"We are not your parents" Roland dropped the bomb at Nyx whose yes widened, looking sideways at her parents, waiting for them to confirm that it was just a prank, for them to confidently tell her like she was telling herself that everything that had been happening for the past days were just a fragment of her imagination.
But none came. It was the truth. She looked up to her mother… Her foster mother or whatsoever, tears evident in Elena's eyes.
"Eighteen years ago" Roland started, after he noticed Elena would be unable to continue.
"Your mother and I lost our child, a still birth and the doctor told us your mother would be unable to give birth as her womb had been ruptured" He was interrupted by Elena's teary sniffs.
He sighed and continued "Months later, I was on night patrol for the hospital I was working at as a security guard when I found you"
"Our little bundle of joy" Elena chipped in.
"I had no idea how you came there, how someone would abandon such a loving soul like you at the car park. Human judgment told me not to take you in but instincts won. I brought you home and it was then we noticed a small note attached to you" Roland said and stood up.
He walked to the kitchen and returned with a note, that looked old. Ancient was the word. He resumed sitting and cleared his throat.
"It said Nyx Shadowmoon"
Nyx Shadowmoon. So that was her name. The name sounded refreshing, not to lie, it sounded better than Nyx Arthur and the bake instinctively felt hers. Like it had been waiting years for her to claim. It glued to her.
"Take back to Elmswood Academy once found" Roland read.
"Elmswood Academy, what's that?" Nyx asked.
"We have no idea, darling" Elena said "But we never took you there, you kit up our small world, I know we had been selfish but we couldn't lose you" She sniffed.
"You hadn't been selfish, you had never been, you stood there for me, gave me parents and a home when I was left to die" Nyx said. "I love you mum and dad" She added and her parents smiled.
"So what does this mean?, it still doesn't explain the unusual things happening to me recently" Nyx asked.
"We knew from the start that you were different" Roland started.
"Special, the way light fluctuated when you were around, you never felt cold, never fell sick" Elena said.
"So how do we get to this Elmswood school?" Nyx asked.
"Daughter, you don't have to leave" Elena said almost immediately, trying to dissuade her from anything in her mind.
"I have to and you know that, I'm a threat to you guys and everyone around me, I burnt down Oak forest last night and…" She let out a deep breath.
"Oh dear" Elena frowned and scooted closer to her holding her in her arms.
"The note said a map would find its way to us when we are ready" Roland said.
"How on earth will an abnormal map find its way to us?" Nyx asked frustratedly.
As if summoned, a shimmering piece of paper floated from 'gods know where' and landed on their table.
"I think that answers your question" Roland said with a light chuckle.
The paper felt warm to touch, Nyx grabbed it and laid it out for her parents to see.
The map was scribed in the paper with something that looked like ancient ink. The map started from their house…
How on hell do they know she was here? Was she being watched or maybe followed?
She shuddered at the thought of that.
So the map started from their house and weaved through mountains and hills and finally ended at a point marked with gold written boldly. ELMSWOOD ACADEMY.
"Scottish highlands" Roland pointed out.
"Almost a day's journey" Elena said.
"Fifteen hours" Roland corrected and they heard Nyx sighing.
She hadn't stay away from her parents since she was old enough to remember and she knew Elena couldn't stay without her. That was why she had kicked against the idea of sending Nyx to a boarding school for her high school education.
How were they going to cope?
"What's wrong, sweetie?" Elena asked.
"Nothing" Nyx replied.
"When are we embarking on this journey" Elena asked Roland.
"We?" Nyx asked with raised eyebrows.
"You really think we would allow you embark on an unknown journey" Roland asked and Nyx's face lit up in a bright smile.
"We would leave in the early hours of tomorrow" Roland replied and Nyx nodded.
Dinner was made and the family of three ate dinner without Nyx burning down the table.
When Nyx went to bed, she laid down with a smile on her face. The journey tomorrow had left her heat racing away as she was about to leave her parents to an unknown place.
But maybe this was for the better, the urge to kill her parents had slowly left her, maybe going to this supernatural high school meant meeting people that would take her as their own, as someone that was not impossible, not abnormal and not a psycho. And she slept with a satisfied smile on her face.
Morning fell quickly and with it came the early morning rush. The packing and unpacking of necessities they needed for the long journey ahead.
Breakfast was taken amidst laughter and smiles - that would probably be the last as a family.
The family hopped into Roland's vehicle and the journey kicked off. The car drove past Oak forest - she was going to miss this getaway, she was going to miss her parents and Maples street as a whole.
Nyx was sitted at the back, snacking on chocolates with no care to the world, Elena was busy checking the map. She had been doing that every five minutes since the journey started.
The silence in the car was tense but comfortable. The car had started entering roads where trees formed an overhead canopy leaving an eerie feeling behind but it somehow felt like home for Nyx. She felt relaxed and truly satisfied.
And suddenly the car came to a stop, making her raise her head from the novel on her laps.
"We've arrived" Elena pointed out as the trio alighted the car.
"We are here but where on earth is the school? Is this a scam, maybe a prank or waste of time?" Elena looked around inquisitively.
"Calm down" Roland said and turned to look at Nyx who was studying the environment with wide eyes. He was happy for her, she was finally going to where she would belong.
The map suddenly went ablaze, burning with a golden flame and in it place another map appeared, this one leading back to Maples Street.
