Chapter 4 : Magician or An Ice Prince?

The Expanse - Juniper Vale

kiyoeuvre

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We walked in a huge corridor that seemed to never end. This time I didn't get distracted by the pictures on the walls. But, I did look around at the architecture as we all walked in a line. This place was a legit castle and pretty huge. To my surprise, there were small dim lights along with candles on the walls. The lights made the place look modern and it made me feel all good. Though I never had homesickness, I was starting to feel a bit homesick. I missed Aoi's parents, who were my parents as well. For a second, I was hit with a wave whether they missed us or whether they were looking for both of us.

Just when we turned around a bend, I totally forgot about being homesick as I was mesmerized by the courtyard. A beautiful fountain with a stature of the Queen was in the middle with dim lights surrounding it. She was beautifully seated holding a harp that from around here water flowed like the water was her dress. A few feet away from the fountain, I caught sight of a path that probably led to a jungle that was only of pine trees. To the entrance of the jungle stood another statue. It was pretty old and had a rose bush around it. From the face of the statue, it was also a woman.

All of a sudden, my head started to hurt as I stared at the statue. Bright light of vision flashed in my mind. It was like bits and pieces of memories or visions that seemed to flash through my mind. A beautiful lady in red hair was dancing in the middle of the room. She seemed to be dancing to a traditional song as she had her hands in the air and was twirling a lot. Just when it got to her face, a flash of the picture I saw of the women in red crossed my mind. Just as she ran towards a little girl seated in a wooden chair, who was holding a half blue and half white bunny soft toy in hand, was suddenly lifted off the chair by the lady.

I was shocked as the little girl looked like a replica of myself. Long black hair with the most brightest of hazel orbs that seemed to glow to the rays of the sun. But, from the roots of the little girl's hair was red. All my life, I have thought I had a sickness and was due to my weird illness that I had. People always asked me if I dyed my hair black to hide my red hair but it wasn't true. This was my original hair and I never knew why my hair was like that.

My headache passes when we walk into a long corridor leaving behind the beautiful courtyard. As I looked around there was nothing on the walls but green floral patterns on the walls. In the end of the corridor was a huge wooden door with a pentagram. Luca stepped in front of the door and just stretched his right hand as a white light shines from his hand to the pentagram. The pentagram spins anti clockwise once and the door opens. This really felt like a magical place already.

Before we all walked in, Luca turned around and stood with his hands behind his back. All of us stood straight looking at him. The girls around me seemed to whisper and admire Luca to which I slightly laughed, placing a hand in my mouth to not show him I was laughing. Just as my eyes fell on him, he happened to be staring at me. He looked directly at me so intensely that I knew he noticed me.

"Pay attention everyone!" He raised his voice and his voice echoed. He sounded like those generals in the army. I got a slight shiver down my spine.

"As you all should know, you all belong to my group. I am your group leader as well as your dormitory head. We are currently in the Zuke wing of the castle. There are more dorms in the Zuke wing. Just remember, our dorm is called Zuke - II. If you are lost finding your way around on the first week as you are new, you will each use a starter necklace that will help you." Luca paused as he magically made a box appear in his hands.

It was a dark green box with silver and gold floral designs glowing on it. He opened it and from inside, took out a necklace. It had a glass of water drop-like pendant.

"This necklace will act as your compass once you tell it the location you need to go. This will be your first training once you enter the dorm. Today, you all practice harnessing your spirit and soul to make this necklace work. Is that clear to everyone?" He asked in a serious tone, raising his voice again.

"Yes!" We all exclaimed loudly.

He smiled. "Good! Now one by one, take a necklace and walk in. Once you walk in, you will be walking in a hallway. There will be doors on either side. One of the doors will have your name on them and that will be your room."

One by one, students started to walk in. I realised, all of us were new students. There were about 20 students. Well, I kinda stood at the very end because the girls seemed to push me as they all were drooling on Luca. This kind of annoyed me and made me all frustrated that I crossed my arms. Just as I rolled my eyes at the girl in front of me, I realised it was Lana. As her spirit guide; Bri turned to talk to her, she noticed me give the eye roll. She whispered to Lana and she turned around with her arms crossed.

"You got a problem?" She asked me in a queen bee-like tone as she flipped her hair. She also happens to be chewing on gum.

"No, I have no problems." I answered her by looking at the floral designs on the wall as I didn't want to start a fight on the first day. I was kind of pretty tired and was a little homesick. All I did was sigh.

