“My poor little feet... I thought she said it was only a two-hour walk.”

Lia looked up and shielded her eyes from the morning sun that peered at her from over the treetops. A beautiful azure blue sky stared back at her. Fluffy white clouds rolled along leisurely.

At least I haven't burnt to a crisp yet. I guess...

Birds chirped and bushes rustled all around her as Lia limped along the orange dirt path. There was no pain, contrary to what she had expected. But rather, It felt as if the sun was pressing down on her, and it wasn't going to stop until she was face down on the earth.

“Ahem.”

Lia paused and looked up. Standing before her was a man with a bushy white beard. He stared down at her with blistering eyes.

“A student, I presume?” His lips rolled out those words with a certain classy obligation.

Lia stood upright, straightening her back like a soldier under inspection.

W-where did he come from?

The man raised his eyebrows and leant forward on the strange walking stick in his left hand.

“Y-yes, sir,” Lia answered quickly after.

“I noticed you quite some time ago.” He stated. “Due to your clothing, I brushed you off as a wandering civilian.”

My clothing... Lia looked down at her black dress, which frilled around her waist. Her long, pale legs looked about ready to crumble. Both knees were already bruised from the tumble she had taken out of the carriage.

“Hmmm.”

The man’s eyes scanned Lia up and down and seemed to pause for an uncomfortable amount of time around her waist, then focused on the suitcase she clung to.

“Let me guess. You must be a first-year?”

Lia nodded.

“Right. Then I won't scold you for being out of uniform. But let this be a lesson in its importance. Had I known you were a student, I would have made contact with you and saved you the trouble of so much pointless walking.”

"U-understood!"

The old man furrowed his brows and then nodded.

Something feels weird about this guy... Other than that weird walking stick and the blue robes he's wearing, this just looks like a normal grandpa.

Wait... why do my hands feel so light all of a sudden? Lia tensed her fingers a couple of times, but it wasn't until she looked down that she realized the suitcase Itylias' mother had gifted her was missing.

“H-huh!? Crap, where did it go?”

“Where did what go, miss?”

“My suitcase! I swear I just had it!”

“Oh, I have already taken the liberty of transporting it. No need to panic. Upon arrival, you will find it there waiting for you.”

“Waiting for me where?” Lia asked. Her mind was in turmoil.

“At the academy, of course. Now please, lets move this along. We cant wait out here all day.”

I can't believe I let him just steal it from me! And what does he mean he transported it to my room? Oh, god, what if they find the blood vials Itylia’s mother hid inside? They will know I'm a vampire straight away!

The bearded man lifted his walking stick and slammed the base back down onto the earth. Bang! The resulting impact sent a shockwave throughout the area, wiping Lia’s thoughts to a blank slate.

What the hell!

Lia wavered under the fierce pressure. The elderly man stood at ease, but his blue robes flickered violently as if a storm were passing by.

Poof!

A small cloud of smoke exploded in the air between them, and from it, a large floating book appeared.

“Name?” The wizard peered over the book at the skimpily dressed student with unkempt hair and no shoes. Wrinkles surrounded his eyes, barely hidden by the thin oval glasses he wore.

Lia stared back, mystified.

F-floating. It's just floating there!?

“Ahem.”

“M-my name. Of course, my name.”

The wizard furrowed his brow. “No. I was talking to the trees behind you.”

“R-right, sorry! My name is...”

Lia opened her mouth as if to speak but then suddenly paused.

Wait a second. What am I supposed to introduce myself as?

“Is there some sort of problem, miss?” The wizard asked, perplexed.

“No, no problem at all.” Lia laughed hesitantly.

If Ityial was trying to hide the fact she was a vampire from these people for her own safety, then would her mother still have just enrolled her under her real name? Or would she have used a fake one? Ahhh! There are to many options.

“A name, please, miss.” The wizard growled.

The sun pressed down on Lia like a heavy weight throughout the length of their odd conversation. Her hands felt clammy, and the dress felt like it constricting. It was all far too overwhelming.