"It's here" Nyx spoke out as she pointed to a plain field.
"There's nothing there, it's just…." Roland trailed off when they saw Gothic buildings arising from the field.
"Wow!" Elena exclaimed.
The buildings rose from the field, hanging overhead, almost reaching the skies, giving off a dark vibe and there was something supernatural, magical about the buildings. Like it was built by magic and in the midst of it wonders, it looked ancient and stunningly beautiful. Perfect.
To be honest, it looked bigger than the town she was coming from and it definitely felt homely.
She could feel a spark, a bond drawing her closer and she so much wanted to be there now. She took a look at her parents… 'foster parents' who were looking at the building in awe.
"Nyx Shadowmoon" She heard her name being called and turned towards the rising buildings. A lanky middle-aged man was standing on the other side of the field. His hair was combed and styled backwards, He wore a kind of ancient suit that belonged to the 1200, and Nyx could feel that magical pull she had felt from the rising buildings that had emerged to stand tall in the field.
A friendly smile was on his lips and his hands was spread out.
Who is this? And how does he know her name? Her real name.
"I'm Lucas Blackwood and the principal of the great Elmswood Academy" The man introduced.
Well, that answers her question.
"I got news that a new student named Nyx Shadowmoon would be arriving our school so I decided to give you a warm welcome" He started with a wide smile on his face, his hands still spread out.
"You should come over to this other side and begin your voyage here at Elmswood" He said. Nyx turned back to look at her parents and Roland nodded at her.
This was what she needed anyway. A little bit of assurance.
Nyx took Principal Blackwood hands and crossed to the other side of the field, a magical barrier separating her and her parents.
"Let's go" Principal Blackwood said and turned around heading into the school.
Nyx turned to look at her parents one last time. Hope not. She tried to fight back the tears threatening to fall but her mother, Elena was already in tears, sobbing aloud with Roland's hands across her, she could see the pain in his eyes also.
To be honest, she wanted to stop, go back home with her parents but that urge… She so needed to avoid it and she knew this was the best for all of them and her parents wanted the best for her. Roland gave her a reassuring smile and she managed to turn back to see Principal Blackwood beckoning at her. With a last smile at her parents, she moved on.
The duo walked side by side through the plains and she could pratically see the Academy disappearing into the field.
Blackwood led her past the field and muttered a spell he said was general knowledge and an invisible gate she had no idea how she could see appeared, Blackwood fetched for the keys and opened the gate for her while he walked through the gate.
Unbelievable! But the shit just happened in front of her.
"Alright, welcome to Elmswood Academy" The announcement was unnecessary.
Nyx walked down the well trimmed lawn with wide eyes, staring at the different kinds… Species of students the school had.
The ones with wings, hair made up of twigs, the ones with an extremely long neck and…
"You shouldn't be putting on glasses, here at Elmswood, we don't hide any part of ourselves" Blackwood said and took off her glasses. He gasped.
He took another closer look at her dual colored eyes and another gasp escaped his mouth "An hybrid?" He questioned rhetorically.
"What's that?" Nyx asked and Blackwood sighed.
He led her to his office and offered her a chair.
"You called me an hybrid like it was a curse, why?" Nyx asked.
"Because it is… It is abnormal" Blackwood explained.
"Even here?" Nyx asked and Blackwood nodded.
She had thought she was finally going over to a place that would take her in, where she would be called normal but it was a lie, being abnormal even where others like her was… Was actually a curse.
"But I know what you just need and that's why we are here, isn't it? To take in abnormals" Blackwood said with a smile.
Asshole! If there was a solution, then why make her afraid.
"In Elmswood, there are six large species but there are also a handful of other species sprinkled all over the school like the ghosts, the avians, kanimas and others" Blackwood started.
"But the six species that make up the Academy are the Demons, the werewolves, witches, sirens, dragons and the vampires" Blackwood said.
"What am I?" Nyx asked slowly.
"A combination of demon and wolves, the only one in the past century" Blackwood said.
"Why?"
"The Demons and wolves are sworn enemies and they don't interact, it would be hard on you dear" Blackwood said.
"So what are you?"
"A vampire, explains my collection of red wine" Blackwood laughed and she could see his fangs.
Vampires had fangs, right?
"So let's take you to your room" Blackwood said and stood up walking out of the room with Nyx following behind.
During their walk, the students they came across greeted him respectfully 'Principal Blackwood' They would call and bow.
"Elmswood was built ten centuries ago and I happen to be the one hundred and seven principal and I had been leading for more than twenty years" Blackwood was saying.
Blah, blah, blah… She was getting tired of the long history talk and she so needed to reach her room and have her desired rest.
Finally, Principal Blackwood stopped at a door and knocked. Nyx heard her breath and waited. No one wants a psycho roommate. It felt so weird calling someone that as she had been called that name all her life.
The door creaked open and Nyx raised her head slowly. A girl with a bright smile stood at the door way, dressed in shorts and a black shirt, she held a guitar in her hand, her hair packed into a rough bun.
"Principal Blackwood" She greeted.
"Melody" Blackwood called. "This is your new roommate, treat her well" He added and Melody's eyes found her. Her eyes widened.
"An hybrid" She gasped, something that could be fear, visible in her voice.
There it was again. An hybrid.