I gasp at the sensation of being pulled into the Gyer. It was an odd feeling— as if I was being ripped apart and put together at the same time. It was prickly and soft, weightless, and heavy.

It was weird.

I stumble forward as I'm pushed out, and look back to see the light stitch back the Gyer into normal air.

I let out a loose laugh at my situation, until that one laugh results in a fit of giggles, making me have to clutch my stomach.

I just traveled through air, I thought as I giggled, and saw some men go to high heights for a book. And I met a guy named Dodobi.

"I'm going crazy", I say, raking my hair with my hands.

"I can say that I'm beginning to believe you," Dodobi says, startling me as he reminds me of his presence. He taps his foot impatiently and points to his watch, "Now, if you do not mind, we have to go now. The new school year is about to begin, preparations are still to be made, and I can't find a damn book", he says, stomping his feet, indicating his annoyance at the situation.

I quietly followed him, as talking didn't seem to be what he wanted to do. We zig-zagged through the trees for what felt like hours until I am pretty sure he is just as lost as I am.

"Okay", I say after a while of walking, "Why take the Gyer if it dropped us so far from the school? Wasn't there any other means of transportation?". By this point, I was huffing as I walked.

He sighs as he stops to catch his breath. "The Gyer will never take you straight to the school, it's a safety precaution. Only those capable of seeing can find the way. There, of course, are other, more efficient ways of getting here, but those were not in our favor at that moment time-wise".

He scans the forest and relaxes his stance as his eyes land on a tree.

Very similar to all the other trees here.

"Ah-hah!" he exclaimed. I rolled my eyes but followed him as he walked over to it.

He felt around the tree with one arm, then the other until he was all but hugging the tree. I saw his lips move, but heard no words.

I am forced to take a step back as the tree splits apart to form another Gyer, though this one almost twice as big, with an aura that speaks of its age.

"This'' he says with a satisfied grin, "Is the only Gyer capable of taking you to the gate of the school". We step through, this time I feel a bit more prepared for the odd feeling the Gyer brings, and all too soon, we are back out on the other end. I step back as I take in the gate in front of me. Elaborate designs made up the exterior, and tainted paint covered it, but it still held its regalness. Like a proud ruler, it stood strong and true.

And then I saw it.

The building behind the gate. It was held upon a hill, high beyond the clouds.

It was the same gate, I thought with a laugh.

I raised my hands to my head as I dulled this over. When I came across this in my vision, I felt a sense of longing to be there— or rather, here. And now I am.

I turn back to find Dodobi staring at me with amusement. "We're going in there?" I say as I point beyond the gate.

He nodded, and I laughed in disbelief.

"Whe-", I start, "Where are we going?"

He steps forward and clasps his hands together.

He closes his eyes and starts chanting, and I yelp as he's lifted off the ground. The wind picks up, and the leaves swirl around him. Then, as if a switch had been pulled, it all stops, and he falls back down, and the gate begins to open.

Dodobi starts walking to the path leading to the building, and without turning back says, "Welcome to FiziTal Obasi. Are you here to stay?"

I am utterly speechless as we make our way up the hill, closer to FiziTal Obasi with every step.

Dodobi just told me it was the school for our kind.

What kind? I don't know.

We got to the front of the school, and I am once again thrown aback by the sheer size. It goes beyond what I can see and seems to just keep going.

I run my hands across the outside walls. In my original vision, I thought the designs on the wall were moving.

I was wrong.

It was as if it was alive.

It was a tapestry come to life. Dancing in scriptures, laughing hieroglyphics, it all seemed so magical.

"Now, I believe before any of this truly begins, you have some questions you want to be answered, and I have to brief you in on matters here so you fit in". With that, he clapped his hands and the majestic doors opened with a loud creak.

I barely have time to admire the building as he walks ahead and orders me to follow.

We reach a set of doors, which for the first time, I see him open with his hands instead of a hug or magic or whatever.

"Take a seat", he instructs as he moves towards his desk.

It was a grand room, probably bigger than the size of my whole house. It was filled with artifacts and antiques displayed around the walls, and the walls went up so high it was making me dizzy looking up.

I step in a circle to take it all in, the roof went on for ages, with a glass top to see the birds and trees above. There was a set of stairs going along the walls, taking you up to the many levels of the room. A long line of bookshelves scattered along the walls and a steady set of personal touches littered the room. One of which was a photo frame with two figures, one obviously him and another younger than him, but with a slight resemblance to him. Even weirder, Dodobi was smiling in it.

As I move, I bump into one of the stands and knock down a vase. My hands fumbled as I tried to catch it, and just when I thought it was safe, it slipped out of my fingers and broke.

