Tobias blinked against the soft light streaming through the window, the warmth wrapping around him like a comforting blanket. He squinted, trying to make sense of his surroundings. The room was bright and inviting, the scent of fresh linen filling the air. Gone were the echoes of chaos and pain, replaced by a peaceful quiet that made him question whether the previous night had been nothing more than a bad dream.
He shifted slightly in bed, feeling the softness of the mattress beneath him. His heart raced as he recalled the serpent-man and the battle that had ensued. Panic surged through him as he checked his body for injuries, expecting the familiar throbbing pain of bruised ribs or aching muscles. But there was nothing. No pain, no discomfort—only the reassuring feeling of being whole.
“Am I… dreaming?” Tobias murmured to himself, rubbing his eyes in disbelief. The memories of the confrontation felt surreal, as if they belonged to someone else. He pushed the sheets aside and swung his legs over the side of the bed, the cool wooden floor grounding him as he tried to process the bizarre transition from terror to tranquility.
He looked around the room, still expecting to see the remnants of a nightmare lurking in the shadows. But instead, the walls were adorned with cheerful colors, and sunlight danced across the surfaces, filling him with an unexpected sense of hope.
As he stood, a soft rustling sound caught his attention. His heart skipped a beat when he turned to find Elara sitting on the edge of the bed, her blue hair catching the light like ice reflecting the sun. She looked at him with wide eyes, a mix of relief and concern etched across her features.
“Elara?” Tobias gasped, disbelief flooding through him. “You’re here?”
She nodded, her expression softening. “You scared me. I thought you might not wake up.”
“What happened?” Tobias asked, still grappling with the warmth of the room and the reality of her presence. “I thought we were… I thought we were done for.”
Elara bit her lip, her gaze drifting to the floor. “We were. But Mother came. She… she saved us.”
A wave of confusion washed over him. “I don’t understand. What do you mean?”
Before she could answer, Felix’s voice cut through the air, muffled from the other side of the room. “Hey, you two! Are you awake? I thought I heard voices!”
Tobias felt a rush of relief at the sound of Felix’s familiar tone. “Felix!” he called, springing to his feet. He hurried to the door, pulling it open to reveal Felix standing just outside, still in his pajama bottoms, was tousled and his red eyes bright.
“Did we really survive that?” Felix asked, disbelief etched across his features as he stepped inside. “I thought I was dreaming the whole time!”
Tobias exchanged a glance with Elara, a shared sense of wonder sparking between them. “So it wasn’t just me?” Tobias asked, his heart lifting.
Felix shook his head, a grin spreading across his face. “No way! I remember everything! The serpent-man, the fight… and then Ms.Larkin—”
“She took care of him,” Elara interrupted, her voice steady despite the tremors of fear that lingered just beneath the surface. “She stopped him for good.”
Tobias felt a strange mix of relief and curiosity. “How?” he pressed, wanting to know more. “What happened after…?”
“She used her magic,” Felix explained, stepping further into the room, his enthusiasm bubbling over. “I think she… well, she destroyed him.”
“Destroyed him?” Tobias echoed, the weight of those words settling heavily in the air. He felt a flicker of something within him—a mixture of dread and gratitude for Ms. Larkin’s power. “Is that why we’re all okay?”
Elara nodded. “She saved us, but I think there’s more we need to understand about what just happened. About us, and why that serpent-man was in this place. Not only that, he knew Mother’s name”
Felix furrowed his brow. “Huh? He knows Ms.Larkin?”
Elara didn’t respond, her eyes distant as if searching for answers that lingered just beyond her reach. Before Tobias could press further, a thought struck him. “Where is she now?”
The three exchanged glances, and without another word, they hurried out of the room, their footsteps echoing down the quiet hallways. The tension from the battle still weighed heavily on them, and the unanswered questions gnawed at the back of their minds.
As they stepped outside, the warmth of the midday sun hit their faces. Tobias squinted at the brightness and blinked, his heart racing as they spotted Ms. Larkin. She was in the garden, watering her flowers with a serene smile on her face, humming a soft tune to herself. Around her, children laughed and played, their joyful voices filling the air as if nothing out of the ordinary had occurred.
Tobias, Felix, and Elara all slowed their pace, taken aback by the stark contrast between the peaceful scene in front of them and the chaos they had faced just hours ago. It was as though the battle with the serpent-man had been erased from reality, and Ms. Larkin’s carefree demeanor only deepened the confusion swirling in their minds.
“Is she… just pretending none of that happened?” Felix whispered, his voice barely audible.
