Chapter 2: The Eldara Academy of the Arcane

Cassian walked for what felt like hours. His feet ached with every step, and his body was covered in scrapes and bruises from pushing through dense foliage. His mind was a whirlwind of emotions—but mostly, the stubborn refusal to accept the bizarre reality he found himself in. If it’s a dream, it’s a long dream. If it’s a coma, I’ve got nothing better to do. If it’s real, then I should probably accept it and do the right thing and be the…hero?

The sounds of the forest, once an eerie silent thing devoid of animal sounds, had grown louder as he moved further from the iron tree that held the not-elf Aria prisoner.

There were crickets chirping and owls hooting. Unseen things scurried. A yelp of pain echoed through the trees; it was a sound that he associated with the death of a hunted animal. If he was the chosen one, he shouldn’t be afraid. Then again, humans were born with an inherent fear of the dark. If it weren’t for the mellow light of the wisp, he’d be curling behind a bush or up in a tree praying all night. But to what god? Maybe that lady on the moon, or to Aria who said she would always be with him in spirit?

Finally, he pushed through the last barrier of trees, and the forest was behind him. The vast, starlit sky stretched out above him, the full moon and its goddess casting a welcome glow.

There was a crystal ridden wooden bridge. Behind it enormous castle-like structures that clashed in design. They were a blend of postmodern simplicity and gothic styles. Sleek modern lines and intricate pointy towers.

One tower shot a beam of brilliant light into the sky. When he looked up and up, there was a ring of floating islands orbiting the beam.

Cassian's awe-inspiring ogling was interrupted when right next to him, he saw that what he’d ignored as a large white boulder—now that it was moving, he didn’t know how he could have missed it—was actually a creature with the body of a lion and the head of an eagle. Cassian had an “oh shit” moment where he regretted how short his adventure had been.

Then he noticed a few things at once. There were straps around the creature’s body connected to a broad saddle. Also, rather than eating him, which would have been easy from this distance, the creature turned its head and nuzzled an unconcerned woman who was coming around from the other side. The creature nuzzled her face, and she pet its beak gently.

“Good girl, Zaza. You found our boy before I did.” Then she looked past Cassian. He turned around and realized the will-o’-the-wisp was still there, hovering and dancing a jig. The woman smiled at it, then waved. “Thanks, Lumi. You can go now.”

The will-o’-the-wisp squeaked cheerfully, then darted back into the forest.

The woman before Cassian was a different kind of beautiful than Aria. Her face was heart shaped, framed by slight curls that spilled down her back just below the shoulders. She was soft, relaxed, and familiar. He got the instinctive impression that she and him could make fast friends given the chance.

Then he noticed her horns; he noticed that under her loose tunic, what he thought were furry pants, were actually her furry legs, ending in hooved feet. She was a faun. Just another reminder he was in a fantasy world.

“Are you just going to stare at me like that?” the faun said, clearly not bothered by his ogling; rather, she was amused. She bit her lip. “Would you like some pants, cowboy? Not that I’m complaining mind you; The little fella just looks a bit…cold.”

Cassian blushed and cupped himself with two hands, in a grossly ineffective effort to regain his modesty. “That would be great, thanks.”

The faun then reached for a small satchel behind her belt—that was much too small to fit anything—and produced loose pants, a cream-colored shirt, and a belt. Finally, sandals.

“How…did you fit all that in there?” he couldn’t help but ask as he gratefully took the garments and started putting them on while she shamelessly watched.

“Magic, of course.”

“Right. Of course. Magic.”

“Welcome to Eldara Academy,” she said when he was finally dressed, gesturing to the campus across the bridge. She offered him her hand to shake. “I’m Professor Lyra Nyx. It’s a pleasure, traveler.”

Cassian took it and squeezed gently. It was cool and supple. Just touching her sent a current through him that left him feeling warm inside. Lyra chuckled, her eyes twinkling with amusement.

Cassian, still trying to process everything, asked: “Are you trying to help Lyra escape the iron tree as well?”

Lyra’s expression shifted slightly, a hint of secrecy in her smile. “It’s something like that. But let’s keep that between us, okay?”

“That’s fine. Just as long as I get to the academy.” There was nothing so important as freeing Aria.

Lyra gave him a knowing look. “Not to worry. You’ll have plenty of time to learn. It is good to have someone else I can count on to correct the imbalance.”

