Kaitlin Hallor. I gained my mother's notes and also a proof that I am truly her child, and also Ulferonn's, meaning I am really also a Viysus princess. Well, now it's one hundred percent official. Wohoo, great. Look at me everyone, I am a princess. I rolled my eyes mentally but then I had to show Professor Coldos that the notes have been claimed by me.

Me: They should belong to me now and hopefully they won't self-destroy themselves but there was nothing said about me borrowing it to someone else. Uhm, I wish to lend these notes to Professor Coldos.

I said loudly over the notes so that they hear me and that I can leave them here but nothing happened, again. I thought that the notes might be picky about this and they need everything to be perfect so I asked the professor for his full name. I did hear Principal Haydos call him Tom but I doubt that's his full name. And I was right because he introduced himself as a Professor Thomas Coldos. I used that for the borrowing contract-bond-spell thingie which is casted over the notes and then I saw the names shift again. Evie Hallor to Kaitlin Hallor, owner, Thomas Coldos, in use. I told the professor that it worked and that he can keep the notes. He thanked me and said that I didn't have to do that but I really didn't have any use of the notes to be catching dust in my room in some forgotten drawer. This way they will be put to use and I can just ask Professor Coldos to give them to my anyway.

I walked back to my desk to work on the books that are waiting for me but I got interrupted by a ringing noise of my phone. It wasn't a call but an alarm that I set after I left the shop so that I know when to get back. I turned it off and informed Professor Coldos that I have to go pick up the printed pages now. He only nodded and went back into reading some papers as I left the office.

The guy in the shop saw me through the glass window so he undid the protection spell he put over the printer and when I got to it, the last few pages were getting printed. I waited for the last paper to be pushed out from the printer and then tore away the receipt that came out of the computer with the amount I need to pay for the printing. I grabbed the thick stack of paper as hit them against the desk to even them out while the cashier was typing stuff from the receipt to his computer. After that he asked me to pay so I gave him the money I withdrew earlier and waited for the change. It wasn't much, something over thirty dollars but I intended to give it back to Professor Coldos anyway. I thanked the guy again and went back to the office to continue the work because I think I have maybe about one hour of stay left.

I handed over the heavy stack of papers to Professor Coldos and then took out my wallet to also give him back the change. He refused to take it at first but I insisted, saying that he was the one paying for the printing so it would be weird if I kept the change. I channeled some of Reilly's stubbornness and it actually worked because he took the money and didn't say anything about it, just told me that I can go early today.

Me: I can still do more. There are three books left that I can help translate.

Professor Coldos: I appreciate it but I don't want my skills to go rusty. Leave something to translate for me too. You did very well and I am very grateful for your help. You can have a free day tomorrow and don't need to come for The student's week anymore. If you want to or have any questions, you are more welcome to visit me though. Either here at Aveus since your pass is working until the Sunday, or at the Umbras side.

Me: Oh, I should return your key then.

Professor Coldos: Keep it until Sunday. You can find me on Monday and return it to me then.

I thanked the professor for everything I could do and I've learned thanks to him, then packed my stuff. I was on my way out when I remembered that I might be able to find something about my mom at Aveus so I asked Professor Coldos if there is anything about past students at the academy, some archive or maybe a section in the library. He said that he is not sure when it comes to Aveus side but I can go ask about it in the library and they might be able to tell me.

Me: And also about the Help. Is there still a ban?

Professor Coldos: You mean Hale. Unfortunatelly yes, Principal Haydos hasn't lifted it yet even though Professor Hale has been pestering him about it every day.

Me: Why would he do that? Anyone can be assigned as my help and I can also ask my classmates or my friends.

Professor Coldos: Something about studying that block in your mind before it disappears is what I heard. Principal's answer is still the same though. When it's lifted, you will be notified.

It felt a bit disappointing that I can't go talk to Mr. Hale because hanging out with him always felt so calm and peaceful, like I can just be myself and not hiding any secrets. But at the same time, he can now read my mind and if he stumbles over the fact that Ulferonn is my father by accident when I am around him, the timeloop might trigger again so I guess it's not a bad idea to not visit him.

