum, aka Hotheads.

Light blue for lower thermal spectrum, aka Frosties.

Dark blue for water users, aka Sprites.

Violet for electricity users, aka Sparks.

Light green for wind users, aka Windbags.

Yellow for earth users, aka Diggers.

Pink for illusion users, aka Shroudwalkers.

White for somatic magic users, aka Lifters.

The specialty of the person doesn’t necessarily restrict them from using other types of magic, but it does give them an affinity for that type and allows them to cast spells in their specialty without the incantation or another activator. For those rare people without a specialty known as wisps, the circle lights up dimly with the same color as the caster. However, in cases such as mine, the circle doesn’t light up at all.

See? You’re just going to have to falsify the report anyway, I announce ten seconds later when the circle doesn’t light up.

Yeah, but it was still worth checking. It’s been a year since you’re last exam, Liza replies.

I suppose…well, since there’s still more than an hour until class, I think I’ll go wander around, I respond.

"Okay. I’ve already made arrangements for your supplies. They’re in your locker in the main building, number fourteen. It’s already been coded to you," Liza informs me.

By ‘you,’ she means that she coded it to her mana signature and I’ll just have to break in to the locker.

Alright, thanks, I reply.

Feel free to stop by if you have any trouble and try to keep a low profile, little brother, Liza says with a grin.

Of course, big sis. I’ll see you later, I respond and exit the nurse’s office.

I head further down the ‘narcissist trap’ hallway and exit the admin building through the rear door. The snow is pristine in the courtyard in front of me with the exception of the cleared walkways that crisscross through it. The snow serves to muffle all noise, creating a somewhat eerie silence as I head down the walkways towards the gray main building with dozens of windows that face the snow-covered yard.

I head into the main building and enter a hall of trophy cases and banners that stretches on for about fifty meters. Trophies for various sport championships are in the cases, most of them for elementalball.

I continue down the main hall and come to a crossroads with a staircase in front of me and halls to the right and left. I notice a sign on the wall informing me that lockers 1-250 are to the left, along with classrooms 101-114. The left hallway has banks of lockers in between the doors that lead to the classrooms. I find locker fourteen in the second bank of lockers. After checking to make sure the coast is clear, I set my left hand on the locker. There is no audible or visible sign that I’ve done anything, but I feel the magical circuit disconnect.

With locker fourteen’s connection disrupted, I lift the latch and open the door to find a black messenger bag. I remove the bag, set it on the ground, and squat down to inspect its contents. Inside the bag are a map of the school, my class schedule, books for said classes, pencils, notebooks, and a set of gym clothes. I remove the gym clothes and books from the bag and place them in my locker. I inspect my class schedule and the map to find where my homeroom is. It looks like room number 114 is at the end of this hall. The rest of my schedule includes math, science, gym, history, mana applications and theory, and finally, study hall.

From what Liza told me, I’d normally have a specific class where I worked with other people in my specialization, but wisps don’t have specializations to work on so they have study hall. I’m thankful that this world sees the need for things like math and science. When Liza told me I’d be going to school, I immediately assumed it was going to be like books I’ve read about witches and wizards where they only seemed to be instructed in things to do with magic and the practical knowledge they had about how the world works was on par with that of a kindergartener.

Math and science should be a breeze and I’ll actually learn something in history, so I have that to look forward to. There is no way I’ll be passing mana applications and theory so I will probably be ditching that class quite often. I take my peacoat off, fold it, and place it in my locker before closing the door as the circuit reconnects with the removal of my hand.

Well, since it’s only 7:30 and homeroom won’t start for another hour, I think that taking a nap would probably be a good idea. I make my way down the hall and reach room 114, the last classroom on the right before a set of doors that lead outside. I enter the dark classroom and head over to a desk at the back of the class so no one can sit behind me. Hopefully nobody will notice the fact that there is someone in here and the lights are still off. Classroom lights are rigged with a kind of detection system that automatically turns on when someone enters the classroom, but unlike the motion detecting sensors of my world, these detect traces of mana in the room that all mages give off.

Well, at least I’ll be able to get some sleep in the darkness.

