ASPHODELUS
The night filled with light chatter and giggles, interspersed with a few angry words when squabbles broke out between Kayne and Angelica. On the contrary, cold silence oppressed Mia and Colt, like a guillotine waiting to fall. Even without him saying anything, Mia knew that he was still angry at her. His eyes were once again ablaze with fire. Consumed by rage, his every step shook the ground. Like a volcano that would erupt any time. Mia knew she should say something. Apologize to him. Told him she understood that this was part of his job. That ensuring her safety was of the utmost importance. But no matter how hard she tried, words of apology wouldn’t spill from her lips. As if her mouth was clamped shut by an invisible force. Besides, Mia’s survival instinct told her to steer clear. To avoid getting swallowed by his volcanic eruption. Hence, nothing was said. No word was exchanged.
As the four of them approached the castle, a profusion of fragrant white flowers lined the path. Moonlight danced on the swaying flowers. Welcoming them with an exquisite sight which made the suitcases they were lugging in their hands as light as feathers. Each white petal was streaked with a reddish-brown line, creating an illusion of snow-covered ground scattered with slender twigs. And this fine detail was also captured in the design on the metal badge.
“Asphodel,” spoke Colt, cutting the silence with his strong deep voice.
Mia looked up from the badge on her shirt. “Huh?”
“Those asphodel flowers were mentioned in The Odyssey by Homer,” Kayne explained, pointing to the flowers that bordered both sides of the path. “He described the meadows of the afterlife as being covered by these flowers. And since these flowers are present at the resting place of the dead, Asphodel marks the gateway to the underworld.” His fingers grazed the badge on his shirt. “Quite apt, I must say. To name the school after its genus. In fact, do you know that the genus Asphodelus was formerly included in the lily family, Liliaceae?”
Angelica rolled her eyes and shook her head. “Ignore him, Mia. Kayne is showing off his extensive knowledge again.”
“I’m just pointing out facts and explaining the origin of the name behind the school.”
“Smarty pants.”
“W-What? Oh, I get it. Someone is jealous cause their brain is just the size of a peanut.” Kayne snickered, deliberately gesturing with his fingers to emphasize the smallness of a peanut.
“Why you—”
With a smirk, Kayne dodged Angelica’s slap on his back. And they broke into a race with Angelica pursuing Kayne. A chuckle escaped Mia’s throat as she watched them. Shouts and yells ensued from the two figures sprinting down the path. Their voices were cut short when they stopped abruptly at the end of the path. At the magnificent ornate double doors of the castle.
After a few minutes of hurried steps, Mia and Colt reached the entrance to see Kayne and Angelica standing still with their heads bowed in front of a gray-haired bespectacled man in his forties. He spoke down at them with his nose up in the air.
“…points should be deducted for your misbehavior, if not for today being the first day of school. Don’t let me catch you misbehaving again.”
“Good evening, Professor Severo.” Colt greeted the bespectacled man, his head tilted slightly down.
“Garcia.” His gaze rested on Colt for a moment before moving to Mia.
There was a light tap on Mia’s back. She turned to the side and saw a frown knitting Colt’s brows. His eyes darted between her and the professor. Her lips pursed into a pout before she, too, cast her head down.
“Go on. You know where the dining hall is. A welcome feast has been prepared.” Professor Severo shooed them away with a wave of his hand. “Garcia, bring these two along”—he eyed Kayne and Angelica—“and keep them in check.”
Colt gave a nod before crossing the threshold, with Kayne and Angelica scuttling after him like chicks following their mother. A deep sigh escaped Mia’s lips as she closely followed them. She could already see her life at school—tough and boring. Thanks to Professor Severo. Uh-uh, she wasn’t the kind of person who could easily adapt to strict discipline. Besides, rules were meant to be broken.
Mia drew an intake of breath when a grand spiral staircase greeted her at the center of the lobby. With white banisters and black railings that perfectly contrasted each other, the circular winding stone marble staircase was sure to arrest the attention of everyone who entered the lobby. Each step glowed with radiance—an alluring invitation to the next floor. But the tingling excitement to dash up the stairs was cut short by two men that flanked the flight of steps. They had the same attire as the guards that ushered Mia when she first arrived here: black leather armor from head to toe with one hand holding a huge black scythe. She tore her gaze away from the guards who stood as still as statues. And her eyes swept the bags and suitcases that were piled on top of one another in heaps around the staircase, some of them even lining the walls of the lobby. After placing their own suitcases in one empty corner, Colt guided them to the large mahogany doors at the other end of the lobby.
And another splendid sight welcomed them. They stood still, in awe of the scene unfolding before them. A large room of the most elegant design stretched before their eyes. Four rays of light—orange, blue, black and white—beamed down at the four corners of the dining hall. And under the light were holograms of the four creatures she had seen earlier. Each one occupying one corner. With blank expression on their faces. Each of them had a scoreboard below. The numeral zero was flashing on it.