I don't have anything planned to do today so I went to the library, like Professor Coldos suggested, to ask if there are any student records or anything I could use to check former students. I met the nice librarian lady in her usual grey suit outfit and butterfly glasses. She told me that they do not reveal information the school holds to other people and the best she can do is to look up a name and tell me which house they have been assigned to and their power, everything else is not for public. At least I wanted to know a little bit know about my mom so I asked the librarian if she can look up and tell me what she can reveal. She smiled at me and asked me to walk to her station. Her thin long fingers worked fast on the keyboard after I gave her the name of the student and year when she enrolled.

Librarian: There she is. Evie Hallor of class '67, assigned to Ossilor house with an Electricity Manifestation, special assignement Elecrokinetic. That is all I can share with you, but you are free to check out the Room of achievements and see if she is listed there.

I didn't to take more time from the librarian because there were a lot of students waiting for her to be done with me and go help them so I thanked her for helping me out and left the library. I can ask the girls about this Room of achievements and where to find it. Since I have a free time from now on, I will go check it out tomorrow and maybe over the weekend. Other than that, I have nothing to do now. I wanted to take a break and maybe lie down for a few minutes so I went back to my dorm.

I unpacked my bag and cleaned around my desk at first, then took out the laptop from the bag to charge it overnight. I wasn't planning on using it since I like writing down notes by hand in the class but the girls heard about me getting one so they apparently created this group chat and we can even video chat there. Kisha called it "virtual parties" since we might not get another permission to hold a party that soon and all we can do to meet up is either breakfast, lunch or dinner, and we have to stick only to the cafeteria plus the nearest hallway as demigods visiting the Aveus half. This way we can hang out even more and not just type messages or have occasional phonecalls.

I was bored out of my mind but I didn't really want to catch up in my studies right now or go over the notes I made during this week so I just cleaned our room. Dusting, water plants, go re-fold some of the clothes, organize bathroom. I got done pretty quick with it. After that I went to change my clothes for something more comfortable than jeans and dropped on my bed, planned to spend the rest of the evening in the best, just doom scrolling through social media.

There was a sudden noise in my room and I couldn't see anything because it was almost pitch black, only the light of the moon is shining through the window. I must have fallen asleep. I lazily opened my eyes and pushed my body from the matrace, resting on my elbows and trying to figure out what's going on. The light suddenly popped on and blinded me so I dunked my head under the blanket. It was Reilly coming back only now, which is I don't know when so I asked her what time it is. I popped from under the blanket, squinting my eyes as Reilly told me that it's after ten already. We don't have that much time on the pass to stay at Aveus so she couldn't have been there until now and she even wasn't. I could sense that she is angry about something and I wasn't going to ask because I knew that she will tell me anyway.

Reilly: I am so done with her and this whole situation. Why can't she just accept the fact that I don't want to lead the squad?

Me: Mom stuff?

Reilly: Yeah. She called me to the HQ again and the whole board was there. It was presented that I am going to be one of the squad leaders without discussing it with me first or even me accepting the offer so I stood there like an idiot. I even told them that I don't want it and tried to leave but she started to reassure the board members that I just need to think about it and that I need to study for now anyway. Ugh, she won't listen. Why is she so stubborn?!

Me: I guess now we know who you take after.

Reilly: Not funny.

Me: A bit, yeah.

Reilly: It's not.

Me: It is. Trust me. Anyway, we never really talked about this but what you want to do after we graduate?

Reilly: No idea. I thought that I will join the HQ and work there but after they started asking me to be the squad leader, then possible take over the company so that my mom can retire, it' just...

Me: Doesn't seem right?

Reilly: Yeah. I don't mind searching for something else in the meantime. We can totally open a business together. Gym or a coffee shop. Whatever you want, I don't care right now. I just know that being what they want me to be, is not me.

Me: How would you like living and working in a castle?

Reilly: As maids? Beats being a war-machine so I take it. Why though?

Me: Just a thought. Pitching in ideas.

If I find my parents or somehow even find a way to get back into Viysus, hell they might even fight me and drag me back there, I want to take Reilly with me. I don't want her to leave her mom and everything she knows but I also can't imagine living without being able to hang out with her. But I also want her to live a life she wants, not drag her around with me to god knows where.

It was pretty late and I didn't want to keep Reilly up since she still has to attend the classes with Professor Ikaim for her Student's week while I am free, so I went back to bed and told Reilly that she should sleep too.