****

Chapter 2: Haunting Dreams

So this might be my ticket home? I quietly ask.

This guy supposedly has been researching ways to open up portals to other worlds and is a renowned summoning specialist, Melanie answers as she squats next to me in the bushes of the forest near the mansion.

And if we find his notes, I might be able to find a way back, I conclude with a hushed tone.

We could always just politely ask him for the notes, Melanie suggests.

And risk getting sold out to the blood mages? No thanks, I respond.

I know. I was being sarcastic, Melanie whispers.

I might come to him if I can’t figure it out and if we can find some leverage on the guy, but for now, I’m content with stealing his notes, I reply and start to move out of the bushes, but something about Melanie’s expression makes me stop.

You don’t have to come. I can handle this on my own. You’ve done enough just by leading me here, I tell her.

That’s not it… Melanie replies and it hits me: she’s feeling torn because she doesn’t want me to leave.

Even after I get the notes, this doesn’t guarantee that it will lead to a way back, I softly say.

Are you sure that this is what you want? Melanie asks.

No…but it’s the best that I can do, I reply.

…Then let’s get going, she quietly responds and gives me a quick kiss while grabbing my right hand.

Elo-vay, Melanie says and a shroud wraps around us.

Since she isn’t a Shroudwalker, the spell isn’t that strong so we still need to be careful, but at least it won’t be obvious that we’re here from a distance. We exit the forest on the edge of the property and make our way towards the massive house with gothic architecture: gargoyles, spires, all that jazz. We cross the expansive grass lawn and reach the front door unopposed. I notice a rather high grade lock on the door so I set my left hand on it. The lock spell breaks as I push the latch down and open the door. We enter an octagonal foyer that holds half a dozen urns on pedestals and several portraits—way to ramp up the creepy upon entry. Now we just have to find the laboratory.

If I were a summoning specialist, where would I practice? Somewhere expansive and away from the rest of the house that can be easily blocked off in case of an emergency…this house probably has a basement.

Let’s look for a basement, I whisper in Melanie’s ear and she nods.

We carefully tread down the main hallway and look for the basement door. A barrier comes into view when we are halfway down the hallway, blocking access to a door: a Schuster level six. With such a strong barrier, it looks like we’re at the right place. I set my left hand on the barrier and concentrate—this one is going to be a bit tricky. I try to open up a hole in the barrier but I get no results, so I push a little harder. The barrier suddenly cracks and shatters, probably alerting the caster in the process.

Hurry! Melanie exclaims while already running down the stone steps into the basement.

I follow after her and we hit the bottom of the staircase to find another barrier: a level seven. Not having the time for delicacy, I throw my left hand into the barrier and smash through it. We continue down the hall, passing by cell doors on each side. I’m sure that’s necessary for a summoner and doesn’t mean anything nefarious, right?

We hit another barrier at the end of the hallway that’s blocking a set of double doors. I smash through the barrier and dispel the lock on the doors while opening them to find a large open room with wall-to-wall bookcases, a circle carved into the floor, and a large workbench to the left—this must be the place.

Damn! How are we supposed to find the notes on portals amid all these books!? I ask while staring at the massive bookshelves that surround us.

Isn’t this it? Melanie inquires while picking up a red leather notebook from the bench that reads ‘Portals’ on the cover.

Probably. Now let’s get out of here, I reply and we run back past the cells to the stairs.

Melanie and I sprint up the stairs, down the main hallway, and out through the doors. As we run through the yard, I see a blur coming from above me so I hold out my hand to stop Melanie. Two, two-meter tall, stone gargoyles land in front of us, the vibrations of their impact reaching my feet. A stony claw comes in towards Melanie’s head before I tackle her out of the way, causing the red notebook to go flying out of her hand. Since these gargoyles are golems and because golems are condensed mana bound to stone, I should be able to take care of them rather easily.

I stand up and distance myself from Melanie as the gargoyles give chase. Based on the vibrations and the sinking that their footsteps cause, they must weigh about a ton. I’ll easily be crushed under that weight if I don’t redirect the force away from me when I disable them. I make a quick left, sliding on the dew-covered grass as small droplets kick up and hit my body. Because of their weight, the gargoyles are unable to turn as quickly as I can so I run in a circle around them before smacking one on the back with my left hand. The gargoyle becomes inanimate and falls forward, sinking into the ground away from me. The second gargoyle gets the same treatment before I return to Melanie’s position and help her up.

