Should I call my brother? No..what if Pratz wakes up when I talk to him. I should get some sleep now.

Few minutes passed, When the stars come out to play and my eyes find the beauty of black, my sleep awaits me. I love the softness, the quiet, the sense of rest. My thoughts turns into fantasy as the beautiful landscape of Twikle enters the dark stage of my dreams.

Your eyes sparkles ,
Like the beads in my necklace.
Your voice is angelic ,
And I want to hear it again.
Your dad and I are waiting,
For You to know ,
Who you are.
My girl,It's time you had grown up ,
Come and find us soon...

I can see a blurred image of a woman stretching her hands towards me.

"Come dear..."

Her call is so delicate but it ringed too many times in my ears. Each time I hear it,it soothened my ears.

It's been years since I met her. Missing her was how I grew up, growth is painful for the most part. Yet when I learn these skills I am more than I am, taller and stronger for the struggle.

I slowly stretch my hands to reach her.

"I am coming mamma. Just wait a little longer."

Our hands were now a few inches apart . "I am almost there..."

Pratz switches the light on.

"Are You okay,Rewa? Come on ,wake up. You were muttering something. Why did you stretch your arms? Whom did you see? " Pratz wakes me up observing my eyes and my actions. I can say she is scared of the situation I am in.

"I-- , what was I doing right now? " I ask her. I felt sad when I realized it was just a dream.

Looking at my puzzled face, she cups my cheeks and looks at my eyes. "You are fine. You just saw some good dreams. Now get up from your bed and let's have some coffee. "

She turns back to see me trying to get more sleep.

"Ugh, this girl"

"I am coming Pratzzz."

Pratz and I went downstairs and filled our cups with coffee. The aroma of chocolate chip cookie is dancing all the way from kitchen.

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"Mmmmmm" we are enjoying the taste along with the refreshing aroma.

"Kids, come here and have some." A slender woman with an ambitious eyes and cool nature waves at us and signs to have to cookie kept near her.

"Oh, this looks so tasty. Thank you, Miss --"

"Mrs. Amelia" she lets out a smile.
" I am the head chef here. If you have any problem with the food,don't forget to contact and complaint letters can be put inside that letter box over there."

She points out a reddish black letter box at the corner of the hall. Next to the box, there stands a "steps-not-taken" staircase leading to the other side of the building.

We wave goodbye to her and takes handful of cookies with the cup of coffee squeezed between them.

"I am going to live here forever. I just love the food." Pratz took the second and the third bites simultaneously.

" I will be there with you as a roommate forever and I want our room to shift near to the kitchen."
I am now eating my 5th cookie with the velocity of 6 bites per second.

After having our snacks and coffee,We both stand in front of the letter box staring at the staircase.

"Are you thinking what I am thinking?" Asks Pratz.

"Let's hurry Sherlock Holmes , before Moriarty and his companions arrive" I raise my hands to rush forward.

We reach the front of the staircase. It's a wearisome wide georgian wooden staircase. The steps are dusty and the handle is made up of finest mahogany and two gargoyle statues stand at the corner looking fearless. We cannot see where it ends but we are sure of one thing: not many has climbed these steps.

"You ready?" Pratz is searching for the answer in me.

"I am curious to know where it will lead us. Just like you."

We took our first step with great caution. Whilst climbing up each steps , we feel frightened but our anxiousness outwitted our fright. As we go up, the wide stairs became narrower and narrower until only one of us can climb a step at a time. It now has turned into painful curved oaken spiral stairway.

Upon the wall,hangs some potraits of great magicians. One of the potrait looks similar to Principal Loude's face. Pratz stops by and starts investigating.

"Do you find anything interesting? Because I can only find this potrait looking similar to our princi-"

"Really interesting." she remarks.

She now turns to me and asked: "Rewa,do you have any idea who he is?"

"Uhm...Grandfather of Principal Loude?"

"You are right." She replied. "Mr. Higithi Douglas is one of the well known sorcerer of Landwol and the only person who came out alive from the deadly place called Twikle."