I woke up the next morning later than usual for this week and Reilly was already gone, her bed made and everything. Must mean that it's after seven already. I checked the time on my phone and also noticed the unread messages. First were from Reilly, wishing me good morning and that she left without waking me up, letting me catch up on the sleep. Next ones were from the girls, asking if I am okay and if something happened to me since I didn't come to breakfast, then after that they wrote that Reilly explained them why I didn't come today and apologized if the notifications woke me up. Last one is from Skylar in all caps saying you knew about this? I didn't know what she is talking about because from the context of that message, it could be anything. I was going to reply to her and ask her what she means but I scrolled down on the message and saw a picture of her hugging Nathan. Oh. The biggest happiest smirk appeared on my face and it felt like I just won a lottery. I didn't get anything really but it made my jump and scream from happiness that my friend got together with another amazing person, which Nathan truly is.

I was free to do anything today, well except leaving the academy bounds of course, so I planned what to do as I was doing my morning routine. I decided to use the pass until I can and try to find as much as I can about my mom who was a student at Aveus. I got dressed and everything, took only essentials like my phone, keys, pass coin, stuck some money into my pockets and then just carried a notebook and two pens. All I need really to do research at Aveus' Room of achievements. I asked about the room this morning and Solya explained the whole road how to get there which I am now taking. I stared at my phone screen and followed Solya's directions to the room and found it pretty easily. After I arrived, I messaged her thanks and that I got it.

The room was this huge long tunnel that almost seemed infinite. The walls are in a shade of dark ebony wood and decorated with golden flower designs or swirls and twirls. One side of the room is split by thin long windows that go from the floor to the ceiling and are letting sun rays pass through while the sides of the windows are covered with satin burgundy curtains bounded in the middle by a golden rope with two tassels. The other side is just a plain wall decorated with the golden ornaments plus framed portraits of people. Some of those were paintings that looked really old but as you progressed through the room, the pictures turned into photo portraits and even the people on them looked more modern rather than a person in some Victorian clothing. Each picture had a name and year written under it on a golden plaque with some description of that person like who they are and what they did, their achievements. I guess that's why it's called like that. One magician created over five hundred spells, other managed to successfully cast this or that spell, and so many other achievements.

I browsed through every portrait, hoping to find my mom between them. She did learn Noion which is really hard so I thought maybe she will be here but there was no portrait for Evie Hallor. She dropped the research for some reason so I guess that's why she isn't here and why no one in the Noion research community knows about her. She could still be listed though inside these heavy thick books that are lying opened on pedestals every fifteen feet in a line going right through the middle of the room. There is so many of them and it will take me hours, maybe even days to go through them all. Lucky for me, I have three days to spare.

I started reading the first book to see if I find a mention of her but nothing. It took me three hours to get just through one book and I could move to the next one but I knew that I can't that long at Aveus. I checked my pass and I had under two hours of stay left on the coin and the timer is ticking down. There is no way I am getting through all of these books in time. I sighed and wondered how I can go through them faster. I am a pretty fast reader but even that if not enough for all these books. Luckily for me, there is a spell for speed reading that we were taught in Casting as a part of the basic spells. It should help me cut the reading time in half and I can also practice if I am really able to cast all spells as a demigod. I tried to recall the spell and what sequence of motions I need in order to cast it, and then went exactly through the casting movements above my head, moving over my eyes and then finishing with my hands. When I was done with the casting, I walked over to the next book and tried to read it. My eyes moved like crazy and I was done with the two pages in seconds. The spell worked and I had one hour time limit on my allowed stay so I had to work fast now. I hovered my arms above the book, my fingers spread and palms facing the book. The spell started to work again – my eyes reading fast and my hands channeling energy to flip the pages fast.

I got only through four more books with the spell and didn't find a mention of my mom in any of them. I still have two days to go through the others and I also know that the speed reading spell will work for me so I might be able to get through all of those books.

My head did hurt a little from reading that much so I didn't wander around the academy. I bought a lunch box with a canned green tea and then went back to my dorm room. I had to lie down for a little bit and even managed to take a short nap. When I woke up, I found more messages from the girls, asking if I will at least join them for lunch. Writing that I've already used my stay time for doing some research at the Room of achievements and also I got a headache so I will just stay in my room. Everyone replied that I should take it easy then and just stay in bed. This group chat is very handy. I ate my lunch and then did as the girls, and now even Gan Fo and Nathan who got added to the group chat, suggested.