Wren! That was awesome! Melanie exclaims in a bubbly fashion.

Thanks. Let’s get going. The mage will most likely be back soon, I reply and then I notice a bit of blood on Melanie’s cheek.

Are you hurt? I ask.

Huh? Melanie replies.

You’ve got a bit of blood on your che— I start before blood shoots out of Melanie’s mouth as her eyes roll back in her head and she starts to fall.

MELANIE! I shout as I reach out and catch her.

You’re lucky. I was planning on giving you the same treatment, but then you demonstrated your interesting ability, a somewhat high-pitched male voice calls out behind me.

I turn around and see a man with black hair and dark eyes, dressed in black slacks with a matching overcoat and a crimson shirt standing about fifty meters away. Despite the situation, I can’t help but admire his clothes. He appears to be rather young, most likely in his early twenties. I touch my cheek, pull it away, and see a drop of blood; I didn’t even notice with all of the dew drops hitting me.

I think you will make a most interesting research subject, the man says as I look down at Melanie’s pale face.

I bring my right hand up to her neck to check for a pulse, but I already know that there isn’t one there. I need to get her help before it’s too late.

You can’t save her. No one can. The girl is already gone, the man says as though he had read my mind.

I set Melanie on the grass and turn towards the man. Letting anger and desperation fuel me, I sprint at him.

But perhaps you still have hope? Well that just won’t do! the man exclaims and snaps his fingers.

A massive explosion behind me knocks me off of my feet. I rise unsteadily as chunks of sod and dirt rain down around me. I turn around to find nothing but a charred crater in the grass…the same grass that I set Melanie on to…

Melanie? I ask in shock.

Hahaha! I do so love that voice of despair! That indicator of a man’s entire life being destroyed! the man exclaims.

My hands clench into fists and my body starts to shake as I turn around and face him.

"You look like you wish to fight? Well we can’t have you damaging yourself so why don’t you just freeze," the man commands.

I feel his power hit me before it disappears and I take a step towards the man.

Eh? Well aren’t you interesting! the man exclaims with a slight waver in his voice.

His dark eyes go wide as I sprint at him, my mind focused on crushing this man. He flings his right arm towards the ground in front of me and my legs suddenly sink in: quicksand. I slam my left hand onto the magic quicksand before yanking my feet out of the re-solidified ground and continuing my rush. The man holds his right hand out at me as a drop of blood rolls down his palm and drips onto the grass. A large torrent of electricity erupts from the man’s palm as I hold my left hand out. I’ve taken a lot of hits from Sparks in the past year since meeting Melanie, but this is by far the strongest torrent I’ve ever seen. The electricity is nullified as I sprint in close, but not before singing the hair on my arm. I grab the man’s right wrist with my right hand, pinch his arm between my left forearm and bicep, and wrench down with my right hand.

The man screams out in pain at the breaking of his elbow as I kick out his legs. The man drops to his knees as move behind him, grab his left arm, and yank it back along with his broken right.

WHY ISN’T IT HEALING!? the man screams.

I don’t bother to explain that the physical contact with my left hand is preventing any somatic spells as I set my right knee in between his shoulders. I tug back on his arms with all of my strength and get the resulting crack of his shoulder blades that I was looking for. The man screams in agony before I grab his head and wrench it around until he’s looking at me. Red foams bubbles up out of his mouth as I release him and his body slumps over.

I return to where I tackled Melanie and find the red notebook in the grass. After picking it up, I give a fleeting look at the empty crater before walking away from the house. The night is silent except for the few cars that pass by as I spend the next three hours walking back to Liza’s apartment since Melanie had the keys to the car. I numbly trudge up the three flights of stairs and unlock the door to Liza’s apartment with my left hand

Renton! Where have you been!? Liza scolds when I walk in the door. I slip off my shoes and head into the living room.

Answer me, Renton! Liza demands as I slump down onto the couch.