“I have multiple names. I'm just not sure which one to give you.”

“A common trait among anthropomorphic beings such as ourselves. I myself have twelve names.”

Anthropomorphic? Twelve names!?

Despite the internal turmoil, Lia was doing her utmost best to maintain her composure.

“Why don't we start with the name your parents refer to you by? Quickly, please; the school tour will be over by the time I have even squeezed a name out of you.”

The name my parents refer to me by? Wouldn't that be...? No, there's no way I can tell him my name is Itylia. I was warned to keep my identity a secret. If these people find out I'm a vampire t-then.

The book flipped open, anticipating Lia’s words.

I-I can't answer! There is no way.

The wizard tightened his grip on the staff.

“Ah! There you are.”

Both Lia and the wizard turned round to see a young boy running down the pathway. Unlike Lia, he was dressed appropriately in the academy’s white uniform. The yellow and brown leaves on the surrounding trees rustled as he passed with terrific speed.

“Sorry, I'm late!” The boy called and came to a sliding halt. Lia raised a hand to cover her mouth and nose from the dust.

“And who might you be.” The wizard asked.

“Therion.” The boy answered, catching his breath.

Lia almost shrieked after noticing the two small horns curling up and out of his forehead. They were white and grainy, like the talons of a hawk.

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

The book jumped into action, quickly flipping through hundreds of pages. It had been eagerly waiting for a name.

“A match.” The wizard said. “And it would seem that you are also a first-year. Coincidence?”

“No, sir.” The boy turned to Lia with a grin.

Who is this guy?

“Itylia and I are childhood friends.”

Wha- Whaat!?

“We were supposed to arrive together, but I got held up by something. Sorry for any inconvenience we have caused, sir.” Therion fell into a deep bow.

“Itylia.” The wizard stroked his beard. “That is quite a peculiar name. Still, the fact that it has taken me this long to drag it out of you is...”

Therion scratched the back of his head with a laugh. “Sorry about her. She’s never really been the most talkative type.”

Upon hearing another name, the book began sifting through its pages once more.

“Another match.” The wizard stated.

Thank God. Lia let go of a sigh. After all that talk about keeping my identity secret, she enrolled me under her real name. I guess that's the vampiric pride she was talking about earlier.

“Now we can finally move on. Please take hold of my staff, you two.”

Lia fluttered her eyes. “I beg your pardon.”

“My wand, please take hold of it.” The wizard gestured towards the great wooden staff in his left hand.

“Oh... That staff. Of course.”

Therion smiled at Lia before they both walked up and took hold of the strange walking stick.

Well... I'm screwed.

“Esilymph”

Blue light erupted from the ground and enveloped all three of them. A sickening sense of vertigo washed through Lia. Everything turned suddenly cold, it was like jumping into the depths of a dark lake. Her whole body tensed, and she sealed her eyes shut.

...

“You can open your eyes now.”

The boy with horns stared down at Lia with a smile. The sun burnt brightly behind him.

“W-where are we?”

“You're inside the academy. I brought you here with teleportation magic. Perhaps I should have clarified with you beforehand. Call it a lapse in my judgment.”

Lia turned to see the wizard standing only a few feet from them. An endlessly rich grassy plain surrounded them all. The forest was merely a treeline on the horizon. A grand stone castle towered over them in the distance.

I-is that the academy!? Its giant! Lia shielded her eyes from the sun and observed its walls and countless peaking towers. Thousands of students could be seen crossing bridges to separate buildings. From this far away, they all just looked like normal kids.

Just how far did this guy bring us?

“You can let go of me now, Itylia.”

Eh?

Lia hadn't realised it, but she had taken hold of Therions uniform at some point during the teleportation. She stumbled back, cheeks red with embarrassment.

“S-sorry.”

“Since when were you so scared of teleportation magic,” Therion observed Lia closely.

“...Not until recently,” Lia answered.

Therion scratched one of his horns with a similarly white and grainy fingernail. He looked confused, almost worried.

