The Vermillion Sky: A Serial Adventure Story Pt. 2

By Andrew Agney 
aagney@lc.edu

Part 2

Panting as her little legs move as fast as they can, Ciel sprints down the road.

“This is bad…how could I forget my first day of school?!” she yells out loud to herself before she pulls a slip of paper out of her cloak pocket and slaps it onto her back, a pair of dragon-like wings sprouting from her back as she leaps into the air and takes off flying through the city; passing by several districts, businesses, neighborhoods and the like until she reaches her apartment building. An older dragon child with red scales matching Ciel’s is leaning out one of the windows, holding out a purple backpack, which Ciel snatches as she flies past, shouting “Thanks Mom!” as she does.

Slipping the shoulder straps of her backpack on, Ciel flies straight upward, getting a view of the massive city she calls her home.

“Gotta love city-living…still think Raven Grave is a weird name though,” she muses to herself, before diving back down, making a beeline straight for her school: GrimRaven High.

Ciel makes a landing in front of the main entrance, the wings on her back disappearing in a puff of dust as she opens the door and finds herself face-to-chest with a burly dwarf man who sports a massive beard.

“Ciel ScarletScales!” the large dwarf bellows out. “Late on your first day! So far, you aren’t making a good impression of being the first ScarletScale to become a witch,” he continues, crossing his arms and looking down at the dragon child disappointedly.

“Sorry Principal BrokenAnvil…” Ciel mutters quietly, looking downward in shame. 

Principal BrokenAnvil huffs and steps out of Ciel’s way. “Just make sure it doesn’t happen again…head to the Cafeteria. There you can meet your team for your placement exam. That will tell what class you are put in…and maybe you’ll get an actual cloak instead of that homemade thing.”

Ciel pouts softly as her cheeks turn light pink, as she makes her way to the cafeteria.

Entering the Cafeteria, the crimson dragon child looks around the room for her team and finds them all sitting around a table, already discussing amongst each other. The other three students in the room are a green goblin girl with long brown hair, blue eyes, and thick, round glasses, wearing a baggy hoodie and pants.

A Rhyolition girl, her skin a bright red with orange, piercing eyes and black hair, wearing a stunning dress, way too much jewelry and a face full of makeup.

And finally a shadow elf boy, his dark purple skin helping his bright green eyes and white hair pop more; he is dressed in a casual t-shirt and jeans.

Ciel gives a nervous gulp as she approaches the group. “Uh…hey guys. I guess I’m your fourth for the entrance exam,” she says quietly, feeling anxious about meeting these new people.

“Ugh, a dragon child? We’re definitely not going to pass this exam…” the Rhyolition girl speaks up, turning her nose up to Ciel. 

“Hey come on Exquise, some dragon children have become great witches. I’m sure she knows lots of magic!” the goblin speaks up, turning to look at Ciel and offering her a kind smile. “Nice to meet you. My name is Breeze. The hothead is Exquise,” she introduces, gesturing to the Rhyolition, who just pouts with her nose still turned up. “And the elf is Sydrin,” she continues, the shadow elf giving a wave to Ciel. 

Ciel’s expression changes to a smile as she introduces herself now. “It’s nice to meet you too! I’m Ciel, uh…I actually don’t have any natural magic, I use glyphs to cast my spells,” she explains, bringing out slips of paper from her pocket. “I only know three spells though…a light spell, a flying spell and a wind spell.”

At this, Exquise gives a loud groan and pinches the bridge of her nose. “See? She can’t even produce her own magic. We are so done…”

Ciel pouts and her cheeks turn pink again in frustration as she shoves the paper back into her pocket. “So what’s the big deal that I can’t make magic naturally? This is just an exam!”

“Uh…Ciel, do you not know what the exam is? We have to take down a troll…” Breeze explains, a worried expression coming across the goblin girl’s face

“Yeah! See, it’s just taking down a- wait…A TROLL?!” Ciel repeats in surprise. 

 

TO BE CONTINUED

 

 

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