The clock ticked away, its steady rhythm echoing through the laboratories of the Britannia School of Thaumaturgy. The third-year students fidgeted in their seats, eagerly awaiting the arrival of their new instructor. Sophie, a young girl with fiery red hair, sat at a desk with a book clutched tightly in her hands. The weight of its black heavy cover pressed against her palms, as if holding within it the secrets of a forbidden world.
"Hey, Sophie, what's that book about?" one of her classmates asked, curiosity gleaming in her eyes.
Sophie's eyes sparkled with excitement as she opened the book, titled "Famous Arlos and Janas, Volume 25." The pages were yellowed with age, filled with stories of heroes and villains, of triumph and tragedy.
"I want to check about the Witch of the Fairies," Sophie replied, flipping through the pages in search of the entry. "Habondia Xana."
Sophie's classmates gathered around her, their eyes wide with anticipation. They were about to embark on a journey into the dark past of their new teacher, a woman whom they knew nothing about.
"Habondia Xana was born on November 22nd, 1864, in the town of Castletown in the Isle of Man," Sophie read. "She was then adopted by a group of Anglican monks and brought to Cornwall, England."
The image of a young girl, innocent and full of life, appeared on the next page. They could almost hear the laughter that once emanated from her lips as she played in the fields.
"At the age of five, she was accepted into the prestigious Britannia School of Thaumaturgy," Sophie continued. "She quickly became the most brilliant student in the institution's history, with a record-breaking score of 100 points in all academic subjects, except 99 in Natural Studies and 98 in Mathematics."
The students exchanged glances, impressed by Habondia’s intelligence and dedication. Sophie imagined her sitting in the very classrooms they now occupied, her mind ablaze with knowledge and ambition.
"But her path was not one of pure light," Sophie whispered, her voice tinged with a mixture of excitement and apprehension. "She became the first and only Dark Horse to have studied at the Britannia School."
A hush fell over the room as the students absorbed this revelation. Dark Horses was how many people called Evil Arlos and Janas. Dark Horses were feared and loathed, their names spoken in whispers, their wicked deeds etched into the annals of history.
Sophie turned the page, revealing a photograph of a twelve-year-old Habondia. Her eyes, filled with grief, seemed to pierce through the veil of time as if connecting with the young students.
"At the age of twelve, she committed her first documented criminal act," Sophie read, her voice trembling with intensity. "She cast a curse on a classmate who had expressed his love for her. The curse, named Aquaria, caused the victim to suffocate with a water bubble around his head. It was only through the intervention of a professor that the boy's life was spared."
The students gasped in horror, their minds reeling with the revelation. Sophie could almost hear the muffled cries for help, the desperate struggle for breath.
Holding her breath, Sophie turned the page, and the image transformed into that of a fifteen-year-old Habondia, dressed in a flowing white dress. Her face was etched with determination, her eyes burning with an unquenchable fire.
"A turning point came when she was involved in the murder of her classmate Jonna D'Arc, and Shirley Rough, the Professor of Human Studies," Sophie continued, her voice filled with dread. "It was rumored that Jonna D'Arc was the only person Habondia considered a friend. Her death unleashed a rage within Habondia that led her to murder Shirley with the very curse she had used against her friend. Alea Iacta Est."
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“Alea Iacta Est?” a boy asked. “Wouldn’t that land you in jail for like forever?”
Sophie didn’t know what to say. A shiver ran down her spine as she imagined the bloodshed and chaos that ensued. She could almost hear the screams, the clash of magic, and the sorrow that consumed their once brilliant teacher.
"Expulsion followed, but the high-ranking officials of the institution covered up her actions out of fear of damaging the school's reputation," Sophie whispered, her voice barely audible. "For two years, her whereabouts remained unknown, until she resurfaced with a vengeance."
Another picture of a young adult Habondia with long black hair and piercing green eyes came on the next page. Habondia stood tall, wearing a white dress that seemed to radiate both purity and darkness. Her gaze held a mix of sorrow as if she carried the weight of the world upon her shoulders.
"She murdered the School's Headmaster, Thomas Griffin, using a curse of her own invention called Aestus, although there’s evidence that may suggest otherwise. The case has never been completely proven," Sophie continued, her voice filled with a sense of awe. "She was also responsible for the theft of an ancient relic that belonged to him, an act that catapulted her into the spotlight and earned her worldwide infamy."
The students exchanged nervous glances, their minds struggling to comprehend the magnitude of Habondia’s deeds.
"Three years later, she launched a series of devastating attacks against the Germanic School of Thaumaturgy," Sophie concluded, her voice filled with sorrow. "The battle was bloody and chaotic, resulting in the deaths of over three hundred people, including one many innocent students."
The room fell into an eerie silence as the weight of their new instructor’s actions settled upon their young hearts.
Sophie stared at a photo of Habondia, her heart pounding with a mixture of fear and curiosity. From what she remembered happening at the dining hall, Habondia, the new instructor, had a presence that commanded attention. But it wasn't just her reputation that sent shivers down Sophie's spine; it was the dark aura that seemed to surround her, like an invisible cloak of shadows.
As the other students whispered among themselves, a dark-haired boy spoke up. "My God, and that's our... new teacher? Since the age of twelve, she's been killing people."
"I don’t deny what I did, but that book tends to exaggerate quite a bit," Habondia interrupted, her voice calm and collected. She struggled to maintain her balance, carrying several books and jars of dark glass as she entered the classroom.
Sophie closed the book in her hands, her fingers trembling. The bell rang, signaling the beginning of class, and the students returned to their seats, leaving her alone with the book in the middle of the classroom.
Habondia approached her desk, a small smile playing on her lips. "You saved me some time. I was planning to tell you about myself," she said, showing that she carried a copy of the book Sophie held. “I’m a reformed wrongdoer, don’t worry. I have signed a spellbinding contract with the Headmaster that will kill me if I break my vow.”
Curiosity burned within Sophie, and she couldn't help but ask, "Why is your title The Witch of Fairies?"
Sophie noticed that her instructor’s eyes seemed to sparkle. "The thaumaturgy of the fairies is an art of nature. For that reason, I was assigned to this subject. The thaumaturgy of the fairies is nothing like humans. On one occasion, at the age of five, I escaped and lost myself in the woods. I was rescued by a fairy of light, who offered me her powers."
Sophie's eyes widened in wonder. "And why did she do that?"
"The fairy was dying," Habondia explained, her voice tinged with sorrow. "Her last will was to give me her powers. She told me that the thaumaturgy of fairies is used for healing and not harming others. But I was the one who misused it and hurt many people. To achieve a stupid goal, but I have already paid my sentence."
The students listened intently, their fear slowly transforming into curiosity. Another girl spoke up, her voice filled with empathy. "What was that goal?"
"To be recognized as the most powerful Jana of all times and to be feared by everyone," Habondia said, her expression pained as she relived the memories of her past. “Pretty cliché, right?”
Sophie couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy for her new teacher. The weight of her past deeds was heavy, and the scars she carried were not just physical, but emotional as well. She could see it in the way Habondia carried herself, in the weariness etched into her features. Sophie couldn't help but wonder how someone so deeply entangled in darkness could find redemption. But as she looked into Habondia's eyes, she saw a flicker of hope, a glimmer of light amidst the shadows.
And in that moment, Sophie made a silent vow to herself. She would learn from her without prejudice.