“Well, once you two are done staring at each other, your teacher and classmates are eager to meet you, " the wizard grumbled.

Lia and Therion turned abruptly.

Wait, what the hell is that!? Lia's eyes went wide.

“Ah, there's always a few stragglers, aren't there?" The writhing figure said. “Thank you, Gianche, for always being so resilient in assisting lost students such as these.”

“The pleasure is mine, Miss Sleather.” The wizard bowed gently.

“Judging by the way she just stumbled back out of fright, I think it's safe to assume that this little one just experienced her first taste of teleportation. Oh, I do love it when my students experience something new.”

The top half of the creature towering over Lia was that of a young human woman with frizzy black hair and tanned skin. But the lower half belonged to that of a writhing blue serpent, ever twisting and constricting.

S-snake lady!?

“It would appear that way.”

Just beyond the serpent, thirty or so students, each unique in their own way, stared in her direction.

“Now, unfortunately, you two have missed most of the orientation, but why don't you go ahead and introduce yourselves to the class? Young man, you start.”

Therion stepped forward, leaving Lia in his shadow. He placed a hand to his chest and spoke. “My name is Therion, this is my first year at the academy. Its nice to meet you all.”

“Well done Therion.” The snake lady cheered. “Don't forget to tell everyone your species.”

“Oh, right, sorry.” Therion laughed and then tapped one of his horns with a knuckle. “Im an Oni.”

Murmurs and whispers spread throughout. The wizard could be seen stroking his beard.

“Wonderful, another Oni added to the academy. I think you will find yourself fitting right in.”

Therion stepped back, making room for Lia to come forward.

“Now it's your turn, dear.”

Lia stepped forward, hiding her quivering hands and stiffening her trembling legs.

Im definitely going to die here... She thought, observing the crowd of horrific, Lovecraftian creatures.

“She isn't much of a talker this one, miss Sleather.” The wizard murmured. “If Therion hadn't come along, I would likely still be out there in the forest trying to squeeze a name out of her.”

The crowd of students laughed.

Thanks for the support, you old geezer!

“It's ok, dear, never mind them. Go ahead and tell everyone your name.” Miss Sleather said calmly, noticing Lia's distressed expression.

It is fine. All I have to do is copy exactly what that other guy did.

“My name Is Li-,” Lia quickly stopped herself. “I-I mean, my name Is Itylia.”

The laughter grew among the crowd.

“Had that name for long, miss?” Someone called out, and everyone was in hysterics.

“Quiet!” Miss Sleather hissed. A forked tongue lashed out of her mouth, as did two elongated fangs.

The field quickly became dead silent. Had Lia not been dried to a prune under the blistering sun, she would have wet herself at that sudden outburst.

“What a beautiful name, dear. Very unique. May I ask what species you are to be given a name such as that?” There was a hint of concern and curiosity mixed in Miss Sleather's emerald eyes.

I'm screwed. This is where I die. Right here, in the belly of a snake woman. I mean, seriously, what the hell am I supposed to say to these people!? I can't say that I'm a vampire, and I can't say that I'm a human.

Lia felt her anger boiling up inside of her. Oh, how badly she wanted to pace back and forth or shout curses at Itylia for swapping lives with her on such little notice and zero preparations. But she knew doing so would give her an instant ticket straight to heaven.

Everyone waited in silence.

Sigh. What kind of monster wears a slutty dress and has long hair and a slender body... Oh my god. I know exactly what to tell them.

“Oh... looks like she’s finally about to say something.”

“Make sure you speak nice and clearly, dear, so everyone can hear you.”

Lia drew in a deep breath, puffed out her chest and fought against the embarrassment burning in her cheeks as she screamed out.

“I'm a Succubus girl!”

Miss Sleather's eyes turned wide with surprise.

...

“Eeek! I said it! I can't believe I actually said it! This has got to be one of the worst days of my life!”

Lia was face down on the bed in her private dorm room, screaming into her pillow, kicking both legs faster than an Olympic swimmer.