"Twikle? We passed by that when we were coming from our home. Ru was with me during our journey. She made our journey lot of fun. An old man had warned us about Twikle but he had got down in that station because uhm..he has to sacrifice himself. You know more about that place?" I ask.

"Oh. Poor old man.Not much but I have abstracted some information about Twikle. It is said that an evil queen named Azura rules that country. She drenches the blood of humans and wolves and make herself strong. She has the power to hallucinate anyone who goes near her. She can even turn her foes into friends. People get compelled by her. she satisfies her needs beforehand, then drenches their blood.No one knows how except this man . Quite creepy but I want to destroy her reign. Not only me but all wish the same." Pratz clenches her fists in rage. A small glow escapes her hand.

"How did this sorcerer die? Didn't he share what he saw?" I ask.

"Even that,is a mystery. It is said that he used to live in loneliness after he had escaped from Twikle. " She answers.

"It might be a shocking sight for him.Let's move on." I insist her to move forward.

"It's getting dark." I point at the flickering bulb hanging in the middle of the room. Dim light passing through the miniscule windows are only thing showing us sideways.

Suddenly we hear a cracking noise which comes from left side of where we have stood.

"Shhhh...somebody is out there. Be careful Rewa."

I nod. Another crack was heard. I pray it must not be Any teachers or staffs. Pratz moves ahead with a precaution and I follow her.

There was a sudden bang followed by an "Ouch" . It is dark and I cannot see my partner. She came running to me.

"Come with me. There are three people behind that door. When they saw,they slammed the door which had hurt my face. We should check them out."
Pratz holds my hand.

"You okay?What if they are staffs?" I questioned.

"I am fine and No. They are not. We Will find out now."

We both try to open up the door but it is locked from inside.

"There is only one way we can open this door" I struck with an idea.

"What?"

"We have to talk to them."

"You sure?" She asks.

"Will give it a try,Pratz."

I took a deep breath and warm myself before I have a conversation with people who I have never met before. Who I didn't even talked to.

"Hey there. We are Landwol freshers. We would like to talk to you." I wait for their answer.

Silence.

I made an eye contact with Pratz. She signs me to give it one more try.

"Listen people out there. We came here to find out where this staircase leads to and we had bumped into you. We can be an ally and work together. What do you say? Let us know." I pause.

Silence is the only answer we got. When I turn back giving up the idea, a voice replied: "You are freshers? "

"Yes, we are. " we answer in a single tone.

They open the door . "Count us in". A bold 5'8 tall girl with coal black coloured straight long hair wearing a short top and palazzo pant stood near us. Along side her are two girls who look pretty and neatly dressed themselves.

" Myself Althea . They are Crio and Ariel. We came here through that window which leads to the washroom. We were wandering the campus and Ariel saw this window. Using her power of long vision, she found this place interesting to explore. We agreed to her and climbed the window. When we landed here,we heard sounds of footsteps and tried to hide behind that room thinking it would be a professor." Althea points towards the room they hide when they saw us.

"Hmm..Makes sense. We found a dusty staircase and I and Rewa came up with the thought of exploring this place. It is dark here, so we couldn't see or identify you guys and when I came to know who you are, you had shut the door. " Pratz narrates our story in simple words.

"What to do next?" Asks Crio.

"Good question. What magic do you have?" I ask her.

"I can transform myself into a cat. Don't ask me if I can transform into something else. Because I don't know about that. For time being,just cat." She replied in one breathe.

"That's just wow. Since we all came to explore, let's go straight. We might find something interesting." Althea lead the way and we follow her.

The sun glares down upon the thick cobblestone walls, leaving stark, vividshadows contrasting with the blinding bright reflections.

"Look! An amazing view of sunset from here." Crio calls us standing near the Palladian window. We push the long curtain aside and crowd where she stands.

There is something solemn, even awe-inspiring in the splendid beauty of the sky as sun sets in the West.

The blue sky has now turned into shades of orange when the great fiery golden ball sink behind the purple mountain wall. The clouds which are accompanying it have changed from white to gold to red like a chameleon.