She’s dead, Liza… I softly reply.

What? Liza asks.

Melanie and I broke into a house to get these notes on portals. We were caught by the owner, a blood mage, and he killed her. He’s dead now though… I quietly explain as I limply hold up the red leather notebook.

Renton…are you injured? Liza inquires with pity in her eyes.

No, I numbly respond.

We need to leave. Melanie’s father will blame you and send the whole Syndicate after you. We can’t stay in Crowley City. We need to close your bank account, get new identities, and…Don’t worry. I’ll handle this. Just try to get some rest, Liza gently tells me and leaves the room.

I lie down on the couch, staring up at the ceiling for I don’t know how long, alone with my thoughts of Melanie and how it’s my fault that she’s dead.

Eventually, everything just fades away.

****

Chapter 3: Introductions and Suspicions

I regain consciousness to the feeling of a hand on my right shoulder, light streaming in through my eyelids as the smell of lilacs hits me. I open my eyes to the illuminated room and I’m shocked by what I see.

Melanie! I exclaim as I jolt upright.

Close, my name is Melody, the girl replies.

Except for her blonde hair, and her vivid green eyes, she could be Melanie’s twin: same eye-shape, lips, sharp facial features, same height at 175cm, even their voices sound similar. She’s wearing a gray plaid skirt with black leggings, a white button up shirt with a gray tie and a gray blazer over it. It takes me several moments before I realize that this must be the girl’s uniform for Graythorn Academy.

Careful Mel. I’ve heard of this gimmick before. Next thing you know, you’ll be pity banging his brains out because you remind him of his dead girlfriend or something, a tall girl with shoulder-length, curly brown hair says from a desk that is two to my right and immediately sends me on high alert—has the Syndicate already found me?

I’ll watch out for that, Alexa. Just ignore her. She has a strange sense of humor, Melody tells me.

Or is this one the real threat? What’s a more fitting way to take me out than by using an assassin that looks like Melanie?

(Relax, Wren. it’s just a coincidence. They aren’t from the Syndicate)

How are you so sure?

(You tend to learn things when you’re dead)

Right… I respond, still on edge as I look at Alexa.

She’s pretty in a lithe supermodel kind of way, and by that I mean she’s tall and way too skinny. It seems like Alexa is the kind of girl that tries to hold herself to her friends’ weights despite being nearly 185cm tall, only about five centimeters shorter than I am.

I’m Renton…Renton Werner, I add, pausing to remember what my new last name is.

I’m Melody Sheffield and that’s my friend, Alexa Barnstone. You must be the transfer student that I heard the faculty talking about, Melody remarks.

I assume that would be me. My sister is the school’s new nurse and we just moved to Avalon, I reply.

Where from? Melody asks.

I’m not supposed to say…we moved here to get away from our father, who is probably looking for us, I respond in a quiet fashion while avoiding eye contact to make the story more convincing.

I see…this must be rough, having to leave your friends behind and move someplace new, Melody replies.

Pity bang… Alexa comments.

Alexa! Melody scolds.

So what are you? Alexa asks.

I’m a wisp, I reply, somewhat reluctantly to sell it.

Eh…? Alexa says.

Oh, so I guess we’ll be seeing a lot more of each other in study hall, Melody replies with a smile that makes my heart ache. So I guess that makes Melody a wisp too.

Great, so you guys get to have unsupervised sex while I’m going to be getting screwed in my wind specialty classes…not literally of course because the teacher is super old and I don’t have daddy issues, Alexa comments and I laugh.

Good morning, Alexa! Looking fine as ever, I see! a Hispanic guy exclaims as he walks into the classroom. He’s more than a head shorter than me at about 170cm with wavy black hair that is around fifteen centimeters long and a slight mustache.

Never going to happen, Jose, Alexa replies without looking at the guy while Melody sits down at the desk in between Alexa and me.

Come on! Just give me my first chance, it’s going to be the last, Jose responds with a wink that, surprisingly, doesn’t look creepy.

I’m gonna make you want to staaaaay, I finish the lyrics.

You know who Devandra Barnhart is? Jose asks as he turns towards me.