The room was small, with a high ceiling and no windows, only furnished by a single bed and two small study desks.

Roughly ten hours had passed since her arrival at the academy. Immediately after her own brief introduction, Gianche took students in groups of three for a rushed teleportation tour of the school while Miss Sleather explained plans for future classes as well as the location of each individual's personal dorm room. Lia had no choice but to suffer gruellingly through an extensive lecture beneath the sunlight.

At least I finally get a moment to myself... This whole day has just been too much.

“Pardon me for being nosey. But what exactly are you talking about?”

Lia rolled over and dried the tears from her cheeks. Floating in the air, barely a meter above her, was a young boy with spikey black hair.

Eh?

Bat-like wings jutted out from his back, and a thin black tail curled about his waist. His piercing yellow eyes stared down at her. They were striped like a cat.

“Your words are strange. I'm not sure I understand them.”

“Eiaaaaaaaaa!”

Lia squealed, sat upright and threw her pillow.

“Woah there.” The stranger leisurely floated out of the way. He laughed as if he were looking down at a puppy throwing a tantrum. “Quite a strong one, arnt you?”

“What are you doing in my room!?”

“Why pretend? I wasn't trying to be sneaky when I entered.” The strange boy looked to his left. The door to Lia’s room was wide open, and the corridor light was still on.

“Pretend?”

“You knew I was here this whole time, yet did nothing to stop me.”

“I-I don't know what you're talking about.” She said, puffing out both cheeks as she quickly rolled out of bed and positioned herself at a safer distance. Her body felt terribly weak after being out in the sun for so long.

“Don't look so tense.”

“You broke into my room! Of course, I should be tense, weirdo! Now get out!”

This guy probably just heard me say I was a s-succubus during the introductions, and n-n-now he's looking to get into my bed!

“Didn't you hear?”

Lia watched as the boy maneuvered effortlessly through the air like a fairy until he stood before her.

“Hear what?” Lia hissed, taking another step back.

“This is my room as well. Miss Sleathers orders.”

Do all the men in this world think they just break into my room while I'm feeling vulnerable? A girl needs a break once in a while, you know!

“Sorry to tell you, but these are the female dorms. Whatever Miss Sleather told you must have been a mistake.”

“It's not a mistake.” The boy’s eyes were unwavering. He was taller than her by a whole head with pointy ears and a sharp nose. “I'm also a first-year student like you.”

“What does that have to do with this being the female dorms?”

“Sorry, I almost forgot. You missed out on the rest of our introductions, didn't you?”

“Yeah, so?”

The boy fell into a graceful bow, flaring both his wings and tail like a proud animal. “It's a pleasure to meet you, Itylia. My name is Cyris. I am also a member of the Succubi family.”

Lia's face turned bright red. Y-y-you have got to be joking with me, right?

“Im sorry I didn't introduce myself to you sooner, but I felt like there wasn't an appropriate time during the teleportation tour of the school.”

A trio of young women walked passed in the corridor beyond Lia’s doorway. Two of them blushed with widened eyes while the third, a larger girl with the skin complexion of a reptile pulled them away.

Lia could have sworn she silently apologised before disappearing out of sight.

This is bad. Im beginning to feel lightheaded.

Cyris had yet to rise from his bow; instead, his wings and tail swayed back and forth as if he were showing them off.

“You're right, Itylia; traditionally, the academy divides men and women into separate dorms.”

“So why the sudden change?” Lia whimpered, trying her best to sound unfazed by the whole situation.

“I'm sure you can figure that much out.”

Yes, I'm definitely going to pass out.

Lia stumbled back.

“Originally, I planned on surviving off of the females of other species. I imagine you had a similar plan. But now that we're both here, everything has become so much easier. That is why the academy has made the exception.”

“So what you're saying is...?”

“The academy has deemed it appropriate for us to live together and sustain off of each other. Isn't that wonderful?"

Cyris finally lifted from his bow just in time to see Lia feint. Thus, marking the end of Lia’s first day at the academy.