"Stupid butterfingers" I mutter. I look up at him sheepishly and give him an awkward smile, "I'll replace it?"

He sighs, "Take a seat, Olivia". I obey.

He leans forward from his hands and holds eye contact with me.

"I told you earlier this was the place for our kind. Did you understand what I meant?"

I shake my head no.

He slowly pulls off his glasses and cleans them so slowly I felt like snatching them out of his hand. He carefully sets them back on his face says, "Olivia O'Henry, welcome", he smiles at me, and spreads his hands apart, "For you have now entered the world of the Parax".

"Parax?" I say, testing out the word on my tongue. "So what? Am I not human or something?" I gasp loudly, "Am I a vampire?" I shake my hands excitedly, and glare as he shuts that thought with a flick of his hand.

"It is true that you are not human. But you are also not not human". I give him a look.

"It is difficult to explain. The best way to put it is to say you are more".

"Okie," I say, not quite trusting his sanity anymore. "So what is Parax anyway?" I ask, fiddling with my backpack.

"We are the people of the Magik" he replies without a hint of a smile, so I can't tell if he's joking or not.

"The Magik were the creatures of the early world. I'm afraid they've gone from the world now, due to human greed", he shakes his head solemnly. "But they left their essence in a few people. Those people became...different from others", he states.

"Different how?" I ask cautiously.

Instead of answering, he gets up and holds his hands out palm open. All of a sudden, all of the light is stolen from the room and placed in the center of his hand. The lightbulbs, candles, all emptied out to form a breathing fire in his hand.

"Whoa", is the only thing I can think of to say. I pinch my arm to make sure I'm awake.

He makes the flames dart around the room, painting the dark room with splashes of color.

"Unbelievable", I whisper as my eyes take it all in.

"This is not even half what the Parax can do," he says, letting the flames and light return to their original places.

"What did you just do? How did you do it." I ask intrigued.

"Relax child, all your questions shall be answered. But to help you understand, you must know how we came to be".

"There are many possible abilities for a Parax to have. Throughout the past, there have been many individuals documented about strange incidents that happened to them. Framers able to grow crops at alarming rates, unusual weather at the arrival of a person,— hell, even a child holding their breath for an amount of time not humanly possible counted".

"The 2 fathers of the Parax, Fizi Kuhl and Mena Tal, who some people argue were the first Parax, helped make way for our kind. They may not have been the first Parax, or they may have", he shrugs, "we don't know, but we do know that they were the first ones to do something for their kind. They set up information sessions and guided people who needed it, and when the Parax began to get hunted, created a safe haven for them, but the most relevant thing they did, was discover the existence of 2 subcategories of the Parax powers, now called Linopia and Ghostilios. In simple terms, Linopia refers to physical, existence-type powers, while Ghostilios refers to mental, seemingly unseen powers. What you saw me do was a show of Linopia power".

With all this information in my mind, the only question I had, and the only one that seemed relevant was, "What's my power? What category do I fall under?"

He leans back in his chair and pushes his glasses back. "Well, that is a question you must answer for yourself".

"How? I mean, how can I know if I never knew these things before?"

"Just think back Olivia. What makes you special? What is something you can do that other people can't? What would people consider weird?"

I think about it, and a thought appeared in my mind, and he noticed. "Well?" He inquired.

"I don't know if it counts, but I these really weird dreams at times," I say, locking my fingers together.

He set down his glasses, "I thought as much. Olivia, you are a Ghostilios, more specifically, a seer".

"Seer," I repeated dumbly. Seer? Really? Nothing more exciting?

"Yes, seer, physic, fortune teller, soothsayer, all the same. The interesting thing is, we haven't seen a seer in the last 6 decades". He turned around and quietly says, "So why now?".

I jump as the big clock chimes.

"Anyways, we will continue this conversation later. I will drop you off with somebody to give you a tour, While I finalize preparations for the school year. You will be staying in the lounge until dorms are set." He walks to the door and I follow.

"Dodobi?"

"Hmm" he replies

"Are you going to do anything to help my Grandma?"

"I will if I can'' he said, walking down the hall, "but I will not jeopardize the mission for the book or the safety of others for hers".

I stare at his back.

A book is seemingly more valuable than my Gran. A person. I realized I would be getting no help from him in getting Gran back. I guess it was all on me.

"Oh, and Olivia," he says. "No more Dodobi nonsense, you will address me as everyone else does".

I roll my eyes at his back. "And what does everybody else call you?"

He opens a door for me and ushers me in saying, "Headmaster Hummingherd", as he shuts the door and leaves me to myself.