For a moment, nothing happened as I put on the black disc. I could barely feel the band around my eyes. Then it was like my senses went on overdrive until they numbed out. Then, strangely, I could see something with my eyes closed. Unbelievable. It was like being in a dream, but I had total control. At first, it was just a blur of light blue in front of me. As my mind started to focus, the blur began to take shape. Suddenly, I found myself sitting in a huge hallway, kind of like a cathedral. Students in different colored robes, probably mage robes, were clustered by the windows. And I was just sitting on a bench.

"Hey," Daphne said to my left, but she was still wearing her gray cloak.

I spun towards her, breathing in and out as if I just ran a mile.

"It's okay. We are just in my memory, that's all. Bran and Edna are on watch for us back on the boat. This will only take a second, and we'll be right back. I just wanted to show you what Zita is like when she's unhappy. Come on, let's take a look," Daphne said, lifting herself off of the bench and reaching her hand out to me.

I grasped her hand and felt my heart pedaling with a rush of blood in my chest. She guided me over to the clump of two dozen students that were discreetly stealing glances through the window, but then I saw a clone of Daphne, just looking a year younger with neon purple hair running off to the side, whipping around a corner (she was also wearing a gray cloak, she had to have changed the memory slightly). We tailed the Daphne clone until we approached a closer window where no students were watching.

We could see a vast rectangle of the Loxton grounds with a forest behind it. In the center of the grass stood Leon and Zita in violet-colored robes. They stood before a nine-foot-high troll, which was completely stiff. It was in the middle of picking its ear while its tongue dangled.

"Zita froze the troll," Daphne said. "I was standing right here when it happened on a beautiful Saturday just this past April. The sun was out, birds were flying around, and students were excited to spend the day outside and enjoy the weather. Then… this," Daphne silenced herself by putting her finger up to her mouth and checking to make sure I was paying attention.

"Leon, is this your work?" Zita asked.

Leon's whole body jittered anxiously. "Yes."

"This is quite an impressive prank, but it is illegal. And you know who does something like this?" Zita shifted her eyebrow up, her forehead lined with wrinkles.

Leon twitched his head from side to side. His eyes were anchored to the ground.

"Look at me," Zita said coldly, hoarsely.

Leon weaseled his head up to meet Zita's scowl.

"Answer me. Do you know who does something like this?"

"I-I-I'm n-not s-s-sure wh-wh-who?"

"Evil mages."

His head sank back down, and his whole body trembled.

"And I have no tolerance for evil mages." In one fluid motion resembling a lynx, Zita pivoted to face the troll, lurched her hand forward, and a stream of purple fire erupted from the tips of her fingers. The flames devoured the troll. The land within Zita's circumference fell into dark shadows but only for the length of a lightning strike.

It was as if the troll was never there.

Zita returned to her normal stance, but it happened so fast that I didn't even see her move after casting the spell.

Leon's tears coated his face, and he shivered. "I'm r-r-really sor-r-y."

"Other principals would have you expelled at the snap of the finger. But I believe that second chances are important for a child. That way, they learn." She paused in between his whimpers. "Leon, when you become a great mage, I hope you remember this moment and you cherish the fact that I gave you another opportunity. But should you slip up or misbehave, even at the most minor level, you will be expelled. From now on, I suggest you practice your arcane magic and your elemental spells. Look at me."

He craned his neck upwards to see the fire brewing in Zita's pupils. "Promise me you won't engage in such behavior again."

"I-I-I p-promise," he forced through anguished tears.

"Without a stutter."

"I promise."

"Louder."

"I promise!"

"Believe it. Louder."

This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

"I PROMISE!"

"Repeat the following in front of all your classmates even though I specifically told them to return to their dorms." Zita shot her eye in Daphne's direction, then glared to the side where all the other students huddled. "Repeat the following: from now on, I will be a mage of good intention and will never engage with summoning again."

"From now on, I will be a mage of good intention and will never engage with summoning again!"

"Thank you, Leon, for your promise. Now go back to your common room." she pointed.

Leon moped away, wiping his eyes furiously.

"Well, that about wraps up the memory," Daphne said.

The walls of Loxton faded until there was nothing but a light blue blob that faded to black. It was like waking up from a dream, except my eyes were still covered by the headband. I removed it, and I was back in the cozy boat cabin riding in the night with two friendly faces greeting me with a smile.

"Wow, we're back, just like that?" I said.

"Well, was Zita mad? What's the verdict?" Bran asked.

"Are you kidding? Yeah, she was mad. She was pissed," I said, and the three of them cracked up, but I didn't. "Seriously, that woman is horrifying."

"Don't let that memory form your judgment on Zita. That's literally the only time we've ever seen her like that. She's a sweetheart," Edna said.

"One might argue that she's too much of a sweetheart. She let Leon continue to stay at Loxton. Leon is dangerous!" Bran said.