As the sun sinks deeper and deeper, it turns into reddish ball and then hides behind the Earth's pillars creating a different landscape. The pale light of sun is now visible. And in the still air a melodious voice begins chanting- the Mueszzin crying the Azan from distant masjid,calling the faithful to prayer. The cathedrals are glowing with the lights showing the path of holy Mary and Jesus Christ. The temples are chanting their divine mantras which brings out the glory from devotee's soul.

"Wow. What a scene! Splendid. Atleast we are lucky to see this,aren't we?" Althea looks at us.

"Marvellous" remarks Pratz.

"Glorious" Ariel was awestruck by the view.

"Fantabulous" I couldn't take my eyes from it.

"Awesome" remarks Crio.

"Let's go now. We have to go back to the hostel before they come and find us here." Said Ariel.

We make a move from there and head straight. Althea has switched on her cell phone light and this is helping us guide our way.

We pass by a corridor. Silence was streaming across the whole place. I was startled by the four armours standing with their chest high on the either side of the corridor. They look like they were fearless warriors who fought battles with the Napoleon but they were just startling statues. It came into my notice that one of the statue holds a pipe like structure attached to the wall giving the feel of kettle. The roof above us is broken and would hit the ground with a great thud any minute. But then I sigh in relief when the rays peeking inside the corridor lightening up our way. It brightens up my mood from the eery look of the scene.

"Althea, may I ask you, where did you get this boldness from?" I want to know.

"Shh... what non-sense are you talking about? She is bold enough to bald your head. Shut up" Pratz gestures me to pipe down my mouth.

"Hahaha" Althea Laughs. "My past made me bolder. I was a coward before that." She stops and thinks something hard. Then she continues.

"I will tell you what happened but only on one condition. " Althea's words were strong enough that I skip a heartbeat.

"Shoot" I said.

"We have to reach on time." She looks at her watch.

"That is 8:30pm.If we are caught by anyone and couldn't get back to hostel on time, I need you all to find a reason to get back. I tell you."

"Buh, you scared shit out of me. What's your story --"

I was interuppted by Pratz. "We would like to know your story Althea. I really want to know but let's move from here and find a different exit. Sun has already set and we have only two hours left in our hands."

"Well yeah. While you were admiring the sunset, I found a vertical petal door after taking a right turn from here. What do you all say?"

"Really Althea? That's a wonderful thing. Let's go." Said Ariel.

"Before we enter that room, we have to ensure if it is safe for us to go in. I suggest we need Crio to transform herself into a cat." I come up with an idea.

"That's a good idea, Rewa." Althea appreciates me.

I smile slightly which symmetrically pulls back the both cheeks.

"Fine. You all have to wait for me and don't leave me." Crio's puppy eyes reach all of us and we nod as an answer.

She then thinks hard, chanting something through her inner voice. The glitters of magic sparkles all around her . Within few seconds, the black wavy hair and the sweet big eyes has changed into a cute kitten.

Pratz opens the door . Crio raises her paw and walks inside.

"Don't keep it open. What if a sudden breeze come in and close the door with the bang and we get noticed. Close the door." Said the cat.

I close the door very carefully after she enters in.

We wait outside for Crio to come out. Seconds and minutes passed and still there is no trace of her. Althea has been staring at her watch and the door and then back to watch.

"It's been twenty minutes since she had gone inside. I am getting nervous" I can see Ariel's sweat drops down from her forehead.

"Let's wait. She will be back soon." Althea comforts Ariel.

"Let's open the door. She being tiny might not be able to open the door." Suggests Althea.

Suddenly, we heard a click on the door. Our eyes reach to the knob of the door. The door slightly swung open but there was no sign of a cat.

We hide behind the walls to see who it is. The person let their foot out and we are certain that it would be a professor...

☆☆☆☆☆

Hello Readers!!

After a long haul, I am back . Sorry for keeping you wait for the updates. I will find time to write now as I am done with stupid exams 😄

Sorry Pratz and Xia for making u wait :(

Hope you will like and enjoy it❤

(2606 words)