The dining hall was warmly furnished, as opposed to the stark stone exterior. Long tables of the same reddish-brown wood as the door were adorned with white linens and silver tableware. Luscious aromas wafted from the dozens of plates on the tables—grilled chicken, fried fish, roasted beef, different types of pastas (from the finest strands of angel hair to the widest ribbons of lasagna), bright green salad, creamy soup, fruity and refreshing smoothies, sandwiches, sweet cakes, sugar-crusted muffins, gelato in a vibrant range of colors. Just a small bite of every dish was bound to make you full.
Mia swept the room with her eyes, searching for an empty bench that could seat all four of them. But Colt had already walked ahead. He stopped in his tracks at a table where a gray-haired man had slumped over, his head resting on his forearms. Colt’s brows arched down as a sigh escaped his mouth before he shook the man gently by the shoulders. The man ignored Colt initially, his head still faced down on the table. When he finally looked up at Colt, the scowl engraved on his face disappeared and a look of recognition dawned on him. They exchanged words before Colt waved his hand, beckoning them to come over.
Drowned out by the loud chatter and clinking glasses, Mia only managed to hear Colt’s last few words as they approached him. It was then that she noticed the rabbit badge pinned on the shirt of the gray-haired man.
“…can do it. Perhaps, the fifth time’s a charm?” Colt paused when they were near and gestured to the man. “This is Arthur.”
Mia, Angelica and Kayne introduced themselves before sitting opposite Arthur while Colt settled down beside him. Within minutes, they were devouring the food on the table like hungry wolves. No words were exchanged. Everyone was busy gobbling the food. Teeth grinding. Mouth slurping.
From the corner of her eye, Mia saw Professor Severo eating silently by himself at one end of the table. And the students who sat just a few yards away from him eyed him every now and then. Mumbled a few words, paused to look at him before muttering away again. Like mice on alert, uncertain when the cat would pounce on them. On the contrary, dozens of students, males especially, crowded around the mermaid-like woman. Vigorously waving their hands in the air to catch her attention. Much like how infants cried for their mother.
“That’s Professor Lavigne,” remarked Colt as he followed her gaze to the woman. “She’s also a doctor at the infirmary.”
Mia nodded absentmindedly, her head bobbing up and down like a pigeon. Her eyes darted to Principal Hoffenberg who sauntered along the table with a smile of benevolence. He halted every so often to speak to the students seated at the bench. His eyes sparkled when he saw them. Colt specifically.
“So how’s the food? Is it to your liking?” Principal Hoffenberg sat down beside Colt, who gave him a thumbs up. “You know, Colt, you’re one of the best students I’ve ever had. When I heard that you’ve become an Exorcist, I was really glad for you.” The smile on his face drooped, the corners of his mouth curving down. “But… why did you resign?”
The fork and knife in Colt’s hands hovered over the ceramic plate in mid-air. His forehead creased with lines of wrinkles. A minute ticked by before he spoke. “It’s too exhausting. Not just physically. I felt emotionally drained too.” He drew a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Whenever I close my eyes, I see them. All the ones I’ve killed.”
A short clink of cutlery reverberated as the spoon fell from Mia’s hand. She looked up at Colt in front of her with wide doe eyes. Had she heard wrongly? D-Did he just say ‘killed’?
“Colt…” Empathy softened Principal Hoffenberg’s features as he rubbed Colt’s back.
“He did ask me to stay. Even offered me a transfer. As an Escort. So I didn’t have to do those draining tasks.”
He? A frown engraved on Mia’s forehead. Her eyes darted between the two of them. But Principal Hoffenberg simply nodded his head in silent understanding.
“I rejected his offer. And a few days later, I met the Sparks.” Colt looked into the distance with a blank stare on his face. As if reminiscing about that day. “When I bumped into them, I instantly felt a connection to them. I don’t know why but they just felt so familiar.”
So it wasn’t just Mia. Like how she felt about Colt during their first encounter, Colt, too, felt the same when he first met Henry and Adeline.
“They were holding a hiring poster for bodyguards and I applied for the job. Mister and Missus Sparks immediately hired me. And I realized later on that they also felt a connection to me.”
“Oh. That’s wonderful.” Principal Hoffenberg furrowed his brows in deep thought. “Perhaps, this chance encounter is a work of fate. To help you find the answer to your transmigration.”
T-Trans—?
“Anyway, I’m glad that the Sparks sent you here.” Principal Hoffenberg winked at Colt. His voice barely a whisper. “Hopefully, this second chance to experience school life again will spark your interest to be an assistant professor.”
Colt waved his hand in polite rejection. A small smile playing on his lips as he told Principal Hoffenberg that he had thought too highly of him. That he didn’t have the essential qualities of a good teacher.
Mia watched them with crossed arms. Her brows arched in interest. Engaged in a deep conversation, both of them were chatting happily with smiles on their faces. Their words, however, were drowned out by the rising chatter filling the dining hall. But she was certain that it was along the lines of Colt’s future career prospects.
Just then, an idea struck her as her lips curved up in a mischievous smile. With her eyes glued to them (Colt especially), Mia shifted in her seat until she reached the edge of the bench. A glance to her side revealed a fork battle between Kayne and Angelica over the only slice of apple pie on the plate. Their eyes locked in a silent fiery battle while their hands wrestled each other with silver forks. Mia swiveled around and took one last look at Colt before quietly slipping away from the table.