This is the beginning of part 4.

While many dread reentering school after a break, I have been looking forward to returning for this entire weekend. More than ever now, I seriously want to see if Lucie is still in touch in Margie and how we can reconnect. But more importantly, I hope to find out why it’s apparently so important that I’m trying to find her.  

 

To my dismay while I walk back to the Terra common room, Teagen passes by. I’d expect her to poke fun of me in some way like she always does, but today; all she does is give me this non genuine looking smile. Well, at least it’s better than a comment. At least I think it is.

 

 

I don’t leave my dorm until dinner, and that’s when I sit at my usual table. Only this evening, Nora sits next to me.

“So, you’re human raised and you’re still here?” she asks.

“Um…yes. Why ask?”

“Many human raised students here leave midway through the year, just like Lucie Brooks did.”

Wait…is she seriously gone? She must be joking.

 

“What’s wrong?” Nora asks.

Though I know what is wrong, I seriously don’t want to speak it. What’s wrong is that my plan was just obliterated. I was excited to return to school for the soul purpose of searching for secrets from Lucie. That’s all I was thinking about during break. And now she’s suddenly gone?

 

I guess my only hope now is this strange girl, Nyssa. I attempt to hide my tears while looking around for her. She’s not in the dining hall. In fact, when thinking of it, I haven’t seen her at all since winter break.

 

I feel Nora’s soft tap on my shoulder while people watching. Though it’s a bit embarrassing that Nora knows that I’m slightly crying; the comfortable touch on my shoulder gives me a tiny bit of hope. Maybe it’s because it’s coming from someone else.  

“It’s okay; I was friends with Lucie too. I didn’t get much warning about her departure.” She pauses for a moment, “I was friends with Nyssa too. Her departure was even more abrupt.”

“Do you know why she left?”

“I know Lucie left because she’s like most of the human raised in Spirit Prep and is struggling to get used to this new world…and Teagen.”

 

Why does it have to be Teagen? Even without her physical presence she triggers me just when I was starting to calm down.

 

I try to flash my mind off of the anger to avoid the temptation of rushing towards the bully, “Do you know why Nyssa left?” 

“I don’t know. She’s a magical being. Most magical beings would quit due to the pressure of being here, but there’s pretty much none this year.”

 

I take a few deep breaths and smile at Nora. I’d rather just deal with the reality than face a duel to make things right. After the dinner appears and we both start silently eating, I try to focus on the upcoming school assignments which are more important. There may be no pressure for magical beings this year, but there is for some students.

 

While waiting for dessert, I decide to practice for my upcoming seeing spell exam. The spell I’ll perform right now is very simple, but it requires deep focus on trying to have a vision and saying these words in your head;

 

Oh visions connect to the spiritual eye, see what can’t plainly be seen, the impossible exists, and must I unleash my sight of it.

 

I’m not sure if the spell worked after saying those words. All that’s in my vision is what I guess is the faintest sight of mist ribbons, though it could just be an illusion. Keeping my eyes open and my mind completely on the spell, I turn my head around to see if the spell worked.  When my eyes turn to Nora messaging a friend with her wand, I think I see this blurry and very brief image of Nora. I could guess my spell worked when I see the magical being sitting next to Margie.

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