"I would argue that she made the right move in letting him stay. If Leon was expelled from Loxton, it probably would have brought him down a worse path where all he did was illegal stuff, and then it might be him who is robbing a bank next…probably." Daphne shrugged.

"Hopefully, he's reformed," I said.

"Hopefully," Bran and Edna echoed at the same time.

"You all know about the bank robbery that happened in Hartsera?" I asked.

"Yeah, it was all over the islands. Everyone knows about it. I still can't believe they never found the perpetrator," Daphne said.

"Maybe it was Leon," Bran grumbled.

Edna slapped Bran's knee. "Don't go around spreading rumors like that."

The boat slowed down to a gentle cruise.

"Oh, that's right, We're almost there. They made the announcement while you guys were still in the memory ring thingy," Edna said.

"I'm still not sure where I should go," I said. "Do I go with the first years? Or should I just walk in with you all? It sounds like they have a different process for the first years. I'd much rather—"

"Nicola is usually around as soon as the boat docks, and she takes the first years through the wonderful garden path of Loxton. You should ask her what to do. She's a super tall lady with a real heart of gold. You can't miss her. She's the head counselor," Daphne said.

"We'll even wait up for you until you know where you're going." Edna smiled.

The boat drifted at a snail's pace before bobbing to a stop.

"We're here!" Bran said, and the aisles of the boat cabin filled with people shoving their way to the door.

"Let's get out while we can!" Edna said, and I followed their lead as we cleared out from our cubby. We got swept up in the crowd, spilling onto the deck shrouded in twilight's shadow. Dusky and hazy, the dock was brought to life by the soft glow of yellow lanterns. The boardwalk was a beehive, swarming with people, and diverging into three different paths. Couldn't spot the tall lady they were yapping about, and the buzz of excited chatter was like static in my ears. Too much. I needed a breather, so I sidestepped from the chaos.

"Rollllliiieeeeee," I heard a slithery whisper behind me. It was loud, I spun around to try and see who said it, but it was coming from— "Come in the forest Rollieee, it's the way to Loxton."

I unconsciously turned towards a horizon of trees, entirely blackened from the night. A plume of purple smoke spiraled up from the forest, glowing as I heard the voice again. "This is the path for you. Here. In the forest, Rollllliiiieeeeeee."

Behind me, I heard Bran, Edna, and Daphne echoing for my name in the distance, but I kept moving forward. I had no control over my legs or my muscles, it was like my body was under someone else's command. Something about it was so hypnotizing. I couldn't even scream for Bran, Edna, or Daphne.

A wicked voice responded in my head. "You'll like the forest, Rolllliiiieeeeee—"

"Rollie, that's not the way to Loxton. Join up with Nicola. She'll take you there," a young woman said with a cloth over her face but dressed in a tight suit. It reminded me of a ninja, and she emerged from the shadows, pointing in the opposite direction of where I was heading.

I looked where she pointed and saw a notably tall woman gathering a group of young students into lines. She had large, bushy dark hair and seemed to be escorting them forward through an arched, black gate.

"Okay," I said, pivoting on my heel and scratching my head as I started moving. Picked up the pace to a jog, but then it hit me that I didn't thank her. Spinning back around to say my piece, I started, "Thank—" but the space where she stood was empty. Just like that, she was gone. A cold shiver worked its way up my spine. What just happened? Staring into the pitch-black path that melted into the dense woods, I felt a shiver shimmy through me.

Dashing back to the other end of the dock, a handful of students were still making their way. They were heading toward a small train station on an opposite path from the one I was on. I heard Bran, Edna, and Daphne calling out my name even as the three of them were spread out on the boardwalk.

"Hey! I'm right here. Sorry about that," I said. The three of them circled around me.

"Hey, what happened? Where did you go?" Daphne asked.

"I'm not really sure. I guess I got lost there for a minute."

"We were looking all over for you, and we talked to Nicola. She said you were supposed to come with her and the other first years. They already started walking, but I can show you where they went," Daphne said, leading me down a narrow and dark path through the main gate. It was crowded with perfectly trimmed bushes. "Just run up ahead. I see the end of the line. Nicola said she'd go slow for you. She's a really great person."

"Okay." I nodded.

"Okay, good luck! I'm so jealous, I wish I could experience the first-year orientation again. The walk up to Loxton is unforgettable. Especially since you've never seen the school before, right?" Daphne said.

"Right. I don't know anything about the school."

Daphne smiled, and my heart skipped a beat. "You'll love it, I promise!"

I waved goodbye and picked up my pace to the back of the line. I wish I had a non-descript cloak on like everyone else, but there I was with my denim jacket and bright red mohawk. Jogging along the trail, I approached a group of smaller students. Nicola stood at the other end carrying a massive lantern with a black metal design and a yellowed glow from the frosted glass.