Elara’s expression hardened with a mix of concern and disbelief. “Mother…” she began softly, but before she could say more, Ms. Larkin turned around, her smile bright and genuine as she greeted them.
“Ah, I see you all are in good health,” she said, her voice light and welcoming, as though she had been expecting them. She set down her watering can and brushed her hands together, her cheerful tone adding to the surreal nature of the moment.
Elara stepped forward, her mouth opening to speak, “Mother… what hap—”
But Ms. Larkin gently raised her hand, cutting Elara off mid-sentence. “You children have been through a lot,” she said, her smile never wavering. “Come, you need food. You’ve been out cold for a while, and I’m sure you’re all starving.”
Tobias blinked, the abruptness of the transition from their questions to the mention of food leaving him speechless. It was as if Ms. Larkin wasn’t going to entertain any talk of the events they had just survived.
She glanced at a nearby clock. “It’s now 11:30 a.m., so you missed breakfast. But it’s almost lunchtime, so I’ll prepare an early meal for you all.”
Elara looked like she wanted to say something, to question her mother further, but Tobias caught the hesitation in her eyes. There was something about Ms. Larkin’s unwavering composure that made it difficult to push for answers right now. Maybe the food would help them clear their heads—and perhaps Ms. Larkin would explain more in time.
The three of them nodded, following Ms. Larkin back toward the house, their minds still buzzing with unanswered questions. Tobias glanced at Elara, who seemed deep in thought, and then at Felix, whose usual energy was subdued. Whatever Ms. Larkin had done, it had left them alive, but there was no doubt in Tobias’s mind that they hadn’t seen the last of whatever danger was out there.
As they made their way inside, the playful laughter of the children outside faded, replaced by the soft clinking of dishes as Ms. Larkin moved about in the kitchen. Tobias couldn’t help but wonder if this was all a facade—if the calm they were experiencing now was just the eye of the storm.
Ms. Larkin stood by the stove, the soft sizzle of frozen bologna meeting the heat filling the otherwise quiet kitchen. The aroma of the frying meat began to blend with the gentle tune she was humming, a cheerful melody that felt oddly out of place given the recent events. Her movements were calm and unhurried as she prepared sandwiches, completely at ease as if nothing had happened at all.
At the table, Tobias, Felix, and Elara sat in silence, exchanging glances. The peaceful domestic scene was starkly different from the chaos of the night before. Each of them waited, the weight of unspoken questions lingering in the air like a heavy cloud.
Tobias tapped his fingers lightly against the table, his gaze shifting between the others. Felix leaned back in his chair, his red eyes narrowed slightly in thought, while Elara sat with her hands clasped tightly in her lap, her blue hair falling across her face in soft waves.
The sound of Ms. Larkin’s humming was the only thing breaking the silence. Every so often, Tobias caught Elara’s eye, both of them silently urging the other to speak up. But none of them could find the right words. How could they, when Ms. Larkin seemed so utterly unconcerned?
Finally, Ms. Larkin turned around, balancing three plates in her hands. She placed the sandwiches down in front of each of them with a bright, almost motherly smile. "There you go, dears," she said, her voice warm and filled with affection. "Eat up. You’ve been out cold for quite some time."
They stared down at their plates, the sandwiches seeming almost absurd given the gravity of what had transpired. But none of them moved to eat just yet. The tension remained thick in the room.
Tobias cleared his throat, glancing over at Elara before turning his attention back to Ms. Larkin. "Um, Ms. Larkin…" he began, his voice cautious.
Elara straightened slightly, ready to ask what they all wanted to know. "Mother…" she started, her voice steady but filled with curiosity. "What happened last night? Who was that—"
Ms. Larkin held up a hand, cutting her off gently but firmly, her smile never faltering. "Now, now, children. You’ve been through a lot," she said, her tone soothing yet final. "Eat first. We’ll talk after you’ve had some food. You need to regain your strength."
Felix raised an eyebrow but didn’t press the issue. He picked up his sandwich reluctantly, clearly frustrated, but took a bite nonetheless. Tobias and Elara exchanged another glance before following suit, though the unanswered questions continued to swirl in their minds.
Ms. Larkin returned to the stove, humming once again, her demeanor as serene as ever. The three friends, however, couldn’t shake the feeling that beneath her calm exterior, there was something more—something she wasn’t telling them. They ate in silence, their minds still buzzing with questions they hoped she’d soon answer.