"You know, I noticed your hair. Did you dye your hair black to hide your red hair? You seem like an unlucky person because my hair isn't red." She grabbed my hair as she made it smack my face with a laugh.

My hands clenched into fists when I remembered what happened when I was eight. I helped a snake as it was trapped in a mouse trap and talked to it. This scared the children around me and started to distance from me as I became someone scary for them and no one dared to speak to me. It was only Aoi who seemed to speak to me and understood me.

I grabbed Lana's hand and gripped it tight, that I knew Lana was in pain. "You dare lay a finger in my hair, I will curse you." I let go and walked towards Luca who actually had been staring at me.

I kinda sensed he would probably give me a lecture on my behaviour after all this. All I wanted to do was be in my room and try to work on the necklace. Just as I got next to Luca, he handed over a necklace to me, to which I just put it around my neck and was about to walk in when he placed a hand on my shoulder and patted. For a second, I turned around and was shocked to see Luca give me a genuine smile for the first time. One second he was cold and the next he was kind. Does this guy have a split personality or something? But, I have to be honest, my whole emotions got better just from that smile he gave me.

"I'm not angry. You handled it fine instead of making it a big fight." He patted my shoulder with that same smile.

"Do you have a split personality or something? It's creepy." I shrugged my shoulders.

His usual grin appeared back on his face when I turned around and started to search for my room. I walked looking for my room. When I reached towards the end, I realised, the end of the room was actually not the end. The dorm had two floors. First floor with our rooms and the bottom floor was a huge dining room, living room and a kitchen. It was typically like a grand rich person's house. It also looked modern. And my room door was near the staircase. But next door to me was Lana's room. I quickly opened my room door and walked in.

I stopped in my tracks as I just stared into my room. It was like my room back home. Light green wallpaper, with lots of flower pots around, a white cupboard with a white working table white curtains and a huge fluffy white carpet on the wooden floor. The bed was white and green with a picture of a green snake on the blanket. There were also lava lamps with cushions around the room that gave out a mystique feeling. I never told anyone I loved growing plants and such that there were pots all over the place.

"Your room is aesthetic." Luca suddenly appeared behind me and I flinched.

"Omg! Don't scare me like that!" I answered, holding my chest.

"You must be wondering how it's like this. When you place your hand on the door knob it registers everything about you and designs your room according to you. It channels your energy." Luca explained as he kept looking around my room.

"Thank you for explaining, but why are you in my room?" I asked the main question, staring right at him.

He smirked as he dumped his hands in his pants pockets. "Didn't you notice a door right there in the corner Ruby? That has my name on it."

Just as he said that, I was already walking fast towards the door in the corner, next to the window. I read the name on the door. It had a nameplate with LUCA written in capital dark green curvy letters.

"No way! Why?! How?!" I asked in shock and surprise.

"I'm your spirit guide, Ruby. Everyone else's rooms are like that too. They have their room connected to their spirit guide. Though, my room is actually located down on the bottom floor where all the rest of the spirit guide's rooms are. It's the power of this place. I have the ability to teleport to different countries and places. Also, I can create a room that looks like a real place in some part of the world." Just as he said this with a smirk, he snapped his finger.

I felt so cold as I stared at the surroundings around me. We were in the middle of a snowy, windy mountain. Luca snapped his finger again and it changed into a meadow with a huge windmill behind Luca. He snapped his finger twice, this time when I was back in my room.

"That was a lot to take into my brain. I feel dizzy." I answered him as I sat on the bed.

He just smiled, but with that genuine smile. At this moment he didn't look like he was a cold hearted person. Rather, he seemed like a magician that little kids would admire. He waved and gave a salute as he walked out. I kind of smiled brightly at how funny he acted and somehow made me feel good. I was suddenly excited and I didn't feel homesick as Luca's actions made them wash away in that instant. Probably, Luca wasn't bad after all.

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Hello everyone!

Yes! I'm back with a new update! Hope you all liked this chapter! It's so much magic going on isn't it? If you all loved it, I would appreciate if you'd like and comment! It would mean a lot to me!!! I love reading your comments!

You probably got your fav characters! I would love to know who you like! 🤭

Also, here is a small question.
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If you had a room like the one in the story that Ruby has, how would your dream room want to be like? You can inline comment your dream room right here!
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Look forward to the next chapter! You're gonna love it! It will be more magical!

Well, I will see you around in the next chapter!

Adios! 😁

- Kei