That was probably the biggest surprise in coming to this world: finding out that nearly all forms of entertainment had stayed the same. The only exception to this is anything that has to do with guns, which are seemingly non-existent in this world. It drastically changed Craig Thomas’s entire movie career from gun toting cop, to fireball throwing cop. Even technology has stayed rather the same with a few exceptions. Smartphones are still commonplace, but they evolved from palm pilots that just happen to include the ‘phone’ feature since communication circles are easy to use. Since everyone has a phone now and communication circles aren’t very mobile, phones have become the most common form of communication; sort of like how home phones were disappearing in my world.

That I do, but I really only like that one song. I’m Renton Werner. I just moved in to the city and today’s my first day, I reply.

Well then, you have fine taste in music, good sir. Nice to meet you, Renton. The name’s Jose Cruz, Shroudwalker extraordinaire. If you need any help, just let me know! Jose kindly exclaims.

Thanks, man, I respond.

Jose looks towards Alexa, shrugs, and sits down at the desk to my left. He must have noticed that there aren’t any open desks beside or behind her. A guy that is about 193cm tall and built like a brick shithouse with cropped brown hair comes into the room. With the way he’s stretching his uniform, he must have gotten it a size too small to show off his physique—my douchebag meter goes into the red. He looks around the room and his eyes narrow at me as he walks over.

You’re sitting in my spot, He says while glaring at me.

My bad. I wasn’t aware that there were assigned seats, I reply, trying not to make waves.

There aren’t. Stop being an asshole, Joshua, Melody intercedes.

Joshua looks at Melody and his expression softens before he turns back to me, sneers, and walks over to the desk in the front right corner, near the door. The first bell rings and more people start shuffling into the room and sitting down. A man in his late twenties with longish brown hair that has been gelled up walks into the room wearing a gray suit that is significantly nicer than the school uniform. He sets his bag down at the large desk in the front left corner of the room, and stands in front of the whiteboard that consumes the front wall.

Welcome back, seniors. I’ll be your homeroom teacher this year. Most of you already know me, but I know our new student doesn’t. I’m Chet Holmes. Feel free to call me Chet. Why don’t you come up here and introduce yourself, Renton? Chet suggests. While his hairstyle gives me some doubts, he seems like a decent guy.

I stand up from my desk, walk down the aisle, and stand in front of the class.

Hello, I’m Renton Werner. I just moved to Avalon with my sister and I’m a wisp, I announce and return to my seat.

Thanks, Renton. I’m counting on you guys to help him out, if he needs it, Chet says and gets grumbles of agreement in response.

Alright well, I’ll let you guys go early today so you can get to your first classes on time. See some of you later, all of you tomorrow, Chet announces and everyone starts moving.

What class do you have next? Jose asks.

Math, room…204, I reply while checking my schedule for confirmation.

Nice! Same here. Let’s get going, Jose responds while grabbing his bag.

I grab my bag and follow Jose out the door, giving a fleeting look back at Melody and feeling stupid when she catches me looking. Jose leads me down the hall, past my locker, and to the crossroads. We head up the main staircase and take a right down to the left wing. Room 204 is two doors down on the right, but a glance through the door’s window tells us that this homeroom class is still going on. Jose and I lean against the wall to the right of the door and wait.

So what’s it like being a wisp? It must suck not having a specialty, right? Jose asks.

Eh…I get by, I reply.

Do you have any problems opening up your locker? Melody seems to struggle with it a bit, Jose comments.

No, locks aren’t something that I have problems with. They’re basically the only thing that I won’t have a problem with…

The class lets out and cuts our conversation short, thankfully. An old man sits at the large desk in the front left corner as we walk in. He’s wearing slacks and an argyle sweater-vest over a button-up shirt that in no way matches the gray color scheme of the school. I guess that when you get to be that old, you just stop giving a damn. The classroom is empty except for an Asian student with longish, spiky black hair sitting in the back left corner that must have this as his homeroom class as well. Jose walks back and sits to his right while I sit next to Jose.

Hey Tetsuya, how was your break? Did you head home to Nihon? Jose asks.

Tetsuya doesn’t say anything and just nods in response. He appears to be about my height, but he seems to be a bit slimmer.