The day passed by in a slow, surreal haze. They spent most of it lounging around the house, still too drained from the previous night to do much of anything. Ms. Larkin went about her day as if it were any other—watering the garden, tending to the laundry, and preparing meals with the same cheerful energy.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting a warm glow over the house, dinner was served. The smell of stewed chicken, rice, and beans filled the air, pulling Tobias, Elara, and Felix from their thoughts. They gathered around the table once more, the savory flavors quickly working to ease their troubled minds.
The food was delicious—rich and hearty, with just the right amount of spice. For a fleeting moment, the taste of the meal made them forget about the serpent man, the underground prison, and the unanswered questions swirling in their minds. They laughed softly at Felix's jokes, feeling a strange sense of normalcy settle over them.
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But it didn’t last long.
As they finished their plates, Ms. Larkin stood up, her usual bright smile on her face. "Goodnight, my children," she said, her voice warm and sweet. "Please remember to brush your teeth and head to bed."
Her words, spoken with such chirpiness, sent a chill down Elara’s spine. It was the same line she always said, the same cheery tone. But this time, it felt hollow—forced. Something wasn’t right, and Elara was done waiting.
"Mother..." Elara started, her voice thick with impatience, but before she could finish, Tobias cut her off, placing a gentle hand on her arm.
"Wait," Tobias whispered, his eyes narrowing slightly. "I think I know what’s going on."
Elara blinked, her frustration simmering beneath the surface. "What do you mean?"
"She’s never this chirpy. Not after something like that," Tobias said quietly, glancing at Ms. Larkin, who was humming softly to herself as she cleared the table. "She’s hiding something. It’s like she’s trying to distract us."
Felix leaned forward, his expression serious. "You think so?"
Tobias nodded. "Yeah. Let’s just leave it for now. I don’t think she’s going to tell us anything tonight, anyway."
Elara frowned but didn’t argue. She sighed and stood up from the table, casting one last glance at her mother before heading to bed. Tobias and Felix followed, but the unease lingered in the air, thick and heavy.
Later that night, however, Tobias found himself lying awake, his mind racing. He tossed and turned, the events of the previous night replaying in his head over and over again. The serpent man. Ms. Larkin’s strange behavior. The unanswered questions gnawing at him.
Finally, unable to take it any longer, Tobias swung his legs over the side of the bed and quietly crept across the room. He reached over and shook Felix awake, his heart pounding in his chest.
Felix groaned, rubbing his eyes. " "This feels like déjà vu, doesn’t it?" he said softly. "Like something’s repeating itself." he muttered groggily, blinking up at Tobias.
"I... I can’t shake the feeling something’s off," Tobias whispered, glancing around the dimly lit room. "We need to figure this out, Felix. Something’s wrong, and I think it has to do with the serpent man... and with Ms. Larkin."
Felix sat up, a strange look crossing his face.Tobias nodded, his gut churning. "Yeah. And I don’t think we should wait for morning to figure it out."
This time, Tobias and Felix woke Elara. Though she slept in the same room as the other orphans, despite her mother being alive, she’d never quite adjusted to being disturbed in the middle of the night. The second Tobias touched her shoulder, her reflexes kicked in—quite literally.
Her foot shot out, connecting with Tobias’s face.
"Owww," he hissed, clutching his nose, but kept his voice low to avoid waking the other children.
Elara’s icy blue eyes opened, narrowing at the sight of Tobias and Felix crouching by her bed. "What do you two want?" she asked, her voice as cold as her glare.
Tobias, rubbing his nose, exchanged a quick glance with Felix before he leaned closer. "We need to go back."
Elara groaned and rolled her eyes. "So, you still haven’t learned your lesson about snooping where you don’t belong, huh?"
Tobias shook his head, his expression more serious than before. "No, it’s not that. It’s your mother... I can tell she’s hurting inside. I have a strong feeling she’s down there again."
Elara’s brow furrowed, her frustration clear. "And if she’s not?"
"Then freeze me ‘til morning," Tobias replied, meeting her gaze directly. "But if I’m right, then we’ll finally know what’s going on."
For a moment, Elara seemed torn, her fingers flexing, perhaps imagining them wrapped around his throat. But after a deep breath, she sighed. "Fine. But if you’ve dragged me out here for nothing, you’ll regret it."
The trio moved in silence, the creaking of floorboards beneath their feet the only sound as they retraced their steps toward the underground chamber. Shadows stretched long in the moonlit halls, adding an air of eerie suspense as they descended deeper into the orphanage.
When they finally reached the chamber, they stopped in their tracks. Ms. Larkin stood before them, her back to the entrance. Her usually neatly tied ponytail was undone, her hair flowing freely down her back, swaying gently with the cool draft in the room. The sight was almost unsettling—like seeing a different version of her entirely, a mirror of Elara in a way none of them had noticed before.