Cassian had a million and one questions, but she was right. There would be time. He suddenly felt a sense of urgency, a feeling that he wouldn’t have forever. That Aria would perish if she wasn’t freed soon—and hadn’t she intimated that his own life was at risk if he failed? He didn’t much feel like a hero, but with every passing moment, he felt the idea growing on him.

“Climb aboard. I’ll give you the abridged tour of our campus.”

She jumped gracefully, and in a single bound, swung her leg over the saddle and was seated on the griffin. Cassian was impressed. Lyra arched an eyebrow. Do you need help, cowboy? The look seemed to say.

Cassian saw the stirrup just under the lion body. He put his foot through the loop and awkwardly jumped, then pulled himself the rest of the way up behind her. It wasn’t pretty, but he’d done it himself.

“Legs behind the wing.” Lyra said, gesturing to his feet. Cassian could see how it might be difficult for the griffin to fly with his legs on the outside. So he followed her example and slid his feet under the wing.

No sooner had he done this that the griffin spread his wings and leapt. Then they were flying.

Cassian felt an exhilarating rush of wind against his face. The campus of Eldara Academy unfolded beneath them, a sprawling tapestry of lights and architectural wonders. They soared over lush gardens that seemed to glow with an inner light, their flora vibrant and otherworldly. A hedge maze twisted and turned in intricate patterns, its paths shifting as if alive, challenging any who dared to enter.

They flew over numerous plazas where students gathered, their laughter and chatter drifting up like music. Training grounds stretched out, filled with students honing their combat skills, magical barriers flashing as spells collided. And once, a wayward spell passed so close that Cassian was sure it would hit them, but the griffin banked hard and easily avoided it.

She pulled his arms tightly around him, pressing their bodies more tightly together. Before he had fully grasped why she might do that, they dove.

Cassian felt a rush of adrenaline. He thought it might make more sense if he was terrified, but, instead, he found it exhilarating. He whooped, and had the sudden urge to raise his hands up in the air like he was riding a roller coaster. But there were no bars to keep him from falling off this coaster, so he kept his arms tightly secured around Lyra’s supple, yet firm waist.

The buildings of the academy were a marvel in themselves, their stonework intricate and many designs seemed to defy gravity. Cassian marveled at the sheer variety and the apparent randomness of their placement, yet everything seemed to fit together harmoniously.

As they circled the campus, Cassian noticed the space itself seemed to bend and stretch. There was far more space on the inside that was plausible from what he had seen outside the campus grounds. His eyes blurred, as if the reality of what he saw was in a constant state of flux.

"How can all of this fit into the space within the castle?" he wondered aloud, his voice barely audible over the wind.

This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

Lyra's laughter was warm against his back. "Magic," she said once more, shouting over her shoulder, voice full of amusement. The experience was both wondrous and surreal.

This place could give Hogwarts a run for its money.

Then they landed near what looked like stables, except that instead of horses, through the low partitions, he could see there were other griffins, a large lizard-like creature, and some kind of small elephant with fur. A wooly mammoth perhaps? Suddenly, it occurred to him that it was interesting that the mythical creatures of Earth were present here in Sonaris. Were the two worlds somehow connected? It was a mystery for another time.

Lyra tracked down a young man coming out of the stables. He looked tired, perhaps from a long day of work. She waved him over. “You there! Take this griffin inside and make sure she’s unsaddled, fed and watered, and given a rub down.”

The poor student looked around awkwardly, with a face that said he hoped she wasn’t talking to him. Then, resigned, he took the griffin by the reins. Then spent a goodish amount of time trying to figure out how to get it to move. Cassian swore he saw the griffin roll its eyes then just steered itself on its own with the student jogging beside it.

Cassian followed Lyra as they crossed campus. There was magic everywhere.

Students practiced levitation spells, on books and each other. Another group juggled glowing orbs of light. And countless other magical things that seemed ordinary to everyone else. “There are a lot of people up late. It must be past midnight or something.”

“Yes,” Lyra replied. “Some students stay diligently practicing all through the night, forgoing food and sleep. Mostly that’s the Lunars. We love the night and…doing things under the moonlight.” Cassian got the feeling that her emphasis on the word things had a deeper meaning. “We have a committee that keeps track of our students’ health lest they deteriorate from lack of food and rest.”