I woke up on the Saturday morning and repeated what I did on Friday with a difference that I got through more achievement books today. Still, no mention of my mom in any of them. I have about six books left to go through tomorrow though and I was still holding the small hope that she might be in there, even if it's just a once sentence footnote. I wanted to hang out with the girls through the video call after I got back but apparently they are very busy with the Samhain preparations and decorating the school which I could notice already today as I walked through the hallways but when I went there on Sunday, it was double the work done. The wreaths are made from many different flowers or colorful autumn leaves and the hallways are busy with students running around, carrying more wreaths or candles or these white paper lanterns.

I worked through two more books and I had four more left but luckily I didn't have to go through those remaining once since I found a short mention about my mom as a student that is between the leading magicians with her high proficiency in speaking Noion. Sadly there isn't more because she left the research and disappeared after she graduated from Aveus. I didn't learn anything new about her but there are other people mentioned with her in the note because they also studied Noion around the time she did. I copied the names of those magicians because I might be able to find them and ask about my mom, if they know anything. Where she might have gone, where she moved to or if they know any of her relatives.

I spent the lunch time with Nima and Gaia, since Reilly had to leave today to meet up with her mom and probably discuss her taking on the job of a squad leader. Gaia seemed more tired than usual but she reassured us that she feels fine and it's just because of the Samhain draining her powers more than usual. She looked happy about meeting her ancestors though so I wasn't going to say anything.

When we finished eating, Gaia separated from us because she had to go ready for the celebration. I went with Nima into her room because she wanted to grab a sweater. After that we went to my room since I also wanted to change into warmer clothes and then we went to find that spot Solya told us about and watch the Samhain celebration.

It wasn't hard to find and I was glad that we went to grab warmer clothes because this part of the school seems more or less abandoned and it's not being warmed as much. We interlocked our arms to create a heat between us as we also hugged our bodies to warm us up. The sitting area was ready and empty. No one is here besides us but the couches are not dusty or dirty. As we got closer to the area, the torches on the walls lit themselves on their own and illuminated the room with a dim light. Nima sat down on the couch while I went to look out the window to see if it started yet. All I could see is a path created by lit candles that are either placed on the ground or floating in the air. I am at a magic academy for real. I turned to face Nima and asked her what time is it. She checked her phone while her hands were shaking from the cold as she answered that it's almost midnight but we still have some time left. We will probably freeze until then so I suggested that we go stand under the torched and warm ourselves up with the fire. We both held our palms near the torch and defrosted our hands. I asked Nima about her Student's week in the meantime as we are waiting to pass the time faster.

Nima: It was pretty amazing. The powers to communicate with animals are so natural to me because I was born with it, but Professor Hellion had to study it after he got sorted into his house with his Manifestation but he is still so much better than me.

Me: What's his power and his class like? I only met him during our camp so I don't really know much about him since he is teaching older students.

Nima: Apparently he and his brothers, Professor Halloda and Haldir, all have Earth Manifestations but their family specializes on animals. I met all of them during my week even though I primarly worked with Professor Hellion mostly.

Me: Wait. I knew that there are brother teachers at Aveus and they teach Zoology with Zoomantropy but why do they have different surnames then?

Nima: No, no. Hellion is his name. His surname is Simons. Professor Hellion Simons. They all use their first names with the title professor because it would be confusing if someone was like Yeah, Professor Simons and then you are like which one every time, same as the Botany teachers.

Me: Professor Naki and Nannieya. Oh, I didn't know that but it's smart.

Nima: Yeah, those two. I think their surname is Doyle but I am not sure. You would have to ask Jess or Enko. But this week was so amazing. I had so much fun and learned so much from the professor. I am very sad about it being over because I could learn even more from him or his brothers. I don't understand why there is so much hate between us and magicians, and why people think demigods are better when clearly, we could learn from each other so much.

Me: I don't get it neither. But I am glad to hear that you had fun.