Ms. Larkin turned slowly, her face illuminated by the soft glow of the underground torches. Her eyes, though not cold like Elara’s, had a certain sharpness to them tonight.
"So, you still haven’t learned your lesson?" she asked, her voice hard, though there was something fragile beneath it—something that could shatter at any moment. "Why are you all here?"
Tobias, Felix, and Elara shared a look, each waiting for the other to speak. Finally, Tobias stepped forward. His voice was soft, careful. "Are you... okay?"
For a moment, Ms. Larkin’s mask of calm held, but then her eyes glistened, her lips quivering as she fought to keep her composure. Slowly, the facade cracked, and a tear rolled down her cheek, followed by another, until she could no longer hold back the flood.
The trio stood frozen, unsure of how to react as the woman they had known for so long—always so composed, so strong—crumbled before their eyes.
When she finally spoke, her voice was low, full of sorrow. "That man... that thing you saw last night... he’s... it’s my husband."
The words hung in the air like a hammer striking an anvil. Elara’s breath caught in her throat as she stumbled back. "THAT was Father?"
Ms. Larkin nodded, her expression one of deep regret. "It wasn’t always like this. Fifteen years ago, when I was pregnant with you, Elara, I noticed him changing. Slowly, at first—his interest in magic growing into obsession. He was never satisfied with what he had. He wanted more power... always more. He became consumed by it."
She paused, her hand trembling as she wiped away her tears. "One day, he went out and returned... different. Not just in his thoughts, but in his body. I don’t know what he did, what rituals he performed, but the man who came back to me that night was no longer my husband."
Elara’s fists clenched, her knuckles white. She struggled to speak but couldn’t find the words.
Ms. Larkin’s voice grew quieter, almost a whisper as if she were reliving the moment. "He attacked me. At first, I didn’t understand why—there was nothing left of the man I loved, only the monster he had become. I was hesitant to fight back, but when he aimed a blow at you, Elara... still in my womb... I reacted. Instinctively, I froze the entire house."
Felix blinked in shock, while Tobias’s jaw tightened, trying to grasp the gravity of what she was saying.
"But... I still loved him. Even then," she continued, her voice breaking. "So I... I unfroze him, hoping that the man I loved would return. Instead, he looked at me with fear. He ran, leaving me behind, and the next I heard of him, he had attacked a nearby village—turning into a serpent, slaughtering hundreds of innocent people."
The children stared, speechless. The image of the serpent man flashed in their minds, but now there was a new layer of horror: he wasn’t just some monster. He had been someone’s husband, someone’s father.
Ms. Larkin’s tears flowed freely now. "I went after him. I used my ice magic to stop him, to put him in an eternal sleep. I sealed him away beneath this orphanage... hoping, foolishly, that one day he might change. That my husband would come back to me."
Elara’s chest tightened. She struggled to reconcile the image of her father, the monster they had faced, with the man her mother had loved.
"I visited him every day," Ms. Larkin whispered. "I begged him to return to me... but he never did. He was gone. Only the serpent remained. And I... I couldn’t bring myself to destroy him. I couldn’t accept that I had lost him forever."
The room was silent, save for the soft sound of her sobs. The weight of her guilt and grief was unbearable, pressing down on all of them.
"I let him hurt you," Ms. Larkin said, her voice shaking. "Because of my weakness, he hurt you all. And when I saw what he had done to you, that’s when I knew... I couldn’t let him exist any longer. So I went down there, and I... killed him."
Elara’s lips parted, her eyes brimming with unshed tears. "You... killed him?"
Ms. Larkin nodded, her face pale and drawn. "Yes. I had to. For all of you."
Tobias, Felix, and Elara stood there, numb. The enormity of what had happened, of Ms. Larkin’s sacrifice and her secret suffering, weighed heavily on them.
Elara finally found her voice. "All this time... he was alive... right beneath us?"
Ms. Larkin’s gaze fell to the floor, her shoulders slumped in defeat. "Yes. And I am sorry, Elara. I should have ended this long ago. But I... I couldn’t."
For a long moment, no one said anything. The cold silence of the chamber felt suffocating. But as the truth settled in, there was a strange sense of closure—not relief, but understanding.
Tobias glanced at Felix, then at Elara. There was nothing more to be said. Ms. Larkin had borne this burden for fifteen long years, and now, it had finally ended. The monster was gone, but the scars it left behind remained.