After a while, Cassian started to get a headache looking at all the magic stuff. So at some point he just started to walk with his head down. Lyra must have noticed, because their tour ended and they started heading to where she said he’d be staying.

While crossing a hall full of paintings that seemed to follow you with their eyes, they were interrupted by a tall, stern-looking man with a piercing gaze strutting down the hall in a way that conveyed that he knew he was a god among mortals. The man was tall and well built, with a tightly cropped orange beard. Presumably, he felt his permanent scowl gave him an air of authority.

“Professor Nyx, who is this and why is he not registered in our records?” The scowling man asked.

So this guy remembers every student such that one look and he knows I don’t belong? Intense.

“Good evening, Professor Thorne. This is Cassian, a special admissions student. His arrival was... unplanned, but necessary,” Lyra replied, her tone exasperated as if he was someone she dealt with often, and already knew how to handle.

Thorne's eyes narrowed. “I’ve heard no word of a special admission? As senior vice head of the evaluations committee, I should have been informed. Is he being sponsored or are you resorting to picking up strays off the street.”

Stray? Great, just what I need, Cassian thought. The typical nemesis professor.

“I will sponsor him myself. I have all the authority I need to bring in this student, Alaric. I haven’t sponsored a student for many years, so I expect it won’t be an issue. On a side note, he is none of your business,” Lyra said.

Professor Alaric Thorne crossed his arms. “I should report this to the council. I can make a case that you have overstepped. It is the middle of the term.”

Lyra’s demeanor shifted to icy professionalism. “Thorne, you know as well as I do that sometimes the rules need bending. But this isn’t that. Cassian has potential and needs to be placed. I can feel it. He belongs here.”

The surly man suddenly took Cassian by the forearm and pulled it close, his grip a vice, his fingers hot coal against his searing flesh. Cassian felt as if a powerful current was combing through him searching for a stain to blot out his…

Professor Lyra stepped between them and the strange connection was severed. Cassian was left reeling. He wanted to vomit. But out of spite to the asshole whose first act upon meeting was to call him a stray, he wouldn’t give him the pleasure. So he swallowed his bile and stood tall, despite the floor looking pretty good right now.

Lyra raised a finger at Thorne. “What have you done? He gave no consent for what you just did.” Then she turned to Cassian and put a soothing hand on his back. The nausea and discomfort passed as something else swept through him, similar to what Thorne had done, but much more gentle and nurturing. She gave the surly man a scathing glare. “Are you satisfied?”

Thorne feigned annoyance, and waved a hand dismissively in Cassian’s direction. Whatever he hadn’t done much to change his mind, but Lara’s mention of consent had clearly felt like a slap in the face to him.

Then his expression changed suddenly, a sly look crossing the man’s face. “You know…Perhaps I could be persuaded to overlook this situation. If I could get a private session with you under the moonlight some time I’m the near future. It would go a long way to convincing me of your sincerity.”

Lyra sighed, her eyes narrowing not in anger but in exasperation. “Alaric, we’ve talked about this. My body isn’t something to bargain with,” she said, her tone firm but not harsh. “You know, if you want to ask me out, just do it properly. These little games of yours are tiresome.”

Thorne's face paled, obviously not the response he had hoped for. He quickly backpedaled. “Of course. I misspoke. Let us not speak of this again.”

He turned to walk away, then looked over his shoulder at Cassian like a proper villain getting in the last word. “I expect you won’t make trouble. This is a prestigious institute of learning. Understood?” This last bit he said pointing at Cassian. When he stormed away, Cassian imagined the man in a vampire cape and found it fitting.

The faun sighed exasperatedly and gestured in Thorne’s direction. “Professor Thorne is a respected higher faculty in this institution. Despite his…flaws, he has redeeming qualities. Nonetheless, it would be best to avoid interacting with him until you’ve established a good reputation.”

“Yeah, whatever.” Cassian growled.

“Wonderful. I’m sure you and him will eventually get on like honey and tea.”

“Doubtful Professor. In my world, what he did would have been considered sexual harassment and gotten him sued—or at the very least, fired.”

Lyra’s expression softened. “Alaric can be intense, and his methods are often…awkward. He has his redeeming qualities. He just doesn’t know how to express his feelings appropriately. That, and despite his intelligence, he doesn’t know how to read the signs. His overtures are flattering in a way, but there’s a right and a wrong way of going about this sort of thing.”