Nima's teeth were clunking and gritting against each other because she is still cold. I thought that the torch is providing enough heat to warm us up a little bit because I wasn't shaking from the cold at all. I asked Nima about it and she looked at me annoyed saying really? but I only blinked at her because I had no idea why she is suddenly acting like this. She stretched the sleeves on her hoodie over her hands and with her peeking index finger she pointed at my body. I looked down to where she is pointing and I noticed the soft electricity surges dacing around my legs and my upper body.

Nima: Channeling lightning to heat up your body from the inside must be soooo nice.

I didn't even notice it and didn't even wanted to channel my power but I guess subconsciously when I told myself in the head that I wish I could get warmer, I must have triggered my source to release the power only for the purpose to warm my body and not blast a whole into a wall or something like that. Finally a handy part of my power. I chuckled and then apologized to Nima on a reflex. She just waved with her hands saying that it's okay and that also we should go towards the window because the celebration is starting. We interlocked our arms again to hold some heat between us but first, I had to stop channeling my powers. We both stood in front of the window and watched the whole celebration to start.

Even just the start was so beautiful so I can't wait for the rest of the celebration. Every Aveus student is dressed in a white cloak with the hood over their heads and there are no differentiations between years or houses, just pure snow white fabric. Each student is carrying a lantern tied to a stick in front of them but they are not lit up yet. The whole school, or at least the Aveus half with only Hades portion from Umbras, walked on the road made by the candles and as they reached the bonfire field, they started to create a circle around the gigantic wood pile. My eyes followed the never ending trail of students as it twisted and created another layer of the cirle, then another one and another, until everyone was standing around the wooden pile. Everyone had their hood on so I couldn't see where the girls are. The only ones without their hoods is Principal Idarin, the Aveus professors who are magicians and then a smaller group of younger people.

Nima: Those have to be the fifth-years, right?

I would say that too because Gaia mentioned that the procession is always lead by the teachers and the graduating year but I can swear that I discern a familiar blond male even from this distance.

Me: Doesn't that guy in the middle with the long blond hair look like Nathan though? But he is only in his fourth year.

Nima: Oh, yeah, it's him. You haven't been with us at the Friday's lunch so you probably don't know but that guy Nathan, he got selected to lead the cleansing this year.

Me: Understandable though. He is a great magician.

Skylar must be so proud too and happy that a guy like that is in love with her. She didn't say anything about the two of them dating officially or didn't want to give me any details on what happened during the party and where they disappeared to, even though she is always pouting when I don't tell her stuff. Luckily, Nathan was my friend first so I will pester him about it. Now I returned my focus to the celebration. The first stage has just begun, which is the older students choosing a first year and paiting runes on their faces to protect them from spirit possession. After each painting was one, you could see a blue ball of light being released to the sky, and then the older students went to their previous spots.

Principal Idarin must have said something to initiate the next step because Nathan walked up towards the pile and started circling it while the teachers and fifth-years trailed behind him. Some of them had lit candles in their hands and the others started to cast a spell. I recognized the motions and it is the group spell that they were practicing in Professor Coldos' class. Nathan is the anchor of the spell and he is the one channeling the power from the other magicians. A summoning circle started to shine on the ground with Nathan in the middle as others kept casting and then holding the energy flow, directing it towards the anchor. Nathan looked like a god to me right now. He isn't shaking, the power isn't eating through him, he is standing firm while casting the last movements and then finally releasing the spell towards the sky and let it spread around the bonfire circle. The whole field got suddenly illuminated. I tracked the source of the light to the sky and between the scattered stars there is was – Aurora Borealis here in New York. My jaw dropped and so did Nima's as we watched the night sky dance in red, blue and green lights. Truly an amazing and astonishing view which was even better from our position at the top floor of the building.

When the cleansing spell was done, Nathan retreated with some of the students back to their positions and those who didn't have candles, got one and they held it while waiting. Some of the fifth-years circled the bonfire and then Principal Idarin joined them. All at once started to channel and then flames bursted around them. The students guided the fire around them with precise motions, then set it free in a form of a fireball at the bonfire which caught on fire in no time and lit up.

When the bonfire illuminated every spot of the field, the remaining students, which I guess must be Idarins with Fire Manifestation, walked to also get their candles. After every one in the small group of graduating students with Nathan had their candles, they walked around the field and lit the lanterns which the rest of the Aveus Academy held in front of them and waited for theirs to be lit up.