Ms. Larkin’s voice trembled as she leaned closer, her eyes narrowing with fierce determination. “I know who turned my husband into that creature.”
The children leaned in, their hearts pounding, anticipation thick in the air. Elara’s stomach twisted as she asked, “Who?”
“It was Akuma—the Magic Eater,” Ms. Larkin declared, her voice rising. “Only one being exists that is known to suck the magic out of people who make a pact with him, and in exchange, he grants them overwhelming power. My husband’s insatiable greed for magic led him down that dark path. He sought Akuma out, believing he could control him, but that foul creature twisted him into the monstrous serpent you saw last night.”
With each word, Ms. Larkin’s composure began to unravel. Anger coursed through her veins, and her magic swirled around her like a winter storm. Frost crept along the chamber walls, curling into intricate patterns as the temperature plummeted. Elara and the boys shivered, their breath visible in the air, the cold creeping into their bones.
“Ms. Larkin, please—” Tobias began, but his words caught in his throat as the icy air thickened, biting into their skin. Felix’s wide eyes reflected the fear that was beginning to overwhelm them, and Elara felt the chill of Ms. Larkin’s sorrow intertwining with her fury.
With a sharp intake of breath, Ms. Larkin took a step back, regaining control over her powers. The frost halted its advance, leaving the chamber cold but no longer frigid. She exhaled slowly, the weight of her grief palpable as she began to speak again.
“That man... that creature was once my husband,” she whispered, the anguish evident in her voice. “Fifteen years ago, when I was pregnant with Elara, he started to change. He became obsessed with magic, always seeking more, never satisfied. One day, he returned home a different person—transformed, monstrous. In the midst of his rage, he attacked me, and when he aimed a punch at my unborn child, I froze the entire house in sheer panic. I loved him, so I unfroze him, hoping he’d return to me. But he fled, terrified, and became something far worse.”
Tears welled in her eyes, and she wiped them away angrily, as if by doing so, she could erase the pain of those memories. “He attacked a nearby village, becoming a giant serpent, slaughtering hundreds. In my desperation to correct my mistake, I confronted him, using ice magic to put him into an illusion of permanent sleep. I sealed him deep beneath the orphanage, hoping he might reform, but he only grew more vengeful. For fifteen years, I visited him, trying to reach the man I once loved, only to realize that I was keeping a monster at bay—a monster who ultimately hurt innocent children.”
Silence fell over the chamber, the weight of her revelations settling heavily on the trio. Elara felt a knot in her stomach, emotions swirling as she tried to comprehend her mother’s pain. “So... you didn’t just kill him to save us? You did it because...?”
“I couldn’t bear the thought of him hurting anyone else,” Ms. Larkin replied, her voice thick with remorse. “And now, I fear that the worst is yet to come.”
Suddenly, her demeanor shifted again, her eyes narrowing as a newfound fury ignited within her. “I know who’s truly responsible for this tragedy. Akuma the Magic Eater.”
The room seemed to darken as she spoke the name, a chill running down Elara’s spine. “Akuma only exists to corrupt. He lures people with promises of power, and my husband was one of the many who fell victim. His greed consumed him, and he became something vile—a serpent that feeds on death and destruction.”
The air crackled with tension as her magic flickered, the cold creeping back momentarily before she reigned it in. “Children,” she said, her voice steady but grave. “The reason I’m sending you all to Calderon Academy isn’t solely for your safety or the chance to join a Guild for a better life. It’s because you each possess an extraordinary potential for magic mastery—far greater than the other children here. It makes me curious about the true identities of your parents before you were brought to this orphanage by the guild members. Akuma is still out there, draining the life from the innocent. One day, he will bring siege to our world as we know it, and when he does, you must be prepared to face him.”
Elara, Tobias, and Felix stood in stunned silence, absorbing the weight of her words. Tobias finally broke the stillness, “But how can we fight something like that?”
Ms. Larkin turned her gaze to the ceiling, her expression a mixture of hope and despair. “You will find the strength within yourselves. You must. I won’t let my mistakes burden you any longer but Akuma will pay for what he’s done.First, you must learn to master your own magic. Each of you possesses the potential to become stronger than you ever dreamed so just go ahead and find yourselves.”
With that, she ascended the stairs slowly, her silhouette a haunting reminder of the past. As she reached the top, she turned back, her voice echoing softly in the dim chamber. “Goodnight, children. Remember to get a good night’s sleep.”
And with that, she vanished from sight, leaving Elara, Tobias, and Felix standing in the frost-laden chamber, the icy remnants of Ms. Larkin’s magic lingering in the air.