Cassian shook his head, not really sure what to make of that. She sounded like she was fond of him.

Lyra led Cassian through the campus to her private quarters—though he didn’t know that at first.

They walked past various buildings and magical gardens, each more enchanting than the last. Cassian noticed that the closer they got to their destination, the more nature seemed to intertwine with the architecture. Vines and flowers grew along walls, and small creatures scurried about, adding to the sense of being in a living, breathing ecosystem.

Finally they arrived at a building that looked like it was part of a forest itself, with trees growing through it and around it, with natural light filtering on the inside through gaps in the foliage.

The first floor looked like what he imagined a herbalists workshop would be. The second floor, accessed via a secret door in a tree of all things, took them through vines and stairs until they reached a loft that spanned the length of the building.

The interior was spacious with an entire wall open to the night sky, where the moonlight spilled in beautifully. There were multiple places to lie down, including a large, luxurious bed covered in soft furs and a hammock strung up near the open wall. The furnishings were a blend of natural elements and luxurious comforts—wooden furniture with intricate carvings, shelves filled with magical artifacts and books, and lush plants that seemed to glow faintly in the moonlight.

“Welcome to my abode,” the faun said, gesturing grandly at the somewhat chaotic space. There were cushions everywhere, as if the whole place was really only meant for loads of people to just lie down.

“I kind of thought you were going to take me to a dorm room or something. Some place for me to sleep.”

“Oh, don’t worry. You’ll sleep here tonight. Tomorrow we’ll get you some better fitting clothes and school supplies.”

Cassian ‘s breath caught. “Are you sure it’s proper for a student to be staying with a professor?”

“Proper? Hmmm. I’m a bit hurt. Are you saying you don’t like me? I hear there’d be a line out the door of students dying to take your place if they knew.” Her eyes twinkled with mischief. “I’m sorry, Cassian, but there are no dorms available for students registering in the middle of the school year. At the very least, for tonight, there’s here or a bench outside.”

He took another look around. There were no walls here. Just curtains to make split up sections of the room. No privacy.

Sighing, feeling the weight of all the impossible things he had witnessed in just a few hours, longing for a life and a past he could barely remember, he collapsed on one of the prolific couches. “End me now. My head is killing me.”

Lyra snapped her fingers. “You sound like you're in pain. Let me get you some tea.”

After a few minutes of her fumbling around in the area of the abode that looked most like a kitchen, she fixed and poured him a cup of tea. Cassian drank, feeling the soothing effects almost instantly.

“It’s good,” he said, the icepick in his head subdued. And a new, pleasant tingling warmth spread from his belly and down somewhere lower.

Lyra must have seen him shifting uncomfortably, because she explained:“That tea is made with a particular type of magic leaf and ginseng. It soothes headaches and also raises one’s libido,” she said.

“Excuse me?” he said, nearly spitting out all his tea.

She bit her lip and asked, “If it gets hard to bear, perhaps I can help you with that?”

Cassian, startled, asked, “Are you offering what I think you are?”

Lyra sighed. “Thanks to the errand I had to run tonight for Aria, I haven’t gotten the chance to perform my nightly ritual.”

Her face and entire upper body are quite beautiful, even if the horns and the furry legs are something…different.

“Thanks, but I’m a bit tired. Maybe next time.” It wasn’t a lie. He really was tired. It wasn’t a lie. Some time might help him adjust and make up his mind if it was a good idea or not to get involved with his professor.

“Is everyone in this world as…free…as you, or is that a moon faun thing?”

Lyra’s voice tinkled like the sweet melody of bells. “Certainly not the Sunnites. But for those of us who revere the moon goddess—we’re called Lunars—sex and pleasure are blessed gifts. Why be ashamed or shy about one’s desires? That said, perhaps I was a bit too forward with you. If I made you uncomfortable, I apologize.”

Lyra showed him to a comfortable bed in the open loft-like space and let him make himself comfortable. She certainly had no issues making herself comfortable, when she stripped and threw herself naked atop the bedding most illuminated by moonlight. He only got a partial view. And yet the pale perfect skin he saw certainly didn’t help him…tone down the rising libido that tea had inspired.