It took about ten minutes for each lantern to get lit up and then they waited for the fifth-years to also get their lanterns. When everyone was set, some of the students placed their lanters on the ground and then started to cast a spell. Or at least that's I thought that they were doing, that it's a second cleansing spell or something but I was wrong. We could see from here that a sudden wind started to blow around the students, playing with their cloaks and also the trees were bending from side to side. Then the lanters started to float and fly up to the sky, imitating the field of stars. Idarins, Wind Manifestations were moving the lanters around and either kept picking them from the hands of the students or from the ground. The wind caused their cloak hoods to fall down and reveal some of the faces, one of which was Lucy. Her blonde curly head with blue highlights is a big give away. Three still hooded figures standing next to her were also moving their arms and picking up the lanterns but there was no wind and those motions mimicked some of the others. I guess that must be Kisha, Skylar and Crimen, which means that also Ossilor is helping out the Wind Manifestations to spread the lanterns.

Every lantern is now flying high in the sky, dancing in the wind between the lights of Aurora Borealis and then disappearing as small dots of light until we are not able to see them anymore. Then the practiced part of the Samhain celebration is over. Now, everyone is just walking around with their hoods down and they are either talking between themselves or to no one in particular. Those must be already connected to their ancestors and talking to the spirits. Talking, or dancing, eating, singing. Some are still waiting for their deceases ancestors to arrive or they are just basking in the energy coming from the bonfire. The sky is still playing with the Northern lights and even though it's technically over, it still looks so ethereal. Sadly, we were really starting to freeze up with Nima in here so we decided to just call it a night and go back to our dorms.

My room was pitch black and quiet because Reilly is sleeping outside the academy tonight. I quickly switched my clothes for pyjamas but also put a thick white woolen sweater on top because I am frozen down to the bone, then went to sleep. It was easy for me to fall asleep even though I couldn't get a good rest tonight. The blue light dream is back and haunting me again after I don't know how many days, but it was long enough for me to forget that I even had such dream. It all played like usual – me sitting and freezing in the alley, two shadows talking to each other, which now I know that it is Woreus and my mom Evie, animalistic shadows chasing them and then one of the shadows leaving into the blue light. Memory or a dream, I wanted to fight it this time or I wanted to see more so I tried to yell and scream at the shadow to wait for me. They didn't stop and my voice is barely reaching them so I need to get closer. I willed my legs to stand up and move towards that shadow while still trying to make them stop walking away. I picked up my pace and was half walking, half running towards that shadow. I reached out to grab it but I couldn't make it. The shadow walked through the blue light and my hands grasped at empty air. I had to jerk my body as I tried to reach them which made me lose my balance and I stumbled few steps, throwing myself into the light, then it disappeared and I was in a complete darkness and cold. It felt real, so real. I hugged my body tighter to create some heat and not freeze to death like I almost did when I was a kid. I wanted to wake up from this dream and I did thanks to the sound of the honking cars and drunken people's chatter. Wait, cars? I opened my eyes only to find myself on the ground, leaning against a brick wall in nothing but my pyjamas, sweater and bare feet. Looking around myself, I realized that I am in that alley where I have been found as a kid when I was abandoned but I am myself, my current self not a child version. What the hell? Am I still dreaming? I pinched myself and it hurt like hell. I walked out of the alley while shaking and also my feet freezing with each touch against the cold asphalt road. Somehow I am back to the streets of New York, outside of the Umbras Academy. People around stared at me but I couldn't care less what they must think about me. My main goal right now is to get shoes, maybe clothes and then find a freaking way back to the academy grounds. I couldn't really walk fast with my bare feet while freezing so I only too tiny steps on the sidewalk while trying to not bump into drunk people. If I don't find shelter or a way back to the academy fast, I will freeze to death or lose my feet to hypothermia at best. Luckily someone recognized me because I heard my name resonate through the crowd. I stopped moving and turned around to find that person. I don't care if they are magical or not, if they know me, they can help me for now, then I worry about getting back. I scanned the faces of the people passing around but I didn't recognize anyone. There was no one from my high school, the orphanage or even Reilly and her mom. I did a second scan and then my eyes met with a blue orbs that are hidden under the bang of pixie cut raven hair, and seeing that person made me really glad so I ran towards her.