Nice. Let me introduce you to Renton. He’s a transfer student that just started. Renton, this is Tetsuya Yamamoto. Tetsuya is an exchange student from Nihon that’s been here for two years, Jose introduces.

Where’s Nihon? I ask and Jose gives me a quizzical look. I’m not great with geography,

Island country in the Pacific, just off the coast of mainland Asia? Home of Shinto mages? Jose asks. It sounds like he’s talking about this world’s Japan.

Oh, right, I reply.

Tetsuya is a Shinto mage as well. He uses paper talismans and familiars called shikigami, the whole deal, Jose explains.

Well, it’s nice to meet you, Tetsuya, I say and Tetsuya nods in response.

Since familiars need to be summoned, he might know of a different method of summoning that’s worth looking into. Becoming friends with him could be beneficial. More people funnel into the room and the teacher starts class.

Hello, class. I’m Mr. Black and I’ll be your teacher this year. I was an accountant for thirty years and before you ask, I lost my left middle finger to a typewriter in ’72, Mr. Black says while holding up his left hand.

His slow monotone is almost enough to put me to sleep, but I struggle through it. Mr. Black goes over what we’re covering in class this year and I discover that the math class is basically an algebra class that is similar to one I took in middle school in my world. This is going to be a breeze.

What class do you have next? Jose asks when math ends.

Uh…Science, room 122, I reply while checking my schedule.

Damn…Tetsuya, do you have science? Jose inquires and Tetsuya shakes his head.

Don’t worry, I’ll find it. Thanks though, I respond.

Alright, see you later, Jose says and we exit the classroom.

I head back down the main staircase and head right down the left hall, looking for room 122, before I realize that the classrooms on this side of the building end at room 114. I turn around and head back the way I came. The halls are mostly deserted now that second period is about to start.

Come on you stupid thing! You’re going to make me late! Issero-day! I hear Melody exclaim. I look down the hall and see her pounding on a locker.

Having some trouble? I ask as I walk up to her.

The stupid locker won’t open! Melody exclaims, obviously exasperated.

Hmm… I reply and look around, seeing that we’re the only ones in the hallway.

Just calm down and give it one more try, I add.

Melody takes a couple of deep breaths and places her thumb on the lock symbol above the latch. While she’s focusing on that, I touch the bottom corner of her locker with my left hand and I feel the circuit break.

Issero-day, Melody says, lifts the latch, and the door swings open.

Thanks, Melody says as she takes off her jacket and stuffs it in her locker.

No problem, it’s not like I really did anything. We’d better hurry up or we’re going to be— I’m interrupted by the bell ringing.

Haha, oh well. Where are you headed? Melody asks, her bubbly laugh bringing a smile to my face and a pain in my chest.

Room 122, I reply.

Same here. Come on, it’s this way, Melody says and takes the lead.

We head further down the hall and walk into a classroom on the left side, towards the end.

Ah, Ms. Sheffield. Late as usual, I see, a blonde woman in her forties curtly says when we enter the room.

Sorry about that, I couldn’t get my locker open and Melody was kind enough to wait for me to show me how to get here. I’m Renton Werner and today’s my first day, I intercede.

Is that so…well, take your seats, the teacher replies.

I follow Melody back to the only open lab table, which Alexa is currently occupying.

Well, aren’t you a nice guy, Alexa quietly comments with a knowing gaze.

Welcome to fourth year science, I’m Mrs. Hatfield. I graduated from Crowley University and I’ve been teaching at Graythorn Academy for the past ten years, Mrs. Hatfield introduces, causing me to tense up.

(Relax. Crowley University is the largest college in the area so that isn’t strange)

With Melanie’s reassurance, I relax. Mrs. Hatfield spends the next forty-five minutes outlining what we’ll be covering this year. I thought that ‘science’ was a very broad term for a single class, but apparently not for this world—this class covers things from chemistry, biology, and physics. It all seems like fairly low-level stuff that I’ve already learned, until Mrs. Hatfield starts talking about transmutations and I realize that this world still considers alchemy to be science. I start getting worried when I realize that most of the labs that she lists involve the use of mana: creating insect chimeras,